Match 1: Prince Devitt, Ryusuke Taguchi, Tama Tonga, Tiger Mask IV vs Gedo, Jado, Shigeo Okumura, YOSHI-HASHI
Korakuen Hall, 01/22/2012

Winner: Prince Devitt, Ryusuke Taguchi, Tama Tonga, Tiger Mask IV 
Match Time: 10:11
Rating: OK
Notes: Rudo entrances are clipped. Okumura has his belt. Mima comes to the ring, but goes to the back before the tecnicos arrive. Referee is Kenta?

Basic atomicos tag match, with everyone getting a turn before Tiger Mask got isolated. Rudos were sure this was going to be the day they unmasked him, but the técnicos stopped that and Tiger eventually made the tag. Decent sized post hot tag of back and forth including dives by the tag champs. Okumura and Tonga were left in, with Tonga's landing his big corner splash and a bodyscisosros DDT for the pin.

Yoshihashi is less interesting in Japan than Mexico, which is unbelievable. Finish was the right finish, they have something in Tonga and Okumura is Okumura.

Devitt keeps talking about the experience of wrestling CMLL luchadors. You wrestled Misterioso for a bit and Okumura here, that's not a represenative sample. He says maybe he'll come to Mexico. Maybe!

Match 2: Jushin Liger & Máximo vs Misterioso Jr. & Taichi
Korakuen Hall, 01/22/2012

Winner: Jushin Liger & Máximo 
Match Time: 8:15
Rating: Okay
Notes: Misterioso is going with bright orange today. Taichi cups his ear for the non-existent reaction, then steals Milano's water, takes a drink, and tosses it back to him. Milano is amused. Lyger and Máximo hook arms and skip out together. Taichi kicks the young kid holding the ropes open for the técnicos. Lyger mimics Maxomo's posing before the match. Referee is Tiger Hattori. Crowd is way into Máximo.

Standard lucha tag match (if tag matches were one fall), with the técnicos taking control in the early exchange, a beatdown and a comeback. Lyger did some exotico bits to play off his partner. Taichi cut off Lyger going for a dive to start the beatdown. A lot of brawling, including Taichi using a chair on Máximo and both guys lifting Máximo backwards into the post. Misterioso tried to get an otra chant after a particularly hard chop, but of course that won't work here. Taichi stripping usually means doom. Here, it meant a kick aimed for Máximo and hitting Misterioso instead. Máximo cleared house pretty well to set up for dives. Lyger's dive got more of the trainee than Taichi. Maximo's dive was a tope con giro off the top rope, and I can't think of the last time I've seen him done that. He's a guy working a lot harder on this show. Certainly helps that the crowd loved him. Máximo and Misterioso ended up back in, kicking out of moves – Maximo's rana, Misterioso Gori Special – until Máximo got the sit down powerbomb for the win.

Máximo offered Taichi a handshake after the match. Taichi thought about it for a while, accepted, and Máximo immediately kissed him. Máximo went for Lyger, Lyger called a time out, and pointed him to Tier Hattori. Hatori ran for it, Lyger having a brief hold of him before getting away.

Misterioso challenges Tiger Mask. Well, why not. Máximo challenges Taichi to another hair/hair match.

Match 3: Máscara Dorada vs Kushida for the CMLL World Welterweight Championship
Korakuen Hall, 01/22/2012

Winner: Mascara Dorada
Match Time: 13:22
Rating: good
Notes: Kushida wears a black mask that I presume he wore in Mexico during one of his stints there. Mascara Dorada has his old music, the Pirate robe, and an extra mask on top of his normal mask. Belt photo! Referee is Asabi? Crowd chants louder for Dorada over Kushida.

Dorada offer a handshake. Kushida accepts, that goes well. Early exchange leads to Kushida forcing Dorada’s right arm down and stomping the elbow. Dorada protects the arm for a little bit. An armdrag sends Kushida out to think, but Dorada does not chase. Battling headlocks and rope evasion sets up Kushida cartwheeling out of the headscissors again and armdragging Dorada. Dorada pulls up short on the next armdrag, but Kushida still nails him with the rolling dropkick. Dorada out, Kushida clips for the dive, Dorada sneaks back in and dropkicks him Kushida. Dorada fires up the crowd, runs, but Kushida cuts him off with a springboard dropkick. Dorada out and around the corner. Kushida goes up top, tope con giro onto Dorada. Kushida charges back in and celebrates. Countout is put on. Dorada is up at 9, on the apron at 12. Kushida gets in a shot to the midsection, leapfrogs over the ropes, and puts on a sort of tarantula around the ropes – neck yank involved. Ref forces break. Kushida cradle Dorada for two, then goes back to his side chinlock move. Dorada fights to free his arm, and rolls over on top for two. Kushida on top stomping. Dorada stood up, but fighting back with a big slap. Off the ropes, KUSHIDA jumps on Dorada's back for a sleeper. KUSHIDA rides Dorada all the way down to the mat. Dorada fighting it but fading. Not fading fast, but I guess KUSHIDA isn’t locking it on that hard. Dorada tries to get back up, and KUSHIDA gets a bodyscissors to hold him down. Dorada turns out of and elbows free, but KUSHIDA stops him with a back elbow and knocks him down. Cartwheel seated dropkick. KUSHIDA covers, one two NO. Kushida chops Dorada into the corner. Corner whip, KUSHIDA charges in, Dorada moves, KUSHIDA him in the corner, Dorada spinning around the ropes dropkick. Out goes KUSHIDA. Dorada gathers himself, backs up, charges, and hits the tope con giro, landing on his feet. Dorada celebrates and caches his breath. Dorada makes it back in, but KUSHIDA pulls him back out and makes it at 11. Referee restarts the count, and Dorada makes it to the apron tat 12. KUSHIDA kicks misses, Dorada swing kick down not. Top rope reverse plancha, Kushida rolls thru, one two NO. Kushida with a forearm to the head. Whip, Dorada flipping run, under a leapfrog, hiptoss blocked, KUSHIDA blocks the hiptoss, fireman’s carry, Kushida rolls thru and over Dorada’s back for a cradle, Dorada blocks and get a casita one two NO. Dorada rolling reverse waistlock – “Japanese leg roll” - but Kushida rolls thru and bridges for another two count. Crowd chants for Dorada. Dorada and Kushida go forearm to forearm, Dorada gets in a chest slap, off the ropes, KUSHIDA stops him with a discuss forearm, Dorada tries to respond, KUSHIDA blocks it and enziguri’s him. Kushida puts on his 8465 submission. Dorada fights, reaches to the ropes, reaches, KUSHIDA pulls him back by the throat – and Dorada gets the ropes. Kushida looking in a lot better whaps here. Whip, reversed, KUSHIDA springboard back elbow. Taijri pose, Buzzsaw kick brushes Dorada as he ducks it (oops) and Dorada recovers to dropkick Kushida out. Dorada claps, runs, slingshot tornillo take out everyone. Both down on the outside, along with various trainees. Dorada pulls himself up by weight, throws KUSHIDA in at 12, and slips in himself at 14. Dorada fireman's drop KUSHIDA in front of the corner, and cuts his throat. Going up – tornillo misses! Kushida dropkick, German suplex one two NO. Kushida poses for the kick again, and it darn sure connects this time. KUSHIDA up top, moonsault connects, one two NO. Dorada moves at the last second, but only to get hit more. Dorada pounding the mat. KUSHIDA looks frustrated. Side backbreaker, and he's going up again – Stardust press misses. Dorada trying to rally from the crowd. Clothesline misses, Dorada springboard into a casadora cradle, one two three.

Dorada is happy to win in his second home, Japan, and says Kushida is a great rival. Mascara Dorada is the real king of the air, and he'd like a chance at Prince Devitt's championship. A tiny bit of Dorada's beer goes in his mouth.

Match 4: Hirooki Goto vs Rush
Korakuen Hall, 01/22/2012

Winner: Hirooki Goto  
Match Time: 9:49
Rating: good 
Notes: Rush is in his Azteca warrior gear. Goto climbs the ropes to pose, drops to mat, and Rush is on him with a kick immediately.

Punch, kick to the midsection, punches to the side of the face and left hand shots to the midsection. Knee lift, and growl at the crowd. Whip, Goto clotheslines misses, and Rush belly to belly suplexes him. Rush dropkick Goto in the back of the had. Goto shocked and rolling out. Rush making mean faces. Out to stomp him. Rush gives a look to some front row female fans, grabs Goto in a chinlock, and bites at his forehead. Big chop. Kick to the side, knee to the ribs, and Goto thrown in. Rush now muttering to himself. In and posing. Rush kicks Goto back to the corner. Goto tries to fight out, but Rush on him with big climbs punches and as hot to the midsection. Corner whip, reversed, Goto charges in, running forearm, back to his corner, running back again with a clothesline running again – but Goto ambushed him with a clothesline and yanks him out with a hairpulling bulldog. Goto out to the floor. Rush poses on the middle rope and double stomps Goto. Rush nods at the crowd, who claps. Rush yells at Goto to get up, but is distracted by the count. Rush its up Goto to forearm him in the chest repeatedly. Goto thrown in. Kick tot he spine. Rush yelling at the crowd. Some boos back! Rush is a jerk in any language. Hard loud chop. Whip, Goto slips under Goto's clothesline, back suplex, senton, one knee cover one two NO. Rush demands a faster count, that usually works for him. Goto chant, much to Rush's annoyance. Goto kicked in the corner and slap Rush in the face a few times. Shot to the midsection. Corner whip, Rush cuts his throats, charge in, Goto flips him to the apron, Rush slaps him back, up top, missile dropkick, one two NO. Rush can't quite believe that. Northern lights suplex! One two NO. That list of moves is near exhaustion. Rush stands Goto up, but Goto fights back with a chest lap. Rush back with his own, . Back and forth, Rush being the first going to face slaps. Of the ropes, clotheslines, neither man goes down. Clothesline, their man goes down. Off the ropes, Goto slips behind Rush and clothesline him. This is Goto's first opening in this match. Stomp. Kicks to the chest, battering Rush. Corner whip, no, Rush fights back and, they get into a chop fight. Again, rush slaps Goto in the face, but Goto comes back with a headbutt to the face this time. Corner whip, Goto wheel kick. Rush looking out of it. Back suplex one two th-NO. Goto nods at the crowd. Suplex, blocked, suplex, Rush reverses to a small package one two NO. Rush loading up – big superkick knocks Goto clear form the ring. Rush loads up, big tope knocks Goto backwards. Both recover, Rush growling at the crowd again. Rush picks Goto up and smacks him. Stomp, and Goto's thrown in. Rush in behind him. What else you got? Goto, out of it, actually knocks takedown the ref, thinking it's Rush. Rush stomps Goto. Rush stops to pose on the middle rope. People politely clap, which is very amusing. Rush batters Goto with more kicks to the chest and looking around more. Chest slaps, chops. Rush fireman's drop Goto, double stomp, pose on the apron, and he's headed up. Top rope senton – misses! Goto picks up Rush, fireman’s carry, rush escapes behind, waistlock, Goto back elbows free, Got off the ropes, fireman's carry, Goto breaks free, Rush slaps him in the face again. Rush off the ropes, right up to Goto's shoulders. Goto almost loses him, but use the ropes and drops him with an Ura Shouten headcrusher. Shouten Kai one two three.

Both guys look like they went thru a war. Rush tries to get up, and falls back down. Goto rests in the corner, and still gets his hand raised. He gives Rush a look and leaves. No handshake here. Rush recovers enough to stand and make a hug motion. He continues grabbing his neck as he leaves, eventually leaning on a trainee to get to the back. In the mixed zone. Rush tells the media Goto is a strong opponent, but Rush demonstrated true Mexican lucha libre today and this is just the start of him in Japan.

Match 5: Diamante, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tetsuya Naito vs Kazuchika Okada, Mephisto, Shinsuke Nakamura
Korakuen Hall, 01/22/2012

Winner: Kazuchika Okada, Mephisto, Shinsuke Nakamura
Match Time: 14:24
Rating: ok
Notes: Rudos (and hypeman Gedo) again enter to Mephisto's music. Nakamura's hood matches Mephisto's mask – the Kahoz eyes and teeth. Técnicos are all in red. Diamante is wearing a sombero. Referee is Zapata Rojos!

Again, kind of standard lucha ordered match. It also lacked the rudo tag team moves, preferring individual brawling beat downs. Best sequences of the match were involving Naito & Nakamura. They were the last two in, and Nakamura decided he'd wrestle with his hood on. This lasted for a minute or so until Naito was annoyed enough to yank it off. Nakamura went crazy with strikes, killing Naito for twenty seconds until Naito could get something in. It was like that with them throughout. Okada looked about the same as he did the previous night. Diamante almost exclusively worked with Mephisto, and really only was involved in his opening exchange and bits near the end. He did mess up some tricky springboard, but won the crowd back just by dropkicking Okada after he'd tombstoned Tanahashi. Naito & Tanahashi sent the other rudos out and pescados them, leaving Mephisto and Diamante into settle it. Both end up top, and Mephisto got the butter of it with a middle rope Devil's Wings for the win. Big reaction for the move. Técnicos were all laid out after the match.

Diamante says his youth will eventually beat Mephisto's experience, maybe when they get back to Arena Mexico.

Match 6: La Sombra vs Volador Jr. for the NWA World Welterweight Championship
Korakuen Hall, 01/22/2012

Winner: La Sombra
Match Time: 21:47
Rating: great
Notes: The picture of Volador in the matchup screen is him with the Bicentiental Cup. I guess that's one to go with. No weights are announced. One fall. Volador is in all black. Sombra is black, gold and silver. Referee is red shoes.

Sombra offer a handshake before the match, and Volador does accept without issue. First bit on the mat doesn't get them too far. Second bit out of armbars to leads dueling armdrags, Volador going last. Volador off the ropes, sunset flip, Sombra blocks it and rolls forward into his own sunset flip one count. Zero leg sweep, but Sombra turns into a headscissors. Over leg sweep but Volador turns into a casadora armdrag. A million mills per hour into the zero leg trips and face off. Volador has his rooting section. Sombra off the ropes, flipping run, back, flipping over Volador's back both looking, Volador kicking. Forearm to the back. Off the ropes, Sombra jumps into a ‘rana. Volador tumbles out. Sombra runs – Sombra front flip of the apron to the floor (Milano is awed), Volador back in and kicking Sombra as he gets back to the apron. Volador fires up the crowd, runs, tope con giro connects well. Both recover, Volador clapping for the fans. Count is slow coming, but fast when it starts. Sombra is closer to the ring, but walks around it. Volador in at 11, Sombra in right after. Volador of the ropes, over, waved by, Volador flipping run, Sombra clothesline misses, Volador headscissors. Volador off the ropes, Volador slide out, Sombra slide in, Volador looks at him and gets up on the apron, but Sombra knocks him off with a springboard dropkick. Sombra tope! King Fale gets crushed, saving the fans from the same. Both slow up, Volador having to dig himself from chairs. Sombra slide in, but Volador yanks him by his pants and pulls him back out so he can get in first. Sombra up on the apron at 13, waiting for Volador turn around. Springboard 'rana turned into a powerbomb, one two NO. Both down and hurting already. Volador chest kicks misses, Sombra tries an inside cradle, Volador reverses to an armscissors armbar. Sombra is pretty well trapped, but doesn’t look in too much pain. Sombra starts trying to turn it, and spins his body 115 degrees to get his foot on the bottom rope. Volador whip, Sombra quick reverse, forward roll into an inverted figure four. Volador's straight in the middle of the ring, and Sombra's got his legs. Volador turns it too, and gets to eh ropes. Sombra a bit frustrated. He stands Volador up, Volador swings and misses, Sombra shoulderblock, run and hide in the ropes, but Volador immediately behind with the dropkick. Volador to the apron – Asia moonsault. This time, it's a random trainee who just gets pinned beneath. Referee comes out to check on both partisans in the match as they're untangled, then goes back in for the count. Volador in first, on his hands and knees. Sombra waits, Volador looks the wrong way, and Sombra slides into put him in the cavernaria. I've seen this match! Volador yells, fights, and the crowd chants for him. Volador finally breaks the chinlock and falls free. Volador up first but grabbing his back. Sombra waved him into the ropes, Sombra puts his head down too soon, Volador hooks him, inverted Gori stretch. Sombra shakes his head no, gets one arm free, gets the other arm free, and pulls himself up on Pose, headscissors cradle, one two NO. Casita – no, Volador rolls thru, Volador casita, one two NO. Sombra gets a one legged casadora and still makes it roll into a pin one two NO. Sombra 'rana, Volador rolls thru one two NO. Both up, Volador clapping to draw from the fans. Sombra runs, by back for a springboard back spin headscissors. Volador out, Sombra up top – moonsault over the ring post to the floor. Both down again. Sombra throws Volador in at 12, then makes into the apron. Sombra springboard plancha, one two NO. Sombra waits for Volador to get up, corner charge, Volador throws him free, Sombra forearms him from the apron, Volador sings kicks Sombra as he climbs up. Volador steps out, and walks to the top rope with Sombra. Off the top rope 'rana, one two NO. Volador fan section is into this match. Volador pulls himself up on the apron and climbs up, very tired. Sombra crotches him just as he gets to the top . Sombra climbs up with Volador, off the top rope superplex! Sombra crawls on top, one two NO. Volador fan section loud. Sombra slips behind Volador and places him on his shoulder. Volador dropped into a wheelbarrow suplex, bridge, one two NO. Sombra breathing hard. Volador too. Sombra off the ropes, charge, dropkick misses, Sombra stuck in the ropes and Volador guillotine legdrops him off. One two NO. Crowd claps as both men recover again. Volador up, hand wave to the crowd. Volador charges, and Sombra just dumps him over the top to the floor. Volador steps to the apron, and pats the top rope. Ready – inverted tope con giro! Announcers were not expecting that one. That's how he beat Lyger two years ago. Red Shoes checks on both wrestlers. Sombra makes it back in at 12. Volador makes it up tot he apron at 16, trying to catch his breath. Volador step thru the ropes backwards, and Sombra forearms him in the back. Sombra fits Volador on his shoulders again, Volador desperately hanging on the ropes. Sombra breaks his hold with punches, so Volador tries something else – inverted 'rana! Volador presses him down, one two NO. Both slow up. Volador charges Sombra, Sombra moves, Brillante Bomb! One two NO. Volador appears to be bleeding from his nose, no idea when that happened. Sombra drags Volador to the corner. Up to the top rope. Sombra balances himself – rope flip moonsault, one two t-NO. Sombra cuts his throat, sets Volador back over, and grabs the ropes again. Volador up – swing kick, joining Sombra up top. Volador grabs the arm, calling for it – top rope moonsault sideslam! They went as far to the side as Joe Lider did, but there's no table to hit. One two th-NO. Crowd really surprised at that kickout. Volador up first of the two, Sombra clothesline misses, Volador backcracker. Sombra up again – front cracker - no, Sombra spinebuster him instead, and they're both down. Sombra waving to the crowd for support. Crowd goes with it with claps. Both up to their feet. Sombra clothesline misses, Volador superkick, pose, calling for it – no, Sombra lifts him up on his shoulders, wheelbarrow suplex, no cradle, double moonsault, one two three!

Referee check on Volador, who's holding his head and still bloody around the nose. Sombra gets his belt, then helps Volador up and shakes his hand. Volador puts the belt back on him as the rest of the CMLL guys –Diamante in a third, black mask – join them in the ring. Sombra's given the microphone. Some of the NJPW guys are there as well. Sombra gets the microphone to thank everyone for coming. Sombra says he, Volador and everyone CMLL demon stared the level of CMLL. Sombra says he'd like to defend his title versus Japanese luchadors, and he thanks the fans for supporting CMLL. And on everyone throws colored balls out to the crowd. Ring announcer says they'll back next year. Everyone poses with a Mexican flag. Why does Okumura have a Yankees shirt on? The NJPW guys end up leaving and the CMLL guys raise each other's arms for the end. The fans mob the wrestlers on the way out, which seems about right.

Volador says Sombra is a great luchador, but not better. Sombra got in a lucky shot. Next time, no lucky shot! Sombra is happy with how he and Volador represented CMLL, bringing Arena Mexico action here. He's demonstrated he's still the champion.