Tag: CMLL Martes

Recapped: 07/12/2017

All matches aired live from Arena Mexico

Matches:

Pequeño Nitro & Pierrothito beat Fantasy & Último Dragóncito
(10:57 [3:57, 3:47, 3:13], 1/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

Oro Jr., Príncipe Diamante, Robin vs Hijo del Signo, Metálico, Sangre Azteca
(12:33 [9:00, 3:33], 1/2 DQ, below average, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

Estrellita, Sanely, Skadi beat La Comandante, La Seductora, Metálica
(13:40 [5:44, 3:34, 4:22], 1/3, below average, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

Dragón Rojo Jr., Hechicero, Pólvora beat Drone, Guerrero Maya Jr., Rey Cometa
(15:15 [7:00, 5:11, 3:04], 2/3, good, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

Valiente and Gran Guerrero went to a time limit draw in a lightning match
(10:00, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

Rey Bucanero, Shocker, Terrible beat Ángel de Oro, Mistico, Niebla Roja  
(14:42 [6:03, 2:14, 6:25], 2/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

What happened:

Gran Guerrero and Valiente were busy brawling on the outside when time ran out – they seemed a couple seconds away from getting a draw on count of the ring instead.

Metalico unmasked Robin for no real reason. It seemed planned, Robin’s mask was already untied, it just served no purpose.

Thoughts:

The main event had more energy than usual, though the action wasn’t so great at times. Shocker and Rey Bucanero tried, Terrible was fun being a bully against smaller guys as usual.

The lighting match suffered a bit from both guys wrestling the match to keep it going as long as possible instead of trying to win. Valiente’s dives looked great, Gran Guerrero showed more varied offense than in trios, but neither man made much of an effort to get to their key moves and hurt the drama of the countdown. This felt like a 20 minute time limit match where they were both caught of guard by it being 10.

The fourth match was helped by the matches which came before it; it wasn’t these guys best efforts but it was much better than what had come prior to it. Dragon Rojo & Pólvora rae among the best teams in CMLL and Hechicero players off all three técnicos well, and the match generally had a good pace. The second and third fall finishes came off as more creative than usual.

The women’s match was boring where they got lost at times. Pequeño Diamante & Sangre Azteca had a six and half minute mat exchange to start the first fall to try and be impressive. It wasn’t, they did basic stuff just for a long time and it ended with Diamante blowing a landing on a monkey flip escape, but the announcers put it over as good because what other choice did they have. The opener had even less to it.

Recapped: 07/05/2017

Matches: 

All matches aired live from Arena Mexico on July 4^th.

Fantasy & Stukita  beat  Mercurio & Pequeño Nitro
(14:12 [7:16, 4:20, 2:36], 2/3 DQ, ok], via VideosOficialesCMLL)

Flyer, Príncipe Diamante, Sensei  beat  Metálico, Misterioso Jr., Sangre Azteca
(14:57 [6:23, 3:39, 4:55], 2/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

Fuego, Johnny Idol, Stigma  beat Cancerbero, Raziel, Universo 2000 Jr.
(12:27 [6:03, 3:29, 2:55], 1/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

Drone beat  Puma in a lightning match
(8:31, headstand double knee smash, good, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

Ángel de Oro, Blue Panther Jr., The Panther  beat  Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón
(11:23 [5:19, 2:46, 3:18], 1/3, ok, via  VideosOficialesCMLL)

Diamante Azul, Marco Corleone, Volador Jr.  beat  Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Negro Casas
(6:58 [2:05, 1:23, 3:30], 2/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

What happened: 

Universo 2000 hurt is wrist on his second fall finish on Fuego. He can’t hold him down right for a pin, but Tirantes won’t count because Fuego’s shoulders aren’t down. Universo and Tirantes have words as Universo leaves the ring to check with the doctor and then go to the back. It’s a sudden injury that not obvious about what happened, but CMLL is aware enough not to replay it.

Misterioso replaced Arkangel in the second and feuded with Flyer, including Flyer getting the surprise pinfall when Misterioso wasn’t paying attention in the second fall and Misterioso taking Flyer’s mask after the third fall. Flyer had a new (at least to me) tattoo down his spine.

Pequeño Nitro unmasked Fantasy out of nowhere. No one saw it coming, especially not the producer who gave us a clean shot of Fantasy’s unmasked face.

Thoughts: 

The ending visual was cool but there’s nothing else to really watch in the main event. I’m not sure if Volador had a new look gear or just wrestled the entire match in his entrance gear, but it was about the effort you’d expect in a Tuesday main event. Diamante Azul looked worse here than his other match and his tope to the floor is oddly bad.

The semimain easily the most fun trios match of the card, but noticeably less than their usual matches and it’s hard not to downgrade it from there. The NGD are still such a good trio that they should never ever break them up; they get the idea of being a team and working together on stuff. Not sure Panther Jr. landed one of his many quebradoras clean, and his STF at the end was so slow that I was wondering if he was hurt somehow. His brother just randomly flying thru the ring to get in an extra tope was wonderful.

The lightning match was a total action match, though maybe too much action – the first half felt definitely like it was scenes from a 15 minute match being cut down to 8. They were just going for the big spots with not as much in between. It showed signs they could they have a real great match in them, but made this felt a bit disjointed. Still a lot here to like, they mesh well with each other and did some creative stuff in the fake finishing sequence.

I have no notes about the tercera, but don’t remember it being all that much outside the injury.

Misterioso, subbing in lower then his usual position, looked that much better than everyone else. He’s pretty much wrestling the same match every time out, but he’s not screwing up things like Principe Diamante and Sangre Azteca in this. Sensei & Metálico had a rough third fall exchange for guys who work together all the time. The finish here made the técnicos look like chumps, as normal.

The opener was typically unmemorable. The rudos played a little stronger rudos than usual and Fantasy was a bit more fired up, maybe because he’s getting an actual feud. Stukita remains much better than he should be for his spot.

Recapped: 06/30/2017

Matches: 

Cholo & Templario beat Bengala & Sangre Imperial
(11:57 [4:58, 2:16, 4:43], 2/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

Astral, Magnus, Robin beat Artillero, Espanto Jr., Hijo del Signo
(13:44 [7:19, 2:58, 3:27], 2/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

Raziel, Sagrado, Virus beat Johnny Idol, Oro Jr., Stigma
(20:27 [9:07, 5:56, 5:24], 1/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

Esfinge beat Disturbio in a lightning match
(8:35, nudo egipico, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

Ephesto, Luciferno, Mephisto beat Fuego, Soberano Jr., Stuka Jr.  
(13:14 [2:06, 5:12, 5:56], 2/3, good, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

Diamante Azul, Mistico, Niebla Roja  beat  Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero
(9:25 [1:58, 2:40, 4:47], 2/3 DQ, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

What happened: 

Niebla Roja & Gran Guerrero – not Ultimo Guerrero – feuded for the entire match. Guerrero fouled Niebla for the DQ and then unmasked him after.

That’s it.

Thoughts: 

The Roja/Gran feud was the most interesting than about a main event that wasn’t too interesting. Roja is not a negative, but he’s not showing enough as a tecnico to be confident this is going to work out when they finally have the big match. If anything, this could turn out to be Gran Guerrero’s breakout opportunity instead. Diamante Azul, back from France again, seemed about normal for him (which is no great praise.) He seems to have added some mass or lost some muscle. He’s still very strong, so strong that he screwed up the double team spot with Mistico at the end by over throwing him. This trio of Guerreros worked very well together.

The semimain was the surprise of the show. The Hijos del Infierno have looked their age of late, but turned back to the clock for at least a couple falls here. They were more the goons of the old days, taking big moves and stooging for the técnicos. It seemed like they ran out of gas in the third fall, but that’s more than usual. The match was not laid out like usual, with sudden endings in all three falls giving it a different feel. The tower of doom follow up splash spot done in every big match actually eliminated somewhere, which needs to happen a little more often. (It seemed to surprise the people in the match, as if it was an accidental three, but it made sense with how they ended up.) Sobreano’s ramp running springboard was more incredible to me than any dive off the stage.

I was ready to dismiss Esfinge and Disturbio early on, but they one me over as the match went along and it felt like the best possible match those two could have in this situation. It wouldn’t feel out of place in one of the many tournaments. Singles lets Disturbio show off his personality more, and they did a more focused job of building to the finish and including a believable near fall than most of these matches. The action itself didn’t rise to meet the layout but there was at least something here.

The tercera was the ever rare rudo exhibition match. It felt long, though I didn’t know it broke 20 minute until I added it up after. The first fall featured Virus putting Stigma in holds, then letting up on the holds so Stigma’s attempts at a reversal could re-position him for a different Virus hold. Raziel got in a fancy pin on Oro and the rudos had no particular regard for the técnicos. Not without merit, Stigma didn’t have a good night when left on his own either, and Idol seemed slow in this match.

My only note on the segunda was the dive looked good but none of the other bit spots did either. Magnus is looking better by the people he’s hanging with here but he’s still stuck hanging with them.

The opener was a rare sighting of Cholo and Templario. Templario seems like he’s gotten significantly better, looking solid as a wrestler and with more confidence, though he didn’t get a lot here. Cholo is still Cholo with slightly stranger hair and a still deadly looking finish. Bengala teased a dive, which was more amusing than the rest of the match.

Recapped: 06/14/2017

Matches:

1. Pequeño Nitro & Pequeño Violencia beats Acero & Aéreo   (15:28 [5:30, 5:11, 4:47], 2/3 via VideosOficialesCMLL, below average)
2. Arkángel de la Muerte, Metálico, Sangre Azteca beat Oro Jr., Príncipe Diamante, Star Jr.   (19:49 [9:58, 5:08, 4:43], 2/3, via VideosOficialesCMLL, below average)
3. Estrellita, Marcela, Princesa Sugehit beat Amapola, Dalys, Zeuxis
   (11:03 [3:39, 1:55, 5:29], 2/3, via VideosOficialesCMLL, ok)
4. Misterioso Jr. beat Fuego in a lightning match (4:56, Gori Special, via VideosOficialesCMLL, ok)
5. Hechicero, Morphosis, Rey Bucanero beat Blue Panther, Rey Cometa, Titán (13:35 [6:12, 4:22, 3:01], 2/3, via VideosOficialesCMLL, ok)
6. Cavernario, Felino, Mr. Niebla beat Stuka Jr., Valiente, Volador Jr. (4:56 [1:29, 3:27], straight falls, via VideosOficialesCMLL, ok)

What happened: 

Cavernario beat Volador quickly in straight falls to set up a title match next week. Volador still wants to do the hair match after, and Cavernario tried to break his arm for suggesting it.

Princesa Sugehit unmasked Zeuxis on a cradle to win their match.

Rey Bucanero has new non-TGR music, though the group still appears to be a thing.

This was Morphosis (ex-Histeria)’s first streamed match since losing his mask since back in December.

Thoughts: 

A skippable show, one I had trouble maintaining interest in for two hours. There’s nothing really worth going back for except a couple minutes of Panther & Hechicero on the mat. Everything else happens elsewhere, or better.

The main event and the lightning match looked like the best chances for a good match on paper, and both were cut much shorter than usual. The short main event worked for the story of Cavernario being a huge threat to Volador, but a sub five minute match is a flat way to end a show. The lightning match was all Fuego doing as much as he could before Misterioso hit one move to put him down.

Morphosis has obviously given thought to his unmasked look, but he may want to consider hair dye or something more. He looks older than his birth certificate, even though he’s moving fine. That semimain started off building to something with Blue Panther & Hechicero and just never seemed to get back to it, ending with a random double pin instead. It was unsatifying.

I’m starting to believe CMLL’s actually going to do the Zeuxis/Sugehit mask match. Feuding every match is not anything new and isn’t definitive itself, but every match finish involving them is something CMLL only goes out of the way to do if they’re planning on a direction. It may still not be soon, neither woman is getting to make the challenge after the match, but it seems back on the schedule. The match had some problems and wasn’t as good as other versions of this same match has been, but the rivalry came across strong.

The second match had Sangre Azteca try to do mat wrestling spots with Oro that Oro was incapable of doing but Sangre Azteca would not stop trying. It was bad first fall, the match never recovered and the match went for far too long like usual. The minis didn’t do as much as they normally do in the opening match and it’s not like they normally do a lot.

Recapped: 05/27/2017

All matches were scheduled to air live from Arena Mexico. However, issues with CMLL’s internet connection meant the show was not put up until Wednesday afternoon. It’s still the Tuesday date up there for simplicity.

Matches: 

Grako & Yago defeat Magia Blanca & Sangre Imperial (12:25 [6:17, 2:26, 3:42], 1/3, ok)

Shockercito, Stukita, Último Dragóncito defeat Mercurio, Pequeño Universo 2000, Pequeño Violencia (14:42 [6:37, 3:44, 4:21], 1/3, ok)

Dalys, Reyna Isis, Tiffany defeat La Vaquerita, Marcela, Skadi (13:20 [6:30, 1:41, 5:09], 2/3, below average)

Drone beat Disturbio in a lightning match (8:37, ok)

Felino, Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas defeat Blue Panther, Guerrero Maya Jr., Johnny Idol  (10:44 [3:53, 1:54, 4:57], 1/3, ok)

Hechicero, Rey Bucanero, Terrible defeat Atlantis, Marco Corleone, Titán   (10:33 [6:05, 4:28], 1/2, ok)

What happened:

Hechicero commentates on half the show and then has his match, which is odd here – usually it’s someone who’s off the whole night in the booth. Comandante helped Terrible cheat Marco out of the second fall for the win, setting up a singles match for next week.

In the opener, Sangre Imperial mishears the count and stops covering after two when he has the second fall won with a moonsault. Referee Pompin is visibly distressed, lets it go in the moment, then insisted on counting out Yago after he rolled out.

Thoughts: 

This didn’t have the usual Tuesday main event showcase match, but it worked fine as a quickie feud set up instead. It’d be cool if CMLL just kept booking Hechicero and Titan in random trios matches so they could do really cool exchanges like they did to start this match. It’d be cooler if they could just book them into a proper feud, but I think I ask for much more than I’m ever going to get in general. Terrible/Marco next week should be fine if that’s what we’re getting.

Niebla/Felino Peste Negra is never much good for match quality and this was no different, but using Niebla’s normal fall off the apron to set up a Maya dive was smart. Helped that Maya absolutely nailed the tope. Niebla & Maya worked well in the third fall too. I can’t explain it. The best Johnny Idol has looked in his entire run in Mexico is in a 90 second exchange with Negro Casas here in the third fall. It may just be that Negro Casas is awesome.

The lightning match had some nice moments, some good spots that felt borrowed from other matches and didn’t totally fit here, and some that totally worked. It took a while to get where they wanted to go and it wasn’t so great before it got there, turning it into an average match. Drone still is missing something to fly a little higher.

In the minis match, Shockercito and Mercurio were doing a nice variation of the one arm powerbomb sequence, and the director cut to the crowd in between it. Tough to care all that much that way. This was Pequeño Universo’s first TV match in four months. He went thru April without any matches at all. It’s still weird CMLL has dozens of people training and can not find anyone better to use, but they’re hardly using him at this point. He doesn’t even get to hang around the new Dinamtias like the Pequeño Ingobernables. The last 30 seconds of this are pretty fun and you probably should avoid the rest.

The novatos match was more fun than the usual opener, if maybe not solid enough to make it good. They could get there with some more work, and it’s clear they don’t really need the veterans to help them get thru this match (and that the match was better without them.) I’m afraid to get ahead of myself on Yago. He’s no sure bet to be someone important, but he’s clearly good enough to a regular here and there’s no obvious reason he should’ve been gone for months. He probably needs a better finish than the one he’s got.