Handling both of these at once, even if it’s unfair. CMLL & Welcome to Mi Barrio are not on the same level for me. I actually liked a Welcome To Mi Barrio match and I haven’t really liked any CMLL matches this year. Even the stuff that’s gotten praise elsewhere just feels empty to me.
CMLL
Pólvora vs Guerrero Maya Jr.
(01/16 Televisa, ok, VideosOficialesCMLL)
A solid professional match between two people working harder than I expect from CMLL at this point. It’s still hard to recommend because there wasn’t a lot memorable to it, but it was not a waste of my time.
Forastero vs Titán
(01/16 Televisa, ok, VideosOficialesCMLL)
Titan works very hard, comes up with at least one new spot, gets the most out of this he can. Forastero messes up his first big move and his last big move. Forastero wins. So it goes.
Virus vs Soberano Jr.
(02/06 Televisa, ok, VideosOficialesCMLL)
Another solidly worked match, with some iffy moments near the end of the first two falls but otherwise. I think I’d have this above the Titan/Forastero but below Maya/Polvora. This was one that was not especially compelling but it was solidly worked. Virus beating Soberano leading to nothing at all is very weird but nothing about CMLL makes sense. Soberano’s got to do something other than passive sit there when Virus takes longer than usual to put on his submission.
Atlantis Jr. & Flyer © vs Cancerbero & Raziel for the Mexican National Tag Team Championship
(02/19 AMX, ok, Google Drive)
Another Flyer match where it appears everyone hates Flyer’s guts. If the rudos didn’t like him to start, they did enough after he kicked Cancerbero in the mouth (leading to a rare mid-match edit to cover up a doctor stoppage.) Raziel gets his revenge on a dropkick to the face and the rudos rip up Flyer’s gear, only for Flyer to make it worse for himself by kicking Raziel in the face too. I’m not sure how he lived. Flyer also apparently can’t wrestle long matches because he looked gassed out (or maybe hurt) by early in the third fall.
Flyer’s not really the issue here – he’s going to be bad for years to come, but it’s not news. Atlantis Jr. looking unspecial was the concerning development. There’s a lot of pandemic-rust on him (clearly has been staying out of the gyms and the tanning bed) but he came off like just another replaceable guy. It didn’t help that his big spot was delayed by referee Metalico stepping into his path, but nothing he did look special and he continued to struggle with his own finishing hold. Atlantis Jr. was never a sure thing but CMLL needs someone to turn into an actual impressive star; they can’t afford him to devolve.
Euforia vs Valiente
(02/13 Televisa, ok, VideosOficialesCMLL)
It’s impressive Valiente can still perfectly land the Valiente Special given his current mass. That size seems to be a problem at other times; Euforia loses him on his finish to end the second fall, and there’s an early third fall spot that goes awry. The first two falls here aren’t much, though the first fall has the oddity of the opening mat work actually looking to the finish. The third fall is the best thing to watch, and also Euforia gets to show off all his Jiu-Jitsu submissions. I liked the Stuka/Euforia match better.
Soberano Jr., Titán, Volador Jr. vs Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón
(02/27 Televisa, ok, VideosOficialesCMLL)
Místico, Templario, Volador Jr. vs Ephesto, Mephisto, Titán in a relevos increíbles match
(03/05 AMX, ok, Google Drive)
I just wanted to watch some Titan. The AMX match has him as a rudo but he gets more space; the NGD match is a very NGD match. That one seems like it should set up a rematch since a group of tecnicos beats the trios champs, the other one has the post-match challenge. It doesn’t matter. The common similarity is Volador taking it easy in both; Templario wins a fall with his ramp Sasuke Special, and Volador does an inside cradle for a pin at about the same time. Ephesto & Mephisto aren’t great but that one has more life to it, less a rehearsal of moves.
Welcome to Mi Barrio
Kamik-C & Skalibur (Baja California) vs Hijo del Pantera & Pantera Jr.
(WTMB 01/29, great, +LuchaTV)
Strong building action throughout, turning what had been a decently good match into something really exciting by the end. The 4:20 Brothers pushed the Panteras to try harder than they’ve done in the other Welcome To Mi Barrio matches. The TJ guys go for a little bit too fancy moves, but they’re totally up to make an impression here and really do so. This came across like a big title match rather than just a random one-off.
Charro Negro (Nuevo León) vs Hijo del Pantera
(WTMB 02/12, ok, mluchatv)
This was like Charro Negro was tired or hurt but they still had to do the match, so Pantera did everything and got cradled in the end. The aborted apron piledriver spot early on probably was a sign this wasn’t going to work out. It’s never as close to dangerously falling apart again and Pantera’s offense looks fine, but Charro doesn’t contribute much. Not sure what happened. Maybe there’s a rematch where it’ll make sense.
Camuflaje, Hijo del Pantera, Pantera Jr. vs Kamik-C, Skalibur, Tiago
(WTMB 02/26, good, mluchatv)
Not as epic as the 2v2, but still an easy watch. Tiago seems motivated to knee people in the face. Skalibur takes a lot of ugly moves. This moves quick.