OELL in Aurora, IL
December 05, 2005

I'm incapable of writing recaps of live lucha shows, I think. But I can just use Todd's as a jumping point for a jumping point to remember the Aurora show (plus, my awful pictures.)

Parking was free, or maybe I just got there too soon. Much smaller crowd than Cicero; I think I counted about 75 at one point, and mostly in the cheap seats in the bleachers. The only posters I saw for the show were on the door of the building, but I'm at the outskirts of Aurora so they might've just missed me.

It was your typical high school/park district gym setup. No special lighting. Sound system played music okay, but I couldn't get a sense of what they were announcing from match to match. Probably it was me.

They started long after scheduled bell time. This was killing me, because I had ninety minutes with nothing to do before even the doors opened, and time seemed to stretch out forever.

Opener: I didn't catch the name, and the undercard didn't match the lineup being handed out before the show. (Which, then, why hand out a lineup? They know the main event guys.) It was a different opener than Cicero, but maybe Angel del Silenco and El Tigre? I am hesitant to say, because it was as horrible as Cicero's opener sounds, and I don't want to unfairly pin names to it.

Egotisico Fantasico vs Boy Toy Bryan

I think it was Bryan. This was quite a bit better; it did feel like these two were almost too familiar with each other, to the point you could easily imagine this being the result of 19 dress rehearsals elsewhere. They made a lot better effort to get the crowd involved. EF had a couple nice bits; one was entering the gym too early and starting to slap everyone in the crowds hands before being told to go back and try again, only to come out on the wrong cue again and have to be sent back a second time. They also did a nice spot where BTB pulled off EF's mask, only to find out EF had another (open top - think Lizmark Jr.) mask underneath. EF won with a behind the back piledriver; I forget the exact name of the move, but it was a bit more neck crunching than you'd expect (and really need) for a lucha show. The match was more a US-indy match than a lucha one, but it was worlds better than the one that preceded. I guess Safari Stu Early is EF?

There was an unannounced? intermission here for no real reason. Since Mapquest and I had gotten on the same page for the first time in a couple months, I could only figure someone else stole my gimmick and got lost themselves instead. That Cicero's semi-main group never showed up might mean I was right. Anyway, my only clue that time was indeed passing was noticing that Boy Toy Brian and EF had plenty of time between matches to shower, change clothes, and sit with the sound crew. I regretting going without knowing any one else there, because if there was ever a time for a BS time killing conversation...

El Reo/Mini Psicosis vs Guerrerito de Futuro/SWAT Kat

This was confusing for the first five or six minutes. Lots of stalling and posing and threatening to walk out actually didn't clear up who was supposed to be tecnico and rudo here, at least for me. I was unfamiliar with Reo and Mini Psicosis (well, I understand the concept of Mini Psicosis but I hadn't seen him before), and I'd never seen SWAT Kat as a rudo either. It didn't help that mini-GdF had family/friends/T-Shirt vendors going nuts for his every move, but eventually they got enough pantomiming to set up the same "Mini Psi wants Mini GdF, and GdF keeps ducking him" bit. It was okay; I remember it being heavy on the posturing and less on the actual wrestling. SWAT Kat showed good ability in the fine art of begging off. Reo came up hurt, limping, but I didn't catch how. GdF low blowed Psi, covered him for the three count, and was angry when the ref over turned the finish and gave it to Mini Psi because of the low blow. Psi and GdF took turns on the microphone to set up a mask/mask match, with GdF turning him down and walking away.

Another intermission here, although this was announced and did not kill my will to live. I figured we were only getting four matches at this point, which is sorta iffy for VIP prices. But, honestly, I was here to see the main event guys and I was getting the main event guys, so it's not like I've got a lot I can object to.

El Infernal, Villano IV, Villano V vs Discovery, Super Kendo, Hurcan Ramirez

This was also okay; probably the best match of the night, but nothing so memorable that I was ecstatic I was there. Villano's robes are as awesome as I've heard. Infernal was good, and I thought Discovery was better here than as the generic straight man in the LVaV team. Kendo wasn't as bad as a I was warned he might be, but I can't remember Hurcan doing much at all. It was a good, solid trios match that wouldn't look out of place as the third or fourth match on an Arena Coliseo card, but it wasn't great. Stop me if you've read this: Villano (IV?) low blowed Super Kendo, covered him for the three count, and was angry when the ref over turned the finish and gave it to Super Kendo. V4 and Kendo (I think) took turns on the microphone to set up a mask/mask match - but the twist was Villano IV actually got in the ring to start the match before changing his mind and walking off.That's very sloppy work, booking the same finish twice in one show. Even if the other match had shown up to buffer it, it's still much too similar to do twice in one show.

I tried to talk myself out of mild disappointment with the show, but I don't know that it works so well. OELL didn't sell me on going to another show just because it's another OELL; it'd be greatly dependent on who they're bringing in, and what else is going on. It works out well for everyone that they did a super job of bringing someone really cool for the next run, so I'll be there at least once.