CMLL Line - 01/04/03 (#67)

Thanks to: Robert Ortega for the original format, Krisz for the results archive, and Joe Gagne for the place to talk about it.

Vignette: This is the Christmas episode, so various wrestlers wish us Feliz Navidad through out the evening. First up, a logical choice in the Tailiban. Thumbs up. Unfortunately, this means they're in a match now.

Notes: Emilio's got some rocking music for being completely evil. Silva and I'm thinking no nifty Apolo/Satanico sequence to make this good. Sure seems that Silva is back to being a tecnico and that was just a one week thing - he holds hands with the midget as they walk to the ring. This is a match you watch in fast forward to see it go normal speed. Rudos all beat up on Ringo to start. Silva scares them away. Porky tells Silva he'll handle it and chops the rudos. He goes to tag Silva - and Silva drops off the apron! Maybe he really did turn rudo. Porky gets beat and Silva's not making the save. Silva confers with the midget. Sorta. Okay, he's coming in now - Shot for Nosawa, shot for Emilio. Going after Scorpio next as Masada is wise enough to sneak out of the ring - slam, elbow drop for Scorpio. No one wants a piece of Silva now, so Silva goes out to catch up to Masada. Ringo and Emilio in for the token wrestling sequence - Emilio takes a bump off the corner to the floor from a Ringo dropkick. Scorpio and Porky in to stop the wrestling. There's the quadruple Bronco Buster. And here's the Porky dive. Silva kills both JLegion guys with a top rope splash and that's it. (5:55) though I did think Emilio was the captain. Porky and Silva have another discussion - handshake? Hug. Oh he didn't turn rudo after all. Maybe he's just a moody giant. Let's watch the midget waddle around some.

Vignette: the Midgets wish us happy Holidays. Unfortunately, we get no midget match to follow it up.

Notes: JIP. As best I can tell from looking at non-TV cards, Arkangel seems to be the alternate partner for the Junior Infernales when Satanico is too busy fighting uppercard good/evil, so this is a normal team there. Not so sure for the other side. First time we've seen a lot of these guys in a long form for a while - Tony's wearing nothing particularly Guapo U-ish. Nor the "Tonny" pants. Rudos took the first fall, tecnicos the second.

Volador and Averno start - Volador over the drop down but lifted up for a release flapjack on the next pass. Averno quickly follows with the dropkick to the head. Averno is happy. Open hand slap. Whip, release flapjack but this time Volador does a reversal - a flip off Averno's chest that looks pretty cool, pretty much a mid-ring variant of the corner Tiger Flip. You know, I love it when they at do the move once before they do the reverse out of it, though it's better if it's not back to back. Volador starts running, Averno waves him by, Volador comes back with a headscissors. Dive tease but no. Arkangel, on his way in, trips on the middle rope and protests to the official to get the people to stop laughing. Tony in, and so is Mephisto (to help Arkangel yell at the crowd) and Virus (to prevent the two on one.) We get it sorted to Virus and Mephisto - maybe a clip somewhere in that sequence? Open hand slap battle. Virus with a single leg, off the ropes, cartwheel and flip over the drop down. Mep is impressed. Mep charges, Virus ducks the clothesline and gets him with a hiptoss. Virus tries for a bodyscissors rollup but Mephisto blocks and drops him with a face first powerbomb. Mephisto: "HA HAHAHAHA!" Working on that Evil Laugh, I see. Mep with a whip, head down too soon, Virus rolls over his back and hits the wheel kick. Virus off the ropes, slides to the floor when Mep is too far away for a dive - Mep with a open hand slap to turn him, underhook armbar, slap, Virus runs to the corner (they're outside the ring, still), runs up the CORNER POST and armdrags out! Tell me he did not just do that. That was pretty awesome. Rudos check on their partner because his lower half landed right on that metal ramp. Here's a replay. I think Mep was running with him because he figured on posting Virus and didn't have that in mind. Okay, Arkangel and Tony back in the ring and going - Tony eventually blocks a kick but takes a clothesline. Arkangel poses. Arkangel with a corner kick. Chop. Slap. Corner whip, reversed, Tony charges into a boot. Arkangel goes to pull Tony up, but Tony somehow uses the momentum to pull himself all the way up to the top rope (I need better descriptions.) Tony manages an off the top rope 'rana to take Ark out. Tony speeds up, Ark goes in as Tony slides out and celebrates his smartness. Tony back in but walks right into a kick. Chop. Whip, Tony manages a 'rana but Ark rolls thru but Tony keeps rolling, all the way out. Tony with a shoulderblock but runs into a dropkick. Pescado by Ark. Volador in the ring, waiting for Arkangel to get up on the floor - Volador gets speed, but Mephisto pushes his partner out of the way, and Volador topes Tony! Virus and Mephisto in - Mephisto with a sunset flip but Virus rolls thru for a dropkick one two NO. Virus with an open hand slap, and another. Corner whip, reversed, Mephisto charges into a back heel kick. Virus off the ropes, armdrag is blocked, but Virus manages a forward legsweep cradle into an armscissors - Ark is quickly over to break up the near submission. All three rudos on Virus; the effect of the tope starting to be felt. Triple whip, they all lift him up and (triple) powerbomb Virus down! Count? No, they want one more! That's that. (5:01) Nice triple pose by the Rudos there. I guess Virus was the captain. Rudos celebrate/stomp Virus a few times more. We see replays - this turned on the miscommunication. I wonder if this will increase CMLL midcarders/Guapo U tensions even more. Doctor checks on Virus because you need some attention after two triple powerbombs.

Vignette: Speaking of Guapo U, Mascara Magica instructs the students on the proper ways to wish Happy Christmas. Ricky is sad for some reason. I think he's reminded that he's not out of the tournament for losing, but I have a hard time following this one. Mascara and the gang wishes a happy Christmas. I bet no classes for Christmas!   

Notes: Wait a minute, who's music is "One Step Closer"? Juvi's? That's too funny. I think I point that out every time. That's a random lineup of possible goodness - it all gets blown to heck as soon as the first notes of the next song play, though. Wait, Shocker's not a Capo! At least not last time I checked - neither is Marvin. Ah, it's Apolo, this isn't so bad at all. I think what's happening here is that Shocker is still hurt from his title match, so Apolo is playing substitute teacher this week. I guess they've patched things up? This match has some serious potential all of the sudden. Juvi pushes Apolo as if to say "hey, shouldn't you be on our side? And when did Zumbido leave the Guapos anyway? He is gone and he's not just gonna turn on me, right? I really ought to start getting the full version of this show from Fuerza." It's quite a shove. Break before the match.

Zumbido has issues with Apolo before the match (which still hasn't started), but then Zumbido has issues with everyone. I think they're still stuck on the idea that Apolo is on the wrong side (or at least shouldn't be filling in for Shocker here - 3 on 2!), but it's too late for that now. Magica starts for his side, and Zumbido doesn't want to start but does. Circle. Lockup, waistlock, headlock no quick reversal into a hammerlock by Magica, no Zumbido with his own reversal no Magica with an Oklahoma Roll for zero, Zumbido gets his own cover for zero, Magica with an armdrag and we have a standoff. Bunch of moves quick with no particular impact. Zumbido has issues with the crowd. Lockup - no Zumbido with a leg trip, rolls into a cradle on Magica one no. Magica with a headlock, Zumbido tries for the armbar, Zumbido rolls through to a cover, Magica pushes him off for zero count, Magica with a single leg as Zumbido gets up, rolls Zumbido to his feet, snap mare for Zumbido. Zumbido single leg for zero. Magica single leg for zero, face to face standoff. Open hand slap battle with Zumbido backing off. Okay, I guess that's enough for them for now - hey, Ricky vs Juvi. Ricky's got the cow pants. Juvi's got the alternate (road?) "I'm Back" tights. Juvi wants a handshake but he isn't getting it. Circle. Conferring with Zumbido. Lockup, Juvi with a waistlock, Marvin with an armbar, Juvi with a single leg and turning it for a half crab though it's not locked on. Marvin with a single leg, float over to a front facelock, Juvi spins out into a headlock, front facelock but Marvin with a single leg back into the front facelock and then hipblock takeover into an armbar, Juvi kips up and hiptosses out into a cover for zero. They both reach for holds and get nothing, so we have another standoff. Circle. Wristlock, but Juvi is immediately dropping down to the mat to roll it into an advantage. Marvin does the same thing to turn into an armdrag, right to an armbar. Juvi kips up and armdrags out but Marvin handstands on this his feet, and we have another stalemate. Tag. Apolo and Takemura. Lockup, Apolo with a waistlock, Takemura quickly to the ropes. Apolo takes his time letting go of the feared wristlock. Circle - wristlock, double wristlock no Apolo takes him down and hooks a leg. Takemura reverses and goes for his own leg submission but can't get anything locked on - they stand up with a Apolo having a Takemura leg in hand but Takemura managing to scissors an Apolo leg to take them back down. Takemura turns it into a figure four on Apolo but it's not tightly in. He lets go, float behind, into a side headlock and they're both up - Takemura with a underhook armdrag into an armbar, Apolo rolls into taking control of the move, back to his feet, armdrag into holding that armbar - well, now it's more of a wristlock - on the mat. Takemura looks for an escape but can't find an opening. It's Apolo who causes the break, by letting go to give Zumbido a forearm smash when he's caught looking at the fans from the apron. Juvi comes in to stick up for his partner, and Zumbido tries to dive back but ends up tripping on the bottom rope (these ropes are tricky!) and almost clipping Juvi, which causes tensions. Takemura settles down his team. Takemura and Marvin in. Marvin points to the crowd. Double wristlock and Takemura goes to kicks and chops. Stomp. Forearm knocks Marvin into the rudos corner, where Zumbido is eager to pull Ricky Marvin by the hair and hold him while Takemura kicks. Juvi and Zumbido get in some shots while the referees complain. Corner whip, reversed (watch Apolo get the heck out of the way, knowing anything could be coming here), Marvin charges in and only hits a clothesline. Takemura powers out of the corner with a goozle-chokeslam (!) but Marvin reverses with his new arm scissors into a cross armbreaker finish and Takemura is done. (6:21) Magica and Zumbido in - Magica leapfrogs a roll and manages a 'rana for the pin. (6:29) Zumbido isn't happy about that finish. Apolo scared Juvi away from breaking that pin up. There's there weird Juvi/Apolo discussion where Marvin wanders over, Apolo grabs him by the face and Marvin pushes him away. Here's a replay of the finish.

Vignette: Valets (Shocker's from last week) wish us Feliz Navidad.

Marvin is eager to start - so will Juvi. Ricky misses a clothesline, Juvi misses a clothesline, Juvi hits a chop. Juvi celebrates. Boot to the head. Whip, announcer says "O O O O" for no reason I know, tilt-a-whirl but Ricky land on his feet, Ricky misses a clothesline, Juvi off the ropes, Marvin tries a tilt-a-whirl but Juvi lands on his feet, Marvin misses a clothesline, Juvi off the ropes and turns a spinning headscissors into a spinning DDT. Juvi celebrates winning that battle. Replay of Juvi hitting Marvin with a hard chop from before that sequence - it looks a lot more impressive from this angle. Juvi with a chop. Corner whip, reversed, Marvin is backdropped to the apron, Ricky blocks Juvi's punch and hits his own. Ricky with a swinging kick to the head using the ropes on Juvi and a hilo in. Juvi draped on the middle rope, so it's time for the 229. Juvi out, Marvin tags out as we watch the replay. Apolo and Zumbido in - Apolo with a corner whip for Zumbido, corner splash but no one's there. Zumbido misses a clothesline and gets an armdrag. And another. Zumbido misses, clothesline and gets a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Zumbido should probably stop missing things. He tags out to Takemura, while Magica is in for the other side. Circle - Takemura with slaps, Magica back with slaps of his own. Takemura tries a boot, it's caught, spun around, Takemura's clothesline misses, Magica with a double leg takedown and the half spin legdrop on the leg. He yells to the crowd. Takmeura crawling to the corner but Magica pulls him back for another legdrop. What now? Magica with a front facelock and tag to Apolo, who hits the top rope ax-handle to the back. Apolo tries to follow up but he's punked out by Zumbido. Magica tries to help out but he's attacked from behind by Juvi, and all the sudden it's a rudo beatdown. Juvi hits a nice dropkick on Marvin to take him out. Apolo is knocked to the floor by Zumbido. Magica's leg is worked over. Double whip on Magica, waved by, and lifted up - triple powerbomb on him Takemura holds him down for one two three. (3:42) The night of the living triple powerbomb. Marvin brought in - Juvi with the release flapjack into the Diamond Cutter, which was the Bubba Cutter way back when. Apolo is in, which gives Zumbido and Takemura something to do while Juvi kills Marvin with a rotation powerbomb. Zumbido knocks Marvin out of the ring because I guess they want to beat Apolo. Corner whip, everyone hits a corner clothesline. Juvi sets Apolo up on the top rope so Zumbido can run over, stop on the top rope and hit a 'rana. Juvi holds him for Takmeura to hit a top rope elbow drop and they all pose for the three. (4:49) Here's a replay of your finishes. This has been a pretty good match so far.

Rudos hold the ring as fall three starts. Magica is gonna come in first but is stalling - ah, all the tecnicos come in and it breaks down right away. Just very slowly. Takemura runs away from Apolo so he comes in and beats up Juvi because he's just gotta beat someone up. You know, it just now occurs to me that this maybe could be a rudo/rudo match - it's always tough to figure out what the Nueveo Guapos and Apolo are week to week. Anyway, the psuedo-tenicos hold the ring, and we eventually get back to Magica and Takemura. Open hand slap battle is won by Magica. Magica out with a boot. Takemura back with a clothesline. Stomping. Takemura has looked somewhat less than intense at times these last couple of weeks - he's relaxing on the ropes before following up here. I can't tell if it's a Raven "my personality is to take these things casually at times" deal or if it's a Raven "no, really, I don't CARE" deal. Magica gets him with a double leg takedown and goes to punching. Juvi want into break it up and Apolo is after him. Apolo gets him with what we'll call a snap mare, though from the bump Juvi took, at least one of them (and possibly both) were expecting a Stunner instead. Apolo stomps Juvi out of the ring while Marvin dropkicks Zumbido to the floor. Meanwhile, Magica sets up Takemura and hits a second rope swinging DDT. Sharpshooter - you know, grabbing the ropes while turning it to balance yourself probably should cause a break there, but I don't think anyone catches it. Takemura is moving so Magica more obviously grabs the ropes this time and is told to break. He takes his time so Zumbido kick him in the head from the safety of the apron. Juvi in and Marvin in as well - Juvi sidesteps a dropkick, Marvin takes the hamstring bump off the ropes but lands on his feet - Juvi with a kick, pumphandle into a reverse Juvi Driver (going facefirst - is that MDIII or something?) Here's a replay as Juvi stalks Marvin. Back in live time, Marvin is backdropped but lands on the apron, Marvin shoulder to Juvi, Marvin with a springboard sunset flip one two NO. Juvi escapes and grabs the legs - the referee (and me) eventually figure out he's holding the legs for a pin and not just standing there because he forgot what's next and starts counting one two Marvin reverses into a pin one two reverse one two reverse one two nope. Both up but Juvi hits a jumping spinning heel kick to take down Marvin. Marvin uses the ropes to pull himself up, so of course Juvi hits the 55. Tag to Zumbido, who opts for the simplicity of kicking Marvin in the head. Double whip on Marvin, double back elbow, handshake double elbow drop. Marvin rolled up, and it's the jumping spinning heel kick/leg sweep Total Elimination variant. For a tag team that turned out to have little to none long term staying power and impact, that finisher sure has stuck around. Zumbido pulls Marvin up as Juvi leaves - whip, backdrop - I think Marvin wanted to land on his feet out of it, but ends up going over awkward and landing on his butt before not really selling it - Marvin superkick! Zumbido oddly does not go down from it. Slam. Marvin going up? Yes, though he probably should be doing this a little faster - Takemura is over to crotch him. Zumbido pulls him off the seated position with a running split legged snap mare takedown, which can't possibly be the right name for that move. Now it's Zumbido going up too slow - Marvin kicks him off and to the floor. It's Magica who's running here - Slingshot somersault plancha! Takemura is quickly in with a big boot for Marvin, but Apolo surprises him with a top rope plancha. Takemura with a shoulderblock to stun Apolo, but runs right into a Marvin swinging kick and Apolo is able to dropkick Takemura out of the ring. Marvin sets up for something as Apolo is caught by surprise by a Juvi missile dropkick Marvin Asai Moonsault! Back in the ring, Apolo looks like he just pulled off a Northern Lights Suplex on Juvi - one two three! (4:49) Captain pins captain, that's it. Nice match. Replays - looks like Juvi ran into a move that's not exactly the NL (nor a blown NL), but close enough for me. Zumbido and Juvi have problems as we leave. Juvi always has problems though, so I wouldn't take it seriously.

Vignette: Two more valets wish us Feliz Navidad. 

Spectacular Moments - Super Commando with a nice submission hold on Sombre De Plata. That can't be HsN still, can it? I must be confusing him with someone else. Warrior with that ramp guillotine legdrop on Nosawa from last week. Warrior's dive with help from Niebla. Ultimo beating Shocker with his own move. There's that guy in the front row who is TICKED about Ultimo winning. 

Vignette: The valets party with Los Brazos (Platino and Oro) and Porky Claus. I guess no "the meaning of Christmas" special with Porky this year.

Notes: NO NO NO NO NO not two Porky matches on one show! This is NO FAIR. (KrisZ says Lizmark no-showed and Porky's a sub - this is a different night than the opening match.)

Niebla and Panther do  a bit of wrestling to start, which isn't bad but probably not noteworthy compared the other ones I've seen in the last day (this show and the last.) Isn't it weird - some weeks, we get all brawls to start matches, some weeks, we get all mat wrestling to start matches. You'd think there'd be a balance. At least it's skewed this way for once, even if a brawl is so much easier for me to write down. Niebla continues to make me wonder if he's a guy I like because he can wrestle, or if he's a guy I hate because he strays into Rayo comedy spots ("you hit me, I dance", "big slap"). Atlantis and Black Tiger is the next sequence. They do okay but aren't in a big hurry. Tarzan Boy and Super Porky are next - Tarzan Boy laughs at Porky. This was a hair/hair match last year (well, 2001 anyway) - I wonder if they're bringing it up now. Tarzan does a bicep pose. We don't have to see Porky do the same. Porky shouldn't be the one running. There's the Atlas pose from Porky. Atlantis/Tiger again. Atlantis pulls out a monkey flip on him, then downs Panther with a cross body. Tiger and Panther don't work well together, yet Niebla and Atlantis do to. Niebla and the mascot dance, and the mascot hits an apron dive on the heels. Tarzan and Porky. Panther in and tries a sunset flip, but moves before Porky kills him. Porky ends up hitting the splash anyway while Niebla hits the handspring back elbow on Tiger. Break.

Replays. Second fall. Rudos conference to start. Niebla and Panther and again it's okay but better in fast forward. Niebla with the usual - slaps for everyone. Atlantis' turn - he takes on Tarzan Boy. Atlantis gets a near fall from a cross body. Corner whip, Tarzan misses a corner splash. Atlantis charges and pulls Tarzan out with a monkey flip. Tilt-a-whirl back breaker, Tarzan goes out and Atlantis follows him. Posted. Tiger attacks Atlantis on the outside and throws him in. Rudos have suddenly turned this into a beatdown, with Atlantis getting worked over in the ring and the other two knocked to the floor for Tarzan Boy to attack. Niebla's turn for the beatdown - he's held by Panther for a double dropkick to the head. Ah, it's the Everyone Grab A Body Part submission. Porky in - he gets a double spinebuster, and Tiger and Panther hold him down for Tarzan to trash talk for the pin. Replays.

Rudo beatdown carries over to the third fall. Nothing exciting - mask pulling and punching but not much more. Tiger talks to the camera. Panther brings Atlantis to the ring to start the fall, with the rest of the rudos still helping out. Atlantis and Tarzan seem to have an issue all of the sudden. Niebla comes in, but the double teaming goes bad when Tiger hits Panther with a wheel kick by mistake. Tiger still manages a dropkick to the knee of Niebla before he can get going. Niebla's mask came untied at some point and Tiger tries to rip it off here, but Niebla blocks it. Corner whip, corner clothesline, corner whip, corner clothesline, and Niebla is thrown to the floor. Through the ropes dropkick nails Niebla. Tiger brings him back in rather than let Porky in (yay) - suplex no Niebla lands behind, waistlock, Tiger with back elbows to escape, clothesline but Niebla is dancing. Both bow, Niebla slaps. Tiger charges into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker one two broken up by Panther. Whip, spinebuster. Corner whip, Niebla is backdrop to the apron by Porky, Panther runs into Porky and bounces off. Panther slams Porky! He is very proud of himself, leaving himself open to a Atlantis Dropkick. There's the Porky apron dive, oh poor Panther. Tarzan with a corner whip on Atlantis, corner splash misses again, Tarzan charges out right in the Torture Rack. I think Niebla hit Tiger with a suicide handspring elbow plancha but we miss all but the impact. Atlantis makes "I want the belt" motions - Tarzan's NWA LH Title? Someone remembers he still has it? We don't get post match mic work so who knows if anything will come to it on stuff we'll see.

Next Week: Lizmark, Niebla, Shocker, Wagner, Mascara Ano, Black Tiger, Super Crazy, Volador, Ricky Marvin, Juvi, Averno, Mephisto and more.

The mascot gets a Niebla slap in on Tiger as we leave them. 

Rating: Bases on the quality of the finish, ring work, internal/external storyline, consistency and my whims. Also, various other (random) factors that I can't think of right now. 0-100 for matches.

Closing Notes: 

1. I think we'll see a pattern of more lowercard guys on these shows till the Arena Mexico cards kick back in.
2. No typical Boricua matches in two weeks - it'd be nice if Pierroth's guys weren't around for a while.
3. Apolo's had two back to back good performances...
4. ...though even subbing in Shocker for him, I'm having trouble picturing that as a top line trio. Maybe we need some time.
5. Glad they included the Virus/Arkangel trios match, even if it was just the last fall.