CMLL Line - 02/16/03 (#75)

Thanks to: WrestleHolics Video

Vignette: Before the Arena Coliseo show, Pierroth and Violencia are agitated. Violencia has that Metro Heavyweight Title defense after what happened last week, so he's all worried he's going to lose to Markus. Pierroth assures Violencia that he and the rest of the Boricuas will prevent that from happening. Violencia looks around, spots Veneno (hey!) on a street corner and walks over to greet him. Pierroth tries to shove the camera away from seeing this, then greets Veneno with a shove to the chest. Veneno responds in kind and they share heated words as they argue in the middle of the street, annoying a driver who would like to get by. Pierroth seems ticked about what Veneno said in that magazine, with Veneno apparently challenging him to do something about it - whatever fear or respect Veneno has for his leader seems to be gone. Violencia keeps them separated and Veneno gets in the final word before heading into the building. Violencia and Pierroth argue about Veneno - obviously, Violencia still sees him as a friend (and could use another one tonight), but are distracted by the car's continued honking. The driver gets out - hey, it's Apolo Dantes! He yells at the Boricuas, who yell back, then back off - only to get some bats. Apolo doesn't get going in time, and they smash his windshield. Apolo's car is messed up - he thinks about attacking them, but they have bats and he doesn't. Pierroth threatens the Capos and takes off.

1 Metropolitan Heavyweight Championship
Violencia (c) vs Gran Markus
02/11/03, Arena Coliseo
70
1 trios :10 Markus second rope splash Best possible Markus singles match? Not something I'd like to watch again, but a decent story was told and progressed to set up Apolo/Pierroth next week. 
2 1:18 Violencia top rope splash
3 3:51 Violencia pins Markus after interference
T 5:19 Violencia (2-1), retains title

Notes: Praise the lord, the first fall is clipped basically to the finish - Markus hits that splash for the win. Much better not to have to deal with Markus offense. (:10) Apolo, apparently Markus' corner person, wanders in to congratulate Markus and kick Violencia. Pierroth checks on his ally. Replay of Markus being fat and falling, what tremendous skill on his part! For whatever reason, Mini-Violencia, Mini-Pierroth and Nitro are watching this from the third row. Perhaps just to make for some surreal camera shots as they pan the crowd.

Take a break, and back for fall two. Violencia charges, and misses a dropkick. Markus with chops, corner whip, reverses, Violencia charges in and hits a clothesline. Markus wanders out of the corner and gets clotheslined. Violencia yells at the crowd one pushed off. Violencia with a clothesline but Markus does not go down. Off the ropes, another one does knock him down. Another yell by Violencia, as he adjusts an elbow pad. Whip, reversed, Markus with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker as the crowd gets behind him. Off the ropes, splash one did Violencia kick out or did Markus just stop covering? I think he just stopped covering. Crowd shot, Markus off the ropes, Pierroth trips him up, Violencia with a dropkick to the face. Ref was watching Apolo and didn't see it. Violencia going up top rope splash one two three (1:18) Looked like Pierroth was holding down Markus's legs from the outside. Apolo is in to protest as Pierroth gives Violencia a hug. Boricuas celebrate in the crowd, to the annoyance of other fans. Here's the splash again - yep, Pierroth was holding Markus down. Reverse angle shows it clearly. Markus had a foot under the ropes, which is sometimes good enough for the break but this is not one of those times.

Violencia starts this fall with a dropkick too, but hits it. Markus out of the ring - somersault pescado! Both the men are down and slow. But Markus is always half of that. Violencia back in - pescado! I guess Violencia must've broken the count for Markus at some point because it's certainly been ten seconds for him by now. Violencia comes back in - Markus slowly back in. Violencia tries a clothesline but it misses - Markus with a cross body one two kickout. Off the ropes, Markus with a big shoulderblock to knock Violencia to the floor. Markus to the apron - running cross body squashes poor Violencia. Markus going in and Violencia in danger of being counted out. Does his title change hands on a count out? I guess we'd have to ask him. Violencia is going to beat the count, and is back in. Violencia is whipped, back with a sunset flip, Markus sits down, then turns over to cover one two Markus gets off as Violencia kicks out. Markus is very much not good; he's unable to let his opponent do a kickout without sliding off his man. Markus with a clothesline, one two again you can see Markus scoot off for Violencia to kick out. Crowd shot. Corner whip, Violencia gets squished one two this time it actually looked like Violencia actually kicked out. There's the crowd - someone has a Boricuas shirt! Corner whip, reversed, Violencia with a corner clothesline. Corner charge, Markus backdrops him, Violencia lands on the apron and slaps Markus. Violencia going up, but Markus tosses him to the mat. Splash one two kickout - Markus rolls over the referee in the process of the kickout, squashing him unconscious. Markus covers Violencia but no one's counting - Markus slowly realizes what happened. Markus off the ropes, Violencia trips him up and Pierroth (who made a beeline for the back when the referee got squashed) hits Markus with a cookie sheet! Apolo is desperately trying to get the ref up but not now, one two three! (3:51) Apolo is in to yell at the ref, but realizing that won't work, he goes after Pierroth and his cookie sheet. Pierroth with a swing and a miss, Apolo with a kick, gets the sheet and smashes Pierroth with it. Apolo takes off out of the ring, but only to get the microphone - he's had just about enough of this. Apolo appears to threaten to beat Pierroth up right now, but decides to give Pierroth another option. Here, next week, Pierroth vs Apolo, hair vs hair! I guess that's why he grew it back. Pierroth, perhaps inspired, asks the fans if they want to see this - crowd doesn't really react to Pierroth or maybe he's not asking nice enough. Pierroth agrees to face Apolo in a Super Libre (isn't that No DQ?) match next week. Apolo promises to shave Pierroth bald. Here's the replay of the ref bump and the finish - Pierroth and Apolo are still talking but we've stopped watching.

Clips: We see bits and pieces of a non-TV Arena Coliseo match, Vampiro vs Tarzan Boy for the NWA Light Heavyweight Match, from 02/09/03. Yea, I wonder what the weight limit for this title must be too. Spot highlights from an apron level handheld.

Vampiro gets a near fall with a back suplex, but Tarzan takes the first falls with a release Tiger Driver (!). Second fall includes Tarzan really selling a missed corner dropkick, and Vampiro hitting a double powerbomb on him. Huge chokeslam gets Vampiro the second fall. Tarzan Boy hits a snap mare and lightning legdrop in the second fall. Now some forearms - one is ducked, Vampiro catches him and drops him backwards for Snake Eyes. Later, Tarzan ambushes Vampiro from behind with a clothesline - slop drop gets a near fall. Crowd shot for no reason. Vampiro goes for that powerbomb again and gets the faceslam. We clip to Vampiro getting Tarzan Boy in what looks a lot like a choke sleeper - that'll do it. (1:32) Vampiro is your new NWA LH Champion, and he gets to hold up the belt.

Vignette: Ricky Marvin walks into the building (please don't take that horrible bit of English literally), and Volador (I think - he sounds as young as Ricky looks) wishes him good luck. Terrible and Loco Max wander by to wish him the opposite of that. A Zumbido win is a win for them, because a Marvin with no hair is earlier to beat. Voldaor says Ricky can take care of himself - Ricky promises to take care of those two after he gets down with Zumbido. They fake fear and walk off. This scene wins the award for "easiest transition to an anime".

2 hair vs hair
Zumbido vs Ricky Marvin
02/14/03, Arena Mexico
90
1 trios 1:30 Ricky Casas special The high end of what's expected from the undercarders - flashy moves, not as much psychology. The finish was noteworthy, but would have preferred a resolution to this fued.
2 1:17 Zumbido fisherman's buster
3 4:56 double count out
T 7:43 draw (1-1-1)

Notes: Ricky has new Mexican music. And a cowboy hat. Ricky sees Zumbido coming to punk him out once again, so he jumps off the stairs with a cross body to level him. Zumbido's clothesline misses, and Ricky nails him with a superkick. Zumbido's thrown hard into the ring as we start. Ricky with a springboard dropkick but no one's home. Zumbido with a dropkick to the head, corner whip, corner clothesline. Clothesline to the back of the head knocks Ricky down and gives Zumbido time to taunt. Corner whip, Zumbido hits a rebound Diamond Cutter! one two Zumbido pulls him up! Zumbido's insane! Corner whip, no it's blocked, so Zumbido kicks Ricky. Corner whip, but Ricky runs up the corner and comes down with a spinning headscissors. Zumbido out - Ricky running, through the ropes somersault plancha! Back in - Ricky with a chop, whip, reversed, Zumbido misses the clothesline, Ricky with a dropkick to the knee La Majistral one two three! (1:30) And that's why you NEVER pick someone up at two. First fall goes to Ricky and he's thrilled. Break.

Zumbido and Marvin waste no time going at it with open hand slaps. Marvin calls Zumbido on, ducks a clothesline, Zumbido flips over the dropkick to the knee and hits one to the head. Open hand slap, whip, reversed, Zumbido hits that springboard dropkick. Marvin gets slid to the apron, so Zumbido hits a running dropkick to the face to take him to the floor. Suicide slingshot somersault senton! Replay - he caught Ricky with his upper back, with Zumbido's lower back hitting the floor hard. Still, he's the first one up and kicking Ricky in the face. Ricky thrown in - whip, dropkick to the knee, walking fisherman's buster one two three! (1:17) One to one! Did you expect anything less? There's a nice Marvin the Martian poster in the second row. Here's some replays - looks best in the overhead cam.

Final fall. As an ad comes up for Big Brother, Marvin charges Zumbido in the corner - splash misses, but Marvin takes himself to the apron - springboard dropkick. Marvin is pumped but he's got to follow up - charge, but a Zumbido takes him to the floor with a hiptoss. Zumbido runs - suicide turning springboard plancha! They're both down on the floor, though Zumbido is in better shape. Let's see a replay - it was a Silver King dive, really. Right hand by Zumbido and Ricky is posted. Looking at the crowd - we look back and Ricky is in the ring as Zumbido gets toe the apron. Ricky with forearms, but a jumping kick is blocked. Zumbido with a shoulder to the midsection, springboard sunset flip one two NO! Crowd is loud. Zumbido with a whip, reversed, Casas with a kick to the midsection sit down powerbomb one two NO. Surprised Ricky hasn't gone for his submission yet. He's running - handspring back elbow but Zumbido meets him with a dropkick. Zumbido's saying this is over - fisherman's buster one two t-NO!! Ricky chant gets going for him kicking out of that. Zumbido is slow up, but manages a boot to Ricky's face. Corner whip, reversed, Marvin walks into a boot. Zumbido the second rope, Marvin quickly jumping up to join him - second rope 'rana! Marvin quick to the outside - springboard 'rana cradle one two t-NO! Fans are nervous. Whip, reversed, Zumbido charges in, Marvin ducks down, Zumbido takes the knee bump to the floor. Ricky takes a look - of course he's gonna try something. SUICIDE CORNER CORKSCREW PLANCHA! Oh wow he caught as much of the front row seats as he did Zumbido. Here are some replays. Back live, Ricky tries to get in to break the count, but Zumbido pulls him back throws him down. Zumbido is slow to get in though - Ricky's taking him down! Now they're slapping it out out of the ring, then they both turn and realize time's almost up - they dive in but it's too late! (DCO 4:56) So wait, it's tied. Who wins? Zumbido and Marvin try to argue each was in first, but I think someone just the referee is telling them no, they both lose, they both get a haircut. Here's a replay - they both were in at the same exact time, but both late.

The barber is here but I don't think we've made an announcement. Fans know who they want to take the hair cut. But I think the referee is explaining to them one more time that they're both getting their hair cut. It's like that Simpsons mini-golf episode. Ricky keep backing away from it. I think Zumbido is trying to appeal for a fourth fall but I don't think they have a card for such situation. Zumbido finally submits to get his haircut - no, wait, the fans are annoying him now. Zumbido's finally convinced to stay still and the barber starts using his clippers. There's the shaver, and Zumbido's mohawk mullet is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Zumbido does decide that he doesn't want all of his hair cut without Ricky giving up some of his home. So, Ricky, half crying, kneels down and the hair gets cut to disapproval of the women in the crowd. I shouldn't say half crying because he's doing it all the way. Announcers are talking this up as historic - two haircuts for the price of one. We take another look at the finish, and then Zumbido gets some of his hair shaved. Ricky is back in tears.

Spectacular Moments: Two words of the Alliance and Dr. X team up for a big cross body. Ringo Mendoza beats Arkangel. We're clearing the vault of HSN highlights - although he's doing this against Super Commando which probably means he was falling all the way down the card while doing this. There's the Casas apron dive Thesz press.

Vignette: Shocker says hi from the offices of Guapo U. He thanks for all the calls and votes for the Guapo U students, I believe. They've been having the elimination matches in Arena Coliseo, and they'll determine the winner in Arena Mexico. He gives us a double point to end, so it must've been good.

3 CMLL Light Heavyweight Title
Ultimo Guerrero (c) vs Shocker
02/14/03, Arena Mexico
91
1 trios 2:30 Shocker reverse standing figure four seemed longer than eight and half minutes, but that time is a little bit disappointing. Everything else, including the nice work on the non-finish, was very good, just wanted more.
2 :38 Ultimo Fujiwara armbar
3 5:40 Ultimo Fujiwara armbar
T 8:28 Ultimo (2-1), retains title

Notes: To make a point, or just to look cool, Ultimo wears his CMLL Tag Team belt to the ring as well as the one on the line here. For a big match, Shocker is subdued with no special entrance. Maybe he's just that focused. While Shocker unsurprisingly has Vampiro (wearing a Guapo U shirt) as his corner person, Ultimo has chosen Tarzan Boy as his corner man for this one. Probably because Tarzan and Vampiro have the issue now. Your referee is Baby Richard. Since we've got time, I'll tell you that Ultimo is going with a gold outfit with red and black outfits. Shocker has purple, yellow, and blond hair.

Circle. Lockup, no early advantage, then Ultimo get an armbar. Twisting the arm behind his head, and there's a Russian legsweep. Still holding on to the left arm, twisting it over and using it to hold Shocker down. Shocker tries a headstand headscissors but Ultimo pushes the legs down. It gives Shocker just enough of an open to pull out a double leg takedown, then put a toe hold on Ultimo's left leg - Shocker steps on the other foot to keep Ultimo from being able to move. Ultimo is in pain, knocking his right leg free and moving towards the ropes. Shocker, knowing it's going to be broken anyway, throws down the left leg - Ultimo rolls over and takes him down with a single leg, leg grapevine on the left leg. After a couple cranks, Ultimo punches the leg and turns Shocker on his stomach, tying Shocker's legs and pulling. Ultimo relents after a few seconds to float over into a front facelock, but Shocker sets it coming and gets an armbar - knee to Ultimo's slide as Shocker keeps Ultimo down. Pressing the arm into the mat, but now Shocker picks that arm up just enough for Ultimo to roll into a reversal, single leg, now a double leg cover into the mat, but Shocker keeps bridging up to avoid the cover. Ultimo pushed him down one bridge. Ultimo's had enough of that - Shocker's spun back on this his stomach and the legs are tied again. Shocker's trying to get out of it but can only turn. Shocker tries to push up out and Ultimo elbows him in the back. Shocker starts to push up again, so Ultimo flips him up to his back, then brings him up in an armbar only to snap mare him over. Rolling to Shocker's legs to to turn him over, quick toe hold, jumping for the side headlock but Shocker's move out of the way. Shocker is up - spinebuster, and reverse standing figure four! Ultimo gives! (2:30) This looks much better in the revenge angle - Shocker added on an armbar because he didn't get Ultimo all the way over. Tarzan checks on Ultimo, who's knees are bugging him now.

In previous action: Just last week, Shocker beat Ultimo with the Circuit Breaker (reinera) - so all he needs to do is that again and he's got his title back.

Ultimo is still down as we come back to real time. I think Tarzan is offering him his knee brace, but Ultimo doesn't appear to take it. They work on flexing it a little bit to get some life back in it, but as the fall starts, Ultimo needs the ropes for support and is very much limping. Shocker, being no one's fool, dives as that knee, with Ultimo barely being able to spin it out of the way. Another charge, another near miss. Shocker decides that maybe he needs to change up his strategy - he kicks the back of the good leg, taking Ultimo the mat. Elbow drop on the bad knee, spinning to the figure for but Ultimo cranks him with a kick from the good leg. Ultimo trying to get up, but Shocker grabs the bad leg, trips up the good leg and there's another elbow drop to the left knee. Spinning for the figure four but again Ultimo boots him in the face with the good leg. Shocker tries another elbow drop, but Ultimo moves out of the way. Shocker charges - armbar takedown! Fujiwara armbar! SHOCKER GIVES (:38) Ultimo got quite a bit lucky. He celebrates as best as a guy with one leg could. Vampiro's all "what happened?" Here's some replays - Ultimo tried to snap that arm off once he got the chance.

Final fall. Ultimo charges Shocker's corner, Shocker moves, Ultimo runs right into the corner anyway. Ultimo's knee seems to be doing better, but he's still feeling it. Shocker with a double leg, running Ultimo into the corner. Ultimo with left knee lefts to fight his way up, but Shocker catches the knee on the third shot for a big back suplex. Elbow drop. Shocker going up? Crowd gets loud, and Ultimo up behind him. Second rope electric chair suplex? No, Shocker slips down and behind - second rope sunset powerbomb! One two NO! Both men slowed by that move. Shocker charges, Ultimo avoids and takes an inside cradle - no, he's turning Shocker over into a half crab! Shocker pounds the mat in frustration (what would be a tap out in other forms), but insists he's not giving up yet. He can move to the ropes and he's working his way there - he slaps the ropes to get free before holding on. Ultimo lets go, only to drag Shocker back in the middle of the ring. Indian deathlock with an armbar! Now putting on the facelock to make it an STF, but Shocker's crawling his way to the ropes. Shocker's getting close, so Ultimo grabs the arms to make it a surfboard, and to keep Shocker from being able to reach to the ropes. Shocker gets his left arm free - and there's the ropes. ultimo lets go, but Shocker is faced down on the mat. Ultimo goes for a figure four - Shocker small package one two NO!  Both men are slow up - but then Ultimo manages a suplex. Now he's going up, Tarzan giving his advices as he climbs his corner. Top rope somersault senton but no one's home! Shocker's wasting now time going up - top rope moonsault but no one's home! Ultimo going up again, but Shocker dropkicks him out of the ring. Shocker is pumped - off the ropes, suicide somersault plancha! Corner persons yell encouragement to their men. Vamp pats Shocker with his towel. Tarzan must've said something about Shocker, because now Vampiro's throwing his towel at him, and Shocker's pushing him as he gets back in the ring - no, Tarzan's pulling him out! That's been a DQ, but I think the referee is too busy trying to stop Vampiro wailing on Tarzan to call one at the moment. They battle around the corner and back before Vampiro's stopped and Tarzan has enough free room to taunt. Ultimo and Shocker are back in the ring - Shocker tries, but it's Ultimo who has the Circuit Breaker - no, Shocker slips free, inside cradle one two three! (4:28) Shocker celebrates, because he didn't notice that it was Tarzan who counted the fall! Nice camera work, because you might have thought otherwise at that moment. That's not entirely valid, but he doesn't know it yet - the fans are trying to let him know and he has the impression that something up. It doesn't start to come to him till he spots the referee and asks for his hand to be raised, but the referee is telling him to keep fighting. Ultimo has no clue what happened but heard three there too, and thanks the lord that he still has a chance. And the lord responds by having Shocker kick him in the face. Another hard big boot. A third is caught, Ultimo with a leg take over one two NO! Shocker with kicks to the chest, third is caught so Shocker with a 'rana rolled through one two t-NO! Shocker goes for the Rock Bottom, but Ultimo has the Fujiwara! It's OVER! (5:40) Ultimo wins! Ultimo celebrates as the rudo fans go crazy. Shocker is walking around now, probably trying to figure out what happened with that three count. Ultimo is presented back with his belt. Now Shocker has a microphone - I guess he's still not sure, because he's blaming the rudo ref for not counting his fall. For once, the rudo referee is totally in the clear on this one. Here's the replay that shows what happened - someone needs to show Shocker it. Shocker is ticked, but Ultimo has his belt and that's all that matters. Shocker wants the mask vs hair match in revenge, but Ultimo's not so hyped about that idea and asks the fans to please stop cheering for it. Ultimo yells that he's the champion as his belt starts to fall down his waist (nice save by the referee.) Ultimo asks if they want to se him lose his mask, but says they don't deserve it. Shocker and Ultimo exchange a tentative handshake, and we go back to replays of the match. Shocker's gonna be so ticked at Tarzan when he sees this - he won't find it nearly as funny as I did. I don't know what happened to Vampiro here - he might have got thrown out after brawling with Tarzan.

Next Week: Shocker, Mascara Magica, Ultimo Guerrero, Rey Bucanero, Atlantis, Dr. Wagner, Univrso 200, Mr. Niebla, Black Warrior, Tarzan Boy, Vampiro and more. Hey, that sounds like a good show when the worst is Universo - but they never warn us about the Boricuas/Markus involvement.

Announcers recap a rather busy show, show us Tarzan making the three count a couple of times (Tarzan has quite the muscular back), the finish and we're out.


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.

Breakdowns: 3 Matches (21:30) about 23.9% of showtime (90:00); 
Including clipped match: 23:02, 25.6%
Average Match Rating 83.7
Overall Match Rating: approximately 88
4 Singles
1 Tecnico over Rudo Wins
2 Rudo over Tecnico wins
1 Tecnico/Rudo Draw
3 Title Matches (1, clipped, 3)
1 Hair/Hair match
2 instances of interference (2 meaningful)
Pierroth (Match 1)
Tarzan Boy (Match 4)
Title Changes: none
Show Assessment: Two very good matches means even the Boricuas can't bring it down

Closing Notes: 

1. I wonder if the girls will turn on bald Ricky Marvin. Or maybe they'll just fell sorry for them.
2. You know, if Zumbido didn't pull Ricky back, they probably could've made it in.
3. I know we're supposed to be going for a Tarzan Boy/Vampiro feud out of this, but it seems more like Shocker is the one with the issue.
4. I think the Fujiwara armbar is actually more deadly the Majistral cradle, but it's a close one.
5. This was one of their better TV shows that I've seen.