CMLL Line - 11/01/03 (#100)

Vignette: Mr. Niebla is pumped to win one of the biggest trophies for a luchador - the leyanda de azul. Or, "Legend of the Blue [Demon] Mask" - I think we're doing one of these instead of doing the usual Santo one, which could mean things aren't peachy keen there.

Notes: I'm not sure what the original sides were Clipped down quite a bit - we actually come in with Blue Panther, Lizmark Jr., Dr. Wagner Jr., Vampiro, Rayo de Jalisco Jr., Shocker, and all three GdI members left.  Despite seeing the vignette for Niebla, he doesn't even make it into what we get.

Panther and Lizmark in as we start, Lizmark flipping out a wristlock to an armdrag. Panther retreats to the corner, Lizmark charges, Panther backdrops Lizmark and hold him up, but Lizmark reverses into spinning headscissors. Spinarooine, Panther waved by on the charge, then caught, spun and side slammed. One two NO. Lizmark attempts to pick Panther up, but that gives Panther the opening he needs - fujiwara armbar! Unfortunately for Blue, he takes Lizmark down within arms reach of the ropes, and a break is forced. Panther backs up as Lizmark is quick up - superkick! One two THREE. (:47) something about the way Lizmark was holding that pin made it certain he was going to win - all wrestlers tend to make better covers on actual falls then on two counts (which makes internal logic if you flip it around the other way, but is a tell.) Wagner is in and immediately kicking Lizmark in the back. But we switch to a replay of the end of that fall. Back live to see Wagner doing the pose. Is that a new outfit for Wagner? Whip, reversed, Wagner ducks the clothesline and grabs a waistlock, switch, Wagner gets to the ropes and elbows Lizmark back, Wagner clothesline is ducked, Lizmark scoops him up, side slam one two NO. Crowd seems to favor Lizmark and Wagner spends some time getting angry with them. Lizmark tries for another scoop into a slam, but Wagner slips behind, shove, kick, Wagner Driver! He's dead. One two - Rey breaks it up with a dropkick! Rey calmly walks back to his corner. Wagner is angered that someone would break up his pin, and wanders over to slap Rey before resuming work on Lizmark. Another Wagner Driver, with a heck of a lot of spike. Wagner covers while looking at Rey the whole time - one two dropkicked again! Now Shocker is on the apron to take offense and have words with Rey. These things are usually fought one on one, so maybe Wagner and Shocker are finding Rey’s actions unethical. Or maybe they just don't like it because they're not doing it. Wagner tries to yank Lizmark's head some more, but stops (did Lizmark's neck get hurt on that last one) and he wanders over again to argue with Rey. While those two start slapping, Rayo de Jalisco (not on Lizmark's team, and there because he's waiting for his turn to get in) gently helps Lizmark out of the ring; there's some serious concern for Lizmark's neck. Back in the match, Wagner kicks the back of Rey's leg, snap mare, off the ropes, dropkick to the head. Vampiro takes the tag from Wagner as the doctor (the one without the mask) checks on Lizmark on the floor. Vampiro is pumped to take on Rey, and probably vice versa. Open hands lap battle ends with Vampiro slamming Rey, and kicking his spine. Corner whip, reverse, but Vampiro comes right back out with a jumping kick. Vampiro tries a high kick to the side of the head, but Rey catches it and turns it into an anklelock! Vampiro is in trouble but he lunges and gets to the ropes. Vampiro's blond dye job- well, he's had better looking hair, let's say that. Rey with one hand slaps, Vampiro ducks a third, forearms from him, whip, reversed, Ultimo in and catching Vampiro with a spinebuster lift for Tarzan to clothesline (weakly) Vampiro down. Ultimo holds onto the legs for the slingshot/Tarzan clotheslines him back over Ultimo's knees/Rey kills them all with a top rope rolling senton combo! Rey with an STF! Vampiro isn't moving - he's done! (4:06) Hey, did Rey just get his win back there? Kinda! Shocker is in quick enough to disrupt Rey's celebration, but only by staring. Crowd rallying behind shocker - let's get a replay of that finish first. Is this sped up? Or Rey is really quick. Back to current, Rey with a headlock, shot off, over, shoulderblock spins out Shocker. Rey grabs Shocker - Gory Special, turning and dropping him into a Stunner! That's new - Shocker getting up a second later to get knocked down by a clothesline diminishes it - one two no. Rey with another clothesline, chinlock is broken out of quickly, Shocker grabs Rey and gets behind for a back supple that the camera totally misses somehow. Rey ended up in a weird position for having taken a back supple - maybe he rolled through on the impact? The shot was so bad I can't tell you. Shocker off the ropes, big boot, but Rey's taken it. Shocker again off the ropes, and this big boot takes Rey down. Shocker is pumped. Rey gets up - charging clothesline is ducked, Shocker grabs the arm and puts on - a hammerlock/headscissors takedown submission? I thought that was a pinfall, but Shockers' legs are keeping Rey's shoulders up - he gives, though. (5:25) and that's the end of Rey. Shocker takes his time letting go, and we watch a replay before I can pick up who's next. When we look back, Rey is leaving up the apron, but right behind him is Rayo, attacking Tarzan, with Ultimo coming over to help. Two get the better of one, and Ultimo grabs Rayo for Tarzan to lean on to the ropes. Hey, Rey's charging back - boost by Ultimo, big running sit on the hanging Rayo! Now Rey leaves for real, having been satisfied with what he's done. Tarzan to the top rope - missile dropkick nails Rayo, one two three! (6:10) Rayo was fighting that cover with all he could, but it wasn't enough. Ultimo switches in for his tag partner as we see a replay. It's officially down to Shocker/Dr. Wagner vs Ultimo/Tarzan/Lizmark, but I think we might have seen the last of Lizmark tonight - no sign of him for five minutes. Wagner in for his side, crowd seems to be siding with Wagner here. Wagner and Ultimo exchange strikes, no advantage. Ultimo off the ropes, clothesline takes Wagner down, but he's right back up, off the ropes, clothesline knocks Ultimo down. They both have words, Wagner daring Ultimo to go off the ropes, and nailing him with a clothesline when he does. I really need a thesaurus. Dr. Wagner grabs Ultimo in a waistlock - German Supple, German Supple, German Supple flips Ultimo on his face! One two NO. It's like I've seen that spot somewhere, in a different universe. Wagner loads Ultimo on the top rope, and goes up after him - top rope superplex! Can Wagner cover him? He's tired, but he's still go something left. Wagner will - go for a figure four? Bad move - made worse by Ultimo grabbing him for a small package, one two NO! - or was it three? Baby Richard slapped the mat three times and is telling Wagner to leave, but he appeared to kickout at 2.9. Wagner is confused and argues the count, rightfully so. But he's still done here. (7:50) Announcers watch the replay and count 1, 2, [silence] Wagner is complaining about this all the way, but does eventually leave. This leaves Shocker vs Tarzan and Ultimo - and what better time to take a break? (8:36)

Vignette: Ultimo Guerrero tells us how much he wants to win Leyenda de Azul. Which is good, since he's one of the three people left.

We return to an announcer saying "Ay yi yi yi", echoing Shocker's probable thoughts at the moment as the two remaining GdI guys attack him with a kick down. When the referees return from trying to get Wagner to leave, they do escort Shocker out of there. Actually, it looks like Wagner is being forced to walk every step he takes by the babyface referee, and Wagner has ripped the front of Baby Richard’s shirt at some point - looking back, it was probably when they and we were watching the replay. He's very much not happy. Back in the ring, Ultimo is slapping Shocker in the chest, but he's too pumped to feel it. One ducked, series of body punches and a big shot to the head. Off the ropes, big boot for Ultimo. Off the ropes, another big boot. Shocker is intense. Shocker is charging - Circuit Breaker reniera is reversed into one of Ultimo's own, but when he has a momentarily trouble putting it on (probably not on purpose), Shocker reverses to an inside cradle one two THREE! (9:35) Well that was quick. Shocker is leading his chants - he's just got one more left. Replay - did Shocker pull the tights there? I guess it doesn't matter now, though Ultimo is just as unhappy as Wagner is, and is refusing to leave. He just wants to hang around ringside - Tarzan uses the distraction to beat down Shocker with forearms. Shocker being stomped down now. Forearm, slap, chest slap. Whip, Tarzan leapfrogs Shocker, but Shocker pops up behind him - Shocker Bottom! Shocker is juiced! but distracted by seeing Ultimo still there at ringside. Tarzan uses the advantage for a kick. Charge, Shocker grabs a waistlock, Tarzan reverse to a bodyscissors rollup with arm on the second rope, one two Richard catches it! That's new. Tarzan is in such shock, he takes forever toe realize he's caught and to let go. Both up, Tarzan charges, clothesline blocked, Shocker with a shot to the chest, grab, powerbomb! Jacknife cover, one - Ultimo trips Shocker out of the cover! Tarzan cradles Shocker, one two three! (11:19) Tarzan Boy can't believe it- he won! Shocker can't believe it - he got screwed by these two. Unfortunately, 1 on 2 still doesn't work, and shocker's post match attack leads to a beatdown for himself. Ultimo and Tarzan only stop after they're sure Shocker is going to try that again. Celebration - Rey is back to help out, and do the forearm celebration all the way down the apron. Tarzan's about the cry. For winning this, Tarzan gets a special belt that features Blue Demon’s face and upper body sculpted on it. Ultimo grabs the mic - I think the idea that GdI, not Shocker and his Guapos, are the strongest. And don't forget it. Replay of the finish - I wonder where the tecnico referee was that he missed that? Baby Richard at least had a bad angle. Multiple angles of the finish.

Notes: They get entrances! Movin' on up. Interesting that they'd opt to show this as the main event. The ring announcer hypes this as Cuba vs Mexico! which I guess it is, but it still doesn't stop it from being funny. Tecnicos get separate entrances. Virus is "the giant mini", awesome. They're still calling him Rocko, but I've got better things to do. As compared to last time, the crowd is into this match before it even starts. Hand shakes before the match? BOOOOOO. What kinda rudos are these? Volador gets some credit from me by being hesitant to do so.

Puma and Virus to start. Circle, shove away. Lockup, no Puma goes low for a takedown but Virus backs up and fights it off, turning it into a front facelock on the mat instead. Puma busts loose quickly and they wrestle for control on the crowd. Tough to call because no one's got a hold and we zoom away, but Puma ends up with an armdrag. Virus rolls through, up to his feet, single leg and half way turned into a Half Crab. Puma escapes with a single leg, inside leg grapevine. Virus reverses to an arm scissors and tries to extend the arm for cross arm breaker by Puma blocks it, then breaks out of the hold. Puma tries to stand up but Virus takes him back down with a single leg, on him for a cover zero. Break. Tag to Marvin, tag to Quance. Circle, reaching for a lockup, Marvin's got waistlock, Quance goes behind, Ricky armdrags to the mat for an armbar. Ricky has a TAIL. Back up their feet, Quance reverses to a hammerlock, Ricky with a jumping snap mare escape. Circle. Lockup, Marvin breaks a wristlock, armbar tightening up and taken down in a wristlock. Quance rolls into control of the old, stands up and Marvin reverses to a Northern Light Suplex for zero. Must be too soon. Stand off. Volador in. Rocky in. Rocky with a shove. Volador shoves back. Rocky with an open hand chop, and again, and again. Volador turns away and gets it in the back. Another swing, but Volador ducks it, stops Rocky, and slaps him hard in the chest. Rocky's taking it. Another, a third, Rocky doesn't want any more, so Volador spins him around and pounds him on the back. Volador off the ropes, over, waved past, handspring flip but Rocky's just standing to the side and watching, Rocky with a kick to the midsection, kick to the midsection, standing wheel kick. Volador to the apron, and Rocky uses a  sliding dropkick to knock him all the way to the floor. Rocky running - slingshot somersault plancha! Marvin and Quance in - Marvin's running clothesline is caught and turned into a snap suplex. Quance bringing Marvin in position - Ricky rolls out of the way of the SSP, Quance lands on his feet, and tires a clothesline, Ricky blocks with the right and nails Quance with the right. Puma in - springboard swinging DDT! Quance nails Puma with a big boot, but Quance gets the better of him with a bodyscissors DDT one two three (3:47) I'm guessing Puma hit the reverse rolling senton on Marvin before covering him - one two three (3:51) Crowd is loud. Replays - yep, that's Puma's move. Maybe I should be calling that a reverse SSP?

Fall 2. Ricky and Puma to start. Puma shoves Ricky, Ricky back with a clothesline, ducked, Ricky goes under the leapfrog and stomps Puma on the drop down. Slap, corner whip, Puma catches him with boots on the way in. Puma to the second rope, but Marvin nails him with a roll into a jumping slap. Puma manages to kick Ricky away - off the second rope spinning headscissors. Quance in, Virus in, Virus knocks down Quance with a shoulderlock. Running back elbow does the same thing. Off the ropes, waved by, and Bobby gets him with an armdrag. Quance running, Virus tries a hiptoss but Quance his his own. Virus up quick, open hand slap, open hand slap, stop to be pumped, Quance nails him with a jumping enziguri. Chop, corner whip, reverse, Quance flips to the apron, Virus charges in and tries to nail Quance on the apron with a swinging kick, Quance ducks, Virus lands on the apron and ducks a chop. Virus with a right, charge, Quance backdrops Virus over the corner and to the floor. Quance going up - SUICIDE SHOOTING STAR PRESS! And Quance hit hard on the side of his head - Virus didn't expect him to go that far. Back in the ring, Volador is taking down Puma with a top rope plancha. Volador up, clothesline misses, Puma jumping heel kick works, Marvin nails him with a springboard dropkick. Rocky in, his right hand misses, waistlock, Rocky switches and tries the German, Ricky lands on his feet, Rocky off the rope and charging for a Monkey Flip, Ricky blocks and holds him up top, Volador in with a springboard sunset flip bomb on Rocky, Volador covers as Ricky prevents anyone from helping, one two three (1:58) Mexico celebrates. Replays, while one fan is standing right near the microphone as he yell for Mexico. Notice the fans not budge an inch as Bobby Quance comes flying at them from the top rope. The guy in the Dr. Wagner approves. Also the Polar Bear.

Third fall. Puma to start again, this time with Volador. Volador yells at Puma to bring it on. Puma with an open hand slap. Volador with one. Puma with a chop. Volador with an open hand slap. Puma with a side kick to the midsection. Off the ropes, charge, and Volador flapjacks him on the top rope. Volador to the apron, slingshot into a Quebrada one two NO. Puma's feet were close to the ropes there. Whip, Puma hops up on Volador's shoulders, victory roll one two NO. Kick to the chest by Puma. Whip, reversed, Volador drop toe hold, off the ropes, running somersault neckbreaker from behind, holding on to the inverted facelock and brining Puma to his feet to hit a inverted swinging neckbreaker (Last Rights), cover one two NO. Tag to Ricky, tag to Rocky. They have a standoff, then let loose with forearms to the face. Ricky tries a kick, caught, spun, Rocky tries a 3/4 bulldog (going for a Stunner?), shoved off, clothesline by Marvin. Rocky back up though - kick to the back of the leg, kick to the midsection, kick to the back of the leg, kick to the head. I was sure he was going to do the whole Ultimo bit for a second - cover one two NO. Rocky off the ropes, kick by Ricky, suplex by Ricky but Rocky lands behind, off the ropes, Ricky tosses him up and Rocky comes down with a 'rana one two NO! Rocky can't believe it. Rocky with a kick to the midsection, whip, reversed, Marvin misses a clothesline and Rocky dropkicks him out. Or not - Ricky holds onto the bottom rope on the way out and bounces off the floor back in - it looked like a someone was playing it in reverse, it happened so fast and smoothly (and unexpectedly.) Rocky charges, and takes a tilt-awhirl backbreaker! Powerbomb - and he's bringing Rocky back up for another? No, Death Valley Driver! One two Quance breaks it up. Virus is in to get a piece of him. Virus with an open hand slap, Quance back with one of his own, Virus with, Quance with a kick to the leg, side kick to the chest is caught, Virus trips up the other leg and hand goes for a submission, but Quance punches him in the head to get free. Both up, Virus rushing to take down Quance with a double leg, figure four is escaped with a brutal looking kick to the head from Quance (sold extremely well by Virus). Quance with a forearm, corner whip, Quance charges in but Virus has kipped up and out. Virus makes the mistake of the pointless flip and Quance nails him with a beautiful looking jumping spinning enziguri (we'll say) one two NO! Quance cant believe it. Whip, reversed, Virus with a spinebuster and a leg scissors. Quance is stuck in the middle of the ring and trying to get free, but he's got a long way to go - he's got the ropes! Virus claps, waits for Quance to get up. Quance's clothesline is caught, Virus tries a short clothesline but it's ducked, Virus catches another clothesline and turns it into a nice side belly to belly suplex one two Rocky breaks it up. And now everyone's in - Volador kicks Rocky out, Virus gets rid of Quance, and Puma gets worked over. Double corner whip, Volador charging clothesline, Virus charging jumping clothesline, Marvin charging jumping back elbow. Rocky in and immediately stopped - corner whip, Virus cover clothesline, whip out into a Volador flapjack into a - well, whatever Marvin wanted to do, he didn't get to do, because Rocky reverses it to a spinning DDT on him. Rocky tries to sneak in a cover while Volador is knocking Quance off the apron. Volador turns to break that up but doesn't know that Puma's taken out Virus with a swinging dropkick. Quance in too and dropkicking Volador - Volador rolls out, and it looks like Virus was taken out as too, as it's all three Havanas versus Ricky. Much to the displease of the crowd, they take him apart with about six kicks - Rocky covers one two no. Rocky with a powerbomb lift, Puma and Quance off the ropes, but Volador and Virus pull them out and Ricky reverses to a 'rana one two NO! Crowd thought that was it for sure.  On the outside, rudos reverses whips and tecnicos go flying in to each other. Ricky grabs Rocky but has trouble on the way - he's leveled by Puma before he can follow up. Double whip on Ricky, tripe boot knocks him out. Volador back in and trying to open hand slap everyone - Quance ducks, grabs Volador in a full nelson. Rocky and Puma charge with the double clothesline, Volador ducks and Quance gets it. Superkick for Puma, tilt-a-whirl headscissors for Rocky, taking him out. Volador slingshots to the apron, kick for Rocky, Asai Moonsault! Puma running, but Ricky surprises him with a swinging kick from the apron. Quance gives Marvin and running kick off the apron ,and manages to dodge Virus coming at him with a dropkick. Quance with chops, then Puma helps with a double corner whip. Corner clothesline, corner clothesline. Virus sat on the top rope, and Puma's boosted up on a charge - 'rana is blocked, Puma tries to punch his way into a charge. Ricky back in and taking out Quance - dropkick, dropkick to the knee. Virus grabs Puma - he positions Puma as if he's about to Tombstone him of the ropes for a second, drawing shrieks from the crowd - second rope face first powerbomb! If Marvin hit the dropkick to the knee, I imagine that the La Majistral he's winning with on Quance there - one two three (6:24) we don't get a good look at at what Virus is doing, but it's something like a seated figure four on Puma - and it's enough. (6:33) Tecnicos are ecstatic about the win. I should seriously deduct a point for no one yanking on Marvin's tail. They'd have plenty of points to spare. Replays

No next time. We end with a quick look at Tarzan getting his novelty belt, and that's it.

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. There was a definite increase between this Havana 
2. OTOH, I can't seem to think this is just "Spot Fests come to Mexico City - Marvin/Volador/Virus get to show us what they can really do" and a trend that I'll get sick of - or at least tired of the repetition - in six months or so
3. Even though the finish was Tarzan/Shocker, 
4. I think the fact that I don't know what they're saying, I also don't know what they're not saying - so I can imagine that pinfalls that Shocker getting his win back over Ultimo is revenge for Ultimo beating Shocker a billion times earlier this year.
5. That is an insane percentage of wrestling.