CMLL 79th Anniversary Show preview

note: I’ll have live coverage and a chat about the show when it kicks off @ 8:30 pm CT. Check back then for a post.

CMLL (FRI) 09/14/2012 Arena Mexico
***79th Anniversary Show***
1) Dalis la Caribeña, Goya Kong, Marcela vs Amapola, Princesa Blanca, Tiffany
2) Delta, Stuka Jr., Valiente vs Ephesto, Mephisto, Niebla Roja

Neither of these matches have anything going on (at least for this location) and won’t make TV if the main matches are shown. They differ in quality. CMLL’s tecnica squad is weak as always, while the segunda has a nice combiantion of tecnicos and rudos. Outcomes don’t really matter, but they’ll probably split the results anyway. Figure on this show starting with a reversal of how the last one ended (Goya beats Blanca) and Mistico’s personal rudos getting a rare win in the second match.

3) Ángel de Oro, La Sombra, Titán vs Namajague, Shigeo Okumura, Taichi

This match also don’t seem to have a lot of storyline going into it, but maybe it’ll have some coming out. Taichi don’t seem to have a particular purpose so far, and there’s three good candidates for him to feud with. Or this could just be three of the companies biggest high fliers using the guests as target practice. Tecnicos should be able to get a win here.

4) Rey Cometa vs Puma King [mask]

I know Terrible and Rush have a great match in them, but they won’t surpass what these two will pull of here. Puma King is right; winning and losing is not as important as where you go coming out of the match. It’s not about what plans CMLL has at for this moment and at this moment, it’s about what plans they’ll actually do once this match is over.

I’ve been a fan of Puma King ever since he started turning up on CMLL TV. He’s got more charisma and presence than other guys his age and level. Puma and Tiger were a fun tag team, but Puma’s progressed farther after being split off, growing from doing the same usual bits in every match to a more varied (though still occasionally repetitive) repertoire on his own. Puma’s also worked hard at modifying and improving his look; his gear is looks professional, though I wish he kept the silly crown. Long ago, I said Puma could be on of CMLL’s top stars down the line, and he’s kept moving down that path.

Rey Cometa has spent the last four and a half years beating odds. It’s hard for a middle level young guy to make it from one group to the other. Pegasso & Rey Cometa did, but Angel and others left around the same time and got lost along the way. It’s tough to make it up from the openers to relevant matches, especially when you come in as a prefabricated tag team. Messala & Caligula had to wait for a new gimmick. Artillero & Super Comando will probably always be stuck. Rey Cometa’s even busted thru the wall separating those who exist on the margins of ciberneticos and tournaments (Misterioso! Skandalo! Hijo del Fantasma!) to an honest to goodness long term feud. Cometa’s done it because he’s worked so hard and is so talented that CMLL couldn’t deny him. This looks like the farthest Rey Cometa can go, but a lot of other points have looked the farthest he can go, and he keeps going farther.

For all the reasons I’ve gone over before and on the podcast, I think Puma King will win the match.  I’m not as certain about it as the other big match.

Rey Cometa has said he’d like his brother to be his second. Puma has said he’d not like his brother – or the rest of his family – be in his corner. I hope CMLL was listening.

5) Atlantis, Mistico, Prince Devitt vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Negro Casas, Último Guerrero

There are two stories to juggle here; Dragon Rojo and Ultimo Guerrero will not end the match as friends, because they scarcely end any match as friends any more. It’s the substory to Mistico on the Anniversary show, teaming with a legend of Mexico and an International star (and trying to overshadow both.) This is probably another Mistico exhibition match, same as been done since he’s debuted, but it’s getting closer to time to giving him something more to debut. Maybe it’s not here, because Negro seems more likely to end up with Devitt and the other two are busy with themselves, but soon.

6) Rush vs Terrible [hair]

These two have had two big singles matches (and one not as big tournament match) in the last year.  They’ve both been okay, but they’re been missing something. The crowd wasn’t into the first match, the battle for the heavyweight title. That match took place during a period of great disinterest, and the crowd tonight should be much more into it. Rush hinted at blood in the match tonight, which might be the missing element, and is permitted in matches of this level.

I’m a bit concerned they might be too fired up for this match; they both know it’s the biggest match they’ve ever had, they’re going to be in front of a huge crowd, and they’re liable to be very fired up for the match. All they need to be is solid and the atmosphere will take it the rest of the way.

Rush will win because Rush is the guy on the way up, and Terrible is just a roadblock to the future. Terrible will still be the CMLL Heavyweight champion when the night is over, this rivalry will not be over, but there will not a bigger moment between them.