Recapped: 05/31/2016
What happened: Ultimo Guerrero defeated Stuka with a devious plan: let Stuka hit his finishing move, then roll him up while he’s bouncing from the impact. It definitely worked for UG, but not so much on any realism scale.
Dragon Rojo fouled Rey Cometa to end the fourth match, which is probably not going anywhere. Whoever did CMLL’s preview thought there was a change in the third match that didn’t happen, but that’s not really a happening.
What was good: The title match was good, though you have to get past Ultimo Guerrero to enjoy it. I liked the third match and would’ve liked the fourth match had it more direction. The main event was insubstantial but served it’s purpose well.
Where can I watch it: It’s on CMLL’s YouTube channel.
Match 1: Acero & Aéreo vs Demus 3:16 & Mercurio
Arena México, 05/31/2016
- rudos
- Demus top rope splash Aereo (4:44)
- Mercurio corner dropkick Acero (5:14)
- técnicos
- Aereo suastica Mercurio (4:11)
- Acero double stomp Demus (4:35)
- rudos
- Mercurio package piledriver Aereo (3:54)
- Demus Driver Acero (3:54)
Winner: rudos (1/3)
Match Time: 13:43
Review: [below] Followed the form of a normal match, but the rudos really mostly destroyed the técnicos and didn’t give them much of a comeback in the third fall. I’m assuming Demus just wasn’t in the right spot for Aereo’s dive to the ramp, because Aereo didn’t seem to know what to do. The match ups would’ve been better the other way, because Mercurio was working with the técnicos better than Demus. Not very interesting but executed fine.
Match 2: Flyer, Magnus, Sensei vs Arkángel de la Muerte, Hijo del Signo, Nitro
Arena México, 05/31/2016
- técnicos
- Flyer cristo negro Nitro (6:35)
- Sensei headkick Arkangel (6:54)
- rudos
- Arkangel de la Muerte low blow elbow drop Magnus (4:58)
- Hijo del Signo top rope splash Sensei (5:30)
- rudos
- Nitro piledriver Flyer (4:05)
Winner: rudos (2/3)
Match Time: 16:29
Review: [below average] the rudos swallowed up the técnicos even more in this match, only allowing them to get the simplest comeback in the third floor before squashing them like a bug. I was going to say Signo is the best of this motley rudo trio, but then he fell down down a spot with Magnus. It’s Arkangel. Flyer was the captain, probably because for piledriver taking reasons, but had a rough unimpressive matches. I appreciate Magnus doing the apron headscissors to give me something to GIF for this match.
Match 3: Blue Panther Jr., Soberano Jr., The Panther vs Cancerbero, Raziel, Virus
Arena México, 05/31/2016
- rudos
- nudo Virus on Soberano (7:56)
- Cancerbero nudo lagunero/Raizel flying legdrop the Pather (8:42)
- técnicos
- The Panther fujiwara Virus (3:14)
- técnicos
- Blue Panther german suplex Raziel (3:48)
- The Panther springboard dropkick Cancerbero (4:42)
Winner: técnicos (2/3)
Match Time: 16:38
Review: [ok] These three matches are basically the same, but this one blew the other two away. The first two falls weren’t much, outside of The Panther doing some mat work with Virus and a few highlights, but the third fall was much more exciting the eight falls before it. The técnicos got more of a comeback then the previous teams had been allowed, and Soberano really shined in the opportunity. He flew an amazing length on his tope con giro and was moving around the ring spectacular prior to it. Blue Panther Jr. continues his voyage to being OK, though he probably shouldn’t use the same corner springboard set up for a move that his brother is using for his finish if they’re going to be teaming all the time.
Match 4: Blue Panther, Guerrero Maya Jr., Rey Cometa vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Hechicero, Kráneo
Arena México, 05/31/2016
- técnicos
- Guerrero Maya top rope splash Kraneo (6:21)
- técnicos
- DQ Dragon Rojo Jr. [foul to Rey Cometa] (8:36)
Winner: técnicos (2-1)
Match Time: 14:57
Notes: The first two minutes were killed with Dragon Rojo walking out, coming back, and walking back out. Mije was stretched out after also taking the splash at the end of the first fall (though it was more Kraneo’s arm hitting him on impact that would’ve been the issue, if there was one.)
Review: [ok] looked like it could be a pretty fun match thru the first fall. The second fall was kind of formless and it was evident the rudos were just getting in all their offense when Dragon Rojo did his missile dropkick without getting a pin. This was not the incredibly booked Blue Panther match as usual, though the first fall came to an end in an unusual fashion. Dragon Rojo was limping around and the least interesting member of his team and yet I’d still kind of want to see him against Rey Cometa if the finish was going anywhere. Guerrero Maya & Hechicero opened with a really good mat exchange, which bodes well for the people who will see them in a match on Saturday.
Match 5: Último Guerrero © vs Stuka Jr. for the NWA World Middleweight Championship
Arena México, 05/31/2016
- Stuka back heel trip (4:35)
- Ultimo Guerrero Pulpo Guerrero (1:51)
- Ultimo Guerrero cradle (9:56)
Winner: Ultimo Guerrero (2/3)
Match Time: 16:22
Notes: Seconds are Lucifierno and Magnus. Stuka kicked out of the Guerrero Special and landed his torpedo splash, but Ultimo Guerrero cradled Stuka while on the bounce and held him down for the three count. Ultimo Guerrero sold his ribs after the match.
Review: [good] Stuka took this seriously and worked very hard, despite getting drawn into the Ultimo Guerrero checklist by the third fall. He really deserved better than the finish, which made him look like an idiot for his using his normal finishing move. It was creative, but it didn’t come off well – Ultimo Guerrero didn’t do anything but roll over, and apparently that was all it took to beat Stuka. (They knew it would be risky enough to give Stuka a surprise kickout of the Guerrero Special and for UG to sell his ribs after the match, but it just didn’t work.) Stuka’s first fall tope looked superb and the crowd got into his near wins. This finish isn’t going to hurt him much, but it did detract from the match.
Match 6: Diamante Azul, Máximo Sexy, Mistic2o vs Ephesto, Luciferno, Mephisto
Arena México, 05/31/2016
- técnicos
- Máximo half crab Ephesto (3:14)
- Diamante Azul Escuedo Luciferno (3:16)
- rudos
- Ephesto figure four pin Diamante Azul (3:07)
- Luciferno standing figure four Máximo (3:18)
- técnicos
- La Mistica on Mephisto (3:32)
Winner: técnicos (2-1)
Match Time: 9:56
Review: [good] quick by pleasant main event which was useful to send the fans home happy. This wasn’t the full 2016 Mistco appearance (though he still fit in the springboard headscissors to break up a careta) that seems to happen a lot, but he still seems much more comfortable than he has at any time in this gimmick. Ephesto & Lucfierno are doing very little, but they’re getting away with it.
I’m surprised you were fairly cold on the Cancerberos/Panthers match. I really enjoyed most of what happened, and thought both the non-Virus Cancerberos and Blue Panther Jr looked better than usual. The whole thing also didn’t feel too rudo-sided – sure, you didn’t get a million dives, but the tecnicos had the upper hand through most of the first and third falls iirc. The third fall finish with The Panther just lounging at Virus looked a little off, but worked for me, considering the story was that Virus thought he had Panther beat and he just desperately grabbed on to any limb he could find, getting the win with a touch of luck.
That aside, I was wondering why a lot of people don’t think much of Diamante Azul. I always thought he executed his admittedly basic moveset well, and his occasional attempts at brawling are a good way to go for him.