Recapped: 07/04-10/2016
What happened: Michael Elgin won the tournament, and they’re changing TV air times again.
What was good: The main event is the only match you really need to see. Everything else felt way too short.
Where can I watch it: It’s on AztecaDeportes.com and my YouTube channel. Juventud Guerrera posted handheld video of it on his YouTube channel
The show begins with a recap of last week’s action.
Match 1: Volador Jr. vs Tama Tonga in an Elite Internacional quarterfinal
Arena México, 06/25/2016
Video: LA ARENA, thecubsfan
Winner: Volador (backcracker)
Match Time: 5:17
Notes: Tama jumps Volador as he’s coming in the ring
Review: [ok] These quarterfinals were all quick, which is why I’m not too bothered about seeing them complete. This one has the longest 20 count on the floor as Tama drops Volador on the barricade and DDTs him off it. That’s the entire heat, there’s not time for more, which gives you an idea of the matches we’re getting. This was fine while it lasted, but I’m left hoping their Guadalajara match does surface (or did surface by the time you read this.)
Match 2: Michael Elgin vs Lio Rush in an Elite Internacional quarterfinal
Arena México, 06/25/2016
Video: LA ARENA, thecubsfan
Winner: Michael Elgin
Match Time: 2:25 shown
Notes: Only highlights are shown. Elite continues to spell his name “Elguin”. In foreshadowing, Terror Chino won’t count a pin because Lio Rush is not completely flat on the ground. Lio Rush is clearly down after the Elgin Bomb moments later, but Terror Chino stops counting at two, then counts three – or at least we think they do, as they cut away before he finishes.
Match 3: DJZ vs Kushida in an Elite Internacional quarterfinal
Arena México, 06/25/2016
Video: LA ARENA, thecubsfan
Winner: Kushida (hoverboard lock)
Match Time: 5:37
Notes: I watched the handheld linked above, which is Juventud Guerrera shooting it on his cell phone while talking to his girlfriend. They liked the match. On TV, it got cut down to about two minutes (about 10 seconds long because Babe Richard Jr. doesn’t realize DJ Z is giving up.). DJ Z takes most of the offense since he’s done after this match, and looks good, though there were more to the Hip Hop Man match
Match 4: Sabú vs Bram in an Elite Internacional quarterfinal
Arena México, 06/25/2016
Video: LA ARENA, thecubsfan
Winner: Bram (The Brighter Side of Suffering, a lifting DDT)
Match Time: 2:19 shown
Notes: Again, Sabu gets to use his chair and brawling outside for as long as he’d like because he’s Sabu. Most of the highlights involve the chair being thrown at one person or another, though Sabu does get in a nice tornado DDT.
Match 5: Volador Jr. vs Kushida in an Elite Internacional semifinal
Arena México, 06/25/2016
Video: LA ARENA, thecubsfan
Winner: Volador Jr. (top rope huracananra)
Match Time: 4:55
Notes: Dr. Zavaleta is called to the ring early on, when Volador is holding in his left arm after taking a Kushida dive. He actually walks around in the ring while Kushida is still beating up Volador. Zavaleta checks on Volador, and decides to let the match go on. (This comes off an angle, and one that Kushida mostly ignores.)
Review: [ok] For reasons too stupid to explain, I watched this match, and the rest of the show, about a week later. The Kushida/Volador title match happened in the time being, and this now looks like a trial run at some of the ideas they reused for that match for this one. The same arm injury is used here, though not quite as well (and Zavaleta getting involved looks silly) – though it might be as much to give Volador an excuse for the final as practice for later. There were a few good spots in this match itself, but they weren’t as smooth and they didn’t have time to do much. Thank goodness we got the real match later on.
Match 6: Michael Elgin vs Bram in an Elite Internacional semifinal
Arena México, 06/25/2016
Video: LA ARENA, thecubsfan
Winner: Michael Elgin (powerbomb)
Match Time: 4:50
Review: [ok] This was about the same time but felt like they actually got to do a bit more. Not that it was much stuff I was all that interesting. Bram didn’t impress outside of his love of giving the crowd the middle finger and how it spelled his ultimate doom, which seems like an important less for all of us.
Match 7: Michael Elgin vs Volador Jr. in the Elite Internacional final
Arena México, 06/25/2016
Video: LA ARENA, thecubsfan
Winner: Michael Elgin (spinning powerbomb)
Match Time: 11:05
Notes: Fantasma’s in the ring as part of the final ceremony. The national anthems to both country are played before the match. Volador has his left shoulder wrapped (though not well.) Elgin attacks the shoulder early, gets away from it later.
Review: [great] Easily the best match in this tournament, feeling like and fought like a big match. It’s a big move kickout fest, but it’s more big moves than you’d expect – Elgin worked very hard in this tournament, and both sold their own surprise at how much it was taking to put each other away. The big spots looked cool too, Elgin catching Volador into a powerslam was great and would’ve been better if we didn’t have the announcers taking up half the screen at the same time. Exact same thing with the spinning fist. They played up Volador’s shoulder injury early, but it felt like it just came down to Elgin being better tonight and a totally worthy champion. Definitely worth checking out.
