Recapped: 09/09/2016
What happened: La Mascara unmasked Dragon Lee, which would’ve been great news for him last week but was just a DQ this week. Matt Taven debuted. Angel de Oro was hurt. That’s about it; this appeared to be a no-plot show since they have the legends show next week.
What was good: Most everything? I didn’t like the lightning match, the main event was super rushed, and the third match fell apart before the end, but the quality of wrestling was good. Nothing must watch but an easy show to watch.
Where can I watch it: It’ll be on my channel (though I had some feed issues in the last couple of matches.)
Match 1: Astral & Stukita vs Pequeño Nitro & Pierrothito
Arena México, 09/09/2016
- técnicos
- Stukita springboard moonsault Pierrothito (4:23)
- Astral reverse figure four Pequeño Nitro (4:42)
- rudos
- Pierrothito scorpion Stukita (3:17)
- Pequeño Nitro frontcracker Astral (3:49)
- técnicos
- Stukita back bridging cradle Pierrrothito (4:20)
- COR Nitro [Astral swinging reverse powerbomb into the barricade] (4:45)
Winner: técnicos (1/3)
Match Time: 13:16
Review: [good] there wasn’t any story here, but the moves spots were interesting and executed well, and we got more entertainment for the opener. Stukita was his usual self and went a long way on his plancha on the remap on Nitro. Nitro looked sharp before meeting his end. Pierrothito was working hard, which is a difference maker in a match like this.
Match 2: Blue Panther Jr., Pegasso, Soberano Jr. vs Okumura, Tiger, Virus
Arena México, 09/09/2016
- rudos
- Okumura STG Pegasso (5:37)
- Tiger backcracker Soberano (5:52)
- técnicos
- Blue Panther Jr. slingshot dropkick Okumura (4:26)
- técnicos
- Pegasso headscissors cradle Virus (3:15)
- Blue Panther nudo lagunero Tiger (4:45)
Winner: técnicos (1/3)
Match Time: 15:03
Review: [good] a second fun match to start the show, building well over all three falls. Virus does the little things so well. He looked like he was destroying shoulders with his kneedrops during the part he controlled, and then he sold the backbreaker so wonderfully in the third fall. Tiger and Blue Panther Jr. appear destined to do this forever (because CMLL booking is not so creative), and they’re getting better at doing. Pegasso had a good night as well.
Match 3: Ángel de Oro, Rey Cometa, Titán vs Ephesto, Hechicero, Vangellys
Arena México, 09/09/2016
- rudos
- Hechicero backbreaker/Ephesto legdrop Angel de Oro (5:44)
- técnicos
- Angel de Oro Ephesto Roll on Ephesto (2:31)
- técnicos
- DQ rudos [ref attack] (6:43)
Winner: técnicos (2/3)
Match Time: 14:58
Notes: Angel de Oro was hurt taking a crucifix powerbomb. He landed on his feet, and then seemed to be grabbing a knee. (It might have just been his back.) Referee Edgar stopped anyone from attacking him. Cometa & Titan did dives, then they all came back in the ring while they were putting Angel de Oro on the stretcher. The rudos shoved Edgar to stop the match.
Review: [good] this is hard to rate, because it was really good for two and two-thirds falls, then completely fell apart when Angel de Oro got hurt. Everything looked sharp before it, none sharper than Hechicero’s amazing looking jumping knee strike to Cometa’s jaw. (The slow motion replay of Cometa’s gum going flying was one of CMLL’s best production moments.) I don’t know if I would’ve gotten up after that; Cometa pulled off a tight Brillo Dorado a moment later. Titan looked really sharp in this, Vangellys was good. Ephesto’s old man ways betrayed him, with him almost hurting himself on his own legdrop, but he wasn’t a problem the rest of the way.
Match 4: Valiente vs Felino in a lightning match
Arena México, 09/09/2016
Winner: Felino (top rope elbow drop)
Match Time: 5:43
Review: [ok] I don’t know. I’m too confused by the outcome to really think about the match. Valiente is not really a young guy, even by CMLL standards, but Felino getting singles wins at this point is inexplicable and perfectly fitting in CMLL booking. Match was not horrible, but nothing really that memorable and the least of the matches so far.. Felino’s plancha to the floor was good.
Match 5: Máscara Dorada, Máximo Sexy, Volador Jr. vs Matt Taven, Mr. Niebla, Shocker
Arena México, 09/09/2016
- técnicos
- Máximo kiss Matt Taven (3:18)
- Máximo kiss Shocker (3:23)
- rudos
- Matt Taven swinging neckbreaker Mascara Dorada (6:30)
- Shocker tirabuzon Máximo (6:39)
- rudos
- Mr. Niebla top rope splash Volador JR. (2:00)
Winner: rudos (2/3)
Match Time: 12:02
Review: [good] completely weird. Parts of this was really good and it was kind of a scene, though there’s definitely better technical matches. Matt Taven didn’t seem too hampered coming back for him knee injury, but figuring out what was going on here might have been the bigger handicap. He got Máximo right away, but following the flow of a stranger than usual match was understandably difficult. Volador was directing him around on spots at the end of the match. Dorada was on fire early, and before the match pivoted into a lot of Niebla and Máximo comedy. That was easier on everyone but not quite as entertaining. The ease of the Brillo Dorada near the end was impressive.
Match 6: Carístico, Dragón Lee, Mistico vs Euforia, La Máscara, Negro Casas
Arena México, 09/09/2016
- técnicos
- Mistico La Mistica Euforia (2:48)
- Carístico casita Negro Casas (2:53)
- técnicos
- DQ La Mascsara [unmasking Dragon Lee] (4:26)
Winner: técnicos (1/2)
Match Time: 7:19
Notes: La Mascara & Dragon Lee feuded. Mistico took out Carístico with a dive near the end, and La Mascara was left in the ring alone with Dragon Lee. La Mascara teased the double knee smash, but took Dragon Lee’s mask instead.
Review: [good] a rushed CMLL main event with the usual major show hangover, but they did do a lot for the short time it lasted. Dragon Lee & La Mascara’s exchanges looked very good, and the fake out of the knees to do the mask pull instead is better than the usual foul. Carístico and Mistico as a team is something CMLL really should do something with at some point but still haven’t. Negro Casas took a giant bump off a badly angled dropkick and remains amazing.
I’m continually amazed by the bumps Dragon Lee takes for Mascara. It’s not quite the same the other way around (and not as important, because Lee’s moves are almost impossible to take in a way that makes them look bad), but whenever Mascara goes for one of those superkicks, thrustkicks and chops he does, Lee flings his entire body back and throws himself all over the place, all for relatively basic moves – in my opinion a bit of a lost art in wrestling. He’s done more to make Mascara look like a legit killer than I think any other opponent could, and looking back, maybe Rush/Mascara wouldn’t have been the match to go with after all, because Rush isn’t the kind of guy to put someone else over this big and would have hopelessly outclassed Mascara in the Anniversary match.
It really feels like Dragon Lee has developed into a complete performer and someone who could carry the company on his back for years to come, in a way that a Mascara Dorada hasn’t despite his technical brilliance.