Recapped: 11/21/2016
What happened: Dragon Lee kept his title over Pólvora.
What was good: That match! It was pretty good. I didn’t care much for the rest of the show, but most of it was OK.
Where can I watch it: It’s on CMLL’s channel.
Match 1: Centella Roja & El Hijo De Centella Roja vs Ares & El Malayo
Arena Puebla, 11/21/2016
- técnicos
- Hijo de Centella Roja huracanrana Ares (6:50)
- Centella Roja suasitica Malayo (6:57)
- rudos
- Malayo something like a cristo negro but not as well done Centella Roja (5:57)
- Arez reverse armbar Hijo del Centella Roja (6:32)
- técnicos
- Hijo de Centella Roja camel clutch Malayo (4:53)
- Centella Roja plancha Ares (5:23)
Winner: Centella Rojas (1/3)
Match Time: 18:52
Notes: This is Hijo de Centella Roja’s debut
Review: [below average] The Centella Rojas came off as competent but slow, and Hijo didn’t do anything that would make him stand out. Both teams were generally moving as if they were underwater, even when it came to as simple stuff as putting on their finishing holds. Nothing went wrong, but it’s hard to go wrong when you’re moving so slowly and keeping it so simple. Hijo de Centella Roja’s big spots until the end were simple armdrags, this was not much.
Match 2: Arkalis, Asturiano, París vs Fuerza Chicana, King Jaguar, Sombra Diabólika
Arena Puebla, 11/21/2016
- técnicos
- Asturiano STF Sombra Diabolika (6:24)
- Arkalis backcracker King Jaguar (6:37)
- rudos
- Sombra Diabolika guillotine legdrop Arkalis (5:23)
- Fuerza Chicana front cracker Asturiano (5:37)
- rudos
- Fuerza Chicana half crab Asturiano 4924-5335
Winner: rudos (2/3)
Match Time: 16:25
Review: [ok] better than first match, but mostly just started out at a good pace and slowed down to last as long as they did. Sombra Diabolika didn’t really show a whole more than the other debutante, but kept up better and moved around better; he’s not a guy who needs to be watched but seemed sufficient. Asturiano’s mind seemed to be on Wednesday’s bodybuilding contest and not this match. Highlight of this might have been Arkalis and Tirantes arguing after the first fall. Paris’ backbreakers could use some work.
Match 3: Pegasso, Rey Samuray, Soberano Jr. vs Arkángel de la Muerte, Rey Apocalipsis, Toro Bill Jr.
Arena Puebla, 11/21/2016
- rudos
- Rey Apocalipsis el pulpo Pegasso (6:35)
- Toro Bill running corner knee Rey Samuray (7:04)
- técnicos
- Pegasso 450 splash Rey Apocalipsis (2:08)
- Rey Samuray 450 splash Toro Bill (2:08)
- técnicos
- Soberano Jr. moonsault Arkangel (3:10)
Winner: técnicos (2/3)
Match Time: 12:20
Review: [ok] Soberano seemed to get to do almost nothing in this match and the rest of the guys weren’t doing so much to make up for it, so it was just another forgettable Puebla match. Rey Samuray looked fine, despising being momentarily injured on his 450 splash. The Battalion peaked in their entrance and then didn’t much. It was alright, but it was just another match.
Match 4: Ángel de Oro, Rey Cometa, Titán vs Bobby Z, Kráneo, Okumura
Arena Puebla, 11/21/2016
- técnicos
- Angel de Oro mercedora Kraneo (6:39)
- rudos
- Kraneo hipsmash Angel de Oro (2:01)
- rudos
- Kraneo legdrop Rey Cometa (4:26)
- Okumura hanging DDT Titan (4:53)
Winner: rudos (2/3)
Match Time: 13:31
Review: [ok] another match that was just alright, though not clicking on all gears. Kraneo/Titan sounds good on paper but their first fall sequence was tough, and the surprise victory bit means the rudos took control of this match for a very long time. Angel de Oro looked sharp and nothing went totally wrong, but this was easily filler lucha.
Match 5: Dragón Lee © vs Pólvora for the CMLL World Super Lightweight Championship
Arena Puebla, 11/21/2016
- Super Pólvora Driver (2:05)
- Dragon Lee bodyscissors cradle (1:49)
- Dragon Lee double stomp (15:42)
Winner: Dragon Lee (2/3)
Match Time: 19:36
Notes: Bobby Z and Soberano are seconds.
Review: [great] Thoroughly entertaining title match, as weirdly expected with Pólvora. Pólvora does all the little things, like knowing Dragon Lee’s usual spots to counter them or fight them off with all his life, that most luchadors don’t in these kind of title matches. His forearms were great, looking serious enough to hurt by themselves and bridging the action between big moves in a way where it felt more like more than just big spot after big spot. Dragon Lee delivered the big spots. This felt different than the Kamaitachi matches, they didn’t go at the same lightning speed, and their attempt to repeat Kamaitachi’s piledriver finisher didn’t work out at all, but they definitely made the slower pace work for them. Lee had to work for everything he got, because Polvora was going ready for the fight and brought a lot to it.
Match 6: Atlantis, Diamante Azul, Johnny Idol vs Hechicero, Shocker, Vangellys
Arena Puebla, 11/21/2016
- rudos
- Vangellys northern lights suplex Atlantis (6:49)
- técnicos
- Johnny Idol moonsault Vangellys (3:44)
- Diamante Azul escudo Hechicero (3:59)
- técnicos
- Atlantis casadora cradle Shocker (5:24)
Winner: técnicos (2/3)
Match Time: 16:12
Review: [ok] this had a hard time following up the last match, and the slow paced opening fall really didn’t help, but it was about average match and fine enough main event. Maybe a little more than that. It just totally took me off guard with how long it went; this was the longest Puebla show in quite some time with the surprisingly full length match to end it. Hechicero looked good and meshed with the técnicos well, and Shocker stooged around a lot. The result didn’t seem to be going anywhere and the semimain would’ve been the better match to end with, but this was alright.