Matches reviews in this post:
- Metaleón vs Centvrión, Arena XMW, Ecatepec, Estado de México, 11/12/2016
- Black Terry vs Wotan, Coliseo Coacalco, Coacalco, Estado de México, 08/21/2016
- Lokillo vs Danger vs Johnny Madrid, Salón Citlalli, Ecatepec, Estado de México, 09/04/2016
- Canis Lupus vs Trauma I, mask vs mask. Arena Naucalpan, 09/04/2016
- Ronnie Mendoza vs Aeroboy. 705 W. Kennedale Parkway, Kennedale, Texas, 11/12/2016
- Delta vs Galactar, mask vs mask. Arena Coliseo Monterrey, 11/27/2016
This is delayed forever because I had trouble communicating exactly what I wanted to say about those two big mask matches. I still don’t think I’ve gotten exactly what I wanted to say – I really liked them, I may have not liked them quite as much as everyone else because neither made my top 10, but I still really liked them – but time forced me to move on.
Even though 2016 is over by any real standards and there’s plenty of 2017 to catch up on, I’m still going to finish out the ones I’ve got on my list. At least that I can get a hold of easily.
Metaleón vs Centvrión
Arena XMW, Ecatepec, Estado de México, 11/12/2016
Video: Estrellas del Ring, TVLuchaMundial (version I watched), +LuchaTV
Winner: Metaleon (inverted huracanrana)
Match Time: 15:31
Review: [great] complete and total brutality. It’s like they were told they were doing the match at the last moment and decided it’d be just easier to murder either other with chairs for about ten minutes to work out a match. There is some non-chair violence, but it’s all so very violent, feeling like the most brain damaging match in since the Arez/Pentagon one. There’s wrestling spots involved too, including great dives by Metaleon and a crazy over the top headscisssors that I could not believe wasn’t the finish. It’s just mostly the blood and the brutality that sticks out, even when they get away from the non-stop chair stuff of the first half of the match.
Black Terry vs Wotan
Coliseo Coacalco, Coacalco, Estado de México, 08/21/2016
Video: Estrellas del Ring, TVLuchaMundial (version I watched)
Winner: DCOR? Ref stop?
Match Time: 12:11
Review: [good] Uh, just looked at this list and realized I put a whole bunch of brutality into one group of matches. This was a different kind of viciousness than the last one, with more serious hate coming thru. The sudden ending didn’t totally work, but could be explained away as needing to half the match before each man brutalized each other. The best moment of the match was Black Terry giving Wotan some headbutts, which didn’t look that great, and Wotan just not selling them and firing back with a much harder one. This came off as a legit fight that wasn’t honoring the rules of lucha libre at all. It didn’t feel complete because of the ending, but it was definitely memorable. I’m a sucker for the mirrored eye covering, but I think this generally is the best Wotan’s mask has every looked.
Lokillo vs Danger, Johnny Madrid
Salón Citlalli, Ecatepec, Estado de México, 09/04/2016
Video: +LuchaTV, Facebook (full version)
Winner: Danger (backcracker Johnny Madrid)
Match Time: 13:45
Review: [good] quality three way match at a time when I was kind of tired of three way matches. Still, it’s three guys who are on and around these sort of big shows but haven’t previously distinguished themselves having a really action packed Alto Impacto style match. They looked very solid and didn’t have the stumbles you’d expect in this sort of match until just about the end. Lokillo looks spectacular when everything is working for them. This lacked a direction but it’s a nice showing for these guys.
Ronnie Mendoza vs Aeroboy
705 W. Kennedale Parkway, Kennedale, Texas, 11/12/2016
Video: victor Martinez
Winner: Ronnie Mendoza
Match Time: 16:21
Review: [good] I think I’m running of indie Ronnie Mendoza matches to stalk him this year, but this was another fun and hard hitting as expecting match between the two. These guys haven’t had another singles match, as best I can figure, but match up really well throwing each other here. It doesn’t feel like the best they can do, and they slow down and switch to a little comedy because the crowd’s leaning that way. It’s not too much of a drop off, they’re still dropping each other hard on supelexes and still a solid effort.
Canis Lupus vs Trauma I for the mask
Arena Naucalpan, 09/04/2016
Video: +LuchaTV (version I watched), Estrellas del Ring, thecubsfan, ENTRE SEGUNDA Y TERCERA, mluchatv
- Canus Lupus I Lo Negro de Negro (4:24)
- Trauma I reverse campana (3:03)
- Trauma I Lo Negro de Negro (18:08)
Winner: Trauma I (2/3)
Match Time: 25:35
Notes: This is one of the more famous matches of the year, but on the odd chance you don’t know: In a blood bath, Canus Lupus gets away with a martinete on Trauma I but Trauma I gets his foot on the ropes. Lupus repeatedly tries to keep pinning but only gets two despite Trauma appearing dead. Canis goes for a top rope splash, Trauma I recovers just enough to gets his legs up to block it. The doctor hits the ring to check on Trauma and starts to put a neckbrace on. Canis attacks the doctor, attacks Trauma, but Trauma picks a foot and, in a battle of wills, forces Canis Lupus into Lo Negro de Negro. Canis gives up and loses his mask. Canis is revealed to be Hector Juan Lopez Vieyra, who also proposes to his girlfriend.
Review: [excellent] One of the most memorable matches of the year, and obviously one worth checking out yourself. It’s not the spot showcase of the biggest CMLL matches, actually kind of something closer to a big AAA match without the interference, and but they outdo even AAA with the amount of blood. Canis Lupus is just covered in as he sits recovering from before the final sequence, and Trauma I looks like the victim of some horrible crime when he’s the winner of the match. The match itself is violent all the way thru, with thing hitting highest level after their exchange of plastic chair spots, but it’s mostly a match that plays on the emotion of the crowd. The stakes of the match have them into every near fall, and they do a lot, even before the martinete. That last couple minutes takes from just an exchange of big moves to a story of perseverance. Trauma I’s unable to allow himself to lose, overpowering Canis in willpower more than strength. The long emotional post match does a lot to make the moment feel bigger.
Delta vs Galactar for the mask
Arena Coliseo Monterrey, 11/27/2016
Video: +LuchaTV, MDA Lucha Libre
- Galactar Pulpo Guerrero (3:40)
- Delta head yanking tapatia (1:37)
- Delta Metalik Driver (24:25)
Winner: Delta (2/3)
Match Time: 29:42
Notes: Galactar actually gets three with a blocked corner sunset flip suing the ropes and help form outside to get the three count at about 3139. Galactar celebrates, while the rig is surrounded by fans protesting the finish. It’s not quite a riot, but it is a sudden demonstration. The referee is quickly persuaded to change his mind, and signals that the match will go on. It still takes a while to get order back around the ring, and then the commissioner is insist on getting gon the microphone to announce the match going on whenever is ready to go. After three and a half minutes, they resume. (That’s not kept part of the crowd.) Delta wins with a Metalik Driver and a bridging pin, where it very much seems like he’s got his own shoulders down. That’s not brought up.
Review: [excellent] About 29 minutes in this, when Delta should be tired and beatdown from a very active match, he pulls of a great looking German suplex and chains it into an another one. It’s hard not to be struck by how much better he looks in this match than his entire CMLL run. This is the match of his life, in a few different ways, but Delta was so forgettable and not missed when he left Mexico City, and now he looks like a guy I’d want to see everywhere. Delta’s not really ventured outside of his home area since leaving CMLL and maybe has no great desire to do so, but he should be everywhere if he’s going to work this hard and show this match. Galactar kept up with him, but the people freaked out about Galactar winning for good reason, Delta was obviously the better man. This is hurt a little bit by Galactar not being as familiar as others. Monterrey isn’t as good at getting locals over as Naucalpan, and there’s not the level of uncertainty in Trauma I & Delta. It’s helped by the emotion of the overturned decision, with the crowd rushing the ring to prevent a massive injustice being done. The work is solid, I would’ve preferred a longer stint after the restart, but this was very successful.
