Recapped: 12/25-26/2017
Back on the handhelds for this one; Konnan’s Patreon never posted November’s Tijuana show, and he’s secretly gone by the time the December one happens. It’s great that there are kind people recording this show themselves for no or little money, but it is frustrating to go back to rough camera angles; you’ll probably get tired of me saying some variation “this match would probably be better if I could see all of it.” The bigger issue is MegaKakashi only recorded about half the card. Other people posted highlights, but reviewing off highlights is fruitless. The four matches I’m watching are the only ones I could find in full. I’d very much like to watch Flamita/Laredo vs Flip/Sammy, but there doesn’t appear to be a full one available.
Matches:
Keyra © vs Christi Jaynes vs Lacey Lane vs Baronessa [The Crash WOMEN]
(6:17, good, via MegaKakashi619)
Review: the women went full speed for six minutes and everyone was better off for it. Even Baronessa looked better than usual. Lacey Lane getting in the fancy springboard in the opening seconds got her over here. There is a problem where this feels a little bit too much like the men’s matches without strong personalities to get them over. Maybe it’s just the stacked up superplex. Everyone needs to stop doing the stacked up superplex. I liked the hard hitting aspect of the women’s matches, even as borderline unprofessional they sometime seemed to be, because it was different than everything else. This was a well put together highspot sprint, which is nice but not as different.
There is a long term problem here: every women’s match is either a mixed tag or a multiwomen to get more people involved, except Keyra’s winning them all and everyone else is just getting over as “people Keyra beats.” Maybe that’s enough, but it feels like she’s got to face people the fans see as threats if Keyra matches are going to be a draw. I’m both not sure if that’s possible, or who that would even be that this crowd would know? Maybe Taya, if she could/would work here? Maybe you could bring name US indie women, but are they big enough name to matter? Maybe she just grandstand challenges people in AAA or CMLL until one of them inevitably becomes available? There’s gotta be a next step here.
Hanson & Raymond Rowe vs Brian Cage & Shane Strickland and Mr. 450 & Willie Mack
(16:30, good, via MegaKakashi619)
What Happened: Mack & 450 have slight problems during the match, which leads to a feud between them later on.
Review: An action match others might like more than me. This match was really picking up steam nicely and then the Stunner series just struck me as to cut. It worked better the other few times I saw it. Crowd liked it, but it took me out of the moment. At times before, it just felt like a series of moves, some really nice moves, but it took a while to progress to the point where it felt like they were doing more than an exhibition, and then the most exhibition-y spot happened. They got it back a bit, with the crowd into the big Cage/Strickland and 450/Mack near falls, but it also had to serve the Mack/450 split up story. One thing I did think was cool is they did a couple spots where the guy taking the move is ‘supposed to’ land on their feet, messes up and lands on their knees, but then it turns out someone leaps off their back in the flow of action for a big move. It was a nice way to change expectations. On the other hand, they didn’t have the best of luck catching dives in this one.
Rey Mysterio 619 vs Rush vs Penta Zero M vs La Máscara for The Crash Heavyweight championship
(18:43, ok, via MegaKakashi619)
What Happened: There’s no actual belt. The story is the belt was done in time. The belt incorporates Rey Mysterio’s mask in its design, alongside photos of Eddie Guerrero and Perro Aguayo, so it also probably would’ve given away the result had it been shown.
After the match, a man in a Volador mask comes to the ring, and helps Rush & Mascara attack Mysterio & Penta. He unmasks as Voaldor Jr., shocking the crowd. Following a CMLL angle, Volador considers putting up Los Ingobernable salute to join them, but does not. The CMLL (and ex-CMLL) trio and Rey/Penta go back and forth on the mic. This is a big deal in the moment, and absolutely none of it has gone anywhere.
Review: This is a match that feels like it doesn’t really get started until ten minutes into the bell time (17:42 total), and that’s just a one minute Penta/Rey faceoff. That’s after the two sections of crowd brawling, none of which the camera could keep up with. These guys milk a rabid crowd but it definitely loses something not being there in the moment and becomes tedious to watch and settling down for about nine good minutes of action. It is worth going thru to the post match to hear the shocked reaction of the crowd when the man under the Volador Jr. mask turns out to actually be Volador Jr.
Bestia 666 vs Jack Evans , hair vs hair
(20:57, MegaKakashi619, great)
Review: [great] The big blowoff match is built around big spots, and they do a good job of teasing them out enough to make the moment they happen more meaningful The impact afterwards always there, but it does cumulatively add to the drama. The last big spot they want falls apart – literally, the light tube table they had planned falls apart when Jack’s placed on it – but I think it actually works to the matches’ advantage. They adapt pretty quick to go to valagueza back and forth and the crowd believes the match could end at any point after the last prop is broken. The other big spots come off well, and the bigger disappointment is more that the crowd isn’t that into until those few spots. Still, this felt like a worth big hair match. (This video is hurt by not following the action early on, and not being able to later on, but it’s still pretty good overall.)
Maybe they can bring in Leva Bates. Her cosplay gimmick might get over in copyright-challenged Mexico. Perhaps she can do her Park(a) bit and team with Hijo de LA Park vs. Kiera and someone else (Daga? Maybe Jack?) in a mixed bag.