CMLL on ClaroSports.com: 2018-03-23 

this is not how to use a stretcher

Recapped: 03/23/2018

Matches:

Shockercito & Stukita beat Mercurio & Pequeño Nitro
(11:04 [4:54, 3:08, 3:02], 2/3, ok)

Sagrado, Templario, Virus beat Magia Blanca, Pegasso, Star Jr.  
(16:40 [5:07, 3:56, 7:37], 1/3, good)

Blue Panther Jr. beat  Drone in a lightning match
(7:34, Blue Panther reverse figure four, ok)

Misterioso Jr., Puma, Tiger beat Audaz, Fuego, Guerrero Maya Jr.  
(12:16 [2:49, 3:57, 5:30], 2/3 DQ, ok)

Ángel de Oro, Matt Taven, Niebla Roja beat Cuatrero, Sansón, Volador Jr. in a relevos increíbles match
(11:54 [2:05, 3:51, 5:58], 2/3, ok)

Diamante Azul, Marco Corleone, Último Guerrero beat Kráneo, Rush, Terrible in a relevos increíbles match
(9:24 [3:54, 5:30], 1/2 DQ, good?)

Stukita is a wizard

The main event was strange. Marco appeared to injury his right shoulder on his Air Corleone clothesline to win the first fall. Marco was in a lot of pain and was checked out between falls. He eventually rejoined the match a couple minutes in, and rallied despite obvious pain in his shoulder. Marco went for his usual off the apron clothesline on Rush, Rush moved, and Marco wiped while grabbing his arm. The rudos worked over his arm for a while, eventually getting Dqed for refusing to let go of an armbar around the top rope. Everyone stood around, a little confused, then the rudos attacked again as Marco received medical attention.

Taven beat Volador and challenged him to a title match next week.

Guerrero Maya accidentally pulled off Tiger’s mask in the third fall. Tiger tried to cover up, but Tirantes quickly called the DQ. Misterioso added Audaz to his mask collection post match.

Review:

did not have as good a night as his cousin

I don’t really know how to rate the main event. It didn’t fit the model of a normal entertaining match, with an average first fall and a truncated second fall. At the same time, it was either Marco doing a tremendous job of selling a shoulder injury or Marco doing a tremendous job of wrestling thru a shoulder injury and everyone quickly adapting the match to focus on it. I tend to believe the latter, but they were so focused on attacking the arm that it felt like a storyline thing. Whatever the situation, it made the match compelling in an unusual way. It also feels dumb to say someone’s injury was compelling or good so I can’t help but feel like a dummy here.

Angel de Oro wasn’t as big a spotlight as you’d expect in his Friday night unmasked, but they were busy building up another match. Taven being a técnico all match and doing a rudo promo post match was strange, but no stranger than usual for CMLL. Volador & NGD found a way to work together well. Niebla Roja had an embarrassing night of slipping on springboards. Still, the expected Angel de Oro/Niebla Roja unmasked brother team looks like it’ll work out well.

this is a high confidence dive

The fourth match started out hot but was missing something in the second fall. I think I’m so excited to see Audaz do something that it’s hurt when he’s bottled up for a long time. He never completely got out of the bottle because the match suddenly ended. That abrupt finish meant this wasn’t as good as it should be, but it wasn’t getting too hot before it. Maya missed on the springboard reverse tope to Misterioso and I can’t recall seeing that happen before. Misterioso rushing to make sure he got Audaz’ mask after the match was hilarious; Misterioso wants to make sure he’s in consideration for Audaz’ eventual mask win.

Panther Jr/Drone was on the high side of expectations for an odd match up. Panther threw Drone around a little bit, Drone did a couple of dives and tried a new spot, the bigger guy one. The bigger guy won after Drone was in a submission spot for the longest period of time outside an apuesta match. Weirder that they did the armbar spot to get to the ropes and Panther used a hold he never used to win. The match still was alright. Drone looks good but the crowd seems hesitant to get behind him.

required Templario greatness

The second match was better than usual in that spot. Templario is must watch, and helped even more by being paired with guys like Virus and Sagrado. Star Jr. & Pegasso looked good without having to do as much as they might in other matches. Magia Blanca started well and then had some spotty moments in the second and third fall. He still took the big spot on the floor at the end really well.

The opener was a standard Friday minis match, maybe a little bit above average. Stukita has great mat skills he barely gets to use, and the power pumphandle suplex at the end of the match was super impressive. Mercurio wasn’t doing as much as his bits as usual, maybe because they had less time than usual. Less time was good here.