Ultimo Guerrero has a big week: the Gran Alternativa final on CMLL Marca and then a title defense on CMLL Martes. Friday’s the much better card beyond the Guerrero title match.
AAA is back for the first time in four weeks with a mystery card. It’ll start about half hour after CMLL, making it easy for you watch all the Hijo del Signo/Espanto excitement.
I always say IWRG’s Rey de Reyes would be a fantastic live streaming event but I don’t think anyone’s actually done that since The Gladiatores was doing IWRG radio almost a decade ago.
Dalys, La Metálica, La Seductora beat La Guerrera, Lady Maravilla, Mistik
(14:39 [5:02, 4:44, 4:53], 2/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
El Audaz, Guerrero Maya Jr., Rey Cometa beat Puma, Sagrado, Virus
(14:57 [6:00, 3:16, 5:41], 2/3, great, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Tiger beat Kawato Sanin a lightning match
(6:43, powerbomb, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Blue Panther, Kráneo, Soberano Jr. beat Okumura, Rey Bucanero, Terrible
(12:30 [4:40, 3:32, 4:18], 1/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Atlantis, Diamante Azul, Stuka Jr. beat Gran Guerrero, Mr. Niebla, Último Guerrero
(9:21 [2:36, 2:03, 4:42], 2/3 DQ, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
What happened:
Mistik’s celebrated a bit too soon
Último Guerrero & Stuka randomly started feuding to set up a title match in a couple weeks. UG unmasked Stuka at the end.
Thoughts:
The main event was the standard building stuff with Stuka & UG, plus Diamante Azul doing strong people stuff. There was nothing special to the feud, except for UG calling the handwaving chants on himself after getting himself disqualified at the end. Atlantis did very little in this, and couldn’t take a bump when his time killing hold was broken up in the third fall. They didn’t pin him either, so he wouldn’t have to take that bump. At this point, I’m kind of left hoping he’s picked up a minor injury that he’s working his way thru, because there needs to a chance of an improvement at some point.
Audaz operates on a different set of physics
The lightning match was solid and no one died on a dive, though Tiger did his dive in a way where he landed on his feet about the same time he made impact. Tiger made sure he wouldn’t have to worry about being caught. Kawato showed more varied offense in this than has in his singles match and didn’t build towards the double stomp, so I can’t hate him. It was alright and that’s about what I expected.
The tercera was a cut above usual CMLL midcard matches. The guys involved are usually good, but they were totally clicking in this match. Audaz was unremarkable on Monday and totally impressive in this match better designed to show his talents; the first big evasion spot was amazing. No one else is doing the things like his middle rope springboard backwards into a sunset flip. Audaz does a cool dive here, which reminded me that he’s not really doing all that many dives yet – his big spots are in the ring, just using the ropes in crazy and fast ways. They’ve downplayed the Virus/Audaz stuff – even here, when Audaz submits Virus, it’s not treated as a big deal – but I hope they go back to it to at least give us one awesome. It wasn’t just him. Puma was nailing people with superkicks, and he and Rey Cometa had their usual great chemistry thru the match. Sagrado worked well as a rudo and a base, and Maya was efficient in what he did. Always glad to have new people involved to learn more individual quirks and peculiarities, but can’t say I was impressed by the new women. Mystique has the flashier moves of the two, including lots of cartwheels, but also seemed like she was struggling the ropes. La Guerrera outright struggled in a couple of moments and didn’t show a personality. The double corner headstand spot was clearly supposed to be their big showcase moment, and instead came off as slow and clunky. Then they seemed lost for a moment on what to do that next. Metálica nailed Maravilla with a forearm in the second fall , one of those ones that remind me why she seemed interesting at first here. She hasn’t been great lately, in a group where not a lot of people are great. Maybe having some young girls to destroy will wake her up; she gave Guerrera a piledriver she’s not doing with the other women.
The Gladiatores posted a press release from the Mexico City Lucha libre commission, which says there will be a marathon of lucha libre matches in the Zocalo as part of a cultural initiative. They say they expect all promotions to be represented. No names are announced, and the date is said to be coming in upcoming days.
KevinKiller Kross sent a promo to AAA to build up Verano de Escandalo. Kross does more work in building up appearances than most people making guest appearances in AAA.
GCW wrestlers & a Puerto Rican wrestler to be announced will be part of DTU’s June Ajuste de Cuentas tour, in Cuautepec, Pachuca, Xalapa and a location to be announced.
SuperLuchas talks to Zeuxis, who hopes to be back on the Anniversary show.
Funcion Estelar has a interview with Pachuca indie luchador Santy el Tigre.
CMLL (TUE) 05/22/2018Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Mágico & Tigre Blanco vs El Chakal & Mr. Apolo
2) Astral, El Rielero, Eléctrico vs Espíritu Negro, Gran Kenut, Hijo del Signo
3) Estrellita, Marcela, Princesa Sugehit vs Amapola, Dalys, Zeuxis
4) Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Soberano Jr. vs Cavernario, Gran Guerrero, Mr. Niebla
5) Diamante Azul, Valiente, Volador Jr. vs La Bestia Del Ring, Rush, Terrible
Main event is a sort of rematch after Los Ingobernables fouled Valiente last week. There’s also a sponsored show here tonight.
Kráneo, Rey Bucanero, Terrible beat Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Rushin a relevos increíbles match (8:44 [1:52, 2:05, 4:47], 1/3 DQ, below average, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Valiente & Volador Jr.beat Carístico & Último Guerrerofor the CMLL World Tag Team Championship (19:11 [5:55, 3:54, 9:22], 2/3, good, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
What happened:
Stigma step up headscissors
Universo 2000 was remembered before the semimain.
Rush and Kraeno feuded in their match. Terrible laid down for Rush in the first fall and did not help out his teammates in the second fall. He did jump in to pick up a pinfall victory to end that fall. He also talked Kraneo down from attacking Rush outside the ring at points.
Thoughts:
The title match had a good closing stretch and got the fans to react like it was a big match. I think it was good, and it was enough for a main event title match, but it’s also nothing I’d think I’d need to watch twice. There was no great story or effort to the match, and some parts didn’t work well. Carístico failing on a tapatia was peculiar, as was he and Volador having problems on a spot early in the second. Volador’s Mistica at the end didn’t look great either. Último Guerrero & Volador really wedged in all the checklist top rope spots in a minute’s time, with no regard to if they fit in the match. They were just set on getting those spots in as quick as possible. Valiente seems half committed to the rudo role. This was still four of the top guys doing their usual things but didn’t transcend that.
almost
The semimain never turns into much of a match. The Guerreros work hard, which is odd because no one else is. Rush & Kraneo pushing their feud would come across better if they were part of natural teams instead of Terrible refusing to fighting his friend.
The fourth match was underwhelming for a 2018 Audaz match, seemingly relegated to the third most important técnico in a brief match by CMLL standards. There’s potential in Felino, fastest luchador in the world, not being able to catch up to Audaz if they do something with it. Sagrado telling Zacarias that he should fight Stigma instead because they’re about the same height was good. Stigma looked a little slow and a little robotic tonight.
Not a lot to the lightning match despite being on the long side for that sort of match. Malayo occasionally had a plan to go after Pegasso’s right knee. It seemed sound, except Pegasso didn’t sell it all that much. Neither man pressed the action much earlier on and it didn’t get that much exciting later. Pegasso’s 450 splash looked not good, was still called perfect.
