great match roundup, week of 2014-01-18

Great/Excellent Matches

Nothing this week.

Shows Watched But Nothing Made The List
AAA on Televisa: 2014-01-18
CMLL Guerreros del Ring on 52MX: 2014-01-18
CMLL on CadenaTres: 2014-01-18
CMLL on Fox Sports (Mexico): 2014-01-18

Matches To Watch Later

CMLL Puebla: 2014-01-19
taped 2014-01-06 @ Arena Puebla
Volador Jr. vs Averno for the NWA World Welterweight Championship:

IWRG Zona XXI: 2014-01-19
taped 2014-01-12 @ Arena Naucalpan
Centvrión, Dragón Celestial, Golden Magic vs Anubis Black, Canis Lupus, Imposible:

Caveman vs Soverign in the Gran Alternativa final

Tonight’s the final of the Gran Alternativa. The impact of this tournament is sometimes overstated. It’s only the rare Mistico occasions where the winner gets vaulted to the top; most only get to move up one rung on the CMLL ladder. That also meant a lot more in days where there were fewer chances break thru to a higher level, but CMLL seems to be (forced into) finding more ways to elevate younger luchadors into bigger positions. Both guys in the final figure to at least reach the Stuka/Okumura level at some point, the winner gets there a bit faster.

The two teams this year are Soberano Jr., tecnico son of Euforia who will team with Volador Jr, and Cavernario, crazied haired rudo caveman who naturally teams with Mr. Niebla. Both guys are 20, which is very young even for CMLL’s current roster. Soberano is a daring high flyer who will undoubtedly do something spectacular in this match, but Cavernario is the more complete luchador who already has an identifiable character and an associate with a top level group. There’s an obvious role for him if he wins, and CMLL hasn’t really set up the same thing for Cavernario. (On the other hand, Cavernario having a role means he may advance anyway and doesn’t need the win.)

CMLL Gaceta’s preview of the final.

The Gran Alternativa is not expected to air on Terra, but more important matches for upcoming events may. Rush, Shocker and Negro Casas are all in the fourth match (which should air this week) and some or all of them may be in an apuesta match on Dos Leyendas in five weeks. It’s about time to make it clear that’s the match that’s actually happen if it’s actually happen, instead of just being one of a bunch of matches teased. Marcela and Dallys also meet in a lightning match, which should set up another singles match between them in the near future.

GALLI’s posted Bryce Benjamin vs Discovery as a teaser of this upcoming Sunday’s show. (Which I realized I can’t make.) You know, it’d be neat if AAA brought back Discovery for a one time surprise appearance to team him up with the new space cadets.

Arena Coliseo Monterrey tells the story of Angel Justiciero leading into his mask match this Sunday.

Fuego en el ring interviews Yuca el Potranquita.

Segunda Caida’s Eric R reviews Uprising Lucha Libre from 01/25/14.

CMLL and AAA luchadors on the same show in La Laguna.

ChilangaMexico says they’ll be heading west in May, with shows in Tijuana, Mexicali and Rosarito.

Lucha libre shows will not be allowed in Culiacan’s Gimnasio Juan S. Millan – so there’s still no building for local shows.

Kcidis has his own lucha memes about CMLL’s delayed matches.

More luchador resin figures.

03/03 AAA TV Lineup (Irapuato) – last show before Rey de Reyes

AAA TV (MON) 03/03/2014 Lienzo Charro Ignacio Leon Ornelas, Irapuato, Guanajuato
1) Dinastía vs Mini Charly Manson [AAA MINI]
Dinastia is champion
2) Faby Apache, Jennifer Blake, Zumbi vs Sexy Lady, Sexy Star, Steve Pain
3) Angélico, Australian Suicide, Jack Evans vs Daga, Pentagón Jr., Psicosis
4) ?, Axel, Electroshock vs Chessman, Hijo del Fantasma, Silver King
5) Cibernético, La Parka, Psycho Clown vs Parka Negra, Texano, Zorro

Air Date: 03/15 (Rey de Reyes starts on 03/22.)

This looks like a mostly re-enforcement leading into Rey de Reyes; not much new, but just running the same feuds as last week TV build up to that show. The main event has the probable title match (Psycho & Texano), two of the guys in the Rey de Reyes final (Parka & Zorro) and two guys likely to be in whatever tag match they do with Jarrett this time (Cibernetico & Parka Negra.) This also reenforces that the Gimansio Olimpico Juan de la Barrera show will be one of those classic AAA shows where a million different things will happen at once. For future reference, here’s a textual representation of the AAA TV pattern:

TV taping 1: not much
TV taping 2: not much
TV taping 3: not much
TV taping 4: not much
TV taping 5: not much
TV taping 6: AHHHH! CRAZY GO NUTS! AAAAHHHH! FIREWORKS! EXPLOSIONS! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TV taping 7: not much
Major card

Happens every time. It’d be a much more entertaining week to week show if they could spread out the craziness a bit better.

What usually happens is some really fun matches sneak thru on the not much shows, because the guys who can work are also the guys who very rarely get stuff to do so they’re all just thrown together (and that seems to be happening again at Rey de Reyes judging from the tercera) and magic happen. AAA hasn’t really had as much magic this cycle around. That tercera is the best chance for it this time around.

In other things which I’ll type in caps even though I shouldn’t, WHY IS AXEL STILL HERE? He’s not very good, he hasn’t been much good in AAA, he’s never been much of a star, and he’s a walking lawsuit magnet. Axel seems like a good dude, but it feels like Axel is here as spite, which is not an entertaining reason to book someone. This would be a great opportunity for AAA to give Axel a chance to explain why he’s here (though hopefully not remembering the dropped feud with Daga), instead of just throwing him out there and pretending people are going to care or it’s a good use of anyone’s time.

That semimain also means whoever the mystery guy is on the Rey de Reyes block is probably teaming with Electroshock and Axel versus Consejo & Chessman in his second match. Those are all upper level guys, but they are also very definitely not top guys as AAA’s used them, so that’s the level they’re slotting the new guy.

Cuervo hasn’t been seen since he made the mixed tag title challenge to Faby and Drago, which means it’s still 50/50 that match happening at Rey de Reyes. Sexy Lady here might to set up the multiwoman Rey de Reyes title defense instead.

Timing is on schedule for the semiannual minis title match. Dinastia won the title on 02/18 last year, and this would be his second TV defense. There hasn’t felt like any feud to set this up – maybe that’ll also happen in DF – but I’m totally fine with a random singles title defense. It might have to be internet exclusive match, since the openers have been left off the five match shows this year.

Next show is 03/16

CMLL on Fox Sports (Mexico): 2014-01-11

Titan as Blue Panther (Negro Casas as Negro Casas)

recap

taped 2014-01-03 @ Arena Mexico
Máximo, Shocker, Super Porky vs Rey Bucanero, Terrible, Tiger: Of the many TRT matches lately, this is definitely the one with the most edited fall fall. Not one did anything horrible but this was pointless. This is still a promotion putting the live show first; TV really needed a shorter match they got here. JCR’s claim of TRT being top contenders to both trios titles falls a tiny bit flat when they seem to lose a lot of these.

 

Titan loses via gravity

Titán vs Negro Casas in CMLL’s Leyenda de Plata Tournament final match: EXCELLENT. I’m surely going to put Titan on this list so many times again in 2014, but it’s going to be tough to beat this one. Negro Casas was superb in working with him, giving him enough to think Titan was actually going to pull off the upset (again!) and in putting him over after the match. (It feels unfair to compare this to Ultimo Guerrero’s performance against Valiente, but it’s also very obvious.) Titan more than held his side of the bargain in way few guys his age on this roster would’ve been able to; this wasn’t the crazy spectacle with Niebla Roja, but one with plans and strategies that lasted more than a move, and counters that were actually surprising and organic. That’s stuff Titan does with the right guy, and Negro Casas is the right guy for everyone. I thought this felt short watching it live, but it’s more a case of it just flying by for being fun.

 

Valiente Especial

Máscara Dorada, Valiente, Volador Jr. vs Averno, Mephisto, Último Guerrero: Main event formula – triple dive spot, everyone gets a big move but someone else breaks it up, rudos fail at a triple team and técnicos all get cradles but it doesn’t work. Generally good but generally the same as other matches with different offense plugged in. Volador & Ultimo Guerrero doing the Shocker & Ultimo Guerrero reverse casadora spot is amusing since Volador is the new Shocker (but missing some of that self confidence.) I was surprised UG took the top rope headscissors at the end, but Volador needed that.