CMLL on CadenaTres: 2014-05-10

recap

taped 2014-05-06 @ Arena México

Robin can’t get over; no idea why the gifs turned out small this time

Molotov & Robin vs Akuma & Espiritu Negro: The primera roster is staffed with three categories: There’s a group of new guys, group of filler guys CMLL’s apparently given up with but also won’t/can’t fire and the three brothers who are actually good but either too small or not small enough depending on how you think about (Bengala, Super Comando and Artillero – thought the militia has slightly been bumped up of late.) Robin and Molotov are obviously in the filler pile. Espiritu Negro is in the new pile. I’m not sure which one Akuma goes in at this point. He might still be new enough to be new, but that clock is expiring and he needs something to happen quick. He was fine here – everyone was fine here except for Molotov’s galling attempt at a headscissors on Espiritu Negro near the finish – but he also didn’t really stand out much. There’s something missing and he’s got to find it quick.

 

Arkangel can’t be bothered to even elbow drop here

Metálico, Oro Jr., Sensei vs Arkángel de la Muerte, Hooligan, Inquisidor: Metálico should’ve just pulled Arkangel away in the first fall and let Oro Jr. do the moonsault to nowhere. Metálico was actually turning on Oro Jr. before the match started, refusing to be on the same apron as him, and Oro was refusing to let Metálico tag out – there was no real good guys in this break in this match. They were able to work around it enough to turn this into a normal match,though a highly rudo dominated one in not particularly interesting fashion.

 

 

 

 

Dragoncito reunited with the front row (the long way!)

Astral, Eléctrico, Último Dragoncito vs Demus 3:16, Mercurio, Pequeño Olímpico: This match is a good exmaple that perhaps the CMLL minis divison would be actually entertaining if they took off the restrictions a bit more. This was a tercera, so the secret dive ban didn’t apply and the guys took advantage with five different dives. That’s a slightly increase from zero. It also happened to be one of the better possible trios. Maybe Stukita or Pierrothito breaks into this group, but it a credit to how good Mercurio has gotten. This was a good match up that they took advantage to have one of the best CMLL minis matches of the years. First fall was good and second fall was kept interested by Demus (who has one of the better rudos beatdown set of moves of anyone in the group.) Third fall got a bit rough when Eléctrico and Demus messed up the complicated headscissors and they had to maneuver around to get everyone back in the spot they needed for the triple dive, but the dives themselves were very pretty. This got money thrown in, and maybe it wasn’t quite that great, but it was good and the finish was great.

Tirantes doesn’t really how many flips they need to do

 

triple dive

 

caveman tossed

Star Jr. vs Cavernario in a En Busca de un Idolo match: Very good match; big spots coming at the right time. Both guys got in spectacular spots, but were more than willing to take punishment from the other guy. Cavernario took a huge fall on Star Jr.’s apron headscissors, and Star Jr. was pretty well flattened by the finish. Both played their characters and played to the crowd better than most of the guys in this competition. Well ahead of where you’d expect for their age.

 

 

over the barricade gif rule

Súper Halcón Jr. vs Hechicero in a En Busca de un Idolo match: The least impressive Hechicero match of the tournament. He consciously worked more as a rudo based on the judge’s demands, which meant over the top evil (turnbuckle chain pad removed!) and less wacky moves. He could’ve done more with a more game Super Halcon Jr., but Halcon either can’t do better or has just decided to ride this out to his 8th place finish. The most help he could’ve been is being destroyed, and at least he did lose in the end.

 

 

 

Stuka Santo

Sagrado, Stuka Jr., Super Porky vs Herodes Jr., Terrible, Vangellys: a match built around Super Porky; a very limited match. Neither of the other técnicos really got to do much, most of it was watching Super Porky take many steps and get slapped or slapped people. The bit where the rudos all walk out of the ring in a line so Porky can belly bump them down together is my current least favorite bit. Herodes looked less out of place here but not a lot was asked of him.

 

ramp monster gets Isabel

Atlantis, Delta, Guerrero Maya Jr. vs Euforia, Rey Bucanero, Último Guerrero: Two and a half falls of a beatdown and then a quick comeback to set up the técnico win. The rudos did all sorts of double and triple teams, but there wasn’t much hope of the técnicos turning the match around until they suddenly did, and the (short) match kind of dragged for lack of variety. I lost my notes on the last two and had to rewatch them again much later than the rest of the show, and they’re definitely not matches you need to rewatch.