CMLL Martes de Nuevo Valores: 2017-12-26 

Virus is small, but that just means he doesn’t need a big opening

Recapped: 12/26/2017

Matches:

El Coyote & Yago beat Bengala & Retro
(12:35 [4:43, 3:07, 4:45], 1/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

Flyer, Magia Blanca, Sensei beat Akuma, Artillero, Espíritu Negro
(15:23 [7:39, 4:23, 3:21], 2/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

Drone, Fiero, Fuego beat Disturbio, Nitro, Sangre Azteca
(13:35 [5:05, 5:25, 3:05], 1/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

Virus beat Universo 2000 Jr. in a lightning match
(6:41, step over toe hold chickenlock, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL

Hechicero, Máscara Año 2000, Pólvora beat Guerrero Maya Jr., Rey Cometa, Tritón
(14:40 [6:01, 2:58, 5:41], 1/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

Ángel de Oro, Carístico, Titán beat Gran Guerrero, Mephisto, Shocker
(9:09 [2:45, 2:07, 4:17], 2/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)

What happened:

flying cat

Nothing as far as storylines. This didn’t build up anything for another show.

Shocker is now wrestling without his face protection head gear.

Mije is with Mascara Año 2000. This Is Triton’s first match here in about 9 months, spending that time in the US. He seems to have lost some weight and is no longer wrestling a shirt, at least for his debut.

Espíritu Negro suffers some a facial injury when Sangre Imperial messes up a boosted up dropkick and forearms Espiritu in the face. Edgar is slow to realize what’s going on, more concerned with Negro’s feet getting out off the ropes for the pin. The doctor is slower, and Flyer actually springboard over Espiritu to land his legdrop on Akuma. They strangely can’t wait until Espíritu is off the pain to start the third fall.

Thoughts:

Coyote senton

The main event wrapped up well enough even if it was a bit of a drag earlier. The third fall really got over well with the tourists, with spots that shouldn’t surprise hardcore fans getting loud reactions. Shocker seems slightly better the last couple of weeks, even as he sucks large amounts of air on the apron in between runs. He still needs to lose weight, for his own sake and for his mobility, but he might not be the worst wrestler in the promotion.

The rudos didn’t seem all that into in the semimain. Maya’s comeback starts in the seconds fall with Pólvora & Mascara watching peacefully as he runs by for a tope. The técnicos got in a little in the third fall, but this was an underwhelming match. Triton seemed to be in good shape in his return, even if his return was treated as a minor deal.

The lightning match actually told a logical story: Universo 2000 Jr. is much bigger than Virus and used his size to batter Virus for most of the match. Virus could occasionally avoid a shot, but was one chop away from being knocked back down. Universo 2000 just didn’t have enough to put away Virus, and Virus just needed an opening to submit him. It covered nicely for Universo 2000 Jr. not really being able to do a lot right now: for a match built around Universo offense, he didn’t impress much. This is probably about as good a match as you’re going to see out of him for the time being.

Shocker DOWN

The tercera was closer to good than usual for matches with Sangre Azteca & Nitro. I didn’t hate myself for watching it. It’s not just the entertaining técnicos, the rudos brought more energy than usual for whatever random usual. Fiero didn’t get to go crazy like he does with Templario around but did get in one nice dive at the end. Drone’s corkscrew headscissors submission is an interesting idea but it looked too much like he was getting pinned by Disturbio at the end.

Sangre Imperial is bad and dangerous. I thought maybe Flyer didn’t boost him high enough, but it’s not like Imperial tried to get the dropkick at any point. He screwed up and someone else paid the price. He then set Akuma in the wrong corner to do his moonsault, which made it take much longer and he still missed it after all. Akuma and Flyer continue to look like guys who would do fine at a higher level – they handled having to come up with an extra finish well. Good luck on them getting out of there.

Sangre Azteca is so into his dropkicks

There must be some standard of deciding when a trainee is ready to make the leap onto shows, but it’s not one that’s really evident by their performance in the matches we see: Yago, Coyote and Retro all look at far different points in progression. Bengala might as well be considered an official trainee, because either he’s teaming with a Sonic or he’s facing a Coyote pretty much every match. Retro shows nothing and looks awkward, but he’s tall and his body is changing so Rob’s point about him eventually getting a big push makes sense. Yago knows he’s got to get over the moment he steps out there, and acts like a guy who’s been around for a lot longer that most of these trainees. Maybe I’m just suspicious of everyone’s age after Signo, but Yago just doesn’t come off like the other guys.