El Malayo & King Jaguar beatMillenium & Rey Samuray
(15:03 [7:45, 3:42, 3:36], 2/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Misterioso Jr. & Sagrado beatDrone & Guerrero Maya Jr.
(14:24 [5:49, 3:07, 5:28], 1/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Ángel de Oro, Dragón Lee, Mistico beat Cavernario, Mephisto, Negro Casas
(10:31 [2:04, 2:22, 6:05], 2/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Millenium
Volador Jr. won a 12 man cibernetico over Diamante Azul, Euforia, Rush, Último Guerrero, Valiente, Johnny Idol, Juice Robinson, Marco Corleone, Matt Taven, Michael Elgin, Sam Adonis (27:03, Volador reverse huracanrana Elgin, good, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Último Guerrero pulpo Guerrero Johnny Idol (9:16)
Sam Adonis Michinoku Driver Valiente (12:07)
Marco Corleone plancha Euforia (12:51)
Rush corner dropkick Sam Adonis (14:43)
Diamante Azul escuedo Marco Corleone (15:50)
Michael Elgin sit down powerbomb Rush (18:30)
Volador backcracker Juice Robinson (19:29)
Último Guerrero pin Matt Taven (20:27)
Matt Taven pin Último Guerrero (20:27)
Michael Elgin spinning back fist Diamante Azul (22:29)
Volador reverse rana Michael Elgin (27:30)
MIstico superkick
The main event was more of a traditional cibernetico than the Gran Prix. It had the teased big brawls as the Friday match (plus Rush checking out on the brawl to pose in the ring instead), but it had the more normal speed elimination period. It was fun enough, but it’s inescapable to compare this (and the GDL one) to the Gran Prix and the Gran Prix was much better and more memorable. This is a good preview of the Gran Prix if you saw it before it happened, and of no great value after it happened. Of everyone, Elgin seemed most into doing stuff, though Diamante Azul had no idea how to take his backfist.
The undercard wasn’t much. I gave attempts to watch a lot of them, because it seemed like names were interesting. On closer inspection, the tecnicos are the interesting ones and there’s not enough rudos to make it work. Asturiano’s occasional appearance is better than this. Millenium and really Rey Samuray can move, but need rudos who are motivated and capable than the two here. Even the all CMLL 2v2 match wasn’t as good as usual and there’s nothing to write about the 3v3 match.
Marco kept the heavyweight title in the main event.
Juice Robinson offered a tag to Volador and pulled it back early, which seemed to convince Volador not to bother helping at all. He stood on the outside while his partners got beat and eventually turned on them after Rush fouled Taven.
Thoughts:
double slingshot armdrag (which they cut away from too soon, so this GIF is not great)
The main event hit the highlights effectively, showed better chemistry than expected for two guys who aren’t opponents all that much. Not everything looked perfect but enough of it did to surpass my small expectations. The brief length really stood out, and there’s no mistaking this for an epic title match, but I’m left thinking I’m happy with them getting out fast than pushing into areas they wouldn’t do as well. Diamante Azul worked slightly more rudo, but it wasn’t strong either way even with the Mexico/Foreigner story all over these shows.
The semimain was smoother the foreigners/Mexicans match on Friday. Progress is a good sign, but they also seemed to be less here, with the match really just a setup for Volador deciding not to get along with this partners. You can skip it.
The third match was usual good people having just a routine average match. The Revolucinarios didn’t seem into it, and there was no one singular performance by the tecnicos to make it worthwhile.
I breezed thru the opener but it still stuck out as better than usual. They seemed to have more freedom to do stuff in the open; not dives, but the double slingshot armdrag spot might as well be a dive. Astro& Asturiano are signs of good matches, and I think Perverso is getting better. They had less time but worked a faster pace, and so the match felt like it ended at the right time.
Kráneo, Morphosis, Olímpico beat Blue Panther Jr., Soberano Jr., The Panther
(11:05 [0:17, 2:37, 8:11], 1/3, good, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Ángel de Oro, Johnny Idol, Niebla Roja beat Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Sam Adonis
(11:14 [2:39, 2:29, 6:06], 2/3 DQ, n/r, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Diamante Azul, Negro Casas, Último Guerrero beatCarístico, Marco Corleone, Misticoin a relevos increíbles match
(5:47 [2:41, 3:06], 1/2, n/r, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
What happened:
this is more along the lines of what Negro Navarro taught her
Diamante Azul fought as a rudo, but cleanly beat Marco in two straight falls to set up a title match next week.
Gran Guerrero fouled Niebla Roja quickly in their final exchange as part of their usual feuding.
Morphosis’ again wrestlers in his mask, the one he lost. The rudos jump the técnicos, so there’s not much time before the match for him to remove it. It finally settles down before the third fall, and the commissioner stops the match to insist he unmask then. Morphosis does his best to ignore the commissioner and isn’t going to unmask until Tirantes stops him from fighting on. (Notably, Morphosis’ mask is laced all the way up – he was never planning on just wearing it for his entrance and taking it off, he wasn’t planning on removing it so it take some time for him to get it off.) The announcers suddenly remember Morphosis is supposed to be unmasked when the commissioner gets involved.
the end
This appears to be his last match in CMLL, as he was officially announced as appearing on TripleMania a few days later and had been said to be appearing there for a while. Despite that, in probably their last match as a trio (since only Olímpico & Kraneo are left) in the arena they debuted in, Los Invasors win the match without getting beat. They’re disqualified for a planned excessive DQ in the second fall, and Blue Panther & Morphosis have a double pin in the third fall. Kraneo beats Soberano in the first, and Olímpico finishes with a win on The Panther in the third.
Disturbio and Paris are seconds, though they both take a moment to turn up. Zeuxis grabs a bottle from a fan at one point in the third fall to swing at Sugehit. It does not connect, and Sugehit gets it herself – but doesn’t swing because she doesn’t want to be disqualified in a the title match. Zeuxis uses something resembling Puma’s submission hold to win the first match; it isn’t exactly it, but it’s along those lines.
Thoughts:
teamwork!
The fourth match is an energetic and long match between two usual teams. The técnicos, especially Soberano and T. Panther, work fast and kept the match from dragging down to a slower pace like might be expected with the Invasors. Kraneo took his usual big of big bumps and destroyed Soberano well. The third fall kept going, but in an interesting way, and this had more life than most matches o this show. This just crossed the line of good for me.
Sugehit/Zeuxis was a good title match and worth watching, but I kind of wonder if this feud peaked a while back and they’re kind of going too long. This was worked a different way, and they’re trying different things to make it seem fresh, but they’ve been at this feud for so long that it’s really tough to make this feel special. I think it’ll still be good match on 09/16, because the stakes and because most people will not have watched all the months of lead up, but nothing’s really happened here since the title change and it’s hard to get past that. Maybe it’s just because the “should this be in the main event?” discussion was in my mind watching this; this match didn’t feel like an Anniversary main event or even necessarily a breakthru women’s match, but a well worked midcard feud. All that said, the bottle bit killed me, the finish was pretty good, and this was an upper level match for a b-show title defense.
Centella Roja & Hijo de Centella Roja beat Guerrero Espacial & Sombra Diabólika (17:38 [7:27, 6:06, 4:05], 1/3, n/r, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Black Tiger, Lestat, Robinbeat El Malayo, El Perverso, Fuerza Chicana (14:05 [5:40, 4:43, 3:42], 1/3, n/r, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
La Comandante & Zeuxis beat La Vaquerita & Princesa Sugehit (11:28 [7:22, 4:06], 1/2, n/r, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Blue Panther Jr., Soberano Jr., The Pantherwent to a draw against Kráneo, Morphosis, Olímpico (14:56 [4:05, 3:15, 7:36], rudos 1/tecnicos 2/DCOR 3, n/r, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Diamante Azul, Negro Casas, Último Guerrero beat Carístico, Marco Corleone, Misticoin a relevos increíbles match (11:40 [5:38, 1:29, 4:33], 1/3, n/r, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
What happened:
Stuka snake style moonsault
Diamante Azul worked rudo, snuck in a foul on Marco Corleone, and grabbed the bottom rope. They’re setting up a title match, but not quite yet.
Tirantes got taken out about five minutes into third fall of the title match. Mephsito immediately lands the Devil’s Wings for the certain three count, but Tirantes doesn’t recover quickly enough to count. Mephisto yells at Tirantes, then turns around into a fireman’s drop from Stuka. Stuka lands the torpedo splash but Mephisto kicks out at two. Stuka’s next move is to set up Mephisto on top, but Mephisto stops Stuka as he climbs up and drops him with a super Devil’s Wings for the win.
The rudas won in straight falls without a problem, setting up a Sugehit/Zeuxis title match for next week.
Psicosis/Ripper said Morphosis would be coming with him to TripleMania, but he’s still appearing in CMLL as usual for now. Everyone was too busy brawling outside after a second set of tecnico dives, causing the third fall countout. It’s the second draw in four weeks on this show.
Thoughts:
The title match was a basic title match done well. The fake out ref bump things was clever, but the match itself was them going thru a lot of their normal trios spots and adding nothing much extra or different for a singles match. They’re effective in what they do, but not especially creative outside of playing off that cliched ending. That’s really Mephisto & Stuka’s style, and in was unsurprising how predicable the match turned out to be.
Rush is supposed to grab Tirantes arm, can’t, so Tirantes just stops counting and everyone is confused
Recapped: 08/01/2017
All matches aired live from Arena Puebla
Matches:
Arkalis, Espíritu Maligno, Rey Samuray beat Ares, Guerrero Espacial, Rey Apocalipsis
(14:27 [5:13, 4:56, 4:18], 1/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Rey Samuray came out spectacular in the first fall and the first two falls were generally interesting, but this match faded to a conclusion. They really should’ve mad the classic version of the Spanish Fly the last spot of the match but bringing back the hair feud we’ve all moved on from was deemed more important.
The minis title match was really good, as the two long time CMLL luchadors are really smooth working with each other. This is the advantage to having the same dozen people wrestling each other forever, they can get really good at doing it. Nothing went wrong in the match, and Shockercito threw him into big spots like his tope. It was missing a little excitement from me to go higher, but the crowd seemed to enjoy it a lot.
Shockercito tope
Rey Cometa, Soberano Jr., Stigma beat El Malayo, Puma, Tiger
(15:03 [4:04, 3:47, 7:12], 2/3, ok via VideosOficialesCMLL)
This was exciting and competitive. It followed the usual CMLL trios big match formula, but they were doing it at incredible speed. It really was moving fast at the end of the first fall and again in the third fall. This looked on paper like something to set up Malayo and Stigma, but they were bit players to the other four. Rey Cometa is the one of the most dramatic sellers of moves in CMLL; he was even selling his own rope flip Spanish Fly by the end.
Tiger tornillo
Dragón Lee, Mistico, Stuka Jr. beat Ephesto, Mephisto, Negro Casas
(11:08 [5:56, 5:12], 1/2, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Notes: Stuka and Mephisto went at it from the start. Stuka surprised Mephisto with a huracanrana in the first, in a fall the rudos were otherwise winning. Stuka took the second fall cleanly, setting up a title match for next week.
This not much of a match because of it being two falls and deciding to save more of Stuka & Mephisto for next week. They were alright, like they’re always alright, and I expect they’ll have (or had by the time you read this) a solid good title match. Negro Casas & Dragon Lee were the real stars here, chopping each other so hard that you can see the sweat flying off of them, and finishing a short exchange with an armdrag and a pose that sent Casas rolling up the ramp. I don’t know if Casas can go a dozen minutes whenever he wants not, but he can look world class in short sprints. That’s perfect for CMLL trios matches. Dragon Lee doesn’t take shows off. Mistico had some iffy spots, including messing up the boost dropkick near the end, but there was some good stuff here.
Seriously, they’re headlining a show next year. Write it down.
Notes: Carsitico tried wait for Rush to come out the entrance, so Rush came out thru the crowd, and was laying in the ring when Carístico finally turned around. About 4 minutes into the third fall, Caristico puts Rush in a casita, and Rush just fails to kick out. He appears to try and grab Tirantes’s hand to stop the count, but he’s nowhere near it and Tirantes isn’t helping. Tirantes does tell them to ignore it, unlike any other match. Carístico does a weird look frogsplash, and they repeat the spot with Rush grabbing Tirantes this time. Rush fouled Caristico to end the mask, unmasked him, and him with the stretcher as the fans were walking out.
The main event was not as bad as I thought it might be, but the finish was fairly terrible and Rush barely got out of first gear. Rush works so much slower than everyone else, but it’s OK if he’s bringing something else. He’s bringing not great looking work (the La Mistica looked bad) and threatening to murder Tirantes repeatedly doesn’t make the match more compelling on it’s own.) Rush desperately trying to do moves to win the third fall right away doesn’t fit with him throwing away the match at the end, unless Rush’s character is supposed to be a guy who tries until it gets too hard and then looks for a way out. (Maybe that IS his character.) Carístico didn’t show much on his own, and he’s not really a guy who pull more effort out of people at this point in his career.
Volador wears a Ingobernables jersey and works rudo in the main event, but it dropped after this match. Rush puled Caistico’s mask to win, and a post match argument set up a match between them.
In classic Tirantes form, Shockercito kicks out at 2.9 on a sunset flip and Tirantes counts three and then mocks Shockercito for not kicking out. This sets up a title match for next week.
Matches:
I had three separate GIFs of Tirantes doing something dumb on this show but I’ll just use this bump
Guerrero Espacial & Perverso beat Arkalis & París
(12:48 [5:31, 3:56, 3:21], 2/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Opener had better action and more of it than usual. Tecnicos looked really good in the first fall and rudos did more than the usual time killing. Arkalis did a nice bit of grabbing Guerrero’s arm and rolling him over in the first fall that came off as really slick. Not the greatest flow and this is an anti destroyer pick, but most watchable locals only match in a while.
Shockercito beat Pierrothitoin a lightning match
(7:38, sunset flip, good, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
match was a really good match in their usual style up until the screwed up finish. They both are good singles wrestlers who don’t get to do it much here and have a lot of stuff they can only break out in matches like this. From the opening comedy to Shockcercito’s big dive, this really works. Maybe this might be skippable because of that messed up finish and the fact they’re probably be better next week.
La Vaquerita, Princesa Sugehit, Sanely beat La Seductora, Tiffany, Zeuxis
(12:29 [6:32, 2:56, 3:01], 1/3, ok, via Video: VideosOficialesCMLL)
An alright women’s match that’s probably generous to be called OK but I don’t care. Vaquerita looked cooler in her white shirt than her normal outfit, which might say she needs a new outfit. That’s all the deep insight I have on this one.
Shockercito ha a good tope
Ángel de Oro, Stigma, Stuka Jr. beat Ephesto, Luciferno, Mephisto
(14:19 [4:21, 2:27, 7:31], 2/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Effective well worked match with lots of topes. Rudos were finishing out their run strong, looking good as a team and rolling along the match well. The técnicos didn’t stand out but did well. This was the second match of the night where no one understood what was going on because Tirantes messed up a count.
This was not too far off from the previous match, but shorter and a less to it. Enjoyable but a good version of the usual match and just not enough of it to recommend. Not a bad effort by any means. Negro Casas versus everyone is good, but we haven’t got to see him much Titan of late and they did well n in the third fall too.
Carístico, Diamante Azul, Euforia vs Pierroth, Rush, Volador Jr.in a relevos increíbles match
(5:59 [2:51, 3:08], 1/2, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
What we learned here is heel Volador wears his hair in a dumb pony tail. This is important info. Volador can also do headscissors while wearing a baseball jersey. I can wear a baseball jersey but can not do a headscissors. They got to next week’s match fine but this wasn’t exactly promising big things in it. The post match promos were good at least.
Casas/Lee is headlining Homenaje a Dos Leyendas 2018
