GENERAL LUCHA LIBRE THOUGHTS

[odessasteps]

 

[DEAN]

Adorable!

[Kevin Wilson]

Judging by this sub-forum's activity, no one watches lucha anymore, but I saw the final four for the mask vs. mask TripleMania tournament and I guess I am behind in the gossip as none of them jump out as someone that would want to lose their mask (unless the price was very right, of course). Are any of the super lucha vets looking for one final payday before riding off into the sunset?

Also, isn't AAA taking a uh notable risk doing it this way? Luchadors are known for being difficult when it comes to mask matches, isn't there a 50/50 chance that whomever has agreed to lose as of now could change their mind before November, eliminating the need for the tournament in the first place?

[odessasteps]

I think Lucha chicanery is always possible.

[odessasteps]

@Dolfan in NYC

[onelegbrynn]

The card for TripleMania: Tijuana tonight looks decent. That five-person match should be pretty insane!
* Dralistico & Dragon Lee vs. Matt Hardy & TBA
* AAA Cruiserweight Title: Laredo Kid vs. Bandido vs. Rey Fenix vs. Black Taurus vs. El Hijo del Vikingo
* Elimination Cage Match: Sexy Star vs. Lady Shani vs. Chik Tormenta vs. Maravilla vs. La Hiedra vs. Flammer vs. Reyna Dorada vs. TBA
* Mask vs. Mask Match with the final two of the elimination cage match
* Ruleta de la Muerta Semi-Finals: Psycho Clown vs. Villano IV
* Ruleta de la Muerta Semi-Finals: Pentagon Jr vs. Blue Demon Jr.

[John E. Dynamite]

I need something new to watch and I'd rather binge the first half of the G1 once I know what the good matches are. I know CMLL is relatively heatless these days but I've always preferred it to AAA and I watched 2005 NJPW over NOAH so I guess I just like what I like. I'm gonna watch all the episodes of Super Viernes from April when they ran the big CMLL Universal tournament - I watch enough lucha to know who the majority of the guys are and who I like, but this seems like a sensible way to catch up with the roster. There's also a tasty-looking Niebla Roja vs. Titan title match somewhere in there and I gotta assume they tried hard for the Arena Mexico 66th Anniversary show.

Is this a good idea or am I woefully misguided? 

[Evil Otto]

Well, I've been meaning to recommend Soberano Jr vs. Niebla Roja and then Soberano Jr vs. Mistico in the Copa Junior semi-final on 5/20, so if you start in April you will eventually get to that.  By the second act, Soberano Jr leans heavily into heeling it up and it's fabulous.  Atlantis Jr vs. Mistico in the final the following week is an outrageously fun match as well.  Atlantis Jr also has discovered strong asshole heel powers, and it's very promising.  For a two-week stretch, the heat was definitely there, and the crowds were really into it.  

I haven't been so excited since then, honestly.  June and July may have some decent stuff, but nothing has stood out enough for me yet to merit a serious watch.  

[odessasteps]

Also, Ultimo Dragoncito lost his mask. 

Some saying best CMLL show of the year.

[colonial]

CMLL's Anniversary show on 9/16 will have a pair of apuesta matches ...

The straightforward one is Jarochita vs. Reyna Isis, mask vs. mask

The second one will be a one-night incredible partners tournament consisting of four teams. The winning tag team will have an apuesta match to end the show. The teams are ...

Atlantis Sr./Fuerza Guerrera

Atlantis Jr/Stuka Jr.

Soberano Jr./Templario

Averno/Ultimo Guerrero

 

So it's six masks, one hair and one mullet on the line in this tournament.

 

[John E. Dynamite]

On 7/25/2022 at 10:35 AM, Evil Otto said:

Well, I've been meaning to recommend Soberano Jr vs. Niebla Roja and then Soberano Jr vs. Mistico in the Copa Junior semi-final on 5/20, so if you start in April you will eventually get to that.  By the second act, Soberano Jr leans heavily into heeling it up and it's fabulous.  Atlantis Jr vs. Mistico in the final the following week is an outrageously fun match as well.  Atlantis Jr also has discovered strong asshole heel powers, and it's very promising.  For a two-week stretch, the heat was definitely there, and the crowds were really into it.  

I haven't been so excited since then, honestly.  June and July may have some decent stuff, but nothing has stood out enough for me yet to merit a serious watch.  

Yup. Atlantis Jr. vs. Mistico was really really cool and is currently in my Top 10 for the year. I'm aware of some of the pushback against Atlantis Jr. over the last few years but THIS is the thing he should be doing, right? The inheritor of one of the world's great babyface legacies but he can't help being a natural rudo... oh God, in this match he's what AEW Cody shoulda been?? The idea of Mistico as resented, overpushed, old-hat babyface who can still fucking go like crazy is such a good foil for all that. I'll probably trudge through the Copa Dinastias stuff but I feel semi-hyped for the Anniversary show. I can vibe with it.

[odessasteps]

Robbie Eagles tested positive Saturday so might be out of the Grand Prix.

[Evil Otto]

Man, sucks for Robbie.  I just heard he'd been in CMLL, and it sounds like he was being strongly featured (which he should be).  His style really fits in perfectly.  Damn, must be terribly frustrating.  

I just posted the link for Soberano Jr. vs. Templario in the main matches thread.  Strongly recommended, and actually gives me hope for the future of CMLL.  

(Well, a little hope.  Let's not get carried away.)

[John E. Dynamite]

The universe punishes me for trying to follow CMLL. Templario injured his shoulder taking a sloppy Guerrero Special and will be off the 86 Aniversario. He will be replaced by Dragon Rojo, which doesn't excite me at all even if it kayfabe makes good sense. Is the damn Gran Prix on YouTube yet?

Edited September 2, 2022 by John E. Dynamite

[odessasteps]

They just posted the August 12 th show this week. 

[Evil Otto]

As fate would have it, New Japan World has uploaded the CMLL Gran Prix card, seemingly in full, so I've watched the top two matches and skimmed the rest.  I'm assuming New Japan's presence in the Gran Prix, with guys like Tiger Mask, Rocky Romero, and Robbie Eagles focused on strongly, was what pushed this to be uploaded so soon (and ahead of CMLL's own Youtube schedule).  There are lot of possible hints to future bookings for certain wrestlers in the Gran Prix in regards to not only CMLL, but New Japan and even New Japan Strong.  Since this is the Lucha Libre section of the board, I won't go into detail on all that right now, but I found it very interesting.  

The Gran Prix match itself was quite the fun spectacle, and one of the best versions of the Gran Prix match I've seen in a very long time, mostly due to a significantly high level of talent this time around.  Lots of impressive sequences, as you may expect.  Some chaotic brawling sections which actually didn't drag.  Oraculo and Lince Dorado get a lot of time to shine, and Soberano Jr once again comes across as a star.  I thought it was a really enjoyable one-hour ride, and not at all hard to watch as the guys made a concerted effort to minimize downtime.  The crowd seemed to really be having a blast, too.  

However, I really hope that, due to length of the main event, CMLL's Youtube channel doesn't cut the match prior to the Gran Prix, Hechicero vs. Euforia, because that match was terrific and well worth your time.  Euforia is not the swiftest guy in the ring anymore nor does he do too many crazy spots, which turned out to be to the match's benefit since Euforia was clearly working extra hard and they kept it fairly basic and tense for the first half.  Eventually, Hechicero starts taking control in the second half, and he pulls out all sorts of nuttiness, and the crowd is super hot until the end.  One of the best singles match for CMLL this year, for sure.  Hechicero is one of the reasons I still try to watch CMLL, and once again, he doesn't let me down.  If you call yourself "Hechicero" (wizard, sorcerer) then you better be a fucking wizard in the ring, and luckily for us, Hechicero is.  Strongly recommended.  

 

 

Edited September 4, 2022 by Evil Otto

[odessasteps]

Grand Prix and Hechicero match now up.

[odessasteps]

 

[Curt McGirt]

Is that getting taped? 

[Raziel]

AAA: We set up an absolutely insane Vikingo/Fenix MegaTitle match back in Tijuana to go with the rest of our stacked Mexico City finale!

 

Also AAA: We have no opponent for Vikingo for the Mexico City show and can't find anyone! 

[odessasteps]

 

[odessasteps]

Tonight’s card with the maestros matches 

@DEAN

[colonial]

Yes, that's AAA stalwart Faby Apache on the screen. She left AAA a few weeks back and will be part of Team Mexico for CMLL's Women's Grand Prix on Oct. 28.

Team Mexico: Faby, Silueta, Dalys, Jarochita, Lluvia, Reyna Isis, Marcela, Princesa Sugehit

Team World: Ivelisse, Lady Frost, Mei Suruga, Avispa Dorada (American who's appeared in CMLL before), Stephanie Vaquer, Alex Gracia, Tae Honma, Hikari Shimizu

[porksweats]

19 minutes ago, colonial said:

Yes, that's AAA stalwart Faby Apache on the screen. She left AAA a few weeks back and will be part of Team Mexico for CMLL's Women's Grand Prix on Oct. 28.

Team Mexico: Faby, Silueta, Dalys, Jarochita, Lluvia, Reyna Isis, Marcela, Princesa Sugehit

Team World: Ivelisse, Lady Frost, Mei Suruga, Avispa Dorada (American who's appeared in CMLL before), Stephanie Vaquer, Alex Gracia, Tae Honma, Hikari Shimizu

That world team is aces except for Ivelisse

[Matt D]

I've not been tuned in for a few years but caught Jarochita vs Reina Isis this morning and that felt like the most 2015 NXT Women's match that I've ever seen in CMLL. By a wide margin. They left it all out there.