CMLL 91st Aniversario Report
By: thecubsfan (Luchablog.com)
September 13, 2024
Arena Mexico in Mexico City, Mexico
Commentary: Julio Cesar Rivera, Juan Carlos Castallenos, Roberto Lopez Olivera, Mickey Lee
RESULTS
- Futuro, Hombre Bala Jr., Max Star defeated Magia Blanca, Magnus, Rugido in 8:37
- Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Soberano Jr. beat Neón, Star Jr.., Templario in 17:11 (recommended)
- Copa Independencia: Titán defeated Máscara Dorada at 14:40 (recommended)
- CMLL World Women’s Championship: Zeuxis defeated Willow Nightingale to win the championship in 11:07.
- Atlantis Jr., Último Guerrero, Volador Jr. defeated Kojima, Orange Cassidy, Rocky Romero in 14:26 (Recommended)
- Hechicero defeated Euforia in a mask match also including Esfinge & Valiente via submission in 36:05 (Highly Recommended)
- Místico defeated Chris Jericho via submission in 22:11
Los Viajeros del Espacio (Futuro, Hombre Bala Jr., Max Star) vs. Los Depredadores (Magia Blanca, Magnus, Rugido)
The show is available on CMLL’s YouTube page only for those who subscribe to the Fan Leyenda (highest) tier. Every Friday, this opening match also aired on CMLL’s Facebook page for free.
Futuro and Magia Blanca were the captains. Bestia Negra was the referee. CMLL micro Mije accompanied the rudos but never got involved in the match. Futuro and Rugido started with a lockup and grappled on the mat. Rugido briefly got control with an armbar and takedown, then the two rolled on the mat more. Rugido lifted Futuro up, and Futuro escaped into a fireman’s carry. Rugido tripped him up, and they both rolled to a faceoff. Magia Balnca and Max Star took their turns. Magia Blanca immediately jumped on Blanca’s shoulders for a head scissors, then avoided a clothesline, jumped on Blanca’s shoulders again, and jumped off with a tijeras. All three Viajeros tripped Magnus as he came in, kicked him out of the ring, and then Bala booted Max into a dropkick on Gurigo. Blanca slipped on his one-foot springboard dive, but recovered and pulled off the move as Futuro did his tornillo to the floor. Max Star finished the dive set with his salute tope con giro. Magia Blanca broke away from the mass on the floor, climbed to the corner, and launched off with his Garza-style tornillo on the five men on the floor. Rugido and Bala made it back in, and Bala got in a tijeras to take out the rudo. The other two Depredaordes were unable to stop Bala, as he boosted off Magnus into a tijeras on Blanca. Bala led Magnus on a chase around the ring, then dived off the apron with a tornillo. Rugido and Futuro took their turns, Futuro showing off his agility with a flipping run, then set up a springboard backward arm drag into the ring. Magia Blanca paused Futuro with a kick but charged into a lift to the top rope. Futuro backed up for speed and pulled of an impressive running middle rope arm drag. Magnus came in, and Futuro got him with a double spin head scissors before posing in the center of the ring. The crowd booed – a rudo crowd tonight. Max Star and Magia Blanca came back in, Star springboarding into a Casadora body scissors. Ruigo and Magnus replaced, Magnus accidentally throwing Max into a head scissors on Rugido before taking one of his own. Rugido stopped the run with a trip from the outside, and Magia Blanca added a dropkick to her face. Rugido yanked Max out of the ring and him into the barricade, as Magia Blanca took care of Hombre Bala in the ring. The three Depredadores tripped teamed Futuro – a trip into the ropes, 619, wheelbarrow suplex sequence. Still, no pinfall attempts, which is typical for an opener. The rudo hip tossed Max Star over the top rope and to the ramp, but he fought back against both of them. Max Star tried to springboard into a double arm drag, but the Depredadores held him in place and Magia added a dropkick from inside the ring. Futuro leaped out to the apron in a dropkick on Rugido and Magnus, but they dropkicked him back in the ring just in time for a Magia Blanca top rope splash. Hombre Bala broke up that first pinfall attempt, but the rudos neutralized him with a shotgun dropkick. The Depradores took a breath to pose. The rudos set up Futuro for another 19, but he ducked Magnus and tricked him out of the ring. Futuro took out Rugido with a tijeras, then turned a flapjack into an armdrag on Magia Blanca. Futuro set, and ran, and Magia tossed him out of the ring into a head scissors on the floor – or that was the idea, Futuro didn’t fly smoothly and Magnus couldn’t do much of his part on the floor. Futuro landed hard, but was up after the match. The other four all came in the ring, with Max Star escaping Magia Blanca into a head scissors again. Bala set Rugido up on the rope, then ran cross-ring to nail Rugido with his bullet tope in the corner. Max Star pulled him off with reverse pin head scissors. Bala hit his corner-diving tope into Rugido a few seconds prior, and both tecnicos covered both rudos for the win.
Winners: Futuro, Hombre Bala Jr., Max Star via pin in 8:37
Neón, Star Jr., Templario vs. Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Soberano Jr.
This is a two-out-of-three fall match. Tigre Infernate is the referee. KeMalito seconded Templario, as usual.
Templario and Soberano, who went to a draw last week, started this week by grabbing each other and (lightly) headbutting. Templario got the first knockdown via shoulder, block, with Soberano single legging him and putting on a leg submission. Soberano got to his feet, Templario followed by arm dragging him. The two old rivals faced off, and then Templario forced Soberano down with an elbow lock. Soberano reversed to an arm drag, and they exchanged arm drags on the way to another standoff. Soberano offered a not entirely serious handshake and Templario slapped it away. They backed to their corners, with Star Jr.. and Angel de Oro replacing them. They locked up and exchanged arm drags equally. Star Jr.. got in a head scissors from the mat en route to quick takedowns and another face-off. Neon and Niebla Roja took their turn, Neon quickly escaped with a springboard and sent Roja out with a head scissors. Neon went to hit the ropes, but Angel de Oro pulled them apart, and Neon tumbled to the floor. Templario and Soberano came in, with Niebla Roja tripping Templario from the outside and Angel de Oro nailing Templario with a running kick to the face. Soberano cleared off the tecnico apron, including knocking KeMalito to the floor. An in-fall overlay ad popped up for CMLL’s paint sponsor Berel – the drone camera itself was sponsored, which is a new way to cram in another ad spot. The rudos held the ring unchallenged for a moment before Templario got back in. The rudo held him for a chop, then whipped him into a triple powerbomb. Neon and Star Jr.. tried to help out, and ended up taking a Styles Clash and a double chicken wing slam onto Templario’s prone body. The rudos covered all the tecnicos to take the first fall in 5:17.
All six men were on the outside as the second fall began. Soberano threw Kemalito at Star Jr., then knocked both down. Angel de Oro dropped Neibla Roja on the apron and heel-kicked him off. The three rudos pulled Star Jr. back in, and chopped him in one corner, then sent him across ring for clotheslines. Soberano and Angel de Oro pulled off a combination monkey flip lift into a splash on Star Jr. Templario came in, the rudos restrained him on the ropes. Templario got kicked, slammed, and springboard sentoned by the rudos. Soberano feigned a cover and pulled Templario up as Neon was coming to break it up anyway. Rudos quickly kicked him down. Soberano tossed Neon in the air for Niebal Roja’s kick, then Angel de Oro held Neon in a campana for a Soberano leg drop with some help from Niebla Roja. Templario hurried in as the rudos celebrated, getting Soberano with a tijeras before the brothers Angel de Oro and Niebla Roja cut Templario down with kicks. The rudos sent him out, and brought Neon in. A Neon corner whip backfired – he simply jumped over the corner and to the apron. Both Neon and Star Jr.. took out Angel de Oro and Soberano with a headscissors and launched onto them with running tope con giros. Templario leaped back in the ring with a plancha, then blocked a Niebal Roja kick, flipped over him, and dropped him with a Liger Bomb. That was enough for three to tie the match, after a 4:04 second fall.
CMLL cut to a shot of Flip Gordon watching the show from the media session as the third fall started. Templario evaded Angel de Oro and Niebla Roja, took out Angel de Oro with a superkick, powerslammed Niebla roja, then powerbombed Angel de Oro on top of his brother. Soberano’s attempt at an attack got him flipped into a powerbomb, then taken out of the ring with a tijeras. Templario did his usual spin-a-roonie to celebrate clearing the ring. Star Jr. relay delay, and met a chop from Niebla Roja. The two exchanged chops until Niebal Roja ducked and Superman punched him. Angel de Oro cut off Star Jr. with kicks before checking on his brother. Announcers note KeMalito was taken from ringside after being beaten up by Soberano Jr. early. Star Jr. used another Superman punch to take out Niebal Roja, took out Angel de Oro with a tijeras, and then flipped a charging Soberano Jr. to the apron. Soberano tried a shoulder block through the ropes and ate some kicks, then hung there as Star Jr. landed a top rope double stomp. Neon came in and, to put it easily, flipped a lot. A kick took out Angel de Oro, a rope fip arm drag Niebla roja, and then off the rope arm drag got rid of Soberano Jr. Neon’s biggest challenge was keeping his balance on a handspring into a pose, and the fans noted the slight slip. The Hermanos Chavez made the Terrible mistake of throwing Neon to his favorite place, the ramp. They tossed Star Jr. there as well. Templario stopped them, throwing Niebla Roja out and placing Angel de Oro in Templario’s typical landing zone. The tecnicos all flew – Star Jr. with a running double springboard plancha, Neon with his running double springboard moonsault, and Templario with his Sasuke Special splash into the ring. Angel de Oro ruined the fun by kicking out. Templario fought two-on-one against Soberano and Angel de Oro for a moment. Tempalrio knocked Soberano to the floor, and landed on him on with a Sasuke Special (after launching a bit too close to the ropes), and Angel de Oro followed with his Triangle moonsault. Niebla Roja got back in, Star Jr. knocked him down and followed with a springboard splash, but Roja kicked out. An “ESTO ES LUCHA” chant broke out here. Star and Neon got quick pins off a reverse fireman’s carry and a Code Red, but the Chavez brothers kicked out of both. The tecnicos whipped Angel and Niebla into the corner, and the rudos turned the table – Angel threw Star Jr. up to Niebla Roja, now seated on the top rope, Angel used a Michinoku Driver on Neon, and Niebla Roja super double chicken wing slammed them Star onto Neon. Templario rushed in to make the save, but Soberano stopped him with a perfectly timed tornillo. All three rudos covered all three tecnicos for the win. The third fall went 7:33
Winners: Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Soberano Jr. by triple pinfall at 17:11
Flip Gordon interview
Flip Gordon, speaking entirely Spanish, noted he debuted in Arena Mexico seven years ago on an Aniversario show. He’s not wrestling here today, but he’s here to enjoy the Aniversario with his family. The most important thing is he was there to see Rocky Romero lose. Rocky Romero, in typically wild out of control fashion for him in CMLL, had accused Flip Gordon of being a spy against Team World during the Gran Prix.
Copa Indepedencia: Máscara Dorada vs. Titán
The two tecnicos and occasional partners started off with a lockup. Dorada got the better of it with a hammerlock, Titan around for a headlock, Dorada turned out to be a wristlock, but Titan blocked it and they battled for leverage for a bit. Titan got the hammerlock back on, Dorada back to a wristlock, Titan spun around on the mat for a reveal, Dorada twisted again, Titan back bent and rolled to reverse the armbar into one of his own. Dorada bounced off the top of the rope to reverse, though not quite as smoothly as he’d like. Titan again switched around to a hammerlock, then a waist lock, Dorada switched, Titan pushed him into the ropes, and pulled off a tijeras into an inside cradle, leading to more counters and a faceoff. They’re very equally matched. Lockup again, Dorada headlock, sent off in the ropes, Titan leapfrogs, Dorada leads and rolls off him, Dorada off the ropes, Titan dropkicks to send him out. Titan raises one first in the air, and runs to dive, Dorada moves, Titan flips to the floor and hits the Ingobernable pose. Dorada superkicked Titan before he could finish, and attempted to whip Titan to the barricade, Titan reversed, Dorada lept and spun wildly but safely over the apron, then kicked Titan away. Dorada tries to off the barricade back in, but Titan scoops him on his arms and then drops him on the floor with a Samoan Driver. Titan hurries, and lands a running double stomp off the apron to the floor. Titan throws Dorada back in, and covers, only two. Titan sets it up Dorada and feigns a dropkick to the head, Dorada covers up, and Titan changes direction and lands a dropkick to the side instead. Titan rips off a belt that was part of his gear and not working well. Titan sits Dorada up again, and soccer kicks him in the back. Titan alternates kicks to the chest and the back, sets himself, gote for the big knockout kick, and Dorada ducks it. Dorada evades and leaps off the ropes then spings off into a headscissors. Dorada poses, runs, and leaps over the top rope with a tornillo plancha. Dorada hasn’t done that specific dive in a couple of years. Dorada tossed Titan back in but is slow to follow up. Dorada pulled Titan to his feet, lifted him up for a suplex, walked towards the ropes, and then fell backward to finish the move. Dorada covers Titan while raising his offhand into the air to count along. He only gets to the count of two. The Arena Mexico crowd had been restless since the start of the match, got louder at this point, and it’s unclear what had made them so unhappy. The action in the match seemed great. Dorada stands up Titan and smacks him with a hard chop. That seems to help the crowd. Dorada dares Titan to do the same, Titan does, but doesn’t make the really loud sound and gets booed. Dorada recovers, loads himself back up, and chops Titan. No loud noise again and some boos. Titan feigns another chop, and goes for a heel kick, Dorada catches it and lands his own. Dorada signals to the crowd, not helping. Titan grabs Dorada in a front face lock and lands the spinning DDT, but Dorada flips through on his feet, Dorada shoulder blocks Titan, and Titan doesn’t go down. Dorada tries a clothesline, Titan Matrix ducks under, then lands his jumping heel kick. Double down, and both slow to their feet. Titan throws off one of his wrist guards – Titan often removes his wrist tape late in matches, but it feels like this gear isn’t holding up tonight. Titan goes for his running clothesline, and this is another Titan trademark spot Dorada is ready for – he catches him and spins Titan around into a bossman slam. Two. Dorada points to the corner, slapping the buckle a few times to get a reaction before going up. Dorada leaps to the top rope, poses, and 450 splash meets knees awkwardly. Titan flips Dorada into a face slam, covers but still only two. Titan crawls his way to the corner, yanks himself to the top with his arms only, raises to a standing position, and leads off with a double stomp – but Dorada moves, catches the legs, ties them up, then lefts Titan to his shoulders in sort of an Argentine backbreaker. It’s a new move, and Titan seems briefly in danger. Dorada maneuvers the hold around to a more traditional Gory Special, which gives Titan an opening to climb to Dorada’s shoulders. Dorada goes for a wheelbarrow suplex, Titan sneaks in a back elbow, then slips out and around to take Dorada into a reverse figure four lock. Dorada is close to the ropes, so Titan grabs both arms to turn it into a reverse bow and arrow submission. Dorada breaks out of the armlocks, TItan tries to switch to Llave Inmortal, but Dorada’s way too close to the ropes rope. Titan throws off his remaining arm covering – he’s got not much left to remove now. Titan slams Dorada into a corner of the ring, backs up to the corner, charges for his diving clothesline, and Dorada blocks the arm. Dorada lifts Titan to the ropes, Titan pushes Dorada away this time lands on the tornado DDT without Dorada flipping out. Titan holds onto the front facelock, shoves Dorada into the corner, and goes for a big kick, and again Dorada is too much for him – he catches the kick, end up giving Titan a Michinoku Driver. The crowd whistling (Mexican wrestling version of booing) again was noticeable – they have a problem with this match, but I can’t imagine why. Dorada pulls Titan to the corner, goes up, and this time connects on the 450 splash. Titan kicks out at two. Dorada, frustrated, walks to the opposite corner and waits for Titan to get up. Dorada charges, but not a full speed, and right into Titan’s series of martial arts kick. Titan pounds the mat as Dorada pulls himself up in the corner, then lands the diving through the ropes clothesline, this time to the back. Titan goes all the way up, poses, and lands his signature top rope stomp – but Dorada kicks out as two. Titan poses, ties up the legs, back bends, and locks in Llave Inmortal. Dorada reaches to the ropes, but he’s far away. Dorada tries to break the chinlock, but Titan forces it back on, then grabs Dorada’s arm to lock it in harder. Dorada submits immediately
Winner: Titán by 14:40 by Llvae Inmortal submission
El Fantasma (head of the Mexico City lucha libre commission), Jose Luis Feliciano (part of CMLL’s programming department) and Matias Lutteroth (son of the man running CMLL) came to the ring to present Titan with the trophy. Titan and Dorada shook hands.
An AEW Angle Appears in CMLL
Orange Cassidy started to say hello to the crowd when Chris Jericho and Big Bill attacked him. Jericho screamed at Orange to stay out of his way, then grabbed the microphone to announce he was the best wrestler in the world. The crowd popped for Jericho being shown on the screen.
CMLL World Women’s Championship: Willow Nightingale vs. Zeuxis
Zeuxis headstands out of an early headscissors, then tied up Willow on the mat and pulled her around by her hair. Zeuxis beat Willow over in a test of strength, then jumped on her midsection, and eventually forced her down to the mat. Willow bridged out of the pin one, then turned out of the hold the second time. Willow sat down on Zeuxis for a cover. Zeuxis briefly locked in a surfboard. Zeuxis tries to slam Willow, but Willow blocks and suplexes Zeuxis instead. Zeuxis couldn’t budge Willow with shoulder blocks, and Willow laid out Zeuxis with one of her own. Willow missed a clothesline, Zeuxis leaped over a drop-down, and they went forehead to forehead. Willow whipped Zeuxis to the corner, signaled a corner clothesline, and landed the clothesline. Willow ran to the opposite corner, but Zeuxis chased her down with a European uppercut. Zeuxis whipped Willow out of the corner, Willow cartwheeled through and landed a superkick. Willow surprised Zeuxis with a fisherman’s suplex. Willow sent Zeuxis in the ropes, and Zeuxis came back with a tijeras. Zeuxis looked a little unsteady as she went to the apron, but lept over a Willow clothesline and kicked the champion in the head. Zeuxis paused to pose, and Willow used the moment to successfully trip Zeuxis this time and pull her to the floor. Willow got on the apron, then flipped off with the bowling ball-style dive into Zeuxis. Willow threw Zeuxis back in and knocked her around with a back smash in the corner, a clothesline, and a front kick. Willow threw Zeuxis in ropes and spinebusters her on the rebound. Still only two. Zeuxis tried to escape to the corner, but Willow brought Zeuxis back to the center of the ring and then shoved her into the corner. Willow forced Zeuxis into the corner with some forearms, backed up, charged, and Zeuxis side-stepped out. Zeuxis charged back in, Willow flipped her to the apron, and Zeuxis pulled Willow down by the hair, and came back in the ring throwing kicks of varying accuracy. Zeuxis held Willow down for a two-count lacking suspense, then pulled Willow into the corner for a kick to Willow’s hamstring. Zeuxis tripped Willow in the corner and landed her double knee smash to WIllow’s chest. The Arena Mexico crowd was noticeably restless again, though not as loud as they had been in the last match. Willow rolled out, and Zeuxis launched after her with a tope The two fought back on the apron, where Willow scooped up Zeuxis and dropped her with a Death Valley Driver. Willow grabbed Zeuxis with a gut-wrench, Zeuxis tried to turn to escape, Willow counted with a Russian leg sweep into a la escalera- Octagon’s finishing combination of all things. Zeuxis was able to escape the classic lucha libre hold and cut Willow off with a kick. Zeuxis eventually landed a double knee smash, then Willow reversed a whip and dropped Zeuxis with a short powerbomb for a short two count. Willow and Zeuxis each went for moonsaults each missed them. Willow slapped Zeuxis with some force, then pulled her by the mask to the buckles. Zeuxis fought back and pulled Willow off with a Spanish Fly. Zeuxis covered, and that was three.
Zeuxis had a very muted celebration – she visibly shook her head “no” as she got her hand raised, then rested on the ropes and gazed out at the crowd. Zeuxis’ body language was so negative in the closing moments that it gave the impression she must be upset about losing, and then she won. Salvador Lutteroth (the person in charge of CMLL), El Fantasma and Jose Luis Fleicnaio presented Zeuxis with the belt.
Winner: Zeuxis by pinfall 11:07, to become the new champion. She is the 23rd champion.
Atlantis Jr., Último Guerrero, Volador Jr. vs. Kojima, Orange Cassidy, Rocky Romero
Orange Cassidy used the Best Friends moments and seemed frightened by CMLL’s pyro. Periquito Zacarias, inexplicably in the pirate outfit he uses with Zandokan Jr. and Rey Bucanero, accompanied Ultimo Guerrero. CMLL head official Edgar Noriega was the referee, and would be for the three remaining matches. Romero and Volador were the captains. This was a two out of three falls match.
Kojima and Ultimo Guerrero started the match. The Arena Mexico crowd was now much more into the show with Guerrero in the ring. Kojima forced Ultimo into the rudo corner and tagged in his partners to stomp Ultimo Guerrero down. Rocky and Orange rushed the tecnico corner, knocking down Atlantis and Soberano (and firmly establishing that entire team as rudos for this match.). Rocky mocked the raising-the-roof celebration as Orange – with sunglasses still on – tried covering Ultimo. The rudos took turns chopping, though ronage’s chop was a bit softer. Atlantis Jr. came in – the crowd booed him – and the rudos attacked him from behind. Orange and Rocky double suplexed Atlantis. Rocky begged off as Volador came in, and Volador ax-handled Volador from behind. Rocky jumped on his old rival to stomp him on the mat. Guerrero back in, and the rudos all stomped him. Kojima tried biting for a bit. The rudos forced UG into the corner, while Rocky and Orange chopped him. Rocky landed his forever Clotheslines, while Orange slowly winded up – and tossed UG to Kojima for Mongolian chops and a Romero clothesline from behind. Kojima suplexed Ultimo Guerrero and covered him for three. Orange superkicked Volador out, and Rocky dove into Volador with a tope. Atlantis Jr. came in, Rocky jabbed him in the thread, and Orange and Rocky landed a behind-the-back piledriver/top rope double stomp finish off Atlantis in 5:04.
CMLL cameras showed Flip Gordon walking to the ringside of the barrier to yell at Rocky Romero. Flip attempted to go over the rail, and Rocky punched him away. Atlanits Jr. encouraged Flip to come back and jump the rail to attack Rocky, but referee Edgar interceeded and ejected Flip. This bit was out of character for CMLL.
The second fall started with the rudos still well in control. Rocky and Kojima double shoulderblocked Volador out of the ring, then kicked Atlantis Jr. around. Kojima took care of him with a clothesline, and Orange – new here – actually went for a cover. It was only two. Orange tried to suplex Atlantis, but Atlantis blocked it, and Rocky helped Orange finish the move. Rocky invited Ultimo Guerrero in and punched him into the corner, before biting UG’s head. Orange punched Guerrero from the outside, despite warnings. UG fought back with chops against all three rudos, but the numbers got too much for him. Voadlro rushed in to attack Romero, only for him to get swarmed as well. Rudos whipped Voaldro in the ropes, and Volador came back with a springboard double back elbow clearing out Orange and Kojima. A headscissors took out Romero, and Volador crushed him with a tope. Guerreo clotheslined Kojima, but UG turned it around and put UG on the top. Meanwhile, Orange hit his stunner and went for another DDT, but Atlantis turned it around a legs-hooked piledirver. Guerrero front superplexed Kojima, tecnicos covered for the win, and and Zacarias got in a revenge 619 on Cassidy between falls. (Cameras missed it, but Orange seemingly attacked Zacarias between falls.)
Atlantis Jr. started the third fall, but all the rudos forced him into their corner. Atlantis leaped over Kojima, then used Rocky to launch into a head scissors Orange. Atlantis Jr. quickly took out all three, taunting a booing crowd even as he monkey-flipped Rocky corner to corner. Volador took the virtual relay baton, facing Orange. Orange dramatically put his feet in his pocket and lightly kicked Volador in the shins. Orange backed up for a superkick, and Volador backed off to run off the ropes instead, Both evaded each other, Orange first with his hands in the pocket, and Volador doing his handspring spot (though slipping and landing on his knees.) Orange flipped Volador to the apron, where he kicked Rocky and Orange. Volador came back in, and Kojima and Orange whipped him, the idea was both of the rudos would put their heads down for a double backdrop but Volador visibly had to explain to Kojima his head was supposed to be down – and then Volador kicked Kojima’s head. More weird than bad. Volador kicked Orange out, Rocky and Volador had a dramatic standoff, and then Rocky quickly decided retreating was a better option. Ultimo Guerero’s turn and he and Rocky exchanged roof raises. Exchanging chops went even worse for Rocky. Orange attempted to raise the roof and to chop Ultimo Guerrero. Orange belatedly realized this meant Guerrero would chop him, and cringed in pain before UG even laid him out. Kojima chopped UG, blocked Guerrero’s chop, and Rocky and Orange attacked Guerrero from behind. Orange was still smarting from the chop. The Rudos whipped UG corner to corner, Guerrero evaded Kojima’s charge and clotheslined the others. Kojima kicked Ultimo Guerrero back into the corner, connected with the machine gun chops, whipped him to the other corner, hit the jumping forearm, and followed with his middle rope elbow drop. Guerrero kicked out at two. Kojima snap suplexed Guerrero, but Guerrero fired up hearing the fans chant his name. Kojima tried a snap mare, but Guerrero blocked it and dropped Kojima with a big side suplex. Kojima pulled himself to the apron, and Guerrero knocked him to the floor with his trademark sliding dropkick. Guerrero turned around, and Orange launched on him with a top rope plancha. Orange attempted to put his hands in his pocket, UG grabbed Orange to stop it, Orange slipped out and got his hands in any way. Orange pulled off a no hands tijeras, no hands dropkick, and a mostly no hands tope. Atlantis followed with a tope con giro to the floor. Volador charged Rocky in the rudo corner, Rocky lifted Volador up, and Volador turned into a sunset flip and rolled through, both of them hit the ropes, and Volador connected with a Canadian Destroyer and got the three count. The fall felt not close to ending until it was suddenly done.
Winners: Atlantis Jr., Último Guerrero, Volador Jr. by pinfall at 14:26
Hechicero vs. Esfinge vs. Valiente vs. Euforia
The special rules of this match is that the first two wrestlers pinned/submitted are eliminated from the match entirely. The remaining two will face off an immediate mask versus mask match. In case of a draw, both men would have to unmask. Hechiero came in the match with his left elbow wrapped, an undocumented injury coming in (though the same elbow he was favoring after his match with Zack Sabre Jr. in RevPro.)
The opening was very fast (and hard to transcribe) four-way fighting, including Valiente using the same risky slingshot arm drag off the apron on Hechicero. That same spot had left Valiente with a major knee injury two years prior. Esfinge landed a tope con giro on Euforia and Valiente pulverized Hechicero with a bullet tope. All four made it back in the ring, leading to another hard-to-call exchange. The crowd rooting for Hechicero as Euforia slammed Valiente and covered for a two. Hechicero applied a figured four on Euforia, Esfinge rushed over, and Hechicero small packaged Esfinge while still having the hold applied for two. Valiente got a two count out of a hurricanrana on Euforia. Esfinge superkicked Valiente out of the ring, Euforia took out Esfinge with a clothesline, and Hechicero applied his leaping over-the-top rope choke on Euforia. Valiente and Esfinge tried to pull Hechicero off the apron, but actually just bent him in such a way that increased the pressure on Euforia. (This appeared to be an intended clever spot.) Valiente & Esfinge regrouped and actually tripped Hechicero off on the second try. Euforia dove onto all three on the floor, but they surprisingly caught the big man and group powerbombed him on the floor. Valiente and Euforia made it back into the ring. Valiente and Esfinge made it back in first, Esfinge landing a series of kicks and knees. Hechicero took out Esfinge, and Valiente popped up to take out Hechicero with a back elbow. Valiente whipped Hechicero into an Esfinge superkick, and then Esfinge took out both rivals with spinning backbreakers. Valiente dropkicked Esfinge out to the apron but got caught from behind by Hechicero, who pulled him into his Conjuro backbreaker finish. Valiente rolled away before Hechicero could cover, so Hechicero rallied the crowd (which was already behind him.) Hechicero charged at Esfinge as he returned, Esfinge tripped Hechicero through the ropes and out. Esfinge went to the apron, but Euforia had finally recovered and fought Esfinge off there. Euforia made the unusual decision to go to the top rope and it backfired, Esfinge arm dragged Euforia to the center of the ring. Esfinge monkey flipped Euforia, taking his time with it. Esfinge called for a second, Euforia shrugged it off to block, and Esfinge knocked him down with a heel kick. Esfinge quickly attempted his springboard splash finish, but Euforia got his knees up. Valiente and Hechicero returned, knocked down Euforia and Esfinge, and covered for two each. Valiente and Hechicero tried cradles, still two. The crowd was loud for Hechicero at this point. Hechicero shoulder blocked Valiente into the ropes, Valiente came back with a dropkick to the knee, and then Esfinge just spammed his spinning toe kick to all three rivals. Esfinge attempted to put Hechicero in his Nudo Egipcio finishing cradle but applied it too slowly and too close to the ropes. The others waited for Esfinge to recover. Euforia big-booted Esfinge, kicked Hechicero in the head, and walked into a Valiente chopped. Valiente went up top and got pulled off with a Euforia superplex. Still only two. Esfinge charged at Euforia, Euforia lifted Esfinge and deposited him on the top rope, then dropkicked him away. Hechicero charged at Euforia, right into a backbreaker. Another two count. Euforia lifted Valiente and dropped him onto Hechicero, but Valiente was more intent on punching than covering. Euforia scooped up Valiente on his shoulders and tossed him into a gutbuster for another two-count. Everyone seemed beat up and slow to recover at this point. Esfinge ran into a Euforia powerslam, another two count. Hechicero clotheslined Euforia out but turned around into Esfinge’s path, and Esfinge pulled him into the Nudo Egipcio again. Hechicero didn’t get a shoulder up, instead grabbing Esfinge’s heel to bring his bridge right before the three count. Valiente slammed Esfinge, then dropped him with his old layout frontcracker finish. Euforia returned to the ring but ended up eating an Esfinge superkick. Esfinge fired himself up, charged at Euforia, and Euforia tossed him face-first into the buckles. Euforia locked in his Euforia Special Dragon Sleeper variant, and Esfinge submitted. This meant Esfinge was out of the match completely, and would not win or lose. The match was 10:32 long at this point.
Hechicero caught Euforia with his snap head scissors takedown, then Valiente got Hechicero with his front cracker. Valiente armdraged Euforia and hit him with another tope. Valiente and Euforia chopped each other on the outside, and Hechicero surprised both of them by going deep into this spell bag to find a triangle moonsault. The three continued to fight on the outside, Valiente dumping Euforia over the barricade and by the announcers at one point. The crowd, thrilled with the match, chanted Esto Es Lucha. Hechicero and Valiente exchanged chops, then whips, then Valiente connected on a spinebuster for another near fall. A Valiente cradle swinging neckbreaker for another near fall. Hechicero blocked a clothesline and turned it into his reverse monkey flip, but Valiente broke up Hechicero’s typical combo by blocking the sleeper and forcing on a leg lock instead. Hechicero seemed in real danger (and the pro-Hechicero crowd was greatly concerned), but he managed an escape. Valiente went up for a moonsault, Hechicero avoided it, then grabbed a hold of Valiente’s limbs and pulled him into the Magia Negra entanglement submission. Valiente gave up and was out of the match. This segment of the match went 3:42, for a 14:14 total so far.
It was now Euforia and Hechicero to determine who gets unmasked. CMLL blew their whistle – what they use in place of a ring bell – as if this was the start of a new match or a new fall. There was no real break, they just kept going. Euforia and Hechicero, ex-partners in Los Infernales, exchanged chops. Hechicero landed a jumping kick and a springboard dropkick to force Euforia to the floor. Hechicero raised a fist, ran, and connected with his over-the-top plancha. The crowd loudly chanted for Hechiero as both men recovered on the floor. Hechicero threw Euforia into the barricade, then rolled in to break the count. Hechicero planted Euforia on the barricade, posed on the apron, and landed his signature elbow drop again. Hechicero readjusted his suspenders – he’d pulled them down during the chop battle – and signaled he’d go for another one. This time it was a dropkick, but Euforia moved, and Hechicero went tailbone first into the barricade, an ugly impact and a worse landing. Both the (mostly kayfabe) commission doctor and the (real but seemingly not smartened up) CMLL doctor checked on Hechicero, but Euforia kept the match going without much pause. Euforia rammed Hechicero back first into the barricade and the ring then started going after Hechicero’s wrapped elbows, smashing it into the apron. Euforia got back in the ring, then swatted his foot at Hechicero’s head as he crawled back in. Euforia dramatically grabbed Hechicero’s mask and ripped it up. Euforia took a moment to rest on the ropes, Hechicero seized on to throw a dropkick, Euforia moved, and Hechicero ended up flying out of the ring. Euforia flew after him, wiping him out with a tope con giro. The Esto Es Lucha chant returned. Euforia tossed Hechicero back into the ring, taking his time to join him. Euforia went up top. Hechicero hurried to hit the ropes and crotch Euforia, then pulled him off the buckle with a leaping tijeras. Hechicero slowly crawled over – both men were showing exhaustion as the cumulative match passed 20 minutes of fast-paced action – and could only get two. Hechicero kicked and kneed Euforia in the head repeatedly, then shoved Euforia in the corner to land his signature jumping knee smash to the face. The Arena Mexico crowd chanted loudly for Hechicero one more. Hechicero went for a second knee, but Eufroia blocked it, lifted Hechicero with both arms, and dropped him with a walking powerbomb. Another two count, one that seriously stressed the crowd. Announcer Julio Cesar Rivera noted at this point that CMLL would not be held legally responsible for any heart attacks caused by this match. Euforia avoided a charge, but Hechicero blocked his attempt at the Euforia Special. Hechicero charged again, and Euforia caught and dropped him with a pump handle slam, the usual setup to that finish move. Euforia went for the dragon sleeper, Hechicero battled free before it could be locked on, and Euforia frustratedly shook his head. Hechicero ran at Efuroia once more, Euforia tossed Euforia onto his stomach and went for the dragon sleeper from that angle. Hechicero was able to escape before it was firmly locked on. Both slowly got to their feet, with Euforia looking in better shape. Euforia was the one who made the charge this time, and Hechicero shoved him away and to the apron. Euforia shoved Hechicero back and started to climb the ropes, and Hechicero pulled him off with a springboard arm drag. Hechicero covered, still two. Both men again dramatically slow their feet. Euforia ducked a Hechicero clothesline, got wrist control, and landed a Rainmaker (!?!) to put Hechicero down. Euforia staggered to the corner for a moment’s rest, then staggered out, and Hechicero caught him with a clothesline. Hechicero desperately headbutted Euforia in the chest as he lay on the mat, then ripped up Euforia’s mask as was done to him minutes earlier. Hechicero forced Euforia into a corner, climbed the ropes, and landed ten strikes as the pro-Hechicero crowd chanted along. Hechicero lifted Euforia to the top buckle and climbed up – only for Euforia to reverse to a super powerbomb, the same move Euforia’s won his singles matches of late. Euforia was agonizingly slow to cover, crawled on top, one, two, no, not enough. Hechicero trapped Euforia in a Skayde Special, rolled into a double arm trap pin for the longest 2.9 possible. Hechicero smashed Euforia in the head with his knee twice and went for one more corner whip, but Euforia reversed and sent Hechicero into the corner. Euforia swept out Hechicero’s feet and landed a charging double stomp – a move more commonly used by Euforia’s son, Soberano Jr. Euforia fell on top to cover, still only two. Euforia went back to the pump handle grip, but Hechicero flipped out of the slam and quickly scissored both of Euforia’s legs into submission. Euforia fought, waved off the referee, pounded life into his knee, tried to pull both men to the ropes, shook his head no when asked if he would give, reached, reached and just barely touched the bottom rope. Euforia didn’t grab the rope, leading Hechicero to be confused about why referee Edgar was ordering a break. Euforia took advantage of the confusion, grabbing both of Hechicero’s arms into a Rings of Saturn-like submission. Hechicero appeared stuck, but turned and turned and turned and got a foot on the bottom rope. Both men slowly got back to their feet, Hechicero peppering Euforia with shots to the side and then an elbow drop. Hechicero decided to go up top, but Euforia cut him off and then pulled him off with a butterfly superplex. Euforia seemed nearly as hurt as Hechicero but put one arm over the top of Hechicero, and got another dramatic near fall. Hechicero got up and charged again, Euforia sidestepped into a waistlock and pulled Hechicero into the Euforia Special dragon sleeper. Hechiceor was trapped again, waved his left hand that he would not submit, and then the hand dropped. Referee Edgar checked the arm once, and it dropped. He checked it a second time – and Hechicero fired back up and broke out of the facelock. The Esto Es Lucha chant made another return. Euforia waved and missed on a clothesline, Hechicero’s jumping kick landed on Euforia’s back, Euforia fell over the middle rope, and Hechicero gave it his all on a running splash to the back. Hechicero crawled on top, and still could only get two. Euforia and Hechicero struggled to their feet, with nothing left to do but throw illegally closed-fist punches to the face. Referee Edgar warned both of them to stop, which only seemed to matter for a second. Hechicero went back with the punches as soon as Edgar took a step back, battering Euforia into the corner. Hechicero put Euforia up on the ropes, climbed up with him, and Euforia again dropped Hechicero with a superbomb – an even stronger one this time. Euforia covered, Hechicero got a shoulder up but only barely so, and at about 2.99999. Hechicero survived, and Euforia found another wind. Euforia lifted Hechicero on his shoulders, dumped him near the corner, and went up top. Euforia tried a flip senton, missed completely, with Hechicero rolling out of the way and that was his fatal mistake. Hechicero got his snap headscissors takedown for a second time, then a Skayde special into another entanglement submission. Euforia was locked in the center of the ring, and didn’t want to give up, but Hechicero kept pulling Euforia’s arm out of place until he finally gave up. The final segment went 21:51, for a total match of 36:05.
Winner: Hechicero by submission at 36:06
Soberano Jr. ran to the ring, hugging and consoling his father Euforia before he got off the mat. Euforia’s partner Mephisto (the third man in the former unit with Hechicero) also came to the ring to console him. Hechicero went over the barricade to hug a woman with a small child in a group of Hechicero supporters. Hechicero came back to the ring to celebrate while Soberano helped Euforia to his feet, never leaving his side. Euforia, voice badly cracking, took the microphone to thank the fans who had supported him, then congratulated Hechicero for being a worthy winner and a great rival. Soberano Jr. untied Euforia’s mask, and Euforia revealed himself as Jose Leobardo Moreno Leon, 49 years old, originally from Torreon.
Chris Jericho vs. Místico
Chris Jericho was seconded by Big Bill. Chris Jericho and Mistico faced off with crowd appeals, with Jericho getting more cheers and a chant, and Mistico getting a somewhat negative reaction. Jericho maneuvered to a headlock off the top, leading to the two exchanging arm drags and missed dropkicks. Jericho easily won an exchange of forearms, then stood one foot on Mistico’s head. Jericho picked Mistico up and chopped him down, and then did it again. Mistico fell in the ropes on the third chop and held onto them as Jericho tried to whip him. Jericho fought Mistico free, but Mistico reversed with a handspring and then came off the top with an arm drag. Jeirhcio went out and Mistico dove after with a plancha. Jericho moved, Bill was supposed to get hit but failed at the task. Jericho and Mistico made it back in, Mistico working for cheers and getting a mixed reaction. Mistico got in a springboard plancha, then gave Mistico a tijeras into the ropes. Mistico’s 619 was blocked by Jericho, who pulled Mistico’s legs into the Walls of Jericho. Jericho applied it slowly but eventually turned it around. Mistico gave up. Jericho won the first fall in 5:45.
Jericho attacked Mistico on the outside as the second fall started, tossing Mistico into the barricade. Jericho took partial possession of a camera, shooting the fans and waving at them. Jericho relinquished the camera, stomped Mistico, and threw him back in. Jericho back-suplexed Mistico posed on top for a pin. Jericho grabbed Mistico’s eye hole and ripped it (Mistico was a bit obvious in helping him.) Jericho punched Mistico threw the new bigger opening, then hung Mistico’ on the middle rope and forced him to choke with his knee. Jericho backed up, charged, and hit the ropes hamstring first as Mistico walked out of the way. Mistico covered, but Jericho kicked out at zero. Mistico fired up, battling Jericho with chops evenly for a second before Jericho kicked him down. The crowd started to whistle in turning against this match, which was surprising given the reactions Jericho was getting earlier. Jericho threw Mistico through the ropes, then kicked him down on the apron. Jericho waved for Mistico to get up, but missed on a springboard clothesline and tumbled to the floor. Mistico went in and back out with a tope. Mistico rallied the crowd a moment, then launched himself again with a slingshot tornillo. Mistico threw Jericho back in, climbed up to the top, and Jericho cut him off with a trip. Jericho climbed up to join Mistico, and the two exchanged forearms until Jericho tumbled to the mat. Mistico launched himself with a flip senton, went back to the ropes, and springboarded back in with a splash. Mistico made a tight cradle for a three-count. The second fall lasted 4:56.
As the third fall started, Big Bill rammed Mistico into the post on the outside. Big Bill threw him back in, where Chris Jericho and Edgar argued – Edgar insisted on giving Mistico time to recover after the interference, which is the way a real sport might handle that but not what Jericho expected. The crowd again got restless. Jericho chopped and forearmed Mistico in the corner, and Mistico fired back with punches and kicks. The crowd made noise, but not especially happy noise. Jericho reversed a corner whip, and Jericho tumbled out of the ring after a missed charge. Mistico went for his tornillo, Big Bill pulled Jericho out of the way, and Misico hit the floor hard. Jericho suplexed Mistico on the floor, then came back in to tease a countout. Jericho’s inexperience with CMLL showed there – there was no way Edgar was getting close to 20, and the count-out tease is not a thing in CMLL. Mistico crawled back in well before 20. Jericho pulled Mistico up and held him in a delayed suplex. This was a slow-paced match compared to everything else on the show, and slowing it down farther with a delayed suplex was an amazing choice. That led to another two-count. Jericho Jericho placed Mistico on the top rope and pulled him off with a tijeras. Still two. Jericho chopped Mistico around, Mistico barely able to stand between them. Jericho fought back with kicks and chops, finally knocking Jericho down with a superkick but collapsing himself. Both Jericho and Bill tried to get the fans to clap and make (positive) noise, which did seem to catch on. Jericho picked up Mistico and chopped him hard into the corner. Jericho corner whip, corner clothesline, but Mistico chased Jericho back the other way to hit him. Jericho ran out of the corner, Mistico ducked a clothesline and caught him in an unusual powerslam in two. Jericho got back up, gave Mistico a double underhook slam, went for a Lionsault, and missed. He missed Mistico because Mistico moved as planned, but it also seemed as though Jericho came close to landing on his forehead. Mistico captured Jericho in a casita for a two count. Mistico kicked Jericho, scooped him, dropped him in a corner, went up for a moonsault, and landed right into Jericho’s upraised feet. Jericho quickly dropped a senton on Mistico for two. Jericho punched Mistico in the head repeatedly, as the crowd’s whistling got louder. Jericho ripped at Mistico’s mask, then played to the crowd. CMLL cut to the drone shots, in which a decent amount of seats in the first few rows were empty. This show had gone significantly longer than the usual Arena Mexico show, Mexico City’s public transit was closing for the night, and some fans didn’t want to stick the rest of this out. Jericho and Mistico exchange superkicks, Jericho falling onto the middle rope again. Mistico went for the 619, and Big Bill jumped on the apron to grab Mistico. Jericho ran over to hit Mistico, and of course, hit Big Bill instead. Mistico got the 619 on Jericho but was slow following up. Mistico ran – actually, more like jogged – into a low-quality La Mistica on Jericho. Jericho blocked it, reversing to the Walls of Jericho. Mistico blocked that, escaping with elbows. Mistico tried to rally the crowd, but they were done with this. Mistico springboard into the ring into a Jericho codebreaker. Jericho went for the Judas Effect, and Mistico ducked under and locked on an unimpressive La Mistica. As the crowd booed, Mistico bent Jericho’s arm further and Jericho gave up.
Winner: Místico via La Mistica at 22:11
Mistico was visibly unhappy after the victory, knowing the match was a failure. This segment was implausibly not over, and not just in the “getting booed” definition of over. Big Bill hit the ring to lay out Mistico with a boot, and he and Jericho put the boots to Mistico until Orange Cassidy made the save. This US angle, very different than how CMLL is normally presented, would have been a struggle to get over after a hot match. It died a death, with the crowd chanting for Hechicero and booing as Orange and Mistico set the heels packing. Orange put his glasses on Mistico to even louder boos; Cassidy fled out of the ring as soon as humanly possible, fully aware of how this was playing. Mistico dutifully posed with the glasses as the show wrapped up.
Final Thoughts
Watch this show through the mask match, then close the window before the main event starts. The mask match is likely to be the Mexican wrestling match of the year and was followed by one of the more disappointing (two-man) performances as the main event of a big show. It was a strange show where the random trios matches seemed to get over more than built-up singles matches, but it left a lot of good stuff to watch on this show.