IWRG 7/9/09

TKG:Luchalibrenation has disappeared for a bit and luckily this episode showed up for downloading. We hope luchalibrenation will return soon. He is missed. IWRG followers may also want to watch handheld Avisman v Trauma II for number one contendership to Trauma II’s title (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GaSm92Dq64).

Avisman + Bushi + Judas El Traitor v. Rigo + Chico Che + Yack

TKG: Avisman and Buschi aren’t really the most dynamic of brawlers. Avisman is odd in that he’s a guy with just one facial expression (hostile confusion) and it works when the match calls on him to make that face and doesn’t when there is no reason for him to be making that face. And then there is JUDAS. Judas El Traidor is a guy who I don’t think I’ve ever seen work anything but openers. Really solid rudo with Ronnie James Dio style hair (long stringy hair that hides balding). Last year during Chanukah I had planned to do eight days of Golem (IWRG undercard worker) matches and was all excited to write about the Golem v Judas as Hebrew avenger v blood libel as acted out through basic opener mat work. Then 24/7 ran the same gimmick and I dropped the idea. Judas really stepped up to be the anchor of the team and was the highlight of the rudo team. There is no reason to keep him in primarias. And then there is the technicos and RIGO!!!! So looking up Rigo Tovar on Wikipedia tells me that he was a guy who suffered from blindness starting in his twenties, vitiligo, and diabetes dying at 59 from “diabetic complications leading to cardio-respiratory failure”. So not a guy known for his health. On the other hand, Rigo the wrestler is a beast. Just an absolute bump machine getting tossed and falling this way and that taking a nasty posting etc. Pretty solid brawler with all his shots looking tough and having a crazy into guy standing in third row tope. Both Cumbia guys looked good here although Chico Che keeps on catching his feet on his tope. And rather than complaining about how underwhelming the normally mediocre Yack looked let me say that looking for more stuff on cumbia on the interweb I discovered the world of cumbia rebajada which is essentially cumbia slowed down; one might say screwed (more slopped than chopped). According to the Austin Chronicle there was a guy making screwed cumbia as early as the 60s (http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A106216). But you can find stuff looking through youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMlqguPNYBo) or I really liked this mix (http://www.siebethissen.net/Dr_Auratheft/Mom_Radio/Rebajadas_El_Maldito_Acordeon.mp3).

PAS: I only remember Judas El Traitor working singles opening matches before. It sort of makes sense, he doesn't seem like a guy you would want to tag with. "Look I really need to be able to trust my partner, and well you know." Apparently Avisman and Bushi are believers in the second chance (well Bushi may be a Buddist) and they go into battle. This was the RIGO show though, he was constantly flying into the audience, taking crazy bumps into chairs, and really breaking out one of the crazier topes I have seen in a long time. Really one of those performances in which you come away needing to see everything he has ever done.

Negro Navarro + Trauma I+ II v. Fantasma De La Opera + Black Terry + Cerebro Negro

TKG: It’s been a while since we’ve seen this type of full on Black Terry match. The Cerebros are enough of a solid unit that Terry can often times take a back seat.The Fantasma/Terry/Cerebro Negro unit is less polished as a unit and Terry fully takes over directing traffic, bumping attacking,:always the center of the match. In many of the matches in 09 Terry’s seemed to be a step below what he was in 08. But this is the full on Black Terry show. Pre match Terry says he wants to test the new title holder Trauma II and the match is all about the match up between Terry and both Trauma II and the match up between Terry and Navarro. All that Cerebro Negro and Fantasma need to do is keep Trauma 1 busy while Terry does the rest. First fall involves the heels triple teaming to pin both Truamas. It’s problematic fall, in that you don’t really buy the Fantasma/Cerebro Negro attacks as having taken Navarro out of the match allowing for the triple teams on the kids. I don’t know to what degree that’s the fault of Fantasma/Cerebro Negro’s lack of credibility and what is the way Navarro is unconvincing bumping and eating their stuff. Probably a little of both. Fantasma doesn’t know how to eat Trauma I’s finisher, and while I really liked his heavyweight face off with I, it felt like he worked his faceoff with II exactly the same way. But the point of match was to keep the attention away from Cerebro Negro/Fantasma and Trauma I and let Terry do his thing. And Terry did his thing and was awesome facing off with Navarro and Trauma II. And you leave this match actively wanting to see a Trauma II v Terry match and worrying that Trauma II may be out of his league.

PAS: The Traumas have been on quite a run in the last couple of months, but man when the team with their dad, you see the difference. This is bad ass brawling Navarro, he is pissed at Fuerza talking shit, and he comes out like a B-movie hero who has been pushed too far. Terry is such a great foil to that kind of fury, as he is much more of a B-movie villain, a tough guy, with tough backup, but fundamentally lacking the moral authority of our hero. I love all of the hierarchy stuff these tags do so well, and Terry v. Trauma II could be incredible if they run it.

Dr. Cerebro + Ricky Cruzz v. Juventud Guerrera + Fuerza Guerrera

TKG: Juvi comes into this match with his back taped up supposedly as a result of the hair v hair match with Dr Cerebro. First time we saw Juvi in IWRG in 09 he was a guy who ate stuff well but all his offense looked like crap. Here his offense all looks really nasty but it’s unclear if he may be legit too banged up to eat anything: the heel collision spots look off, he taps before Dr Cerebro can fully put on his sub in order to protect his back and after that never gets back into the ring.

PAS: Juvi has this Yellow plaid hat with a matching plaid scarf which he wears to the ring, and man does he know how to be hatable. This was really a WCW Nitro main event, the show was about the Super X v. IWRG feud and this match was killing time before the big run in. The big run in was pretty great though as Dinastia Navarro runs in for the save and holy fuck is Negro Navarro the best Bill Watts walking tall asskicker in wrestling today. He just comes in killing fools with rights and lefts and I am just amped to see every match in this feud.