CMLL on Galavision Workrate Report, 9/3/11

Had some lucha on my DVR, and CMLL has been the lucha fed I've enjoyed most in 2011, so I figured why not start writing some of this stuff up? Also big ups to Cubsfan. Not only did his team get an awesome GM that actually understands sabermetrics (and doesn't judge talent based on "gut instinct" or "grittiness" or "gamesmanship"), but he uploads a bunch of lucha to youtube that allows me to share it with you! So go check out Cubsfan's site. It's awesome and provides an insane amount of resources.



1. Misterioso Jr. vs. Hijo del Fantasma:

So up until this match I was digging Fantasma as a guy who knew how to pick his spots in a trios, and this was the first time I've seen him as a singles. I don't like him as much as a singles worker. There were many times during this that felt like Misterioso was working with a limp body, especially on the mat. It felt like an even weirder version of Weekend at Bernie's. Instead of trying to throw a raging party or taking a boat, Misterioso just wants to work mat transitions and headscissor spots. Fantasma does hit a few nice dives and a big moonsault off the post, but those spots work nicer as big spots in a trios instead of just having Misterioso constantly have to bump to the floor to get ready to catch him for more spots. Misterioso does wrap himself nicely around a turnbuckle, and since Cassandro isn't showing up more than once per year, I'm glad I get to see somebody take that crazy spot every couple weeks. Misterioso's tassles are fucking awesome, for the record.



2. Shocker/Hector Garza/La Sombra vs. Rey Buccanero/Terrible/Texano Jr.:

Garza shaved his goatee and I don't like it. It's like when your dad shaves his mustache when you're 17 and you're like, "Who the hell are you?" He has a soul patch now, which is also like when your dad grows a soul patch and starts wearing Tommy Bahama shirts. Careful, Hector. First fall is dominated by the rudos and they all have some really great triple team spots, with catapults into fireman's carries into cool sentons and general beatdown. 2nd fall is quick and nothing much happens until the 3rd...which is MONEY. 3rd caida is literally one of the best caidas of the year. Such a great damn fall with big action and everybody getting a chance to shine. A really great 8 minutes of lucha. To the surprise of nobody, Garza is a huge star of the 3rd. He was great all match, falling into all the rudos offense in the 1st, but the 3rd he just owns. Always in the right place, and just being a great general. His rope running against Rey is fast and more impressive than any vanilla indy midget you'll see, and the lightning fast rana spot off the middle rope was beautiful. Terrible and Texano get double points for beating him down during his shirt removal spot. Sombra hits his INSANE handspring dragon rana to the floor which will never cease to amaze me. Shocker works some great armdrag spots and is still firey (his weight makes it obviously difficult to get up quickly to work spot-spot-spot like Garza, but on the plus side Shocker does have the most motorboatable tits in lucha), and this fall just rules and I love everything about it. Again, one of my favorite falls of the year, and the match as a whole is well worth checking out.