2014 Ongoing Match of the Year List

We are going to be doing a running MOTY list this year. Eric and I will reach a consensus on a match and do a combo write up.

1. Negro Casas v. Titan CMLL 1/3

PAS: Casas was my wrestler of the year in 2013 and so it is fitting that he drops another gem to open up 2014. Titan is basically another in the long CMLL line of semi-interchangeable flashy technicos, but Casas is the guy who can slot in one of those dudes and have a great match. First two falls were fine, with Casas throwing in some little tricks here and there to liven it up (I loved his front face lock, where he just sort of DDTed Titan in the second turnbuckle.) Third fall picks up a bunch with Titan working over Casas's knee in some nifty ways and getting some dramatic near falls, until he goes to the proverbial well and catches a double boot to the face on a moonsault. Casas is rumored to be turning technico, but this was a marvelous bit of rudismo. Just his shit eating smirk as he trots around the outside after armbreaking Titan was beautiful. Viva Casas!!

ER: You heard it here first, the BEST MATCH OF THE YEAR (5 days into the year) is Negro Casas vs. Titan. CMLL really does have a glut of juiced up young flippy tecnicos, and like 15 of them went through a name/gimmick change over the last couple years so it feels like there are a million of them. Titan is the former Palacio Negro, who used to be all silly flash (still has that headstand headscissors) but he seems to have matured quite a bit and I think he brought a lot to the table here. And Casas may be the best guy at leading a young tecnico through a great match. Titan brings some big bumps to the first couple falls, including a nasty spill off the top to the floor off a Casas dropkick (which Casas then one-ups later in the 3rd by crashing and burning to the floor) and dumps himself on his neck on the apron after a Casas clothesline. I loved the submission Titan locks on to end the first. It started as a cool indian deathlock and kept morphing into a brutal twisting octopus hold. The application was fast and effortless, and actually looked painful. Each guy is really great at feeding the other's offense with Casas continuing his brutal trend of taking corner dropkicks directly in the face, and Titan flying into Casas's dropkicks to the knee and majestically flying face first into Casas' boots off a match-ending failed moonsault. Really fun start to the new year.