2014 Ongoing Match of the Year List

2. Virus v. Titan CMLL 1/28/14

ER: Titan is not one of my favorite workers in CMLL. Titan is probably not one of my favorite 40 guys in CMLL. But here he is popping up for the second time on our cumulative match of the year list. And I'm not going to act like Virus and Casas were just working with a mannequin that can do handstands, as that's not the case. He brought it in both matches, but here he's more along for the ride as this is the Virus show. Virus is a total marvel and has been putting on great TV matches since literally the first lucha TV match I ever saw (which was a Virus/Oriental match when I was still in high school 15 years ago. LOLD) and here was another epic. He's a terrific traffic director in there, as you can tell he maps thinks out so well that he's never out of place and rarely misses a step. He cuts low on clotheslines and makes Titan earn his spot, not being easy during mat segments and not holding back on strikes and clotheslines and shoulderblocks. There was a moment where Titan hits a gorgeous no-hands somersault plancha and barrels squarely into Virus, and one of my friends noted the skill it must take to be able to pull off a big spot like that while making it safe, but also make it look damaging. And there were plenty of other Fred and Ginger moments in this. Match hits a furious peak where Virus takes an absurd bump from the apron, getting vaulted over the opposing turnbuckles to the floor. Not long after he exacts his revenge and just splats titan with the most beautiful and violent somersault senton from the ring all the way to the floor. Pure insanity. Really great pass-the-torch match which is no surprise as Virus has been doing this for well over a decade now.

PAS: I actually thought this was more of a Titan showcase then the Casas match. I of course chock that up to the greatness of Virus. Casas is more of flashy showman, Virus is a rudos rudo, he makes the guy he is wrestling look on his level, even if he really isn't. The mat section at the beginning is the perfect example, it isn't Negro Navarro schooling a scrub, but a competitive impressive mat exchange which made Titan look like a capable mat worker. No one puts together finishing runs like Virus, he would have been amazing in WCW PPV Juniors matches, or 2002 ROH. I am not sure if Titan is as good as AR Fox for a flashy guy with nice highspots, but the end of this was pretty edge of your seat. The big nasty apron bump by Titan leading to that insane somersault senton will be a spot of the year contender for sure. Let's hope we get some more Virus showcases this year.

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