CMLL on LATV Workrate Report 4/13/14

These matches were from the 3/30 Arena Coliseo show. We get another big Fuego dance party entrance, which is just awesome. Stupidly catchy song, choreography, on screen heart graphics made with Sculptris, essentially everything you would want.

Lightning Match: Fuego vs. Ephesto

I'm not really sure what they were going for in this match. Seems like CMLL is pushing Fuego pretty hard, but Ephesto goes over pretty easily by just rolling him up. As a Fuego showcase the match didn't really work, as there are other guys in the promotion with flashier offense. Fuego's offense here is pretty standard issue, with a couple nice dives and a couple normal armdrags, and moonsaulting into Ephesto's boots (which is now becoming almost as standard a spot in lucha as the backcracker). If they were going for Ephesto being a bully it didn't really work, as Fuego took like 80% of the match and then Ephesto just kinda won at the end. There was some nice moments, with Ephesto taking a fast armdrag through the middle rope to the floor, but most of this was just drab. None of the transitions felt very well thought out. Fuego hits his dives, and then spends a minute back in the ring getting the crowd into it, and Ephesto just walks back in and starts doing his offense. I'm just not sure what all was supposed to be accomplished here. It wasn't so much a bad match, as it was a boring match.

Mercurio, Pequeno Olimpico & Pequeno Warrior vs. Stukita, Acero & Pequeno Halcon

This is a pretty deep cut as far as CMLL minis trios go. Acero, Stukita, etc. aren't usually the guys that pop up on TV. In fact I'm pretty positive I have never seen Stukita. He's really tiny. Not like Mascarita Dorada tiny, but tiny as in he looks like an in-shape 13 yr old. His moves don't really have much oomph to them (his triple moonsaults look pillow soft, hard to look that impactful when you're 80 lb.), but he has a lot of energy and the crowd gets loud when he gets crazy distance on a dive and he ties Mercurio up into a cool knot to end the segunda. Warrior and Olimpico were awesome dickhead rudos, and Warrior had a cool slingshot Bombs Away to the floor. Not as spectacular as some minis matches can be, as none of the rudos are really monster bumpers and none of the tecnicos are really spectacular fliers, but this was a fun deep cut minis sighting.

Terrible, Vangellys & Rey Bucanero vs. La Mascara, Titan & Diamante Azul

Man where's the fire guys? I don't think all three falls even totaled 8 minutes. Everything was rushed through and while the work was good it was pretty impossible to get that invested when things just kept ending. Titan and Azul seemed confused how to take Vangelly's clothesline/spear (it's basically him doing a sliding clothesline to his opponent's stomach) as the both take the impact of the move and then kind of jump into a back bump after a delay, basically making it look like a real phony takedown. Terrible threw some good punches throughout and his work with Mascara was fun. Titan has a not-very-good split legged moonsault which of course means he did it a couple times. He over-rotates and lands heavy on his ankles. Bucanero caught a fun headscissors on the floor from Titan, and flew into an older lady in the front row, who consoled his pain with a hug. Bucanero also asked a foxy younger lady to rub out a painful spot on his backside, which she (half-heartedly) obliged.  

Negro Casas, Rey Escorpion & Mr. Niebla vs. Maximo, Atlantis & Marco Corleone

This match was awesome and would be a MOTY if it were a little longer with a better ending. Negro Casas is just so great in smaller arenas, really hamming it up and it's just impossible to take your eyes off him. He stooges his way all around the ring and ringside, ducking Corleone's punches in hilarious manner, and spilling out awesomely when they connect. Maximo hits his massive dive, Corleone punches tons of people in the face (Escorpion especially takes a great stoogey bump off the ropes from one after taunting Marco). This is all well worth going out of your way just to bask in all the joy of Negro Casas being Negro Casas. This man can do it all.