2017 Ongoing MOTY List: Maestros in Monterrey

77. Black Terry/Negro Navarro v. Satanico/Blue Panther ERLL 3/19

PAS: Classic Maestros wrestling with a pair of UWA legends facing off against a pair of CMLL all timers. This goes almost 20 minutes, and is one fall so they really get a chance to stretch out and show their stuff.  We get a great long Terry v. Satanico mat battle, including some cool leg stretch attempts by Satanico. Then we get an even better, even longer Panther v. Navarro section, which is mostly worked on their feet as they exchange cool variations and counters out of standing wrist locks. Finish is the mat equivalent of a highspot train with one guy putting on a submission on his opponent only to be broken up by his partner putting on a submission. Navarro here breaks out a crazy leglock which should have been an all time legendary submission finisher, but he just throws out on a whim. The standup and rope running sections didn't look as smooth (Panther is the baby in this match at 57), but the grappling is still amazing. Really liked the finish too, with Satanico and Terry eliminating themselves on a double pin, we get some more Panther v. Navarro, they actually tease the double pin again (which is the finish for 75% of these Maestro matches) only to have Panther catch Navarro with a Fujiwara armbar.


ER: I remember seeing this match was happening but didn't actually know that it made tape, so that's a nice surprise. It's filmed with a weird lens so it makes it feel like you're watching a bunch of old legends through the peephole of your front door, but I'll deal. This was nice and spirited and better than I was expecting, and I just love watching all these men doing their thing. I absolutely loved Panther in this, and his segments with Navarro were probably my favorite maestro moments of 2017. Their standing exchanges and rolling were really cool and felt fresh, filled with things that should be stolen by guys half their age. I always think their slightly slowed down bodies work better for these kind of moments, that slower, older lucha grace adds a little heft to armdrags and roll throughs. Panther had tons of cool smooth moves, loved when he rolled through a wristlock, then sprang backwards to grab Navarro's wrist and throw him, it looked like a trippy breaking move. Later when Panther is opposite Terry, Terry has a brief timing flub, and instead of awkwardly regrouping Panther just rushes him and starts choking him. Thinking on the fly and covering for your dance partner has to be incredibly difficult to do, and it's a real skill to immediately know what to cover for. Satanico and Terry fighting over ankles was great, Satanico takes a great tumble to the floor late in the match, and once I saw Navarro bridge Panther into a pin I totally bought the false finish. I'm glad we got the definitive Panther tapping him finish instead. Panther deserved the win with such a great performance.


2017 MOTY MASTER LIST

COMPLETE AND ACCURATE BLACK TERRY