2017 Ongoing MOTY List: Villano Familia v. Black Terry and the Boys

51. Black Terry/Demonio Infernal/Diablo Jr. v. Villano IV/Kortiz/Villano III Jr. IWRG 5/3

PAS: This was a good old fashioned smash a head into a beer cooler Arena Naucalpan brawl. Villano III Jr. is a little green and a little slight for a Villano but I though he had good energy and he and Terry really went after each other. This was worked as local rudos vs. invading rudos which is always a fun lucha trope. The little moments of VIV and Terry brawling were sublime, at one point Terry starts bleeding and Villano IV just goes after that cut with a true bit of nasty focus. Kortiz looks virtually indistinguishable from a classic Villano, slightly different outfit but otherwise he would fit right in a UWA match in the 90s. The only downside of this match was a weirdly blown finish with Villano IV rolling up Terry but Terry clearly kicking out before three, no idea whether the ref just missed it, or it was supposed to be a weird rudo ref thing, it was deflating though. Otherwise this was well worth watching.

ER: The odds are pretty good that if a match literally opens with Black Terry and a Villano punching each other on the floor, that I'm going to like the match. And guess what? I liked the match. This was my first time seeing Villano III Jr., and he had a couple kinks (if you can't throw a decent back elbow, don't throw one at Terry, as he will demonstrate how to strike) and he's real lanky, like no Villano you've ever seen (compared to Kortiz, who may as well have been Villano V, just the same exact shape, even his face looks similar through his mask), but he takes some big bumps (that backwards flip bump into the crowd is quite the crazy lucha bump to be turning into a common bump) and he does have certain "Villano" things down like that "left left left right" strike combo, and I liked his kicks. He doesn't spam superkicks or anything, he just had solid "normal" kicks. That's a good sign for his future work. Diablo is getting better literally every match I see him, Kortiz too. They're becoming guys I need to seek out whenever they make tape. But if you're watching this, you're probably watching it to see Terry and V4 mix it up, and they certainly mix it up. As I said, the file literally starts with them punching each other, and they kinda stay at each other's throats for the first two falls. Terry gets buster open quick and bleeds the way Terry bleeds, scraps with everyone throughout the match, and Villano looks as badass as ever. V4 has slowed down a bit but throws some great strikes, barrels through dudes with a mean western lariat, really works like a bully. Finish of the match is total horse apples, with Terry kicking out well before the 3 but the ref counting anyway. Laaaaaame. The ref didn't even seem like he was working lucha heel ref, just looked like he kept counting and stubbornly stuck to his guns. In a year of lousy finishes, this might be the worst. Still, enjoy the journey and all that, there was tons of gold to be found.


2017 MOTY MASTER LIST

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2017 Ongoing MOTY List: Five Match Fighters

1. Demonio Infernal v. Aramis v. Black Dragon v. Freelance v. Arana De Plata IWRG 1/22/17

PAS: This is a five match fighters match, which is basically a free for all for crazy nutsos to do crazy shit. Freelance was a favorite from the IWRG glory days, but hasn't looked good in the last couple of years, he was back to his insane self here, multiple crazy dives into the crowd, a flip Fuerza bump to the floor, a couple of cool armdrags, the whole Freelance package. Out of the guys I hadn't seen before, I really liked Aramis, in addition to dives and bumps he also had a nice looking headbutt and nifty leglock. Total popcorn match, but tasty popcorn.


ER: Super fun spotfest with 5 guys, but only 2 in the ring at any given time. I liked everybody in this, but there were some standouts. Black Dragon was wearing by far the least Black of everyone in this match, but he bumped huge and took the brunt on several dives (including a moonsault from Freelance that sent both over the barrier faster than you'd want). Freelance brought the big crowd dives including a match closing sky high flip dive onto everybody in the seats, and that flip bump to the floor, like a head first Fuerza, was nuts. Arana de Plata hit some smooth timing based spots, and then peaking with a killer high speed flipping tope through dudes and into seats. There was a lot of dudes going into the crowd and into the seats. Aramis was really great glue, and a match like this is like Charley and Humphrey, it's gonna need lots of glue. He ties things together with great timing, tight strikes (the headbutt Phil mentions is a nice surprise) and gives the match some grounding. I love this kind of junk food.


2017 MOTY MASTER LIST

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