CMLL Super Viernes: Today Was a Good Day
Good lord, I think I may need to go on vacation now. CMLL Super Viernes is in the books and the show was frankly pretty good overall, and yet somehow it took me almost two hours to find just the right things to say to describe it. The lesson as always; never say you’re going to die trying to do an impossible task. You will die and you will not complete it. But enough about me come next Friday evening; it’s time to look back at what was a really good lucha libre show. Moses, you give memes a bad name. I know it makes no sense, just go with it!
Demus 3:16 & Mercurio defeated Shockercito & Stukita two falls to one
I think this may have been the worst match of the night, which is saying something considering this match was better than some of the Match of the Evenings on many a CMLL show this year. The issue early on, oddly enough, was the reason to be excited for this match; Stukita. Whatever the reason for his layoff, I thought it took him a little bit to get going and get his timing back. Once he did he looked exactly like his old self, and thankfully he was aided by an exceptional performance from Shockercito, who flew around as fast and as crisp as many of the luchadors higher up the card tonight. Points must go to the rudos as well; they weren’t flashy and at times were a bit clunky, but I liked Mercurio’s rudo antics, Demus was effective in the short spurts he was given (including an excellent top rope splash that helped the rudos secure the second fall) and both hit two wicked finishes to end the match. Hell that Demus move; I’m pretty sure that was an Angel Wings and a Butterfly Piledriver rolled into one. How Stukita’s head did go Oberyn Martell on him after that is beyond me.
Disturbio, Skándalo, Virus defeated Hombre Bala Jr., Pegasso, Soberano Jr. two falls to none
Somehow this match only went two falls and yet was probably the most underrated match of the night. And that’s with Skándalo being allowed to do stuff! The key to the success was threefold; a) a whole lot of Virus against the technicos, Disturbio absolutely cleaning up with a better than expected performance and, believe it or not, Pegasso. The kid has the ability, but he’s been wildly inconsistent and sloppy in his last few matches. Not so tonight; they started him off with Virus and in the end I think that was the absolute best thing for his confidence. I mean unless there’s something else to explain the moment of the match where Pegasso ARM DRAGGED DISTURBIO OFF THE APRON AND ONTO THE FLOOR! That might’ve been the best spot I’ve seen in awhile, and it more than made up for the fact that Soberano and Bala were basically used here as rudo punching bags. Although I guess that could be a good thing considering Virus and Soberano interacted a whole lot and Virus got the surprising win for the rudos in the second fall by pinning Soberano. Does this mean a potential feud between them? Are they bound for a mask vs. hair match at the now confirmed second big CMLL show in September? Let the record show that I’m all for this. In fact I’d trade the opportunity for a Dune remake and season two of Stranger Things to make that happen. Wait a minute…nope never mind, totally would do it.
Dragón Rojo Jr., Pólvora, Rey Escorpión defeated Ángel de Oro, Guerrero Maya Jr., Titán two falls to one
I knew this match would be good going in; I didn’t know it would be this good. Mother of puss bucket, if this wasn’t the Match of the Evening for you than we must’ve been watching different shows. Nothing against every other match on this card (like I said, there wasn’t a bad match on the show), but this match had everything you wanted and more. It was basically a barrage of nonstop action, high flying and intensity, spurred on by the Guerrero Maya-Dragon Rojo feud and the fact that all six of these guys most definitely had a chip on their shoulder. I can’t say anything bad about anything that happened in this match; well beyond the fact that a) Guerrero Maya nearly killed himself with a stupendously awesome suicide senton dive and b) Titán may have been seriously hurt taking a Rey Escorpión Package Piledriver that ended the match (Escorpión by the way; as great as advertised. I know, what else is new?). Best wishes to Titán there; that was a hard hit he took and it looked serious enough that paramedics had to come out and take him away on a stretcher. Hopefully he’s okay, and he can get back to having matches in the Super J Cup and more trios matches like this one.
Lightning Match
Rey Bucanero defeated Súper Crazy by DQ
If not for a change of booking this would’ve been the fourth straight rudo victory of the evening, which unbelievably would’ve been fine because this show was just so damn fun. Instead CMLL went a different way and actually pulled off a double turn, with Crazy turning rudo by fouling Bucanero and then taunting the crowd after the match, followed by Bucanero rallying the fans around him. That was pretty shocking; even more shocking was that it worked. I know; CMLL doing a double turn and doing it successfully?
As for the actual match, your enjoyment will depend largely on how you felt about the pace. Those looking for a typical fast paced lucha will be disappointed; neither Bucanero nor Crazy were ever able to get to top speed and neither looked to be in the shape to get into top speed at the moment (and I doubt they will be come a few weeks). But I felt the match overcame that thanks to the effort of both guys, especially from Bucanero; I take it he’s been listening to the people critiquing his performances recently because he went all out here with several big dives, including a nice Wagner esq Diving Senton off the stage and a rolling senton to Super Crazy onto the stage. Whether he was motivated by the critics or by the technico turn, this is exactly the type of performance Bucanero needed to show going into the big match at the Anniversary Show and he did just that. Props to him and props to Super Crazy for doing enough to keep us interested for the main course coming up.
Atlantis, Stuka Jr., Valiente defeated Cavernario, Gran Guerrero, Mr. Niebla two falls to one
Pretty much exactly how I expected this match to go, only they did actually pair everyone up with the right partner (Atlantis/Niebla, Valiente/Cavernario and Stuka/Guerrero) and the crowd got really into it once the rudos started targeting Atlantis’ mask. I suppose that begs the question as to why CMLL isn’t pushing another Atlantis mask vs. mask match as the main event this year but…yeah let’s just ignore that before someone’s feelings get hurt. Really the only other thing to say about this match is that Gran Guerrero was absolutely superb. I’ve never been unimpressed with the youngest of the Guerrero clan, but he was definitely on his game tonight, dare I say the best he’s even been (his best moment being a deadly Death Valley Driver into the turnbuckle that gave the rudos fall one). If nothing else, that’s a wonderful sign for the Anniversary Show Trios Championship match that already looked like the Match of the Evening before Gran went off here.
Dragón Lee, Mistico, Volador Jr. defeated Euforia, La Máscara, Último Guerrero two falls to one
They actually went a different route with this match than I expected, allowing Mascara and Lee to actually go at it quite a bit, with the Guerrero’s largely serving as Mascara’s sidekicks while Mistico and Volador were all but nonexistent until the final fall. Hell I’d forgotten Mistico was even in the match until he got into the ring during the second fall to get beaten down by all three rudos. That’s not how you treat friends of this column CMLL!
Even despite that, this match turned out to be very entertaining and featured what I feel is the best La Mascara performance to date. I’m still not thrilled that he and Dragon Lee were chosen to close the Anniversary Show, but you can tell Mascara is giving it his all to try and live up to expectations. I thought he worked a really nice stiff style tonight and for once, CMLL actually allowed him to have time to work the crowd into what he was doing, something that has really hurt his matches in the past few months with the likes of Negro Casas. That coupled with Dragon Lee showing just enough not only really helped this match, but I think it really helped to sell people on a match that, aside from the ascension of the ultra talented Lee, has been a really hard sell. And hey, thankfully the UG, Euforia and the Sky Team duo were allowed to do stuff too as the match went along, with Mistico and Volador eventually connecting on some great dives and Volador at one point going so fast he looked like a blur. In short, you can’t ask for more than what this match gave us; it had some good action and it gave us enough glimpses of the two biggest matches at the Anniversary Show to get us excited.
That’ll do it kids; I’m off to watch the rest of Stranger Things so my friend Henry can stop nagging me about it. Till next time, a look into a classic love story between a man and a bottle of orange soda.
Like this article? Like Lucha Libre? Like me?! Head on over to the cool dudes at LuchaShop.com, enter in the code LTERIC and get some gear of your favorite CMLL stars! How chill is that?
