CMLL Super Viernes Preview: The Road to...Something
For Chester.
What a weird ass day sports fans. Chester Bennington sadly died. O.J. is on the loose again. Definitely two things I wasn’t expecting to react to when I woke up this morning. Thus I felt like there needed to be a third unexpected thing in my life today; hence why I’m doing another CMLL Super Viernes preview. In fairness, tomorrow’s show is pretty big, and by pretty big I mean it features two matches that heavily feature two of my favorite people in lucha libre. Combined with everything else going on and it felt like a nice bit of normalcy to write this column this evening. So with that, let’s get to the predicting. Moses, dry them eyes and meme.
Blue Panther Jr. & The Panther vs. Puma & Tiger
What to Expect: I guess last week’s opener was so bad that CMLL actually decided to try with this week’s. Thank Grodd cause this match, while done to death, is a significant upgrade compared to watching Star Jr.’s soul slowly die. The only things you need to concern yourself with here are a) how much these two teams decide to do that they’ve done the other 9,000 times they’ve worked each other and b) whether the first match restrictions hold them back. And honestly I don’t see those as major roadblocks. At the end of the day Puma and Tiger are way too good to let any restrictions hold them back, while Panther and Junior are the perfect unit to hang with them. Look for this to be a really fun start to the show, and maybe even a Match of the Evening contender if things go south in some of the later matches.
Winners: Seeing as the night is going to be a downer for the Panther family after this, I’m thinking Junior and Panther are walking out victorious here. Look for a three fall victory after Junior submits Tiger with Nudo Lagunero and Panther nails Puma with a Frog Splash.
Lightning Match
Blue Panther vs. Sam Adonis
What to Expect: Dare I say the biggest second match in CMLL this year? I mean sure, there’s a shit ton of CMLL to keep track of so I may be forgetting something, but I can’t imagine it gets much bigger than a second match that may turn into an Anniversary Show co-headliner. You’re gorram right we’re on our way to that folks. I was fairly confident of that before last week when Sam and Blue Panther were doing a subtle, but really heated callback to Blue Panther’s huge feud with “Love Machine” Art Barr back in the 90’s. Then Sam came out last week in a “Love Machine” mask, set Arena Mexico (and Vampiro’s head) on fire and now I’m double secret sure CMLL is trying to make this Panther-Love Machine 2017. The only thing’s missing is Sam hitting a Frog Splash on Panther while screaming “THAT’S MADE IN AMERICA!” while Arena Mexico burns like a forest fire from all the heat. In fact, here’s a live look of what it’ll be like.
Now you may be asking this; why is CMLL doing this match now when they could be saving it for the Anniversary Show or whatever big show they’re having it on? Two words; test run. CMLL loves to do this with feuds they have plans for (look at Dragón Lee-La Máscara and Rey Rey Buc-Super Crazy from last year), so it comes to no surprise they’d do it again here. Regardless of what it is, I’m really looking forward to it. There is no foreign wrestler in Mexico right now hotter than Sam Adonis; he’s easily one of the most over rudos in Arena Mexico and he seems to get heat from the crowd and other wrestlers just by smiling. He won’t be afraid of this stage and he’ll have the crowd into it everything the moment he walks out, while Blue Panther is just the creative genius to put together an intriguing match that gets more heat for this feud and gets the most out of Sam (who’s already really good anyway). I don’t expect they’ll give away the whole farm, but they’ll do enough here that the crowd will get super into this and the match will be pretty good. All that will be left after is the press conference to set up the match, the massive turnout that causes some fans to be turned away ala Panther-Love Machine and the inevitable huge match a few years from now where Adonis and Aiden English lose their hair to Santo Jr. and Octagón Jr.
Winner: There will be no winner. That’s right; I’m going with a draw folks. A risky pick considering Valiente and Gran Guerrero just had a really good Lightning Match draw a few Tuesdays ago, but I like the idea of these guys getting as much time as possible, going to the wire and no one getting the win. It allows Panther to still seek revenge and gives Sam (who probably has had enough of the veteran already in kayfabe) a reason to want to pursue a hair match. So I say this ends with a ten minute draw where the two brawl afterwards as the crowd goes nuts. You heard it here first!
Carístico, Diamante Azul, Marco Corleone vs. Kráneo, Pierroth, Rush
What to Expect: Poor Pierroth; one week ago he was in a hair match that no one will even remember in two weeks. Now he’s stuck in the third match once again feuding with Diamante Azul while Rush takes it easy and Kráneo proves himself to be the most motivated, competent rudo in this match. Seriously sports fans; don’t get your hopes up here. I know Marco is hanging around and Carístico will do a cool thing or two, but the chances are this match will begin with the rudos gang attacking, followed by a long period of boring brawling before one of the technicos makes a comeback to mercifully end it. The only thing to look forward to is the potential appearance of “La Sombra” and I’m pretty sure that storyline is deader than Jack Huston’s career following the release of the Ben-Hur remake. Someday someone will need to explain to me why anyone thought that remake was a good idea.
Winners: The technicos win by DQ in two falls after Diamante or Carístico is unmasked. Unfortunately it’ll feel like it was five falls to us all. Let’s just hope that this setting up a brief angle and not a prelude to Diamante Azul vs. Rush at the Anniversary Show. Oh Grodd, that’s what they’re doing isn’t it? WHY PACO WHY?!
Copa Natalia Vazquez
Marcela vs. Dalys, Estrellita, Amapola, Silueta, Zeuxis, Princesa Sugehit, La Vaquerita, La Comandante, Sanely, Metálica, Skadi, La Seductora, Lady Maravilla
What to Expect: Let’s do some history here so my Twitter mentions aren’t full of “who the hell is Natalia Vasquez?” questions. As best I can tell, Vasquez is considered by many wrestling historians to be the first ever luchadora, as well as a possible associate of women’s wrestling pioneer Mildred Burke. That’s pretty much all the info out there and all the info CMLL needs to have this cibernetico honoring her memory. Thus, here we are with the biggest luchadora’s match since CMLL stuck them all in a cage this past December. Hopefully we have a better match and a result that has me going like this.
Honestly, I’m thinking we will be getting better here. Of the fourteen luchadoras in this match, only La Seductora is completely useless with Estrellita only being kept from that tier because she can hit a dive here and there. The rest of the field features flawed workers who show flashes (Sanely, Metálica), a luchadora who can look impressive and dangerous all in one sequence (Skadi), luchadoras who can be good with the right opponents (Vaquerita, Comandante), a bunch of reliable vets (Marcela, Dalys, Amapola, Princesa Sugehit) and three of the better luchadoras in Mexico today (Zeuxis, Silueta and newcomer Lady Maravilla). Sure CMLL might’ve been better off putting La Jarochita in here over Seductora and good Grodd do most of us wish Keira was here, but other than that the field is good enough that I think they can pull off a pretty good match here. Plus, you just know this is the type of match where Zeuxis, Silueta, Sugehit and Maravilla are going to want to strut their stuff, especially since Maravilla is looking to prove herself in her first match, Silueta is looking to get booked more and Sugehit and Zeuxis are in the middle of an epic feud that just won’t end. I look for them to carry this match to the Promised Land, I look for everyone else to do their jobs and in the end I think this will be better than most people think. Now that I’ve said this, Zeuxis will be eliminated early on and Seductora will be in the final four, leading to me being arrested for rioting in the Smithfield Crossings.
Winner: You know where this one is going sports fans…or do you? Obviously I never, EVER bet against the Queen of Lucha Libre, and the fact that Zeuxis and Sugehit are likely to be the last two in this match gives me all the ammunition to pick Zeuxis and be right (as per usual). Here’s the thing though; if Zeuxis were to win this match that would seemingly point to her LOSING her mask against Sugehit when they have the inevitable Apuesta match. So wouldn’t it make sense to go with Sugehit here, thus reverse jinxing it so Zeuxis wins the bigger match? You know what…nope! The Queen is so good that she could win this match, and then defeat stereotypical wrestling booking to unmask Sugehit and send her packing to a lifetime of reminiscing with Sarah Stock while she puts over Nia Jax every other week. In other words, Zeuxis beats Sugehit here to win the trophy, make the crowd go crazy and set up the big Apuesta match for sometime in the next few months. It pays to be loyal folks; it pays to be loyal.
Dragón Lee, Niebla Roja, Volador Jr. vs. Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero
What to Expect: Big ups to CMLL; not only are they building up a big rivalry with the second match of the night, not only are they building up a rivalry in the semi-main (if everything falls into place), but they’re building up yet another rivalry in this match here. CMLL with three big rivalries all getting equal amounts of build at the same time (and potentially four if something happens in the third match)? When did Chris DeJoseph and Eric Van Wagenen drug Paco and take over?! Unfortunately, more build up means less of a chance for this match to be really good, which is sad considering everyone here is pretty damn good. Maybe CMLL will go nuts and allow these guys to just deliver the goods while also building Roja-UG some more? Hey, I wouldn’t have thought CMLL would’ve ever had three decent storylines all at once, and look what’s happening. Stranger things have happened sports fans; stranger things have happened.
Winners: This depends on whether CMLL is planning on doing a really big show soon (in which case this match would be the perfect headliner) or wants to save this for the Anniversary Show main event. If it’s the latter, this match will end in three falls with UG low blowing Roja, Roja making a challenge and UG laughing it off. If it’s the former, then I’m thinking Roja wins this match, UG has no choice but to accept the challenge and next Wednesday JCR is hosting a press conference to announce the big August show. Which will it be? I’m going with the former; Roja-UG is a big match, but not an Anniversary Show headliner. Thus Roja will win here, challenges will be issued and we’ll be off on the road to…whatever CMLL is calling the August show. I’d go with Juicio Final; good things happen at shows with that name!
And scene. Hope you enjoyed sports fans. I’m off till tomorrow, where I’ll be doing a running diary of the Super Viernes show and may be back in the afternoon with an article about why LU needs to drop AAA and delete their phone number. Or something like that. Till then, THIS!
