CMLL Line - 05/05/02 (32)

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

For Those Joining Us In Progress: As you probably already know, the only airing of new lucha each week has been bumped to Saturday, 1PM CST. I wonder what this will mean, as far as soccer pre-emptions (we're surely losing something when the World Cup comes around) but I guess we'll see what happens when it happens. On the upside, they had captioining this week (a very good job of it - obviously done in advance and keeping pace with what's sad) which helped me get a little better idea of what's going on. (I make up words better reading them then hearing them, you see.) But that's not all - they ran one year old lucha in the same timeslot on Sunday (1PM CST) - though I didn't notice it till well too late. It's scheduled to be on next week - maybe I'll tape some of it and save it for a rainy day.

Thanks to: Robert Ortega for the original format.

Vignette: Emilio and Dr. Wagner eat at the restaurant of masks and discuss teaming up for the next match. They're gonna eat their opponets just like they're gonna eat this food. 

Notes: Surprisingly, both sides wait for the whistle to start - then the rudos take control for the beatdown. They seemed to be building to Wagner/Jalisco early - maybe a new title feud? We totally miss Casas getting pinned the first time, but catch it on the replays (while the rudos continue the slow, methodical, uninteresting) beatdown. The comeback is started by - Negro Casas, when Rayo holds hi off a whip. So I guess it's more started by Rayo. Rayo spent a while trying to tear Wagner's mask off. And then we settled into a normal match before we got the second fall. Bestia's chops looked very hard and then Casas's boot look hard, and then there was another dropkick that clearly missed because the guy was overselling. Faces control the individual encounters in the final fall. Weird cut goes from Rayo dominating Wanger to Rayo on the mat with Wagner going for (and missing) a senton. 

In between the first and second falls, we get a Vignette: Atlantis starts to cut a promo for the kids show on 4/30, but is interrupted by Dr. Wagner, who promises to be there as well.

Vignette:  

Notes: Tecincos try to rush the rudos, but when you count in all the people who are there but not wrestling (Violencia, Fuerza Boricua, Pierroth, both midgets) it wasn't that smart of an idea. Rudos take control. Markus' hair is now brown. Violencia and the minis head to the back eventually. Total domination by the Boricuas, with a triple boot and a nice double whip into Veneno's boot too. The fight goes on in between falls, with no real change. It continues into the second fall, with Veneno and Poder battling up the ramp, Poder losing his mask somewhere along the line. Violencia and the midgets jump Poder when he tries to go backstage for another mask. Markus makes his comeback in the ring, but we see only bits and pieces as we flip back and forth between the ring and the back - it's obvious that stuff is getting cut out. I believe Mexico was eliminated just so they'd have free reign to beat up on Markus, and they do. Referees arrive to break up the beatdown in the back just as the battle in the front ends. Pierroth talks.  

Vignette: GdI talks up their match against Mascara Magica and company. They don't like any of the three they're facing, but they are the best trio in Mexico so they're in good shape.

Notes: I think they want this looked as a rudo/rudo battle, the way they list it, but c'mon. Rey's right shoulder is heavily taped. 

GdI strip the Professionals of their outfits before they even hit the ring, and the beatdown is on. Ultimo works over Satanico in the ring as the other four work on the apron. Tarzan Boy takes special care to rip all of Shocker's clothes to shreds. Action slows as they take their time getting Shocker in the ring, then don't do anything special with him. Magica gets kicked right in the face by Ultimo. Satanico in, Satanico out. Magica gets a Total Elimination variant from Ultimo and Rey, then is whipped up into a boot. Legdrop/senton combo by Tarzan and Rey. Satanico in, and he gets a double suplex into a powerbomb, double elbow drop and out. Shocker's turn, double hiptoss into a faceslam and a double armbar. Replays. 

GdI dance! Magica tries to start a comeback but there are one of him and three of them, so it doesn't last too long. He gets 3 corner clotheslines. Satanico gets a triple boot. Shocker turns the tide when Tarzan Boy puts his head down too soon, but luckily for the rest of the team, they've left the ring. Tarzan Boy gets triple teamed with clotheslines, and then the other two are taken care off, as the Professionals hold the ring for a while. Magica and Satanico hit a double dropkick on Tarzan Boy and Shocker follows up with a suicide plancha. As his teammates get their wins in the win, Shocker gives Tarzan Boy the bulldog on the outside. Replays.

Fall three starts with Rey and MM. Push, push back. Rey with open hand slaps, celebrate, Magica with open hand slaps, armdrag takedown. Exchange of counters, and Rey hits the hard kicks to the chest - but Magica catches one after a celebration and hits his own series. Ultimo is into break it up with hard chops. Whip, clothesline misses, Magica's is blocked, Ultimo tries a side slam but Magica flips out, Ultimo's clothesline is ducked, Magica charges and manages to hit an armdrag into a headscissors. Tarzan dives in and misses a clothesline - he begs off of Magica, and Magica thinks thinks and backs off - Tarzan charges once MM turns his back, and MM ducks, Tarzan Boy flying out of the ring on his own. Ultimo and Satanico in now - Satanico gets the crowd pumped and then they have a discussion. Then an exchange of strikes, with no one really getting the advantage - battle to the ropes, and Ultimo tries for an armdrag but it's escaped and Satanico hits his own. Satanico off the ropes but gets a drop toe hold by Ultimo, whip, clothesline by Satanico. Ultimo with a big boot to knock him out, but Satanico pulls Ultimo out when he tries to taunt and kicks him on the floor. Shocker and Tarzan Boy in. Circle. Exchange of open hand slaps - Shocker manages an overhead belly to belly suplex. Shocker tries to follow with an elbow drop but Tarzan Boy moves, then takes a moment to point to his head. Tarzan with a slap, celebration, charge backdropped to the apron, right is blocked and Shocker gives him a Stunner over the ropes. Ultimo and Rey and attacking - double whip, double clothesline is too high, Ultimo flips Shocker up in the air the next time by and he 'ranas Rey, sliding him out of the ring. Ultimo with a whip, but Shocker manages a bodyscissors armdrag. Shocker teases a dive, but just messes with GdI's time. 

On the outside, Rey asks for a time out- not getting it, he comes in the ring to face Shocker. Rey with an chop, and that cues everyone to come in - Tarzan Boy works over Shocker as the other two take the Professional out of of the ring. Double back elbow for Magica, then a hold for a big clothesline by Tarzan Boy that takes them both out. Satanico gets a corner whip, a corner clothesline, then loaded up top for Ultimo to drop him on his head, but Shocker is over to break it up before it can happen. Ultimo tells Rey to take care of Satanico while he disposes of Shocker, and he does with a mighty shoulderblock. Before Ultimo can finish off Shocker, Magica grabs him by the leg and pull him out. Shocker's quickly back up and stops to give a big boot to Tarzan Boy before going to help Satanico again. Shocker pushes Rey in the back, Rey starts to fall off the turnbuckle to the floor so he grabs a hold of Satanico, but then they're both almost falling upside down to the floor, except the manage to hook their legs around the ropes. Rey falls to the floor in a safe fashion - Satanico dives off the apron with a flying suicide hipcheck for Ultimo. Back in the ring, Magica's hit something we could call a Flatliner on Tarzan Boy. Rey tries to climb back on the apron, but Shocker nails him with a running suicide tope that takes both men to the floor. Back in the ring, Magica's got Tarzan Boy up - spinning over the shoulder back breaker locked on, and Tarzan Boy doesn't last long. Magica celebrates his revenge. Replays.

Post match, Magica declares himself guapo, Shocker questions GdI being the best, and Satanico offers a hair vs hair or mask match to any one who will take it - he's #1. Ultimo reminds Magica that he doesn't have his mask any more.  

Spectacular Moments - lots of good stuff this week. And then there's Giant Silva squashing the non-Singh Japanese guys with a splash. Averno's no hands somersault tope is the best.

Vignette: Evil smoky basement! Who's the guy we don't get a good look at? Apolo is hanging with them again - they're sure that it'll work this time, four on three. The Guy I Don't Know starts bringing up Gran Markus and Veneno - huh? The captioning spells it "Taquemura" just to be funny

Notes: Takemura does not have a cowboy coat/hat, which is vastly disappointing. I want team unity. 2 Meters and 30 Centimeters! Being a Giant  match, this is one fall. I think they decided that Gigante sounded better after Singh used it. Or maybe he's been upgraded. No one wants to wrestle Silva, which makes sense. I think Apolo is actually letting his hair come back. Lizmark gets beat up instead - Takemura with the fearsome illegal noggie. Niebla gets the beatdown treatment too. This is my second favorite opening beatdown of the show. Again Silva in and everyone else out. Apolo doesn't get to escape and it looks like he's gonna actually fight. Apolo tries to think tall, then act strong. Predictable results. Apolo gets the advantage with Silva misses a clothesline and ends up outside. That just annoys Silva so more more. Oh not the bearhug. Silva gets a nearfall with s plash on Universo, but everyone else comes into beat him down. Silva does one of those action move fight scene "everyone's beating me down, but I'm so strong I'll push everyone away with one mighty surge" bits. Then he has a slow motion chase with Takemura - who tries to use a front row fan as protection, but the fan ain't going for it. He gets beaten down, Cien over to get beat down. Finnaly I think we're moving on to another match up. Lizmark is okay. He works in the Rock Bottom, but no Spin-a-roonie. Niebla dances and some time fights too. Universo takes a monkey flip to the floor, then Niebla hits the nice flipping through the ropes suicide senton. Apolo works over Lizmark for a while to Lizmark comes back - powerbomb! Two powerbombs! I think I'd get into this match if it wasn't a Silva match. Cien and Takemura double team Lizmark for a bit - they do a double whip, but they're not thinking the same double move - Cien sets up for a double flapjack while Takemura hits a big boot then realizes what he's supposed to be doing. That was funny. Silva spears Takemura, which is so deal we watch a replay. Silva with a lame apron jump. Niebla and Universo battle but Universo quickly accident bumps the referees - his top rope splash misses, and Niebla hooks in the the Nieblina, but Apolo is (illegally, but outside of refs view) in to break it up - Universo with the crucifix for the win. Replays.

Silva challenges Apolo to a singles match, but Apolo makes the "he's CRAZY" hand motion. Apolo says no. Silva challenges again. Universo challenges back - himself and Apolo against Silva. Silva accepts. So that's the match for next week. Yay.

Next Week: Negro Casas, Silva, Shocker, Mascara Magica, Satanico, Apolo Dantes, Gran Markus, Universo 2000, Killer, and more. 

As they say goodbye, we can see Silva start to chase off the rudos - but Takemura get caught and beat up some. That's it.

Rating: Bases on the quality of the finish, ring work, internal/external storyline, consistency and my whims. Also, various other (random) factors that I can't think of right now. 0-100 for matches.

Closing Notes: 

1. You know what would be scary? A Giant Silva chase of the CMLL Heavyweight Title
2. Niebla going for it wouldn't be half bad.
3. It would have rocked if they took five minutes out of the Giant Silva match and gave it to the GdI/Satanico/Shocker/Magica match
4. But they didn't.
5. I really don't have five things to say.