CMLL Line - 06/15/02 (38)

The story going around is that CMLL got pre-empted on Televisa by a golf tournament (no really), so there was nothing for Galavision to edit down for the US. BUT, we missed a week of tapings so I'm gonna skip ahead an episode number just to be sure.

Thanks to: Robert Ortega for the original format.

Vignette: Poder Boricua and Mr. Mexico look for a Truck they were supposed to meet. Gran Markus pops out from inside - apparently, he's rethought this whole partnership with the Capos, and figured out that he should've been teaming with these two people. Mr. Mexico points to the Bulldog tattoo on his bicep and declares he's the real Bulldog.

Notes: Veneno and Nitro "sneak" down the aisle to detect any enemy attack before the rest of the troops get there. Veneno's way too much into it. Bulldog, as you might recall, is some big fat white guy - he's got a black and yellow (Pierroth's color scheme) mask and is with the Boricuas. I think the ring announcer actually calls them the Commandos - how odd. Mass beatdown before introductions are finished which makes it hard to figure out who's the odd man out here but I think we eventually settle on Nitro. Boricuas threaten to pull Poder's mask but do not. 

As a CMLL Father's Day gift, we get bumpers of valets wearing little and saying something (not that anyone's paying attention to what they're saying)

Beatdown continues between falls. Violencia will forever have that shoulder brace on, but he's gotten in a color that blends well. Bulldog seems fatter than Markus, but we haven't got the one on one yet. This match is so exciting, I think we miss where Markus turns the tide. But then it's tilt-a-whirl backbreakers crazy. Yep, Bulldog is taller and fatter than Markus. Bulldog can't do much, he's not even really selling here. He's not taking bumps - there's a bodyslam and Poder finishes him off. Mr. Mexico makes his face.

Markus side does the 3 on 1 beatdown for the third fall. Bulldog doesn't really know how to sell the chops and then he has no idea what he's supposed to be doing with Markus and doesn't sell any of it. I'm not trying to be mean here ( I think) but he's really not good at all here. Violencia comes in to save us from this and the match moves on. Poder with an okay tope that the crowd doesn't seem to care about. Mr. Mexico with an okay pescado. We get the big men confrontation and Bulldog is fine here. Well, better at least. We look away when it get too bad , I think. Clothesline takes him down and we get the worst camera angle when Pierroth shoots Markus with shaving cream (I guess) to break it up. The ref does not notice - the director doesn't seem especially interested in it - or maybe Violenica got hurt again and that's why they were showing him so much. Bulldog pulls the tights and holds on after he's stopped the pin as if to say "hey, I know I'm supposed to be sneaky about this but really I have no idea what I'm doing here." 

Violencia is up, so that's good. Bulldog takes off his belt, which is not good. His pants stay up. Replay doesn't show how Violencia gout hurt. Reverse angle does better show the shaving cream. 

Vignette: Rey Buccanero has WORLD CUP FEVER! Catch it! He juggles the ball while talking to Ultimo. Ultimo clears it up for him - they're going for the World Championship, right, but the World Championship of Tag Team Wrestling, not futból. Too bad. Rey (side) kicks a goal through the ropes and celebrates.

Notes: While they do the belt presentation and I snap a picture for safekeeping, you pretend this is some other promotion and we go back to #10, where Santo and Casas retained (? kinda) the held up titles over this same team, after a previous belt controversy. We get the (rudo) ref - the Spanish Tiger? - giving introductions to both sides. Casas has new long tights that probably say "CASAS" down the side but he's got a pad covering up the last S. Santo wants to shake hands before the match - GdI are reluctant but agree - though Casas doesn't and isn't happy about Santo doing it.

Ultimo and Santo start off. Lockup, Ultimo with a waistlock, Santo down to his knees, picked up and thrown down. Front facelock, holding the tights, Santo turns it over and into an armbar. Ultimo rolls out, single leg takedown, holding on to the leg, Santo with the headscissors but Ultimo goes down to the mat before he can be spun. Ultimo pins the back of Santo's legs to the mat, Santo crawls to the ropes and get there. Pulling himself up as Ultimo stands up and then hitting that spinning rana. Both up, Ultimo with the leg trip, Santo gets the headscissors again but Ultimo's holding his legs to prevent the spin - Santo is counted down for the one two shoulder up. Down again one two both up, and now he corkscrews Ultimo the mat. Still with the leg scissors on, Ultimo up to his feet, pining Santo one two up. Another corkscrew with Ultimo stuck in - but now he has a foot on the ropes. Santo isn't aware right away and takes his time letting. Look at the crowd and I think we clipped here - Rey has Casas in an armbar and he's tagging in Ultimo. Armbar is spun in a couple times but Casas reverses, Ultimo with a monkey flip, Casas lands on his feet, Ultimo misses a clothesline and Casas lands the jumping heel kick. Step over armbar, but Casas breaks it up with a boot. Casas kicks him, swinging neckbreaker. Corner whip, dropkick to the knee, Santo off the top with a rope to stop Ultimo, camel clutch try on Ultimo but Rey's up to break it up, Rey grabs Casas by the hair and Ultimo chops, but Casas moves out of the way. Casa with a strong clothesline off the ropes and into an Ultimo dropkick to the knee, La Majistral - Rey with the top rope tope on Santo - one two three! El Caballo! Rey throws a Christian like tantrum in celebration of winning the fall - they're one away from taking these belts home. Replays. Break.

Rey vs Santo to start this second fall. Rey off the ropes, over, rolling, under a leapfrog, into a monkey flip. Santo off the ropes, spinning headscissors works. Rey out, Santo on the apron after him - 'rana off the apron! Casas and Ultimo are in but let's replay that. Good that they didn't do anything yet. Rey makes his way to his corner - Ultimo gives him five. Look at the crowd, look back and Rey is charging, Ultimo throw shim up and he dives right into Casas' boots. Casas with a dropkick, Santo with a top rope senton into a rolling up and over sunset flip on Ultimo, one two three. I'm guessing that Casas got the La Majistral there - one two three. Wow, that was nothing. Tied up, and while I figure we've probably got a ten minute fall with a lot of near finishes ahead of us, I dislike when they blow off the first two falls like this. Your form allows you to be different, yet you screw with it to make it the same as everyone else? Doesn't make sense.

GdI want a timeout on the floor but I don't think they're gonna get it. GdI stalling on the outside. Now the champions are out and attacking with chops. Rey gets posted. Whipped into each other. GdI thrown in, but they recover, stop the champions on the apron and knock them in to each other. Rey posts Santo. Sleeper for Santo, and he's pulled in across the ropes, for an elbow drop to the midsection. Ultimo holds Casas up off the roipes so Rey can do the running sit. Whip, kick to the midsection. Ultimo picks him up, chop, Rey with a kick ,kick, kick, kick, stomp. Ultimo's go Santo in - double whip, double drop toe hold, double elbow drop, Rey with a senton while Ultimo goes back to kicking Casas. Covering Santo - one two NO. Ultimo with an open hand slap for Santo, whip, Santo goes for the rolling up and over sunset flip but Rey catches his legs and they both press him - double facebuster! Ultimo covers as Rey boot chokes Casas - one two NO. Rey back over to help, as the crowd yells very loud for Santo. Double whip, double clothesline misses, Ultimo with the flip and Rey feels the Santo dropkick. Ultimo charges Casas but gets flipped to the floor. Santo gets room - corner suicide tope on Ultimo! Casas suicide top rope Thesz press on Rey! Everyone gets counted down - looks like the Rey and Ultimo are gonna make it in, but they're both tired. Replay of Santo's dive. Ultimo on Casas with open hand chops, hiptoss one two no. Both down on the mat and tired. Ultimo with a right but it misses, Casas with strikes an a jawbreaker. Putting Ultimo on the top rope doesn't seem like a great idea, but Casas tries it. Top rope 'rana? No, blocked! He's not gonna - SECOND ROPE POWERBOMB! Ultimo is too tired to cover him but you can't get a better chance. Up, yell, cover one t Santo breaks it up, then goes to the apron. Casas up first, clothesline hits but Ultimo isn't knocked down. Ultimo yells at him to try it again, Casas tries - ROCK BOTTOM! Rey knocks Santo off the apron, cover one two NO! Rey can't believe it. Crowd loud for the champs. Rey with strikes, tired, whip, clothesline misses, Santo ducks under and makes the tag to Santo. Santo's a ball of fire, of the ropes, rolling up faceslam! Didn't look right though, so Santo throws in an elbow drop, cover one two Ultimo breaks it with a sliding dropkick. Replay of the faceslam - or maybe he was going for a Diamond Cutter? Santo uses the Rocker Dropper into an upside down Code Red we saw in the last match between these two teams, I believe. Rey's screaming in pain and desperately trying to get to the ropes, but can't - Ultimo has to save with another dropkick. Santo with a shoulderblock to stun (I guess), off the ropes, bodyscissors roll up is blocked and Santo is placed on the top turnbuckle. I think Ultimo ducked into give Casas a shot - now Rey's heading to that corner as Ultimo goes up behind Santo. TOP ROPE REVERSE SUPLEX! (but we almost missed it) TOP ROPE BREAKING NEGRO CASAS NECK! (I think that was supposed to be a Pedigree but really it looked a lot more like that) one two three, we have new champions! 

Doctors immediately waved in. He landed right on the back of the neck - we see replays an cringe again. Yikes. GdI celebrate. Stretcher is out. CMLL guy wants to give them the belts but they look to sucked up in the moment. Rey gets hi belt. So does Ultimo. Casas holds hi neck - he's moving around a but more than I'd think they'd want him to if he was really messed up here. Casas stands up! He looks stunned, but gives a hug to Rey - everyone raises their hands. I think the official is worried about him - now they're going to stretcher him out to be sure. They take him out. Interview with Santo. Santo says it was good and all, but he wants to go mask vs mask against Ultimo Guerrero - I think Ultimo accepted. Someone's biting off more than they can chew. Ultimo promises this mask isn't going into Santo's collection. Ultimo says he's got the gold. Santo rebutts. NO NOT THAT REPLAY AGAIN. 

I think the last match was better. This was fine, but the other one better.

Spectacular Moments - He's not gonna be Shockercito much longer if he keeps landing on the back of his head like that. Tzuki with a nice plancha. 

Vignette: Mascara Magica checks out the program for tonight's show - cabella con cabella vs the Japan duo. Shocker assures him that they'll win. Inside Arena Mexico, they say a prayer. Because CMLL has caught World Cup Fever, Magica is wearing a jersey of some Mexican team, I presume. Shocker quotes some famous Shockerspaere and Magica is impressed.

Notes: Shocker is wearing his Mexican Warrior outfit. Mascara Magica gets his own entrance (he has music?) and futból related entrance. Fireworks! Please take him seriously! Is that a Mexico jersey? Futbóls for the crowd. Apolo Dantes is in their corner. Masada and Takemura are wearing Mexican outfits - oh no, they're throwing them down and stomping on them. That would explain why their valets having traditional Japanese outfits on (not showing much, because they're heels.) Nosawa was the guy I had a brainlock on last week.

Team Mexico is so offended, they attack Japan in the aisle but seem to loose the battle. Apolo's fighting hard for not getting paid! Mexico takes control and throws Masada (black hair now) in the ring - chop, chop, chop, shirt ripped off. Nosawa is being double teamed by Apolo and Magica, but Takemura is in to try to even it out. It's an out of control brawl with all six people in the ring and fighting. Apolo is beating the heck out of Nosawa's in the middle of the ring. Nosawa fights back bur doesn't look as cool doing it. The referees finnaly just throw both of them out, while the other four continue to battle. Magica has another set of Spiderman trunks on. Shocker has an armbar on and doesn't seem willing to let it go, despite the ropes being grabbed. More brawling - now both Japan guys are whipped into each other - double big boot for Takemura. Double corner whip again, but this time it's reversed and Magica and Shocker collide. Takemura holds Shocker for Masada to hit, but Shocker side steps. Shocker holds Masada for Magica to dropkick, but Masada moves. Masada tries to senton Magica but Magica moves. Magica grabs Takemura, you can hear the crowd tell Shocker not to do but yes, he tries for the clothesline and Magica eats it. Takemura with a spinebuster into a Boston Crab, and Shocker gives. Spinebuster into an STF by Masada and Magica gives. Uh oh. Japan celebrates, then beats up Shocker some more. Turnbuckle smashes a plenty! Forearm, forearm, forearm, Magica takes down Takemura but Masada picks up for him - posted! Magica is betting the crap out of Takemura and Masada out of Shocker. Both fights go on during the break - Takemura turns it around and both Japan guys bite.

Fall two starts with Masada working over Shocker with stripes - he may be bleeding from the cut, which means Masada has sharp teeth. Takemura works the forehead some more, so now he's definitely is bleeding. Masada beats down Magica on the outside. Magica gets posted. Big (and great looking) headbutt. More biting from Takemura. Is he blowing Shocker's blood in the air? Shocker shoves him away but he's too out of it to follow up. Takemura with a clothesline to stop him. Masada in with a chop. Hard chops as Shocker's hair changes colors. Cover one two pulled him up, oooooooh. Double whip, double clothesline is ducked, boot to Takemura, clothesline to Masada, clothesline to Takemura, tag to Magica! Magica in, legdrop on Takemura and he's kicked out. Clothesline charge for Masada, but he blocked and hits his own. Stomp. Corner whip, Masada charge into Magica' boot, Tornado DDT? YES! Masada rolls out. Takemura in with slaps and kicks, but Magica rallies back to hit his own (which still don't look great) - Takemura sneaks in a big boot, but when he tries for another, Magica catches it and takes him down. Yelling to the crowd - running sit on the leg! Another? The fans want it, and they get it. FIGURE FOUR! Masada breaks it up with stomps, and Shocker is displeased. Let's try it again, Magica says, and he sits down before putting on the figure four. Masada breaks it up yet again, and Shocker is livid. Takemura gathers his strength and scoops Magica, dropping him out of the ring but Masada managing to land on the apron anyway. Right is blocked, Magica hits his own, shot to the midsection, spinebuster slam. Sit down on the leg! Figure Four - Clothesline by Shocker on Masada! STF on Masada! Takemura can't take much more, will he tap? He's moving it - he's in tremendous pain but will he get it? Yes! Masada is still but close himself - Takemura dumps Magica out of the ring and breaks up the hold. Chop by Masada. Double whip, double back elbow. Lifting him up, double whip, Magica grabs Shocker to stop him, and Shocker shoots back to hit a double clothesline. Magica charges, Shocker boosts him - double dropkick. Rings of Magica on Takemura and he gives! Shocker's fireman's Carry Powerbomb (that really needs a name!) Slingshot elbow drop! One two three! All tied back up! Replays - I think Magica's busted open, but so far up in the forehead I can only notice the changing hair color.

Fall 3 to start, but Japan is taking their time getting in. It'll be Shocker and Masada. Exchange of slaps - it's a fight Masada wins, but only because he kicks. Headbutt. Working the cut. Magica tries to help but is told to stay near his corner by the refs. We look at the crowd and now Takemura's in the ring. Shocker's bled quite a bit. Exchange of chops and neither man is going down - Shocker off the ropes, big boot but Takemura stays up again, and Takemura is hurt but up. A dropkick and down goes Takemura. Off the ropes and into a Masada Knee. German suplex one two NO. Couldn't hold that bridge. Shocker chant. Northern Lights Suplex one two NO! Shocker does not look like he has a lot left. Slam, and Masada signals to the crowd. Going up, but Shocker is up a lot sooner than expected, and climbing behind him - Second rope back superplex! We almost had two serious neck trauma on one show! Shocker kicks Takemura away, then goes tot he top rope - flying elbow drop. ONE TWO THREE! Masada is gone! Check out the kid white Arsenal T-Shirt.

Takemura is in and his team's only hope - good thing he got in a clothesline. Double chickenwing lift, moving over to the ropes, Shocker grabs a bodyscissors so Takemura lets go and lets Shocker fall forward onto the top rope, then rebounds him back hard in a huge German suplex. No bridge, waistlock, German suplex with bridge one two (hesitation - this is the rudo referee) three. Shocker got a shoulder up, but it was the far side from the ref - the tecnico ref argues with him to no avail. I think the hesitation was waiting for Shocker to get that shoulder up. Replays as Shocker is confirmed that he's gone. 

It's Magica vs Takemura - Takemura celebrates on top rope and Magica dropkicks him to the floor - SUICIDE TOPE! Both men are down and the count is on them. Here's a replay - that's probably the best one I remember Magica doing. Both are still down. Magica is up first and crawling to the ring, but Takemura has him and toss him to the floor so he can get in first and maybe make the count - but now Takemura grabs him - they fight on the floor - the count must've been broken. Takemura with a suplex on the floor! Now Takemura has no problem getting in the ring and he assumes victory. Magica is hurt but trying to get in the ring - the refs are arguing about the correct speed of the count here, but Magica is in - now Takemura is stomping him so he can't get all the way in. Turnbuckle smash? No Magica blocked, forearm forearm forearm, going all the way up - cross body meets dropkick! Cover one two no! Is the rudo referee trying to throw this? Forearm, then a powerbomb from Takemura. One two NO! That might have been a little bit fast there, but not horribly so. Both men are tired - but Takemura is pumping himself up. Strikes, and now lifting Magica up - back suplex but Magica falls on top, but no count, Takemura isn't going down yet. Takemura clothesline misses, charge again into the corner but no one's home AND AND MY CABLE GOES OUT DANG IT ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH

I'm going to cry.

And now we're back and Magica's won. Fireworks and stuff go out, but I'm horribly depressed. I need a replay. Winners celebrate. Replay of the elbow drop - and that's it. Break.

Joe Gagne fills in the missing part: Takemura gets up and tries a clothesline that gets ducked.  Magica slumps in the corner, so Takemura tries a corner charge, and that too is dodged.  Magica hits a dropkick right to the face that staggers Takemura.  Magica hits the ropes and hits another dropkick, and then a third that sends Takemura crashing to the mat.  Magica and Takemura get to their feet, and Magica hammerlocks one of Takemura's arms, stands beside him, and then rolls forward (the end result looking like a Majistral).  Tecnico ref count...1...2..3!!!!!!  The fans go bonkers as Shocker comes in to celebrate.

We're back, and after a pause, it's time for the shaving. Takemura and Masada aren't happy about it, but they take it. Takemura just gets the top shaved for a bit, which makes him look very old. I don't think they ever got the very back. He keeps on keeping on. Masada next. They go from right to left on his hair, shaving the top and front first.

The rating for this match is giving credit for the finish I didn't see, but probably a little less than I would have given it if I had seen it. If that makes sense. 

Next Week: Giant Silva, Shocker, Santo, Tarzan Boy, Mascara Magica, Ultimo Guerrero, Rey Buccanero, Universo 2K, Apolo Dantes and more.  

We see the losers shaved, and 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. I hate AT&T Broadband
2. I hate AT&T Broadband
3. I hate AT&T Broadband
4. I hate AT&T Broadband
5. I hate AT&T Broadband