CMLL Line - 10/05/02 (#54)

Thanks to: Robert Ortega for the original format, Krisz for the results archive, and Joe Gagne for the place to talk about it.

Vignette: Fuerza talks on the phone to someone - I guess Juvi. I feel like there's an joke that I'm missing here but I think the point is that Juvi's all over the world. 

Notes: This match (and a later one) is from a special Tuesday Arena Mexico show (part 2 of the Anniversary Celebration) that we saw Porky advertise earlier; I figured we wouldn't see this show but it is in the usual Arena Coliseo spot so what was I thinking? Juvi's already following around mid-entrance as the match starts - he's got a new shirt and hat. He seems a little off. Fuerza has a new shirt and fireworks; he takes time to admire the one shooting off firework at any rate. Fuerza's wearing an all black mask but the usual style. I don't recognize his music - or Virus next. He's got a half mask on an elaborate outfit - it is elaborate outfit day. Come to think of it, none of these people ever get individual entrances (except Juvi), that's why I've never heard the music. How does he not have a name but does have music? I don't understand it at all. 

Guerreras attack before the bell, with Juvi taking HSN and Fuerza choking the man he bet. There was a prematch stipulation that everyone must wear silver and black; support for the Raiders, quite obviously. Juvi gets a corner clothesline on HSN, then a Stunner over the ropes on Virus. Fuerza with a right, but Virus fights back - Baby Richard warns him about right hands (though Virus is using open hand slaps) and that just so happened to give an opening for Juvi and Fuerza to beat him to the mat. That's what Richard is the rudo referee, I guess. He does finish his warning - oh no, Emilio's Girl is in the crowd. This can only lead to unhappiness. Big boot for Juvi. Juvi holds Virus can slap him. HSN is in his corner but can't quite get the tag. Kick to the gut by Fuerza, kick to the head by Juvi. Fuerza with a whip, and there's the low blow kneelift. Virus is selling it but apparently no one saw it. Or they think it's a very high inverted atomic drop. While Virus rolls out, HSN is brought in to get beat - Juvi hits a back elbow, suplex - and finishes with a sharpshooter. That'll do. (2:08) Virus back in but getting beat - Fuerza whips him, fireman's carry forward drop, single leg crab and Fuerza gets the win (2:26) and holds on long enough that Juvi can sneak in a legdrop. Fuerza gets his hand raised and - walks away? Maybe it's a one fall match to him, or maybe he's not happy with the crowd booing. Replay of the Guerreras demonstrating their submissions moves. That was a pretty easy fall.

So we're watching the ring girl hold up the Segunda Caidia sign, look at the ring - only the refs are in the ring. The refs are looking at something on the floor we can't see, and then mister director finally gets us the good camera angle to see that Fuerza's setting up to Tombstone HSN on the floor. He just slams him instead ,but that was very odd. Anyway, the beatdown goes on, past the bell. Juvi is slowly taking Virus on a tour of the audience. All to slam his head on the floor in a really dark place. Fuerza talks to the announcers. The Guerreras are really odd today. Juvi back in the ring with Virus, and I believe he's trying for an Octopus, but Virus kinda blocks it by not getting his head down. Bottom fifth of the screen is taken up by a sports show ad. Hombre Sin Nombre, who Fuerza left to go talk to the announcers for a bit back there, is in the ring and I think he would like to break up this (now) abdominal stretch but Richard is warning him not to. I kinda hopes he does. He does not, Fuerza wanders in, Juvi holds Virus in a double underhook for a bit then finnaly the suplex. The announcers are cracking up for some reason. Juvi and Fuerza raise their arms in celebration of the near inactiveness of this fall, I guess. In the mean time, Virus sneaks a tag to Hombre Sin Nombre - Juvi hits him late and he made the tag but no one acknowledges it so I guess it wasn't supposed to happen yet. Announcers are barely keeping their computer. Fuerza must've said something funny. Virus corner whip, Juvi whipped in for a clothesline, Fuerza with a back elbow. HSN does make it in the ring but just gets elbowed out by Fuerza. Double corner whip, Fuerza whipped, Virus sidesteps, Fuerza hard into the corner post and out. Juvi charges and gets dropped on the turnbuckle. Juvi charges again, gets dropped into a HSN dropkick. Virus goes to the floor to beat up Fuerza a it as HSN has no problem with Fuerza inside the ring. Now Richard is keeping Virus from Fuerza as HSN has taken Juvi to the floor. Juvi's begging off but no dice. Virus has finnaly gotten to Fuerza again. Juvi is selling each open hand slap like Bubba and Triple H were selling punches. Virus back in, HSN hands off Juvi to him. Open hand slap, open hand slap, bug kick. Whip, tilt-a-whirl back breaker. Juvi in to help out with a kick, but I bet this will go tragically bad. Corner whip, Fuerza hits a back elbow, goes on all four for Juvi, and Juvi actually hits the assisted high side kick. Wow that comeback died out of nowhere. HSN is back in but he gets kicked and slapped and he's done for a bit. Are they gonna whip him into his partner - yep, and HSN monkey flips Virus to his feet, Virus stands around (made it look more pointless than interesting), then ducks a Juvi clothesline, JUVI with a spinning headscissors. Fuerza with a shoulderblock, off the ropes, into a HSN dropkick. HSN stands there watching Fuerza slowly rolls out . Juvi and HSN try to do the armdrag into a bodyscissors rollup spot but they kinda stutter through it - at any rate, HSN comes on top for one two no. HSN goes for a victory roll but gets tossed to the mat, Juvi camel clutch, HSN slips through the legs, HSN camel clutch into a cradle (Gedo clutch) one two three. (4:50) That was interesting. Virus manages to slam Fuerza - there's a half crab with an armbar to finish him off. (5:03) That was a whole bunch of something. Break

Ad for the hair/hair match - we MAY see that next week. I don't know if that's a good thing or not.

Juvi is taking his time getting back to the ring from the stage, so Virus pushes him. I think Juvi decides to take even more time as a result. One jarring crowd cut later, it's Fuerza and Virus fighting - Virus goes over the top of an attempted backdrop and hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Virus goes to the second rope to celebrate, but Fuerza slips under him. Fuerza holds Virus on his shoulder walks over to the rudo corner, and Juvi with the slingshot clothesline to complete the move. That may not be the first worthwhile thing they've done in this match, but it feels that way. Legdrop, One two HSN breaks it up. "Pretty good." "..." "It was pretty good! Quite excellent." It scares me when the announcers start talking in English out of nowhere. HSN brought into get beat up. Whip, double spinebuster. Rolled to his feet so Juvi can hit a jumping spinning back heel kick. Juvi goes out, Fuerza with an armlock (I think), slam seems oddly difficult and he calls to his son - springboard elbow drop just gets there, one no Virus breaks it up. Open hand slap exchange. Virus does a windup with the right, jab with him left. Alternatively, Fuerza wins up with his right and punches with his right. "Virus" chant for that move." Juvi powerbombs him to end that. Juvi drags Virus into position - wait, okay, he's dragging him for Fuerza, but Fuerza wants the target farther away. Virus ends up moving him about 2/3rds of the ring away. No, now 3/4rds of the ring. If HSN was on the apron (and he's on the floor for some reason), he might be able to lean over the ropes and make a tag. Fuerza going up as Juvi holds Virus in place with a single boot - Fuerza with the Karate Kid pose - and jump/falls far short. I can not begin to explain how odd this is - Virus and HSN have had enough and are taking turns with tilt-a-whirl backbreakers on Fuerza. Dropkicks from both. HSN with a spinebuster into a Boston crab. (3:30) Virus with the half crab with armbar on Juvi to finish whatever this was (3:52) I've definitely seen better, and I think I've seen worse, but I'm not sure I've seen more surreal. Virus and HSN go right over to the CMLL Commissioner post-match. Replay of Fuerza's jump - the main problem (among many many many other ones) was that he was trying to jump off one leg, couldn't get the distance he needed and almost could've seriously hurt his knee. Virus says something post-match but the announcers are ignoring it and sending us to commercials.

Rerun: From here for a while, to fill time, we're (near randomly) shown previous matches and vignettes. I think they actually caption that these are old matches for once.

• From 6/15 (#38): Rey Bucanero has WORLD CUP FEVER because they're going to play for championship! Ultimo Guerrero clarifies that they're going for the championship of tag teams instead of futbol teams, but that's all good. Watch Rey almost kill himself on his goal shot (through the ropes) and do a pre-match celebration. 
• From 6/15 (#38): Rey Bucanero and Ultimo Guerrero vs el Hijo del Santo/Negro Casas (c) for the CMLL Tag Team Titles - This is the match where Rey and Ultimo win, and Casas almost breaks his neck. 
• From 7/13 (#42): I think I had this vignette one wrong this first time; Rey Bucanero, suffering from the after effects of WORLD CUP FEVER is depressed that Mexico lost and as such, won't be World Champions. Ultimo Guerrero points out that they're still World Champions, and that's almost as good. They agree to watch the World Cup final later, but Rey only on wants to watch it on Televisa (he's a good company man.) I believe Tarzan Boy is bringing the nachos. There's also a bit about teaming with the Famila de Tijuana in here but that's not as important.
• From 7/13 (#42): GdI (Ultimo (c), Rey) and FdT (Halloween, Damien) vs Atlantis (c), Mr. Niebla, Black Warrior, Lizmark Jr. - this match goes as well as Mexico in the World Cup but does set up the smokin' rematch the following week.
• From 7/06 (#41): Shocker and Magica ask Silva to join them in the Nuevo Guapos, saving them months of research and casting, but Silva destroys it all by pointing out that he's not guapo. He's a giant and doesn't need them. Shocker befuddles all. 
• From 7/06 (#41): Dr. Wagner (c), Emilio Charles Jr, Mascara Y2K, Universo 2K vs Giant Silva (c), Mascara Magica, Shocker - I actually gave this a 80 and I have no idea HOW. I'm not watching again to figure out. I think the key might have been minimal Silva and shock of a clean finish.

Spectacular Moments - I'm pretty sure this was new, at any rate. Though a Silva second rope splash could be so many weeks. Takemura's koppo kick cracks Mr. Mexico right in the forehead. Zumbido is all about casual slingshot sentons to the floor. Virus does his Volador Jr. impersonation.

Ad for the hair/hair match - we MAY see that next week. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. Yes this is a repeat.

Vignette: I think we last left the Tailban praying to the wall with "La Mosque" written on it, so it makes sense we pick them up there. They're talking about something, and we take a dramatic look at the sign on the wall, but I'm getting very little from this. And Emilio needs to see the dentist - WHAT? I'm so confused and I don't even want to know.

Notes: NO MAS. Apolo, we got to get you better friends, but I think Niebla's condition is worse. Two of the Tailban's valets are actually going with the mideast veil look, which is shocking attention to detail from this group. Scoiipo looks more like a goofball than normal for some reason. Watching him strip dance, I have a very big fear that Porky will end up in the Nuevo Guapos, but then I remember he's in the Brazos and that should prevent such a thing from occurring. Right? Please say so. Look, I love you guys and all but there's no way I'm doing play by play.

Rudos try to punk out Silva before the bell but that goes bad. In fact, it goes so bad that Niebla and Porky can slap all the rudos and just slip behind Silva without getting beat. It goes bad when Porky tries to be Silva, though. The match plays out with the rudos being the bullies and Silva being the really tall guy. We of course get the Apolo/Silva moments. Why do they try to whip Silva? Why why why why. Apolo's funny with his slaps and realizing he's about to die when they're not sold. If we didn't have to matches that were more or less comedy matches I might get into this, but nah. Watch Emilio spit! Much like a rudo referee, I keep finding ways to distract myself instead of watching this match. Bronco Busters for everyone - well Silva starts to do it an everyone scatters, so not for everyone. I think we're lining up people to end this with a Porky top rope splash. Yes we are. (7:56) Nelbina on Emilio too for no particular reason. 

Next Week: Who knows? Actually, it sure seems like the Mascara Y2K vs Pierroth match is then, so that'd be the 9/27 show. We'll see.

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. The old stuff was good in general, so at least they're picking out the right stuff to reshow
2. I was thinking - till the third added match - that they were going with a Ultimo/Rey tribute show, which would be neat
3. Interesting touch to have the new stuff bookend the old stuff
4. That might have worked if the new stuff was worth waiting two hours for
5. Will we get new good stuff next week? Hope so.