EMLL in 1990 #3 - 1/19/1990

 

Martha Villalobos & La Diabolica vs. Pantera Surena & Zuleyma

Rarely do you see the ladies get +20 minutes in a CMLL TV match. The result was basic but a good match. Diabolica and Zuleyma did some fun wrestling to start. Villalobos was cool here, looking scuzzy and immediately using her size to squish people. They move to the beatdown section pretty fast. I know Surena as a kind of a superworker from her matches in AJW, but she didn‘t get to do a ton here. The 2nd fall had some really great, elaborate stooging spots. They did some more good wrestling in the 3rd before escalating the brawling again as Diabolica had apparently done something that really pissed off her opponents and they tried to unmask her. Some biting and hair pulling ensues. The rudas get the win even though it looked like excessive violence to me. Will be interesting to see what else we will get from the ladies in 1990 as this felt more like a taste of what they can do.

Canelo Casas & Panico & Comando Ruso vs. Remo Banda & Rokambole & Rafaga Azul

Canelo Casas – so young, so talented. Already really dedicated to being evil and bumping his ass off, but also looking like a talented wrestler on the offense. He was the standout in what was otherwise a quick undercard match. I mean, the video was well over 20 minutes, but it felt like a breeze. All the technicos got to do quick standing exchanges in the opening fall where they one upped the rudos, then we moved right on to the beatdown. Banda tries to be spectacular but had one slip up, and Rafaga looked quite graceful and cool. Comando Ruso is a short stocky guy who doesn‘t look like much at first with his Zbyszko stalling, but he is an effective rudo. I dig any wrestler who will take a flip bump when he misses a punch, and he hit a really, really pretty dropkick at one point. The 3rd fall could have been better as the rudos took the match quite easily. I look forward to seeing more Canelo Casas.

Javier Llanes & Americo Rocca & Huracan Ramirez II vs. Ulises & Pierroth Jr. & Super Halcon

This was one of those matches that makes you go „Man, Lucha Libre is beautiful.“ It wasn‘t some kind of grand classic but it was chock full of wonderful wrestling. The previous match mostly had standing exchanges, so here they start with some matwork and more story driven wrestling as Llanes and Pierroth went at each other, immediately teasing a brawl but going back to wrestling. Llanes looked really good here, like he could do it all. Super Halcons section with Americo Rocca was also quite beautiful and classical. Ulises and Huracan kept it simple and effective, with Ulises triumphing initially by hitting 3 really fast and pretty hip tosses, and then Ramirez retaliates by hitting 4 really fast and pretty hip tosses. Pierroth Jr. Is a monster rudo here, as he catches Llanes flying at him with a big punch, later he drags him over the ropes by the hair, just working exchanges in really rough fashion while stooging beautifully for everything the technicos did. The rudo beatdown starts in a really cool way, Halcon swings at Rocca and catches him in the face, it didn‘t even feel like it was a blow that was intended to hit but it caught Rocca by surprise, so Halcon shrugs and commences the beatdown. He had the feel of a guy who didn‘t mean to be a rudo, but god damn it he‘s old and lost his mask, he doesn‘t give a fuck anymore, he‘s gonna kick some ass. Ulises kicking Rocca in the face and in the nose was also quite Fuchi-like and unexpected. The third fall was quick as the technicos seemed to stage their grand comeback but then Halcon just kicked Llanes in the balls and pinned him casually. No rudo theatrics to that at all, just took advantage of the ref looking away and collected a pin.

Super Astro & Angel Azteca & Mascara Sagrada vs. MS-1 & Tierra Viente y Fuego & Herodes

This was a match that was buzzing from the get go. The faces wanted to throw hands with the rudos immediately and guys were attacking guys on the apron as if it was a heated AJPW 6 man. They worked some fast exchanges, but the animosity was always there. Astro as always looks incredible and the other two also got to look really good. Rudos were excellent stooges as you‘d expect. The match seemed to be building to a big cathartic ending but then it just ended, which was a bit of a weird choice for a main event. I expected the technicos to give the rudos an epic comeuppance but it just wasn‘t. Slightly disappointing although the first half or so was really good.

The Library

EMLL in 1990 #1 - 1/5/1990

El Supremo & Hijo de Gladiador & Herodes vs. Ciclon Ramirez & Pantera II & Aguila Solitaria

Well this was just a classic lucha romp with that rudo/technico dynamics. Tons of highly entertaining technicos one upping the clumsy bad guys sequences. The rudo trio is pretty dedicated – Hijo de Gladiador takes a front flip bump when he misses a punch, and Herodes is just gleeful about his own evilness, while El Supremo has a very different presence. I liked how the rudo beatdown started with Supremo basically having enough and clocking Pantera with a stiff elbow. Of the technicos I'd say I liked Pantera II the best who has such beautiful armdrags and his trademark rope running spot altough everyone did something cool. The 3^rd fall had some really amusing chase spots. I was surprised how easily the rudos won this one. 

Angel Azteca & Super Astro & Kung Fu & Emilio Charles Jr. & Jaque Mate & Espectro Jr.

Long, quality lucha that told a story. Early on Emilio Charles Jr. gets the better of Azteca during a wrestling exchange. Of course Angel takes great offense to this and immediately goes after Emilio. Azteca going out of his way to ram into Emilio with a huge forearm while in the middle of a rope running exchange with Espectro was straight out of the AJPW playbook. Of course Emilio Jr. makes him pay dearly later when he slaps the hell out of him during the beatdown. That along may have been the highlight of the match along with Aztecas bumping, including flying with his back into the edge of the ring apron. Of course Super Astro and Kung Fu also do lots of fun wrestling. Astro is such a trip to watch with the insane height on all flying moves, while Kung Fu manages to not suck doing his faux martial arts stuff and hitting weird/cool kicks, punches and leg trips. We also get the awesome and devastating tope to the floor from Super Astro aswell as Emilio Charles Jr. not falling for The Star.

El Dandy & Mogur & Popitekus vs. Pierroth Jr. & MS-1 & Ulises

Quality main event. There are some rudo interference shenanigans early on, but we get a long 1^st fall with everyone wrestling. You know it's gonna be good when El Dandy is in his Kazuo Yamazaki tights and UWF kickpads. I especially liked the Dandy/MS-1 matchup. MS-1 is a trickier grappler than he looks like and they play up the size difference. Popitekus is an awesome big tubby luchador and also way brave as he bumps bigger and more often than a guy his size should. Pierroth Jr. deciding to work over Mogur with stiff kicks to the spine was quite unexpected and things took a harsh turn when Mogur decided to fight fire with fire and also rip his mask. Pierroth cracks him open and we got ourselves a heated third fall with a bloody and beaten Mogur trying to stand up to him. At one point El Dandy was hitting these fast enzuigiris and spin wheel kicks before Mogur clocked Pierroth Jr. with a desperation lariat for a big nearfall and it's like this is NJPW now or something. Cool finish which reminds the fans every move is important. I think the match didn't even have a dive so reminder that lucha can be cutting edge and economic too.

 THE LIBRARY