CMLL 7/12/2024 Arena Mexico

CMLL 7/12/2024 Arena Mexico

Valiente Jr, Fuego and Xelhua vs Vegas, Crixus and Espanto Jr.

This is one fall only. Xel and Veg lock up. Xel armdrags him and Veg armdrags him back. Veg snapmares him then Xel headflips up. They try pin attempts and stand off. Fuego headflip around and Esp chops him. Fuego flying headscissors him. Fuego armdrags Crix while on his shoulders. Feugo gets out of Vegas' lariat then springboard armdrags him out.

Esp and Val go at it. Val 2nd rope headscissors him from behind. Val dropkicks Crix then Crix is popped up into a headscissors on Crix. Val uses the ropes to hurricanrana Veg then poses. Xel armdrags Crix overhis back then Xel hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Xel ties up Veg and rolls him into a submission but Crix breaks it up.

Xel takes a running sitout powerbomb from Esp. Fuego takes a triple basement dropkick. Val gets speared by Crix then Xel is triple stomped. The heels pose on the ropes and are dropkicked over to the floor. Fuego and Xel do dives then Val blind double jump moonsaults outside. Xel springboard crossbodies Veg then Veg does a gori bomb on him. Veg hooks Xel's legs and arms and submits him.

Fuego springboard dropkicks Veg then Fuego takes a double dropkick. Esp backcrackers Val then Crix runs the ramp and flying lariats Val over the top. Vegs' team win the match.

Thoughts: It was a decent opener here with everyone getting a little in before it ended. Nothing wrong with this at all though I would have been fine with it being the main event.

Titan does an interview with an NFL player named Will Hernandez.

Blue Panther Jr., Dark Panther, Hijo de Blue Panther vs Akuma, Difunto, Zandokan

BPJ = Blue Panther Jr., Hijo = Hijo de Blue Panther

1st Fall - BPJ has tattoos and Hijo doesn't. Dif and Dark go at it. They do some grappling and Dark does like a shoot german. Dif armdrags him. Dif gets knocked out of the ring and Dark teases a dive. Akuma and BPJ go at it. Akuma shotgun dropkicks him.

The two sides stand off and BPJ stomps Akuma. All 6 then fight. BPJ is thrown over the top by Akuma then Akuma topes him into the rails. Hijo is bridged over the top rope, double stomped then takes a tiger driver for the pin. Zand then pins Dark to win the fall.

2nd Fall - Sacarys the parrot 619's BPJ. BPJ then is triple teamed in the corner. Zand rips at Hijo's mask. Akuma corner pslashes BPJ then BPJ takes a double team powerbomb. BPJ is banged off the mat and put in tree of woe where Dif rope walk dropkicks him. BPJ takes a triple team slam. BPJ's opponents put him in a surfboard, bounce him off the ropes backwards and slam him down chest first. BPJ is then pinned.

Dark is slingshotted into an Akuma spear. Dif gets on his partners shoulders and splashes Dark. Hijo gets in and eventually takes a double back elbow and triple boots. The heels push the ref for getting in the way and the ref gives Hijo the fall win via dsiqualification. 

3rd Fall - Hijo is beat up on the ramp. Dark is put in a camel clutch and Sacarys dropkicks him. Akuma misses a corner spear and gets the post. Dark flying headscissors Dif over the top and topes him. Hijo topes Zand then BPJ ramp cannonballs Akuma. Zand is thrown into the rails.

BPJ knocks down Zand and Dif then double clotheslines them over the top rope. BPJ then crossbodies both over the top. Esp corner lariats Akuma then 2nd rope dropkicks him. Hijo top rope splashes Akuma for 2. HIjo top rope crossbodies Akuma thenis shouldered over. BPJ then Hijo tilt-a-whirl backbreaker all 3 opponents each. Hijo then pins Akuma to win the fall and match.

Thoughts: It was a good tag and couldn't have gone much better than it went. It was interesting almost the whole way through and they kept a fast pace and did some fun offense while keeping the heel/face structure. I really liked this.

Averno, Euforia, Soberano Jr. vs Esfinge, Titán, Valiente

1st Fall - Euf hiptosses Esf on the ramp as he enters and beats him up. Titan is sent int othe rails then Euf polls on Esf's mask. Esf has his legs split. Euf continues to rip Esf's mask and Esf is held for chops. Titan and Val help out. Esf apringboard dropkicks Val on acicdent. Sob styles clashes Titan on Val then Titan and Val are pinned. Euf continues to rip Esk's mask on the rails.

2nd Fall - Titan is hiptossed over the ramp to the mat. Esf is bridged on the ropes and Sob 2nd rope moonsaults him. Val is bridged on the apron and Euf baseball slides him. Titan is pulled out and splats on the floor.

Esf takes triple stomps then KeMalito 2nd rope double stomps him. Sob top rope tornillos Esf then Val top rope diving headscissors Sob. Val tilt-a-whirl backbreakers Av then topes him outside. Titan walks up the buckles, rope walks and headscissors Sob out. Titan then tope con hilos Sob outside.

Esf and Euf trade. Esf superkicks him then Euf facekicks him. Esf topes Val on accident when Euf moves. Esf takes a triple team powerbomb twice for 2. Esf goes for a submission on Euf and Val low blows Esf for attacking him. Euf then pins Esf and wins the fall and match.

Thoughts: This was to put over the Euforia/Esfinge feud and seemingly to set up something with Valiente/Esfinge. It accomplished both but it was a mostly one-sided beating. 

Esfinge gets his mask taken after and is beaten up by the heels.

Templario vs Último Guerrero

1st Fall - UG attacks Temp on the ramp as he enters then he whips him with something. UG beats up Temp in the ramp. UG baseball slides Temp off the apron after they get in. They go back outside and Temp is sent into the rails. UG rips at Temp's mask.

UG pops him up and superkicks him. UG rips Temp's mask on the ropes. UG corner pendulum buttdrops him. Temp walks up the ropes and dropkicks him. Temp does a flying space tiger drop on the ramp onto UG and Temp wins the fall.

2nd Fall - Temp flips over UG's back then headscissors him over. Temp then does a spinarooni. Temp tries to cannonball him off the apron but is powerbombed on the floor. UG spinebusters him then does a grounded stretch muffler submission. UG tapes him out.

UG hits chops on Temp then Temp chops him back. Temp pumping knees him for 2. Temp hurricanrana's him for 2. UG corner lariats him then they trade corner lariats. Temp lariats him then superkicks him out. Temp flying space tiger drops him outside. UG 2nd rope gordbusters Temp for 2. Temp doctor bombs UG then UG powerbombs him off the 2nd rope for 2.

Temp misses a flying space tiger drop om the ramp into the ring and UG gets a 2 count on him. UG monkey flips Temp for 2. Temp goes for a 2nd rope powerbomb and UG unmasks him during it. Temp via the fall and match. 

Thoughts: It was effective in pushing the Temp/UG feud and definitely set out what it was supposed to. I didn't think the match was that great though with both guys repeating spots and not treating 2nd rope moves seriously enough.

They talk on the mic after.

Leyenda de Plata Tournament Phase 1- Máscara Dorada, Stigm, Ángel de Oro, Brillante Jr., Flip Gordon, Futuro, Villano III Jr. and Volador Jr.

This is Phase 1 of the tournament. Phase 2 is next week with another 8 people. They had a seeding battle royale with Mascara Dorada and Stigma being the final two.

Quarterfinals - Futuro vs Flip Gordon

Flip side headlock takeovers him. Fut headscissors him then Flip handstand walks out. Fut flying headscissors him but Flip lands on his feet. Flip then tries it to Fut and gets the same result. Fut flips off the top rope over Flip then spiral taps him off the top.

Fut 619's him under the bottom rope then Flip topes him. Flip lands on his feet off a nailing springboard 450. Flip rolling death valley drivers him and superkicks him. Flip is on the 2nd rope and gets hit. Fut then walks up the ropes and does a nice armdrag. Fut single leg crabs him and Flip ropebreaks.

Fut suplexes him. They fight on the buckles and Flip top rope spanish flies him for the win.

Thoughts: It was a short one at a little over 4 minutes that was almost all flying.

Phase 1 Quarterfinals - Angel de Oro vs Brillante Jr.

Brill armdrags him, Oro armdrags him back and is armdragged. Oro dropkicks him out and is sent into the rails. Brill is pop-up dropped. Brill handstands and back rolls into a spinning headscissors. Brill tope con hilos him outside. Oro is in tree of woe and Brill double stomps him off the top for 2.

Oro hits chops and slaps on him. Brill does a sitout spinebuster to him. Brill then split legged corkscrew moonsaults him. Brill goes for a regular split legged moonsault but it's blocked and Oro rocking chairs him to win.

Thoughts: Like the last match, it was short and all action. It was fine for how little time they had but it wasn't going to be much more.

Phase 1 Quaterfinals - Volador Jr. vs Villano III Jr.

Vol flying headscissors him into the ropes. V3 superkicks him on the apron then kicks him from the apron. V3 asai moonsaults onto him outside. Vol is thrown into the rails. V3 chops him inside then backcrackers him off of his handspring attempt.

V3 thesz presses him and hits mounted punches. V3 2nd rope powerslams him for 2. V3 top rope moonsaults him. V3 tries again and Vol gets his knees up. Vol backcrackers him then 2nd rope canadian destroyers him to win.

Thoughts: Another short one like the other matches in this tournament and it was nothing special. I'm shocked the canadian destroyer actually ended the match.

Phase 1 Quaterfinals - Mascara Dorada vs Stigma

They trade some basic holds. Stig flips out of a hold using the ropes then armdrags him. Both end up on the mat and both kip up. MD flying headscissors him then has his knee dropkicked outside. Stig topes him into the rails. Stig top rope double stomps him for 2. Stig falcon arrows him.

MD grabs him from the 2nd rope and dominators him. Stig spinning neckbreakers MD then top rope splashes him. Stig superkicks him while he handstands on the ropes and Stig hits a b-driver for 2. MD corner dropkicks him MD top rope 450's him and gets the win.

Thoughts: This was another short on here that was all action.

Phase 1 Semifinals - Angel de Oro vs Flip Gordon

Oro stomps on him after a shoulder. Flip 2nd rope headscissors Oro then dropkicks him through the ropes. Flip top rope moonsaults him then hits a 450 for 2. Oro michinoku drivers him for 2. Flip kips down out of a lariat, kips up and enzugiri's him. Flip hits moonsaults off the ropes and gets a 2 count on a top rope moonsault.

Flips hits mounted punches then is crotched on the top rope. Oro 2nd rope superplexes him and wins.

Thoughts: Just see the other match reviews at this point. Yet another short match here with Flip barely getting in his usual stuff before it ended.

Phase 1 Semifinals - Volador Jr. vs Mascara Dorada

They each handspring and flip off the ropes. MD corkscrew headscissors him then tornillos him outside. MD hits a top rope 450 for 2. Vol forearms him then superkicks him. MD runs the ramp, flips over the top, Vol moves and MD standing moonsaults him off of it.

MD mises a top rope SSP then Vol canadian destroyers him to win.

Thoughts: The side flip to standing moonsault over the ropes spot was creative here from MD and it was again a very short but high-flying match. 

Phase 1 Finals - Volador Jr. vs Angel de Oro

Oro spinning headscissors him then 2nd rope triangle moonsaults him outside. Vol diving headscissors him outside over the top. Oro superkicks him then slingshot triangle moonsaults him inside. Vol superkicks him and backcrackers him for 2.

Oro michinoku drivers him for 2. Vol and Oro trade superkicks. Vol canadian destroyers him for 2. Oro boots Vol off of his top rope moonsault attempt. Oro does a grounded rocking chair and taps out Vol to win.

Thoughts: Similar to the other tournament matches, it was short and a bit rushed. I didn't like the canadian destroyer kick out especially after all the abuse these guys took all night long.

Overall thoughts: I'm not a fan of CMLL tournaments and never will be. Who wants to see a bunch of short matches that won't be great? I liked the undercard but I've never seen a good CMLL one day tournament and would not recommend this.