The above video is once again relevant, many thanks to everybody helping spike the views over the last few days. I highly recommend seeking out the singles matches they had in Australia as well, I watched those this week and they were something of a revelatory treat. Watching Bryan and Nigel separated from their home promotion, with a little pressure of their shoulders, tap into something a little more old school that I love a lot. Also up on the channel now is a new Twitch highlight from my watching the Nakano/Funaki match of 1989, check that out as well.
We’ve got a couple of real heavy hitters on The Real today. Top of the list is definitely going to be the aniversario apuesta which delivered in the way only the Arena Mexico apuesta can. But we have some fun scattered stuff from around the world too, including a joshi tribute to the 80s, a fun tournament match from Marigold, and a visit with our favorite space boys!
On to the Real…
Note on dates: Review dates refer to my local timezone in the Philippines, match dates are based on the timezone each match occurred in.
Netflix “The Queen of Villains” Release Commemoration Event ~ Very Evil Pro Wrestling (9/12/24)
Reviewed: September 15, 2024
It’s only a one-match show, but I figured it’d be more useful to cover this show as a whole. It’s a promotional event for the upcoming “The Queen of Villains” show which depicts Dump Matsumoto’s rise to prominence in 1980s Japanese wrestling. As such, Netflix put their backing behind this thing, and that makes a real big difference. The production quality is stunning. On first glance of clips from this event that I saw on Twitter, I had initially assumed that they were clips from “The Queen of Villains” itself, that’s how convincing it all looked. Beyond that, the novel angles they capture in Korakuen Hall with the help of strung up cameras catching the action from above. And then, the smaller presentational choices too like the vintage-looking match graphic at the start of the bout to really evoke that feeling of 1980s AJW.
The same can be said of the match itself, of course. DASH Chisako, Chikayo Nagashima, Drake Morimatsu, & Zap-T carry the banner of Dump Matsumoto here as our evil heels. They’re led to the ring by lead actress Yurian Retriever, who God bless her gets so into the actual performance of it all, way more than her counterparts representing the Crush Gals for the faces. The heroes from Marvelous–Mio Momono, Takumi Iroha, Maria, and Riko Kahawata–are well-cast in their role as well, especiall as students under Chigusa Nagayo’s learning tree.
The match plays out with the same spirit as much of those old Dump matches too. In a sweet moment of vindication for those sounding the bell, Dump Matsumoto herself gets involved, putting a beating on Mio Momono in one of the most spiritually correct moments in pro wrestling ever. But even beyond that, it’s all about the heels playing the numbers, using flagrant cheating at every turn, and the heroes having to rally together to overcome in the end. DASH is wonderful holding down the heel team, but everyone there is very consistent about playing the villain in honor of one of the greats.
It’s Mio Momono’s babyface performance that makes it all sing though. Not only sympathetic, but thrilling on the comeback. She takes some spectacular bumps in this too like catching the feet to intercept a splash and getting launched all the way across the ring. Another powerhouse performance from one of the best wrestlers on the planet.
Even after the bell, this event has treats left for us. Star of the show Yurian Retriever gives a tearful speech speaking on her gratitude for the role and her admiration for Dump Matsumoto at ringside. Truly moving seeing Dump cry for the occasion, and how meaningful the opportunity seems to be to Yurian. And if there was anything to sell me on her selection in this role, she sealed the deal by ending the speech and trying to bash the Crush Gals actresses in the head with the microphone. Brilliant, well deserved casting.
A real sneaky dark horse for those event of the year ballots.
Match Rating: ****¼
Bobubobu Momo Banana vs. Chihiro Hashimoto & ZONES (Sendai Girls Sendai PIT 9/13/24)
Reviewed: September 16, 2024
What I enjoy the most about BMB as a tag team is their ability to control the rhythm of these matches. In this match, for example, they control much more of it than one might assume given the size differential between the tag champs and their opponents. But it’s that position as tag champs that makes it feel correct that Momono & Oka take so much of the early bout, notably by isolating ZONES early on. It’s a fun little control too, with the tag champs literally grabbing the chance by the hair. And later on, when Hashimoto’s able to enter and be a game changer, it’s a thrill to see BMB try to regain the momentum through their strung together dropkicks. Beyond that, it’s just a joy in general any time Chihiro and Mio touch in the ring. There’s always that little added spark of aggression and violence between, regardless of anything else around them. Hell yeah.
Rating: ***¾
Templario, Star Jr, & Neon vs. Niebla Roja, Angel de Oro, & Soberano Jr (CMLL 91. Aniversario 9/13/24)
Reviewed: September 16, 2024
This features one of my favorite rudo transition spots of the year with Angel de Oro holding the second and top ropes open to cause Neon to fall to the floor when he attempts to hit the ropes. Excellent bit and a great way to move into the really fun rudo control that takes up much of the first two falls. I don’t watch too much of the Los Hermanos Chavez stuff, but this featured some really good stuff. Fun double teams, meanspirited cut offs, and Soberano Jr always doing the most unforgivable crime of all: laying his hands on Kemalito. Beyond that, the tecnico comebacks are great as always. With Templario at the helm, there’s a lot more big power offense here as opposed to the dazzling rolls and dives, not that those lack either. Star Jr adds some fun wrinkles as well by working a lot of striking into the fold that makes this a little different from the norm. An extremely enjoyable trios, from the extremely enjoyable trios factory.
Rating: ***¾
Hechicero vs. Euforia vs. Valiente vs. Esfinge (CMLL 91. Aniversario 9/13/24)
Reviewed: September 15, 2024
It must be said that some traditions in pro wrestling have a gravity all on their own. Few things carry the same weight as the aniversario apuesta. Even through CMLL’s up and down history, the inconsistent nature of this stipulation, there’s just an undeniable significance to it all especially when left in the hands of the greats.
As with many an aniversario before, the set up isn’t ideal. A direct singles probably would always work better, and as enjoyable as I find Esfinge as a weekly regular on the roster, he wouldn’t be my first pick to highlight in such a high stakes affair. Even with that said though, the match flows so smoothly before the eliminations ever start going. To everyone’s credit, it’s pedal to the metal instantly and at no point does it ever really let up. We get those stunning dives, big bumps to the floor, all this delightful action that gets the engines revving. And all that while that constant threat too: once of these men will be forever changed after this. It’s a consequence that adds so much to what on paper could just be a brilliant fireworks show. In this apuesta setting, it’s more akin to fireworks show where the rockets are aimed at our wrestlers.
The pace is enough to sustain the initial portion of the match until both Valiente and Esfinge are eliminated. And from there, the match takes on a whole new quality.
There’s things to quibble with here, of course. Hechicero’s arm, bandaged up a few minutes into this, gets attacked by Euforia to start the 1v1 stretch, but the selling’s never entirely consistent. Structure-wise, this feels more back and forth than we might have gotten had this been two out of three falls. All these criticisms I can understand. But again, it’s the moment itself anchoring this firmly in greatness. It’s aniversario, one of these men will be changed forever, and that provides meaning to basically every action.
And the action itself? Phenomenal. A little too back and forth, sure, but there’s a hard edge to the wrestling here that one doesn’t always get in CMLL. We’re not harkening back to Satanico and his kin or anything, but there’s a violence here that stands out. I already mentioned the armwork that Euforia deploys on Hechicero, but the insane bump into the barricade that Hechicero takes to initiate that control counts too. A little deeper into the match too, there’s a rare punch exchange in 2024 CMLL, supplemented by these short headbutts that Hechicero peppers in throughout the match. All these small touches that lend a sense of danger and violence on top of amplified versions of spots we might be more accustomed to: the big dives right over the top rope to the floor, the massive bumps off the top to the mat, all the flashier things we know and love from CMLL. There’s classic structural choices too like Hechicero powering through Euforia’s first two attempts at his dragon sleeper variation, thus increasing the drama for when Euforia finally locks it in, and the joy of Hechicero enduring.
Ah, but then the unmasking itself. That’s the true power of this stuff.
It’s as meaningful as it always has been in Arena Mexico. Soberano Jr. coming out to console his father, Euforia’s fellow Infernales by his side, the women and children weeping in the stands. It’s the power of pro wrestling–more specifically, the truly unique power of lucha libre. When we talk about the Real, it doesn’t get much more true than this.
Rating: ****½
Takuya Nomura & Kosuke Sato vs. Fuminori Abe & Kozo Hashimoto (BJW Korakuen Hall 9/15/24)
Reviewed: September 17, 2024
Apparently the space boys have space spawn now, and they all come crashing together in this delightful Korakuen tag. As with all the truly best Astronauts work, it’s violent and concise in nature. Also just wickedly creative on the front of inflicting pain. Just seconds into this Nomura and Abe tangle up on the mat and take turns punching at each other’s hands. Gross, I love it. This also benefits from the inherent hierarchies in each team. Nomura and Abe work on mostly equal footing, but they both really make the kids work for everything. When Sato and Hashimoto wrestle each other too, they also add a lot of struggle on their own as well. At one point, they even have a real honest to god fight over a snapmare attempt, plus some spiritual lessons from their fathers with some arm biting here and there. And then all throughout too, still that magic chemistry between Nomura and Abe. All really tight and focused here, never straying too far into their sillier tendencies. Just hard hits and struggle, the way I love them best.
Rating: ****
Nanae Takahashi vs. Bozilla (Marigold Dream Star Grand Prix 2024 N4 9/16/24)
Reviewed: September 16, 2024
Only two years into her career, and immediately thrust into the spotlight of a brand new major promotion in Japan, Bozilla gets so much correct. Both in this and the inaugural Marigold main event, she focuses on everything a big monster should. It’s all about throwing her weight around, forcing her opponent to work towards her and around her. She’s also really expressive for a big monster, mixing in a lot of taunting and smugness that make her incredibly enjoyable to watch. It’s also a lot about what Bozilla doesn’t do. Bozilla doesn’t do a lot of bumping and she doesn’t do a lot of selling. These are all 100% correct decisions.
What results is a match like this where Nanae Takahashi’s forced to throw herself at the problem that is this massive woman and find a way to knock her down. Nanae tries the hard striking, but that doesn’t work because Bo’s got so much weight behind her own strikes. Up against a fairly new talent like Bozilla, one who’s not quite as polished, there’s a certain roughness to the violence here too that I enjoy. Note the real nasty crash Nanae takes into Bo’s feet when going for a splash. Not the big flashy bump that Mio Momono achieves with the same bump, but just this nasty crumple that Bozilla capitalizes on immediately. What Nanae ends up relying on, and finding most effective, is using pure physics. Get the big woman off balance, roll her up, take away her base. It’s what ends up winning her the day too with a sudden roll up. Pure physics to keep a larger opponent down, just stack all her weight on top of the shoulders. The simplest answers are often the best.
Rating: ***¾
Hechicero & Valiente vs. Esfinge & Euforia (CMLL Funcion Especial de Independencia 9/16/24)
Reviewed: September 17, 2024
I won’t lie, this one’s a bit of a mess. In spite of the tag team stipulation and the pairings, everyone involved is still very much feeling the bad blood from the aniversario apuesta. As such, what we get in function is really more of something of an epilogue to the aniversario match, with partners attacking partners and everyone still mighty pissed off at each other. As with the aniversario match, the highlight comes from Hechicero and Euforia’s interactions with each other. Euforia’s such a spiteful prick, still wearing his mask through the entirety of the first fall, blatantly attacking and punching at Hechicero’s injured arm. The arm really adds a dramatic hook that you don’t often get in modern CMLL too, this real focused weakness where it feels genuinely infuriating when the rudos attack it. But even then we get our pay offs with Hechicero triumphantly unmasking Euforia in the second fall before everything breaks down again. Short enough not to be incoherent and with high enough peaks to be worth recommending.
Rating: ***¾
