CMLL Roundup: Naito returned, caveman championship, best chop-fest between LA Park and Ultimo Guerrero

Welcome to the CMLL Roundup. Let’s get caught up on all the news and action from the past week. Naito returned to Mexico, a caveman defended his championship, and there was a chop-fest for the ages as LA Park and Ultimo Guerrero hit each other over eighty times combined.

Before we get to the wrestling, there is a bit of news for lucha libre in general. Two years ago, a temporary decree was passed to recognize September 21 as Lucha Libre Day. Earlier this week, the date was made official by the Mexican senate with 341 votes of support, 60 votes absent, and 51 votes against. Three cheers for lucha libre. Lucha, lucha, lucha!

The Naito experience

Japanese superstar Naito returned to Mexico. He dressed in style to join his Ingobernables brethren Rush and El Terrible in taking on Caristico, Volador Jr., and El Valiente in Friday’s main event (starting at 2:08:20 of the Mar. 29 show).

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Rush and Caristico were the captains. Fall 1 broke down early into ringside brawling. Highlights include a tornado DDT by Naito, Terrible swinging Volador into a Rush dropkick, and plenty of preening from Los Ingobernables. For the pin, Volador executed a tope con hilo to take out Rush. El Valiente face-cracked Naito and Caristico submitted Terrible with a whirling armbar.

Fall 2 was highlighted by monkey flips from Valiente, Naito and Rush spitting at Caristico, and suicide dives by Valiente and Caristico. For the finish, Rush kicked Volador in the nuts for a disqualification loss.

After the match, Rush ripped off Caristico’s mask then tossed it to Naito, who spit on it. Naito unmasked Valiente and slapped on a submission. The rudos stood tall to end the evening.

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Naito was kind enough to cut a promo backstage with Rush and Terrible. It was in Japanese though.

That was my first time experiencing Naito. He didn’t do much to display his wrestling prowess, since the trios format didn’t require any showcase maneuvers. One thing is clear though. Naito is one heck of a sports entertainer. He fit right in alongside Rush as master hooligans. I look forward to seeing Naito again in CMLL.

As for Naito’s trip overall, he took in the sights of the Zocalo, Bellas Artes, Starbucks, a tanning bed, and taquerias before leaving for New York.

Challenger for the caveman’s title

Also on that same Friday show, the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship was on the line as Cavernario defended against Forastero (starting at 1:37:15 of the show). Dark Magic was the second for Cavernario, while Cuatrero has his cousin’s back.

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Fall 1 went to Forastero via submission. The two dueled a little bit to get warmed up. Cavernario ran the ropes, Forastero nailed him with a fireman’s carry slam, then Forastero locked in an arm/shoulder crank.

Forastero attacked Cavernario outside the ring to begin Fall 2, but Cavernario rebounded fairly quick to even the score. A flying crossbody by the caveman to the outside then a flying crossbody inside the ring wore Forastero down for a springboard splash by Cavernario to pin.

Fall 3 was rather lengthy at about 15 minutes. Highlights include a tope con hilo by Cavernario, a suicide dive by Cavernario, a springboard butt bomb by Forastero to the outside, a hammerlock suplex by Cavernario, a springboard aerial back attack by Forastero to the outside, Cavernario swinging Forastero into the barrier, and a flying splash by Cavernario onto the floor.

For the finish, Forastero had Cavernario down after working some submissions. Forastero went high-risk with a swanton, but Cavernario rolled out of the way. The caveman pounced for a back submission to retain his championship.

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I would give that match the designation of ‘pick of the week’ for CMLL. It had championship stakes, drama, and popping moves.

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CMLL’s week in the ring

I watched four matches last week from CMLL’s various programs. Sometimes the bouts will be important. Other times, it will be lower luchadores I haven’t seen before. We already went over the big bouts from Super Viernes, so let’s tackle the action from Monday and Tuesday.

Monday from Puebla (Mar. 25, 2019)

In an update from last week’s topic of the brothers Chavez and Los Ingobernables fighting forever, they had a match together in Puebla. El Valiente and Cavernario were added to the mix for a trios bout. El Terrible kicked Angel de Oro in the balls for the disqualification and stood there to laugh about it. Like Los Ingobernables say, no pasa nada. Until next time for that foursome of rivals.

LA Park, Hijo de LA Park, Volador Jr. vs Ultimo Guerrero, Euforia, Gran Guerrero

The captains for the main event (starting at 1:33:00 of the show) were LA Park and Ultimo Guerrero. This was a revenge rematch from last week’s main event. The request was made for no referee and a super libre stipulation (no holds barred), but those requests didn’t seem to be fulfilled. Although, the rules did seem a little more relaxed than usual.

Side note, the missing dance girl from last week was back boogieing up a storm. We can lay to bed the mystery of her absence.

Los Guerreros Laguneros were waiting to engage in fisticuffs on the ramp, but LA Park’s squad outsmarted them by running through the crowd to attack from behind. They brawled in and out of the ring. Fall 1 came to its conclusion after Hijo de LA Park and Volador Jr. hit a double suicide dive. LA Park speared Ultimo Guerrero for the captain pin.

Fall 2 brought out the weapons, sort of. Hijo used an usher’s light stick, or something, to whack Ultimo Guerrero in the head. Papa Park set up a small metal structure on Gran Guerrero, but nothing happened. Park beat him with his belt instead. Gran got payback by bodyslamming Park onto chairs. The finish for Fall 2 went to the Laguneros with a tangling double submission to Hijo and Volador.

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Fall 3 began with the Lagunero leapfrog of Gran Guerrero on top of LA Park. Volador was the recipient of a super double press slam by the Laguneros. The skeleton squad fought back with a double tope con hilo by Hijo and Volador. Ultimo crashed down on the bodies with a flying cannonball of sorts. Park took to the air for a flying crossbody.

Back in the ring, Volador slapped on an octopus submission to Gran for over a minute, while Park and Ultimo were on the apron exchanging over eighty chops. Yes, that number is correct. It was awesome. Skip to the 1:49:30 mark to watch. Ultimo kicked Park in the nuts behind the ref’s back and broke up the submission.

For the finish, Gran Guerrero moved out of the way of a Volador dropkick and referee Tirantes received the impact. Tirantes ran over to Volador to push him down to the mat and award the victory to Los Guerreros Laguneros.

After the match, Volador grabbed the mic to set up a fight with Gran Guerrero. Volador wanted it right now, but Gran proposed next week and also upped the stakes to mask vs hair. Volador wasn’t going for that stipulation, but a regular match was set for the April 1 show from Puebla.

Ultimo Guerrero was off the rest of the week. That’s a shame. I really wanted to see how bad his chest got bruised from LA Park’s chops.

Tuesday from Mexico City (Mar. 26, 2019)

In the main event, the team of Volador Jr., Angel de Oro, and Niebla Roja defeated Euforia, Sanson, and Cuatrero. Volador pinned Euphoria off a super hurricanrana for the captain pin and overall win. No post-match stories. I didn’t watch that bout, but the one I did was pretty good.

Lightning Match: Flyer vs Titan

This bout was billed as tecnico vs tecnico (starting at 1:07:20 of the show), however, they sure performed as if it were rudo vs rudo. Ring the bell for the ten minute time limit.

Flyer offered a handshake, but Titan kicked it away. After some back and forth, Titan accepted the handshake then immediately delivered a crushing clothesline. Later, Flyer attempted to unmask Titan.

Highlights include a moonsault by Titan, a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker by Flyer on the entrance ramp, an overhead body drop to Titan, a suicide dive by Titan, and a flipping powerbomb pin by Flyer.

For the finish, Flyer had Titan woozy on the turnbuckles. Flyer took too long to attack, so Titan hit him with a super dropkick. Titan pretzeled Flyer up then rolled over for a pinning predicament that Flyer could not escape. Titan was the victor at 8:44. Tecnico handshake after the bout.

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That’s a wrap for this week. How many chops does it take to get the center of a Tootsie Pop? Who would you like to see Naito wrestle in CMLL next time he is in Mexico?