Date: January 13th, 2015
Location: Osaka BODYMAKER COLOSSEUM #2 in Osaka, Japan
Announced Attendance: 1,300
Last year the CMLL Fantastica events were great fun, so they decided to do it again this year. These events tend to just be mindless fun, multi-man matches pairing random CMLL and New Japan wrestlers both with and against each other. No long term consequences, just a sit back and enjoy type of thing. Here is the full card:
– Mr. Niebla and El Bárbaro Cavernario vs. Rey Cometa and Triton
– Ángel de Oro vs. OKUMURA
– Gedo and Polvora vs. Jushin Thunder Liger and Mistico II
– Shinsuke Nakamura, Mephisto, and YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tiger Mask, Stigma, and Stuka Jr.
– KUSHIDA, Máscara Dorada, and Captain New Japan vs. Naito, Ryusuke Taguchi, and La Sombra
– Hiroshi Tanahashi, Atlantis, and Volador Jr. vs. Okada, Ultimo Guerrero, and Gran Guerrero
Thanks to doing this last year, I know who most of these guys are. Hooray!
Mr. Niebla and El Bárbaro Cavernario vs. Rey Cometa and Triton
Triton and Cavernario start things off. Armdrag by Cavernario and he kicks Triton down. They tussle around a bit on the mat while Niebla battles Cometa outside of the ring. Everyone gets in the ring, Cometa is thrown in the corner but he avoids his opponents. Niebla catapults Cometa into the air, and Cavernario dropkicks him in mid-air. Cavernario and Niebla chop Triton, and Niebla comes off the top with a diving body press onto Triton’s leg. Cometa dropkicks Cavernario and Niebla out of the ring, he and Triton both go for dives but Triton’s legs get caught in the ropes and he faceplants straight to the floor, injuring his knee in the process. They hit the reset button as Cavernario and Cometa get in the ring, and they trade chops. Hurricanrana by Cometa and he swings Cavernario out of the ring. Niebla comes in but Cometa runs around outside and then kicks Niebla as he gets in the ring which knocks him back out of it, making Niebla land on the injured Triton. Great idea, land on the knee of the guy that hurt his knee. Cometa hits the 450 Splash and gets the pin, making Cometa and Triton the winners. Obviously Triton getting hurt wasn’t the plan but he wrestled the next night so was he really hurt that badly? I dunno. Not a great opener though, it had no structure and it just wasn’t that smooth. Score: 3.5
Ángel de Oro vs. OKUMURA
Armdrag by Oro to start things off and he wins the second exchange as well. They trade armdrags, shoulderblock by OKUMURA and he hits a lariat. Irish whip by OKUMURA but Oro flips out to the apron and hits a swandive dropkick. OKUMURA falls out of the ring and Oro hits a hurricanrana from the apron. With both on the apron OKUMURA grabs Oro and plants him with a DDT. OKUMURA slides Oro back in and hits a missile dropkick. Cover, but it gets a two count. Michinoku Driver by OKUMURA and a tilt-a-whirl slam, he applies a reverse chinlock but Oro gets to the ropes. Oro ducks a lariat and hits a thrust kick, OKUMURA falls out of the ring and Oro sails out onto him with a perfect Space Flying Tiger Drop. Back in the ring Oro goes for a hurricanrana but OKUMURA rolls through it for a two. Oro dropkicks OKUMURA out of the ring, he goes up top and hits a moonsault down onto OKUMURA. OKUMURA is basically just Oro’s base for this match, in case you haven’t picked up on that. OKUMURA knocks Oro out of the ring, Oro moves when he charges in and hits a quebrada for a two count. Another thrust kick by Oro but it gets two. Oro flips out to the apron but OKUMURA DDTs him back into the ring for a two count. They trade chops but time expires and the match is a Draw. More of a showcase for Oro than anything else since OKUMURA’s primary job in the match was to catch him when needed. But Oro’s spots were pretty. Score: 5.5
Gedo and Polvora vs. Jushin Thunder Liger and Mistico II
Gedo starts the match with the legendary Liger. They trade submissions and Liger hits a shoulderblock. Handspring elbow strike from Liger out of nowhere, clearly Liger is inspired with the lucha theme of the shows. Liger tags in Mistico while Polvora comes into the ring. Polvora chops down Mistico but Mistico hits an armdrag. Polvora dropkicks Mistico and knocks Liger off the apron. Polvora elbows Mistico and goes for his mask while Gedo tries to take off Liger’s mask; Polvora puts Mistico in the tree of woe and hits a dropkick. Liger fights back Polvora and Gedo until he is stomped down by Polvora. Mistico and Gedo face off but Polvora attacks Mistico from behind. Polvora dropkicks Mistico, Liger comes in the ring and he is double teamed, but Liger gets away and knocks down Gedo. Polvora kicks Liger but Mistico hits a hurricanrana on Polvora, sending him out of the ring. Mistico then goes off the ropes and hits a tope con hilo down onto Polvora. Liger goes for a powerbomb on Gedo but Gedo gets away. Backbreaker by Liger and he hits a Shotei. Cover but it gets a two count. Liger tosses Gedo out of the ring and hits a cannonball. Polvora and Mistico get back in the ring and Mistico hits a hurricanrana for a two count. Victory roll by Mistico but that also gets two. Dropkick to the knee and La Magistral, but Polvora kicks out. Polvora Driver by Polvora and he gets the three count. That match ended really quickly, Mistico is weak. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen Liger do a handspring elbow strike before and Mistico is very smooth. Ended too quickly but not a bad match. Score: 6.0
Shinsuke Nakamura, Mephisto, and YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tiger Mask, Stigma, and Stuka Jr.
YOSHI-HASHI and Stigma start off and they trade flipping moves with neither getting a clear advantage. Hurricanrana by Stigma and YOSHI-HASHI falls out of the ring while Stigma does a little dance inside of it. Tiger Mask and Mephisto come in as the legal men, armdrags by Tiger Mask, Mephisto pushes Tiger Mask back and he tags in Stuka. Mephisto tags in Nakamura and Stuka dropkicks Nakamura in the knee. Stuka gets Nakamura on his shoulders and slams him to the mat, he goes off the ropes but Nakamura avoids the body press. Nakamura kicks Stuka in the corner but Stuka avoids the running knee. Stuka kicks Nakamura and hits a tilt-a-whirl slam. Mephisto runs in and he lariats Stuka. Mephisto throws Stuka in the corner, Mephisto falls out of the ring and Stuka hits a moonsault off the second turnbuckle to the floor. Back in the ring, Mephisto puts Stuka on the top turnbuckle and starts unmasking him. Mephisto kicks Stuka in the ribs and tags in Nakamura. Nakamura knees Stuka in the ribs and drops a knee for a two. YOSHI-HASHI tags in and chops Stuka to the mat. Lariat by YOSHI-HASHI, cover but Stigma breaks it up. Irish whip by YOSHI-HASHI but Stuka hits a handspring elbow strike and tags in Tiger Mask. Crossbody by Tiger Mask and he hits a tiger driver onto YOSHI-HASHI for a two count. Tiger Mask goes up top but YOSHI-HASHI rolls out of the way of the diving body press. Stigma and Nakamura run in, and Stigma dropkicks Nakamura. Tilt-a-whirl headscissors by Stigma to Nakamura, YOSHI-HASHI goes off the ropes and he slides out of the ring. Tiger Mask tags in Stuka and he is alone with Mephisto. Elevated armdrag by Stuka but Mephisto hits the Demon Driller. Mephisto tears off Stuka’s tights, which probably caused more damage than Stuka made for wrestling on the card. This is why wrestlers have no money. Nakamura and YOSHI-HASHI come in and they triple team Stuka. Tiger Mask comes in to help, YOSHI-HASHI dumps him out of the ring but Stigma dropkicks YOSHI-HASHI. Stigma goes off the ropes and hits a tope con hilo down onto everyone except Mephisto and Stuka. In the ring Stuka hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, he goes up to the top turnbuckle and hits the Torpedo Splash for the three count. Tiger Mask and friends win the match. Some good spots, YOSHI-HASHI seemed like he was having fun, and I adore Mephisto. So more good than bad for sure. Score: 6.5
KUSHIDA, Máscara Dorada, and Captain New Japan vs. Naito, Ryusuke Taguchi, and La Sombra
Dorada and Sombra start things off, and Sombra hits the first move of note with a dropkick. Dorada walks around the ropes in the corner and hits a hurricanrana. KUSHIDA and Naito tag in, Naito charges KUSHIDA but KUSHIDA holds down the ropes and Naito falls to the floor. Seated senton by KUSHIDA to the floor while Captain New Japan and Taguchi get in the ring. Taguchi stomps on Captain New Japan but Captain New Japan hits a shoulderblock. Hip attacks by Captain New Japan but Taguchi hits a jumping hip attack. Naito is tagged in and Captain New Japan is hit with a double shoulderblock. Naito applies a wristlock and tags in Sombra and Sombra hits an elbow for a two count cover. Headscissors by Sombra and he tags in Taguchi, cross armbreaker by Taguchi but it is quickly broken up. Sombra picks up Captain New Japan and chops him, but Captain New Japan hits a double shoulderblock and tags in KUSHIDA. KUSHIDA clears the ring and hits a tilt-a-whirl DDT on Sombra. KUSHIDA twists up Naito in the ropes, catapult dropkick by Dorada and he hits a hurricanrana on Sombra. Dorada and KUSHIDA go off the ropes and hit stereo tope con hilos, leaving Naito and Captain New Japan in the ring. Dropkick by Naito to Captain New Japan, Sombra comes in the ring too and Captain New Japan is dropkicked in the corner. Naito goes up top but KUSHIDA kicks him from the apron. Swandive dropkick by Dorada to Taguchi but Sombra hits a swandive crossbody. Sombra dumps KUSHIDA out of the ring and hits a moonsault down onto Dorada and KUSHIDA. In the ring Captain New Japan hits the Hirai End on Naito for a two count cover. Hip attack by Taguchi to Captain New Japan, Naito puts Captain New Japan in the Pluma Blancha for the submission victory. Solid but when every match is so similar the luster starts wearing off. Dorada is the man though. Score: 6.0
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Atlantis, and Volador Jr. vs. Okada, Ultimo Guerrero, and Gran Guerrero
Hey look, Gran and Ultimo have on identical outfits so I can’t tell them apart. Fantastic. Wait, I found a difference in the mask, I’m good. Ultimo attacks Atlantis before the match starts and the action spills out of the ring. Tanahashi and Gran get into the ring as the legal men, kick to the ribs by Gran but Tanahashi hits a rebounding crossbody. Volador and Okada come into the ring as the legal men and they go back and forth just for show. Atlantis and Ultimo come in the ring next but it breaks down into a brawl, and Atlantis’s mask is ripped. Atlantis and Ultimo go outside the ring and Ultimo rams his head into the table before sliding him back in. Atlantis continues to be triple teamed, Tanahashi comes in the ring and he gets beat down as well. Volador is next and he eats a lariat. He is then dropkicked off the apron down to the floor, and everyone dances in the ring. Atlantis comes back and Okada jumps down onto Atlantis. Volador comes off the top turnbuckle with a hurricanrana and Tanahashi hits a dragon screw onto Okada. Atlantis starts working on Ultimo’s mask and gets it untied, but he gets out of the ring. Gran comes in instead and punches Atlantis but Atlantis armdrags him and hits backbreakers on all three of his opponents. He then takes off Ultimo’s mask (don’t fret, Atlantis beat Ultimo in a mask match last year, he shouldn’t have been wearing it in the first place) before monkey flipping Ultimo out of the ring. Volador and Okada get in the ring and Volador hits a hurricanrana. Ultimo gets in the ring with Volador, Volador armdrags him out of the ring and Gran takes his place. Spinning headscissors by Volador, Gran falls out of the ring as well and Volador hits a slingshot hurricanrana. Tanahashi and Ultimo get in the ring, Gran tries to help but Ultimo kicks him on accident and Tanahashi hits a Sling Blade on Ultimo for two. Tanahashi tags in Atlantis but Ultimo hits a front suplex on Atlantis. Atlantis armdrags Ultimo off the top turnbuckle and goes for a Frankensteiner but Ultimo blocks it and hits a powerbomb. Volador and Gran get in the ring and Gran hits a side slam. Twisting cutter by Gran, but Volador hits a backstabber for a two count. Volador puts Gran up top but Gran throws him to the mat. Fireman carry slam by Gran, he goes up to the top turnbuckle but Volador kicks him before he can jump off and Gran hits a hurricanrana while both of them are standing on the top rope. Okada and Tanahashi come in, and Okada hits a flapjack. Okada and Tanahashi trade elbows and uppercuts, Tanahashi ducks the Rainmaker and hits a Sling Blade. Ultimo and Atlantis are back in but Ultimo tumbles over the top rope, Atlantis then hits a tope suicida on him. Back in, Atlantis puts Ultimo in the Atlantida and Ultimo quickly submits, Atlantis and company are the winners! This match got lots of time, had two different stories (although only Atlantis vs. Ultimo was really explored), and had great spots by Volador. A little disjointed at times but overall really fun. Score: 7.0
Final Thoughts:
These shows kinda are what they are. Not a lot of hard hitting action, just having fun watching the CMLL and New Japan wrestlers mix it up against each other. There were some good spots and all of the matches went by quickly, and overall it was enjoyable. Just nothing really memorable, which will probably be the status quo for this tour.
Grade: C+
Kevin Wilson of Puroresu Central
