Csonka’s CMLL FantasticaMania 1.16.20 Review

Csonka’s CMLL FantasticaMania 1.16.20 Review

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Fuego & Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Namajague & DOUKI @ 7:30 via pin [**]
– Audaz & Guerrero Maya Jr. defeated Luciferno & Yoshinobu Kanemaru @ 10:20 via pin [**]
– EVIL, Shingo Takagi, & BUSHI defeated Flyer, Dulce Gardenia, & Hiroshi Tanahashi @ 11:05 via pin [***]
– Forastero & OKUMURA defeated Titan & Stuka Jr.@ 9:10 via submission [***]
– Ultimo Guerrero & Barbaro Cavernario defeated Satoshi Kojima & Caristico @ 13:20 via submission [***]
– CMLL Family Tag Tournament Match: Sanson & Cuatrero defeated Euforia & Soberano Jr. @ 9:50 via submission [**¾]
– CMLL Family Tag Tournament Match: Angel de Oro & Niebra Roja defeated Negro Casas & Tiger @ 13:15 via submission [***½]

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– Mavs Gillis & Chris Charlton are on commentary.

Fuego & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Namajague & DOUKI: Fuego and Namajague begin, they work into counters and passes until Fuego follows with arm drags and dances. DOUKI in and Taguchi dumps him. He and Fuego attack, follow with double teams and Taguchi calls the plays. It’s lost in translation as DOUKI slams Fuego into Taguchi’s ass. The heels attack, Taguchi misses a plancha and they work him over with chops. Back in and Namajague lays the boots to him. Double teams follow, they isolate Fuego and Namajague goes for his mask and then DOUKI does the same. Double teams follow, they make a wish and dump Fuego. Taguchi back in, he fights them off with ass attacks and then misses a high cross as Namajague side steps him. Taguchi dumps him, hits a high cross to the floor as Fuego hits one in the ring. DOUKI cuts him off and the lariat gets 2. Fuego counters suplex de la luna and cradles him for the win. Fuego & Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Namajague & DOUKI @ 7:30 via pin [**] This was an ok, light comedy opener to kick things off.

Audaz & Guerrero Maya Jr. vs. Luciferno & Yoshinobu Kanemaru: Maya and Kanemaru begin, they lockup and Kanemaru grounds Maya. Maya counters out and Kanemaru takes him back down. He lays the boots to him and Luciferno tags in as double teams follow. Kanemaru back in and Maya grounds him, and the cradle gets 2. Luciferno back in and Audaz joins him. Luciferno works a standing submission, Audaz counters out and then gets taken down, working into a rings of Saturn. Audaz escapes and cradles him for 2. Luciferno grounds things, but Audaz escapes again. Maya and Kanemaru tag in, Maya picks up the pace and Kanemaru rakes the eyes, Maya battles back, hits a high cross and delivers chops to Luciferno. He dumps him and poses. Kanemaru attacks Audaz, Audaz hits a RANA and PK. The springboard moonsault to the floor follows. Back in and Luciferno takes Maya up top, rips a this mask and into the tree of WHOA, Luciferno hits knee strikes. The rudos double team Audaz, lay the boots to him and Maya is in, Lucioferno attacks, and Maya battles back on both with backbreakers and Audaz hits dropkicks. Audaz hits a springboard tornillo for 2. Luciferno cuts him off with the shoulder breaker for 2. The clash follows and Luciferno covers for 2 as Maya makes the save and cradles Luciferno for 2. Kanemaru in, Luciferno accidentally hits him and Maya follows with a dive. Audaz in and the enziguri and moonsault connects for the win. Audaz & Guerrero Maya Jr. defeated Luciferno & Yoshinobu Kanemaru @ 10:20 via pin [**] This was only ok as Kanemaru didn’t work that well in here with the luchas at all.

EVIL, Shingo Takagi, & BUSHI vs. Flyer, Dulce Gardenia, & Hiroshi Tanahashi: BUSHI & Dulce begin, Dulce slaps his ass and BUHI trips him up, lays the boots to him and Dulce picks up the pace, poses and hits a springboard arm drag and teases a dive. Flyer tags in and Shingo joins him. He follows with a shoulder tackle, Flyer hits arm drags and dumps him. BUSHI trips him up as LIJ attacks. They brawl on the floor, Shingo hits chair shots on Flyer and back in, stomps on Flyer’s head. He grounds the action, Dulce in and Shingo head butts him. BUSHI crotches him on the post, and EVIL tags in as they beat down Flyer. Flyer counters back, hits a superkick and covers for 2. Tanahashi tags in and runs wild on LIJ, delivers strikes to EVIL and follows with the high cross until BUSHI attacks. Tanahashi fights him off, EVIL rakes the eyes and follows with the superkick. Shingo in, follows with clotheslines, but Tanahashi counters into a dragon screw. Dulce tags in and dances with Shingo until Shingo attacks. Dulce follows with a ropewalk arm drag, a dropkick and tries to kiss all of LIJ, kisses BUSHI and dropkicks Shingo. He and Flyer follow with tope con hellos, back in and Shingo works over Dulce with strikes, Duce hits a high cross and cradles Shingo for 2. LIJ cuts him off, triple teams follow and Shingo covers for 2. Shingo follows with a DVD on Dulce for 2. The pumping bomber follows and Dulce is done. EVIL, Shingo Takagi, & BUSHI defeated Flyer, Dulce Gardenia, & Hiroshi Tanahashi @ 11:05 via pin [***] This was good, the crowd liked it and the right team won.

Titan & Stuka Jr. vs. Forastero & OKUMURA: Mima Shimoda is at ringside. Forastero and OKUMURA attack, but are quickly cut off as the technichos follow with suicide dives. Back in as Stuka & OKUMURA trade chops, Forastero joins in and Stuka follows with double arm drags. To the floor and OKUMURA accidentally takes out Mima as Stuka moved. Back in as Titan and OKUMURA trade chops, Titan hits kicks, and then follows with an enziguri and a RANA. Forastero cuts him off, attacks his mask and Titan cuts him off with a hook kick and to the floor, hits a RANA. OKUMURA attacks him and they all brawl on the floor. Back in and Forastero delivers chops, OKUMURA joins in for double teams and they dump Titan. Stuka in and the rudos attack, Forastero take him up top and OKUMURA hits the tower of London. Titan back in, Forastero cuts him off, takes him up top and tries to rip off his mask, and then follows with chops and kicks. Titan battles back, hits an enziguri and the high cross follows. OKUMURA is dumped and Stuka slams Forastero and the top rope dive takes out OKUMURA. Titan hits the double stomp back in for 2. He takes Forastero up top and follows with a PELE. Forastero counters the avalanche RANA into a superbomb for 2. The arm bar finishes it. Forastero & OKUMURA defeated Titan & Stuka Jr.@ 9:10 via submission [***] This was good with a really fun rudo vs. technico dynamic.

– The rudos unmask the technicos post match.

Satoshi Kojima & Caristico vs. Ultimo Guerrero & Barbaro Cavernario: Kojima & Guerrero begin. They lockup and work into counters as Guerrero grounds him until Kojima makes the ropes. Guerrero plays to the crowd, so Kojima lights him up with chops. They trade until Guerrero cuts him off. Cavernario and Caristico in, they play to the crowd and Cavernario finally attacks. They work into passes, arm drags by Caristico and Cavernario then hits arm drags. Counters follow, and they work into a standoff. Kojima & Guerrero back in, they trade shoulder tackles and then chops. Kojima takes him down, Guerrero counters back and Cavernario tags in. Double teams follow and Cavernario hits the Vader bomb. Caristico in, Cavernario cuts him off and Guerrero dropkicks him to the floor. They isolate Kojima, Kojima fights back and Caristico flies in with a RANA and he poses with Kojima. Kojima follows with machinegun chops on Guerrero and Cavernario. Hits the running forearm, Guerrero fires back and the broncobuster follows. Kojima battles back with a DDT, and the cutter. Guerrero fires back, they work up top and the Guerrero special connects for 2. Caristico and Cavernario tag in and pick up the pace, hammerlock suplex by Cavernario and that gets 2. Caristico follows with head scissors, a RANA and an enziguri. Cavernario does the worm, RANA by Caristico and he hits a suicide dive. Back in and Kojima dumps Guerrero, hits a plancha and back in, Cavernario is cut off by Caristico until Cavernario counters la mistica and locks on the submission for the win. Ultimo Guerrero & Barbaro Cavernario defeated Satoshi Kojima & Caristico @ 13:20 via submission [***] This was build for CMLL Heavyweight champion Ultimo Guerrero vs. Satoshi Kojima on the 19th and NWA historic middleweight champion Caristico vs. Barbaro Cavernario Cuatrero on the 20th. The match was good but felt like it was really missing something to make it more.

Euforia & Soberano Jr. vs. Sanson & Cuatrero: Cuatrero and Soberano begin. Cuatrero hits a shoulder tackle, they work into counters and Soberano dumps him. Sanson tags in and they dump Euforia. They double team Soberano and Sanson hits a powerslam. Euforia in and is quickly cut off with double teams and the cover gets 2. They pill to the floor, Sanson & Cuatrero deliver chair shots as they brawl into the crowd. Euforia hits backbreakers and Soberano hits senton from of one of the stairwells. They work back to the ring and Soberano takes control, hits a head scissors and a RANA. Euforia tags in and runs around a bit, gets cut off and Sanson accidentally hits Cuatrero. Suplex to the buckles by Euforia and Soberano joins in for double teams and hits a springboard splash for 2. He heads up top and hits a tornillo to the floor onto Sanson. Euforia up top and hits a high cross to the floor onto the pile. Back in and Sanson cuts off Euforia with a draping leg drop for 2. It breaks down, until Cuatrero locks on the invested bear hug for the win. Sanson & Cuatrero defeated Euforia & Soberano Jr. @ 9:50 via submission [**¾] This was an odd one, no consistent flow or fire, some fun stuff but also some odd ones. I didn’t hate it but expected a lot more.

Angel de Oro & Niebra Roja vs. Negro Casas & Tiger: Roja and Tiger begin, locking up and working into counters as Roja grounds the action until Tiger cradles him for 2. Roja transitions into a bow and arrow, Tiger escapes and they work into a standoff. Oro and Casas tag in, working into counters and Casas grounds things. He works a head scissors, and Oro escapes. Cass works some slick escape moves until Oro cradles him for 2. Casas takes him down, attacking the arm until Oro transitions out and Tiger makes the save. Dropkick by Casas, Tiger suplexes Oro and covers for 2. Tiger works over Roja, Casas in and they hit head butts on Roja. Tiger grounds him, and then delivers chops. Casas follows with kicks, Oro & Roja battle back and clear the ring. Suicide dive by Oro and a tope by Roja follows. Back in and Oro counters into a superkick on Casas. Tiger in and Oro hits a head scissors. Casas back in and Roja poses, Casas moons him and they trade strikes. Casas lights him up and drops him. he follows with clotheslines and Roja dropkicks Tiger. Tiger powders and Casas & Oro tag in, they trade and Oro his a dropkick. He dumps Casas and follows with the golden triangle to the floor. Tiger dumps Roja and he follows with a dive. Back in and Casas lights up Oro until Oro hits a superkick and high cross. Casas hits a dive from the apron and Tiger takes Roja up top, but Roja counters and back down and Tiger hits a pop up powerbomb for 2. They trade, enziguri by Tiger but Roja counters back and the crab transitions into the pendulum for the submission. Angel de Oro & Niebra Roja defeated Negro Casas & Tiger @ 13:15 via submission [***½] This started slowly, got better as it went along, Casas rules and this was good.

– Sanson & Cuatrero arrive to set up tomorrow’s tournament finals.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 83. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka & Steve Cook hit a quick news breakdown (AEW’s TV Deal, Scurll, NWA), review the latest between AEW & NXT, and then Larry reflects on his difficult 2019. The show is approximately 89–minutes long.

* Intro
* Quick News Breakdown (AEW’s TV Deal, Scurll, ROH/NJPW/NWA): 4:00
* AEW Dynamite (1.15.20) Review: 21:02
* NXT TV (1.15.20) Review: 47;45
* The Head to Head Comparison: 1:10:00
* Larry Reflects on His Difficult 2019 & Shares Some Thank Yous: 1:18:25

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– Thanks for reading.

– End scene.

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

Sometimes these FantaticaMania shows are a great change of pace and tremendously fun, but this one wasn’t one of them. It was far from bad, as CMLL FantasticaMania 1.16.20 was a solid show, clocking in at about 2 hours and 15 minutes, and while there was some good the show never really locked in for me and at times resembled a slightly energetic VOD show. It was fine but nothing to go out of your way to see.