CMLL
January 6th (Aired January 19th)
Arena Puebla (Puebla, Mexico)
NWA World Welterweight Championship
Dave Meltzer has floated the theory that something is missing with Volador Jr. since he dropped the mask. It should be noted that he jumped to the fence to the tecnico side shortly after dropping his mask to La Sombra, so that attitude change could also be part of the equation if there is indeed something different about Volador now than eight months ago.
Or perhaps there is nothing different about Volador at all. He has always had his obvious strengths (few can put on as impressive of a high flying move-for-move exhibition as him) and his weaknesses (his non-lying offense and only okay charisma). The mask-less, technico Volador doesn’t seem to be all that different than masked, rudo Volador when you really get down to it.
This is an unremarkable match but Volador’s positives and weaknesses as noted above are on display. He hits a beautiful over-the-top rope dive, a nice Asai moonsault, and a cool spinning head scissors during the course of this title defense. In between those moves lies the problem as his other offense consists of 2000’s-era Indie moves like lung blowers and the Spanish Fly, while offering little else to tie the match together. There is certainly something missing from Volador’s performance, but I am not so certain that those elements have not always been missing.
Averno is a nonentity here, although he does provide a highlight in using Volador’s own long sleeve hoodie as a choking mechanism. If I were a rudo, I would be doing that all the time to any of the several luchadores who are dumb enough to make a hooded t-shirt part of their regular ring gear. Averno picks up the first fall with the Angel’s Wings (more 2000-ish Indies moves) but Volador battles back taking the next two falls for a successful first title defense.
Lucha Title Match| Watchable| Title Match
