The show is still available at internet.tv this will obviously be spoiler filled so fair warning. I won’t have the ‘who’s who?’ sections I normally do because the primer I did before the show aired basically has pictures of what everyone looks like.

Stuka Jr, The Panther & Blue Panther Jr. vs Polvora, Dragon Rojo Jr. & Hechicero

This opening trios match was probably the best trios of the night. I’ve always felt that Stuka Jr. and Valiente fill a very similar role and would normally argue that Valiente fills it better. Stuka Jr’s performance here has really made me rethink that position. Stuka was very impressive as was Hechicero. I think this is arguably one of the best trios matches of the year, which is high praise since about 70-80% of CMLL’s output is trios matches.

The Panther Bros really earn this opening spot with both this and their opener 2 weeks ago at Gran Prix being the standout undercard match both iPPV’s. I’d really like to see them face Puma/Tiger again soon on a big stage like this.

While I like Panther Bros more than Polvora/Dragon Rojo Jr. Both teams deserve a pat on the back though, with each duo working excellent as a team doing double team maneuvers and each treating their odd man out as an extension of their team instead of just a 3rd person they are dragging along as it sometimes feels. Panther Bros lost the 3rd falls, but don’t feel like losers because they were in the best trios match of the night.

Marco Corleone, Diamante Azul & Valiente vs NGD(Sanson, Cuatrero & Forastero)

A fun bout that allowed some of the bigger tecnico names of CMLL to shine and use their signature maneuvers. Valiente did his signature double springboard moonsault, we got Air Corleone and Diamante Azul got to show off his powerhouse moveset. NGD weren’t left out in the cold though, as one of CMLL’s rising trios one of the reasons they are rising is because they are great at doing team moves. Which looked good vs two of the heaviest guys on the roster : Azul/Marco.

NGD lost, which is questionable since they are taking on such a thrown together team. Still Azul just won Gran Prix, unmasked a guy back in March and both Valiente and Marco are holding CMLL gold. So it’s not like they lost to some midcarders. I just think NGD winning their Anniversary Debut would have been nicer, but we don’t live in a perfect world and we still got a good match out of these 6, even if it wasn’t the hot match we got in the open.

Sam Adonis, Rush and Kraneo vs Barbaro Cavernario, Negro Casas and El Felino

This match seemed to exist mostly to set up a feud for down the line. Adonis and Negro Casas has already been announced for a lightning match for Friday. This match wasn’t everything it could have been, but we got some good bits. Cavernario and Rush clash here and hopefully that is something down the line as well, though who knows how that will come to be since both are rudos, but so are Adonis and Casas… though really everyone becomes a babyface/tecnico when taking on the Trump loving Adonis.

Kraneo/Cuije are fun as always and even Felino did a big dive. No doubt feeling the need to pull out all the tricks in his book. Every CMLL Anniversary you are in as a 50+ year old talent might be the last. While the match wasn’t great, it did what it was meant to by leading to Adonis/Casa. It might be the worst match on the card, but that’s more because of the dumb finish than any of the in ring action which was solid, if a little rushed.(No pun intended)

Princesa Sugehit vs Zeuxis, Mask vs Mask

Wow! These ladies really set the bar high for the main event. I haven’t seen the MYC yet, I’ve watched the first 2 episodes and will get around to it. So with that said, I have to say that of all the women’s matches I’ve seen this year across WWE/NXT PPV’s and TV(Though I have missed some NXT TV Women’s matches)… this is the best women’s match I’VE seen this year. That’s just that I’ve seen, I don’t know if it’s Asuka’s undefeated streak or me not really buying into Ember Moon. This just stood tall a a great match. Also, I’m certain I might be less hot on this match after seeing the MYC which I only heard good things about.

This just felt more Dramatic and the stakes seemed much higher. While the women weren’t the main event, this is the first ever women’s mask vs mask match at Anniversary. The crowd felt hot for this, arguably as hot as they were all night, though I think the main event also had it’s epic moments the crowd got behind. I absolutely loved the second fall moment when Zeuxis reversed an armbar into a pin to get the fall.

I also appreciate the pacing of the match. While the main event was great, I would argue fall 1 and 2 happen too quickly making it almost all in the 3rd round. Which is a good tactic for building drama, I just prefer the 1st/2nd rounds not feeling like an afterthought.

Hopefully this match and the big moment of Sugehit losing her mask wasn’t for nothing. I’d love for this to be a start of a brighter future for Luchadoras and women in CMLL. Hopefully this can occupy the space that the Sexy Star controversy has had in past weeks. With that story quiet, hopefully this doesn’t go under the radar and CMLL has things in mind for Sugehit and Zeuxis and doesn’t let this momentum slow.

Flip Gordon, Volador Jr. & Caristico vs Ultimo Guerrero, Mephisto & Satoshi Kojima

This match was… what it was : filler. I mean let’s not mince words… it was fun/good filler, but that’s what it was. CMLL Anniversary couldn’t happen without Ultimo/Volador cause Arena Mexico would riot. CMLL likes to have some outside talent on Anniversary so we got Flip and Kojima at the party.

This match lacks a certain urgency and it’s not hard to understand why.

All the CMLL talent are made for life and basically on the back 9 of their careers. Volador Jr. is probably the only talent who might have more success in their future than their past, but even Volador Jr is super decorated and won the biggest prize in CMLL this year by beating Ultimo to be crowned the 2017 Universal Championship.



Really only Flip Gordon would have something to prove and it kinda shows. The 25 year old working probably the hardest out of anyone in the match.

I find it funny that I watched 10 Kojima matches from the G1 Climax and his performance here might be the favorite one I’ve seen from him. Though, I’ll freely admit that I’m not as well versed in his tag runs with Tenzan or his higher on the card singles run from a decade or so ago.

A good/fun light match, but not one that felt like it needed to be won. Instead it feels like a game of pickup with very little on the line… because that’s what it was for most people in the match. No one on team rudo is going to be hurt by this loss, Ultimo in particular is probably more invested in the next match on the card than he was in this throw away trios that was the buffer between the two mask vs mask main event caliber matches.

Niebla Roja vs Gran Guerrero, mask vs mask

I think they did it… I think they really fucking did it. There was doubt going into this match. Niebla Roja disappeared for the last couple weeks, with everyone saying he had an injury. If that is true, his performance here is unbelievably good. If that’s not true, he still did a great job for an uninjured guy.

Right off the bat we got Roja suicide diving out onto Gran Guerrero.

Something to note is both men had their older brothers in their corners.

Both of course fighting to keep their mask, both masks being designed to look like Ultimo Guerreros.

I really have a hard time finding faults in this match. Which shocks me here and with CMLL mask vs masks matches in general. As far as I can tell/know, Gran and Roja have never had a singles match before this. Let me repeat that NEVER have these two met in singles competition before having one of the best singles matches of this year!

One spot I don’t like is the Gran Guerrero inverted powerbomb out of the corner… it just looks a little convoluted imo and not as impactful as an Ultimo Bomb. I get that it’s done as a way to distinguish Gran/Ultimo so they don’t have all the same spots, but it’s not a very good reimagining.

Gran Guerrero did the signature catch twice and the first one was just amazing! I’m never not going to mark out when some diving guy is caught right out of the air. It’s also a spot that seems easy to fuck up, so seeing it done so perfectly made me very excited to see who Gran catches in the coming years.

I can’t believe they did such a great job. I don’t know who wouldn’t enjoy this match and while it may be bold to say this… it’s better than last year’s main event. While last year Dragon Lee/La Mascara had a good match I think Rush’s involvement kinda cheapened the win, even if he cost both man a fall.

This year was just 2 warriors(pun kinda intended) battling it out for the iconic mask design of Ultimo Guerrero. While some might say that it was just an Ultimo cover band with Gran Guerrero, I think using some of Ultimo’s spots isn’t as easy as it sounds. Particularly with that catch spot that was done twice in the match.

I’d also be so bold to say something I don’t think is controversial. This was better than the Wrestlemania main event. No offense to Taker vs Roman, but it wasn’t exactly a stellar match even if it becomes historically significant as Undertaker’s retirement.

Final Thoughts :

CMLL Anniversary was pretty great this year. We got 2 mask vs masks match instead of one. I’d say both were better than last year’s, 2 betting matches. The opening trios was great as well with the other half of the card being fun, but not really feeling like a major step up from the normal trios action you’d see on CMLL TV. Though you likely wouldn’t seen NGD paired with such a strong team.





If you have 15 bucks to spare, I’d highly recommend this show. If you don’t, I’d highly recommend seeing it elsewhere after the fact either thecubsfan or CMLL officially releasing it. .