Video link to the event over at Youtube, timestamped to the start of this particular match: https://youtu.be/sXKRvan9f0Q?t=53



Cagematch page for this match/event.



Who’s Who?

El Sagrado

Making his debut in 1992 Sagrado wasn’t very visible before coming to CMLL. He did work briefly in AAA as Slayer in the mid 1990′s before 1999 saw him come to CMLL where he has been since.

Out of these 6 men Sagrado has probably gone on to do the least at this time he had won Mexican National Trios Championships (with Maximo and El Texano Jr.) and the less noteable regional Occidente Tag Team Championships (with Rayman) which he was still holding at this time. He had won it the same time he won these trios belts in summer of 2007.

El Sagrado’s Luchas de Apuestas record at this time was 1-1-0 having lost his mask as Genetico in 2002 after which CMLL repackaged him originally as Fray Tormeta’s Protege, but that of course ended up being Mistico’s thing with CMLL quietly dropping it from Sagrado’s background. In 2007 he shaved Mascara Magica, which is his only Apuestas win to date.

I for one do like Sagrado and in the mid 2000′s he was a fairly serious rudo contender making it to the semi-finals of various tournaments. He continues to work in the midcard for CMLL in 2018.

La Sombra

Making his debut in 2003, La Sombra wouldn’t be very visible until making it to CMLL in 2007. Where he was quickly changed from Brillante Jr. to La Sombra.

He hit the ground running getting a huge win in 2007′s Gran Alternative with CMLL’s biggest tecnico at the time Mistico. From there he would win 2 belts in 2007 this trios belt with Volador Jr/Sagrado and NWA World Welterweight Championship both of which he is holding at this time.

At this point his Lucha de Apuestas record was 2-0-0 taking the mask of Camorra and hair of Zafiro in 2006 as his first name Brillante Jr. and had not yet won a Lucha de Apuestas match in CMLL yet.

So this is the beginning of the hot run that would make La Sombra one of the biggest names in CMLL over the next half decade or so.

Volador Jr.

Making his debut in 1997, he was trained by Satanico and his father Volador. He originally showed up in Promo Azteca in 1998, then Mexican indie fed IWRG for 1999 and into the 2000′s before going to CMLL where he has been since.

Despite being so intertwined with Sombra being long term tag partners and of course having a heated rivalry at some point Volador Jr. is about a decade Sombra’s senior and was the most decorated of his team at this point.

While he had only held 1 belt at this point the trios title he is holding here once before holding it with Safari & Felino. He had won several tournaments including that one to become Trios Champions, Reyes del Aire 2005 and 2007. He was also just around the corner from winning the TNA World Cup of 2008.



Luchas de Apuestas record for Volador Jr. at this time was 5-0-0 with the last one being in 2004 tag match with Mistico where they shaved Ebola and Anthrax. which has to be a sentence that’s going to get me red flags.

El Hijo del Fantasma

Making his debut in 2000, he originally worked in IWRG and even spent some time in Ultimo Dragon’s Toryumon Mexico promotion until 2008 saw him arrive in CMLL where he would spend the next few years. At this point Fantasma didn’t really have much of note under his belt. Having carried no belts or won any betting matches at this point.

Success was right around the corner for him, in CMLL before also happening in AAA/Toryumon Mexico and may be best known by many people as King Cuerno which is his persona in the Lucha Underground universe. He has been in AAA since 2014 and with Impact’s recent relationship with AAA Fantasma has worked more matches in Impact this year than AAA.

La Mascara

Making his debut in 2000, La Mascara also shares with Fantasma in that he is the son of a famous luchador. La Mascara being son of Brazo de Oro who is of course of one the famous Brazo brothers. These family connections helped La Mascara who was in CMLL shortly after starting his career. He was known as Brazo de Oro Jr. until 2005 when all the Brazo Jr. generation decided to forge new paths with new names.

La Mascara had only captured the Mexican National Welterweight Championship by this point which he dropped by this match. Though he had won tournaments like the Reyes del Aire 2006(between the years Sombra won), Gran Alternativa 2005(with Atlantis), and a Mexican National Trios Title #1 Contenders Tournament(in 2004).



His Luchas de Apuestas record was 2-0-0 at this point unmasking 1 person as Brazo de Oro Jr. and shaving 1 head as La Mascara. He and Fantasma would go on to be the most popular trio in CMLL in 2009 with Hector Garza.

Valiente

Making his debut in 1996, he wouldn’t really break through until hitting CMLL in the early 2000′s. He would continue to work there and still does to this day.

At the time Valiente had yet to hold a title in CMLL. This being his and Fantasma’s chance to finally get the gold. He was right around the corner from winning his 1st Reyes del Aire 2006 the following month in May.

Valiente's Luchas de Apuestas record at the time was 2-0-0 winning a mask in 2007 and hair in 2008 the month prior in March. Valiente would go on to be a workhorse for CMLL working 150+ matches a year from 2013-2017. He is also currently trios champions modern day with Volador/Mistico. The 3 collectively one of the longest reigning champs ever with that belt.

How is the match?

Fantastic, some people have called this match the MOTY for 2008 lucha. I can see why with lots of great action from guys who would go on to define the next decade of lucha libre. It’s hard to think of matches with so much in ring potential. It also helps that everyone here is on point. There isn’t someone who isn’t not only trying to pull their fair share, but pull even more to show they can.

This is a great example of CMLL having confidence in and pushing young talents. Sombra at the time would have been 18 years old and is holding 2 belts. This is the kids day show, so it might be fitting. I think CMLL get’s shade for having older talents, but I don’t think they have ever been too shy about trying to make new stars. Which happened with pretty much everyone in this match over the next few years and was already happening for some of them.

Sagrado is the main person in this equation who has been left mostly in the rain. Though of course La Mascara had an ungraceful exit from the company last year, La Sombra is in WWE, Fantasma left a few years ago leaving them with 3 of the 6 still in the company. All of them though fill a role and two of them are in top spots in the company holding the top tag and trios belts in the company.

I also enjoyed the end which of course turned the tension up to 11 as both teams had a fall and a none captain on each team being eliminated. Essentially turning the closing moments into a sudden death, which I always enjoy in team title matches like this that use the CMLL standard rules. I’d recommend this one for sure, one of the best, if not the best team match we have looked at this month.