Another match where lucha meets puroresu. This time more contemporary than the 1996 or 1980 matches we looked at before with both talents still active wrestlers and both even within the WWE ecosystem. So this is the only match of these series that has a chance of happening again in WWE down the line. Which is pretty exciting since both these international talents were associated so strongly to their brands CMLL and NJPW.

Who’s Who?

La Sombra is in the mask and black attire. Mistico(SinCara/Caristico) is one of the big reasons NJPW wanted to open relationships with CMLL. Then he went to WWE and the big Mexican star NJPW was so fond of was no longer around. That whole was mainly filled by La Sombra and Rush. 2 of the founding members of the hot rudo group Los Ingobernables. Who many people might be first exposed to through Naito and the NJPW branch. Naito being invited into the group by Sombra with Sombra and Naito even challenging Shocker and Negro Casas for the CMLL Tag Titles.

This was in spring of 2013 which would be a few months before La Sombra would controversially main event CMLL 80th vs Volador Jr for their masks over the more wanted match of Atlantis vs Ultimo Guerrero… which of course was before CMLL 82nd Anniversary where La Sombra would main vs Atlantis. So this is before La Sombra exploded and became the biggest CMLL name under the age of 30 which would be a position he’d hold until he left the company to head to NXT.

Sombra defended the IWGP IC Title once before having this rematch with Nakamura vs Volador Jr. who was his major rival at the time in CMLL and was basically Sombra’s main rival throughout his CMLL run.

Shinsuke Nakamura in recent years really became The IWGP IC Champion. The guy you think of when you think of the belt. La Sombra ended Nakamura’s 1st reign which was the 4th overall reign for that relatively new belt. In his first reign Nakamura had more defenses than the first 3 combined champions. MVP, Masato Tanaka and Hirooki Goto had 7 defenses combined to Shinsuke Nakamura’s 8. So Nakamura was the guy to elevate the belt past experiment.

On the May 31st, 2013 edition of CMLL’s Super Friday show. Shinsuke Nakamura entered the Cathedral of Lucha Libre : Arena Mexico as IWGP Champion and left without it as La Sombra beat him in a 2/3 falls match which is the common stipulation for CMLL. Nakamura would hold the title another 4 times after that initial reign. Normally dropping it to someone and getting it back soon after. Holding it 5 times, 17 defenses and 901 days, the last time he lost the belt he instead vacated it because he was heading to WWE. His closest rival for that belt being Naito who has 4 defenses in his one reign.

How’s the match?

Good! I love the idea of Lucha-resu and these two guys know that in this match people are expecting both. Nakamura gives you the heavy dose of Puroresu while Sombra checks the Lucha Libre box. Though the two dabbled in their opponents wheelhouse as well. Most notably when Shinsuke Nakamura dives out onto La Sombra. Which might be the takeaway highlight from this match.

La Sombra I think really steals the show with pretty much all of his offense looking crisp. While Nakamura kinda fumbles a springboard forearm and has a few of his strikes failing to connect with the crispness you’ve come to expect from Nakamura. Still, I think the few times this match doesn’t execute perfectly isn’t enough to drag it down much for me.

La Sombra lives up to the Lucha Libre reputation of being very fast. He is often finding ways to avoid or gain the upperhand vs Nakamura by speed. Nakamura is catching his breath on the top rope? Kick him off. Nakamura rolled out of the ring after a headscissors? Time to dive? Nakamura down after some offense? Climb a big structure and moonsault onto him.

A match I’d highly recommend watching not just because it was great at the time, but because a rematch is almost inevitable barring WWE dropping either of these talents unexpectedly. Much like AJ/Nakamura have history and will meet in a WWE ring Cien Almas/Nakamura too have history and will build upon it in the WWE ecosystem in a match that hopefully is even better.

Dave Meltzer gave this bout a 4, but I’d probably be higher on it and rate it the same I did the NOAH title match I covered yesterday. A solid 4.5, a modern classic that people already look back on fondly and likely won’t lose the reputation it has as a fun lucha libre meets puroresu bout.