For this series I will be highlighting matches/videos that were recently uploaded to youtube. Today’s was uploaded by a lucha libre oriented channel Fanáticos del Deporte-Espectáculo This particular match is from a smaller Lucha Libre company that use to work more hand and hand with CMLL. However, that has for the most part stopped with only one CMLL talent allowed to work there still and that is Caristico.

Who’s Who?

Michael Elgin wearing a red/black singlet and having facial hair. Elgin is a talent who could be called a journeyman of the indies. Working with various indies for his career, if your independent company is worth it’s weight in salt. It’s likely featured Elgin on at least once, if not multiple times. In 2011 he finally got more spotlight in ROH and that spotlight has only gotten brighter as ‘Big Mike’ has become a gaijin(foreigner) staple on the NJPW roster.

Volador Jr. wearing blue trunks/knee pads with white boots. Volador Jr has always been a loyal worker for CMLL and has the distinction of being the longest current champion for CMLL. He also had the honor of being one of two to headline their 80th anniversary show a few years ago where he lost his mask to La Sombra.

How was the match?

It’s pretty good, but hardly the best you’ll see from either man. I think it’s likely do to the fact that the whole tournament was in one night. Which I’m always against, it’s almost a sure fire way to make the main event not as epic as it could be. Still despite the fact that both men had wrestled twice earlier in the night, they both did a great job here. It starts a little slow with Elgin targeting Volador Jr’s shoulder, but after Volador does duo dives things pick up pace until the end.

A complaint that hopefully Lucha Libre Elite got from others was the cutting away and having dual screens. One of action and one of Shocker and 2 other guys talking about the match. It’s the finals of a tournament! What are you doing?!?! I don’t care about what those 3 think, I want to watch the match not the commentators! Felt very strange, would be fine in some of the earlier matches, but in a final that isn’t even 15 minutes… I don’t need a cut away for 1-3 minutes of said match.

Another odd thing about this is the fact that Elgin’s Mexico tour ended about a month after this… yet he is the Elite World Champion? The prize here should have been a trophy or something. It feels really weird they gave a guy a belt… who won’t be in their company for the near future. Still, a fun match with 2 guys who have likely been in the PWI top 100 the last 5-6 years. It shows that Lucha Libre Elite can get huge talents on their shows in Arena Mexico. I’m probably not as big of a fan of Lucha Libre Elite as CMLL, but they still put on good shows.

Highlighs of the match :