Arena Puebla 6/15/09

Ares, Espíritu Maligno, Siki Osama vs. Black Tiger, Blue Center, Centella de Oro

This was the Puebla boys at their best.

The opening matwork wasn't just good by Puebla standards, it was arguably the best matwork to come out of Mexico this year, but what really made the match were the follow-up falls. Usually, the Puebla guys lose their way after the first caida, but here the rudos did a good job of pushing the action. They kept changing the point of attack, which kept things interesting and went a long way toward maintaining a rhythm. The finishes were ambitious and didn't flow all that well, but it was cool to see them grandstanding. If not for the ending, it would've been the best of the local trios matches, but it was a bit of a swing and miss. The rudos almost had the technicos on the rack, and it was very nearly last ditch stuff, but they couldn't pull it off. They went for the three-pronged dive attack and it was all a bit uncoordinated.

Nevertheless, it was more of a ride than most Puebla openers. Blue Center came up limping, which put a cool spin on the usual post match celebrations. I dug how they chased the rudos out of town. Endings are tough to do. We see that all the time in Westerns and in comic books, but the local matches are always about the thought outstripping the execution and this was just behind the two other Puebla trios I've pimped.

Tzuki, Bam Bam, Pequino Olímpico vs. Pequino Universo 2000, Pequino Black Warrior, Pierrothito

I was under the impression that this was the best minis trios since Bracito De Oro/Cicloncito Ramirez/Mascarita Magica vs Damiancito El Guerrero/El Fierito/Pierrothito, and while it was heading that way with the early matwork, it wasn't meant to be. It was a good match, and I'd definitely like to see the minis as a regular fixture on Puebla cards, but the technicos couldn't match the rudos' performance here. It was fantastic stuff from the rudo mini veterans, Universo 2000 and Pierrothito; the kind of rudo beatdown you don't see much of any more, even from good workers. I won't win any points with Rob here, but I thought Tzuki dragged this down with his performance. Bam Bam carried his side somewhat with some pretty slick rope work, but this was a night where the rudos outclassed the technicos and left me wondering where the heroes have gone.

Rudos should lay down the groundwork, but there's not enough technique on the technico sides these days.