[2014-01-28-CMLL] Virus vs Titan

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

 

[Phil Schneider]

I actually thought this was more of a Titan showcase then the Casas match. I of course chock that up to the greatness of Virus. Casas is more of flashy showman, Virus is a rudos rudo, he makes the guy he is wrestling look on his level, even if he really isn't. The mat section at the beginning is the perfect example, it isn't Negro Navarro schooling a scrub, but a competitive impressive mat exchange which made Titan look like a capable mat worker. No one puts together finishing runs like Virus, he would have been amazing in WCW PPV Juniors matches, or 2002 ROH. I am not sure if Titan is as good as AR Fox for a flashy guy with nice highspots, but the end of this was pretty edge of your seat. The big nasty apron bump by Titan leading to that insane somersault senton will be a spot of the year contender for sure. Let's hope we get some more Virus showcases this year.

[Matt D]

I'm actually not super familiar with either of these guys, because I am certainly a novice to lucha. It feels like a title match right from the get go, though, and it's a testament to Virus that if I hadn't read what Phil wrote first and knew what to look out for, I might have missed completely how thoroughly he was leading Titan through the paces. There were one or two sort of odd moments with Titan zigging where he should have zagged but for the most point it was a very solid first fall. I think when I watch title matches that start with matwork it's not necessarily elaborate stuff I'm looking for but either competitive or interesting and I think this hit both marks. The lightning quick way Virus put on the fall-ender was striking.

 

Then Virus just puts on this clinic on how a leg is not supposed to bend, to the point that I'm kind of sad when he goes away from it. I like that we get a definitive cut off hope spot (and one that calls back to the leg work a bit) before Titan comes back with the handspring, and that even that was almost cut off until Titan cements it with the leg whip. That Titan takes the second fall with a crazing handstand backflip roll up thing is just proof positive that Virus should have kept on with the legwork. Or something. 48 year old

 

Titan is fairly explosive. I liked how the flying back elbow in the corner came out of nowhere. Virus, for his age and body type, is deceptively quick and agile. He also does a great job catching Titan's dive. After the rolling figure four variation fight, we get a nice nearfall callback with Titan going for his flipping roll up again. Then the second big dive. Titan sure is flippy. Virus' response to said flippiness is kind of great. After the big springboard sunset flip, he just grabs the legs and pulls (did they call this a Ringo Mendoza lock or did I hear that wrong?). Titan's bridging out of the subsequent pin is nice, with the power bomb as the exclamation point. We get more of that dickish response of the flying stuff, as Virus eats a springboard splash from Titan and then latches on to an arm and tries to dislocate half of Titan's body. He's too tired to finish him off, though, and Titan's soon back up and trying to fly again. A well timed high dropkick knocks Titan off the top rope and then 45 year old Virus does that insane senton to the floor.

 

They probably show stuff like this all the time, but the image of the elated girl holding up her Virus mask after he kicks out of the two post-senton clotheslines is pure gold. I really like how Virus is able to just kick out a positional reversal to almost any spot he's in. I'm not entirely sure I've ever seen anyone do that quite as well as I Do it here (Which I'm sure says more about me than about him). Maybe a Billy Robinson. Anyway, the finish is surprisingly smooth. You almost hear that last submission hold click into place once the arm comes around.

 

I didn't come out of this all that impressed with Titan but I do want to go back and see younger Virus now.