Other Lucha Nominees

[Phil Schneider]

Negro Navarro v. Nicho el Millonario DTU 10/15

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBn6OiBQZEg&feature=feedu

I liked this a ton. Worked like you would expect, with Navarro trying to torture Nicho on the mat and Nicho attempting to break out the lightubes and chairs. Navarro using a slick drop toe hold to counter the first lightube shit was great. He did a great job conveying his disgust at having to wrestle in this style, and the point where he just flips out throws Nicho throw the lightubes and chokes him the fuck out was totally awesome. I loved the ref and doctor running into the ring to try to save Nicho's life. Great stuff.

[Jetlag]

Negro Navarro v. Nicho el Millonario DTU 10/15 - YES

It's a borderline yes but Navarro is good enough to turn an average garbage brawl into something else. Watching him eating lighttubes and doing chair senton spots is just bizarre and he really makes you feel that he wasn't made for this kind of filthy environment. Of course theres still the usual Navarro badassery and I thought Nicho was really good being a complete scumbag, even though the finish took way too long and most of the stuff wasn't particulary exciting. Still a must-watch for the sake of Navarro doing garbage wrestling.

[Phil Schneider]

Nominate

Negro Navarro v. Solar 10/16

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4GWwsdXaAY&feature=feedu

All of the best stuff from this match up worked at a very fast pace. The early armdrags and counters were Ki v. Red speed and these guys are in their 50's. Navarro had some awesome rolling leg and arm locks. I am tired of always seeing the same finish, but I am not tired of seeing this matchup.

[Tim Evans]

Negro Navarro v. Nicho el Millonario DTU 10/15 -NO

I thought this was actively bad actually. The only good point was when Nicho hit Negro with the lightbulb and the crowd gasped. Otherwise Nicho was just awful and it's sad watching him and even Navarro's mat work was weak.

Negro Navarro v. Solar 10/16 - No

I was going to give this a yes until they did the shitty double pin again. The mat work was nice as you expect from these two but the finish killed it.

[KillSteve]

Navarro vs Nicho - NO. Pretty cool seeing Navarro work this sort of match, and I thought he did a good job, but have to agree with Tim that Nicho was just terrible. First half of the match was not good, Navarro might have been able to play Nicho's game with the garbage wrestling, but Nicho can't play Navarro's and Navarro working even with him was lame and not believable. A couple of basic moves like the Nicho's Sharpshooter and a couple of clotheslines were also executed badly. Going in I wasn't execpting Navarro to take any garbage bumps/weapon shots, so I was shocked when he got blasted with the tubes, and the finish was also great too. But still I thought this was too much of mis-match and Nicho stunk.

[Jetlag]

Nominating: Black Terry, Dr. Cerebro & Robin Maravilla vs. Dinastia Navarro, AULL 10/29

Just look at the guys involved. Do I need to say more? This has two very short falls and some finishes looked awkward, but other than that this match delivers. You gotta love how they make their personalitys shine in all this, Cerebro and I working the mat as equals while Trauma II is trying his hardest to take the veteran Terry down, while Navarro dismantles the superhero dude with Navarroesque variations of his own holds. Then 1 comfortably chucks Terry out of the ring so can he can take on the much less dangerous Maravilla instead. Awesome. We also get a 90 second glimpse at a Terry/Navarro matchup, 3rd fall has some crazy sequences, a sick Cerebro tope and a badass finish. Both Terry (who is Black Terry awesome as usual) and Navarro (who is Negro Navarro awesome as usual) really never cease to amaze me, really.

[Tim Evans]

Black Terry, Dr. Cerebro & Robin Maravilla vs. Dinastia Navarro, AULL 10/29 - NO

Good match but the 2 falls were just way too short. I liked the Negro/Robin section as Robin was able to hold his own unlike Nicho. The Terry/Navarro parts and Cerebro/I opening mat work was good to but kinda short.

[Phil Schneider]

Black Terry, Dr. Cerebro & Robin Maravilla vs. Dinastia Navarro, AULL 10/29=YES


Just a murderers row of awesome luchadores. This feud with Cerebro Negro in Robin Marvillas places delivered some of my favorite matches of the decade in 2009. This wasn't at that level, it was a sportsman's contest rather then a blood feud, but these guys match up so well. We open up with a Trauma 1 v. Cerebro mat section, and I really love how those guys match up. They are both the bruisers of their team, and all of their exchanges are based as much around strength as technique. Black Terry v. Trauma 2 is much more a speed match up, and the final Robin Marvilla v. Navarro has the story of the young kid over his head but stepping it up. Navarro is just killing it in 2011, and his facial expression really put over Marvilla's stuff. 2nd and 3rd falls were too short for this match to reach the next level, although it had some very nice stuff. Also Terry and Navarro have been teasing us for years, as we get another 90 second taste of what they could do against each other.

[Phil Schneider]

Trauma 1 v. Trauma 2 10/29

http://vimeo.com/31527969

A little exhibitiony, but still damn cool shit. Nifty back and forth matwork to start and then some big moves at the end. The torture rack into the backbreaker 1 throws was super nasty looking. Excited this happened and showed up.

[Dylan]

Yes to Trauma v. Trauma

I fucked loved this and didn't find it nearly as "exhibitiony" as I feared it might be. Really slick, fast, and sick looking exchanges from bell to bell. The speed on the arm drags was awesome, 1 hit some insanely fast and brutal looking stuff,and the big fuck you strike from 2 ruled. Not one of the top, top matches of the year, but one of my favorites so far.

Black Terry, Dr. Cerebro & Robin Maravilla vs. Dinastia Navarro, AULL 10/29

Loved 1 in this again. He really has been in a lot of my favorite exchanges all year. The final two falls were too short, but it didn't bother me because the opening mat exchanges were so good across the board.

Yes to Navarro v. Solar

In some ways I liked this better than any of their other matches as they seemed to be working extra quick and the sharpness wasn't lost at all. Odd that they teased the stupid double pin finish early and then went back to it. Still ruled.

[Phil Schneider]

NOMINATE

Black Terry v. Negro Navarro v. Judas El Traitor v. Terremoto v. Triton v. Belial LUCHA POP 11/26/11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFjF91ZgjFw&feature=feedu

For cool shit per minute this match is about as good as it gets. The match opens with up with each guy pairing off and testing each others technique. Terry doesn't do this kind of llave wrestling as much as Navarro, but he looked great, just eating Triton alive. There is a chinlock indian deathlock move which is spectacular. Navarro matches up with Terremoto who is a fun fat dude, who was quite carryable on the mat. Navarro is great here talking shit as he twists Terremotos chubby limbs. Judas and T2 rock it out with some especially cool counters by Trauma 2. The sped up portions of the match were pretty great too, Triton kills Terremoto with an apron slice bread #2, Terry eliminates Judas with a flying guillotine. Trauma 1 wanders around pounding on people. We get down to T1 and Negro Navarro and I really want this feud to happen. They do some fast british style, but T1 cuts off Navarro's kip up with a dropkick and slaps on the spinning reverse figure four. I like the mini leitmotif in their match ups with T1 not really following the pattern. Just tremendously entertaining.

[Phil Schneider]

El Hijo Del Santo v. El Hijo del Solitario TXT 11/3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy7q00h1r-A&t=3m37s

Its a Santo singles match and those are few and far between these days. We get the signature mat work, the headscissors, and dives. A little blood and mask ripping, all good stuff. Soliatario is better then Blue Demon Jr., real nice spin kick, but it was a pretty big cock tease to see Navarro reffing this match and imagining how world beating a Santo v. Navarro match would be.

[Dylan]

YES

Black Terry v. Negro Navarro v. Judas El Traitor v. Terremoto v. Triton v. Belial LUCHA POP 11/26/11

This was more "insanely fun" than "holy shit this was tremendous" to me, but god damn it was fun. I thought Terremoto was an extremely fun fat guy, Terry looked spry as fuck in this and damn Judas was really fucking awesome in this. I wish there was more Trauma I in this, but his finishing fun with Navarro was awesome. Really sweet match.

[Dylan]

YES

El Hijo Del Santo v. El Hijo del Solitario TXT 11/3

I actually thought this was a borderline great match on first watch. There were some transitions that didn't really work, but over all this was awesome. They did a great job working all the big Santo spots you want to see into a match the felt way more important. Solitario was actually really entertaining in every respect as he was jawing all night long, took some great theatrical bumps, and was really good coming across as a vicious bastard after the posting/cut in the second fall. The first fall being wrapped up so easily and won with the camel clutch I liked too as it made a lot of sense later when Solitario was frankly fleeing it like he knew he was done if he got caught again. The big wipe out tope on his second was an awesome spot and Santo getting his revenge mask ripping, biting, cut punching in ruled. Finish was slick though I wish it would have been more definitive. This was actually a lot better than i was expecting.

[Tim Evans]

Trauma 1 v. Trauma 2 10/29 YES
I'm not the biggest fan of these two but this ruled. Loved the atmosphere in the sports bar and this had some real good submission work.

Black Terry v. Negro Navarro v. Judas El Traitor v. Terremoto v. Triton v. Belial LUCHA POP 11/26/11 YES

Man Terry just owned this match. Navarro was good too but Terry was on the whole entire match. I also liked Judas and even Terremoto. Although Terremoto no selling the slice bread on the ring apron was really weak. And the Terremoto/Benlai section was very DTU like.


El Hijo Del Santo v. El Hijo del Solitario TXT 11/3 YES

Holy shit did Solitario rule here. He was like a Cien Caras/Tommy Rich hybrid with his selling and reactions. Santo was Santo and all the selling to the crowd was great. I didn't expect much from this but it delivered big time.

[KillSteve]

Black Terry v. Negro Navarro v. Judas El Traitor v. Terremoto v. Triton v. Belial LUCHA POP 11/26/11

YES. Agreed that it was deinitely more "fun" than "great", but it was still a blast. Lots of really slick stuff on the mat and when they kicked it up through the gears it didn't dissapoint. Well I guess not having Terry and Navarro face off is a dissapointment, but I wasn't expecting them to, so whatever. Terremoto had a couple minor botches that were barely noticable and barely even sold the apron Sliced Bread, but otherwise I thought the "nobodies" in this were all competant if carried mostly. Judas was great though, loved his showdown with T1. Final few minutes between the big four were especially good and second the love for the finish with T1 cutting off Navarro as he was nipping up. He ain't Solar punk, he ain't gonna let you catch your breath.

[Phil Schneider]

El Hijo Del Santo v. Angel Blanco Jr. TXT 12/15

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NY8Qoz8TYPA...03eFUAAAAAAAKAA

I think this was the best of the big Dec lucha singles matches. Blanco is pretty much a bog standard luchadore he is neither going to add or subtract from a match. Santo gets to do his thing and it is really awesome and I loved Solitario as stooging second. Crazy to see Santo job clean like that too, although I imagine that means he is snatching Blancos mask.

[Dylan]

Yes to Santo v. Blanco

This was not anywhere near as good as the Santo singles v. Solitario, but it was still a really good match. What puts it over the top is the third fall with Solitario getting tossed as a second, the frantic escapes from the camel clutch by Blanco and his surprise clean pin. The previous falls were good but lacked intensity/excitement, though they did feature most of the staple spots you want from Santo. Still that final fall was damn good.

[Wrestling_KO Mike]

Negro Navarro v. Nicho el Millonario DTU 10/15 - YES

Forgot to watch this before the countdown. This was a really enjoyable match and a lot of that had to do with Nicho knowing his role. Although he was able to get in some offense on the mat, he still looked totally outclassed. He was mostly just grabbing on a limb and hoping for the best. The actual matwork, although not high-end stuff, was really gritty and had an uncooperative feel to it. Admittedly, the hardcore brawling section was a little weak at times mostly because of Nicho's questionable offense and the time it took to set up the props. The second half of the match was still very watchable due to Navarro bleeding, making a couple of really good comebacks and coming extremely close to killing his opponent. Perhaps one of the best finishes you'll ever see.

[tomk]

Aguilita v Celestial for the Perros del Mal mini championship 11/13/11

http://youtu.be/QakW7JDYhP0

There are a couple of moments where the pacing is off, but pretty fun. Big bumps, huge dives, neat transitions and Celestial has some surpisingly great power offense for a mini technico.