Well, we’ve seen the puro and American year end awards, and now it’s time to cover the lucha scene. One minor disclaimer before we get started: I’m going by US airdates on my picks – not actual dates. I don’t feel like I can accurately judge something I haven’t seen. Keep that in mind on some of my choices when you consider the newer results coming out of Mexico.
Best Promotion
CMLL
CMLL easily takes this win on almost all fronts. AAA’s booking has been horrible this year. We’ve seen main eventer after main eventer jump to CMLL. CMLL’s gotten legendary names like El Hijo Del Santo and Perro Aguayo Sr. (well, for one match anyway) back in the ring. Add in the booking that’s helping to build new guys so well, and there’s your number one promotion for 2005.
Best Single Wrestler
Perro Aguayo Jr.
Perro’s had an incredible year this year. Consider the fact that he was drifting at the beginning of the year. Then we got to see him wind up in a feud against the Capos that led to his father, Perro Sr., getting back into the ring for one last match against Cien Caras and Mascara Ano 2000 (which also reportedly kicked off Cien’s farewell tour). Now he’s gathered together Hector Garza, Halloween, and Damien 666 to form the Perros Del Mal – arguably the top rudo faction in CMLL today (well, current time). Anyone who can come as far as he did in one year definitely deserves the award.
Best Stable
Guerreros del Infierno
And let the controversy begin. I’m sure a lot of people would have expected to see the Perros Del Mal in this slot, especially considering how high-profile they’ve become in the past few weeks. I’ll be honest – there’s only one reason they’re not. They formed so late in the year. I’ll say this, however: if the Perros can keep up their momentum, they’ll definitely be contenders next year.
As for the Guerreros, they’ve had a banner year. Their membership has grown as most of the Guerrero University members have stuck around and kept representing the GdI (namely Dr. X, Sangre Azteca, Loco Max, and Arkangel). Tarzan Boy kept up his ties with the GdI, despite also working with Hector Garza and Perro Aguayo. Olimpico filled in adequately for Tarzan with Rey Bucanero and Ultimo Guerrero until a botched dive to the outside resulted in a broken neck. Olimpico recovered, and has since returned to action without missing a step. Ultimo and Rey Bucanero, the group’s founders, have also maintained their high level of performance. Overall, a banner year for the GdI.
Best Match
Mistico vs. Ultimo Guerrero (July 30, 2005)
For weeks the tension between up-and-comer Mistico and Ultimo Guerrero had been building. Finally it culminated in a singles match.
Ultimo opened the match by playing mind games. In accordance with his name (Last Warrior), he came out in an entrance which included Mayan drummers and dancers, reminiscent of Samoa Joe’s entrance with the Samoan dancers a couple of months back.
After jumping Mistico on the ramp, Ultimo completely dominated the first fall. Finally an overwhelmed Mistico submitted. That wasn’t good enough for Ultimo, who wanted to punish the youngster. He continued to attack, which led the referee to disqualify him, awarding the first fall to Mistico.
The second fall started with Ultimo storming around the ring while the referee counted him out. Ultimo got back into the ring to beat the count and resumed the assault on Mistico. Finally Ultimo had Mistico down for the pin, but Ultimo pulled him up at two. Ultimo dragged him to the corner and hit a sit down powerbomb from the top rope. After landing, Ultimo immediately grabbed his knee, which brought the ringside doctor over to have a look. Mistico used the opportunity to catch his breath and attacked. Finally Mistico went for his finisher, only to accidentally kick the referee. Ultimo hoisted Mistico up for the kill, but Mistico escaped. As Ultimo was distracted by the recovering referee, Mistico pulled off his mask and rolled him up for the three count and the win.
Why is this my favorite pick for match of the year? Easy. Ultimo and Mistico are two of CMLL’s top talents, and they put on a great show. It was only made moreso by the unusual booking (match decided in only 2 falls, and Ultimo being DQ’d for attacking after the submission). It also served its overall purpose perfectly – it helped build Mistico as a dominant force in CMLL and the loss didn’t hurt Ultimo’s momentum either.
Breakout Star
Mistico
This year one new luchadore stood out – and his name is Mistico. Mistico had been primed for success from the beginning of his run in CMLL back in 2004, by being teamed with top guys like LA Park and El Hijo Del Santo. This year Mistico won the NWA Middleweight title from Averno, and still holds it today. He also had incredible singles matches against the likes of Ultimo Guerrero and Perro Aguayo Jr. Also, he firmly established himself toward the top of the card, especially now that he is embroiled in a heated feud against the Perros Del Mal. Overall, a very good year to be Mistico.
Biggest Storyline
Capos vs. Perros
To completely understand this one, you need a little backstory. For years, Perro Aguayo Sr. had been one of Cien Caras’s greatest enemies in the ring. In 2005, Perro Jr. was firmly in Cien’s sights, and he had his brothers, Mascara Ano 2000 and Universo 2000, along to help. Finally we had a match that few ever thought they’d see again. Perro Aguayo returned to the 7ring to help his son in his battle. The feud culminated in the promoted “final confrontation” between Sr. and Cien as they teamed with Perro Jr. and Mascara Ano 2000 (respectively) in a hair vs. hair match. The Perros came out on top, and Cien went on a farewell tour leading to his retirement.
Biggest Surprise
Shocker/Vampiro jump to AAA
This one came completely out of the blue. All year, AAA’s top names had been jumping to CMLL. Luchadores such as Heavy Metal, Gronda, and Electro Shock had been making their way to CMLL, a trend started the year before when Hector Garza had jumped. However, just as CMLL looked to be truly dominant in the talent wars, Vampiro and Shocker, two of CMLL’s top stars, went against the flow and headed to AAA.
As yet, it’s still too soon to determine whether they made the right decision or not. Shocker’s debut was at Triplemania in a press conference (one of the last AAA shows aired to date). Vampiro, however, found himself in the semi-main event taking on Konnan in a one on one match. Regardless, this was a shot in the arm that AAA’s dwindling main event scene needed.
Biggest Disappointment
Triplemania
Triplemania is AAA’s version of Wrestlemania, so named because they used to run three shows in different locations under the Triplemania banner. It is still the big show for AAA. And this year’s is a comedy of errors.
To start with (and to cover the one point that AAA had no control over), Galavision completely blundered showing this. Triplemania is a three hour show. Galavision runs a two hour show. How did they handle it? By showing hours 2 and 3 in August, then coming back in December to show hour 1 and reair hour 2.
The quality of the booking was awful as well. For example – Tinieblas Jr. had teamed with Pirata Morgan and Monsther to take on his father Tinieblas Sr. (who he’d said he’d never fight), Alebrije, and Hijo de Anibal. What should have been a great rudo moment for Jr. was ruined as, rather than attacking his father, Pirata Morgan did. Then the rudo referee called for the DQ.
They actually had Dragon’s Gate’s Cima on the show (calling him Shiima). Cima was involved in the ending of the match – after Juventud Guerrera hit his opponent with a chair. The problem is this – Triplemania should not be the show to build feuds, it should end them.
Another booking decision that makes my head hurt is the match between Nicho el Millionario (WWE’s Psicosis) and Psicosis II (a guy Pena stuck under the Psicosis mask when Nicho left). The match was to decide which of the two had ownership of the Psicosis name. Winner? Histeria, who wasn’t even in the match!
Also, Shocker’s debut was at this show – in a press conference. And don’t even get me started about Konnan being in the semi-main event.
Overall, a horrible show that brought me Wrestlemania IX flashbacks. And those weren’t flashbacks as in remembering Wrestlemania IX. Flashbacks as in “I’d rather be watching Wrestlemania IX.” Terrible show, especially considering it’s supposed to be the year’s crown jewel. Definitely the year’s biggest disappointment.
