By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
New Japan Pro Wrestling “CMLL Fantastica Mania 2024”
February 18, 2024 in Tokyo, Japan at Korakuen Hall
Streamed live on New Japan World
Walker Stewart and Chris Charlton provided commentary. The show opened with a remembrance for Black Cat, who is recently deceased.
1. Ryusuke Taguchi, Pegasso, and Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Yoh, Tomoaki Honma, and Tiger Mask at 8:02. Again, Pegasso’s mask is kind of like Laredo Kid, with scales up the back of the head; he is wearing a black singlet tonight but he’s been in blue all tournament. (If you don’t know this roster like me, the constant changing of outfits from show to show is maddening.) Tiger Mask and Pegasso opened with fast-paced lucha reversals. Yoh and Taguchi tagged in at 2:00; Taguchi was still wearing his Dollar Tree sphinx mask and they traded some comedy offense. Honma entered but he missed his Kokeshi at 5:00; Taguchi also missed a Kokeshi.
Tanahashi hit a flying forearm on Honma, then a second-rope summersault senton for a nearfall. Pegasso nailed a flip dive to the floor on Yoh. Tiger Mask hit a dive to the floor. Taguchi hit a plancha. In the ring, Honma hit a flying headbutt on Tanahashi, and this time he hit the Kokeshi for a nearfall at 7:30. However, he missed a second-rope Kokeshi. Tanahashi hooked an arm, rolled up Honma, and scored the pin. As expected, this was mostly comedy.
2. “Los Ingobernobles de Japon” Bushi, Kamaitachi, Tetsuya Naito, and Yota Tsuji defeated Magnus and “House of Torture” Sho, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and Yujiro Takahashi at 8:40. Sho is still holding Desperado’s IWGP Jr. Hvt. Title. Again, Kamaitachi is Hiromu Takahashi in a red, furry full-body mascot outfit, and he’s playing this for comedy. Yujiro and Naito opened and traded forearm strikes. Kamaitachi and Sho locked up at 2:00, and Sho tried to remove the mask. In a fun spot, Kamaitachi picked up the ref and made the ref hit a huracanrana on Kanemaru at 4:30. Bushi entered and hit a missile dropkick. (If I havent’ said it before, all these horns are driving me nuts!) Bushi hit a double huracanrana.
Magnus and Yota entered at 6:00 and traded deep armdrags; Stewart said these two have competed in Mexico while Tsuji was on excursion. Yuiro accidentally struck Magnus with his staff. Tsuji hit a flying Stinger Splash on Magnus, and he applied a Boston Crab. Like the other day, he grabbed Magnus’ arms and turned it into a pendulum swing, and Magnus submitted. The three HoT guys had already abandoned Magnus and were walking to the back before he submitted. Naito was in the ring marginally more than Saturday’s show.
3. Titan (w/LIJ) defeated Brillante Jr. at 7:45. Los Ingobernobles de Japon remained at ringside. Hiromu walked to ringside and he looked “gassed and winded” and Charlton dryly said we “haven’t seen Takahashi this whole tour.” (Again, he’s been under that full-body outfit which I’m sure is rather warm!) Titan hit a huracanrana, then immediately a dive to the floor, to open the match. Brillante wore black-and-purple tonight. In the ring, Titan hit a tornado DDT but Brillante popped up and landed on his feet, and Brillante hit a dropkick at 2:00. Titan hit a springboard dropkick.
Brillante Jr. hit a twisting dive while barreling through the ropes; he got a nearfall in the ring. He hit a top-rope 450 Splash for a nearfall at 4:00. Titan applied a Trailer Hitch leglock, but Brillante Jr. fought free. Brillante hit a running sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall, then a split-legged moonsault for a nearfall at 6:00. Titan hit a springboard tornado DDT, then a top-rope doublestomp to the chest for a nearfall. Titan re-applied the Trailer Hitch, and he leaned backward to turn it into a Muta Lock. Brillante Jr. tried to reach the ropes but he was forced to tap out. That was good action.
4. Musashi, Dark Panther, and Atlantis defeated Hechicero, Douki, and Okumura at 11:54. Hechicero wore a red singlet tonight, keeping me confused with who everyone is. Dark Panther and Douki opened,, and Douki tied up the left arm. Musashi and Okumura entered and traded forearm strikes at 2:30, and Okumura hit some deep armdrags. Atlantis and Hechicero entered for their teams and they traded intense mat reversals and rollups. They got up and traded forearm strikes at 5:30. Hechicero hit a running knee to Atlantis’ jaw in the corner.
Atlantis hit backbreakers over his knee on each opponent. Dark Panther dove through the ropes at 8:30. Musashi hit some basement dropkicks on Douki’s knee, then he hit an Exploder Suplex on Douki. Hechicero hit a springboard dropkick on Musashi. Atlantis hit a frogsplash on Hechicero. Musashi hit a flip dive to the floor. Okumura hit a running stunner on Dark Panther for a nearfall. Atlantis hit a top-rope crossbody block on Hecihicero, then a powerslam at 11:00. He hit a huracanrana that sent Hechicero to the floor, then he dove through the ropes onto him. Dark Panther tied up Okumua’s legs, lifted him off the ground to apply pressure, and Okumura tapped out. A unique finisher.
5. Mistico, El Desperado, Mascara Dorada, and Stigma defeated Francesco Akira, Difunto, Stuka Jr., and Ultimo Guerrero at 13:03. Mistico and Ultimo Guerrero opened, but Guerrero teased leaving; they shook hands. Mistico hit a huracanrana and Guerrero bailed to the floor. Dorada, wearing metallic blue today, entered at 2:30 to face Akira, and they traded armdrags and quick lucha moves and had a standoff. Desperado and Stigma hit stereo dives to the floor. Akira hit a Crucifix Driver. Guerrero’s team began working over Stigma. Mistico and Dorada hit stereo top-rope huracanranas at 7:00. Mistico hit a dive to the floor on Stuka Jr.
In the ring, Dorada hit a top-rope crossbody block on Stuka and Guerrero, then some impressive huracanranas. Stigma hit a shotgun dropkick on Akira. Desperado hit a back suplex on Akira for a nearfall at 10:00. Difunto hit a springboard clothesline on Desperado for a nearfall. Guerrero suplexed Desperado face-first to the mat. Mistico hit a pop-up dropkick on Guerrero. Mistico and Dorada hit stereo corkscrew planchas to the floor at 12:00. Akira hit a top-rope dive to the floor. Difunto hit a swinging slam on Desperado for a nearfall. Stigma hit a Trash Compactor piledriver along his back to pin Difunto. Non-stop action and more than I can keep up with!
6. Soberano Jr. defeated Templario at 18:39. They both wore nearly identical white outfits but Templario is covered in tattoos and a bit thicker. Soberano hit a Fosbury Flop to the floor at 1:00. He hit a top-rope corkscrew press. Templario hit a springboard dropkick, then a dive through the ropes into an armdrag on the floor. They fought on the apron, where Soberano hit a dropkick at 4:00. In a scary-looking spot, Soberano hit a Trash compactor piledriver along his back as they were on the apron (which looked fine) but they both tumbled to the floor (which looked potentially dangerous); you could see both Soberano and the ref made sure Templario was okay, which luckily he was.
In the ring, Templario hit a Lungblower move for a nearfall at 6:30. Templario hit a pop-up kneestrike to the chest. Soberano hit a Lionsault Press and they were both down. They hit simultaneous Mafia Kicks and were both down at 8:30. Soberano hit an enzuigiri. Templario hit a wheelbarrow German Suplex for a nearfall. Soberano hit an axe kick to the back of the neck. Soberano hit a DDT onto the ring apron at 11:30. They fought on the ropes and Templario hit a second-rope slam, dropping Soberano stomach-first, for a nearfall.
Soberano hit a Lionsault for a nearfall at 13:30. Templario flipped Soberano into the corner. Templario went for a moonsault but Soberano got his legs up. Soberano hit a powerslam into the corner for a nearfall. They traded forearm strikes while on their knees, then headbutts at 15:30, and they were both down again. Soberano hit a flipping slam on Templario for a nearfall. Soberano hit a jumping knee to the chin and two sit-out piledrivers for the pin. A really good match.
7. Volador Jr. defeated Rocky Romero at 22:31. Standing switches and a feeling-out process to open. Romero dove through the ropes onto Volador Jr. at 2:00 and did his hip swivel. Back in the ring, Volador hit a huracanrana, and he dove through the ropes onto Rocky. In the ring, Rocky began working over the left arm and he applied a Fujiwara Armbar at 7:00. Volador hit a flip dive over the top rope and they were both down on the floor; the annoucer counted in Spanish but both got in at the 16-count at 9:30.
Volador hit a Lungblower for a nearfall. Rocky hit a flip dive to the floor; they are mirroring each other’s offense. They traded chops on the ring apron. Romero hit a jumping knee from the apron to the floor, then a running doublestomp from the apron to the floor at 12:00. Rocky hit a Sliced Bread onto the ring apron. In the ring, Romero hit another Sliced Bread for a believable nearfall. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Volador hit a superkick; Rocky hit a jumping knee and they were both down at 14:30. Volador hit a springboard frogsplash for a believable nearfall as the 15-minute call is right on.
Romero went for another Sliced Bread but Volador blocked it. However, Romero hit a top-rope Sliced Bread for a believable nearfall and they were both down again; these horns are just killing me. Romero hit a top-rope doublestomp for a nearfall at 17:00. Volador hit a top-rope Spanish Fly for a nearfall. Romero hit the Trash Compactor piledriver along his back for a believable nearfall. Romero switched to a crossarm breaker in the center of the ring, but Volador stood up and hit a powerbomb, and they were both down at 20:30. Romero leapt off the second-rope and again applied the cross-armbreaker on the mat, but Volador refused to tap out. Volador stood up and turned it into a Styles Clash for a nearfall at 22:00. Nice. Volador hit a Canadian Destroyer out of nowhere for the pin. Stewart called it a “shock ending’ to the match.
* Volador Jr. brought his son into the ring and he spoke to the crowd in Spanish, saying something about leaving a legacy to his son. Charlton joked, wondering if it meant they got to keep his son.
Final Thoughts: Three very good singles matches here, as the quality of these Fantastica Mania shows have continued to improve each outing. I will give Templario-Soberano the slight edge for best match, ahead of the main event. Mistico’s eight-man tag takes third, just ahead of Titan-Brillante. I enjoy how the commentators have more-or-less acknowledged Hiromu Takahashi is Kamaitachi, but also joked that we hadn’t seen Takahashi the whole tour. Most of the Mexican shows I’ve seen have been outdoor events; maybe that’s why the air horns there haven’t bothered me as much… but it has been the most distracting part of these shows in Japan.
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