By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
New Japan Pro Wrestling “CMLL Fantastica Mania 2024”
February 19, 2024 in Tokyo, Japan at Korakuen Hall
Streamed live on New Japan World
Walker Stewart and Chris Charlton provided commentary.
* The show opened with several executives in the ring, including Hiroshi Tanahashi in a suit, talking about the success of Fantastica Mania and that plans are underway for next year’s tour.
1. Yoh and Ryusuke Taguchi and Brillante Jr. defeated Stigma and Pegasso and Francesco Akira at 8:29. Stigma and Pegasso are back in their white-and-blue gear after throwing me off Sunday by wearing black. Stewart noted that Brillante is just 22 years old. Taguchi’s cheap sphinx mask has somehow lasted the whole tour. Stigma and Brillante opened, and Stigma hit a huracanrana. They missed dropkicks and had a standoff. Pegasso and Taguchi entered at 2:00 and they did a bit of comedy while running the ropes. Yoh and Akira tagged in for their teams; Stewart said Akira is still beat up from the cage match more than a week ago. Akira hit a huracanrana and a dropkick.
Akira’s team beat up Taguchi and took off his mask at 5:30, and of course, he sold it like it’s a shame that everyone can see his face. Yoh hit a dropkick on Akira. In a funny spot, Taguchi removed his mask, but Akira convinced him to put it back on, and Akira hit an enzuigiri. Brillante slammed Pegasso in the corner, then hit a Split-legged moonsault for the pin! Decent opener, and it’s nice for Brillante to get a big pinfall at the conclusion of the tour.
2. “Los Ingobernobles de Japon” Bushi, Kamaitachi, Tetsuya Naito, and Titan defeated Difunto and Magnus and “House of Torture” Sho and Yoshinobu Kanemaru at 7:31. Again, it is Hiromu Takahashi in that full-body furry outfit and he’s played this for comedy all tour. Magnus is in light purple tonight. (Seriously, I have watched five shows of this tour and still not sure who everyone is when they walk through the curtain because their outfits keep changing.) Magnus and Titan opened with quick lucha reversals, and Titan hit a springboard huracanrana and a flip dive to the floor. Kamaitachi and Kanemaru entered; Kamaitachi sat down like Malakai Black in the center of the ring, and it freaked out Kanemaru. For the second straight night, the ref was used to hit a huracanrana. Nice follow-up from a day ago.
Bushi and Difunto locked up at 3:00. Naito hit a head-scissors takedown, then a baseball slide dropkick on Sho. In the ring, Naito applied a Figure Four leglock on Sho. Magnus stomped on his partner Sho! Charlton said it was a receipt for last night, when HoT walked out on him. Sho accidentally hit Magnus. Naito hit a Tornado DDT on Sho at 5:30. Titan tagged back in and hit a springboard crossbody block on Difunto. Difunto hit a swinging sideslam for a nearfall. Titan nailed a top-rope doublestomp for a nearfall. Titan then applied a Trailer Hitch, turned it into a Muta Lock, and Difunto tapped out. Good action.
* After the bell, Sho and Kanemaru attacked teammates Difunto and Magnus, but the CMLL guys quickly beat up the HoT and celebrated in the ring.
3. Okumura (w/MIa Shimona) defeated Dark Panther at 9:12. Panther wore a purple-and-gold mask. They fought to the floor. Okumura accidentally struck MIa. Okumura hit a summersault from the apron to the floor on Panther at 3:30. In the ring, Okumura hit a Tower of London stunner out of the corner for a nearfall, then a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall. Panther hit backbreakers over his knee. Panther dove through the ropes and barreled into Okumura at 6:00. He hit two more dives. In the ring Panther hit a missile dropkick for a visual pin, but Mia distracted the ref. Panther grabbed her and hit a suplex! It allowed Okumura to get a rollup for a nearfall. Panther hit a flapjack at 8:00 and they were both down. Panther missed a missile dropkick. Okumura hit a running stunner for the pin. Good match.
4. Atlantis Jr. defeated Hechicero at 12:40. Hechicero is bigger and thicker. Hechicero immediately worked the left arm. Atlantis got a huracanrana for a nearfall at 2:00. He hit a dive through the ropes on Hechicero. Hechicero hit a dive over the top rope onto Atlantis at 4:00. In the ring, they traded rollups, and Hechicero applied a Trailer Hitch leglock, but Atlantis reached the ropes at 6:30. Atlantis hit a backbreaker over his knee. Hechicero missed a baseball slide dropkick and he crashed to the floor. Atlantis immediately nailed a dive to the floor on him.
In the ring, Atlantis hit a wheelbarrow German Suplex for a nearfall at 9:00. Atlantis’ pants ripped open above his knee. Hechichero nailed a jumping knee to the chin in the corner. Hechicero leapt off the ropes but Atlantis caught him and nailed a powerbomb. He then applied a half-crab, but Hechicero reached the ropes. Hechicero applied a double-armbar and kicked at Atlantis’ head. Atlantis hit a superkick at 11:30, and he pulled down his kneepad. He nailed a running knee with the exposed leg, then a top-rope frogsplash, but didn’t go for the cover. He hit a second frogsplash for the pin. Good action.
5. El Desperado, Musashi, Volador Jr., and Templario defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tiger Mask, Rocky Romero, and Soberano Jr. at 11:52. Rocky and Volador opened and they shook hands before locking up; Stewart reminded us that Volador pinned Romero a day ago in the main event. Romero hit his Forever Clotheslines. Tanahashi hit his second-rope summersault senton at 2:00. Templario hit a springboard crossbody block, then he hit a missile dropkick on Tanahashi. Everyone started grabbing each other’s belly and this was played for comedy. Tanahashi and Musashi traded blows, and Tanahashi hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip at 4:30.
Soberano entered for the first time and traded forearm strikes with Templario. Volador’s team began working over Soberano. Soberano hit a head-scissors takedown. Soberano hit an enzuigiri on Templario at 7:00, then he hit the top-rope corkscrew press on Templario; Stewart said their singles match a day ago was the “match of the tour.” Templario hit a wheelbarrow German Suplex for a nearall. Tiger Mask entered for the first time at 9:00 and he battled Desperado, hitting a butterfly suplex for a nearfall, and he applied a hammerlock, but Desperado got a foot on the ropes.
TM hit a Tiger Driver for a nearfall. Tanahashi hit a Twist and Shout neckbreaker, then a plancha to the floor on Musashi. Volador and Romero traded forearm strikes in the middle of the ring. Romero dove through the ropes onto Volador at 11:00. Soberano hit a Fosbury Flop to the floor on Templario. In the ring, Desperado hooked Tiger Mask’s arms and got a mousetrap cover for the pin. That was a lot of fun.
* Rocky Romero got on the mic and he praised Soberano and Templario’s match from a day ago, but the time for fighting each other is over. Rocky announced he was forming a new faction of himself, Soberano and Templario. They all shook hands! For CMLL viewers, I’m sure this is a big deal.
6. Mistico defeated Ultimo Guerrero at 13:33. Charlton said Mistico has a 19-4 record in 23 prior matches against Guerrero, and even Guerrero was surprised to get this semi-main event slot. A feeling-out process early on. Guerrero stalled on the floor, so Mistico hit a huracanrana to the floor. In the ring, Guerrero ripped at the eyehole of Mistico’s mask and was booed. Mistico hit a dive through the ropes at 7:30. In the ring, Mistico hit a huracanrana for a nearfall. He hit a superkick and they were both down at 9:30.
Guerrero dropped Mistico stomach-first from the second rope to the mat. Guerrero hit a second-rope powerbomb for a nearfall at 11:30. Mistico hit a second-rope crossbody block. Guerrero hit a top-rope reverse superplex, dropping Mistico stomach-first to the mat. However, Mistico immediately applied a Fujiwara Armbar, and Guerrero tapped out! The commentators have told us all tour that Guerrero has been nursing an arm injury, which came into play here. They shook hands and raised each other’s arms.
7. Mascara Dorada defeated Stuka Jr. at 17:12. Dorada is in gold today. Charlton said Stuka Jr. hasn’t won a singles match since November 2022 so this is a bit of a surprise of him in this slot. They traded quick lucha reversals and Dorada hit a superkick. He went for a top-rope dive but he landed on two Young Lions on the floor. In the ring, Stuka hit a clothesline at 2:30, and Stewart noted he has the power advantage. Stuka tore at the mask and was booed. Dorada ran on the bleachers and hit a flip dive to the floor on Stuka at 6:30. In the ring, he hit a top-rope 450 Splash for a nearfall.
Stuka Jr. hit a top-rope superplex for a nearfall and he again tore at the mask. They went to the floor, where Stuka bodyslammed Dorada onto the thin mat at ringside. He peeled away the mat and set up for a brainbuster, but Dorada escaped, and Dorada hit a backbreaker over his knee at 9:30. In the ring, they traded chops at 11:00. Dorada hit a top-rope corkscrew moonsault to the floor. Cool spot. In the ring, Dorada hit a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall at 13:30. Dorada hit his top-rope dive-into-an-armdrag. On the floor, Stuka hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker over his knee.
Stuka put Dorada through a table at ringside! Stuka hit a top-rope corkscrew moonsault to the floor. In the ring, Stuka Jr. hit a top-rope frogsplash for a believable nearfall at 15:30. Dorada put Stuka on his shoulders and flipped him to the mat. Dorada then hit a top-rope Shooting Star Press for the pin. The winner was never in doubt here, but Stuka put up a great fight in this opportunity.
* Dorada spoke on the mic in Spanish. He’s too quick for me to translate. (College Spanish classes were a loooong time ago.) He thanked Stuka Jr. and they shook hands. The CMLL stars hopped in the ring and stood around Dorada, with everyone clapping and celebrating a successful tour.
Final Thoughts: I think everyone will agree that Soberano-Templario and Volador-Romero were both better matches on Sunday than the top two matches here. That said, Mistico and Dorado had nice showcase singles matches here. Charlton talked about the “melting pot of professional wrestling” and praised how everyone worked together on this tour.
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