By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
New Japan Pro Wrestling “CMLL Fantastica Mania”
February 18, 2026, in Tokyo, Japan, at Yoyogi National Stadium 2nd Gymnasium
Streamed live on New Japan World
This show had Japanese-only commentary. This is a small arena; the upper deck was largely empty, but the crowd was about 2,000. The ring was well-lit. No on-screen graphics tonight; at least the ring announcer is easily heard so I can figure out which guy is which on teams I don’t know.
1. Futuro and Valiente vs. Hijo de Stuka Jr. and Shoma Kato. I don’t know any of the three luchadors. The masked Stukda Jr wore mostly blue, and he had a title belt around his waist. Futuro and Valiente both wore green pants, but Futuro had some yellow tassels on his mask. Stuka and Valiente opened. Stuka caught him with a kick to the jaw. Shoma entered at 1:30, and he knocked Futuro down with a shoulder tackle.
Kato and Stuka Jr. beat up Valiente, hitting stereo kicks on him. Stuka Jr. tugged on Valiente’s mask. Futuro flipped Valiente, who hit a double dropkick. Valiente then hit a Fosbury Flop to the floor at 6:00. Futuro hit a springboard spinning dive onto everyone on the floor. In the ring, Shoma hit a back suplex on Valiente for a nearfall, then put him in a Boston Crab. Futuro made the save. Futuro hit a Dragon Suplex on Shoma for a nearfall at 7:30. Stuka put Futuro across his shoulders and spun him to the mat in a powerbomb.
Stuka Jr. hit a frog splash. Valiente kicked Stuka in the corner and hit a standing moonsault for a nearfall. Valiente hit an enzuigiri, then a springboard flip dive to the floor. In the ring, Shoma hit a dropkick on Futuro for a nearfall. Futuro hit a Falcon Arrow and a springboard moonsault on Shoma for the pin. A sharp opener.
Futuro and Valiente defeated Hijo de Stuka Jr. and Shoma Kato at 10:15.
2. Hechicero vs. Zane Jay. Again, Zane has now joined the United Empire; his Young Lion black trunks now have two green stripes. Standing switches to open, and Hechicero immediately targeted the left leg. He tied Jay in a surfboard. Zane targeted the left elbow and focused on the arm. They went to the floor, where Zane hit a dropkick at 4:30. He also started to untie Hechicero’s mask, then pushed him back into the ring.
Hechicero grabbed the right arm and snapped it backwards at 6:00 and regained control. He hit a slingshot elbow drop for a nearfall. Zane dropkicked him off the apron to the floor, then dove through the ropes onto him at 7:30. In the ring, Zane hit a dropkick for a nearfall. They traded rollups. Hechicero pulled down his straps and invited Zane to chop him, and they traded blows. Hechicero hit a jumping knee in the corner, and tied up Zane on the mat, and Zane submitted. Good action.
Hechicero defeated Zane Jay at 10:02.
3. Averno and Magnus vs. Stigma and Tiger Mask. Both Stigma and Tiger Mask wore identical masks; I assume Stigma is in the green and red pants, and he opened against Averno. The heels then beat up Tiger Mask, wearing mostly blue. Magnus had a hood over his head, and he took that off to reveal that he was also wearing a tiger mask! A bit ridiculous. The heels worked over Tiger Mask. Stigma hit a flip dive to the floor. Stigma and Tiger Mask got stereo rollups for nearfalls at 5:00. Averno hit a second-rope faceplant move. Magnus hit a low blow, ripped off a mask, and scored a pin. Merely okay.
Averno and Magnus defeated Stigma and Tiger Mask at 7:11.
4. Atlantis and Atlantis Jr. vs. Okumura and Satoshi Kojima. What is the average age of Atlantis, Kojima, and Okumura? 55? Kojima and Atlantis opened. Okumura and Atlantis Jr. entered at 1:30. Okumura hit a stunner out of the corner. Atlantis hit two backbreakers over his knee on Okumura. Altantis Jr. dove through the ropes to the floor onto Okumura. In the ring, Kojima hit his rapid-fire chops on Atlantis at 4:00.
Kojima hit a second-rope elbow drop for a nearfall. Atlantis put Satoshi in a half-crab. Atlantis Jr. hit a backbreaker over his knee on Okumura. He spun Okumura to the mat for a nearfall. Okumura hit a stunner for a nearfall at 6:00. Atlantis hit a powerslam, then a frog splash, for the pin on Okumura. Okay, this was wisely kept short.
Atlantis and Atlantis Jr. defeated Okumura and Satoshi Kojima at 6:38.
5. Taiji Ishimori, Yota Tsuji, Daiki Nagai, and Titan vs. El Desperado and Masatora Yasuda, Master Wato, and Ryusuke Taguchi. I guess former LIJ member Titan has automatically joined the Unbound Co. as well. Ishimori and Yota wore masks to fit with the lucha theme. Despe and Ishimori opened. Wato and Yota entered at 2:00. Taguchi and Nagai entered and tied up. Taguchi wore his sphinx mask.
Nagai hit a dropkick at 4:00. Ishimori jumped in and hit a neckbreaker on Taguchi. The Unbound Co. worked over Taguchi. Desperado hit a Spinebuster on Titan. Yasuda hit a suplex on Titan for a nearfall, and he put Titan in a Boston Crab at 8:00, but Nagai made the save. Titan hit a top-rope doublestomp to Yasuda’s chest for the pin. Decent.
Taiji Ishimori, Yota Tsuji, Daiki Nagai, and Titan defeated El Desperado, Masatora Yasuda, and Master Wato, and Ryusuke Taguchi at 9:46.
6. Soberano Jr. vs. Templario. Templario wore his gold-and-black gear today. He hit a top-rope crossbody block as he entered the ring, and we’re underway! Soberano went for a flip dive to the floor, but Templario caught him and powerbombed him against the edge of the ring frame! Soberano hit a powerslam on the thin mat at ringside at 1:00. Soberano removed his T-Shirt and choked Templario with it. In the ring, Soberano bit Templario’s fingers and tied up the left arm on the mat.
Soberano hit a Shattered Dreams punt kick in the corner at 3:00! Templario hit a dive through the ropes onto Soberano. He hit a second dive. In the ring, they traded lucha reversals, and Soberano hit a superkick. Templario hit a German Suplex at 5:00 for a nearfall. Soberano hit a top-rope flying axe kick to the back of the neck for a nearfall. Templario hit a powerslam for a nearfall. Soberano hit a powerslam at 7:00. Soberano hit a DDT on the ring apron, and they both fell to the floor. This has easily been the best match of the show.
Soberano went for a top-rope crossbody block, but Templario caught him. Templario flipped Soberano and hit double knees to the chin. Soberano hit a Lionsault as Templario was tied in the ropes at 9:00. Templario hit a second-rope powerbomb for a nearfall. Soberano hit a dropkick into the corner, then a Frankensteiner. The bell rang! We’ve reached a time-limit draw! Soberano hit a Fosbury Flop to the floor. They continued to trade punches in the ring after the bell.
Soberano Jr. vs. Templario went to a time-limit draw at 10:00. (I had it at 10:04, but I also started the stopwatch at first contact.)
7. Mascara Dorada and Mistico vs. Sho and Ultimo Guerrero. Mistico wore a title belt. Guerrero whipped the opponents with a clothing item before the bell. Sho cut a promo. Mistico superkicked Sho, and I started the stopwatch as all four brawled. Guerrero still had his mask on. The heels hit stereo kicks on Mistico. UG chopped and dropped Dorada. The heels threw Mistico to the floor at 4:00 and celebrated in the ring. The heels then beat up Dorada.
Mistico hit a top-rope huracanrana. Mistico and Dorada hit stereo dives through the ropes onto the rudos. Dorada hit a superkick on the floor at 6:00. In the ring, Dorada hit an enzugiri on Guerrero, then a huracanrana. They took turns playing to the crowd. Mistico hit a handspring-back-elbow on Sho, then a springboard crossbody block at 10:30. All four brawled to the floor. Dorada and Mistico hit dives to the floor.
Dorada hit a 450 Splash in the ring for a nearfall at 14:30. Sho speared Mistico for a nearfall. Mistico hit a top-rope crossbody block, and everyone was down at 16:00. Mistico and Sho traded forearm strikes, and Mistico hit a superkick. Dorado hit a 450 Splash on Sho, while Mistico applied the Fujiwara Armbar on Guerrero, who tapped out. Good match.
Mascara Dorada and Mistico defeated Sho and Ultimo Guerrero at 16:42.
Final Thoughts: An okay show. Even with the draw, Templario vs. Soberano Jr was the reason to tune in. The main event was good for a distant second. Hechicero vs. Zane Jay was pretty good for third.
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