5 Count: December 1-15, 2024

1) Sareee (c) vs. Nanae Takahashi (Marigold 12/13/2034) Marigold World Title Match. Winner: Sareee. Champ in her prime vs the decorated veteran in the twilight of her career. Physical from the get go with both wrestlers going face to face with a fistful of each other's hair. Takahashi dropping big lariats, and suplexing Sareee all over the place. Saree no pushover, hitting foot stomps and drop kicks. Highpoint of the match--Sareee hits a stomp on the outside, re-enters the ring and sets up two chairs. Inviting her opponent back in to ring, the two went hard trading slaps--half of Sareee's face was deep red. Damn! Sareee eventually finished Takahashi with chokehold, Rating: Roast Plus

2) Leon Slater vs Kuro (APC Catch 12/07/2024) Winner: Leon Slater. Foule Chard! Nice pairing here-both sleek dudes super athletic and fast moving. Kuro was giving a cool vibe, but Slater is the whole deal. Once he saw the crowd was behind the local Kuro, Slater went on the heel offensive– dropkicking before bell and jawing at the fans. Throwing Kuro out of the ring, Slater tope'd over the top rope to the floor, then later threw Kuro a dozen rows back thru the crowd. Violence in the man's eyes, he cut off Kuro's comebacks by working on the legs- dragon screws and ankle locks. Fave spot #1: Kuro slipped back to the floor to rest, and Slater leaped the turnbuckle into a hard cannonball splash. Kuro eventually got some good offense in-he's broke out a real nasty ripchord lariat twice in the match. Also helluva kick in corner and Deadeye Driver on the apron. It all look good and crisp, but doesn't feel their his moves yet. Meanwhile everything Slater did seemed like an extension of himself--including a perfect 360 top rope splash for the win. Rating: Rocks.

3).Adam Priest (c) vs. LaBron Kozone (DPW 3rd Anniversary 12/08/2024) DPW National Title Match. Winner: LaBron Kozone. Kozone is a big dude doing big dude stuff, but got the agility look good while doing it. Facials on lock for the title match--eyes showing intensity and he was N-F-A. Highlight: Kozone picks Preist up in the fall away slam position, but instead spins him in the air like a cartoon carpet pull and lets him fall into a vicious backbreaker. Don't love his finisher of a clothesline while his oppenent is crotched on the top rope, but everything else has the feel of someone who could be a big star. Credit goes to Priest who did everything he could in this match to put him over including letting some blood flow. Priest is simply a pure pro--wrestler's wrestler type. Don't know if he's got the look and that something extra to get him high on the card for a WWE or AEW (as his skills make him deserving of). However, for any indie or streaming promotion Priest is worth it, perfect guy for a heel run as champ while you are building a new babyface. Rating: Rocks

4) Atlantis Jr. (c) vs. El Barbaro Cavernario (CMLL Martes Populares 12/10/2024) World Historic Light Heavyweight Title Match. Winner: Atlantis Jr. CMLL had a very good 2024 and it has been nice to see their wrestler's get some wider recognition in the end of the year awards. While Mistico, Villano and of course Hechicero deserve all the love they are getting, I feel like these two have been overlooked as both had really solid year individually. I can understand a little with Atlantis Jr. He doesn't work a flashy style-not a lot of high spots and his physical charisma is pretty low key. Still-his matches this year have delivered-he's a basic beast. On the other side, Cavernario is opposite-fun to watch (I'd prefer to watch 2 plus hours of his work than sit thru Dune 2 again) and a great mix of fight and flight. Take this match-started with some basic match wrestling and some chops, Atlantis Jr eventually hits the floor, then Cavernario does a beatiful springboard cross body over the ropes. A few exchanges leter, Cavernario hit this awesome pump handle face buster. Dude has similar energy and style as Jacob Fatu. Atlantis regained control with tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, tope sucida, and a top rope cross body of his own. Once again-this combo is fairly par for CMLL, but Atlantis executes them with exactness and force--so it works --especially in this match with the contrast of precise fundamentals to Cavernario's more freestyle

Unlike the Mistico/Hechicero match from November, this one fall match kept building and no drag in the middle. The two traded roll ups then traded submissions. Cavernario hit a super plex-Atlantis caught him with a scoop slam. Eventually Cavernario missed a body splash, and Atlantis capitalized with a Canadian Destroyer and finished it with top rope frog splash. Rating: Roast

5) Claudio Castagnoli vs. Hechicero (CMLL Viernes Espectacular 12/13/2024) Winner: Claudio Castagnoli. Another nice lengthy CMLL match. A back and forth affair between two high level wrestlers.Claudio working the crowd and a little heel comedy in the early going, then Cladio began working the leg, while Hechicero went thru his arsenal of submission holds. Kudos to Claudio as I've seen a lot non-CMLL talent not able to keep up with the holds, but he kept the pace. Both guys worked in their hits, but never dragged. While taking the loss here; 2024 was Hechicero's year--raising his profile both in CMLL and internationally plus having CMLL best match of the year in the Mask 4-Way Match at Anniversario. Rating: Rocks