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・ Fantastica Mania 2018 : 3 live events on 1/19, 1/21, 1/22 at Korakuen Hall will be live-streaming on https://njpwworld.com/ Sign up Now!
Once a year, the lucha libre stars of CMLL come to give New Japan a taste of Mexico. The Fantastica Mania 2018 tour will conclude with three nights in Korakuen Hall on January 19, 21 and 22, and you can catch all the action live on NJPW World! (Sign up for http://njpwworld.com/)
The main event on January 19 will see a battle for the CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship as Gran Guerrero challenges the champion Niebla Roja. Roja is a former rudo partner of Guerrero’s, but when he decided to change his ways in September of 2017, a massive feud started. Roja would have his mask torn off by his former stablemates in Los Guerreros Laguneros, but fans would fall in love with Roja’s newly discovered good looks and tecnico attitude. Now this title match showdown becomes a must see main event to kick off the lucha festival on NJPW World.
The Light Heavyweight Championship match will be one of three title bouts on the 19th. In the fifth match of the evening, the National Welterweight Championship will be on the line as champion Soberano Junior faces the ‘infinite power’ of Sanson. Soberano made his big Japanese break at last year’s Fantasticamania and won praise for his dynamic style and thrilling aerial offense. Meanwhile, Sanson’s 187cm stature and surprising popularity for a rudo will make this an intriguing contest.
The CMLL Middleweight Championship will also be on the line January 19. Champion Angel Del Oro will take the challenge of Cuatrero. This will be Cuatrero’s Japanese debut; much like Sanson, Cuatrero is a tall rudo at 185 cm, and combines power with some impressive high flying. You won’t want to miss this one.
January 19 will also carry on the annual tradition of the Black Cat Memorial Match. This tribute to a great figure in Mexican and Japanese history will see Satoshi Kojima team up with Dragon Lee, Star Junior and Hirai Kawato to face Los Ingobernables de Japon in the form of Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi and Rush.
Night two in Korakuen on January 21 will be headlined by Barbaro Cavernario challenging Volador Junior for the NWA Historic Welterweight Championship. With two successive appearances in the Best of the Super Juniors, Japanese fans are already accustomed to the super estrella that is Volador Junior. His opponent is the ‘Unpredictable Caveman’ Cavernario. Cavernario is no stranger to Japan himself, and is adored by the Korakuen faithful. How will their match play out?
The 21st and 22nd will see something brand new: the first ever CMLL Brothers Tag Team Tournament. Four teams consisting of four pairs of brothers will face off across the two nights.
In semi final action on the 21st, Dragon Lee and Mistico will face Sanson and Cuatrero in a battle of speed against height and power. Then, the tecnicos Niebla Roja and Angel Del Oro face Ultimo and Gran, Los Guerreros.
The tournament final will become the main event on the 22nd. As blood proves thicker than water, which team will come out on top of this family affair?
In the semi main event on the 22nd, Satoshi Kojima faces Rush. Kojima had the first Mexican excursion of his long career last year. Meanwhile, Rush of Los Ingobernables will be having his first singles match on Japanese soil for some time. How will this play out?
Also on the 22nd, Volador Junior, Soberano Junior and Drone will face the LIJ trio of Hiromu Takahashi, Tetsuya Naito and BUSHI. Drone makes his Japanese debut at the Fantastica Mania, and will look to make the most of his opportunity with LIJ.
The promising Young Lion Hirai Kawato has proven himself worthy of going on an excursion to CMLL. On the 22nd, he has his farewell match, teaming with Mexican legend Atlantis against Barbaro Cavernario and Gedo.
With the third place playoff of the Brothers Tag Tournament rounding things off, it looks to be a thrilling three night fiesta in Korakuen!
