NJPW x CMLL Fantastica Mania ‘24 Closes Out With a Bang

By: Thom Fain
Translations By: R. Faliani

It was a jam-packed house at Korakuen Hall on Monday night, where fans and wrestlers celebrated the unique camaraderie between Mexico’s and Tokyo’s professional wrestling circles in what was one of the loudest nights in the fabled venue all winter.

Another packed house for #njpw as things get under way — in hindsight it’s hard to see how fans consistently doubted New Japan’s ability to rebound during the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/xKtHwOX4sT

— Monthly Puroresu (@MonthlyPuroresu) February 19, 2024

New Japan Pro-Wrestling has built on its momentum as the premier professional wrestling league in Japan with a series of strong matchups and feuds to start the year. Its post-pandemic resurgence continued during this year’s Fantastica Mania, the annual event where luchadors can endear themselves to Tokyo.

As Mexican flags waved in the crowd and green & red glows sticks clanked together, Mascara Dorado Jr. addressed the crowd during a curtain call with CMLL and NJPW stars soaking in the electric atmosphere.

“I want to say this is my first Fantastica Mania. I feel really happy with the support that I received from you, but I want to give an special shoutout to my rival, because I got to my 100% thanks to him, and I’m proud. YOH, thank you,” said Dorada Jr. “I also want to thank each and every single one of you that was on every Fantastica Mania show. And I want to thank New Japan for trusting in me and other new talents, and the Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre too. Sayonara, I’ll see you in the next Fantastica Mania 2025!”

Fantastica Mania 2024 curtain call. Photo by Masahiro Kubota for Monthly Puroresu

Of course it wouldn’t have been a proper edition of the annual celebration without the participation of Los Ingobernales de Japon, who wrestles in mixed-man tag action as Mr. Takahashi looked on.

“Thank god, I’m ending Fantastica Mania 2024, and god bless was it a success in all of these cities we wrestled for. I feel happy and blessed because I had great matches,” said Titan in backstage comments to reporters following a victory against the team of House of Torture’s SHO and Yoshinobu Kanemaru, backed up by Difunto and Magnus.

Los Ingobernales de Japon, Fantastica Mania 2024. Photo by Masahiro Kubota for Monthly Puroresu

“I have grown as a wrestler and I got something really special, that I’m going to have in my heart and my mind forever. I was with Los Ingobernables, I wrestled alongside Naito, BUSHI, Hiromu and Yota. I feel that my repertoire is growing. I’m going to Mexico, and I don’t know where I’m coming back to Japan but I’m leaving with all of you Fantastica Mania fans in my heart. I’ll take the love and support from every arena, and I’ll also have Los Ingobernables de Japon in my heart. Naito, Takagi, Hiromu, BUSHI, Yota and “El Inmortal”, Titan. See you soon New Japan Pro Wrestling!”

Among the great matches and feuds spotlighted this year were Rocky Romero vs. Volador Jr., whose longstanding rivalry is just now becoming known to many fans entering the doors of luchador wrestling through All Elite Wrestling. Romero previously fought Mistico in a much-heralded matchup on AEW Rampage, and Mistico (fka Sin Cara, WWE) also starred in the semi-main event on this final night of Fantastica Mania 2024.

Rocky Romero and Volador Jr. in a sign of respect. Photo by Masahiro Kubota for Monthly Puroresu

“Tonight what happened with Rocky and the team he assembled to defeat the New Japan wrestlers, he doesn’t seem to understand he’s the champion,” said Volador Jr. after his team picked up the victory. “But I’m the superstar of the Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre. And don’t say anything about this wrestler that is growing each day. Rocky Romero will not stop us, and neither will Soberano and Templario.”

All Photos by Masahiro Kubota for Monthly Puroresu