Image: Sergio Betancort
Friday night's fight will go down in history as one of the best, with fans enjoying a beautiful spectacle and a duel in which either team could have taken the title of champion. The atmosphere, with a full house, was conducive to a great evening for the local sport. CL Tao took the victory by 12 to 11 against CL Unión Sur Yaiza. Mario Franquiz was the great architect of the victory of CL Tao, remaining as the only fighter when his team was losing by 11 to 9. He took down Marcial Viñoly, Andrés Carmelo Guillén and Jonathan Acosta, and guided CL Tao with his experience to the revalidation of the title of champion of the Island Tournament of Lanzarote of Canarian Wrestling.
As expected, the equality was maximum from the first moment, with neither team managing to take off on the scoreboard. Cristian Mena gave the first point to CL Tao by eliminating Alberto Brito, after winning in the first grab and finishing in separate the second. Alejandro Umpiérrez and Joshua Morales were in charge of putting CL Unión Sur Yaiza ahead, leaving Carlos Hidalgo and Gabriel Martín out of the fight, respectively.
In the ranks of CL Tao, Omar Espino gave the two followed to the youth Alejandro Umpiérrez and saw his projection cut short in the confrontation against Carlos Bravo. Both fighters were eliminated in the third grab after committing four admonishments. In the ranks of CL Unión Sur Yaiza, Alexander Martín eliminated Cristian Mena with difficulty and was mutually eliminated against Roberto Barrios, after two confrontations that ended in separate. The scoreboard reflected at that moment a tie at four.
One of the most spectacular grabs of the night was starred by Álvaro Torres (Yaiza) and Rubén Barrios (Tao). Two wrestlers who did not reserve anything and went for everything from the referee's whistle. After fight to fight, the point went to Álvaro Torres. Later, Álvaro Torres fell eliminated against Miguel Trujillo, fighter who gave him the first and finished in separate the second. Another of the outstanding confrontations of the night was starred by Francis García "Curry" and Cristo Hernández. The first grab was favorable to the southern fighter and the wrestler of Tao had to strive to give him the second and the third.
Once past the equator of the fight, the captain Javier Díaz was in charge of putting CL Tao again ahead in the scoreboard He gave the two followed to José Antonio Elvira to put the 7 to 8 in the scoreboard. Jesús Pérez and Miguel Trujillo, were mutually eliminated in the first grab, committing three admonishments for passivity in the fight. And Marcial Viñoly gave the two followed to Cristo Hernández to put the tie in the scoreboard.
CL Unión Sur Yaiza would take a giant step to score the victory and leave diminished the possibilities of CL Tao. Jonathan Acosta gave the two followed to Javier Díaz and Andrés Carmelo Guillén left Martín Cano out of the fight, after the southern fighter scored the first and finished in separate the second. The scoreboard reflected a clear 11 to 9 in favor of CL Unión Sur Yaiza and only Mario Franquiz remained in the ranks of CL Tao.
The extraordinary performance of Mario Franquiz began by giving the two followed to Marcial Viñoly. In the next grab Andrés Carmelo Guillén came out, decision of the mandador Ángel Lago that surprised many of those present. It seemed that the first grab between Andrés Carmelo Guillén and Mario Franquiz, was going to end in separate, but the majorero fighter took down his opponent. In the second grab between both, Andrés Carmelo Guillén had no choice but to go for his opponent and in an oversight Mario knocked him down again.
In the last grab of the night, a grown Mario Franquiz faced Jonathan Acosta. The first grab was decided in favor of Mario Franquiz and in the second, the majorero fighter of CL Tao returned to take Jonathan Acosta to the sand. With the delirium of the fans in the stands, CL Tao celebrated the conquest of the title of champion of the XXX Island Tournament of Lanzarote of Canarian Wrestling. And he did it before a CL Unión Sur Yaiza that only bent the knee in the key moments of the fight.
The Federation of Lanzarote of Canarian Wrestling at the end of the confrontation gave the awards of the season. Arashai Tejera (CL San Bartolomé) and Aitor Lorenzo (CL Tinajo), were distinguished with the prize of maximum tumblers of the competition. For its part, Álvaro Torres (CL Unión Sur Yaiza) was awarded with the prize to the most spectacular fighter. And Migdalia Machín, councilor of Sports of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, was in charge of delivering the title of champion of the XXX Island Tournament of Lanzarote to CL Tao. A trophy that was collected by the hero of the night; Mario Franquiz.
Technical Sheet
CL Unión Sur Yaiza (11): Andrés Carmelo Guillén (1), Marcial Viñoly (1), Jonathan Acosta (1), Francis García "Curry", Alexander Martín (2), Álvaro Torres (1), Carlos Bravo (1), Jesús Pérez (1), José Antonio Elvira (1), Alejandro Umpiérrez (1), Joshua Morales (1) and Alberto Brito. Mandador: Ángel Lago
CL Tao (12): Mario Franquiz (3), Martín Cano, Cristo Hernández (1), Javier Díaz (1), Miguel Ángel Betancort, Omar Espino (2), Roberto Barrios (1), Rubén Barrios (1), Miguel Trujillo (2), Cristian Mena (1), Carlos Hidalgo and Gabriel Martín. Mandador: Manolo Martín
Referees: Sebastián Lemes, assisted by Alejandro Collado.
Incidents: Terrero Andrés Curbelo "Pollo de Tao", about 1,200 spectators. Final of the XXX Island Tournament of Lanzarote of Canarian Wrestling.