Rules and regulations

Highlights of the (more recent) Tijuana Box Y Lucha Y Kickboxing regulations (click on the second link); this is a updated (2002, I think) to the one I went thru previously (1985; there’s a few 1976 ones floating around too). There’s some great obvious stuff here, like it’s a 3 count for a pin, and I don’t believe some of the stuff is actually followed except when forced, but I find it cool to figure out what’s in the rule book I don’t expect.

* Allowed Match Types
a) mano y mano (for masks, hair, using super libre, for trophies or titles)
b) 2 on 2
c) 3 on 3
d) 4 on 4
e) Strap matches
f) Triangle Trios matches
g) Triangle Pair matches
h) Triangle Singles matches
i) Relovos Suicidas
j) Battlas campales – ciberneticos (no more than 10 wrestlers, no more than 16)
k) Russian Roluette/Tournaments of Death (no less than 8, no more than 12!)
l) “Relevos Tijuanenses” (which turns out to be four team matches, with two wrestlers in at a time)

All atomicos matches are supposed to have either the captain beat or the three non-captains (most of these seem to end at two), and should be one fall. Triangle matches are supposed to have coin tosses to determine the one on one matches, not 3 in at the same time.

The promotion must have an EXPERT haircutter on the premises if they’re doing that stip, and there’s fine/suspensions if you don’t do it. People who lose thier masks are obligated to show their face to the public while still in the ring, or they and the promotion (if they don’t force them to) are subject to the same punishment.

If you lose your mask, you can not put on another one for two years, and only if you’re active during that time. (But you CAN put on another one.) If you change names, the promotion is supposed to list your old name under your new name on the programs to inform the fans.

All wrestlers not only have to pass a medical test, but a Wrestler Competency Test, including testing in “olympic style” wrestling and generally proficiency. This test can be conducted by a trainer, but they’ve got to be licensed as such. If you’re a minor, you’ve got to have written permission from your parents.

The Commission has yearly awards
– the “Rey Misterio” award medal to the best wrestler
– unnamed award for the best promotion
The commission has the right to film any show, for evaluation people for this awards, as long as they’re not selling it.

Foreign wrestlers are allowed, as long as they check in with the commission to prove they’re in the country legally and they’ve already got work.

Promotions are obligated to pay the medical costs of anyone injured in their rings.

If someone doesn’t show up for an event, the promotion is required to replace them with an equal or greater wrestler, and fans are entitled to a refund.

Wrestlers are subject to a one year suspension if they verbally attack an opponent, the fans or the commission on the microphone; I’m guessing this would be a very high level of attack.

Out of the ring countout is 20, but in the ring countout is 10. You’ve got 3 seconds on moves in the ropes, not 5. It’s a low blow to strike in the “nape of the neck” as well as the obvious. All forms of the Martinete are illegal (hey Universo.) So is a closed fist.

There are no draws allowed in mask matches, hair matches, matches for trophies, and matches for vacant titles.

Minis are not allowed to face normal sized wrestlers.

Elsewhere, I found 2001 regulations which included weight limits

Fly 52kg
“Gallo” 57 kg
“Pluma” 63 kg
Light 70 kg
Welter 77 kg
Super Welter 82 kg
Middle 87 kg
Super Middle 92 kg
Light Heavy 97 kg
Junior Heavy 105 kg
Heavyweight over 105 kg

Title match opponents are not to have more than 10 KG weight difference, weights are checked 4 hours before the show, and the promotion is in charge of making sure the scale works. State champions are required to defend every 45 days.

Every one of these I read says the commission is supposed to tell inform government reporter who’s champ of each division each month (and the one above also says an outstanding wrestler in the division should be noted), but I’ve never seen any record of that. That’d be a great find.

AAA 07/15

07/15 AAA, taped 03/10

This one had:

* the least of the the Air Force/Diabolicos matches (though partly due to a screwy third fall)
* the best women’s match they had on during Oz Academy inclusion run, but something still not in the neighborhood of good
* an okay Alan/Intocable match, with Alan Stone paying the karmic price for them sidestepping the stips .
and Rey de Reyes finals from ’98, ’99, and 2000.

No local guy opening match, which I’m sure Rudopolis recapped. If Galavision and AAA both couldn’t be bothered to do the 3->2 hour editing, who’s the one cutting on parts of the show? And why can’t they cut out the filler? This show was an hour show masquerading as a 3 to stretch a taping out over two weeks; most of the time it’s a 2 hours padding out to 3 and generally annoying. I know the show does good numbers in Mexico (though I sure would love to see those numbers on a weekly basis), but maybe I just have higher standards. But I’ll get that in a bit.

Checking the recaps of the time, Tigre Steel turns out to be Tigre Ali Singh, and I guess it’s a good thing I can’t ID him anymore.

The rest of the RdR show is due next week.

Pardon me while I try to work out my thoughts…

I’ve watched 9 weeks of AAA now, and I can’t say I care much about a single wrestler or a single feud. No one’s interesting to me, no one’s making me look forward to their matches, and I don’t see anything much changing. There’s people who I think are useful, but they’ve all got anchors.

– Diabolics are a good team, and they’d be real fun in CMLL, facing the same kind (but more well rounded) midcard tecnicos; they’ve got no where to go after this feud ends. They’re moored to their spot.
– Chessman is good, and I’d be looking forward to him if he got to be good. Instead, he’s far often the one good worker with five guys I have no desire of seeing
– Early on in this run, I thought Cinthia Moreno might be a good worker, though as it’s gone on, I’m wonder if she’s just benefiting from the competition. Even if she IS good, she’s got no one good to face.
– The minis have good matches, but they’ve had the same good matches for years; why look forward to the next random trios/atomicos?

I’m not digging the Air Force; I think I’ve ODed on guys who have a few flashy highspots and absolutely nothing else, same problem I’ve been having with Mascara Purpura, really. Barrio Boys & Dark Family look better by comparison, but they have the same problems. Talking about how Shocker had IT and now is far away from IT is just sad, so let’s not.

This isn’t intended as a CMLL vs AAA thing; there’s plenty of similar complaints I could make there as well. For one, I think a good deal of my disenchantment lies in feuds and stories never going anywhere, which happens in both promotions. I think the big difference is I’ve seen Ultimo Guerrero and Rey Bucanero and Dr. Wagner and whoever else being awesome in the past, so I’m willing to wait around in hopes that they’ll be awesome again. I haven’t seen any awesome in AAA, so I’m not interested and kinda bored with the TV. (Which is probably the reason I’ve dropped some of the harshness – don’t care as much now.)

So, that’s where I’m kinda left – I’m bored with the AAA TV, making recapping more of a chore than it usually is, and I’m wondering if there’s a point to keeping it. If CMLL (non GDR TV) and AAA were both available to me on a weekly basis, I’m sure I’d skip AAA most weeks to save on the work, but that’s quite obviously not an option at the moment. I like to think doing the recaps (like a bunch of things on this site) is a helpful service to the world at large, but I’m sure I’m at least slight deluding myself on the importance of match times to people in outer Mongolia. If I’m not having fun with it, I probably should just stop doing it, but then what?

The best case scenario would be AAA become interesting to me, but I think that boat has sailed.

07/18: Puebla


CMLL (MON) 07/17 Arena Puebla Results [hugo999]
1) Asturiano, Centella de Oro, the Tiger b Espiritu Maligno, Mr. Rafaga, Siki Ozama Jr.
2) Skandalo, Toro Bill, Toro Bill Jr. b Lestat, Rayo Tapatio I, Rayo Tapatio II
3) Mr. Mexico b Kraken [hair]
4) Pantera, Sagrado, Texano Jr. DQ Averno, Mephisto, Misterioso II
5) Hector Garza, Hijo de Perro Aguayo, Terrible b Dos Caras Jr., Mistico, Rey Bucanero

This was the 53rd anniversay show. A poster on box y lucha posted the first ever Arena Puebla card here