04/07: Mexico preview, Alebrije, Brazos, Japan

CMLL (TUE) 04/07 Arena Mexico
1) Rayo Tapatio II & Trueno vs Caligula & Méssala
2) Fabian el Gitano, Flash, Tony Rivera vs Loco Max, Skandalo, Vangelis
3) Mascara Dorada vs Rey Cometa, Pegasso, Angel de Oro, Angel Azteca JR., Angel de Plata, Super Comando, Polvora, Inquisidor, Tiger Kid [cibernetico, CMLL SL]
4) La Mascara, Mistico, Sagrado vs Averno, Ephesto, Mephisto
5) La Sombra & Volador Jr. vs Atlantis & Rey Bucanero [CMLL TAG]

Previews: ESTO, Ovaciones

[poll id=”25″]

Haven’t done a poll in a while. Still not especially sure if this is winner take all or winner faces winner next week, but it’s the Super Liegro championship so I’m trying not to care. You could so easily come up with 10 more that I think that’s what happening but I’m not positive.

I haven’t written much about the tag title match. I think it could be fun, but it seems like a real stretch to build Sombra & Volador up only to have them lose in a title defense that only exists to do a special main event for a fan appreciation show. Rey & Atlantis would not be bad champions, but there are better ways to even do that.

Quite the jam packed lineup of tecnico high flyers.

Ovaciones reports Alebrije and Cuije are out of AAA. Everything you need to know about how the press feels about AAA in 2009 is summed up in this subheadline:

Something is happening within this group and we have no doubt that his departure has to do something Konnan.

Alebrije & Cuije haven’t been on TV since the 01/31 show in Chalco, though they’re still listed as working next Wednesday. Like everyone else who leaves AAA, they’re headed to IWRG. I kinda wonder what’s up with IWRG, because there’s no Thursday Naucalpan show, and there’s no Xochimilco Saturday show until the 25th.

Luchas 2000 #465 has the Brazos – el Brazo, Brazo de Plata, and Brazo de Oro – reunited (for the first time since maybe 1996? – that was the last CMLL teamup, anyway.) I think we can take this as soft confirmation that El Brazo is done in AAA, and I’m kinda surprised UWE hasn’t already announced the inevitable Brazos/Villanos trios match.

Note that cover also mentions Perros getting on TV in May, but doesn’t say where. Judging from the comments, it doesn’t say much more inside.

It’ll be Mistico and Misterioso II who head to NJPW this May for a couple shows. No title shot for Mistico quite yet, and no Dragon Rojo – which is probably for the best, because he’s probably not ready for this spotlight yet, and Misterioso is very deserving of the opportunity. Plus, it allows CMLL to just continue working thru the Hijo del Averno lineup (though they might he skipped to the last guy in the group.)

Matches are:
05/05 Korakuen Hall: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tiger Mask IV, Mistico vs Giant Bernard, Black Tiger V, Misterioso II
05/06 Korakuen Hall: Hiroshi Tanahashi & Mistico vs Hirooki Goto & Misterioso II

I could not be possibly be more for the idea of Mistico & Tanahashi teaming. Both shows are taped, the 5th for Samurai TV and the 6th for SXW. And, hey, if you’re uploading to matches to YouTube in a month, you ought to add a watermark to the video so we can all see when CMLL uses it on their TV shows.

This week’s Ras de Lona episode features the guys from the Japan/Mexico tour, among the usual half million other things. I think Leono mentions who he was before he was Leono (which explains the mask he was wearing on LATV), but I couldn’t make it out.

DJ Spectro has a three part (1 2 3) tribute to El Solitario, who passed away 23 years ago yesterday.

WagnerMania is helping out with an auction for Grond XXX, with a mask up for bid.

Kcidis previews Guerreros del Ring #185, including his cartoon.

As part of the Los Campeones de Lucha Libre in Atlanta two Tuesdays from now, there’s a free after party at a nearby bar.

El Universal does the What Is Lucha Libre article, framed around AAA’s LA show.

SuperLuchas has added Hector Garza gear to their store. Meanwhile, still no Artillero cap, but I may settle for an Atlantis one. (Well, I would if shipping wasn’t THIRTY FOUR DOLLARS, or the price of three hats.) This reminds me that someone asked me where they might buy a lucha libre lineup poster online; I didn’t know at the time, but now that I see one here, I can’t find that e-mail.

LuchaWorld has Robert on AULL 09/27/06, CMLL 12/01/07, and AAA 11/15/07, plus KrisZ’s news update.