CMLL (FRI) 05/22 Arena Mexico
1) Principe Valiente & Trueno vs Ramstein & Semental
2) Dr. X, Hooligan, Skandalo vs Angel Azteca Jr., Angel de Oro, Angel de Plata
3) Pequeno Olimpico vs Pequeno Universo 2000 [lightning]
4) Hijo del Fantasma, La Mascara, Mascara Dorada vs Black Warrior, Dragon Rojo Jr., Sangre Azteca
5) Blue Panther, La Sombra, Volador Jr. vs Averno, Ephesto, Mephisto
6) Atlantis, Dos Caras Jr., Ultimo Guerrero vs Hector Garza, Mistico, Shocker
Preview of tonight’s card: notimex. If they’re going to do Shocker/Dos anytime soon, next week makes the most sense. Otherwise, they’re marking time until the tournament starts, with some champions versus champions
AAA hasn’t posted full results yet, but has an update saying Alex Koslov won the Cruiserweight Title.
Cesar makes the case that the CMLL Universal Champion is meant to be an (annual?) tournament, and not a belt. (And maybe just that trophy they keep showing in all the pictures.) While that’d be slightly less objectionable than a championship which ought to be defended, it’s still yet another meaningless achievement in a promotion drowning in them, and it still makes absolutely no sense Mistico’s not in the tournament.
Other news notes from CMLL’s press confrence:
– Sangre Azteca, Dragon Rojo Jr., Stuka, and Hijo del Fantasma are headed to Switzerland and Belgium. They’ll be leaving on June 9th and won’t be back until June 14. In Switerzland, they’ll be wrestling as part of a greater art festival. In Belgium, they’ll be performing at the Mexican embassy as part of bicentennial celebration (or really 199th Anniversary, since Mexico doesn’t hit 200 until next year.)
– CMLL announced dates for upcoming major hsows
* CMLL will resume running shows at Arena Coliseo Acapulco on May 27th, and Arena Isabel de Cuernavanca on May 28th (so sticking with their traditional days of Wednesday and Thursday.) No word if these are meant to be weekly events. I thought there was an article last year mentioning Arena Isabel was to be torn down or at least shut down, but I can’t find out. Clearly, that’s not the case, but it’s a building that’s gone unmentioned since last September. CMLL mentions they’ll be regualarly running Tijuana, Leon, Xalapa, Cancun, Zacatecas, Irapuato, and SLP.
* June 2nd will be the next Tuesday Fan Appreciation show. CMLL doesn’t confirm it on their website, but everyone’s still expecting Mini Damian vs Shockercito for that show.
* Arena Coliseo Guadalajara will have a special show on 06/14 to celebrate Father’s Day. No word if Arena Mexico will have it’s own special show on the same day, as that’s about when we’d normally expect their Fan Appreciation day.
* Arena Puebla will have their Fan Appreciation show on June 19.
– Yurijo and Naitro were mentioned as coming in next friday.
– There are no plans for the returns of Dr. Wagner Jr. and Rayo de Jalisco Jr. Rayo’s working IWRG’s Lucha Libre Expo show in July, but I guess this helps the next time he goes to a magazine and teases an impending return to CMLL.
(SuperLuchas, box y lucha, Ovaciones – which doesn’t even mention the new title?, televisa deportes)
Box Y lucha posted a lot of articles from the most recent addition:
– Perro Aguayo Jr. explains the three people’s opinions he cares about – Paco Alonso, Dr. Wagner Jr., and Hijo del Santo – because they’re all successful businessmen. Konnan doesn’t make the cut, and Perro’s not interesting in working with him or hearing from him in the magazines. Perro says his promotion is working very hard to compete with two strong companies, and they’re close to signing a TV deals.
– Dos Caras Jr. wants Shocker’s hair, since no one’s taken it and Shocker will actually compete (unlike Hector.) Dos explains he’s not doing the body paint anymore, because the first try took 2 hours, and it still was unfinished, plus he feels he has a good body to show off. Shocker says he’s ready for Dos in whatever battle he wants, even a contest of who’s more Guapo after Shocker unmasks him.
– Okumura is happy to have Japanese people to team up with again, and plans to help Yujiro and Naito adjust to the Mexican style. Okumura is waiting for a rescheduled date for his New Japan appearance, just like the other guys, and says he, Mistico and Misterioso underwent rigorous medical tests to prove they didn’t have the flu in hopes they’d be allowed to go Japan, but they couldn’t get past Japan’s travel restrictions.
– Blue Panther explains wrestlers must work harder in front of small crowd, becuase that’s how crowds get bigger. Also, bigger crowds do not pay close attention.
– Dragon Rojo talks about his latest image change; shorter hair among other changes. He went back home during hte flu break.
– Sangre Azteca talks about his difficult childhood; parents splitting up, moving in with the grandparents, and hating it.
– Pirata Morgan Jr. says Muerte Bucanera is awful, is stealing from his father and cousin, is actually the DTU mascot and not really a wrestler. Pirata Jr. vows to destroy Muerte Bucanera’s gear if they ever cross paths.
– CMLL’s health measures to prevent the flu in their arenas. Judging from the last week’s TV, they’re already much less concerned – there were a whole less masks (and gloves) compared to the week before.
– Villano III looks at El Faraon.
– A review of The Wrestler mentions never having seen blading in Mexico. They need to pay more attention during Gran Apache matches.
– Polaris I obit. Diabetes got him.
The Gladiatores has a whole bunch of video interview: the Guerreras, Martha Villalobos, El Dandy, LA Park, and Los Perros.
LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update, and Robert on Arena Coliseo Monterrey 10/16 and 10/28/08 and Arena Coliseo Guadalajara 01/13 and 1/20/08
The Mexican National Light Heavyweight title wasn’t defended in Arena Mexico since 1991. Perhaps CMLL does not recognize it as an active championship anymore – Mistico hasn’t defended it since he brought it back to CMLL by defeating Vangelis. This would be an easy explanation why Mistico is not in this tournament. And if the Universal title is meant to be an annual tournament, it wouldn’t make sense to put someone into the tournament who hasn’t defended the title since more than a year.