Day: April 6, 2010

The goal of the current AAA management has clearly been to try to increase their television audience. I’ve spent a lot of words discussing how they’ve tried to do it (and which parts don’t interest me), but they’ve been more successful of late. As LLL has noted in the comments, Triple A has been earning ratings of high 5 and low 6s since late February.

For the second week of Rey de Reyes, they reached a new level. A source in Televisa informed AAA that their 03/28 show scored a 9.0 in Mexico City, and was in the 8s nationally. That’s by far the highest number we’ve seen since we started recording these numbers last fall, and as close as either Mexican promotion has gotten to the main WWE shows in Mexico.

Week 2 of Rey de Reyes was the tournament itself. While it’s possible Mexico might have decided to embrace Chessman as their Rey de Reyes, the more likely answer is word of mouth spreading about the La Parka Jr. & LA Park angle. That confrontation was replayed on this show, and there were probably a significant amount of people checking out the show after hearing about the story the week before. Only a low percentage of lucha libre fans are on the internet, so many of them probably only found out it when they saw it on TV, or when someone told them they saw it on TV.

The 8 rating is validation for the current style of television show. We may not be a fan of it (I am not a fan of a lot of it), but they’re surely going not going to be changing much any time soon.

They will be changing one big thing, though: as seen on this past week’s AAA TV, most tapings from now on will be stretched out over two weeks. This’ll mean about 3 matches will air over the 2 hour show, with the extra free time now being used for more interviews and skits. If that latter part doesn’t appeal to you, maybe you can hold out hope that some of the undercard matches which have been eviscerated by editing of late will now be shown closer to complete.

The scheduling bonus to doing TV this way is now they only have to tape every other week. The downside is they’ve got a huge lag; if you look at the schedule, it appears AAA almost doesn’t even need to tape in May. They surely will, and this will make it very easy for TripleMania to air only on PPV without AAA’s normal TV skipping a beat. There’s been no confirmation they will,  but it seems very likely.

Note to everyone who posts results: You are great. However, if you’re give the finish like “the rudos won the third fall”, please make sure you’ve actually identified which team is the rudos. Happens all the time, leaves me guessing which names sound more evil.

indy (SUN) 04/04 Unidad Deportiva de Acapulco [Estrellas del Ring]
1) Copa Azul & Rey Baco b Anfibius & Samuray
2) Baby Star b Rey Jaguar, Acuaman, Eifi, Bird Man
3) Agorafobia, Cholo (TJ), Destoryer b Black Silver 2000, Enigma, Rey Neptuno
4) Astro Nava, Ludwing Star, Super Brazo b Bulldog, Pez Tiburon, Venganza
5) Black Silver Jr. & Pez Tigre b Hijo del Black Silver & La Orca [ruleta de la muerte]
6) Hijo del Black Silver b Orca [mask]

Orca is Enrique de la Rosa Najera, 42 years old, originally form Acapulco Guerrero, and a student of Abundio Badillo. EdR also has an interview with Acapulco wrestler Ludwing Star.

IWRG (SUN) 04/04 Arena Naucalpan [The Gladiatores, DJ Spectro]
1) Comando Negro b Héros
2) Maldito Jr. & Samoth b Gemelo Fantastico I & Gemelo Fantastico II
3) Chico Che, Eragon, Miss Gaviota b Avisman, El Hijo del Diablo, Oficial AK47
4) Hijo de Pirata Morgan, Hijo del Cien Caras, Masada b Dr. Cerebro, Jack, Scorpio Jr.
5) Fuerza Guerrera, Máscara Año 2000 Jr., Pirata Morgan b Canek, el Ángel, Olímpico

Rudos snuck in fouls on Olimpico and Canek in the third fall for the win. Both Pirata and Mascara were challenging Canek after the match. Canek is the IWRG IC Heavyweight champion, though I’m not sure he’s aware of that fact.

Yack replaced Pantera, who has missed the last three shows he’s been advertised here. Cerebro (the IWRG, “WWS” and DF Trios belts to the ring) feuded with Masada, Masada cutting him with a broken bottle. Jack hurt his knee on a dive on Hijo de Pirata. That left Scorpio and Hijo de Cien in. Scorpio yanked Cien’s mask, but Cien covered his face and kicked wildly, fouling referee Reyes Rosas. Referee Yudi checked on him, which allowed Veneno to run to the ring and foul Scorpio. Cien covered for the win. This, of course, leads to a Mascara/Cerebro match. I feel like that finish needs a flow chart of some kind.

Chico Che pinned Hijo del Diablo to win their match. Gringos blamed the loss on AK-47, beat him up, and made a title challenge. Avisman managed to remember enough Spanish to do an interview The Gladiatores.

CMLL (MON) 04/05 Arena Puebla [Fuego en el Ring]
1) Espiritu Maligno & Sauron b Blue Center & Tigre Rojo
2) Fabián el Gitano, Metálico, Starman b Artillero, Bronco, Súper Comando
3) Lady Apache, Lluvia, Marcela b Amapola, Mima Shimoda, Princesa Blanca
4) Sagrado, Toscano, Valiente b Misterioso II, Sangre Azteca, Vangelis
5) Averno, Dragon Rojo Jr., Mephisto b La Máscara, La Sombra, Máscara Dorada

Dragon Rojo cut down Mascara Dorada with the counter dropkick to win, then pulled off Dorada’s mask post match and challenged for the super lightweight title again. Dorada counted with a challenge for a mask match. Sure, as long as they’re both willing to wait about 20 years.

Previews of today’s card: ESTO,and Ovaciones. Ovaciones highlights Mistico trying to get along with the Guerreros (unlikely!) while ESTO hypes the title match. In an interview with Fuego en el Ring, Stuka says his team is called “MSM Fly”; it’s good to get a team name on your possible last day as a team. Stuka says they’re open to suggestions if you have a better idea – let him know on his facebook. Stuka’s also talking to Santaico about defending the Arena Coliseo Tag Team titles in Guadalajara sometime soon – they’d have a tournament to determine a contender.[poll id=”62″]

Fuego en el Ring has comments from both sides of Sunday’s title change: Angel del Mal is sure that was a two count, but got hit in the head hard in the second fall. Metal Blanco says the win was a breeze, and now he wants hair, masks, and go to Arena Mexico.

The Gladiatores says the new MTV2 lucha libre show is actually a reality TV show with not be from AAA, but  independent luchadors led by “a well-known wrestler who until recently was one of the strongest in a leading company in our country. ” So, that’s Perro Jr. then, right? All I know is there’s an ad for the MTV2 Lucha Libre show, and it’s very clearly AAA wrestlers on the normal AAA show. If there’s more going on here, someone need s to explain it to me.

Mascara (Sagrada) Jr. and “Ex-Flay” are both announced as appearing in the Promocions Conteras show. Putting aside that heavyweight champion of Mexico is such a big star that people don’t know how to spell his name for a second, there’s another mystery here I’m still trying to untangle. Back when the new AAA Alebrije first showed up on AAA show, mysterious luchawiki helper Flashmagic noted Alebrije’s II AAA profile has the same birthday as Mascara Sagrada Jr. That’s still true if you click the link, but both Mascara Sagrada Jr. and Alebrije II have been turning up on cards. Birthdate coincidence? AAA already onto Alebrije III? Confusion on AAA’s website? Guy managing to actually work a dual identity? I have no idea.

Also, I can not wait for this video game.

Speaking of Alebrije, Dos de Tres notes a lineup for the Antonio Pena Lucha Libre school in Acapulco (which seems to get mentioned no more than once a year; they’re honoring Pepe Casas), pointing out the lineup includes Alebrije and wondering if it’ll be the new Alebrije or the old Alebrije. The idea is LA Park and Heavy Metal have returned, so maybe Alebrije is too. It’s highly unlikely to be old Alebrije, so why would you even bother teasing this? Just to annoy people?

Fray Tormenta will wrestle in Satillo this Sunday.

On his blog, Ultimo Dragon says he’ll be announcing DragonMania tomorrow. Is there a place that actually lists the upcoming Toyrumon Mexico shows? It’d be nice to know they exist ahead of time.

DJ Spectro looks back at Solitario’s debut in Mexico City, and Bucanero on Bucanero violence.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update and the start of the 2009 Countdown: 100-90!