IWRG on Teleformula #23 (04/10/2010)

Arena Naucalpan, 03/21/2010

Daga & Héros vs Comando Negro & Eterno (and part 2): Is there any other promotion in the world that would put trainees in a twenty minute match and air it all on TV? I’m thinking no (and maybe that would’ve been the best.)

There have been times in recent IWRG, and the first fall of this match was one of those times, where it feels like I’ve missed some announcement about IWRG switching to a figure skating-like judging system. Like, luchadors get graded about the level of difficulty of holds they lock on two seconds, but actually using those holds to win the match is beside the point.

It’s not just that they only lock on the holds for a two seconds, it’s that other guy never actually tries to escape. The attacker just gains the position, holds it long enough to prove he did it, and lets go with no struggle. They’re living exhibitions of a book of 1,001 Holds, but I signed up to watch an actual fight.

Gringo Loco & Maldito Jr. vs Trauma I & Trauma II: This was OK. Maldito Jr. did not seem out of place, which was a little bit of a surprise.

Invaders take the first match, Mephisto/Mascara, TripleMania

CMLL (MON) 04/26 Arena Puebla [Fuego en el Ring]
1) Tigre Rojo & Tigre Rojo Jr. b Siki Ozama Jr. & Toro Bill Jr.
2) Metálico, Tigre Blanco, Tony Rivera b Artillero, Mortiz, Súper Comando
3) Ángel de Oro, Ángel de Plata, Guerrero Maya Jr. b Arkangel de la Muerte, Hooligan, Nitro
4) Blue Panther, Strong Man, Toscano b Atlantis, Terrible, Último Guerrero
5) Gran Alebrije, Histeria II, Psicosis II b Hijo del Fantasma, La Máscara, La Sombra

As Fuego puts it, it’s 1-0 for the Ex-AAA. Rudos took the first, tecnicos the second. La Mascara tried a silla on Alebrije in the third, but Alebrije moved. Alebrije shoved his partners out of the way of Fantasma’s tope, Mascara taking it instead. As one ref was checking on the guys down on the outside, and another was distracted by a Cuije/Monito battle (!), Psicosis fouled Sombra and got the three count. Rudos beat up Sombra, took his match, and Sombra was strechered out. There’s more video and photos on the message boards.

Mortiz gave Metalico the spanish fly in their match.

Ovaciones has multiple issues with their preview of today’s Arena Mexico show: the title match is listed as for the CMLL title (sort of understandable, CMLL is making this purposely confusing) and using a picture of Ephesto instead of Mephisto in the CMLL ad (not so much.)

Last year, before the Universal tournament, there was a rash of title changes to get the right numbers and right people in the 16 man tournament for the championship, with a couple even coming after the tournament was announced. With talk of the Universal tournament coming soon, among championships considered eligiable last year, CMLL has 15 champions. Ultimo Guerrero has said he’ll get a bye to the final, so it’s really a 14 man tournament at the moment.

La Mascara is a CMLL trios champ, so picking up the (NWA) Welterweight Title would shrink the field to 13. That may be only a short term change. We’re expecting La Mascara and the rest of Angeles Rebeledes to lose the trios title sometime soon, and that could balance out this change. The other announced title matches right now are Mascara Dorada defending the CMLL super lightweight in Guadalajara against Dragon Rojo (Dorada should retain) and Negro Casas defending the CMLL welterweight championship vs Jushin Liger in Mexico (dependent on Liger coming to Mexico in May.)

Mephisto says La Mascara has definitely earned the right to challenge for his title but vows to give 200% to retain the title, then challenge for the masks. This is also the 54th Anniversary show for Arena Mexico.

Fuego en el Ring also talks to Dragon Rojo Jr., who explains his last loss to Mascara Dorada as a biased referee. Also, Dragon says his biggest problem in matches with Dorada is he just likes beating up the tecnico so much, he gets distracted from the win. Also, Rafaga says taking Guerrero Samurai’s mask was the finish to an 18 month chase, and he was thrilled to have a chance to avenge his father. I had no idea. Fuego has video of the cage match as well.

AAA has confirmed Dr. Wagner Jr. will challenge Electroshock for the AAA World Mega Heavyweight Championship at TripleMania. This is the match they’ve been building up to even before Electroshock won the title, and the question was just if Wagner was signed all the way thru this year’s TripleMania to do it. AAA says they’ll be announcing a woman’s match for TripleMania sometime today; TV seems to be hinting towards something involving brooms (housekeeping match?)

La Parka Jr. finished last Sunday’s AAA spot show in an ambulance.  Parka spent portions of the main event squatting and trying to catch his breath, with others asking if he needed help. Parka finished the match, but was immediately given oxygen, and was checked out by the paramedics. Parka explained this as a reoccurring of a respiratory tract infection he’s been dealing with, though it’s never been this bad before. There’s no note if he’ll miss any dates, but it sounds like he won’t.

A poster on El Martiente says Scorpio Jr. is back in the hospital. He has not looked well on recent IWRG TV.

Joaquin Roldan says Dorian was always a bad kid, but thinks he should stop listening to Konnan.

Valiente appeared to make the most of his Monday.

Al Filo del Ring explains the IWRG main event finish this past Sunday was Tinibelas Jr. ripping off Mascara Ano 2000 Jr.’s mask to set up a feud between the two. Tinieblas wants a title match, saying Mascara only won the title because Canek is done.

Proyeccion Luchistica has video of Ola Maldita vs Oficiales.

R de Rudo has an interview with another claiming to be the first La Parkita. I think we were all the first La Parkita.

Mas Lucha talks about that PAN show with the Ultimo Guerrero & Atlantis vs Sombra & Volador match – well, they tried to have the match, anyway.

Rob looks at this week’s lineups.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update, 30 to 21 in the top 2009 countdown and lots of Kikutaro.

Box Y Lucha #2971 has Parka vs Park.

Te Das o Te Rindes has the Apache’s sisters on as guests.

You can buy those World Cup masks here.

Lineups

PdM (TUE) 04/27 Arena Aficion
1) Fantasma de la Ópera & Maldito Jr. vs Exotico & La Plaga
2) Estrellita & Leo vs Medussa & Mr. Aguilita
3) Hijo de LA Park & Oriental vs Súper Nova & X-Fly
4) Blue Demon Jr., Groon XXX, Oriental vs Damián 666, el Hijo del Perro Aguayo, Halloween

No Charly, no title match.

Friday’s CMLL card has changed…

CMLL (FRI) 04/30 Arena Mexico
1) Leono & Starman vs Bronco & Inquisidor
2) Fuego & Metro vs Euforia & Raziel
3) Dark Angel, Lady Apache, Luna Mágica vs Hiroka, Mima Shimoda, Princesa Blanca
4) Bracito de Oro vs Pequeño Warrior [mask]
5) Delta & Volador Jr. vs Héctor Garza & Pólvora [Gran Alternativa, final]
6) Hijo del Fantasma, La Máscara, Místico, Strong Man vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Shigeo Okumura, Taichi, Último Guerrero

Main event, now an atomicos with Strong Man & Ultimo Guerrero, is now the main event. On Kid’s Day, the tecnicos really should win the main event, so maybe we can read into the Gran Alternativa not being the main event anymore. On the other hand, CMLL’s news page has a big picture of Delta and no picture of Polvora.

Marcela (hurt?) is replaced by Luna Magica, making her return after 18 months away from the promotion.

Kid’s Day/Weekend preview

This should be a pretty busy week for lucha libre. As it was six months ago, a lot of different events are colliding on the same weekend (sometimes on accident, sometimes not so much.) This weekend will have the most people attending lucha libre shows of the year so far, by a wide margin, even though most people won’t be making much money on it. One or two TV regulars in recent years will be losing their masks, one or two others will be losing their hair, and we might find out if the Perros are going to lose their shirt running their own promotion.

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04/24 video links

CMLL Guerreros del Ring on CAN52 #231 (04/24/2010)
Arena Mexico, 04/18/2010
* Delta, Guerrero Maya Jr., Molotov vs Dr. X, Nitro, Raziel
* Brazo de Plata, Máximo, Sagrado vs Shigeo Okumura, Taichi, Villano IV
(plus invasion)
file link

AAA on Galavision (US) #935 (04/24/2010)
Gimnasio Juan de la Barrera, 03/19/2010
* Taiji Ishimori & Takeshi Morishima vs Joe Lider & Nicho el Millionario for the AAA World Tag Team Championship
* Cibernético, Monster Clown, Murder Clown, Psycho Clown vs Alex Koslov, Hernandez, Kenzo Suzuki, Zorro
* El Mesías, La Parka Jr., Octagón vs Dr. Wagner Jr., Pimpinela Escarlata, Silver King
file link

IWRG on Teleformula #25 (04/24/2010)
Arena Naucalpan, 04/18/2010
* el Ángel, La Roca, Suicida vs Oficial 911, Oficial Fierro, Veneno
* Canek & Máscara Año 2000 Jr. vs Pirata Morgan & Scorpio Jr. in a relevos suicidas match
file link

Noches de Coliseo (ACM) 04/24/10
haven’t watched it all yet
file link

WWC 04/24/10
file link

CMLL Guerreros del Ring on CAN52 #229 (04/10/2010)

Arena Coliseo, 04/04/2010

Dalis la Caribeña, Lady Apache, Lluvia vs Amapola, La Seductora, Princesa Blanca: not bad, but Apache and Amapola are on a totally different level than the other people here.

Blue Panther, Brazo de Plata, Shocker vs Negro Casas, Rey Bucanero, Último Guerrero: a Porky match. Can he get occasional tours of Japan like Strong Man, to give us long gaps without seeing the same match?