CMLL (FRI) 08/06 Arena Mexico [@cmllmagazine, Cesar]
1) Bengala & Starman b Artillero & Súper Comando
2) Eléctrico, Fantasy, Tzuki b Pequeño Nitro, Pequeño Universo 2000, Pequeño Violencia
3) Blue Panther, Sagrado, Toscano DQ Felino, Shigeo Okumura, Vangelis
4) Héctor Garza b Metro [CMLL Universal, eightfinal]
5) Jushin Lyger b Negro Casas [CMLL Universal, eightfinal]
6) Volador Jr. b Valiente [CMLL Universal, eightfinal]
7) La Máscara b Mr. Águila [CMLL Universal, eightfinal]
8) Jushin Lyger b Héctor Garza [CMLL Universal, quarterfinal]
9) La Máscara DQ Volador Jr. [CMLL Universal, quarterfinal]
10) Jushin Lyger b La Máscara [CMLL Universal, semifinal]
11) La Sombra, Místico, Shocker DQ El Alebrije, Olímpico, Psicosis
While Jushin Lyger moves onto face Sombra next week, the big story of this week’s tournament was Volador’s behavior. Drawn against two tecnicos, Volador Jr. worked as a full rudo. He pulled Valiente’s mask to pin him, then utterly beat up La Mascara and ripped up his mask before being caught fouling Mascara. Lyger picked up the scraps to take the win and get his rematch versus Sombra.
Volador will be a rudo starting Sunday (besides the usual old bookings for spot shows.) Sunday’s actually the relevos increibles match, and he’s booked on the rudo side on Monday in Puebla. This was an undramatic way to do the turn, but let’s see where it goes now that it’s happened.
Main event was a straight falls wins for the tecnicos. The rudos ambushed them, setting up a Mistico stage dive. After Monito and Shocker took out Cuije and Alebrije, Sombra and Mistico beat Psicosis and Olimpico (in that order) with their finishes. Rudos went after the tecnicos masks in the second, tecnicos rallied back, and Mistico got la Mistica on Psicosis. This time, Olimpico ran in and pulled off Mistico’s mask for the DQ. Sombra came back in, but Olimpico fouled and pulled off his mask as well. While Psicosis seemed more amenable to a mask vs mask match, but this finish seems to indicate Olimpico and others may be getting involved. They just did a relevos at Dos Leyendas, and they just did a cage match, so that complicates things. Maybe a tag where the entire side loses their mask if they lose?
Tercera was a straight fall win by the tecnicos. Felino had the Mini Parrot with him, who can talk. (90% sure it’s Mini Maximo in yet another gimmick.) They teased Monito vs Parrot violence here, but CMLL builds slowly even in mascot vs mascot fights. CMLL announced a email contest to name the parrot on Ras de Lona.
Tzuki did show. And got the win.
In a big surprise, CMLL’s anniversary show will be September 3rd. It’s very strange to have it that early. I can’t find a record of a show happening that early in September (closest is the 8th in 1991, and am not sure if that’s correct.) More importantly, it takes two weeks of build away from a main event they really haven’t even stongly built towards. My best guess is there’s a second big event already on the books for either later that month or early in October (like, maybe they know AAA is going to run Heroes Inmortales in DF and want to run against it) and they’re trying to spread things out.
Besides the hype for Rush/Loco, Ras de Lona had a segment with Garza, Terrible and Texano, convinced they should be the rightful trios champions. Video footage showed Tirantes was counting to three when Garza had Sombra pinned, but La Mascara pulled him out of the ring. I think Tirantes might have got to three anyway, but the bigger issue is La Mascara was already eliminated from the match, so it should’ve been a DQ (and titles change on DQs.) Instead, Tigre Hispano stopped counting, Garza slapped the tecnico ref, and Sombra rolled Garza up for a three count to retain the titles. Rematch is coming, probably at some point where it doesn’t affect an ongoing tournament.
Also, someone needs to put together a comp of Jushin Lyger interviews in Mexico. This week’s highlight: “Maestro?!? MAESTRO!?!?!” Runner up: “Number uno – quien? quien? QUIEN? YO! Jushin. Thunder. Lyger. NUMERO UNO.”
As Mistico did a few days ago, Rafa El Maya also is demanding something be done about Tirantes and his biased refereeing. Maya questions if Tirantes is even licensed, and is generally upset that he’s making the serious & stable less so.
Rob has thought on the second episode of Lucha Libre USA while 411 reviews last night’s fourth episode. They were much, much higher on Brewer/Mango than I, but the trios match was a crazy spot fest worth seeking out.
Cronicas Y Leyendas writes about the end to Fishman’s mask. Stop me if this sounds familiar: a new promotion started, flying in big names and promising big money for everyone, but ended up breaking promises and quickly falling apart.
El Cuadrilatero has interviews with Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr., Hijo de LA Park and Histeria.
Estrellas del Ring has an interview with Tiffany.
LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update.
Lineups
CMLL (FRI) 08/13 Arena Mexico
1) Molotov & Sensei vs Disturbio & Durango Kid
2) Astral, Mascarita Dorada, Último Dragoncito vs Demus 3:16, Pequeño Warrior, Pierrothito
3) Felino, Negro Casas, Rey Bucanero vs Charly Manson, Héctor Garza, Mr. Águila
4) La Máscara, Máscara Dorada, Místico vs Averno, Mephisto, Volador Jr. and Dragón Rojo Jr., Ephesto, Misterioso II and Atlantis, Olímpico, Último Guerrero
5) La Sombra vs Jushin Lyger [CMLL Universal]
Lyger is the favorite, just to get his win back. Not having this title (or the middleweight one) isn’t an issue, since he’ll probably be back next summer if not sooner. Not sure how this plays into things, but 09/03 is the first show if the post-G1 tour for NJPW. If Lyger sticks around for the Anniversary show, he’ll still miss a few shows for his home company.
Semimain is a mini tournament. Not only is Volador with the rudos, but Olimpico is back with the Guerreros (and in position for another encounter with Mistico.) I assume Sangre is not leading his team because they’re going to lose in the first round. Ras de Lona had Psicosis, Olimpico and Alebrije in their spot, with Dragon Rojo sliding over to the Guerreros team.
That looks like a really good minis match. Someone sitting in the first two rows will have Ultimo Dragoncito in their lap before the end of the third fall.
