Month: September 2011

CMLL (TUE) 09/13/2011 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Fuego en el Ring]
1) Virgo b Esfinge
Youngster Esfinge appears no relation to the IWRG one from a few years back.
2) Magnum & Metatrón b Exterminador & Malefico
3) Astral & Bam Bam b Demus 3:16 & Pierrothito
Bam Bam beat Pierrothito and wants a title match.
4) Fuego, Sagrado, Sangre Azteca DQ Euforia, Pólvora, Virus
Rudos fouled Fuego for the DQ. Tecnicos want a rematch.
5) Averno, Ephesto, Mephisto b Máscara Dorada, Toscano, Valiente
Rudos took 1/3, Mephisto pinning Dorada.

Anniversario

Always a trouble sign when your TV announcers are criticizing your anniversary main event. Leo Riano is absolutely correct and it’s exactly the sort of thing the announcers should be saying if they’re supposed to be working for the Televisa network and not the promotions; this is a mockery. (That said, I’d expect CMLL to lean heavily on Televisa to pull Riano if they catch wind of this.)

Over at Pasion Sports, a columnist wonders why didn’t CMLL just wait until the Anniversario to run the La Mascara vs Averno match? Good question! There sure must be an explanation for that. Yep.

Anyway, the larger point remains: CMLL did run an Anniversary main event this year, La Mascara vs Averno. It had a very strong build, it was (I’m told) a very great match, and they did a great job of capitalizing on in the weeks following it and contiune to do so at a smaller level.

It is lame that the Dos Leyendas main event was Maximo/Porky vs Texano/Terrible. It is lame that Maximo will be putting up his hair again a half year later (and they’ve avoided all mention of the previous feud to try and hide it being only six months later.) It is lame that CMLL won’t do an actual big match for their Anniversary show, and appears to be making an uninteresting card among some more exciting ones (why isn’t the Demus/Warrior match on that show?) when they should easily be able to do much better. However, painting the whole year as bad is getting too caught up into traditions and ceremony. CMLL not living up to it’s potential, most of all on the biggest days, doesn’t mean it completely worthless.

I wonder if the reason CMLL did not release a full Anniversary card is because they wanted to see how this main was received (in ticket purchases, not internet reaction.) There’s not much they can add given the Leyenda de Plata and the cage match on the Guadalajara show, but those things can always be changed.

The weird thing is CMLL’s Anniversary main event would’ve been better received with less people in it. Something like Rey Bucanero vs Felino straight up for the hairs would still be (fairly) criticized for not being a mask match, but the cage and multiman concept appears to be a negative influence on the card. That’s only happening when you’re really messed up a stipulation.

Other News

Lucha Libre USA announced they are returning to MTV2 and MTVTres. The first show is Saturday, October 1st, at 10 AM eastern. They last aired on those networks August of 2010. The show originally had a late Friday night slot with reruns on the weekend. Saturday morning is not as good, but it is better than not being on TV at all.

LLUSA’s first “second season” taping was last December. There are spoilers for the first couple shows here. Video will probably be posted on the internet like last season.

Fusion MD posted a two part interview with IWL’s Valerie Richter about the business side of IWL. Like just about every indy promotion, I don’t know how they’re actually making money at this (and with the amount of people, and the fly-ins, I I don’t know how IWL isn’t losing a lot of of money), but the interview makes it very clear that Richter has done her research; there’s a WON citation, even. IWL plans on having a TV show, and having that air in the US. They’re trying to recruit sponsors for their live events, so they can supplement their ticket income. They’re focused on iPPV because they figure DVDs are too easily pirated. They know that some of the fans who come to their shows have no idea who the random foreigners are, but feel like that there’s a percentage of the fans who come just to see the guys they’ve brought in (and, to that extent, they’re bringing in Munenori Sawa of Zero1 in October.) The interview is worth reading.

Rayo de Jalisco, in a radio interview, blamed low attendance in Arena Coliseo Guadalajara on Panico, saying he’s blocked Guadalajara from having any major events. (By major events, he means booking Rayo.) Rayo also says there all the CMLL young guys who weren’t blessed with his charisma he brings, and CMLL really ought to a hall of fame like WWE so they can put him in it. Rayo says he’ll be returning to wrestle in Guadalajara in maybe November or December.

I will give the first older wrestler who does not say the problem with lucha libre is not booking them enough a gold star. (I will not be giving out a gold star.)

Demus says he’s a man who’s been challenged often and has many wins. Pequeno Warrior is tough, but his hair is going on Demus’ trophy case, and then they’ll know who stands where in the pecking order. Before that, Demus mentions he’s headed to LA on the 16th (tomorrow), but I can not find any more info on that. Maybe on his facebook?

At a press conference to hype Friday’s TV taping in Puebla, Escoria said he’s been working hard in preparation for his title match. He also reminded the press that it was in Puebla where he and the Dark Family won the Mexican National Atomicos championship (about seven years ago.)

Voltaje Negro, José Antonio Loera Rodríguez, was named as one of planned of an August attack on a Monterrey casino that left 52 dead. Voltaje Negro wrestled around the Monterrey area, turning up in all the buildings at one time or another. He was last active in Arena Solidaridad, wrestling in a multi-man hair match five days before the attack.

Rob has highlights of AAA in February 1997.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update.

Lucha Lucha in Japan
(via Purolove.com)

Zero 1
09/13: 6) Super Crazy b Ikuto Hidaka [Tenka-Ichi Jr., eightfinal]
09/13: 6) Mineo Fujita b Super Crazy [Tenka-Ichi Jr., quarterfinal]

AJPW
09/14: 3) Ozz [O], Cuervo, Kenny Omega b KENSO, Yasufumi Nakanoue, Shoshun [X] (Ozz Driver)
09/15: 5) Kenzo, Jimmy Yang [O], Shoshun b Ozz, Cuervo, Mazada [X]

Jushin Lyger arrived in Mexico, and vowed to go to mass every Sunday to be a better tecnico, and wants to clean up Okumura’s act.

Links

• Pierrothito demonstrates La Pierrothina
• In AULL, Yakuza wants Herejia’s mask.
• MedioTiempo interviews young luchadora Felina Metalica
• Extreme Tiger is #1 again in Record’s rankings
• For Independence Day, AAA looks at seven patriotic wrestlers. The list of former Mexican Powers is amusingly missing someone with a pointy mask.
• There’s a photo book of Arena Xalapa wrestlers.
• Segunda Caida watched more Pirata Morgan.
• Kcidis draws more CMLL wrestlers.
• Konnan Big‘s final match schedule.
• Cronicas Y Leyendas has Carlos Colon in Mexico.
• Blue Demon Jr., dancing.

CMLL (TUE) 09/13/2011 Arena Mexico [CMLL, Kaiser Sports]
1) Bengala & Freesbe DQ Camorra & Ramstein
Camorra, back from his left knee injury, fouled Freesbe for the DQ.
2) Mercurio, Pequeño Nitro, Pequeño Olímpico b Fantasy, Mini Maximo, Último Dragoncito
Ultimo Dragoncito replaced Shockercito
3) Shigeo Okumura, Vangelis, Yoshihashi b Dragon Lee, Metal Blanco, Palacio Negro
Rudos took 2/3. Metal and Palacio pulled off a plancha and a legdrop from the same corner at the same time onto Okumura to take the first.
4) Olímpico, Psicosis, Volador Jr. b Ángel de Oro, Diamante, Rush
Straight falls for the rudos, which sets up a title match next week.
5) Dragón Rojo Jr., Hiroshi Tanahashi, Último Guerrero b Atlantis, Black Warrior, Super Porky
Ultimo Guerrero cheated to beat Atlantis, using feet on the ropes. This is the end of Tanahashi.

Brazo de Oro was honored by the Cultural Commission of Mexico City and the National Association of broadcasters after the third match. Various family members were out to support him, including a woman in a mask we haven’t seen before.

Other News

Sin Cara vs Sin Cara. Possible new costume. Possible new costume with strange added “LOL”s. This is not really a lucha story once Mistico wasn’t coming back to a Mexico promotion any time soon, please don’t flip here looking for detailed timely coverage. It is worth mentioning because any Spanish language wrestling website today is surely talking about this face off over the CMLL anniversary match announcement. Very poor timing.

Samurai TV will air AAA’s Verano de Escandalo on 10/18 and CMLL’s Anniversary show on 10/25.

Luchas 2000 #587 has Sombra & Averno, Santo & Solitario, and AAA looking for a new Abismo Negro.

Rob writes about the hair match main event for the anniversary and what we should already know about CMLL’s current trouble-free strategy. I will say that if you did not know the there would be no big mask for the Anniversary show after Averno lost his, you probably should’ve figured that out when Dr. X walked out. CMLL chose to save money by paying Bam Bam for a hair loss instead of a midcarder for a mask loss; if they were cutting corners there, they were surely going to save money later on (and in GDL – Loco Max’s hair is awful long…)

Also, while we should have a chat for the Anniversary show, I’m much more excited for Sombra/Averno, Volador/Avenro and other matches listed below. Those are my anniversary shows.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s notes on yesterday’s press conference.

CMLL in Japan

REINA announced a whole bunch of upcoming show lineups. After Amapola’s CMLL title match with Ayumi this Sunday match, she’ll be sticking around for tag matches on Friday & Saturday the following week.  REINA also will have an international tag team tournament those days (it’s solely a REINA title this time, thankfully.) Team CMLL is Comandante & Zeuxis. They’ll be facing home team Aki Kambayashi & Saya.  Canadian NINJAs Portia Perez & Nicole Mathews face USA reps Mia Yim & Sara Del Rey in the other semifinal.

Also, Ray suffered a torn muscle in her hamstring and will be out about a couple weeks, but will still be making her CMLL shows.

A news article hyping up that Amapola/Ayumi title match lists Amapola’s age as 40. She’s never mentioned her year of birth in Mexico (as far as I’ve seen), but Amapola is doing pretty well if she’s really 40.

Jushin Liger told the press that he plans to bring back a secret weapon from Mexico. PLEASE BE YOSHIAHSHI.

Links

• Hijo del Ninja talks about his title match on Sunday.
• Meanwhile, Konnan Big says he’s retiring at the end of the year. Are we sure he’s not just retiring from hardcore matches?
• DJ Spectro looks back Santo’s final match, Shu el Guerrero’s big wins, and the national tag titles.
• Pancracio interviews Espanto Jr. about fake Facebook accounts.

Lineups

CMLL (SUN) 09/18/2011 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) El Divino vs Evola
2) Astral & Último Dragoncito vs Pequeño Violencia & Pierrothito
3) Pegasso, Rey Cometa, Sensei vs Puma King, Ráfaga, Tiger
4) Shigeo Okumura vs Gallo [OCCIDENTE LH]
5) Máscara Dorada, Máximo, Super Porky vs Averno, Ephesto, Mephisto

The rematch! It should be fine. If they just start booking Gallo like he’s a midcard Canek in 80s UWA, it will be so great. Imagine the b-list international stars they could bring in to beat him for the title and then lose the title back to him six weeks later.

CMLL (TUE) 09/20/2011 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Thunder Boy vs Acertijo
2) Lluvia & Marcela vs La Seductora & Princesa Sugheit
3) Fuego, Metro, Sangre Azteca vs Cancerbero, Pólvora, Vangelis
4) Pierrothito vs Bam Bam [MEX LIGHT]
5) La Máscara, La Sombra, Máscara Dorada vs El Alebrije, Mephisto, Mr. Águila

The rematch! I think Pierrothito would rather lose his title than his mask, but I don’t think he’s losing either.

CMLL (TUE) 09/20/2011 Arena Mexico
1) Camaleón & Freesbe vs Artillero & Camorra
2) Astral, Eléctrico, Último Dragoncito vs Demus 3:16, Pequeño Nitro, Pequeño Olímpico
3) Pegasso, Rey Cometa, Sagrado vs Raziel, Virus, Yoshihashi
4) Blue Panther, Héctor Garza, Jushin Lyger vs Rey Bucanero, Terrible, Texano
5) Ángel de Oro, Diamante, Rush vs Olímpico, Psicosis, Volador Jr. [MEX TRIOS]

The rematch! Well, no, last time it was Olimpico, Alebrije and Misterioso, but close enough. Volador gets two title shots in three days, hopefully he finds a way to win one of them. (THIS ONE.)