Familia de Tijuana’s first big win, Prince Devitt MIA, Panico out

(photo by Black Terry Jr.)
(photo by Black Terry Jr.)

IWRG (THU) 03/15/2012 Arena Naucalpan [Black Terry Jr. (flickr), Estrellas del Ring]
1) Astro de Plata & Astro Rey Jr. b Pacto Negro & Polifacético
2) Charly Madrid & Chicano b Comando Negro & The Mummy
3) Dinamic Black, Golden Magic, Suicida b Acero, Alemán, Imposible
4) Freyser, Trauma I, Trauma II b Alan Extreme, Eterno, Violento Jack
Violento Jack kept making mistakes in his match, and his partners turned on him.
5) Bestia 666 b Hijo de LA Park, Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr., Mascara Sagrada Jr., Halcon 78 Jr., Hijo de Pirata Morgan, Canek Jr., Apolo Estrada Jr., Ultramán Jr., Carta Brava Jr. [#1 Contenders, JUNIOR DE JUNIORS]
It came down to Bestia 666 vs Pirata. Bestia knocked out the referee by accident, and Familia de Tijuana (Halloween, Damian, Nova, and Zumbi – so he may be out of Perros del Mal as well) ran in to attack Pirata and give Bestia a win. He faces Trauma I next week.

A backstage interview from Arena Aficion seems to confirm Zumbi is in (or at least associated with) the Famila de Tijuana group.

Prince Devitt

Yesterday afternoon, CMLL posted this tweet:

[tweet https://twitter.com/CMLL_OFICIAL/status/180403825948106752]

That’s always an ominous tweet. CMLL’s lineups now do not include Prince Devitt on any of the shows. CMLL has not explained the situation or even specifically acknowledged Devitt’s absence; that tweet is it. NJPW has also said nothing, only posting the story on Devitt’s arrival to Mexico City that was on the Mexican sites yesterday. The only word we have on the situation is from Fuego en el Ring’s Facebook account. They were told by a source that Devitt had previously hurt his calf, and the injury had worsened enough that CMLL was not going to let him wrestle.

If Devitt is out with an injury, then CMLL has done a slightly decent job here. CMLL has a habit of occasionally listing luchadors on their lineups that they know will not actually be on the card; at least this time people know who they’re getting. It still falls short of acceptable. CMLL’s actually done a very strong job of promoting Prince Devitt the last month as special attraction, and now they’re not even acknowledging his absence. Maybe you don’t even have to say why he’s not wrestling – though acknowledging an injury would only get them sympathy – but ignoring it just needlessly aggravates your fanbase. This is not subbing Fresbee for Robin, this is the guy who’s been hyped on every single CMLL outlet for the last month, you have the address the expectations you’ve built up.

It’s disappointing not to get Devitt matches this week, but it’s much worse for him. I can not imagine how frustrating it’d be to be stuck in a country you’ve never been, with few people who speak your language, and with nothing to do but sit around and hope your calf feels better.

Tonight, as far as Devitt subs, it’ll be Shocker in CMLL’s main event. It’s something Shocker seems thrilled about on Twitter, but makes tonight’s card completely unremarkable. Marco Corleone replaces Devitt in Arena Mexico on Sunday and Guadalajara on Tuesday, and Atlantis fills in on Monday.

Other News

This week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter mentioned Panico is officially out of the CMLL programming department. He is now in charge of the beer distributorship for their arenas, which is said to be a better paying (and surely less stressful) job. Blue Panther is now in charge of the programming department, the group we would refer to as CMLL’s bookers.

I’m not sure if it’s related, but Panther has not had a match at Arena Mexico or Arena Coliseo since Dos Leyendas, which is probably about when that change was made. It’s been said Paco Alonso prefers people not be active wrestlers and programmers, which was a reason people believed Panther might lose at Dos Leyendas and disappear for a while. He did lose his hair and he may be disappearing.

Though the poster does not make it clear, the PR for TxT says the main event is a three way match. They’re having a press conference today.

LuchaWorld has the return of Alfredo’s Weekly Ramblings and KrisZ’s news update.

Links

11 thoughts to “Familia de Tijuana’s first big win, Prince Devitt MIA, Panico out”

  1. C’mon, “stuck in a country with few people who speak your language” do you think we’re in the 50’s?? All of this was written by someone who understands “your language”

  2. @Ricardo: I think I must’ve not been clear enough in what I said. Obviously people in Mexico understand English, otherwise I’d have half as many angry comments.

    I’m saying most of the time they’re speaking Spanish, and if you don’t, you’re reliant on those that speak both to help you with those who only speak Spanish. To some extent, you’re always going to be reliant on locals when you travel to another country for wrestling, but you would seem to be totally tied to them when you’re in a place which mainly speaks a different language.

  3. I don’t like the barricades at ringside at Arena Mexico. It’s not good for the divers.

  4. Just yesterday I posted on the Box y Lucha forum and got a reply in English! I was touched. Usually I’m being yelled at for not speaking proper Spanish. Finally – acceptance!

    Hopefully whatever injury it is only keeps him out for the first set of shows. Clearly CMLL had some sort of plan for him over the next 2/3 weeks including a title defense so best case scenario is they are still able to do that instead of just running the status quo trios stuff.

  5. Devitt stinks so I am perfectly happy to not have him fuck up CMLL main events. If Panther is really done wrestling that kind of stinks, he has had such a great year.

  6. I find the whole thing kinda odd. Was no one aware Devitt was hurt when he left Japan for Mexico? If he was hurt and NJPW knew, why send him? They have a lot invested in him…

    I can’t imagine CMLL knew he was hurt and said “Hey, send him anyway, because we would love to pay him to not work the cards he is being advertised for”.

    And, like Cubs pointed out, if Devitt knew he was hurt, why get on that plane knowing you will not be able to work once you get there, and be stuck in a strange land (when you could just stay in Japan or swing home to Ireland)?

    I am kinda wondering if he was injured after he arrived in Mexico….

  7. It Could Just Be That Dewitt Met Zacharrias, & Thought….Man, I’m Not Tough Enough To F**K With This Guy, I’ll Just Play It Smart, & Sit Out With An Injury

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