Month: May 2012

IWRG (SUN) 05/13/2012 Arena Naucalpan [DJ Spectro, Estrellas del Ring, The Gladiatores]
1) Imposible & Pacto Negro b Crosby & Johnny Rivera
Impossible replaced Comando Negro.
2) Chicano & Freelance b Alan Extreme & Suicida
Suicida replaced Imposible. Money was thrown in the ring after the match.
3) Argenis, Fenix (AAA), Súper Fly b 14K, Douki, Secret Sasuke
Super Fly german suplexed Sasuke for the win.
4) Angelico, Negro Navarro, Trauma I b Bestia 666, Eterno, Súper Nova
Team Navarro took 2/3. Damian 666 tried to interfere, but Trauma I shrugged him off and defeated Bestia.
5) Damián 666, Head Hunter I, X-Fly b Monster Clown, Murder Clown, Psycho Clown
Crowd was behind the Psycho Circus. FdT took 1/3. Both refs were taken out in the last fall. Trauma I ran in to help the Clowns, but fouled Psycho by mistake, and Head Hunter splashed him for the pin. Clowns did not accept Trauma’s apology and they set up a Clowns vs Navarros trios.

DJ Spectro was very down on the top two matches, saying the semifinal went way too long and the Psycho Circus only know three moves.

CMLL (SUN) 05/13/2012 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Fuego en el Ring]
1) Virgo b Relampago Azul
2) El Caudillo & Halcon de Plata b Exterminador & Infierno
Tecnicos won two straight.
3) Black Metal, Javier Cruz Jr., Leo DQ Barbaro Cavernario, Espectrum, Sádico
Javier Cruz Sr. was watching his son’s match. Rudos were DQed for excessive violence and kept going, so Cruz Sr. hit the ring for the saev. Evola ran out to help the rudos, and Evola and Cruz Sr. made hair match challenges.
4) Amapola & Tiffany b Marcela & Silueta
Tiffany must’ve cheated to beat Silueta, because Silueta demanded a singles match for next week.
5) Máscara Dorada b Mephisto [CMLL WELTER]
Dorada took 2/3 to keep the title. Said to be a very good match – Apolo Dantes called it one of the best matches in the arena in many years.

Rob has highlights of the 09/08/09 CMLL, 04/24/12 CMLL and Pequeno Reyes del Aires.

Links

• Zumbi is back in Mexico! That didn’t take long.
• Arena Lopez Mateos turns 45 today.
• Cronicas Y Leyendas looks back at Francisco Flores being honored for 50 years of promoter.

Lucha Libre in Japan

REINA announced they were stripping Mima Shimoda & Zeuxis of the REINA tag team titles and canceling their next show on May 27th. The new tag champions are to be determined on June 9th.

Lineups

Tuesday’s CMLL card has Niebla Roja replacing Euforia in the semimain, and Virus takes Niebla Roja’s place in the tercera.

Friday’s CMLL card has Sombra in Diamante Azul’s place,

CMLL (SUN) 05/20/2012 Arena Mexico
1) Leono & Tigre Blanco vs Cholo & Inquisidor
2) Bam Bam, Eléctrico, Fantasy vs Mercurio, Pequeño Violencia, Pequeño Warrior
3) Fuego, Sagrado, Stuka Jr. vs Misterioso Jr., Pólvora, Sangre Azteca
4) Marco Corleone, Máximo, Rush vs Terrible, Último Guerrero, Yujiro
5) Dragón Rojo Jr. vs La Sombra [CMLL MIDDLE]
Dragon Rojo is the champion

Sombra just got, and lost, this title match in Puebla a month ago. CMLL does like to repeat title matches in different locations, but I can’t believe Sombra is actually going to lose this twice in a row. That’s very un-Sombra.

Sangre Azteca is back on the rudo side, teaming with the exact two guys who turned on him (Misterioso & Polvora.) I really wish CMLL was still a company that did promos, skits and interviews, because you probably could get some good ones of that. Who do we want as a new third of Poder Mexica? Is this Puma King’s spot? Signo?

CMLL (SUN) 05/20/2012 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) El Caudillo & Esfinge vs Acertijo & Metalik
2) Smaker vs Malefico
3) Javier Cruz Jr., Javier Cruz Sr., Leo vs Barbaro Cavernario, Èvola, Sádico
4) Silueta vs Tiffany
5) León Blanco, Rush, Valiente vs Exterminador, Felino, Mr. Niebla

3/4 are set up by last week. Leon Blanco and Exterminador in the main event makes sense, might as well make the local guys seem equal to the top ones.

Toryumon Mexico (SAT) 05/12/2012 Arena Mexico

 [Black Terry Jr. (flickr), The Gladiatores]
***DragonMania VII***
1) Kato Kung Lee, Rock Star, Rolling Boy, Tetsuki b Akuma 3:16, Tornado, Voraz, Zuma
2) Negro Navarro & Solar I b Trauma I & Trauma II
3) Hanaoka, Hiasamaru, Masao Orihara b Aarón Alexander, Alex Diangelo, Amenaza
4) Kana b Syuri
5) Astral & Eléctrico b Demus 3:16 & Pequeño Nitro
6) Akebono & Brazo de Plata b Arkángel de la Muerte, Loco Max, Rey Bucanero
two on three, though the Akebono & Plata team probably outweighed Loco Max’s team.
7) Último Dragón b Tatsuhito Takaiwa, Ohara, Último Guerrero, Hijo del Fantasma, Magnus, Durango Kid, Skándalo, Angelico, Nitro, Taurus [NWA IJ, Dragon Scramble, #1 Contenders]
Ultimo Dragon is the current champion, but put up his title on his show, with the last two squaring off for it. Magnus was first one out. Takaiwa destroyed Angelico & Durango Kid with martinetes. Durango never actually made it into the ring. Ultimo Guerrero eliminated Dragon & Ohara at the same time. Instead of just giving UG the win, they declared a three way match.
8) Último Dragón b Último Guerrero, Ohara [NWA IJ]
Takaiwa, now wearing a Tiger Dragon mask, ran in to attack Dragon and took his mask. UG ended up with the mask and was DQed. Referee turned on Dragon during the match, but he still beat Ohara to keep his title.

Hayabusa came to the ring after the match.

CMLL (SUN) 05/13/2012 Arena Coliseo [CMLL]
1) Aereo & Pequeño Halcón b Mercurio & Pequeño Universo 2000
tecnicos took 1/3.
2) Metálico, Molotov, Starman b Artillero, Inquisidor, Súper Comando
tecnicos took 1/3.
3) Fuego, Pegasso, Titán b Arkángel de la Muerte, Loco Max, Skándalo
4) Namajague, Pólvora, Shigeo Okumura b Diamante, Sangre Azteca, Stuka Jr.
Straight falls for the rudos, because Sangre Azteca failed to get along with his teammates. Sangre accepted a handshake from Polvora and indicated he wants to return to the rudo side!
5) Diamante Azul, La Sombra, Shocker b Dragón Rojo Jr., Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas
Sombra beat Dragon Rojo, and asked for another title shot. Dragon Rojo accepted.

Sangre Azteca is not listed on any cards next week yet. Perhaps he can go straight to the rudo side?

I don’t know who decided we needed all the Dragon Rojo title matches possible, but I’m fairly certain they decided wrong.

Friday night’s Wrestling Observer Radio show mention WWE wants to create a lucha libre show to sell to a Spanish language network, as a way of increasing their TV licensing fees. (WWE previously had a similar aimed show, Super Astros, that ran for 18 months between 1998-1999.) A recent Observer mentioned WWE was interested in luchadors, but that seemed just a repetition of what’s been said every few weeks since Rey Misterio Jr. first started to break down. The comments on Friday suggested more immediate action. Getting US work visa has seemed to take a long period of time, so it’s something where they’d have to start signing people quickly even if a pilot taping wouldn’t be for months. We know WWE looked a lot of luchadors last time thru, and this news means they’ll surely be doing the same when they come thru Mexico in a couple weeks.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update and a podcast with Super Boy!

Links

• SuperLuchas #462 has an interview with Canek.
• the next Lucha POP main event is Black Terry & Terremoto Negro vs Adam Cole & Samurai del Sol.
• Segunda Caida has more Pirata Morgan and CMLL on Galavision 04/14/12.
• XMW is bringing Necro Butcher back on June 2nd.

Lucha Libre in Japan
05/13 REINA – at Korakeun Hall
3) Mima Shimora [O], Tomoka Nakagawa, Ray b Goya Kong, Zeuxis [X], Dalis la Caribena
4) Princesa Blanca b Lady Apache [MEX WOMEN]
– seventh defense for Blanca
6) Yumiko Hotta b La Comandante [street fight, hair]
– both women bled. Comandate tried to leave without getting her hair cut, but was pulled back and shaved.

The news happened after the main event. Hotta celebrated her win by declaring REINA was now dissolved. This was greatly walked back after the show, with the people in charge saying REINA would go on, but Hotta would now be a freelancer and only appear occasionly. Hotta has been the centerpeice of the group in their one year of existance. Leaving wouldn’t seem to affact how much they draw (because they still won’t), but obviously suggests great internal turmoil. Eventually, spending a lot more than you’re making catches up to you. The promotion does mention the whole thing in their recap of the event, so maybe there’s something more going on here.

It could be that Hotta is just running before Comandate can bring in TRT to help her get revenge. Let’s go with that.

Lineups

IWRG (THU) 05/17/2012 Arena Naucalpan
1) Dragón Celestial vs Matrix Jr.
2) Johnny Rivera & Templario vs Star Boy Jr. & The Mummy
3) Centvrión, Charly Madrid, Freelance vs Carta Brava Jr., Comando Negro, Pacto Negro
4) Chicano, Dinamic Black, Dr. Cerebro, Golden Magic, Imposible, Saruman, Trauma II, Veneno vs 14K, Douki, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Kensuske Sasaki, Kento Miyahara, Nosawa, Sasuke Secret,Satoshi Kajiwara [Copa High Power]
5) Angelico, Shadow Phoenix, Trauma I vs Head Hunter I, Súper Nova, X-Fly

This semimain is great, because I always thought I couldn’t vote for Kensuske Sasaki to a hall of fame unless he proved he could beat Chicano. Now I’ll have that settled!

The IWRG column in Super Luchas confirms what appears here:  Douki is not Shadow Phoenix or anyone else around masquerading as a novato, but a new random Japanese guy.

CMLL (FRI) 05/11/2012 Arena Mexico [CMLL]
1) Bobby Zavala & Disturbio b Hombre Bala Jr. & Super Halcon Jr.
Rudos took 2/3.
2) Astral, Fantasy, Último Dragoncito b Pequeño Nitro, Pequeño Olímpico, Pequeño Violencia
Astral replaced Shockercito. Tecnicos took 1/3, Dragoncito over Violencia.
3) Black Warrior, Sagrado, Stuka Jr. DQ Misterioso Jr., Rey Escorpion, Shigeo Okumura
straight falls, Escorpion fouling Warrior in the second. Warrior demanded a hair match, and Escorpion actually agreed.
4) Niebla Roja b Triton [En Busca de un Idolo]
Triton scored a 21.
5) Dragon Lee DQ Euforia [En Busca de un Idolo]
Euforia may have refused to remove a submission. Judges scored him highly anyway.
6) Atlantis, Blue Panther, La Máscara b Rey Bucanero, Terrible, Último Guerrero
tecnicos took 2/3. Panther beat UG. Said to be a good match.
7) Psicosis, Volador Jr., Yujiro b Marco Corleone, Máximo, Rush
Volador pinned Maximo for the win.

Show included a Bucanero, Sensei, Mascara and Puma King dance show as a Mother’s Day treat.

CMLL has run a major show in June the last two years.
2011-06-17: La Mascara vs Averno
2010-06-06: Maximo vs Taichi

If they follow the same pattern, Escorpion vs Warrior is 3-5 weeks away, which makes this an especially early announcement. Perhaps there’s an already secretly scheduled press conference this week they needed to get out in front of? Priorities! There’s also the matter of Rey Escorpion vs Black Warrior not really being a drawing main event. They need another match, and there’s nothing else they’re building right now. The En Busca de un Idolo final looks to be 06/08 (if they’re still doing the trios match), but that’s not important enough to help. CMLL rarely does three important matches on the show, so Escorpion/Warrior is either the week before (06/01) or the week after (06/15).

Psicosis explains he’s definitely not defrauding the public by returning to his old mask. He’s just horribly burned by Joe Lider’s red flame of death from Neza and AAA gave him permission to wear his old mask while he recovers – and he may never heal! I guess that’s why he’s wearing the Psicsois gear too, since Lider torched him mostly on the shoulder and back, he must need something to cover those up as well. I’m not sure why the facial burns require him to be announced and billed as Psicosis instead of Nicho el Millionario; perhaps the emotional trauma is just too much for poor Psicosis! Anyway, Psicosis says he surely will not be wagering his mask in any battle with Joe Lider, but would like to have a career vs career match to end him forever. Psicosis also says he has no grudge or issue with anyone else who used this name, but they were never the star he was.

Rob has highlights of the 2012 Pequeno Reyes del Aire. That match was crazy. Pretty sure Bam Bam sat down and thought about what way he could break his tailbone, then went out there to do it.

Bill has highlights of 03/28/12 Arena Coliseo Monterrey, with Battman.

Lineups

CMLL (MON) 05/14/2012 Arena Puebla
1) Black Tiger & Dinámiko vs Akron & Siki Osama
2) Molotov, Robin, Super Halcon Jr. vs Artillero, Disturbio, Súper Comando
3) Dragon Lee, Hombre Bala Jr., Pegasso vs Espiritu Maligno, Karisma, Lestat
4) Ángel de Oro, Delta, Guerrero Maya Jr. vs Ephesto, Euforia, Mephisto
5) Atlantis, Diamante Azul, Shocker vs Kráneo, Psicosis, Volador Jr.

Lineup via Porra Fresa. Feud here appears to be Atlantis vs Volador.

Tercera is Puebla rudos and tecnicos teaming up to face the CMLL regular tecnicos. Dragon Lee & Bala better hope Pegasso doesn’t turn on them.

CMLL (FRI) 05/18/2012 Arena Mexico
1) Bengala & Starman vs Apocalipsis & Bobby Zavala
2) Ángel Azteca Jr., Fuego, Pegasso vs Hooligan, Nitro, Skándalo
3) Dark Angel, Estrellita, Goya Kong vs La Seductora, Princesa Sugheit, Tiffany
4) Titán vs Puma King [En Busca de Un Idolo]
5) Diamante vs Pólvora [En Busca de Un Idolo]
6) Black Warrior, Delta, Guerrero Maya Jr. vs Olímpico, Psicosis, Rey Escorpion
7) Atlantis, Diamante Azul, La Máscara vs Negro Casas, Volador Jr., Yujiro

The Diamante Azul vs Yujiro match. Warrior and Escorpion keep fighting until someone drops. Estrellita without Amapola

No IWRG show last night. Not much to talk about.

CMLL’s Arena Mexico show is highlights by the return of NJPW’s Yujiro. Though we’ve expected a match with Diamante Azul or Rush, Yujiro mentioned Marco Corleone as someone he’d like to defeat in his re-introduction interview. He’s teaming with Invasor Psicosis and loose cannon Volador to take on the Bufete del Amor tonight. Marco, Maximo and Rush will also be available for pictures as part of a Mother’s Day Special. The two En Busca de un Idolo matches are Triton vs Niebla Roja, Dragon Lee vs Euforia. Euforia seems to have Dragon Lee’s number in tag matches, but this is their first singles encounter. The Warrior/Escorpion feud continues elsewhere on the card.

The latest En Busca de un Idolo standings are update with this week’s poll results.

1. Titan 136
2. Euforia 130
3. Diamante 113
4. Polvora 109
5. Triton 100
6. Dragon Lee 94
7. Puma King 86
8. Niebla Roja 78

Titan’s won the poll both times, which is 80 of his 136 points. He has not won a match. If Titan had an average amount of poll points (35.575, a weird average number), he’d be in sixth place. No one else has even gotten 30 points in a single week.

As far as I can tell, the top four move onto a single elimination stage, so the real battle is beginning to look between the Diamante, Polvora, Triton, Dragon Lee foursome.

Konnan has joined twitter as @konnan5150.

Rob has highlights of 05/20/11 CMLL and ranks the CMLL minis and women.

LuchaWorld has Olimpico and Bam Bam on the top 100 countdown.

Links

• Violento Jack says Mad Man Pondo is an overrated wrestler with no skills. That’ll sell tickets.
• Shadow Phoenix vs Epidemia for the GALLI championship has been added to the Lucha Fan Fest show next weekend.
• La Comandante feels she’s more prepared for Japan this time.
• Looks like DDD’s next show is 05/27.
• Cronicas Y Legends looks back at Gran Hamada winning a title match without actually winning a fall and the only show in Estadio Azteca
• GALLI’s running shows Saturday and Sunday.