Santo teases retirement, Astral wins boydbuilding contest, GdT building

El Hijo del Santo’s column starts off with Santo announcing he’s off the current TxT tour because he’s headed back to Mexico City for x-rays on his spine. Santo dramatically states the doctors will decide on Monday if he’s able to continue his lucha libre career or if he’ll be forced to retire. That Monday press conference should also be the press conference to push the TxT show next week in Gimnasio Juan de la Barrera, so this feels like a real injury that’s being inflated to promote something. It’s a Santo column, so there are already fantastical things going on – he refers to LA Park replacing him last night and the crowd being totally okay with it, even though he would’ve turned in this column before the TxT show happened.  The rest of the column is in the usual fashion, claiming his generation of wrestlers ended up the least injured because they were the most skilled at wrestling on the mat (ignoring the part earlier where his career is ending due to injury.)

CMLL’s annual bodybuilding contest was held yesterday. Results

Principiantes Category:
1) Dragon Lee II – a brother of Rush & Mistico
2) Pequeno Olimpico
3) Stukita
Other particpants: Super Halcon, Genesis, Oro Jr., Ultimo Dragoncito, Apocalipsis, Acero, Pequeno Warrior, Leono, Demus, Gran Guerrero, Zacarias, Pequeno Halcon, Pequeno Nitro

Intermedios Category:
1) Electrico
2) Akuma
3) Puma – originally competed in Principiantes but moved up.
Other Particpants: Soberano, Esfinge, Metalico, Namajague

Femenil Miss CMLL:
1) Dalys
2) Dark Angel
3) Estrellita
Other Particpants: Marcela, Princesa Sugehit

Avanzados Category:
1) Astral
2) Sensei
3) Tama Tonga
Other Particpants: Mr. Niebla (wearing his afro wig), Delta, Vangellys

Astral won the overall competition.

The actual competition was preceded by a tumbling demonstration by Arkangel’s students, as in recent year. Sons of Mr. Niebla & Villano III were among those students. Villano III’s two sons (Hijo/Junior) have wrestled in the last few months on tiny shows he’s main evented. Mr. Niebla’s son was shown in one of the season 2 episodes of El Luchador. That same season included a few meals at Rush/Mistico’s home, and they appeared to have many brothers/sisters, so it’s not a big surprise to see one of them training (though there was no hint of that on the show.)

Previous years included a Minis division and a Student division. The students did pose but there were no rankings announced (everyone was just congratulated.) The minis division had been superfluous in recent years, with many of minis participating in the other categories.

Dark Angel had won the previous seven years of this contest and had previously said she would not be in this one. The reversal was a surprise, and no more explained than her announced absence. Dalys had finished second the last four years in a row.

Puma and Ultimo Guerrero gave masks to Vanguardia Deportiva, the sponsors of the contest.

Advanced category winners by year
2006: Olimpico
2007: Ogun
2008: Polvora
2009: Molotov
2010: Rush
2011: Valiente
2012: La Sombra

Polvora’s elevation from the the openers started right after he won the 2008 contest. Rush, Valiente, and SOmbra all received more attention, but may have gotten the same had they finished second.

Sensei won the intermediate group last year and was the overall winner last year, but did not seem to benefit from it.) And for all the years Dark Angel won the contest, it did not get her closer to a CMLL world women’s championship reign.

There a lot of things which greatly annoyed me about the bodybuilding contest. It was actually Genesis, a poor quality luchador gifted with a spot on the CMLL roster choosing to improve his look over his technique (and how it was the correct decision) which set me off yesterday, but there’s plenty of other things to pick at here. At the same time, people have clearly worked very hard for long periods of time on this and it feels over the top just trash the whole thing.

Dorian Roldan announced Guerra de Titanes will take place in the Auditorio de la Gente, Tepic, Nayarit on 12/08 and posted the preview poster on Twitter. Auditorio de la Gente just opened this October and seats 12,000 people. The lineup for that show should be out as soon as Saturday

Electroshock notes he’s been Megachampion and beaten Kurt Angle, so he’s a worthy challenger to Blue Demon. Plus, Demon travels a lot and he feels the belt should be defended in AAA.

The poster for the Korakuen Hall FantasticaMania shows include Liger, Tanahashi, Nakamura and BUSHI as NJPW luchadors.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update.

Rob has highlights of CMLL 04/12/13 and random thoughts on this week’s TV.

Last night’s Tercera Caida had highlights of ChilangaMask and interviews with Ovett & Ciclope to hype the DTU show in DF this week.

Cronicas y Leyendas looks back at the odd trio of Vampiro, Mil Mascaras and Atlantis and the trio of Fuerza Guerrera, Heavy Metal and Negro Casas.

Aeroboy talks about his upcoming CZW trip.

El Martinete says fakes have been posing as LA Park using the @LA_ParkOriginal and @laparktapiia names. The last is still up, using a fake verification check as it’s background. SuperLuchas quoted the first one in a post and hasn’t taken it down. @laparktapia was believed to be LA Park’s authentic Twitter account, but he hasn’t used it since August.

The Nosawa promoted show with Mil Mascaras & Dos Caras’ billed final match as a team will also include Pantera versus Hijo del Pantera.

La Sombra enjoys airport food on the way to Japan. The tag team tournament kicks off Sunday.

Puebla’s university will host a panel discussion and movie screening of lucha libre tomorrow.

Atlantis takes Manhattan.

Lineups

Brazo (SAT) 11/23/2013 Arena Neza
***Honoring El Brazo***
1) Aramis, Goya Kong, Marcela, Muñeca De Plata vs Amapola, La Comandante, La Seductora, Princesa Sugheit
2) Brazo de Platino, Coco Blanco, Neza Kid vs Black Abyss, Mike Segura, Robin (CMLL)
3) Rey Lobo vs Super Brazo [mask, hair]
4) Crazy Boy, Joe Lider, Niño Hamburguesa vs Devil Rocker, Machine Rocker, Soul Rocker
5) Argenis, Electroshock, Fenix (AAA) vs Argos, Chessman, Pentagón Jr.
6) La Parka Jr., Monsther Clown, Murder Clown, Psycho Clown vs el Hijo del Perro Aguayo, Máscara Año 2000, Silver King, Texano Jr.
7) Brazo de Oro, Brazo de Plata, La Máscara, Máximo vs Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero, Villano IV, Villano V

Lineup via Pierrothazo Facebook; AAA has confirmed the 5th and 6th matches.

CMLL (TUE) 11/26/2013 Arena Mexico
1) Leono & Metálico vs Disturbio & Inquisidor
2) Pegasso, Soberano Jr., Tritón vs Arkángel de la Muerte, Canelo Casas, Hooligan
3) Dark Angel, Estrellita, Goya Kong vs Amapola, Tiffany, Zeuxis
4) Fuego vs Namajague [lightning]
5) Stuka Jr., Thunder, Titán vs Rey Bucanero, Terrible, Vangellys
6) Máximo, Shocker, Super Porky vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Pólvora, Rey Escorpión

Brazo de Plata versus Rey Escorpion continues turning up on Tuesdays. Titan and Terrible rematch in the semifinal?

Lightning match sounds fun, won’t air.  First Arena Mexico match for Zeuxis since July 16th due to the REINA trip.

CMLL (TUE) 11/26/2013 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Esfinge & Metatrón vs Infierno & Ráfaga
2) Oro Jr., Sky Kid, Smaker vs Guerrero Negro Jr., Mr. Trueno, Rey Trueno
3) Sagrado, Starman, Stigma vs Cancerbero, Raziel, Virus
4) Delta, Diamante Azul, Guerrero Maya Jr. vs Misterioso Jr., Niebla Roja, Pierroth
5) Atlantis, La Máscara, Rush vs Negro Casas, Tama Tonga, Volador Jr.

Rush versus Casas/Tonga feud comes to Guadalajara.

FS UVLL (SUN) 12/01/2013 Feria Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas
1) Blackbaby & Sepultura vs Furier & Mini Black Metal and Diamante Rojo Jr. & Silencio Jr.
2) Dinastía & Mamba vs Demasiado & Mini Abismo Negro
3) Jinzo vs Kaleth, Eterno, Drastik Boy, Ángel del Misterio, Rey Celestial
4) Crazy Boy, Joe Lider, Niño Hamburguesa vs Joey Ryan, Parka Negra, Roderick Strong

Ryan and Strong will be working random shows in between the DTU ones. The one and only Joey Ryan versus Nino Hamburguesa match?