CMLL NJPW (TUE) 01/14/2014 Body Maker Coloseum, Osaka, Japan [NJPW, PuroresuFan]
***CMLL NJPW FantasticaMania 2014***
Attendance: 1300
1) Taichi & Taka Michinoku b Bushiroad & Titán
~9:15. Titan looked good doing his signature spots. Taichi pulled Bushiroad’s mask for the win (though he struggled with a cradle.) Rudos took Titan’s mask as well.
2) Fuego, Rey Cometa, Stuka Jr. b Niebla Roja, Shigeo Okumura, Vangellys
Mima Shimoda was back with Okumura. Rey Cometa wrestled the match in his mask, but it didn’t help him – Okumura reversed his huracanrana in 6:40 for the win. The other four were taken out by dives right before the end. Cometa took off his mask post match.
3) Jushin Liger & Máximo b Gedo & Jado
10:26. Maximo kiss of death on Jado set up a casita.
4) Naito & Volador Jr. b Kushida & Máscara Dorada
Volador beat Mascara Dorada with the Canadian Destroyer in 8:36. Like Rey Cometa, Volador wrestled the match in his mask and unmasked after his win.
5) Shinsuke Nakamura & Último Guerrero b La Sombra & Rush
Ultimo Guerrero beat Sombra with the Guerrero Special in 12:25. Best match on the show so far.
6) El Desperado, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Mistico b Mephisto, Okada, Rey Escorpión
Tanahashi had the CMLL Universal championship. Desperado slipped out from the Rainmaker and landed a big tope con giro, taking Okada and half the announce desk. La Mistica on Rey Escorpion in 10:17.
A good show, though not a must see one. 1300 is listed as a sell out. Main event was strongly about showcasing Mistico; he’s the star of this tour. The other guys looked good and it’s going to be helping Desperado to be working with the CMLL rudos for this tour. Ultimo Guerrero was working harder in Japan than he has in Mexico most of the time (though he was still checking off his near falls.) That finish, and maybe the fourth, are explicitly to build towards singles matches later in the tour.
Show was about 2 hours on the dot from bell to bell, including about a 20 minute intermission. (There was also a 30 minute preshow and a 15 minute post show as part of the broadcast.) That’s a few minutes less than the length of a usual CMLL Sunday Terra but even less ring time due the intermission. The matches are shorter – the second match was very short despite all those guys – but the show has a good flow and keeps moving. This was a hometown show for Okumura, his first in five years as best I can tell, which may explains why he got the win.
All of the CMLL music is muted out due to copyright issues, which is frustrating. It’s not a fun when Fuego is dancing around to silence. The feed had no problem. It did seem like most of the people watching the show were watching on SamuraiTV and not the internet. Both Voldaor & Rey Cometa wore their masks for the entirety of their matches, then took them off post match. I think that’s for merchandise reason; everyone’s brought suitcases of masks and other gear to sell to collectors, and there was a CMLL merchandise stand at show (about the same size as the one in Arena Mexico, which is not that impressive.)
The next FantasticaMania show is Wednesday in Kyoto. The next iPPV is Saturday morning at 3:30 AM CT (and definitely not 2:30 AM) for $15.
Alfredo has his recap of the show too.
AAA posted a press release about the deal with El Rey and Mark Burnett. The release says the show will be fully produced and recorded in Los Angeles (where AAA already has an office set up.) That sounds like they’re getting a building or soundstage and producing everything in one location to start, not touring around with the TV. It’s the best idea if they want to get a good crowd.
Cinco Radio’s Twitter reported Brazo de Plata suffered a neck injury last night. Other reports say it came after a Dragon Rojo slam. Porky was strechered out and the doctor on the hand said Porky will be out fifteen days. That’s going to cause a lot of reshuffling. Due to many tecnicos being in Japan, Brazo de Plata was supposed to be on all three DF cards this week – main event today, semimain event on Friday and tercera on Sunday. CMLL doesn’t have as many top guys on hand. They have plenty of midcard and lowcard guys, so I’d guess the spaces will be filled from people in lesser matches and the replacements coming in those. (Or Porky will just end up working thru his injury.)
(In other injury news, Zacarias is said to be out for 15 days.)
(CMLL has already changed around the lineups. Oro goes in for Soberano today, while Ephesto replaces Gran Guerrero and Averno replaces Tiger on Friday.)
El Popular’s recap of last night’s Puebla show says the main event set up a Shocker versus Rey Bucanero match for next week. Bucanero put his feet on the ropes to beat Shocker in the third. The recap lists Valiente on the rudo side, replacing Terrible and working twice, but doesn’t seem to think that’s strange at all.
Cinco Radio also has a Twitter message about the debuting Flyer, listing him as Super Parka’s grandson and Volador Jr.’s nephew. Flyer had been previously reported as Volador’s younger brother.
Today is CMLL’s second Nuevo Valores Martes, and also a Fan Appreciation day. The change you have laying around may be enough to buy a ticket (especially if your change still includes a 25 peso coin for some reason, like me.) Main event is scheduled to be Brazo de Plata, Valiente & Delta versus Polvora, Bobby Zavala and Dragon Rojo; CMLL seems to be setting up singles matches around the horn and it’s been a while since Polvora & Rojo have defended their championships. Negro Casas and TKPKFusion take on Divinos Laguneros (the new name for the Panther family) in a rematch of the semifinal.
LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update and PosterMania for the week.
Video of Aeroboy’s CZW appearance is already up on the internet. It looked like he got positive reviews on the show.
This week’s SuperLuchas has a recap of the best of 2013.
Inferno Rockers say 2013 was a good year for them (?), say Psycho Clown is a hypocrite for leaving behind his partners to challenge for the heavyweight title, do not reference having a mystery partner on Friday.
Hijo de Dos Caras challenges Los Mamitos for the upcoming WWL show.
WWL promoters explain that even though they’re from Puerto Rico, they really love Mexican lucha libre.
DJ Spectro looks back at 01/06/1985 UWA show.
Gimnasio Solidaridad, a lucha libre arena in Zacatecas, is being temporary used by the military due to unrest in the area – and the luchadors are protesting the loss of their building.
Shocker appeared on the Nueva Dia TV program.
Mr. Reyes has highlights of photos from the last two weeks.
Lineup
CMLL (SUN) 01/19/2014 Arena Coliseo
1) Shockercito & Stukita vs Pequeño Nitro & Pierrothito
2) Metálico, Metatrón, Oro Jr. vs Artillero, Hooligan, Súper Comando
3) Dark Angel, Goya Kong, Silueta vs Dalys, Tiffany, Zeuxis
4) Delta, Super Porky, Tritón vs Averno, Boby Zavala, Ephesto
5) Blue Panther, Shocker, Valiente vs Kráneo, Mr. Águila, Reaper
6) Atlantis vs Mr. Niebla
So much Atlantis/Niebla. This show doesn’t exactly work for moving someone up, but it’s also a fourth match and probably doesn’t matter much who’s in Brazo de Plata’s spot.
25 peso coin? that would be 68 Olympics commemorative thing. O.o
Nah, it’s a five peso and I’m dumb.