03/07-09 lucha times – daylight savings time starts in the US this Sunday

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Sunday starts the annual month of confusing time differences. The US switches over to daylight savings time, while Mexico stays at it’s normal time for another month. If you observe Daylight Savings time, this means everything starts an hour later starting this Sunday. Terra’s Sunday show will start at 6pm Central Daylight Time, for example.

Some stations (52MX) remember to update their US programming listings to adjust from the difference. Some don’t really pay attention to their programming listings to begin with (LAS, Multimedios) – you may want to build in an extra hour to record anything. I know this also usually causes problems with the CadenaTres web feed.

Over on the F4 message board, there was a mention that Comcast may be dropping 52MX starting in April. They’ve dropped the station previously. It always differs by area. I have seen internet feeds for that channel and will try to record those instead of the channel disappears from my lineup.

== AAA ==

AAA-Televisa: Part two of the Gimnasio Juan de la Barrera show: Mixed trios, Mexican Powers vs Anarquia, main event, mystery guy. Wait, are they allowed to show mystery guy?

== CMLL ==

FOX: Guerreros vs Estetas, more Shocker vs Rush in trios.

52MX: Probably should just be Sombra vs Dragon Rojo Jr. and one match from GDL, but I don’t know.

C3: La Mascara, Mascara Dorada, Stuka vs Zavala, Mephisto and Rey Bucanero.

TVC Deportes (Puebla): Peste Negra vs Estetas del Aire.

Lucha Azteca: the end of Negro Casas (which appeared to be 100% angle on TV)

Terra Friday: I dunno. Obviously the first two matches. The should be a reasonable expectation the tournament will be shown but I don’t believe we’ll actually know until the moment the segunda ends and JCR does or does not sign off the show. It’s so dumb to find out things that way.

Terra Sunday: Dorada, Valiente, Volador vs Reaper, Rey Bucanero, Terrible.

== Other ==

IWRG-AYM Sports: As of tonight, they were still repeating Sunday’s show. Hoping this is Wednesday show, but that might air on Friday and Saturday instead.

Noches de Coliseo: maybe last week’s show.

CMLL on Fox Sports (Mexico): 2014-02-08

 

Cachorro tope

recap

taped 2014-01-31 @ Arena México

As usual, there’s no point in reviewing each match. It’s rare there’s a useful match on these tournament shows. I’ll recap each novato instead

There was nothing bad about Rebelde here, but I need to see more of him before having nay feeling about him. It was nice they got him a pinfall over Panther here. More real matches (or at least lightning tags) than past tournaments, though they’re also clearly edited.

Oro powerbomb on the apron

Akuma didn’t do much but get facesmashed by Sombra and give him his own finisher, which actually seemed to shake up Sombra a bit. He was down for far longer than normal and was still walking it off at the finish.

No time here for Hombre Bala Jr. to do much; they even cut in in mid move, then went right to his Destroyer. (The show ending video package showed he did get in his corner tope, but that was cut in the match footage. This was a longer than usual tournament.) This might have been his last chance to win; he should move up enough in 2014 not to really be belong in this next year.

first part goes better than the second

Espanto and Rebelde might have not advanced out of the first round, but they got free Avernos hoodie t-shirts for participating. Much like Espanto, this match was short, sometimes a mess, and very generic. (When kicking out of the middle rope Devil’s Wings doesn’t get a big reaction, you’ve done it too many times.) Espanto also might not make it back to this tournament next year, but it’s because he’s going the other way. CMLL debuting 8-10 new people a year means people are constantly getting pushed out of the way to make room; Espanto’s got to show something more this year or he’s in danger of ending up in Robin-land or worse.

Oro springboard tope

Cachorro reversals of the Devil’s Wings wasn’t nearly as smooth as his father (few are), but they booked him like a guy who knows how to sneak out wins he shouldn’t get. Using him as the anti-Misterioso would be an interesting way to set him apart. His short bit as a Tiger-like rudo in the second match was good, though it also seemed like his father was literally calling spots for him at times. (“Bite the foot, son!” may not be an actual quote.)

Guerrero Negro had a good look for once. Soberano was a really good fit for him. He looked strong throwing around the lightest guy in the division and set up Soberano’s moves well. He didn’t do anything super memorable in this tournament but did well for what he was asked

Volador treats Oro’s head like a pinata

The Soberano/Volador Spider-Man outfits looked great, and it actually made Soberano look less skinny. Soberano’s standing moonsault into a double knee drop on Mephisto, not as much. These two did a lot of teasing of certain loss, including one of moment where they were doomed in every round. It was more dramatic than these matches are usually allowed to be. Other things were more to form – of course we got the double stage dive, though Soberano maybe needs to work on his form if he ever tries that again. (And of course it lead to the other team just walking to the ring and getting their own dives.)

Oro has a Mascara Dorada like willingness to take big abuse; the powerbomb onto the apron looked not fun. I thought he looked like the more elegant high flyer than Soberano, but then I always think that. He seemed a little limited when he started repeating moves in just the second match and it would’ve been nice if he brought out his submission finish, but both he and Soberano held together well in the kickout filled block final. I also enjoyed how Sombra set Blue Panther up in a faraway spot, so he wouldn’t be reliant on anyone having to remember to roll. Better. Sombra seemed to be in an unhappy mood

Octagon leaves AAA, Skayde/Terry, Mr. Niebla

photo by Black Terry Jr.

IWRG (WED) 03/05/2014 Arena Naucalpan [IWRG]
1) Zurdog b Galaxy
2) Dragón Celestial, Emperador Azteca, Fulgor I b Aztlán, Kanon, Vortize [super libre]
All the IWRG guys fouled the Skayde guys for the win!
3) Black Terry DDQ Skayde
one fall. Technical match until the end. Terry got the backcracker and was going for a leg hold, Skayde’s team ran in, Terry’s team ran in after them, and the ref called the whole thing off.
4) Danny Casas, Trauma I, Trauma II b Alan Extreme, Centvrión, Dr. Cerebro
Danny’s first match here since July.
5) Lizmark Jr., Relámpago, Veneno b Cien Caras Jr., Hijo de Máscara Año 2000, X-Fly
Veneno won with a top rope senton on X-Fly.

A Skayde singles match without a finish, a non-unique occurrence. Hope it was good before then.

Last night’s Tercera Caida had Octagon & Fuerza Guerrera as guests. As usual, WWL has been very active in promoting their shows. They were there to talk about their match on the WWL show this Sunday in Mexico City and to continue the 23 year long tease of a mask match. Octagon was asked about his status and confirmed he became an independent at the start of this month. Octagon had previously taken AAA out of his Twitter name and AAA had taken Octagon’s profile off his website, following months of Octagon complaining about not being booked on AAA’s TV and teasing leaving the company – he actually did it!

Octagon appeared on Tercera Caida as Octagon and if there was any discussion about ownership of the identity, I missed it. Antonio Pena came up with the Octagon character when they were both still in EMLL and Pena ended up with control of the name somehow. Mexico’s Tradermark search says the name is owned by AAA thru 2017. AAA would seem to have the same case to force Octagon to give up the character as they’ve tried with Psicosis, Histeria and Alebrije – but he would have the same case they have had to tie it up in court forever. This doesn’t seem like a case they should pursue, because public sympathy will completely be on Octagon’s side and it still seems likely Octagon will be back to AAA at some point if the indy bookings run out. AAA desiring to legally tie up their characters and trademarks before starting in the US may cause a different reaction.

Octagon mentions he has no plans to go to CMLL in the extra segment. That’s unlikely to be an option for him. WWL’s continued ability to run shows is going to be critical for his move; he needs those kind of bookings and the matches with Tinieblas and more to find enough work. The most recent WWL show in Monterrey did not do well at all, but perhaps they’ve gotten enough interest for this series.

CMLL.com mentions Mr. Niebla missed Monday’s title match with “complicaciones del sistema digestivo”. I’d assume that’s why he’s off the cards all week.

Tercera Caida also listed Cien Caras Jr., not the Cien Caras who’s being honored by CMLL, as working in Arena Cuatro Caminos next Monday.

Paloma Rouse says she’s facing Chik Tormenta on Sunday’s WWL show; the mystery luchadoras for Friday in Xalapa and Saturday in Tezihutlán have not been announced.

La Parka & Cibernetico talk about being friends and battling Sociedad.

Rush is very happy about the chance to be the first one to shave Shocker.

Hechicero, Guerrero Maya Jr., Delta and Pierrothito will be on the Tuirluchas bus Friday. Imagine the match you could have on that bus!

Rob has highlights of 12/25/13 CMLL.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update.

CMLL on CadenaTres: 2014-02-08

 

ups and downs of Pequeno Halcon.

recap

taped 2014-02-04 @ Arena México
Pequeño Halcón & Último Dragoncito vs Mercurio & Pequeño Warrior: Pequeño Warrior tried to claim a foul on armdrag, and even the referee didn’t care. This turned into a usual Pequeño Warrior goofing around match for stretches and was an okay match for other stretches. Nothing not involving him went too wrong, but there wasn’t too much to it. Shorter match than usual for minis, though maybe not for an opener.

 

Oro Jr. springboard tornillo

Oro Jr., Soberano Jr., Starman vs Disturbio, El Rebelde, Hijo del Signo: Good for the level. Oro & Soberano both looked good with their bigger spots. Hijo del Signo did better job working with them than I was expecting, and Disturbio was solid as usual. Glad he’s keeping the bald head for the moment. This was a better read on Rebelde than the Gran Alternativa match. I was wondering if he’d be a guy who takes crazy falls like his father. Rebelde managed to nearly fall on his head twice in this match, so that seems like a yes. He’s going to be fun if he lives. Starman seemed slow or just didn’t have great timing, he’s been better in other matches.

 

El Rebelde lands on his head, I

Fuego, Hombre Bala Jr., Súper Halcón Jr. vs Espiritu Negro, Guerrero Negro Jr., Shigeo Okumura: This was a fun tercera. The top three are all good matches but this was my favorite. Espiritu Negro dressing in all white for his first match was weird. Espiritu Negro doing the Black Warrior hamstring flip bump was near. He also helped Guerrero Negro get revenge on Super Halcón by using one of the Gen11 moves on him, so good debut. The match did fall apart for a moment in the second fall (when Espiritu fell too soon on a dropkick and Guerrero nearly did a senton onto Bala’s head) but was generally good. It’s amusing Bala has a top rope version of his corner headbutt, but the normal one actually looks cooler. Fuego seems more confident since coming back from Japan and the crowd was actually chanting for him; I don’t know what they should do with Fuego, but they really should be doing something.

Disturbio facecrusher

Delta, Guerrero Maya Jr., Máximo vs Euforia, Niebla Roja, Virus: This was another good match, but the crowd seemed to die sometime in the third fall. I don’t know if they thought it was over with the kiss, but there was a weird lack of noise for guys wrestling the same level the rest of the match. There was nothing noteworthy about this match, everyone was good, but Niebla Roja is another guy I hope gets a bigger chance in 2014 because we haven’t seen what he can do in a feud in a while.

El Rebelde lands on his head, II

Rey Cometa, Rush, Titán vs Cavernario, Felino, Mr. Niebla: Rush is an unprompted jerk to Tirantes and pays for it. Rush is an amazing técnico. Mr. Niebla playing mentor to Cavernario is so great for both characters. Cavernario generally did well here, though there was at least one point where he was not in the right position for Cometa and the slide to the floor needs a little bit of work. (It’s a good idea for him.) The Titan/Barbaro opening section went better than I would’ve figured. It didn’t feel like Rey Cometa got a whole to do here, but the Brillo Cometa looked superb. It seems like they’re setting up a trios match, but I’d be alright seeing the Niebla/Rush singles match from this.

Espiritu does some cool, celebrates, pays for it
Rush tries to knock Niebla’s afro off

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