top six stories of the last two weeks

  1. Psycho Clown will put his mask against Texano Jr.’s hair at TripleMania. The match will be one of the biggest matches on the show, and is the only match so far announced. (Tickets are already on sale.) The two have been feuding since just after last year’s TripleMania, with Texano winning every meaningful singles match and is expected to come to an end at this show. It seems likely Psycho will finally get his win, in an effort to give him a big moment on the biggest show of AAA’s year, though that would also mean the Texano would lose on the biggest show of the year and still be world champion.
  2.  Cavernario won the near three month long En Busca de un Idolo tournament, defeating Hechicero in a strong final following a very good tournament. Dragon Lee finished third, Cachorro finished four, but all four looked very good through the tournament. The final of the tournament got over strong with the fans, despite the relatively low visibility of the build – the tournament does not air on TV, only airing live and available after the fact in unauthorized locations, so you’d have to be a hardcore fan to follow it, much less care – and it felt like CMLL might have created new rising stars. It depends on where they go from here, and that much isn’t clear. For now, all ten participants in the tournament will meet in a cibernetico this Friday.
  3. The actual CMLL main event storylines continues to focus on the Indeserable trio of La Sombra, Rush and La Mascara versus everyone. One week after Sombra became double world champion, Rush & Mascara lost their world tag team titles to Negro Casas & Rush cleanly. Rush and Casas are still scheduled for a hair match, but there’s been no suggestion anything definite involving the Indeserable trio is happening soon. CMLL has been pushing a Juicio Final show, but has a variety of midcard and lower feuds (Oro/Metalico & Sugehit/Blanca most notably) which could instead climax on that show.
  4. CMLL has turned up the heat on the Atlantis vs Ultimo Guerrero feud. Atlantis cheated to beat Ultimo Guerrero to win the Leyenda de Azul tournament. Guerrero continues to demand CMLL announce a date for their already signed mask match.
  5. AAA announced lineups for many future tapings. Absolutely nothing of note appears to be happening on any of them; the schedule suggests the rest of TripleMania might be set up on the Tehuacan taping on 07/21.
  6. Mephisto was scheduled for a title defense, but suffered a knee injury a few days prior. His return date is unknown, but they went out of their way to not strip him of the title yet so there’s likely hope he’ll be back for the Universal tournament. (Likewise, still nothing said about Mistico II’s title.)
  • Cavernario followed up his En Busca de un Idolo win by defeating Black Metal for his mask in a cage of death match two days later.
  • Asturiano and Pequeno Black Warrior, who’ve been feuding for the last month in a half, will have a mask vs hair match in Arena Puebla as that building’s Anniversary main event.
  • Los Oficials picked up the tag team titles in IWRG, and Arkangel beat Gallo to win his back the FULL (Chile) belt.
  • People who kept their titles: Golden Magic, Virus, Titan, Rey Escorpion
  • Super Crazy, Jinzo, Rocky Lobo (NOAH), Mascara Dorada, Fuego (CMLL) and La Comandante (REINA) are all out in Japan on various tours. Nieto del Santo is also in Japan w/NOAH, though still not having matches.

Myzteziz to Naucalpan, Arkangel defeats roosterman, Zeuxis/Estrellita, Copa Express

photo by Alexis Salazar/CMLL

CMLL (TUE) 06/24/2014 Arena México [CMLL]
1) Metatrón & Molotov b Camorra & Zayco
2) Hombre Bala Jr., Soberano Jr., Súper Halcón Jr. b Canelo Casas, Disturbio, Hijo del Signo
Tecnicos took 1/3.
3) Dalys, Tiffany, Zeuxis b Estrellita, Goya Kong, Lluvia
Rudas took 1/3, Zeuxis beating Estrellita with La Roca. That does set up a title match next week.
4) Arkángel de la Muerte b Gallo © [FULL HEAVY]
Seconds were Metatron and Isis. Arkangel won the title back by taking falls 2/3, the last win set up by an Isis distraction. Gallo falls on second defense.
5) Stuka Jr., Super Porky, Tritón b Hechicero, Rey Bucanero, Terrible
Rudos took 2/3, using Porky’s weight on Stuka and Triton to set up the win.
6) Fuego, Máximo, Valiente b Kráneo, Mr. Águila, Ripper
Tecnicos took 1/3

Hooray Arkangel won so this can be done. I’m sure the Gallo/Arkangel mask match will happen right after the Ultimo Dragon/Arkangel one they were going on about for years.

I don’t want to point this out, because Zeuxis going for a title is fun, but how is the Puerto Rician luchadora challenging for an only Mexican championship? (Zeuxis is really half Mexican so it’s actually fine, but that’s not the way they’ve presented her of late.)

CMLL (TUE) 06/24/2014 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [@acogdl]
1) Infierno & Ráfaga b El Divino & Leo
Rudos took 2/3.
2) Pequeño Violencia, Pierrothito, Relampago b Astral, Fantasy, Último Dragoncito
Relampago replaced Pequeno Olimpico, Fantasy replaced Meteoro (who was around and in photos.) Rudos took 1/3.
3) Amapola, La Seductora, Princesa Blanca b La Vaquerita, Marcela, Silueta
Rudas took 1/3.
4) Cavernario & Titán b Cachorro & Gran Guerrero [seeding battle royal]
5) La Máscara, La Sombra, Rush DQ Euforia, Niebla Roja, Shocker
Tecnicos took 1/3 when Shocker fouled Mascara. Rush attacked Shocker after the match.
6) Gran Guerrero & Último Guerrero b Blue Panther & Cachorro [Copa Express, semifinal]
7) Atlantis & Titán b Cavernario & Mr. Niebla [Copa Express, semifinal]
8) Atlantis & Titán DQ Gran Guerrero & Último Guerrero [Copa Express, final]
UG fouled Atlantis.

Fouls and rudo victories all over this card. I’m assuming La Mascara had the foul coming.

Black Metal & Gallo beat Barbaro Cavernario & Sadico to win Copa Express last year.

Ludark Shaitan is in the US this weekend for IWA-MS’s Queen of the Deathmatch tournament. That sounds like something she would do very well in; the interview mentions she got in on Necro Butcher’s recommendation.

Psycho Clown, Fenix, Texano Jr. and Pentagon Jr. appeared at AAA Queretaro press conference for Friday’s taping. Psycho wants the ref at TripleMania not to be Tirantes or Maya – he should probably pick someone he trusts rather than let a third evil referee come in. (This would actually be a good spot for someone like Octagon as guest referee, though he doesn’t seem like a guy who’d like getting down and back up to count pinfalls and staying in the background for most of the match. That kind of character though.)

CMLL announced Fuego’s trip to NJPW. It’s his third trip – besides FantasticaMania, he had that one appearance in Mr. Cacao’s promotion – and he talks a little bit about wanting to put on a good performance even against normal ally Mascara Dorada. CMLL explains Dorada’s continued NJPW stint, saying Dorada was originally supposed to come back to Mexico but NJPW really wanted to him to stay for one more tour. I think it’s possible there’s more going on here.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news report.

Sickboy & Pagano defeated Head Hunter I & Psicotico in the main event of NGX’s latest show.

Cronicas Y Leyendas writes about Mil Máscaras, Lizmark, Valente Fernandez vs Angel Blanco, Angel Blanco Jr., Sangre Chicana.

Segunda Caida watches Atlantis, Ultimo Guerrero, Tarzan Boy vs Dr. Wagner Jr., Mistico, El Hijo Del Santo

Mil Mascaras, Dos Caras, and Sicodelico will appear on a panel discussion this Sunday. I wonder if they’ll discuss if lucha libre was better in their day.

Charles Lucero promo on his match with Black Terry.

Atomic Star can no longer have a mask vs man match with Latigo, but still can make challenges.

A show in Tulancingo on Sunday includes a tryout/young luchador judging competition for prizes (put up by the local government.)

Lineups

CMLL (MON) 06/30/2014 Arena Puebla
1) Black Tiger, Milenium, Paris vs Centauro de Fuego, Rey Apocalipsis, Toro Bill Jr.
2) Pegasso, Starman, Tigre Rojo Jr. vs Arkángel de la Muerte, Nitro, Siki Ozama Jr.
3) Ángel de Oro, Blue Panther, Stigma vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Pólvora, Virus
4) Asturiano vs Pequeño Warrior [mask, hair]
5) La Máscara, Máximo, Super Porky vs Euforia, Pierroth, Último Guerrero
6) Shocker vs Rush

Rush has beaten Shocker in every singles match. Still thinking Asturiano is going to win, but definitely would be sad if he lost. That semimain has little hope.

CMLL (TUE) 07/01/2014 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Metatrón & Omar Brunetti vs Acertijo & Évola
2) Magnus, Starman, Stigma vs Demonio Maya, El Yaqui, Ráfaga
3) Goya Kong, Marcela, Silueta vs Amapola, Princesa Blanca, Tiffany
4) Stuka Jr. © vs Maléfico [OCCIDENTE LH]
Stuka is champion, first defense
5) Blue Panther, La Máscara, Solar I vs Gran Guerrero, Negro Navarro, Shocker
6) Atlantis vs Último Guerrero

Atlantis & Ultimo Guerrero have had 20 billed singles matches. Atlantis has won 10, Guerrero has won 8, and two have no known result.  Atlantis is 3-1 in this building, the last win coming eleven months ago.

They’re not getting a lot out of Navarro & Solar’s yearly appearance by teaming them with Gran Guerrero and La Mascara. Omar Brunetti is the now former Black Metal. Using a real name (or a real looking name) is actually a good way to stand out. Brunetti was interviewed in Noroeste, saying Apolo Dantes and Satanico praised the eight guys in the cage match, and especially the last two, for their performance in the cage match.

IWRG (SUN) 06/29/2014 Arena Naucalpan
1) Metaleon vs Anubis Black
2) Emperador Azteca & Imposible vs Rayan & Spartan
3) Apolo Estrada Jr. © vs Dr. Cerebro [WWS WELTER]
Apolo’s second defense.
4) Hijo De Dos Caras vs Hijo de Máscara Año 2000
5) Relámpago, Veneno, Villano IV vs Canis Lupus, Demon Clown, Fuerza Guerrera

Poster mispells (“SWS”) the prestigious championship Apolo Estrada holds. There’s really not that many people on this show.

IWRG AAA (WED) 07/02/2014 Arena Naucalpan
1) Emperador Azteca & Látigo vs Anubis Black & Zurdog
2) Alan Extreme, Diva Salvaje, Imposible vs Oficial 911, Oficial AK47, Oficial Fierro
3) Golden Magic, Hijo De Dos Caras, Súper Nova vs Demon Rocker, Machine Rocker, Soul Rocker
4) Monsther Clown, Murder Clown, Psycho Clown vs Eterno, Pirata Morgan, Texano Jr.
5) La Parka & Myzteziz vs Averno & Black Warrior

AAA posted the top 3 matches last week (though Eterno has since replaced Trauma I.) Tercera could be really good. First 100 kids (with an adult ticket) get in free, which seems unnecssary because this should easily sell out.