top six stories of the last two weeks

  1. Lucha Underground debuted on El Rey and Unimas. The reaction to the show was generally positive, with praise for looking different and the quality of the Puma/Mundo main event. The show was talked about a lot on Twitter that night. Ratings indicated very few people actually watched it on El Rey but “very few people” still means the 2nd most watched show on the network. The Unimas airing generally felt like a native Spanish language product except for the announcers – their sound quality wasn’t good and Vampiro being on both commentating team made for some continuity problems. There’s no word yet as to how they show did on Unimas.
  2. LA Park returned to CMLL. Park and his son made a surprise appearance after the semimain on Friday night. Park mocked the size of the crowd and challenged the top CMLL wrestlers by name, though none came out to confront him. Park is still out for a couple months due to recent surgery, so none of the teased matches should be coming soon – but he’s advertising for an indy show that’s rented out Arena Puebla & Arena Coliseo next week. CMLL mentioned the promo in it’s coverage of the show but hasn’t said anything more about any plans.
  3. Alberto el Patron spoke out against the WWE in an interview with Fighting Spirit Magazine. Alberto talked about dealing with multiple racist incidents, including specifying an unnamed person who fired him as making racial jokes. (Previously, Alberto has said the person who fired him was HHH.) Alberto also said WWE wrestlers were being paid very cheaply and he and Myzteziz would easily be making more money in Mexico. Alberto mentioned the contract AAA offered included payment for working Lucha Underground and Paco Alonso told him to take the deal when Alberto called to see if CMLL could match. Alberto repeated a mention of working in Lucha Underground in 2015 in other UK interviews; he’s been expected to end up there in months and would’ve been in the first run of episodes if he was legally able to be.
  4. CMLL held a week of special Dia Los Muertos shows, where the arena, edecanes, ring personally and the rudos were costumed for the holiday. A God of Hell presided over the top few matches and ordered his mask soldiers to drag the losers to hell after each match. Hell was a side entrance in this case. The God of Hell was revealed to be Ultimo Guerrero both on Friday and Sunday (it was supposed to be a surprise both times?) Guerrero also was God in the ring, defeating Rush and Atlantis in singles matches to main event both shows. Peste Negra kept the national trios titles over the Ingobernables when Rush suddenly decided he didn’t really care that much about the titles and rather just foul Negro Casas. CMLL also set up a haunted house in a basement (though I don’t remember seeing any pictures from it.)
  5. a mystery promotion called All Elite managed to rent out Arena Puebla and Arena Coliseo for a couple shows, and are bringing in Chavo Guerrero Jr., Hernandez, Dr. Wagner Jr., LA Park to wrestle CMLL guys with other indy guys being added in the undercard. The promotion seems to be tied up with Lucha 2000 magazine someway (it’s being pushed hard in the magazine and they’ve rented out Arena Coliseo in the past), but it also appears to be a hugely expensive card which has limited to no chance of making any money. The All Elite card are interesting politically as well, since Chavo Guerrero is part of Lucha Underground and Dr. Wagner is not part of CMLL.
  6. Tercera Caida announced long time host Bernardo Guzmán was leaving the program.
  • Ciudad Juarez wrestler Anima I was killed. A show in his memory, which will also be the retirement show for his two brothers, will take place this weekend.
  • CMLL & NJPW announced the 2015 Fantastica Mania tour. The tour has expanded by one to a sixth show. Barbaro Cavernario & Ultimo Guerrero and 13 yet to be announced CMLL wrestlers will be on the tour.
  • DTU announced a 12 show December show to celebrate it’s 7th Anniversary. That’s easily the most ambitious schedule the small hardcore promotion has run. Xema Ion and Robbie E are probably working the shows, though only Ion has been announced. Those two TNA guys are also working for AAA in a couple weeks.
  • Kenshi Kabuki lost his mask in IWRG’s Castle of Terror, with tecnico Golden Magic winning once again. Kabuki was revealed to be the former (and now returning) Chicano – not actually Japanese. His identity had been an open secret to the hardcore IWRG fans.
  • AAA announced taping lineups for Leon and Mexico City (and quietly canceled the show in between.)
  • Angel de Oro won the CMLL Light Heavyweight Championship from Rey Escorpion.
  • Indy promotion ChilangaMask held a couple of well recieved shows, including a very good Black Terry vs Hechicero match in Monterrey.
  • Indy promotion’s XMW show included a Necro Butcher appearance and luchador Yoruba being knocked unconscious for a length amount of time after taking a knee to the chin.
  • Hijo del Diablo won the WWS Welterweight Championship to continue his feud with Dr. Cerbero.
  • CMLL’s Turibus coverage has expanded to Tuesdays.
  • People keeping titles: Amapola (CMLL-REINA INTL), Oficials (IWRG TAG), Guerreros (CMLL TRIOS), Imposible (IWRG LIGHT)