Eterno outcheats Black Terry again, CMLL Friday preview

IWRG FILL (WED) 06/10/2015 Arena Naucalpan [Black Terry Jr. (flickr), Estrellas del Ring, IWRG, The Gladiatores]
1) Canario, Magic Dragón, Vardeus b Demonio Imperial, Soldado De La Muerte, Último Caballero
match was said to be very bad
2) Adrenalina, Hijo del Alebrije, Voltar b Blue Monsther, Magnum 44, Super Jack
match was said to be “plagued with errors”
3) Caballero De Plata, Sonic, Voraz b Aztlán, Enigma, Vortice
Voraz’s team is from Gym Hip Hop Man! They beat Skayde’s Team despite Caballero de Plata being hurt.
4) Espada de Plata, Keiser Drago, Toxin Boy b Acero, Electro Boy, Marduk
Gym Zeuz defeating Gym FILL. Toxin Boy did not finish after being injured wrestling Electro Boy.
5) Aramis, Atomic Star, Eterno b Aeroman, Black Terry, Dragón Celestial
Gym FILL vs Gym Eterno. Eterno’s team won (1/3) via an Eterno foul and Atomic Star got the pin. Bloody match. Money thrown in. Eterno said his takeover would continue next week, with the returns of Carta Brava, Fantasma de la Opera and other people who would be a nightmare to Terry.

Eterno’s reading ahead: next Wednesday is the Lucha Libre Boom show at Arena Naucalpan, where Black Terry faces Fantasma de la Opera and Carta Brava (and Cerebro Negro.) Terry teams with Crazy Boy and Pesadilla, that might be the nightmare.

CMLL’s preview for tonight’s show is all around the return of Diamante Azul. I keep hoping he’s back to lose his mask and Thunder’s going to lose his mask and then both are going to disappear forever. (I’m going to end up very disappointed.) It is a a tecnico vs Ingobernable match, which is a much more entertaining use of the Ingobernables. The En Busca de un Idolo matches are Blue Panther Jr. versus Esfinge and Disturbio versus Flyer, where everyone could use a better match. The Terra broadcast will start around 8:30pm CT. (It’s doubtful I’ll be recording this show.)

Arena Coliseo Guadalajara will return to TV (again) on June 20th on local Canal 4, now at 10:30pm.

SuperLuchas has an article about the Plaza el Cortijo in Mexico City, which is in the process of being demolished after holding events for about 70 years. There was a regular lucha libre show on Sundays from 1960 to 1990, and probably 2,000 events in total. The last show I can find is a Myzteziz headlined show one year ago, as part of his Sin Cara return tour.

Zeuxis says it was tough to recover from her ankle injury but now that she’s back, he’d like to keep her title and take Marcela’s.

Silver Ant is also scheduled for the 07/19 ChilangaMask. He’s very good.

Dr. Wagner Jr. vs Silver King headline a show in Tampa Bay on June 27th. This is going to be an iPPV.

+LuchaTV promo for Volador vs Flamita.

Segunda Caida reviews Emilio Charles Jr., Rey Bucanero, Satánico vs Apolo Dantés, Black Warrior, Dr. Wagner Jr.

Lucha TV preview for weekend of June 13, 2015

20150611lt

 

This is also a webpage that I update but don’t link to anymore.

  • Guess on FULL & AULL assume they just show the episodes that were scheduled last week.
  • AAA guess is basically that too; I probably should just delay these until Friday and get it right off the preview.
  • When AYM feels like airing Wednesday shows, they’re sneaking it in on Friday nights and Saturdays, and then it might turn up Sunday night on LAS. Nothing’s really for sure what show, though, and the (paid) internet feed has had all sorts of problems the last two weeks.
  • C3 broadcasters seemed under the impression they’re airing the En Busca de un Idolo matches. They’re likely wrong – but those shows are going to be much shorter with one less match. Expect a lot of edecan intros and people walking to the ring for the next cuple months.
  • Both Terra shows have promising looking mini openers, but the Terra feed has been lousy for the openers.

Negro Casas (knocked) out, Diamante Azul back, Universal tournament sorta announced

photo by Black Terry Jr.

CMLL (SUN) 06/07/2015 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [CMLL, Fuego en el Ring]
1) Jhonny Dinamo & Meteoro b El Piraña & Guerrero de la Muerte
Possibly Dinamo’s debut? There had been a Johnny Dinamo in openers in 2009 and 2010.
2) Furia Roja, Gitano, Gran Kenut b El Alteño, El Divino, Linterna Verde Jr.
3) Flash I, Flash II, Virgo DQ Infierno, Mr. Trueno, Rey Trueno
Infierno fouled Virgo, as they continue to feud.
4) Silueta © b Chik Tormenta [REINA IJ]
5) Esfinge, Forastero, Gallo, Magnum DQ El Cuatrero, Espectrum, Ráfaga, Sansón
Tecnicos took 2/3, the last when Rey Trueno & Infierno ran in for the DQ. Flash II & Virgo evened it up, all setting up the cage match next Sunday.

They seem to be teasing Virgo and Infierno as the cage finalists this Sunday, which would probably mean Infierno is losing. In the past, that’s usually been a fakeout in Arena Coliseo Guadalajara and someone unexpected would lose,. It is a different programming department now.

CMLL (TUE) 06/09/2015 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [CMLL]
1) El Chakal & El Yaqui b Explosivo & Meteoro
2) La Vaquerita, Lluvia, Skadi b Amapola, Kendra, Tiffany
Kendra is a debuting Guadaljaara luchadora (and not Ripper’s snake!) Amapola replaced Seductora.
3) Ángel de Oro, Pegasso, Stuka Jr. b Boby Zavala, Hechicero, Virus
4) Delta, Diamante Azul, Guerrero Maya Jr. b Rey Bucanero, Terrible, Vangellys
Diamante Azul returned, replacing Atlantis and wearing his Occidente heavyweight championship belt. Azul beat Rey Bucanero and challenged him to a title match.
5) Bárbaro Cavernario, Felino, Rey Escorpión b Máximo, Naito, Rush
Rey Escorpion replaced Casas (concussion?) Cavernario’s return from Japan. Ingobernales didn’t work with Maximo but still won.

Negro Casas appears not to have wrestled since 05/31. (I had him on 06/02 in Arena Mexico, but Shocker replaced him.) It appears Casas was knocked out in the first few seconds of his title match with Volador, the back of his head knocking into the barricade as he falls down taking a dive. He’s clearly out on his feet right after. Casas appeared last Friday in the corner of his En Busca de un Idolo proteges but hasn’t been back in the ring and was taken off cards the rest of this week. (CMLL hasn’t said anything; we might have not figured this out without the video.)

Atlantis wasn’t at this show because he was being honored by Q Mexico (magazine). That works out suspiciously well for CMLL, since it ended up setting Azul getting an immediate shot for the title he never lost. CMLL’s website has an article hyping Diamante Azul. It generally seems like whatever happened with Diamante Azul’s departure has totally been forgotten and he’s coming back with the same push (or bigger) he had when he left, but that’s something we’ll have an even better idea of by this time next week.

That Diamante Azul article also casually mentions the Universal tournament will start in August. That’s about expected: it’d be tough to do while Friday nights are hosting En Busca de un Idolo, but it’s something they’d like to do before the Anniversary show. (It’s possible Guerrero Maya Jr. would be in the final of one and out in the first round of the other, which may make it impossible to be on at the same time.) The En Busca de un Idolo will wrap on 08/21, so the logical Universal dates would be 08/28 and 09/04 for the two blocks, 09/11 for the final and then the Anniversary show on 09/18.

The Universal tournament requires 16 champions, no more or no less (except for the years where they decide they’ll leave Virus out or include Tanahashi in.) There’s currently 17 champions. An easy solution to that math problem is Mascara Dorada not actually returning to CMLL. Let’s assume he’s coming back: that means someone who has a championship has to pick out a second without someone who already has two dropping down to one. Diamante Azul beating Rey Bucanero doesn’t change the total, neither does Revolucionarios possibly beating Sky Team in Puebla (Dragon Rojo would just be double champion instead of Volador.) Those title changes can still happen, but at least one more also needs to take place likely involving the tag or trio titles.

Disturbio was slightly leading Bobby Zavala in En Busca de un Idolo voting last I checked. They’ve implemented an security function which will automatically block an IP after they’ve voted a 100 times. Not sure when it resets. As of 11:15, 50 IPs had been blocked for hitting that limit. There’s were 8,293 total votes, so that means 60% of the votes were coming from the same 50 IPs. That’s probably more democratic than past years, but the vote totals should be expected to be much less this year.

The only real news from Informa was Thunder officially joined the Revolucionarios. Posing with them last Friday seemed like a pretty big clue. Dark Angel was interviewed and never specifically mentioned her trips to NXT, but did mention she wasn’t sure what her future held. Blue Panther and Esfinge both ripped their own performances. It’s great no one is delusional about the matches, but I’m not sure they’ll end up any better.

AAA held a press conference for Verano de Escnadalo in Monterrey yesterday. They’re doing a tie in with the Terminator movie, and Rey Mysterio plugged the movie and his opponent Johnny Mundo in a promo. Rey will wear a Terminator themed costume and an Arnold Schwarzenegger video will air as part of his introduction. If this sounds like what was done at WrestleMania, it’s because they thought it was cool that time.

Sexy Star and Jhonny Gonzalez are getting married on Saturday in Monterrey. Jhonny’s boxing promotion announced the marriage yesterday.  Sexy Star hasn’t been used on AAA TV all year. She’s been such a steady presence on Lucha Underground that I hadn’t realized she was missing elsewhere. It was said she suffered a bad injury on the final taping, which might also explain why she hasn’t been around. The upcoming AAA shows all list a surprise luchadora on the tecnica side – perhaps it’ll be Sexy to match up AAA with Lucha Underground, since there’d be no better time to have her change sides than the day after her wedding at a big show in her hometown.

ESTO interviewed Naito, Kamiatachi and Okumura and got to the important questions: are they single? Okumura is married, Kamiatachi has a girlfriend who’s been making trips to Mexico, Naito has a girlfriend back in Japanese. (There’s also usual discussion of differences between Japan and Mexico.) Naito’s hoping to get a singles main event before he leaves.

There’s now a Mascara Dorada t-shirt available on Pro Wrestling Tees. It’s definitely a deal thru NJPW.

Arena Puebla would be opening to hosting boxing events if someone called. That same article has the promoter suggesting Angel de Oro vs Ripper or Atlantis vs Ultimo Guerrero will be their Anniversary main event. Nah. Mini Joker was happy with his debut.

A BBC article writing about the struggling business of  lucha libre says “the best lucha libre fighters earn about $1,6000 (USD)” per show.

Apolo Valdes previews Rey de Reyes.

There’s a new +LuchaTV up.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update and Alfredo reviewing Tuesday’s En Busca de un Idolo.

SuperLuchas look back at shows features a lot of death.

Spartus won the Guerrero Coast Lightweight title in Arena Xalapa.

LA Park says he’d like to go to CMLL and has no idea why they won’t use him. Sure.

Lineups

CMLL (TUE) 06/16/2015 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Magnum & Virgo vs Mr. Trueno & Rey Trueno
2) Estrellita, Goya Kong, Princesa Sugehit vs Amapola, Chik Tormenta, Zeuxis
3) Gallo, Joker, Omar Brunetti, Ráfaga, Stigma vs Exterminador, Hombre Bala Jr., Puma, Súper Halcón Jr., Tiger [cibernetico]
winner will recieve a title match against the Occidente Champions in their weight class.
4) Rey Bucanero © vs Diamante Azul [NWA LH]
Bucanero’s first defense. Diamante Azul is previous champion and never lost the title.
5) La Máscara, La Sombra, Naito vs Euforia, Niebla Roja, Último Guerrero

That’s a unique stipulation in the tercera. Most guys can be considered in two or three different weight classes, so predicting a winner based on next match up will be impossible. The most recently known champions are Sadico (Welterweight), Virgo (Middleweight), Malefico (Light Heavyweight) and Diamante Azul (Heavyweight.)

Chik Tormenta makes the jump to regular CMLL shows. Maybe those Sunday matches were a tryout?

Chilanga Mask (SUN) 06/28/2015 Arena Coliseo Monterrey
1) Hijo Del Guerrero Negro & Tempestad vs Ciber Payaso & Mortifero and Alberto Dos Rios & Hijo De Centurion Negro and Ronaldiño & Titanik
2) Impulso & Iron Kid (Estado de México) vs El Divo & Obsesión
3) Hator & Mini Hator vs Difunto I & Mini Difunto
4) Tigre Universitario vs Jeque
5) Flamita vs Dralion, Alas de Acero
6) Caifan vs Aero Boy, Ultimo Ninja [submission]
7) Black Terry & Mr. Niebla vs Trauma I & Trauma II
8) Nicho el Millionario vs Pagano

Nicho & Pagano are having a billion matches and Pagano wins them all. Semimain will be weird. Fifth match continues Flamita versus the World. Fourth match could be interesting.

Lucha Underground 1×31: The Desolation of Drago

Drago’s got new wings

the matches

Chavo Guerrero Jr. b Blue Demon in a no disqualification match (3:04, frog splash)
The Disciples of Death b Pimpinela Escarlata [X], Mascarita Sagrada, Bengala (6:55, press into a face first powerbomb)
Drago b Cuerno [X], Hernadnez, Cage, earning a shot at the Lucha Underground Championship on Ultima Lucha (10:34, mist->Dragon’s Tail cradle)
Drago would’ve had to give up his mask and remained banned if he had lost.

developments

Lots of things progressing at once. The big news was the announcement of Ultima Lucha, a yearly show, to take place eight weeks from now. (That’s August 5.) The main event of Ultima Lucha will be a heavyweight title match. Dario wanted someone who had come close to winning but failed to get another shot, so he had invitational #1 contenders match for all those who had lost to Prince Puma. That includes Cage (episode 14 & 22), Cuerno (episode 24), Hernandez (episode 31) and Fenix (episode 12), only Dario noted Mil Muertes put Fenix in “an early grave” and so it’d just be the other three.

Or not, as Drago (with a new look) was lurking around the arena building prior to the show and stormed in after the announcement. He confronted Dario, pointing out that he had said anyone who had faced Puma and lost could be in the match, and he had done that himself (episode 27). Dario gave credit to Drago for finding the loophole and made a deal: Drago’s in the match and gets the title shot (and unbanned) if he wins. Drago’s back to being banned if he loses, and also must unmask. Drago accepted with little hesitation.

the end (nice pose)

Drago was the underdog in the four way match, the smallest guy in a long four way single elimination match. Drago also old rival Cuerno to deal with, as well Hernandez, who cost him the Puma match. Cuerno and Cage worked together a lot during the match, but always had a tension as if they wanted to figure out which one of them was better. They never quite got a chance to come to blows without the others interrupting. Killshot watched the second half of the match from the balcony, with Cuerno making the bow shot motion in his direction before his Flecha del Infierno dive. The dive caught mostly Cage, with Hernandez bailing. Drago gave Hernandez a sunset flip powerbomb off the apron, then finished things with Cuerno by first blowing mist in his eyes and then wrapping him up with the Dragon’s Tail cradle. Drago earned the shot for eight weeks from now and faced off with Prince Puma to end the show.

That was a little presumptuous: Prince Puma may not be the champion in eight weeks. He didn’t appear to know it, but Puma’s got a title challenger next week: Johnny Mundo. Mundo questioned Dario about why he wasn’t in the #1 contenders match, and Dario explained it was because Dario wanted Mundo to be champion at Ultima Lucha. The whole thing with the key stealing and black eye was old news to Dario – “I look good in sunglasses” – and he’s now on Team Johnny. Johnny putting Alberto thru Dario’s window opened up Dario’s eyes, and Dario wants to see Mundo with the title. Dario also had a new first time ever idea: next week’s show will have only one match, Johnny vs Puma, and the person who can get the most falls by the end of the hour will be the champion. (So, an Iron Man match.) Johnny was OK with this.

That wasn’t the end of the title picture complications. Dario observed Drago’s win from his office, but was interrupted by an aggrieved Catrina. She demanded to know why Mil Muertes hadn’t been included in the match. Dario pleaded he didn’t think Muertes was interested. Catrina, using Dario’s key necklace chain to choke out Cueto, declared that everyone – mortal & inmortal – wants that title. Dario, looking to make it right before he was made unconscious, quickly give Mil a title shot for two weeks from now. Catrina relented, declaring Mil Muertes would win – he’s the strongest, even stronger than Dario’s monster. Catrina vanished, leaving Dario shocked about her magic powers and her knowledge of Matanza.)

(to summarize

06/17 (ep 32, All Night Long): Johnny Mundo vs Prince Puma, iron man match for the Lucha Underground Championship
06/24 (ep 33, ?): Drago vs Mil Muertes for the title shot at Ultma Lucha
08/05 (ep 39, Ultima Lucha): champion vs challenger
)

welcome Bengala

The heavyweight belt might not be Cartina’s only attempt at winning gold. Her Disciples of Death trio – and they appear to be HER Disciples, not Mil’s – won their debut match over the trio of Pimpinela Escarlata, Mascarita Sagrada, and the debuting Bengala. Pimpi and Mascarita were making their returns after being beat up by the crew (way back in ep 17) and Bengala was explained to be a replacement partner for the currently injured Sexy Star. Bengala looked good in his first match, but Pimpinela took the loss. The Disciples – Barrio Negro, Trece, and Sinestro de la Muerte – carry their victim on their hands much like they did with Fenix last week, then flip them over on their face.

The show opening match actually featured the returning Blue Demon Jr. He returned in a suit, and recieved a immediate surprise no disqualification match against Chavo Guerrero Jr., who had Cortez & Cisco frequently interfering on his behalf. Demon had control early, but lost to the numbers. Chavo later checked in on Black Lotus, who was indeed caged across the way from Matanza. Lotus was angry with Chavo for betraying her, though Chavo felt she shouldn’t be surprised.

In a thing I forgot until now: Vampiro apologized for running in last week, but said he had no choice but to save Sexy Star.

recording keeping notes

They changed the episode order! This was the first half of the March 22nd taping. They’re now jumping to the second taping of the April 12 taping. That one was announced as airing in out of order – but meaning it was supposed to air much later, like episode 36. It’s being moved a month up and everything else is being bumped back a week. I don’t think anyone but me and the other geeks who keep track of these things will notice, because it seems pretty seamless. It also makes one thing work a little better, but I’ll explain that down the line.

It also appears the Super Fly/Famous B match taped for this show won’t air. It can’t air next week since that’s all one match and Super Fly has a different match on episode 34. It could always be inserted down the line. If not, I think it’s the first match taped to air that hasn’t aired and wasn’t just retaped. This had enough else going on that it was fine skipping it.

thoughts

don’t get in Cuerno’s sights

Heavy on the setup, with really just one notable match on the show. Demon & Chavo was almost more an angle than a match, but it was a better visual angle than it would’ve been as a match. (It was better than the first match they had.)

The trios match was said to be rough at the tapings. There were definitely some moments where the match seemed to lose the crowd, but it generally came of fine. Doing so much comedy in their debut match was a tough way to introduce the Disciples, but they did beat a team the crowd was into and cared about. Bengala wasn’t especially showcased in his debut, but his dive looked great and he’ll get bigger chances down the line. Striker seemed to be able to match new names with faces (or masks) in this match, but didn’t really explain how to tell them apart to the crowd. They have slightly different styled and colored masks (and one’s wearing a shirt, probably to cover up a tattoo), but nothing that would connect them to their names.

The four way was Good, just missing something more to take it to the level of the better Lucha Underground matches. Maybe having the actual Cage/Cuerno throw down they kept teasing but never really delivered would’ve helped to get that big feel. It was a lot of four way action, lots of brief two man sequences with someone else breaking it up, and not very long one on one matches. It meant their were lots of action, but never a long build to anything. Killshot’s appearance came out of nowhere and just felt like a way to make sure he was seen after being off a few weeks. Drago’s new gear (big wings, better mask, scales) was as if out of a Hollywood movie. I wish the announcers had sold the idea of Super Fly also losing his mask in an impromptu mask match challenge, at least getting some mileage out of that and how that sort of thing has happened before and could happen again to Drago.

The Dario office segments should get special mention. Dario sucking up to Johnny Mundo was the greatest thing ever, and his bit at the end with Catrina was really good. I’ve gone from believing “this show is great, but there’s no way it’ll receive mainstream recognition because it’s pro wrestling” to “like, there’s got to be even some techinical award – costuming or set design or whatever – it can be nominated for so people can be recognized.” That Drago outfit was incredible.

Seven shows, eight hours left – in this season. Dario said Ultima Lucha is an annual event and I’m going to hold him to that.

Drago wins.