AAA TV (FRI) 01/22/2016Gimnasio Olímpico Juan de la Barrera, Ciudad de México, Distrito Federal Guerra de Titanes
1) Dinastía, Niño Hamburguesa, Pimpinela Escarlata vs El Apache, Mamba, Mini Charly Manson
2) Faby Apache, Goya Kong, Maravilla vs Lady Shani, Sexy Star, Taya [lumberjack strap]
3) ?, Australian Suicide, Jack Evans vs Daga, Parka Negra, Súper Fly
4) Aerostar & Fénix vs Máscara Año 2000 Jr. & Villano IV vs Averno & Chessman [#1 Contenders, AAA TAG] winners face Angelico & Jack at some point
5) Electroshock, Garza Jr., La Parka vs Dark Cuervo, Dark Scoria, Zorro vs Hijo de Pirata Morgan, Hijo del Fantasma, Taurus [AAA TRIOS] champions are vacant (former champions are Hell Brothers)
6) Dr. Wagner Jr. & Psycho Clown vs El Mesías & Texano Jr. [AAA HEAVY, semifinal] winning team faces off as Rey de Reyes for the vacant heavyweight title (Alberto el Patron)
Air Date: 01/30 and 02/06 maybe? It’s not currently listed as an iPPV, though it could still end up as one.
AAA start to patch over the holes from the fall of 2015. Main event starts towards resolving the heavyweight championship, with the winning tag team getting a singles match for the championship. Dr. Wagner & Psycho Clown are the favorites, if only because Mesias & Texano as a rudo/rudo singles match would be no particular draw. It also suggests the championship is most likely ending back with Dr. Wagner Of All People, since Psycho Clown has the Latin American championship. No one would’ve dared to guess that 12 months ago.
Semimain takes care of the trios championship, which has been vacant nearly as long but much more quietly so (because it’s the trios titles and it doesn’t matter as much.) Fantasma, who is leader of La Sociedad, is teaming up with one rudo who doesn’t appear to be in the group (Taurus) and one rudo who’s part of a different sub group. Makes as much sense as usual. In other things no one would’ve believed even a few months ago, Cuervo, Scoria and Zorro might actually win gold because they’re the best of some less than appealing options. Electroshock, Parka and Garza winning the trios titles as a way of giving them something to do seems also seems possible, and you’d have a natural trios title match with the Daga/(not present) Pain/Pirata crew.
Not exactly sure what’s going on with the tag titles, since the idea previously was Pentagon Jr. & Joe Lider were getting the next title shot. (Pentagon and Drago are booked in Europe this weekend.) This is listed as winner of the match getting a trios title shot, but it would be they get a shot as part of an eventual three way match. Averno & Chessman were definitely going to be in that match back when it was announced back in December and figure to win their way in to it again, though the Aerostar/Fenix team would be more fun. Mascara and Villano IV being on this show makes it feel like AAA’s short on bodies and don’t particularly fit in this match. (There’s a noted lack of foreigners for what’s been treated like a major show.)
Mystery person in the tercera is probably just because they haven’t figured out who should be in Angelico’s spot for the moment. It should be Flamita and this could be the best match of the show. Hijo del Pirata not being in this match with Daga suggests they’re some angle reason he’s in the trios title match instead.
Maravilla makes her first appearance since Verano de Escandalo. Sexy Star makes her first appearance since TripleMania. Mini opener should be the usual comedy. Edit: women’s match is a lumberjack strap match, so it’ll also be comedy.
No taping after this announced, but I’d guess that’ll get fixed on this week’s AAA TV show.
CMLL (SUN) 01/03/2016Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Fuego en el Ring]
1) Micro b Destructor
2) Capitan Cobra & Linterna DQ Black Sugar & Quca rudos beat Capitan Cobra, but fouled Linterna.
3) Avispón Negro Jr., El Alteño, Metatrón b El Gitano, Mr. Apolo, Relampago Avispon Negro Jr. replaced Neutron.
4) El Divino, León Blanco, Magnum b Furia Roja, Rey Trueno, Sádico
5) Esfinge, Titán, Tritón DQ El Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón Espectrum made his return by running in and attacking the tecnicos in the third fall. He hadn’t been seen since June, a few days after Esfinge took his mask in the cage match.
Losing your mask and disappearing for six months seems like a pre-existing injury.
CMLL (TUE) 01/05/2016Arena México [CMLL]
1) Angelito & Fantasy b Pequeño Nitro & Pequeño Universo 2000
2) Flyer, Robin, Star Jr. b Akuma, Artillero, Espanto Jr.
3) Amapola, La Seductora, Zeuxis b Estrellita, La Vaquerita, Princesa Sugehit
4) Guerrero Maya Jr. b Sagrado [lightning] Maya submitted Sagrado in 8:36.
5) Puma b Blue Panther Jr., Magnus, Skándalo, Hombre Bala Jr., El Cuatrero, Oro Jr., Hijo del Signo [Copa Jr., semifinal] A battle royal determined sides as Blue Panther Jr., Oro Jr., Magnua and Hombre Bala Jr. vs Puma, Hijo del Signo, Skandalo and Cuatrero. Elimination order went Signo (by Oro Jr.), Magnus (Skandalo), Cuatrero (Hombre Bala), Oro (Puma), Skandalo (Blue Panther Jr.), Hombre Bala Jr. (Puma), Blue Panther Jr. (Puma). Puma advances to face next week’s winner on 01/19.
6) Kráneo, Niebla Roja, Ripper b Marco Corleone, Máximo Sexy, Stuka Jr. Ripper snuck in a foul on Maximo, setting up a singles match next week.
Ripper apparently doesn’t merit a heavyweight title match, but Maximo continues to be a focus during this period.
If you missed the update, CMLL’s press release on the tour mentioned Komatsu & Tanaka will be starting in Mexico on 01/31 as Fujin and Raijin. They’re probably masked gimmicks, which is kind of defeated by announcing they’d have those names. (Not that we haven’t been able to swiftly figure out who the trainees are every time anyway.)
Kamaitachi is not on any of the cards and suggested he’d be teaming with these guys when they come to Mexico, which would mean he’s around at least one more month. I do not have any idea what the deal is with his status. This could be some sort of fakeout, or he could just be around for a while longer. I do still expect he’ll be back in NJPW some point soon, but can’t tell you when.
Neither the CMLL or NJPW press releases yesterday seem to mention the concept of someone from CMLL going to NJPW for a year as Mascara Dorada did. There has been a rumor Sombra was to get this spot, but this was mentioned back when the FantasticaMania tour was announced and Sombra was finishing up by then. It’s probably worth paying attention to Informa to see if it’s brought up there.
NJPWWorld’s schedule lists only the last three shows of the tour as airing on their service. Start times for all three shows are 18:30 local time, which is a 3:30 AM start time in Mexico on early Friday morning, early Saturday morning, and early Sunday morning. I’m thinking I’ll do live results for Saturday and Sunday, but we’ll see. The entire tour will air on SamuraiTV and there’s a good chance those missing shows will turn up via other means, as they have in recent years.
Only the final three days are sold out so far. Standing room tickets will be offered on the day of the show. (They also seem to be available on the secondary market if you’re looking to go.) Tiers of tickets are sold out on Kochi and Osaka, and tickets are still available at all prices in Kyoto.
Mascara Dorada was happy about being on the Toyko Dome for the third year in a row, and specifically pleased to face King Haku who had only seen in videos previously.
AAA is posting videos honoring the winner of their fan poll awards. First up is Garza Jr. It was no surprise Garza Jr.’s won given his large social media following. They’ll probably air these on TV this week.
Today is the day of the week AAA seems to put together their TV show, so there’s a decent chance they’ll be announcing more Guerra de Titanes details on that show and also being releasing them to the press as well.
CMLL (SUN) 01/10/2016Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Avispón Negro Jr. & Micro vs Diplomático & Guerrero de la Muerte
2) Nautilius vs Relampago [OCCIDENTE MIDDLE, tournament]
3) Omar Brunetti vs Carlos Rogi [OCCIDENTE MIDDLE, tournament]
4) Cosmos, León Blanco, Reycko vs Kempo Dragón, Príncipe Kisho, Rey Trueno
5) La Máscara & Máximo Sexy vs Euforia & Niebla Roja
Didn’t I tell them to stop running tournaments for these titles? Oh well. Virgo is the most recent champion and hasn’t been seen since August.
There’s a Cosmos in Xalapa, but it wouldn’t quite make sense for him to be here. (That one is already booked in Xalapa on the same day.) Maybe a new guy.
IWRG (SUN) 01/10/2016Arena Naucalpan
1) Omega & Shadow Boy vs Adrenalina & Power Bull
2) Fireman & Rocket vs Artillero & Hip Hop Man
3) Black Terry, Cerebro Negro, Dr. Cerebro vs Diablo Jr. 1, El Hijo del Diablo, Imposible
4) Hijo del Pantera, Pantera I, Pantera II vs Negro Navarro, Trauma I, Trauma II
5) Danny Casas, Herodes Jr., Hijo De Dos Caras vs Demon Clown, Máscara Año 2000 Jr., Toscano
Toscano is a rudo now I guess? Middle matches could be good. No idea what Artillero is doing here – I guess it could be a new guy or even the Monterrey Artillero.
The Navarros are the current trios champs (unless they lost them in the defense in Satillo on 01/02) and that semimain seems like a sure set up to a title match.
CMLL (TUE) 01/12/2016Arena México
1) Robin & Sensei vs Artillero & Cholo
2) Pegasso, Star Jr., Starman vs Disturbio, Nitro, Okumura
3) Delta, Guerrero Maya Jr., Titán vs Boby Z, Hechicero, Virus
4) The Panther vs Tiger, Esfinge, Sansón, Soberano Jr., Canelo Casas, Súper Halcón Jr., Espanto Jr. [Copa Jr., semifinal] winner faces Puma
5) Máximo Sexy vs Ripper
6) Atlantis, Dragon Lee, Marco Corleone vs Cavernario, Mephisto, Último Guerrero
This the last day of shows for those going to FantasticaMania, which includes just about everyone in the main event. It also rules out The Panther actually advancing in the Copa Junior. Tiger versus Puma would be cool but unlikely (though Puma says he has no problem facing his brother), so this is probably an Esfinge or Soberano spot.
Third match could be very good, though it probably doesn’t have a great chance of making TV.
This should be another successful title defense for the Sky Team. 6 defenses in just about a year is a great pace for a CMLL title. They’d be two away from the record if they hold on here.
