Hijo del Perro Aguayo, AAA departures, Elite, Chicago, LLT

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the Aguayos
Today’s the anniversary of Perro Aguayo Jr. passing. AAA will hold a mass in his honor in Mexico City today at 4. The Perro Aguayo Jr. tribute from Lucha Underground is still very affecting. It’s tough not to think about how Perro would fit in now, and what he’d think about the issues going on behind the scenes.

ESPN talked to Khan-El-Mal, who talks in detail about how that week and night took place. He was the one who called home to tell the rest of the family Perro Jr. had died, concerned they’d find out first thru other ways. He mentions a reason they were careful in telling Perro Sr. is he had underwent heart surgery prior.

Hijo del Santo says he talked to Rey Mysterio Jr. in December, reassuring him he wasn’t at fault what was happen. Santo says Mysterio was very hurt by the memes and other images mocking Perro’s death or blaming him for it. Santo has had no contact with the Aguayo family since the funeral, after the Aguayo family accused him of trying to get publicity off Aguayo’s passing. (Santo disputed this.)

In a interview with a few luchadors, La Parka (AAA) says some commissions have improved after Perro’s death, others have not, it’s not something that can just be fixed in a year or two and most of the people ‘suggesting’ fixes were just looking to get a moment in the spotlight. Texano notes it’s not the first death in the ring, and Perro’s passing was a series of unfortunate events. Khan says Perro fought for better conditions for his fellow luchadors during his career, and would be glad to have helped with that in his passing.

Mr. Aguila says Hijo del Perro once told him the best thing that could happen to him would be to die in the ring, and he thinks about that when he thinks back about Perro now. Aguila prasies Aguayo for his humbleness despite having everything, and feels the Perros del Mal name should’ve been retired after Aguayo passed away.

Krudemon from R de Rudo discussed the new Perro Aguayo Jr. photo exhibit, crediting it as an idea Dr. Landru and Mexifotos came up with, as both worked with or for the Perros del Mal promotion.

Psycho Clown praises Hijo del Perro for how he help out El Brazo’s family with a benefit show after his passing.

MDA ELITE (SUN) 03/20/2016 Arena Naucalpan [+LuchaTV, KronoSport, R de Rudo]
1) Chamuel & El Guapito b Chico Temido & Pequeño Magnífico
2) La Jarochita & Marcela b Muñeca De Plata & Rossy Moreno
Marcela replaced Lluvia (Berwyn) and got the win.
3) Golden Magic, Metaleón, Último Ninja b Bestia 666, Ninja Jr., Oriental
Oriental replaced Halloween.
4) Herodes Jr., Mr. Niebla, Sharlie Rockstar b Damián 666, Halloween, Nicho el Millionario
Halloween replaced Mr. Aguila. The FdT held a minute of applause for Perro Aguayo Jr.
5) Carístico, Máscara Dorada, Mil Máscaras b Canek, La Máscara, Negro Casas

Show appeared to be a sell out.

ChilangaMask (SUN) 03/20/2016 Coliseo Coacalco, Coacalco, Estado de México [Black Terry Jr. (Flickr), Fuego en el Ring]
1) Trauma I & Trauma II b Caifan & Caifan Rockero III
2) Metaleón b Psycho Kid and Hijo Del Ángel and Emperador Azteca and Freelance and Fly Star and Mike Segura [Aerial Assault]
3) Jeque b Tigre Universitario
4) Aeroboy, Fulgor I, Fulgor II b El Dorado Jr., Sagrado, Sangre Fría Jr.
5) Lio Rush b ACH, Ricky Marvin
Lio Rush was announced as the surprise luchador during the week, then Ricky Marvin was a surprise on the day of the show. Ricky was then eliminated first, and Lio beat ACH.
6) Masada b Raymond Rowe [submission]
7) Makabre & Shiryu Dragón b Impulso & Wotam
money thrown in for the extreme fight.

Coacalco seemed very full as well. Shiryu Dragon took a very ill advised plunge and came up very bleeding. Black Terry Jr. has tons of photos from that show.

LLT (SUN) 03/20/2016 Eagles Club, Berwyn, Illinois [thecubsfan]
1) Fúnebre & Príncipe Guerrero b Eragón & Símbolo
Rudos took 1/3. Tecnicos took the second with cradles. Rudo referee refused to count the pin and looked away, a fan slid in and counted three. The count stood.
2) Payaso De Rodeo b Meteoro
Payaso took 2/3.
3) Zeuxis b Lluvia
Zeuxis took 1/3. Rudo fans handed the women money.
4) Demus 3:16 & Eléctrico b Máscarita Sagrada & Tzuki
rudos took 1/3, the last with a Demus Driver.
5) Hijo del Fishman & Huracán Ramírez b Canek Jr. & Súper Comando
Tecnicos took 1/3. Money thrown in.

This was a fun show; there was no #MOTYC or anything, but the top 3 matches were all fun. The CMLL people were the most popular; I’m not sure how much masks they sold, but they were taking a lot of pictures. (Demus had Perros del Mal shirts to autograph and was facepainting kids.) Attendance seemed around 80; much smaller turnout than the AAW & SHIMMER shows I’ve seen in the same building. (They did have a “don’t get too excited around the luchadoras” announcement, so it kind of felt like SHIMMER.) The main event was better than I’d figure – Huracan Jr. was not bad – though an example of how money being thrown in is sometimes done so fans can feel like they saw a great match even if they didn’t. Electrico sticks out as showing much more personality on indie shows than he does in CMLL.

They also had the downside of US lucha. The first two matches were mistake filled and not in the league of the full time guys (though Meteoro looked the best of the bunch.) The show was fun when it was going, but very tedious when it wasn’t, with at least three intermissions including times where the show seemed to come to a halt until they could get enough people to throw in for mask raffles. I saw a couple of families leave during the main event, because it was already past 9 (for a show where the doors opened at 5, and none of the matches were long.) Super Comando might have been running the show or helping run it – he was literally running around at points of the undercard.

Adictos al Deportes, a relatively new site that seems to have some sources, says Steve Pain, Carta Brava Jr. and Goya Kong have left AAA. Pain acknowledge he left on Facebook, while the site is reporting the other two have left. Goya & Carta are said to have given their notice on Friday and are planning to work indies; however, they both recently mentioned on Facebook that Goya is pregnant with Carta Brava’s child, so it’s likely Goya’s not going to be wrestling for a while.

Pain is based in Los Angeles and has been in and out of AAA since 2013. He was on the end of year taping and hasn’t been brought back, but is finding working elsewhere and working indies. He’s a guy Konnan brought away, and Konnan not being is probably a factor. He was actually listed on an AAA show in Arena Aficion this past week, but was replaced.

Goya’s AAA run lasted nine months. Carta Brava came to AAA in 2013, always on the verge of getting an AAA gimmick and a push, but instead wrestling in opening matches near infinity. This works in his favor, since he can just continue being Carta Brava on the indies. Carta was very good when he got the chance, but it didn’t seem like AAA was going anywhere with them. It does seem like a not great sign that soon to be parents are risking leaving their place of employment; Brava seems to have a decent chance of getting into Elite with his IWRG classmates, but that’s surprising. (It’s also conceivably possible that they’re focusing on other occupations more and lucha libre less, and an indie schedule would work better for that than AAA spot shows.)

Note that none of these three are not even part of the group who are working in the US on AAA’s behalf who are rumored to have the most issues. (Pain’s probably getting in his own bookings.) The unhappiness is all over the roster.

Adictos also says Sexy Star retired from AAA over a contract dispute; she had been unhappy with how much she was being paid for a while, and had been given an ultimatum to sign an exclusive contract with AAA to continue working LU, which she didn’t want to do. Sexy Star did work LU this weekend, though it was unclear if she was being written out of the show. Lots of things about LU seemed unclear this weekend.

Today’s Puebla show has Caristico versus Ultimo Guerrero, their first singles match since Caristico return to CMLL. It’s their first singles match in this building since 2009. They had 21 documented matches during Caristico’s first CMLL run and Ultimo Guerrero got the pinfall only once shortly after that Puebla match, with Mistico missed on a tornillo to the floor and was pinned shortly after.

It’s fun looking card, with Dragon Lee, Mascara Dorada and Volador versus Peste Negra, and a Panthers vs Japan rematch. Show starts at 9pm local, but that’s 10 pm Central US/Canada and 11pm Eastern US/Canada; another late night.

04/10 Lucha Memes in Ecatepec so far
Ultimo Guerrero vs Hechicero
Black Terry vs Super Mega
Aramis vs Alas de Acero vs Iron Kid

Niebla Roja won Lucha Libre Voz (Arizona) championship in a four way with Rush, Bestia 666 and Hijo de Rey Misterio. They teased a Rush/Niebla Roja rematch.

Segunda Caida reviews Sombra & Dorada vs Liger & Garza from Wrestle Kingdom V.

WWL lives again; no shows announced, though it sounds like Caristico is open to work there.

Ultimo Guerrero even wears his bandaid at the airport.

Lineups

CMLL (SAT) 03/26/2016 Arena Coliseo
1) Bengala vs Artillero
2) Leono vs Akuma
3) Soberano Jr. vs Nitro
4) Pegasso vs Raziel
5) Guerrero Maya Jr. vs Virus
6) Blue Panther & Súper Porky vs Misterioso Jr. & Sagrado
7) Rey Bucanero, Terrible, Vangellys vs Stuka Jr., Titán, Valiente

Guerrero Maya versus Virus is always good. Main event builds to a Valiente/Terrible singles match.

CMLL (SUN) 03/27/2016 Arena México
1) Leono & Robin vs Cholo & Yago
2) Pegasso, Star Jr., Starman vs El Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón
3) Delta, Fuego, Tritón vs Puma, Tiger, Virus
4) Blue Panther, Rey Cometa, Valiente vs Cavernario, Terrible, Vangellys
5) Máscara Dorada, Mistico, Volador Jr. vs Mephisto, Mr. Niebla, Rey Escorpión

More new names. Forastero is Cuatrero & Sanson’s cousin though said not to be the son of Mascara 2000 or Universo 2000. They’re currently Jalisco trios champions, and the other two had said he was training in Mexico City.

Yago, like Warrior Steel, is a small time Mexico City area luchador for the last several years. His only appearance big appearance was in the Arkangel alumni battle royal, also like Warrior Steel. Flamita might be working CMLL openers if he had only stayed super obscure for the last five years. (There was also a Yago in 1994; I assume this isn’t the same fellow.)

CMLL (SUN) 03/27/2016 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) El Tapatío vs Diplomático
2) Explosivo & Javier Cruz Jr. vs Gitano & Mr. Brisa
3) Cosmos, Dark Fire, El Yaqui vs Gran Kenut, Payaso Infernal, Relámpago
4) El Divino, Frezzer, Mágico vs Mr. Trueno, Rey Trueno, Sádico
5) Neutrón, Omar Brunetti, Vaquero Jr. vs Espectrúm, Joker, Ráfaga

One more build up before Omar/Espectrum presumably next week.