Dragon Lee/Mascara anniversary main event?, CMLL off Claro for 3 weeks, DTU & Elite tonight

photo by Black Terry Jr.
photo by Black Terry Jr.

MDA (SUN) 07/31/2016 Arena Coliseo Monterrey [+LuchaTV, LuchaMania Monterrey]
1) Mini Hator DCOR Mini Difunto
both were counted out after a Spanish Fly to the floor.
2) Tekilita b Chamaco Gurrola
hair match challenges followed
3) Epydemius, Ninja Jr., Obsesión b Lince De Oro & Tormento [super libre]
Ulitmo Ninja, Golden Magic and Metaleon all were announced but didn’t appear. This left it 3 v 2, with the 2 eliminating Ninja Jr. & Epydemius before Obsesion beat them. This sets up a cage match.
4) Ángel de Oro, Galactar, Laredo Kid b Delta, Dragón Lee (CMLL), Hijo de LA Park
Angel de Oro & Dragon Lee were added to the match. Galactar snuck a foul in on Delta.
5) Pierroth, Rambo, Silver King DQ El Divo, El Hijo del Solitario, La Máscara
Silver fouled Mascara, Mascara fouled Silver, the ref saw only the second. Singles match challenges followed.
6) Hijo De Octagon & Octagón DQ Fuerza Guerrera & Juventud Guerrera
Octagons masks came off when they were tied to the ropes (same finish they’re doing everywhere)
7) Caifan DQ Atlantis
Atlantis took 2/3, Caifan getting the three count but still being DQed for a foul.
8) LA Park DDQ Rush [super libre] Rush vs L.A. Park, en MDA Aniversario (posted by +LuchaTV)
Referees argued over which side won by DQ; the first referee said it was LA Park won by DQ. (It’s still super libre, a no DQ match.)

The last five matches ending in foul, and the last four ending in DQ, is the most Monterrey possible show. The LA Park/Rush video is complete, if you weren’t aware it was around.

CMLL (TUE) 08/02/2016 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Martes de Glamour]
1) Carlo Roggi & Linterna b Capitán Cobra & Johnny Dinamo
Rudos took 1/3
2) Estrellita, Princesa Sugehit, Sanely b Amapola, La Seductora, Reyna Isis
Tecnicos took 2/3.
3) Kráneo, Olímpico, Vangellys b Esfinge, Rey Cometa, Vaquero
Rudos took 1/3. Vaquero was this show’s Super Porky replacement. Gallo doesn’t seem to be around, with Gallito seconding other locals instead (like Vaquero here to go against Mije.)
4) Rey Bucanero, Shocker, Terrible b Marco Corleone, Máscara Dorada, Stuka Jr.
Rudos took 1/3.
5) Ephesto, Euforia, Mephisto b Carístico, Mistico, Volador Jr.
Rudos took 1/3, the last when Mephisto unmasked Caristico. Caristico demanded a singles match next week.

Huge crowd; the upper level was plenty full, and they normally don’t even have people up there. Caristico wore something around his lower waist as a protection for his injury (looking similar to what Thunder was wearing.)

IWRG (WED) 08/03/2016 Arena Naucalpan [+LuchaTV, The Gladiatores]
1) Brazo De Oro Jr. & Keiser Drago b Fly Tiger & Último Caballero
2) Araña de Plata b Alas de Acero, Guerrero 2000, Aramis, Hanaoka
Fujin & Raijin were in attendance with a sign rooting on Hanaoka.
3) Dowki, Picudo Jr., Skanda b Black Dragón, Hijo del Alebrije, Yakuza
4) Judas el Traidor b Black Terry
Judas somehow snuck in a chain shot to cause Terry to bleed. Then chairs were used and the ref got taken out before the finish. Judas continued to attack after the win, with the FILL kids making the save and making challenges.
5) Dragón Fly b Demonio Infernal [mask]
Bombero Infernal attacked Dragon Fly on the way to the ring and helped Demonio thru the match. Aramis helped out Dragon Fly, who took falls 2/3 to win in a bloody match. Demonio Infernal is José Antonio Rojas, 3 years a wrestler.

It’s not stated if Infernal is (another) Bomber Infernal son or some other relation.

Elite’s show tonight has Volador Jr. vs La Mascara and Ultimo Guerrero vs Rey Escorpion in Liga Elite matches; the second one has been pretty good in the past. The semimain has the return of Caristico to these shows, teaming with Super Crazy & Valiente vs Cavernario, Mr. Niebla, and Negro Casas. The undercard has Bandido, Jinzo, Rocky Lobo versus the Medics, the Dinamita cousins vs Ciclon Ramriez Jr., Dinamic Black, Hijo del Pantera and a women’s tag between Lluvia & Marcela vs Keira & Lady Maravilla.

DTU also has a show tonight in Arena Aficion. The main event is a barbed wire cobweb match, with Sharlie Rocker versus Ciclope versus Ovett. Fujin, Raijin and Dragon Rojo are CMLL reps on this card, scheduled to take on Pesadilla, Rocky Lobo and Aeroboy.

Ronnie Mendoza, Lady Maravilla, and Rocky Lobo were announced for both the DTU and Elite shows. Mendoza is no longer on the DTU show (the tag match is now Drastick Boy vs XL vs Flamita); the other two still are on both at the moment. Keira is listed on both Elite and the Mucha Lucha show in Guadalajara; she’s probably working Arena Mexico.

Leo Riano’s column yesterday says Dragon Lee vs La Mascara will be the main event for the Anniversary match. He’s not a sure thing to be right, but he does know things. It would follow the usual CMLL build to a match: there’s an interview with La Mascara on CMLL’s website with him turning down the mask match again, and the usual pattern is one side keeps on turning it down until they’re finally forced to give in. (The matches that never happen are the ones where both people agree to it right away.) Rush/La Mascara would seem to be the better draw, Dragon Lee would be better for building a star for the future – assuming you can keep him in the future.

You won’t be able to watch Friday night CMLL shows live for the next three weeks. CMLL announced this by saying they’re back on ClaroSports on August 26; they’re off starting tomorrow. It’s a ClaroSports issue, not a CMLL one – they’re covering the Olympics for the next three weeks. This means the shows on 5th, 12th and 19th won’t air on ClaroSports, though they’ll all still be taped as usual. The 19th is currently listed on NJPW World’s site as airing on their service; they appeared to be piggy backing on Claro’s feed, so I’m not sure if it’ll still occur.

This isn’t going to help the weak build to the Anniversary show. The shows still will eventually air on Azteca in the US, four weeks after they take place. It seems like it wouldn’t be hard for CMLL to still air the shows on YouTube, or even put them up later, but there’s no mention of that.

Dragon Lee may have a busy month: he was announced as appearing on the 09/30 (Friday) ROH PPV in Lowell, Massachusetts, and the 10/01 TV tapings. No opponent was announced, but I’d be shocked if he didn’t face Kamaitachi in a singles match on one of those days. Dragon Lee was scheduled to go earlier, but was out injured and Stuka replaced him. The Kamaitachi/Stuka match should air soon.

Faby is upset about her father siding against her and Mary.

LuchaWorld has the latest edition of their podcast.

08/26 AIW has Alex Daniels vs Triton vs Laredo Kid vs Matt Cross, which should be something.

Lineups

Cara Lucha (SAT) 08/20/2016 Arena San Juan Pantitlan, Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, Estado de México
1) Ángel Jr. & Príncipe Aéreo vs Centella Atomic & Tromba
2) Kilvan, Shadow, Yoruba vs Alas de Acero, Alas de Oro, Alas De Plata
3) Rayo Star vs Sky Man [Mucha Luchas SUPREMO]
4) Corsario Negro Jr., Drako, Toro Negro vs Andy Boy, Látigo, Danger King
5) Centvrión & Fly Warrior vs Dragón Lee & El Bandido
6) Flamita vs Xtreme Tiger

Flamita/Tiger took place last year and was pretty good, so it should be good here too. Bandido has been great in Elite of late and the semimain should be super. The rest of the card is not bad; someone’s leaping off an upper level in the third match.