Valiente wins CMLL Universal Block A, Lucha Libre Retro, PWR

20161014cmllclaro5-3valientewins
Valiente wins

CMLL (FRI) 10/14/2016 Arena México [CMLL, CultIcon, ESTO, thecubsfan]
1) Astral & Eléctrico b Pequeño Nitro & Pequeño Violencia
13:30. Tecnicos took 2/3.
2) Amapola, Dalys, Tiffany b La Vaquerita, Marcela, Princesa Sugehit
12:52. Rudos took 1/3.
3) Dragón Lee, Guerrero Maya Jr., Máscara Dorada b Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Niebla Roja
16:40. Guerreros took 1/3.
4) Atlantis, Marco Corleone, Stuka Jr. b Cien Caras, Máscara Año 2000, Universo 2000
11:45. Tecnicos took 1/2, the last when Mascara fouled Marco.
5) Mephisto & Shocker b Último Guerrero, Negro Casas, Máximo Sexy, Valiente, Rey Cometa, Mistico [CMLL Universal, seeding battle royal]
2:49. Rey Cometa replaced Cavernario (not a champion!) on Monday.
6) Máximo Sexy b Rey Cometa [CMLL Universal, eightfinal]
3:19
7) Valiente b Negro Casas [CMLL Universal, eightfinal]
2:23
8) Último Guerrero b Mistico [CMLL Universal, eightfinal]
5:37
9) Shocker b Mephisto [CMLL Universal, eightfinal]
3:07
10) Valiente b Máximo Sexy [CMLL Universal, quarterfinal]
1:41.
11) Último Guerrero b Shocker [CMLL Universal, quarterfinal]
2:50.
12) Valiente b Último Guerrero [CMLL Universal, semifinal]
10:17. Valiente pulled off the giant upset (despite the crowd cheering UG) and advanced to the 10/28 final.

Valiente winning came out of nowhere. It’s going up there with Villano V beating Blue Panther. It would’ve been a great story, only the crowd wanted Guerrero to win the main event. Valiente’s new look probably isn’t helping him (though it’s as good an explaination for the win as anything.) The upside is pretty much anyone in next week’s field – Dragon Lee, Dragon Rojo, Volador, La Mascara, Atlantis, even Rey Bucanero – have a decent chance of winning the whole thing if Valiente is already in the final. CMLL usually avoids doing tecnico/tecnico finals, but they usually avoid having a guy who never wins singles matches in the final of this tournament, so anything’s really possible.

The Dinamitas didn’t seem to be a draw the second time in. I hope the foul wasn’t starting an angle, but that’s usually how they do it.

Mascara Dorada is crazy to keep doing what he’s doing while not yet in WWE. He’s taken even more risk of late.

Today’s CMLL show at Arena Coliseo has Atlantis, Valiente and Maximo versus La Mascara, Mr. Niebla and Niebla Roja. CMLL’s preview pushes it as Maximo versus La Mascara. Lucha Libre Retro, the new Fox Deportes airing matches from this arena, did start airing last night. They started with the 09/03 taping (airing matches 2 & 5), about seven weeks behind. The show I attended will air in two weeks, and there were a couple good matches from that show. Super Porky (w/a cane) and Gerardo Mendoza (of the CadenaTres show) are hosts. It’s 720p and 60 frames second; the “retro” show is the best looking one I’ll post.

Angel de Oro wasn’t involved in the finish of his ROH debut. Kamaitachi beat ACH in the four way, with Nick Jackson also involved. It reads like all four guys did well. Angel de Oro wresltes Kamaitachi in Michigan tonight.

Caifan was the surprise luchador on the Cholo de Tijuana show last night, teaming with LA Park against La Mascara & Rush. Full results haven’t been posted yet, but we do know Caristico beat Rey Escorpion (despite random interference from Histeria) to win the group’s new Cruiserweight championship.

The 10/28 show in Tijuana is a EMW promotions (Hijo del Medico Asesino?) one with AAA luchadors. The main event is the same sort of three way on most AAA shows this year, with Pentagon, Texano and Wagner this time. The semi main has Rey Horuz and Paul London in a trios; London on a Mexico indie show is a new thing.

PWR is on FiteTV tonight at 9pm CT for a $10 iPPV. The main event is Blue Demon versus Hijo del Trump, but the most interesting match to me is Rey Horuz vs Black Taurus. That sounds outstanding if they mesh well in their first match against each other. I’ve got other stuff happening tonight, but I may check that out on replay later on.

An incredible spot with Misterio & Daygoro from Arena Los Pinos in Juarez.

Wrestling with Words has a new column reviewing every single lucha singles match to turn up this week.

Lineup 

CMLL (FRI) 10/21/2016 Arena México
1) Eléctrico & Último Dragóncito vs Demus 3:16 & Pequeño Olímpico
2) Blue Panther Jr., Esfinge, The Panther vs El Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón
3) Estrellita, Marcela, Sanely vs Amapola, Dalys, Metálica
4) Marco Corleone, Máximo Sexy, Rush vs Euforia, Niebla Roja, Último Guerrero
5) Atlantis vs La Máscara, Volador Jr., Dragón Rojo Jr., Dragón Lee, Rey Bucanero, Luciferno, Ephesto [CMLL Universal]

After Valiente, anyone could win this block and I wouldn’t be shocked. Well, I’d still be shocked if Luciferno won, let’s not go that far. My hunch is La Mascara gets his win over Dragon Lee and wins the Universal tournament next week in the usual post-mask loss bounce, but I definitely don’t feel safe with that pick.

Rush broke up with Marco & Maximo and took Maximo’s hair and CMLL seems to have forgotten it about seven months later. It could be they’re just doing a bit where Rush keeps annoying partners, like he annoyed Dragon Lee & Mistico last week by cheating, but it looks mostly dumb.

Women again on the card, again much higher than usual (rookies like Metalica and Sanely aren’t usually terceras) – they could at least give them sort of feud. Second match looks good but would be better if it was a third match. There’s nothing as bad as the Dinamtias on here, but nothing with the upside of the Mascara Dorada trios match from this week.