CMLL (TUE) 10/25/2016 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Martes de Glamour]
1) Capitán Cobra & El Yaqui b Évola & Mr. Apolo
Tecnicos took 2/3. Yaqui beats Evola before their hair match on Sunday.
2) Arkángel de la Muerte, Maléfico, Nitro b Mágico, Robin, Soberano Jr.
Rudos toko 1/3.
3) Dalys, Metálica, Zeuxis b La Jarochita, La Vaquerita, Silueta
Rudas took 2/3.
4) Dragón Rojo Jr. © b Blue Panther [CMLL MIDDLE]
Dragon Rojo took falls 2/3 to keep the title, the last with the reverse Gori stretch. 16th defense.
5) Mr. Niebla, Shocker, Último Guerrero DQ Dragón Lee, Máximo Sexy,Rush
Rudos took 1/3, the last when Rush was DQed for excessive violence/ref attack. Shocker wants a hair match with Rush, but Rush reminded Shocker that he already won that one and only offered a singles match.
That singles match is already set for next week. The Blue Panther title match will air on the Guadalajara stream on Saturday night at 10:30pm Central Time.
AAA F1 (THU) 10/27/2016 Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Iztacalco, Distrito Federal [AAA]
1) Atomic Boy, Dr. Wagner Jr., Ricky Marvin b Dave The Clown, Parka Negra, Súper Fly
2) Argenis, Bengala, La Parka b Averno, Chessman, Máscara Año 2000 Jr.
AAA hyped a tie up with the Mexico F1 race earlier in the year, and ran a lucha libre training demonstration and a short show for the teams, which seemed to be well received. I’m not sure I have the results correct; this was more about interacting with the people anyway. The crew from Japan was just arriving back in Mexico when this was taking place, so this was an entirely different group. (It also might have been the reason Fantasma wasn’t originally scheduled for Star Battle, because he’d been one of the faces of this cross promotion.) I’ve been questioning if AAA had enough bodies to run two shows, but they actually had three separate crews last night if you include the group working a show in Puebla.
Today’s CMLL show begins the week long celebration of Dia de Muertos. Arena Mexico will be dressed up as the underworld, edecanes and luchadors will perform in different costumes and paint, and the losers of the bigger matches will be dragged to hell – or a side entrance to the back. Matches may end up being a bit shorter, but it’s an entertaining change for a week.
The big match tonight is Volador versus Valiente in this year’s Universal Championship final. Volador is the heavy favorite, but Valiente’s been an underdog in every match of this tournament and has won every match of this tournament so far. The case for Volador winning is pretty simple: he’s CMLL’s top tecnico, he’s probably their luchador of the year, he’s not won this tournament, it’ll mean much more if Volador wins tonight.
It’s tougher to make the case for Valiente, but there are scenarios where it makes sense for him to win. CMLL Informa seems to tease the end of the Sky Team any time more than one of them are on the show, and Valiente beating Volador could upset the balance of the trio. Valiente’s a guy in a lot of main events but not seen as a main eventer, and this could give him the extra boost he’s missing. CMLL has set the bar at a significant mask match being on the line every September, doesn’t have many masks of importance to still put on the line, and could use this make Valiente’s mask more significant a longer term plan of putting him on the Anniversary match next year. Valiente’s heavily into bodybuilding, CMLL likes that, and Valiente winning would obviously encourage more of their luchadors to focus harder on it.
I can make that case – but I don’t really believe it. Universal wins either have set up that year’s Anniversary match or being used as rewards for top guys, and Volador is a top guy. I’d be surprised if he lost tonight, and I’d be nearly as surprised if this started a break up with the Sky Team in the short term.
There’s not anything as pivotal on the rest of the show, but there does seem to be a direction with some of the other other matches. The semimain has Euforia, Niebla Roja and Ultimo Guerrero facing the newest combination of Los Ingobernables, Pierroth, Rush and La Mascara. The actual Rush/La Mascara breakup started over Pierroth being put in Los Ingobernables and the ongoing storyline has been Mistico & Dragon Lee not liking Rush siding with La Mascara. We don’t know how Pierroth feels about all of this, or how they feel about Pierroth. Yes, Pierroth is a key luchador on the night hell comes to CMLL. It also might not go anywhere; I have a sneaking suspicion Rush won’t be around next Friday.
(The Guerreros and Ingobernables are opposite sides of this match, then teaming on Monday in Puebla for the trios titles. Day to day CMLL consistency is poor.)
Dragon Lee, Caristico and Mistico team up in the fourth match to take on Mephisto, Ephesto and Luciferno, in what should be a showcase for the tecnicos. Caristico is once again double booked with Elite, but they’re running Plan Sexenal. Google Maps says it’s about 25 minute drive. I’ve riden by both in a taxi and that sounds about right; Carisitco should not even need his super powers to make the Elite main event this time around.
The tercera is Marcela, Estrellita and Sanely against Metalica, Amapola and Dalys, in a rematch from last week. That appears to be setting up a Marcela/Dalys title match, maybe next week. The second match is Oro, Soberano and Pegasso against Disturbio, Okumura and Virus; Okumura is off to ROH after the show.
Bengala & Flyer and Metalico & Apocalipsis open the show. Apocalipsis is not any good, and hasn’t been on a Friday night show since May 16, 2014. CMLL’s next major show is probably the New Year’s Day show, which has lately been the mask loss farewell to an opening match wrestler. This is about the time of year where that program starts. It might not be Apocalipsis, I’m really hoping it’s not Apocalipsis, (it might be Bengala???), but a screw finish to the opener might actually mean something.
CultIcon also previews this show. The show will air at 8:30pm on ClaroSports as normal on Friday nights. The show will also air on NJPW World, so there will be a clean version out there somewhere. I will not be watching this live, but will probably RT things in a way to confused people into believing I’m actually paying attention. (Maybe I’ll see the main event if this show goes longer than the baseball game.)
It’s a triple taping night. A slightly jet lagged AAA will be in Tlalnepantla tonight to tape one week of TV. The scheduled main event is Psycho Circus (Psycho, Murder, Monster) versus Perros del Mal (Daga, Lider, Pentagon) versus rudos Damian, Wagner and Pagano. There’s a couple problems there: Monster and Murder aren’t friends with Psycho anymore, and Pentagon is also advertised in the main event of the AAA show in Tijuana. Based on recent history, AAA will probably send Villano IV to Tijuana to replace him and run the TV match as scheduled (which means Psycho gets turned on early on but runs back in late.) I’d prefer just turning it into a crazy 5v5 match if they can figure out one more tecnico.
It’s a very card subject to change night. The semimain looks safe: Cuervo, Scoria and Zorro face Averno, Chessman and Ricky Marvin in a preview of a trios title match next week. The tercera was scheduled to a Hijo del Fantasma vs Jack Evans vs Angelico three way match, but no one’s expecting Jack to be there. It’ll probably be a singles match; AAA hasn’t listed a change.
The second match is listed as Dave the Clown, Parka Negra and Super Fly versus Aerostar, Venum and a mystery person. I’ve accidentally turned Venum into a meme in my head. Back on September 14, Venum posted a vague thing on instagram that could be read as him moving on from AAA, or coming back to AAA, or getting a new mask, or just being vaguely inspiring because he’s in his twenties on instagram and that is apparently what you do. Venum’s been listed on spot shows, but nothing where results have turned up, and he hasn’t posted since then. Venum’s tag partner left, various other people have left, and yet I probably read way too much into an instagram post. I guess we find out tonight. For what it’s worth, our favorite flying goat boy, Gotita de Plata, mentioned somewhere that he’s on this taping. He could be replacing Venum, he could be the mystery guy (which alway seemed more like “we don’t know yet” mystery than a “big surprise” mystery.)
The opener is Mamba, Mocho Cota Jr., and Soul Rocker against the Apaches in a mixed trios; Faby missed Star Battle and had the weird deal on Heroes Inmortales, so perhaps there’s some reason she can’t wrestle right full matches right now, but I think she’ll probably be there. That opener probably won’t make TV but may be up on YouTube later.
AAA’s card is listed at starting at 8:30pm, which means more like 9. There is no live stream, but it should air next Saturday.
Elite completes the groups taping tonight. They are back recording TV in Mexico City, but now in Plan Sexenal (a venue used a couple times for AAA, but more memorable as a Perros del Mal TV taping locale.) It’s a not a big building, and they should fill it up with a Caristico versus Rey Escorpion match. It’s the big feud they’ve been pushing on TV, and maybe one that’ll turn into an apuesta match down the line. That match is listed as Liga Elite, the Xtreme Tiger/LA Park match is listed as Liga Elite, but the Liga Elite concept only exists on the posters. Tiger has had fun matches with guys his size and not fun matches with guys much bigger than him, but Park is better at selling for smaller guys and figuring out a way to make it work than most.
The fourth match has Mr. 450 and Chicano from Puerto Rico teaming up against Cibernetico & Black Tauro/Taurus. Last week, Cibernetico & Sharlie said they had a surprise. This week, the poster lists Black Tauro as a Hell Brother. I think I’ve worked out the surprise. Golden Magic, Bandido and Zumbi are scheduled to face Hijo de Dos Caras, Hijo de Dr. Wagner and Karone Jr. (Hijo de Dos isn’t always around when he’s listed, which might be more of an Elite issue.) Emperador Azteca & Heddi Karaoui face Imposible & Metaleon in a relevos increibles match; Elite doesn’t really go anywhere with it’s undercard matches (see no Argos/Golden Magic this week), but Imposible & Karaoui have history from IWRG. Mr. Leo & Hijo del Pantera take on Impulso & Belial in a great sounding match which is unlikely to make TV.
This show also starts at 8:30, or at least that’s the plan. It’ll air tomorrow on Azteca7, and about 6 months from now in the US.
Lucha Underground Season 4 has been rumored to start taping in January, and people with the promotion in panel discussions have generally indicated the hope is to tape the first half of the year (give or take) and tour the second half. The Cricket Wireless trip to the temple giveaway contest confirms that the working plan is indeed to start taping in January. The rules state the winner gets a trip to Los Angeles by January 30th. That’s a Monday, so maybe that means tapings on January 28th and 29th and flying home Monday, or perhaps they just figure sometime in January and are using the final date to say it’ll be by that point. This is not the same as Lucha Underground announcing something – El Rey hasn’t even officially said they’re picking up the series for a fourth season – but at least we know a bit of what they’re attempting.
An indie show lists a 11/19 Mascara Dorada match as his final match in Mexico. This is sketchy: it’s not a regular indie promotion (and a booking on a weekend, which Dorada has been trying to avoid), and the promotion was previously advertising the same card without that main event. I’m skeptical it’s correct, but we’ve been looking for any sense of when Dorada might be finished and this is the first time thing I’ve seen suggesting he’d be in all in Mexico.
Chairo 6 on 11/27 in Arena Naucalpan
1) Memes Rumble (Alberto Dos Rios + 21 surprise luchadors)
LuchaWorld has the latest Lucha Report.
Black Terry Jr. has photos of Wednesday’s IWRG/FILL show and slow motion highlights of the main event. I haven’t asked, but I’d assume that means the show wasn’t taped by AYM.
+LuchaTV released an interview with Rey Fenix that I haven’t watched yet but is probably pretty helpful.
AAA posted their February 2010 taping from Puebla. This is the in-ring debut of Lasser Boy. Lasser Boy was introduced in the AAA anime movie as La Parka’s little brother, in what seemed like a way to add a new kid’s character to the matches – it’s one of the main thrusts of the movie. Lasser Boy won his debut match (which was edited heavily at the time, haven’t watched it back yet, and also includes the similarly infamous Mantra), lost two more TV matches, was listed on spot shows thru May, and then never spoken again.
I’ve never gotten the story of what happened there. It wasn’t like Lasser Boy didn’t get over, he wasn’t around long enough not to get over. It’s certainly possible they decided he wasn’t good enough wrestler, but AAA’s not really been concerned about match quality when they like the character. Maybe they just didn’t like character – between Lasser Boy, Mantra, and the Vipers 2.0, there were a lot of characters who were introduced in late 2009 and then thrown into the dumpster in early 2010 in what felt like a creative shift. Or maybe there was a rights issue with the movie or a problem with the person under the gimmick. Lasser Boy once did a newspaper interview where he gave the same bio information that Atomic Boy has, but later AAA denied they were the same people. (They were about the same height and size, edit: but they were also in the same match later on.) Anyway, this was a Venum thing of 2010, more or less.
Marco Corleone & Mistico appeared on ImagenTV’s Sale el Sol show today. That’s the successor channel to Cadena3 and it’d make sense for CMLL to turn up on that channel. On the other hand, Azteca did CMLL stuff quite often before ending up with Elite on their channel instead, so this is no definite indication (and probably just Dia de Muertos promotion.)
Chicago’s GALLI says they’re bringing back the IWA championships, including the belt that was worn by Mil Mascaras in the 1970s, on a 01/15 taping. GALLI presumably doesn’t know Mil Mascaras is defending the same title in Japan against Nosawa in a few days.
Voices of Wrestling has it’s review of this week’s Lucha Underground.
Lineups
IWRG (WED) 11/02/2016 Arena Naucalpan
Castillo del Terror, 2016
1) Aguilita Solitaria, Dragóncito De Oro, Panterita vs ?, Bracito de Oro, Felinito
2) Alas de Acero, Black Dragón, Dragón Fly vs Araña de Plata, Demonio Infernal, Skanda
3) Leo, Mike, Rafy © vs Devil Rocker (San Luis Potosí), Machine Rocker (San Luis Potosí), Soul Rocker (San Luis Potosí) [EdM Trios]
third defense
4) Cerebro Negro, Dr. Cerebro, Freelance, Suicida vs Hanaoka, Heddi Karaoui, Hip Hop Man, Picudo Jr.
Mexico vs Rest of the World. (Picudo Jr. is from Puerto Rico?)
5) Hijo De Dos Caras, Sharly Rockstar, Trauma I vs Canis Lupus, Máscara Año 2000 Jr., Mr. Electro
6) Hijo del Alebrije vs Emperador Azteca, Leo, Hijo del Pantera, Killer Jr., Bobby Lee Jr., Violencia Jr., Imposible, Pantera I, Zatura [mask, cage]
IWRG’s annual Castle of Terror show, which has to go better than last year’s. They haven’t changed the rules, so someone can accidentally fall of the cage early and screw it up again. This is usually a Sunday show, but Wednesday this year because they rented out the building on Sunday.
Hijo del Alebrije, Emperador Azteca, Hijo del Pantera, and Imposible seem highly unlikely to lose their mask in a match like this. Leo is probably not working twice and that’s meant to be Teelo. He’s the least used of the Ninja Turtles but there’s still life in those characters. Killer Jr. and Violencia Jr. are possibilities as indie guys who aren’t around IWRG a whole much, but might not get a better chance to lose their mask. Pantera I and Bobby Lee Jr. fit too, but IWRG probably could get lengthy singles feud out of Pantera I lose his mask, and Bobby Lee Jr. in a mask match might be a bigger draw in Leon. Zatura sticks out as a guy who’s been gone for a long time and only popped back up in the months before the show; he’s the favorite to lose.