MDA (SUN) 07/23/2017 Arena Jose Sulaiman, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon [+LuchaTV, LuchaMania Monterrey]
1) Androide & Vasco Jr. b Babe Fox & Última Sombra
2) Panthro & Vaquero Romo b Furor & Galactar
3) Antifaz, Caifan, Toscano b Hijo de Pirata Morgan, Máximo, Rey Escorpión (Indie)
Toscano & Pirata were added to the match. Pirata snuck in a foul on Antifaz. Pirata challenged Antifaz to an apuesta match (noting Pirata Sr. once lost his hair to Antifaz.)
4) Dos Caras Sr. & Hijo De Dos Caras DRAW Charles Lucero & Hijo de LA Park
Charles Lucero replaced Super Parka. The fans didn’t like the draw finish but threw money in.
5) Alberto el Patrón b Cibernético, LA Park, La Máscara
LA Park was the most over of the bunch, though Alberto was still well cheered. La Mascara fouled LA Park, Cibernetico fouled La Mascara, Alberto submitted Cibernetico. Challenges followed, with Alberto making fun of people for always making post match challenges that never happen (which got some brief booing.)
The last we saw of Alberto and LA Park, they were the two making the big challenge which never happened (which Alberto might have been hinting at it there.) Building looks about 80-85% full, though they discounted tickets to get that much. MDA says they’ll air a TV show in Monterrey on TV Azteca Norte (7.2) at 10pm on Saturday, so this show might turn up – but there doesn’t appear to be an internet feed for me to record.
Today’s CMLL show is the quiet before a big couple months. It’s a show with some promising matches, but the bigger news shows are happening in August and September.
Right now, we’re still in the processing of guessing what’ll be on the big show on 09/16. CMLL again will present Niebla Roja against the Guerreros, which appears to be the best candidate because nothing else has been offered. Niebla Roja teams with Mistico & Caristico this week against Gran Guerrero, Ultimo Guerrero and Mephisto. It is about time they pick a direction, but there’s no sure sign they will.
The semimain has a clear direction: it’s Blue Panther & Sam Adonis meeting for the last time before their hair match. Rush & Pierroth will team with the only person hated more than them, and face Diamatne Azul and Valiente.
The rest of the card is just regular matches. Panther/Adonis should do OK on it’s own, but a second important match would help and perhaps something will emerge tonight. Hechicero faces Stuka in the lightning match. Drone, Soberano and Titan meet the new Mexican National Trios champs (and the still Occidente Trios champs) in the tercera. Puma & Tiger team with invincible Raziel to face Esfinge, Fuego and Pegasso. The show opens with an Electrico & Stukita vs Mercurio & Pequeno Nitro minis match, which is one of the better minis matches CMLL can do if Mercurio & Nitro aren’t fooling around. I wonder if Pequeno Nitro is going to have to become Pequeno Consejo? (CMLL did briefly tease a mask feud with him and Fantasy.)
CultIcon also previews this show. It’ll air at 8:30pm on Claro and on Facebook. CMLL will have it on their YouTube channel about 20 minutes after it airs.
Negro Navarro, Solar Jr. and Canek Jr. will in having MMA bouts for Lutador MMA tonight. This was just announced a couple days ago and it seems awful quick to have those kind of matches (which may mean they’re not actually those kind of matches.) It’s so last minute that they’re not on the only fight card I can find. Solar Jr. and Canek Jr. will face each other, while Navarro faces Jean Montanez. They’re using CMLL edecanes as well, trying to pull in a lucha libre audience.
Mexico City’s government held a special celebration of the El Santo’s 100th birthday Thursday, with photographs and important people. They announced the Santo outdoor photo exhibition will now be extended to September 6th. They did not say anything about Hijo del Santo’s plan to run a show in the Zocalo in September, though it did at least coming up in passing. This seems like a function where that sort of announcement would be made if it was locked in to happening, but there’s still time left to figure it out.
Lucha Memes says they’re going to run the day after the Anniversary show. I think more people will be in town that day than the day after Gran Prix, but I think a lot more people will be running shows.
Sensacional de Luchador has an interview with Black Terry about his trip to Japan. Black Terry Jr. is going too, so perhaps we’ll end up seeing some videos of this trip.
The Crash promoter Nacho de la O told media at a press conference in Mexicali that The Crash would be on TV by the end of 2017. They had previously said they would be on TV by July. Nacho said they actually had two TV offers right now – which must not be that good, because otherwise they would’ve taken one or the other already. The Crash should probably avoid saying anything specifically about TV until they have something to firm to announce.
The Crash is coming to Guadalajara at some point. Mark all the days on your calendar.
Updated CMLL participation on the Ring of Honor/UK cards (via Hashtag Wrestling)
08/18: Titan vs KUSHIDA (c) [ROH TV], Dalton Castle, Boy 1, Boy 2 (c) vs Jushin Liger, Delirious, Misticio [ROH TRIOS], Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian vs Rey Bucanero & Ultimo Guerrero
08/19 (iPPV): Ultimo Guerrero & Rey Bucanero vs Mistico & Titan
08/20: Ultimo Guerrero & Rey Bucanero vs Mark Briscoe & Jay Briscoe, Mistico & Titan matches still TBA
What we can learn from this is ROH still believes Ultimo Guerrero & Rey Bucanero are a tag team (or that their ROH fans will want to see them that way, which might be correct.) I’m going to guess that the 08/18 title match was going to be Mistico/Kushida originally, with the original idea doing a Masked Legends Trio to challenge for those belts.
LuchaWorld has a news update, a new edition of the podcast, and an interview with Tiger.
Segunda Caida reviews Black Terry & Diablo Jr. vs Los Traumas.
Lineups
IWRG (WED) 08/02/2017 Arena Naucalpan
1) Celestial Boy vs Tentáculo
2) Climax Jr. & Shaolin vs Atomic Star & Lunatic Xtreme
3) Alas de Acero, Aramis, Kanon vs Kempo Jr., Monaguillo, Warrior Jr.
4) Demasiado, Diva Salvaje, Miss Gaviota vs Acero, Demonio Infernal, Picudo Jr. [lumberjack]
5) Black Dragón, Dinamic Black, Dragón Fly vs Diablo Jr., El Hijo del Diablo, Imposible
The tecnicos are going by the Dynamic Dragons. I don’t know why the semimain is a lumberjack match and neither do you.
CMLL (TUE) 08/01/2017 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Black Sugar & Vaquero Jr. vs Pitbull I & Ráfaga
2) Fiero, Magnum, Retro vs Grako, Maléfico, Templario
3) Astral, Blue Panther, Esfinge vs Disturbio, Sagrado, Virus
4) Johnny Idol, Niebla Roja, Titán vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Pólvora, Sam Adonis
5) Carístico, Diamante Azul, Volador Jr. vs Euforia, Terrible, Último Guerrero
The CMLL rookies advance in Guadalajara in mass. They must be setting up something else to have Niebla Roja not be in a main event against Ultimo Guerrero, but who knows what.