Tonight begins a run with a lucha libre event in Mexico City about every other weekend
08/04: Adonis vs Panther
08/12: La Llave a la Gloria Final – ok, this may only be a big deal to me
08/26: TripleMania
09/01: Gran Prix
09/16: Anniversario
There’s room for more, and it doesn’t count shows like The Crash (running tonight in Mexicali) or The Crash or Lucha Memes or MDA (all of which are tougher to count when we can’t count on seeing them.) On paper, this is the weakest of all the major shows – an unproven foreigner against a legend in the final moments of his career. In reality, this might have as loud as any of the shows.
Sam Adonis and Blue Panther main event tonight in a hair versus hair match. It’s Adonis’ first time in a singles main event in this building, and it’s been five years since Blue Panther had this sort of match. The crowd were reacting loudly to Adonis even before CMLL really started going anywhere with his pro-US act, and today’s the test to see if those reactions will turn into ticket sales. There’s mixed success with these sorts of characters, but it feels like this going to be a big deal.
+LuchaTV has an interview with the Panthers and a promo from Sam Adonis. Adonis saying this match is a battle between an idol of Mexican wrestling and Blue Panther is a troll line I would be proud of. The Panther & Blue Panther Jr. being part of the interviews is interesting; it’d make more sense for CMLL if one of the kids were the ones to get the big win over Adonis than a luchador closer to the end of his career.
That is the thing though: as a person who watches wrestling a lot, I’m pretty safely assuming Adonis is winning tonight because there’s more left for a second match and there’s no reason for him to lose before the Gran Prix. (Panther getting the submission win in the lead up is a signal too.) If you’re a casual fan just going to see the match, I think you’re absolutely expecting the Mexican to triumph over the loud American, and I wonder how they’re all going to react if/when that doesn’t happen. Mexican fans like booing Adonis because he’s a fun non-threatening guy to boo, but he might be a little bit more threatening if he takes a legend’s hair. I don’t expect a bad scene, but I do wonder if this going to light up this issue even hotter. The only people who are going to be busier than beer vendors are going to be the security people.
This match up still could use some support, and I had been expecting some sort of title match or other big singles match. CMLL went with the micros instead, and that’s probably the right call for this audience. This show should draw a lot of people who don’t closely follow CMLL but just know a heroic Mexican is going to try to take down an evil American. Those people aren’t going to be all that aware of the history of a Niebla Roja or the Princesa Sugehit/Zeuxis feud. Something with more universal appeal, like four tiny people in wacky outfits in a lucha libre battle is going to get over a lot easier with them.
ClaroSports has an interview with Zacarias, who thanks Ultimo Guerrero for bringing back micro matches.
This is a good show even beyond the two matches, with CMLL doing their usual big show loading up of the card. Fuego, Pegasso, and Drone face Virus, Sagrado and Disturbio in an opener that’s usually about the fourth match on a Tuesday. The NGD face Rey Cometa, The Panther and Soberano, which should be as good as last week’s match. Marco Corleone, Angel de Oro and Diamante Azul face Pierroth, Rush and Hechicero, which sticks out as odd on the card; maybe they just needed to get people on, or maybe they’re setting something up. The semimain is the weekly Niebla Roja/Guerreros match, with Roja teaming with Volador & Caristico against his old rivals.
CultIcon also previews this show. It’ll air on ClaroSports and Facebook normal; this probably could be an iPPV but it’s a free show.
Matt Taven told a fan asking if he’s coming to ROH UK tour that he’ll actually be in CMLL at that time. I think that may be the end my theory of a Ultimo Guerrero/Matt Taven Anniversario match. For one, Taven may not be going to the UK but Ultimo Guerrero is on that tour so it’s not like Taven is going to feuding with him at least at the start. For another, Taven would have to be around 5-6 Fridays for the Anniversario show, longer than he’s been in the past and longer than CMLL usually keeps people. Three Fridays, ending with the Gran Prix, is more normal. The possibilities which aren’t “Niebla Roja vs Gran Guerrero” for the Anniversary show are getting whittled away.
At any rate, that UK tour starts two weeks from today, so Taven and perhaps the other Gran Prix foreigners may start in CMLL on at least by the 18th. The G1 final is on the 13th so the NJPW would be free by then, though probably pretty tired. The next NJPW tour starts on 09/06, only a few days after the Gran Prix, so I could see those guys being saved for last to get a rest.
I think AAA’s trip to Colombia this month is off. AAA announced two tours of Colombia back in April, part of their press conference to announce their partnership with TNA/Impact/GFW. AAA said they’d be going to Bogota on August 8, 9 and 10, and Medallin in October. The Bogota trip were to be free shows as part of an annual summer festival. The program for the festival is out, and AAA is not listed. (An indie lucha group seems to be running earlier in the festival instead.) It could just not be in the program, but it’s also a tour AAA hasn’t talked about in months. They promoted their similar shows in 2015 pretty strong. AAA may have quietly canceled it a while back, and I’m just catching up to it now. Three shows at a free festival is not going to make or break AAA, but these shows seemed to be part of larger plan: AAA’s not had success moving northward, so maybe they could advance the other way instead to build a fanbase in South America countries. This seems a set back in that direction, and it makes me think about how all the countries Vampiro was hopeful about AAA being in (and probably just listing off the top of his head) were in Europe, not Latin America.
Humo announced they’re bringing in Kongo Kong on 09/02.
EMW says their next AAA show in Tijuana is on September 8th.
AAA put up the latest Zona Ruda, with Psycho Clown as guest.
Segunda Caida reviews the Blue Panther/Sam Adonis lightning match.
TKD reviews this week’s Lucha Underground.
Kcidis draws the Reina de Reinas match.
Sagrado and Disturbio playing ping pong.
Fuego en el Ring has their latest podcast.
An interview with Satillo luchador Boy Rocker Jr., who lost his mask to King Rap last December.
Lineup
AAA TV (MON) 09/04/2017 Palenque Inforum, Irapuato, Guanajuato
1) Big Mami vs Ayako Hamada, Faby Apache, La Hiedra
2) Dinastía, Lady Shani, Máscara de Bronce vs Goya Kong, Marty The Moth, Mini Psycho Clown
3) Aerostar, Drago, Raptor vs Carta Brava Jr., Mocho Cota Jr., Soul Rocker
4) Argenis, Lanzeloth, Ricky Marvin vs Averno, Chessman, Súper Fly
5) Texano Jr. vs Hijo del Fantasma
6) Kevin Kross & Psycho Clown vs Dr. Wagner Jr. & Pagano
AAA posted this lineup the same day as they posted a Q&A with Vampiro saying AAA will change lineups whatever, so this is sort of whatever. It’s also a taping after TripleMania and a month away, so the chance of it all going down like this is nil. Ayako & Marty being around are the things to take from it; I’d expect at least Marty to be in the Copa TripleMania.
After this card got announced, some Elegido fans complained about him not being used on TV tapings; Vampiro told them Elegido is injured, while Elegido RT-ed the people complaining about him not being used. Elegido’s been booked most weekends (though not this one), and is advertised on a show before this taping. Meanwhile, the local promoter of this taping says Elegido is no longer in AAA. This has been more than you need to know about El Elegido.