CMLL (FRI) 08/04/2017 Arena México [CMLL, Culticon, ESTO, SuperLuchas, thecubsfan]
1) Drone, Fuego, Pegasso b Disturbio, Sagrado, Virus 
15:34. tecnicos took 2/3
2) El Gallito & Microman b Mije & Perico Zakarías
12:18, one fall match.
3) Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón b Rey Cometa, Soberano Jr., The Panther
17:53. NGD took 1/3.
4) Ángel de Oro, Diamante Azul, Marco Corleone DQ Hechicero, Pierroth, Rush
straight falls, the last when Rush and Diamante Azul were just standing there and Rush easily unmasked Diamante Azul. Azul wanted a singles match next week and a mask vs hair. Rush sort of agreed to one of those and unmasked Diamante Azul a second time.
5) Carístico, Niebla Roja, Volador Jr. b Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero
11:54. Tecnicos took 2/3, Niebla Roja cleanly beating Gran Guerrero. They agreed to a mask match, with Niebla Roja saying he wanted it on 09/16.
6) Sam Adonis b Blue Panther [hair]
Adonis took falls 1/3, the last using the ropes after Tirantes fell down. Adonis bragged and said he was coming for the hair and mask of all the legends of lucha libre.
The crowd was loud for Blue Panther and Sam Adonis and it was the best match they’ve had. Both men did promos after the match, and I was a little surprised there wasn’t any obvious direction.
Niebla Roja versus Gran Guerrero is happening on the Anniversario show. It wasn’t much over on this show and it doesn’t feel like a main event at all, but they wouldn’t have had Niebla Roja say that date except to get idea over to the fans who might not think about going to another show until then. It may not be alone, the Diamante Azul/Rush challenges felt like a bit more than a one off, and there’s the back story of Azul taking Pierroth’s mask in March. Maybe a repeat of the winners advance tag match is possible, but I think CMLL still is planning on Roja/Guerrero.
There’s one other Anniversario thing that wasn’t announced, but seems to be in motion. The top tecnico team has had a title match on that show in recent years. Volador, Mistico and Valiente aren’t do much otherwise, so that would work for them, they just need a good working rudo team to face. It could always be Hijos del Infierno, the default choice, but it feels like NGD is being set up for that spot. They’re getting protected more CMLL remembers to protect anyone in the midcard, and thy’ere flashing around two sets of trios titles, as if they’re setting up to go for a third. It’d be a big spot for them and CMLL slow plays guys so maybe it’s too soon to hope for, but it could work as well as last night’s match.
The big banners for the 09/01 Gran Prix are up, which look impressive and imposing, but also like they block off a whole lot of seats from being usable. I think they did over 10,000, and they might have been able to do more if they had the non-obstructed seats.
No results from last night’s The Crash show in Mexicali as of yet. The Crash posted a photo of a cut Jack Evans, thanks to Bestia 666. Keyra (that’s how she’s spelling it, so I’ll try to stick with it) missed the show due to flight issues but says she’ll be in Tijuana. Draztick Boy replaced Lio Rush last night and will probably be part of tonight’s show somehow. Crowd looked a bit under 50% full, in the same range as the Ring Side (Octagon, Hijo del Octagon, Mistico vs Rush, Pierroth, Black Abyss Jr.) did there in June.
Today’s AAA TV will finish off the taping from Puebla. Yesterday, AAA posted a vignette with Johnny Mundo and Vampiro, playing off their real troubles. Only, in this continuity, Vampiro wants to strip Johnny Mundo off the mega title and Johnny wants to still be champion, the opposite way it played out in Tijuana. Mundo’s playing the same heel character he has been all along in AAA, nothing’s changed there no matter what’s happening on Twitter.
Here’s the thing about the vignette: they’re treating it as if it was taped as part of the Puebla taping. It could not have actually happened at the Puebla taping, or Mundo & Taya have been doing a storyline from the get go. This Puebla taping happened on June 30th, the title was vacated the next day, Mundo and Taya said they didn’t find out was happening until that point. The vignette has Mundo upset about what happened with the Reina de Reinas title but, even in real time, it hadn’t happened yet. My head started spinning working this out.
I do not think Mundo & Taya are lying, I think AAA taped some extra material when Mundo came back in Aguascalientes to get over the new storyline based on the real life solution – only the Puebla TV shows were already finished, so this content has only ended up on their YouTube. The dialogue is all about the Kross/Hernandez/Bronce match airing last week, so this should’ve aired last week, but it didn’t air on TV at all. Maybe they’ll throw in with a “pasado semana” caption this week, because it really needs to air on TV if it’s going to reach people who don’t already know and might care.
It’s really good that AAA is taping extra material, by the way, even if it’s out of sequence. It’s always seemed like, be it because of AAA or Televisa or Mexico, they’ve been unable to film backstage skits at at least half the taping they run. AAA tries to tell big stories and needs those skits to make any sense of them; if that means filming twice as much at some shows because you can’t do any at the others, they really should go for it. You can not produce too much content in 2017.
Shows this weekend
Saturday
- The Crash is back in Tijuana with Penta vs La Mascara main event. It’s a scaled down show compared to what they’ve running in the past; no Mysterio, not many outside of Mexico wrestlers, and even Fenix is out in AAW instead tonight. They’re going to learn how over The Crash name and feuds are with this show. This is probably a scheduling blimp but still interesting. If they do pretty well, then maybe they’ve reached a point where they don’t need as many names going forward. It’s still a good card, thought it’s still likely to only be seen on handhelds. After talking about a VOD/streaming deal being close in recent months, they’ve been careful not to even hint about one this time around.
- Arena Coliseo has Marco Corleone vs Vangellys for the heavyweight title. Marco’s clearly going to win and, with all due respect to both guys, this is not a match I’m sad we’re missing – but it’s crazy CMLL is going to make it available. It’s a lot easier for them than the Crash; Crash has to figure out how they’re going to record these things and how they’re going distribute them. CMLL’s figured all that out, has all they need, and should be recording every title match (probably every show) at this point. Even the most bare bones, one camera and no commentary video, is going to be watched – especially when it’s Marco, who has a lot of fans. You can not have too much content.
- HUMO is running in Salon Citalli, with Cosrario Negro, Drako, and Super Crazy vs Mr. Aguila, Shyru Dragon and Super Mega – which is just about the indie equivalent of grabbing names out of a hat. They already announced they’re running a show on 09/02 with Kongo Kong, and the thing to watch here is if they announce who he’s facing.
- Lucha Libre Boom has a charity show in Arena Lopez Mateos. The main event was originally Flamita & Negro Casas vs Mr. Niebla & TBA, but Flamita’s in The Crash. The new main event is Caristico & Negro Casas vs Mr. Niebla & Titan, with the usual group of people on the undercard
Sunday
- MDA & Lucha Memes take over Arena Coliseo Guadalajara, and LA Park & Rush will try to tear the building down. I hope LA Park relentlessly mocks Rush for being in a feud with Diamante Azul. Dr. Cerbero and Virus will have a completely different match, one with no rope breaks. Another match to watch is Monterrey’s Hechicero & Caifan teaming against Guadalajara’s Satanico & Cavernario, as they’re still floating the idea of Hechicero taking the Infernales group name for his own. No idea if/when we’ll see any of this.
- Revolucha/The Crash are in Arena Coliseo Monterrey, with Daga versus Garza Jr. as a main event. Daga’s kind of unproven as a main event singles guy but it should do well in Garza’s home arena. The recently shuffled card has Jack Evans & Rey Fenix against Bestia 666 & Ultimo Ninja. This may turn up Revolucha’s YouTube channel, but it’s not much promoted.
- CMLL has Caristico, Marco and Volador vs Ephesto, Euforia, Mephisto as the main event. There’s also the start of tournament for the CMLL REINA International championship, where the final two women in a cibernetico will face off next week for a title belt.
- IWRG has a father/son tag main event, with Pirata Morgan and Hijo del Pirata Morgan against Black Warrior and Warrior Jr.
- Zona 23, a group of fans, has their annual show in Mexico State. It’s pretty much an all extreme show and it usually turns up in handhelds. Super Mega vs Corsario Negro Jr. is the main event, Arez vs Impulso is also on the card.
Elegido was surprised to find out he’s not in AAA any more. I think he still is in AAA and some wires are cross but honestly not confident.
Lucha Underground posted a Mil Muertes promo hyping his quarterfinal match with Jeremiah Crane.
Solar & Hijo del Solar are facing the bizarre team of Guerrero Maya Jr. and voodoo man Mojo McQueen in Camden, New Jersey on 09/16. That means Maya is not expected to be on the CMLL Anniversary show.
Elisa Tudon interviewed Titan, and MicromanFever translated the conversation.
La Gata Negra and Hija del Zorra, two Guatemalan luchadoras, are interviewed about women’s wrestling in their country.
LuchaWorld has the latest News Update and the latest edition of Lucha Classica.
Lineups
CMLL (FRI) 08/11/2017 Arena México
1) Shockercito & Stukita vs Mercurio & Pierrothito
2) Blue Panther Jr., Esfinge, The Panther vs Disturbio, Puma, Tiger
3) Lady Maravilla, Princesa Sugehit, Silueta vs Amapola, Dalys, Zeuxis
4) Carístico, Soberano Jr., Valiente vs Cavernario, Negro Casas, Sam Adonis
5) Diamante Azul vs Rush
6) Dragón Lee, Mistico, Niebla Roja vs Gran Guerrero, Mephisto, Último Guerrero
Azul & Rush feuding, four weeks away from the Gran Prix. Would Rush cost his country the match just to be annoying? Yes, yes he would.
More Roja & UG in the main event. The fourth is a weird mix of Adonis opponents. Maravilla being brought back quick to a Friday night is a good sign for her (and that should be a pretty good match.) Esfinge gets to be the designated Panther partner for the night in their never ending war with Puma & Tiger. Minis match is even good.