CMLL (FRI) 12/08/2017 Arena México [thecubsfan]
1) Mercurio & Pequeño Olímpico b Shockercito & Stukita 
12:36. Rudos took 1/3. Mercurio beat Shockercito to set up a title match next week.
2) Misterioso Jr., Sagrado, Virus b Oro Jr., Pegasso, Star Jr.
12:26. Rudos took 1/3, then Misterioso took Oro’s mask.
3) Euforia, Hechicero, Pólvora b Drone, Guerrero Maya Jr., Rey Cometa
14:14. Rudos took 1/3.
4) Dragón Lee b Titán [lightning]
8:30. Dragon Lee won via (slightly messed up) Dragon Driver.
5) Pierroth, Rush, Sam Adonis b Marco Corleone, Negro Casas, Valiente [Relevos Increíbles]
6:34. Adonis was DQed in the first, won the second fall cleanly, and snuck in a foul on Casas in the third.
6) Carístico, Soberano Jr., Último Guerrero DCOR Mistico, Terrible, Volador Jr. [Relevos Increíbles]
Mistico’s team (rudos) took first, Caristico’s team took second, both teams were counted in the third. UG & Caristico wanted one more fall, Terrible wanted a rematch next week. Terrible must have the power because that’s what they’ll do.
Better show than last week doesn’t really say anything. I enjoyed Dragon Lee/Titan and the main event, though both didn’t reach their ceiling.
It’s too late to really do more than – no sense previewing things with AAA & CMLL’s shows for the night are running. There’s two notable events coming up in the next few hours in the US, anyway.
Arolucha taped tomorrow night, and finally officially revealed Vince Russo is working for their company. That got the mostly negative reaction everyone involved knew it would, didn’t really need to be announced, and they did so anyway. They’re not a company that seems all that concerned with their social media public perception.
Heroes of Lucha Libre runs it’s second show in Ontario, California tonight. There are photos of the set up on Instagram, and it looks like the level of full arena set up you’d expect from a major league promotion. They drew surprisingly well the first time out. They do not appear to be doing the same the second time, but it’s early.
Both are longshots at getting TV deals. People are trying this because the perceived payoff is gigantic, but so are the odds of making it. It’s probably more likely these turn up on as digital releases on some streaming service than a TV deal (that’s what happened with most of Lucha Libre USA, that’s what happened with Jeff Jarrett’s GFW.) ELITE did get that TV deal, and it went nowhere with it. Meanwhile, we know The Crash are trying and AAA are probably trying again and CMLL’s probably always has an hour more TV to sell off if anyone’s interested: this is a far more crowded market than just Lucha Underground. I understand the jackpot people are seeing, but every one of these attempts is a pretty expensive lottery ticket.
Lineups
CMLL (FRI) 12/15/2017 Arena México
1) Star Jr. & Starman vs Hijo del Signo & Templario
2) Shockercito © vs Mercurio [CMLL MINI]
2nd defense
3) Lady Maravilla, Marcela, Princesa Sugehit vs Amapola, Dalys, Reyna Isis
4) Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Rey Cometa vs Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón
5) Cavernario, Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas vs Ephesto, Mephisto, Sam Adonis
6) Carístico, Soberano Jr., Último Guerrero vs Mistico, Terrible, Volador Jr. [Relevos Increíbles]
Main event points towards a Caristico/Mistico match as soon as 12/22, but it’s not real until it’s on a lineup. Semimain continues Casas/Adonis. Fourth match might be pretty good.
It has been nearly 10 years since the last CMLL minis title defense on a Friday night in Arena Mexico. The last was Mascarita Dorada against Pequeno Damian 666 back in January of 2008. That match was third on the card. This is second. I wonder what the point is of a title, or even a division, if it’s being defended second on a card with not much special going on. That’s CMLL saying to the world that they don’t value those guys all that much.
Opener has four of the ten in the cage match on 12/25. We know 12/22 will have the Leyenda de Azul cibernetico, but there’s a decent chance of a cibernetico with everyone in the cage match on the Sunday 12/18 show. That’s the usual pattern.
Hmm….Vince Russo, The Harrris Brothers and Konnan all working for the same company. First, is there anyone else polarizing that can be hired? Second, how long till that murderer’s row blows up?