lucha TV preview for weekend of January 19th, 2018

full size. I hope you can find something to watch this week! This doesn’t even include the Cancun indie that’ll be on a streamed TV show this week with Misterioso Jr.

One more time: FantasticaMania is EARLY FRIDAY, EARLY SUNDAY, and EARLY MONDAY. All shows start at 3:30 AM CT, and will go between two and three hours. Probably closer to the short side. There’s VOD up usually right after the show if you’re a sane person not getting up/staying up for this. This are paid shows.

Luchando Por Ellos, Alberto’s benefit show for children affected by earthquakes, was announced and mentioned a couple times as airing on Claro in the same way the CMLL shows do. I have not seen a mention of it of late, so take it as 50/50. Marca probably will keep it on their Facebook like they do CMLL shows, but they don’t have a known YouTube place to put it later. (I’m thinking about recording it, not sure if it’s appropriate to upload.)

In more traditional shows, AAA starts it’s last taping of 2017 with a Faby/Shani title match, and Mephisto & Titan meet in Arena Mexico on Tuesday.

CMLL on SamuraiTV: 2018-01-18 

the tornillo looked good, probably didn’t feel well

Recapped: 1/18/18

All matches are from the Aichi Congress Center Event Hall, Nagoya, Japan, taped on 01/12/2018

Matches:

Drone beat Disturbio
(6:49, Drone headscissors submission, ok)

Okumura & Puma beat Fuego & Star Jr.  
(9:44, Puma casita Star Jr., good)

Cuatrero, Rocky Romero, SHO, YOH beat Ángel de Oro, Jushin Liger, Ryusuke Taguchi, Tiger Mask
(9:40, Cuatrero spinning crufix powerbomb, ok)

Niebla Roja, Soberano Jr., Volador Jr. beat Bárbaro Cavernario, Gran Guerrero, Sansón
(9:23, Soberano tornillo Sansón, good)

Bushi, Hiromu Takahashi, Rush, Tetsuya Naito beat Dragón Lee, Hirai Kawato, Kushida, Satoshi Kojima  
(12:47, BUSHI boston crab Kawato, good)

Atlantis, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Mistico beat Gedo, Kazuchika Okada, Último Guerrero
(10:57, Mistica on Ultimo Guerrero, good)

What happened: 

Soberano magic

This was the tour opening show, and people are working about the level of a tour opening show.

Niebla Roja is now wearing a Chippendale style bow tie. Rocky Romero decides to wrestle in the Black Tiger mask for about 10 seconds into his match.

Sofia Alonso is sitting directly in the center of the picture for the whole show.

Thoughts:

Puma & Star were OK with dying in this match

This was a fine enough show, but – like most years – just for people who have to see anything. The 2nd and 4th matches were the best two on the show and the two to watch if you’re going to watch any of this. (It’s on the RealHero drive if you’re looking for it.)

Main event was well worked if not extraordinary. Mistico and Último Guerrero had a great night working with each other, with Mistico’s tricky stuff connecting well and UG coming off super strong on the front superplex. It’s probably just a quirk of the schedule, but it’s weird to see Mistico be presented as the star of the show at the end when he’s not booked that way. Tanahashi & Okada didn’t totally mail it in. Atlantis looked slow and a little bit heavy. I was scared when he was going to dive. It was a relief he didn’t.

The semimain was pretty long, with face in peril sections for both Kushida & Kojima. That meant plenty of Rush but really a lot of Dragon Lee. He and Takahashi did give the crowd their usually really strong exchange early on, but not much more. The crowd really wanted Kawato escape the crab at the end but it wasn’t happening. Match told that story well, and Los Ingobernables were as popular as anyone on the show. I could’ve used a little better comeback, but the match still had it’s moments.

The fourth match was the best of the night. Soberano was popular from the moment he appeared and won the crowd even more over during the match. Sansón and Cuatrero lose something not being together. There’s still good, but there’s a stronger confidence together. The finish played into the upcoming title match, but they actually seemed to go cross rivalry for most of the match and did it pretty well. Gran Guerrero worked well Volador and seemed to have the best night of the rudos.

Mistico tricky armdrag

 

This is three parts goofy comedy match and one part the CMLL guys. Angel de Oro & Cuatrero pick up the speed of the match dramatically when they get it, and seem lost at all the various Romero & Taguchi based shenanigans. The CMLL guys felt like they were barely in, just really an exchange in the middle, and the finish. The rest was fine for a touring show but nothing must see.

The second tag match had good pace and sharp looking moves. Fuego is over in Mexico, but he’s really over in Japan and that got the crowd into the match from the start. Puma did well, though Star may have a difference of opinion about his catch on the tornillo. He probably could’ve gotten the pin on the super powerbomb, that looked more brutal than intended. (Sofia seemed very concerned.) Star looked sharp in his performance. Okumura isn’t anything great, but he knows all the parts and where to be at the right time. This was usual FantasticaMania match fun.

The show little bit of a dry opener. Both Drone and Disturbio used their bigger moves, but there wasn’t a great flow to the match and neither man was had experience working with this crowd. Disturbio didn’t really do a lot more than he’d at home. Drone didn’t stick out.

Dragon Lee

Alberto & AAA, Crash female recruiting, luchador age limit

Reminder: The Tapatia awards for the best in lucha libre are open thru January 28th.

Other Reminder: The first NJPW World FantasticaMania show is early tomorrow morning, 3:30am. The SamuariTV show may be out later today.

Leo Riano’s column says there’s movement in AAA & Alberto talks. Dorian Roldan, on a recent Zona Ruda, mentioned they were negotiating with a big national name. He didn’t say who, but the assumption was Alberto. Riano says Dorian, Alberto and Fantasma talked at the Impact taping this week, and now Alberto will “probably” be seen in AAA. Fantasma was also invited to appear on the benefit show Alberto is throwing on Saturday (though AAA still has to giver their approval.)

Riano also mentions something I’ve see elsewhere: AAA was holding tryouts at their spot shows at Irapuato & San Luis Potosi. Averno & Chessman were leading them. On the surface, AAA would seem to have plenty of people already after Llave a la Gloria contest last year, but maybe they’re assuming not all of those people are going to stick with them.

The Crash’s women tryout did occur later. La Avispa, all the way from Washington, was among those there and posted a photo of other people who tried out. I recognize Lady Drago & Diosa Atenea among them. Monterrey’s Lady Flammer was also among the group trying out. She’s already worked co-promoted The Crash/Revolucha shows in her hometown and would be most likely person to be brought in.

The Box Y Lucha commission of Tepic, Nayarit says they’ll no longer license boxers or wrestlers over the age of 35. The president of the organization explains they don’t believe it’s safe for people to participate in that age, and people who are allowed to participate in lucha libre forever inevitable end up in a wheelchair or have other quality of life issues. Ringo Mendoza is specifically cited here and said to be paralyzed, which they’re assuming is a wrestling related injury. Mendoza has been mentioned as being in poor health before, though I don’t believe anyone’s said he’s paralyzed, and his health issues seem to be not from a specific incident but instead a lifetime of wrestling. EDIT: Ringo Mendoza was on Informa last year, saying he had been paralyzed and regained some movement after a surgery.

This is more a thought experiment than anything to be concerned about. Nayarit is the quietest wrestling scene in Mexico; I only had one event (an AAA spot show) in the state in 2017. It probably would only affect local wrestlers, but even then they could go to Sinaloa or Jalisco to get a license if they were denied in Tepic. (Assuming anyone even checks licenses.) Something like this age restriction would be very tough to actually apply, but it’s an interesting idea. 35 seems too young for a cut off like that. 50 might be a better idea, even with some people over 50 who are very good. The damage might be done by that point, but the chance of a serious injury seems to go up greatly with age. (Fray Tormenta is wrestling tomorrow in San Luis Potosi, is 72, and that seems like a really bad idea no matter how little he actually does.)

Chario 12 (02/05 @ Arena Naucalpan) so far

  1. Manchitas, 19 y Medio and Gato de Ecatepec vs Tony Cirio, Luis Cirio y Many Cirio
  2. Leon Rojo, Angel o Demonio, Ovett vs Arez, Impulso Belial
  3. Ricky Marvin & Keyra vs Corsario Negro Jr. & Drako vs Psique & Skyman

Averno was on the latest Zona Ruda.

Lucha Sorpresa has recent lucha reviews.

MedioTiempo has a Lady Shani interviewAnd one more video interview with Lady Shani, who says she’d like to travel to Impact or Japan. She had an interview with ESTO too recently which didn’t seem to get posted online. Faby has seemed to do zero interviews.

Lanzelot says Australian Suicide is a tough opponent, but also has lost his mind. He notes Australian Suicide’s presidential campaign, which is a real thing.  He’s vowed to expel Lanzelot from the country if he wins (the presidency, probably not fthe title.)

Lineups

IWRG (SUN) 01/21/2018 Arena Naucalpan
1) Dragón Orus & Shadow Boy vs Leroy & Lunatic Xtreme
2) Odín vs Demonio Infernal
3) Diablo Jr. & Eterno vs Fly Warrior & Séptimo Rayo
4) Emperador Azteca vs Cerebro Negro
5) Black Dragón, Dinamic Black, Dragón Fly vs Liderk, Rayan, Spector
6) Chico Che, Hijo del Alebrije, Veneno vs Hijo del Pantera, Internacional Pantera, Rokambole Jr.
7) Bombero Infernal, Imposible, Villano V Jr. vs Dr. Cerebro, Trauma I, Trauma II

Cerbero & Emperador had words after the main event last week, so that singles match makes some sense. The Dynamic Dragons are back together facing the Comando Elite.

CMLL (SUN) 01/21/2018 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Owen vs Frenético
2) Johnny Dinamo & Principe Daniel vs Demonio Maya & Thunder Boy
3) El Divino & Tigre Blanco vs Destello & Exterminador
4) Omar Brunetti, Rielero, Vaquero Jr. vs Guerrero de la Muerte, León Blanco, Ráfaga
5) Joker, Metatrón, Neutrón vs Difunto, Magnum, Sádico [Relevos Increíbles]

Joker had issues with the other rudos last week. Difunto is the current Occidente middleweight champion.

CMLL (TUE) 01/23/2018 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) El Alteño & El Divino vs Mr. Trueno & Rey Trueno
2) Eléctrico, Mágico, Magnus vs Arkángel de la Muerte, Freezer, Metálico
3) Blue Panther Jr., Starman, The Panther vs Hijo del Signo, Misterioso Jr., Sagrado
4) Blue Panther, Carístico, Valiente vs Johnny Idol, Máscara Año 2000, Sam Adonis
5) Diamante Azul vs Terrible

Electrico starting in the main division a few days earlier than advertised.

CMLL (TUE) 01/23/2018 Arena México
1) Shockercito & Stukita vs Pequeño Olímpico & Pierrothito
2) La Jarochita, La Vaquerita, Sanely vs La Comandante, Metálica, Tiffany
3) Magia Blanca, Pegasso, Stigma vs Sangre Azteca, Tiger, Universo 2000 Jr.
4) Esfinge, Rey Cometa, Tritón vs Hechicero, Pólvora, Vangellys
5) Mephisto © vs Titán [CMLL WELTER]
9th defense
6) Guerrero Maya Jr., Marco Corleone, Stuka Jr. vs Mr. Niebla, Pierroth, Rey Bucanero

This is Guerrero Maya’s first Arena Mexico main event since 2015, when CMLL was still doing the trio with Atlantis & Delta. Remember Delta? I’d rather see Delta than that rudo side.

I really want to see Titan’s run of good fortune continuing with a championship win. Titan singles matches just seem more fun than Mephisto ones. It seems doubtful it’ll happen, CMLL’s pretty heavy on tecnico champions already and also heavy on not having title changes.

MEXA WRESTLING (SAT) 01/27/2018 Arena San Juan Pantitlan, Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, Estado de México
1) Leo, Mike, Rafy, Teelo vs Astrolux, Lunatik Fly, Pumita, Torito
2) Metaleón vs Centvrión
3) Keyra vs Lady Flammer
4) Freelance & Mike Segura vs Corsario Negro Jr. & Drako
5) Aramis vs Toxin vs Ricky Marvin
6) Trauma I & Trauma II vs Arez & Eterno

Full card for htis show looks pretty good. Metaleon and Centvrion seem headed to a mask match at some point.