DTU (THU) 05/17/2018 Autolavado VM, Tulancingo, Hidalgo [+LuchaTV]
1) Corazón Latino, Dayami, Zarco b Extreme Flyer, Josh Sniper, Saider
2) Billy Gamer & Luigi Bros b Devitt Rodríguez & Hard Boy
3) Dallys la Caribeña b La Magnifica [Copa 40 Anniversary]
Scheduled for a one fall match. They went to a draw, then decided to go for another fall which was won by Dalys.
4) Tiburón b Hormiga, Hércules Negro, Black Fire, Kaleth
Kaleth’s first match since 2014. Scheduled as a trios with Pesadilla, coverted into a five way.
5) Crazy Boy, Negro Casas, Paranoiko b Camuflaje, Jimmy, Mr. Cóndor
This show is more notable for an announcement about it than anything that happened on it. Powerbomb.TV announced DTU would be coming to their subscription service, starting with this show. There’s no information yet on when it’ll be poster or if other older shows will be coming. DTU would become the only Mexican indie promotion making full shows available on a subscription site, with most instead relying on clips and occasional full matches on +Lucha’s YouTube channel. (LLF has a pay per download model.)
Powerbomb started off with a lot of lucha libre content from Black Terry Jr. & Carxyus, but had added little since launching beyond a single RIOT show. Adam Lash appeared to be the contact for the Mexican sources. Once he was removed from the company, it was unclear if there would be any more content coming (but then, again, it wasn’t as if there was a lot coming in beforehand.) There were DTU matches posted on Powerbomb around launch via Black Terry Jr. handhelds, but they were removed a few months in by request of DTU. They didn’t want their video to be part of the service at the time, so this is a reversal. Last year, some DTU shows started appearing on Smart Mark Video’s site (a partner of Powerbomb), though that footage appeared taped by Game Changer Wrestling as part of their wrestlers being on DTU tours. DTU themselves have occasionally been posting full matches on their Facebook site this year. DTU’s taken steps in the past to model itself like US indie promotions, but have also tended not to follow up and instead fallen back into simpler models.
Once again, CMLL and AAA are running big shows at overlapping times tonight. CMLL’s usual Friday night show includes the final of this year’s Gran Alternativa tournament. AAA tapes TV in Tehuacan with – well, who knows.
This is AAA’s first taping in four weeks, the longest break between those shows this year. The last show, April 20th in Tijuana, centered around the AAA debut of the MAD faction. Juventud Guerrera, Killer (Kevin) Kross and Teddy Hart were in-ring representatives. A video that was clearly of Konnan but not acknowledged as such also aired. There’s not been much advancement in the intervening month. A couple of lineups for Verano de Escandalo, one with surprises, and one with a bunch of names, implies a lot of other people joining MAD. No one’s officially been added to the group, and Teddy Hart might have been removed from the group since he doesn’t appear on any of these lineups. It’d be helpful to get more answers on tonight’s show, though it seems more likely the big reveals – like Konnan being acknowledged on screen – might wait until that June show.
Tonight’s AAA show is a question mark, because most of the matches have been unrevealed. The two openers are completely unannounced, and two more matches have one side listed as simply luchadores sorpresa. The main event has everyone listed, but it is also a mystery needing to be resolved. Texano’s listed as teaming with MAD’s Guerrera & Kross, which may mean he’s also in MAD, or may mean he’s just teaming with them to face rival Hijo del Fantasma. Pagano & Psycho Clown complete the tecnico side, and we’ll get to see if Psycho Clown’s comedy leanings fit in a promotion invasion storyline.
The other complete trios match is the fourth on the card, with the OGT taking on Poder del Norte. These two rudo teams will rematch on Verano de Escandalo in a hair versus hair match, which is battling two issues: AAA (Vampiro) went over the top in declaring the match between these teams at Rey de Reyes would be the final one, and it’s hard to believe Poder del Norte is going to win the apuesta match. Carta Brava, Tito Santana and Mocho Cota have won the titles since their rocket push began a year ago, but have lost every apuesta match they’ve been in (which just also devalues those title wins.) I don’t think they can fix the first issue, and I’m not sure what they could still do fix the second, but that’s what they’ll probably be working at tonight. The matches between the two teams have at least been pretty good.
As for the others matches, Hijo del Vikingo, La Mascara and Maximo faced a team TBD. Champion Dr. Wagner Jr. faces Rey Escorpion in a match that doesn’t fit with either of the two’s current stories but might be the best chance for a good Wagner match in a while. It’ll be interesting to see how/if Wagner fits into the MAD storyline after kind of blowing it off at the last taping. Aerostar & Drago face two mystery people, who are hopefully two good bases, and the two openers are completely unknown. It’s a little surprising AAA’s announced the full Verano de Escandalo card and offered no updated on this one. Tickets must be moving relatively well.
This show will begin around 9pm CT on AAA’s Twitch channel, and it’ll be available for VOD after it concludes for AAA’s subscribers. Lucha Central also has a show on the preview.
CMLL completes it’s three week Gran Alternativa tournament with a pretty good final. Block A winners Flyer & Volador Jr. take on Block B winners Templario & Ultimo Guerrero in tonight’s main event. Templario’s been featured as a rising star through this year and feels like the favorite. I don’t think Flyer can be totally dismissed, because this comes off as situation where Templario’s going to end up advanced on the card eventually regardless of the outcome. Both the outcome and the performance means more to Flyer. His Torneo Nuevo Valores final peformance was shaky, he really needs a big night to separate himself from the first/second match pool of wrestlers, and it might be a long time before he gets another final like this. Volador & Ultimo Guerrero are reliable, probably a bit too reliable in what they’re going to do, and Templario’s been both solid and spectacular. It’s Flyer who’s going to determine if this is just a good Friday night main event or something close to last year’s MOTYC level final.
MedioTiempo has an interview with Ultimo Guerrrero & Templario, who are confident about their chances.
There’s not much going on the rest of the card. The Kraneo/Ingobernables matches continue in the semimain, with Atlantis & Diamante Azul tagging along. The NGD face Angel de Oro, Mistico and Soberano, which would be the best match on the show most nights. Fuego and Guerrero Maya Jr. meet in the lightning match; their only previous singles match in January ended when Fuego unmasked Maya (and it didn’t go anywhere.) The Panther kids & Dragon take on Puma, Tiger and Okumura in the second match. The only match airing before AAA might be the worst one of the night, Astral & Electrico taking Espanto Jr. & Hijo del Signo.
The show starts at 8:30pm, airing on Marca & Facebook, then will be up on YouTube later. Lucha Central also previews this show. The CMLL show looks the better of two on paper, if only because we don’t really know what the AAA card is. It’ll be a surprise if any match is better than the CMLL main even too.
CMLL looks back at the 2016 and 2017 Gran Alternativa. CMLL skipped Rey Escorpion winning the tournament, but does mention him going to the final in 2016 with Fujin (YOH).
El Sol de Monterrey has a big article about the MDA/Memes show in the arena tonight. Laura Rodriguez is mentioned as the MDA promoter, and talks about this show focusing on introducing more younger luchadors to their fans. The article cites Virus (49) as one of the young wrestlers. He is younger than his opponent Charles Lucero. They do actually have young ones, that’s just a funny pick.
The Club Production show tonight in Veracruz – Cibernetico, Mr. Electro, Sharlie Rockster vs Hijo de Dos Caras, Mascara 2000 Jr., and Pirata Morgan – has been canceled. The promoter straightforwardly says not many tickets were sold, though a lot of people said they wanted a big lucha show in the area.
Ayako Hamada’s remains under arrest for stimulant drug use & possession in Japan. The initial report on her arrest had a lawyer stating this was a first time Hamada had used this drug. An updated report on the investigation has Hamada now saying she first started using it when wrestling in Mexico City.
El Hijo del Santo writes about Masdek, who he unmasked in 1989 and is living in Australia now.