LA Park wins a draw with Rush, Phoenix/Cavernario, Jack Evans returns to AAA

Rush slowly taking off the frame before selling is just a touch cartoonish.

CMLL (FRI) 06/22/2018 Arena México [ESTOLucha CentralMarcaOvacionesRecordthecubsfan]
1) Robin & Súper Astro Jr. b Akuma & Yago LUCHA LIBRE VIERNES ESPECTACULAR DE ARENA MEXICO 22 DE JUNIO DE 2018 FUNCION COMPLETA (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
~13:00. Tecnicos took 2/3. The stream went out during this match.
2) Estrellita, La Jarochita, Marcela b Amapola, Dalys, Reyna Isis LUCHA LIBRE VIERNES ESPECTACULAR DE ARENA MEXICO 22 DE JUNIO DE 2018 FUNCION COMPLETA (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
12:27. Tecnicos took 1/3.
3) Dragón Rojo Jr., Hechicero, Pólvora b Black Panther, Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr. LUCHA LIBRE VIERNES ESPECTACULAR DE ARENA MEXICO 22 DE JUNIO DE 2018 FUNCION COMPLETA (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
19:55. Rudos took 2/3.
4) Atlantis, Carístico, Stuka Jr. b Euforia, La Bestia Del Ring, Último Guerrero LUCHA LIBRE VIERNES ESPECTACULAR DE ARENA MEXICO 22 DE JUNIO DE 2018 FUNCION COMPLETA (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
9:33. Tecnicos took 2/3.
5) El Hijo de L.A. Park, King Phoenix, Volador Jr. b Cavernario, Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas LUCHA LIBRE VIERNES ESPECTACULAR DE ARENA MEXICO 22 DE JUNIO DE 2018 FUNCION COMPLETA (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
17:10. Tecnicos took 2/3, the last when Cavernario unmasked Rey Fenix. Fenix challenged him to a singles match next week.
6) L.A. Park DCOR Rush LUCHA LIBRE VIERNES ESPECTACULAR DE ARENA MEXICO 22 DE JUNIO DE 2018 FUNCION COMPLETA (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
20:14. Rush was DQed in the first after Bestia interfered and Rush hit the referee. Park was DQed in the second after hitting the referee when he was trying to stop him from punching an unconscious Rush. The referee and the officials tried to stop the match at this point but LA Park wouldn’t let them, and punched Rambo out when he got to close. Referee Edgar quickly counted both men out when the third fall ended. Rush was dragged to the back while LA Park screamed for the mask versus hair match.

Park/Rush exceeded the high expectations. The result was a draw, but Park was the man walking out of the building and Rush was the man who knocked out. The Panther match and the semimain are also worth watching.

CMLL post match promos: Robin & Super Astro Jr. (would like to be teamed up as Los Nuevos Arqueros del Espacio), Black Panther (explains the name change), King Phoenix (explains the name change). Fenix is using “King Phoenix” until “Rey Fenix” is legally his, in a situation not unlike Kraneo/Alebrije. No media interviews have been posted as of yet.

LA Park punching Rambo could be a set up for Park being “suspended” from CMLL for a while. I keep expecting that sort of explanation to happen, but it didn’t seem played up by commentary and they may just not explain it. LA Park will be on an AAA/EMW in Tijuana on July 27. I’m guessing we won’t see him in CMLL again until August regardless of the reasoning.

Blue Panther mentioned his third son will be debuting as Hijo de Blue Panther very soon. The family has brought up this son as training and joining the family team before but there’s never been a firm date of when we might see him.

The Marca website feed was unblocked. The Facebook feed was Mexico only and had at least 3.3K viewers by the main event. My YouTube stream just over 11K.

Penta & Fenix will appear on the Pro Wrestling Revolucion show tonight in Gridley, California. I believe that’s streaming on their Twitch channel late tonight.

Draztick Boy told Criterio Hidalgo that he and AAA had been in talked for months and had recently come to an agreement for him to work their full time. Draztick says he signed a three-year contract. In AAA, that’s probably good for at least four different changes of direction. His performance in that Arena Aficion show made a difference.

El Egipcio passed away suddenly Friday. He was a former Mexican heavyweight champion and lost his mask in a match with Rayo de Jalisco Jr. in Arena Mexico in 1983. Egipcio was a local star in Arena Puebla despite originally being from Oaxaca, and was honored this past year in Arena Puebla as part of their Homenaje a Dos Leyendas show. He seemed to be in fine health on that show.

Shane Strickland/Killshot has an interview on ESPN to promote this upcoming weekend’s EVOLVE shows, but talks a lot about Lucha Underground. After Hell of War, Strickland says Dorian Roldan told he and Fox they had made wrestling history, and no one would ever do a match like that again on television.

Fightful has a report from the AroLucha show.

Lineups

CMLL (FRI) 06/29/2018 Arena México
1) Magnus & Príncipe Diamante vs Espanto Jr. & Hijo del Signo
2) Pegasso, Star Jr., Stigma vs Disturbio, Kawato San, Okumura
3) Guerrero Maya Jr., Rey Cometa, Stuka Jr. vs Ephesto, Mephisto, Templario
4) Ángel de Oro, Atlantis, Niebla Roja vs Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón
5) King Phoenix vs Cavernario
6) Charly Rockstar, Cibernético, Zorro vs Carístico, Valiente, Volador Jr.

The idea of the main event was Klan Kaoz versus Caristico and two of his friends. Valiente is a nice man who gets along with everyone. Volador is definitely not Caristico’s friend. Zorro’s most recent Arena Mexico match, as far as I can tell, was October 1, 1999. He teamed with Ringo Mendoza and Pantera (II) against Violencia, Karloff Lagarde and Arkangel de la Muerte.

Fenix specifically demanded a no time limit match. He’s getting that, a full three falls and not a lightning match.

Fourth has Atlantis as the third wheel in a trios we’ve seen a lot. Templario is a nice addition to the third. Kawato makes an increasingly rare Tuesday appearance.

AAA TV (SUN) 07/29/2018 Centro Civico Nueva Aragon, Ecatepec, Estado de México
1) Astroluxe, Lady Maravilla, Vanilla vs Keyra, Látigo, Starfire
2) Carta Brava, Mocho Cota Jr., Tito Santana vs Aramis, El Bandido, Flamita
AAA vs ELITE
3) Lady Shani, Mamba, Pimpinela Escarlata vs Australian Suicide, Faby Apache, Parka Negra
4) La Máscara, Máximo, Sammy Guevara vs ?, Jack Evans, Teddy Hart
5) Averno, Chessman, Súper Fly vs Hijo del Fantasma, Juventud Guerrera, Taurus
6) Dr. Wagner Jr., Pagano, Psycho Clown vs Killer Kross, Rey Escorpión, Texano Jr.

This is three tapings down the line for AAA. We know the 07/13 Queretaro lineup. We have not seen a real lineup for Gimnasio Juan de la Barrera on 7/21, which will be an AAA vs ELITE show and may be the first taping for an ELITE TV show. It’s a 6pm local start which means stream will start around 6:30pm.

Wagner said he would still work some dates for AAA when also saying he was quitting AAA following Verano de Escandalo. This appears to be one of those dates. It’s tough to be certain of any directions beyond the announced matches at this point, but the main event teams up the tag team champions.

With the influx of MDA and ELITE rudos, OGT may have been flipped to psuedo-tecnicos, defenders of the AAA flag for the moment. Fantamsa, Texano, and Escorpion might as well partner with one of those factions instead of being entirely separate rudos.

Guevera was definitely a rudo in Monterrey, and is in the Aerostar role of making an Alvarado match good. More interesting is the other side. Teddy Hart returns four months after his last appearance (if he’s not on CDMX) and Jack Evans returns to AAA after an 18 month hiatus. AAA fired Jack after an interview in Europe where he was critical of the promotion and some of the wrestlers, La Parka in particular. This seems to be the season to let go of old AAA grievances. It also makes him an obvious fit for MAD.

Tercera continues the Shani/Faby build. Suicide is not getting a lot to do, though that’s better than Ashley is doing.

Flamita & Bandido may not actually be on this show. They started their latest tour with Dragon Gate earlier today. They’re due back in Mexico near the end of July, but maybe not in time to make this date. It’d be a good match if they’re there. It’s billed as an AAA versus ELITE so it’ll probably be two other people we’ll see in Mexico City.

Vanilla is likely is Vanilla Vargas from Puerto Rico, who’s popped up in a variety of Konnan projects. Alternate spelling for Astroluxe but same old Latigo as an opponent. Tiny Starfire as a ruda seems an odd fit.