The CMLL Friday shows continue to stroll on tonight. There’s no real direction, it seems as if they’re marking time until something happens, but there’s no certainty of what they’re waiting for. I am not a huge fan of the Universal tournament but it does seem like they could’ve gotten that in instead of doing nothing at all.
Penta is back, once again against Caristico. They’re on opposite sides as if a feud is going on, though that doesn’t really play out in matches. Ultimo Guerrero & Cavernario are on the rudo side, Volador Jr. & Diamante Azul on the tecnico.
The semi-main has Kraneo, Valiente, and Stuka against Terrible, Euforia and Rey Bucanero. That seems like a Volcano match, but we’re spared of it for one week. Mephisto and Angel de Oro meet in the lightning match, which should be fine. Triton & Esfinge attempt not to accidentally kill Titan this week, as they face Povlora, Luciferno, and Felino. The Panthers and Drone take on Virus, Okumura, and Kawato – the Panthers and the Japanese are seemingly facing every other show now. Star Jr. & Robin open against Raziel & Cancerbero.
CultIcon has a preview of the show. You can watch it on Marca and Facebook, and I’ll stream it on YouTube. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to stream next week – it’s looking like it’ll be a problem.
CMLL might not be only streaming show. IWRG has a Friday night show with the Wagners versus the Parks and Dragon Bane vs Freelance. It looks like something that’ll turn up on +LuchaTV either tonight or later on.
Gran Metalik put up a poll asking “CMLL or Indepedientes”, hinting at leaving WWE. If he signed a standard WWE 3 year deal when he came aboard, he’s probably still under WWE contract for most of a year. There’s no indication he’s being let go.
Caristico talked to Reporte Indigo about the gym he owns, saying his family never expected him to run a business because he wasn’t that much into studying at all.
CMLL looks back at March 2018.
Ring of Honor officially announced Bandido’s signing. He’ll debut on 01/12 on their TV tapings in Atlanta and probably be on pretty much all the shows going forward. They also put up the All In main event to promote it, which is obviously worth checking out if you haven’t so far.
AAA did indeed hold a press conference in Mazatlan to announce an upcoming TV taping last night. They talked about having more than 8,000 people for what would be their first ever TV taping in the city. The known AAA TV taping schedule now looks like
- 12/25 Cuautitlan
- 01/19 Mexico City
- 01/26 Ciudad Madero
- 02/08 Mazatlan
Only the Christmas Day show has a lineup so far. The press conference the other day indicated the 01/19 taping would be the first of the year. Maybe there’s another show around the 02/01 weekend?
AAA’s YouTube upload this week is the first part of a Best of 2018. That seems to means nothing new will be on YouTube until 01/12.
Former NWA Light Heavyweight, Mexican Light Heavyweight, and Mexican Heavyweight champion Raul Mata passed away yesterday.
MexaWrestling/Lucha Libre Boom/Lucha Memes War of Styles on 01/01 in Arena San Juan
- Flamita vs Rey Horuz
- Lady Flamer vs Keyra vs Quetzal vs Zeuxis vs Hija de Gatubela
- Homero Simpson will appear
- Caristico, Audaz, Dragon Bane vs Toxin, Aramis, Arkangel Divino – new
2018 Caristico doesn’t quite fit in the hyper-speed spot fest as the rest of the guys and Arkangel without Maldito is always a test, but there should be some highlights in that match.
A story about San Antonio lucha libre.
Lineups
CMLL (TUE) 12/25/2018 Arena Puebla
1) Hijo de Centella Roja, Meyer, Robin vs Black Tiger, Espíritu Maligno, Inquisidor
2) Drone, King Jaguar, Star Jr. vs Cancerbero, Perverso, Raziel
3) Avispa Dorada, Marcela, Princesa Sugehit vs Amapola, Dalys, Tiffany
4) Audaz, Kráneo, Volcano vs Hechicero, Rey Bucanero, Vangellys
5) Místico, Soberano Jr., Volador Jr. vs Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón
This is the first of the two non-streamed shows, which makes it a little surprising they’re sending that main event here. I keep thinking they’re one week away from Peverso/King Jaguar, but they could hold it over an extra week for a Three King’s Day show.
CMLL (TUE) 12/25/2018 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Barón Blanco Jr., Luminoso, Mr. Samurai vs Carlo Roggi, Gemelo Pantera I, Gemelo Pantera II
2) Halcón Suriano Jr., Príncipe Diamante, Star Black vs Espíritu Negro, Guerrero de la Muerte, Metálico
3) La Comandante, La Jarochita, Sanely vs La Seductora, La Vaquerita, Skadi [Relevos Increíbles]
4) Difunto © vs Stigma [OCCIDENTE MIDDLE]
2nd defense
5) Esfinge, Rey Cometa, Tritón vs Felino, La Bestia Del Ring, Pólvora
6) Diamante Azul, Hijo de LA Park, Stuka Jr. vs Cavernario, Shocker, Terrible
I’m surprised Hijo de LA Park is going to Guadalajara, he seems like a “3 shows on that Christmas” guy. The CMLL bus for Guadalajara appears to leave about noon-1pm for a normal 7:45 start, so these people are going to be rolling out of bed on Christmas morning and hurrying to Arena Mexico just to get on board.
Not sure what is going on in the tercera, but that’s a lot of women who haven’t been wrestling much or at all lately. The sides suggest one of those tecnicos is no longer going to be a tecnico (which makes some sense with Maligna & Mystique back soon.)
If I had more time, or if I had any idea when the Arena Mexico lineup was coming, I’d figure out who was left for Arena Mexico. Two women’s matches on these shows probably means none on that show, but there’s almost certainly a minis match.
Perhaps something like
- Rush, Dragon Lee and Caristico against the Guerreros
- Villanos & Templario versus Atlantis, Titan and Maya underneath.
- Panthers and Okumura and Kawato and two more
- whoever’s left in a lightning match
- the rudos feud
- minis opener