Month: December 2018

I had another post earlier. I may follow up with another post tomorrow, answer some questions. The only update is I thought ROH was not going to say anything about Bandido until he made his onscreen debut, and now it sounds like they may announce it over the next few days. (That change wouldn’t be in response to anything I said.)

CMLL (SAT) 12/15/2018 Arena Coliseo [CMLL]
1) Acero & Aéreo b Mercurio & Pequeño Violencia
tecnicos took 1/3.
2) Halcón Suriano Jr., Oro Jr., Príncipe Diamante b Apocalipsis, Inquisidor, Metálico
Apocalipsis replaced Principe Odin Jr. Tecnicos took 2/3 – Halcon Suriano remains undefeated (2-0)
3) Dalys, La Seductora, Metálica b La Vaquerita, Marcela, Princesa Sugehit
Rudas took 2/3. Metalica used the ropes to pin Sugehit.
4) Templario b Flyer [lightning]
Templario beat Flyer by the same Destoryer Flyer seems to lose to every singles match.
5) Kráneo, Stuka Jr., Volcano b Felino, Máscara Año 2000, Vangellys
tecnicos took 2/3.
6) Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Titán b Ephesto, Luciferno, Mephisto
tecnicos took 1/3.

Metalica/Sugehit would be a mildly interesting title match so it’s good they’re running it on the show I won’t be able to watch.

LLB , Memes , Noba (SAT) 12/15/2018 Arena Naucalpan [+LuchaTV]
1) Black Kraken & Demasiado ?? Divino & Hijo De Brazo De Platino
not listed in +Lucha’s results
2) Baxter & Kid Silver b Chris Stone Jr. & Iron Kid and Freelance & Máscara Mágica Jr.
Chris Stone Jr. replaced Alas de Acero
3) Eterno b Audaz (CMLL)
4) Demus & Fantasma de la Ópera b Gato De Ecatepec & Manchitas
5) Ricky Marvin b Loco Max
6) Mr. Niebla b Zumbido
7) Chico Che b Impulso, Fly Star, Dragón Bane, Canis Lupus, Optimus (Guerrero), Eragón, Black Dragón, Demonio Infernal [cage, mask, hair]
Chico Che lost his hair to Impulso. During the match, Centvrion & Metaleon (wearing Mexa Wrestling shirts) helped Fly Star out, as part of the build to a Mexa Wrestling vs Memes/Boom show.

Didn’t hear much about the matches. Hope Eterno/Aduaz turns up. The crowd was not strong for a Naucalpan Memes show, but this wasn’t a particularly strong lineup. Again, they’re running a lot – keep scrolling for the next one.

CMLL (SUN) 12/16/2018 Arena México [CMLL]
1) Cholo & Espíritu Negro b Retro & Sangre Imperial
rudos took 1/3.
2) Hijo del Signo, Nitro, Sangre Azteca b Arkalis, Drone, Súper Astro Jr.
Arkalis replaced Starman, who appears to be in the Raziel zone of being listed despite actually being out injured. Rudos took 2/3.
3) Black Panther b Disturbio [lightning]
4) Audaz, Guerrero Maya Jr., Rey Cometa b Sagrado, Tiger, Universo 2000 Jr.
tecnicos took 2/3.
5) Blue Panther, Flyer, Valiente DQ Dragón Rojo Jr., Hechicero, Mephisto
straight falls. Mephisto unmasked Valiente in the second.
6) Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón b Ángel de Oro, Atlantis, Niebla Roja
NGD took 1/3

Black Panther did the usual post lightning match win. He wants an apuesta match with Disturbio. He’s probably not getting it.

Shocker, in Pachuca for a show, says he’s planning on having another surgery (not said, presumably for his jaw) in 2019. He will out four months and hopes to come back having lost some weight.

Lost in Lucha has a list of their top 5 favorite matches from every week of CMLL this year.

An interview with Cuautla’s Speon.

LuchaWorld has the latest Lucha Report.

Lineups

LLB , Lucha Memes , PALL (TUE) 12/25/2018 Arena Naucalpan
1) Arquero, Black Puma, Black Shadow II, Cheff Benito, Fuerrero 2000, Mexica, Shadow Boy, Toto vs Akira San, Divino, Gato De Ecatepec, Hijo De Brazo De Platino, Manchas, Ninja de Fuego, Psique, Puercules
2) Carta Brava Jr. (IWL), Fantasma de la Ópera, Ovett vs Demasiado, Jessy Ventura, Zoy Raymunda
3) Black Dragón, Demonio Infernal, Lunatik Extreme vs Freelance, Máscara Magica Jr., Mike Segura and Alas de Acero, Aramis, Iron Kid and Alan Extreme, Centurion, Metaleón
4) Capo del Norte & Capo del Sur vs Black Panther (CMLL) & Blue Panther Jr.
5) Eterno Or Imposible © vs Stuka Jr. [IWRG IC MIDDLE]
6) Multifacetico (Puebla) & Prayer vs Guerrero Maya Jr. & Multifacetico 2.0
7) Gallito Tapatío & Microman vs Chamuel & Guapito

Some of us want to take it easy during December but Mexican wrestling ain’t having it. When you want to draw, you got to bring in the micros. Semimian has the former Mini Multifacetico teaming with his usual Puebla partner Prayer against the current Multifacetico and the previous Multifacetico. Eterno & Imposible have their title match on 12/21 – I had the match but didn’t mark it up as a title one. Fourth match plays off the Dinamitas/Panthers interactions in CMLL. Third is IWRG vs Boom vs Memes vs MexaWrestling.

IWRG (SUN) 12/16/2018 Arena Naucalpan [+LuchaTV]
1) Lady Cat & Lili Dark b Dulce Luna & Princesa Saira
2) Ángel Estrella Jr., Atomic Star, Puma de Oro b Canibal, Dinámico, Matrix
Atomic Star replaced Voltar.
3) Chicanito, Fireman, Mexica b Black Puma, Guerrero 2000, Power Bull
4) Dinamic Black b Mosca
5) Chris Stone Jr., Iron Kid, Manchitas b Death Metal, Güero Palma, Taurino
Lucha Memes vs Gimnasio Zeuz
6) Fly Man, Neza Kid, Quetzal b Divino, Juan Diego, Ninja de Fuego
Lucha Libre Boom vs Zaetas del Ring. Juan Diego replaced Hijo Del Brazo De Platino
7) Lunatic Xtreme b Zumbi
IWRG vs Lucha Memes. Zumbi replaced Alas de Acero.
8) Black Dragón, Dragón Bane, Toto b Black Lancer, Máquina Infernal, Shaolin
Gym FILL vs Gym Villanos

Only angle that sticks out was Lunatic Xtreme beating upset Alas de Acero was not there.

Tonight is the final Arena Puebla streaming show of the season. The next two weeks will have the shows bumped to Tuesday because of the holidays. CMLL’s streaming team will be broadcasting the Arena Mexico shows next week, so there Puebla shows will not be recorded again until January 7th. (The local Puebla Azteca affiliate was doing their own recording of shows for a couple weeks, not sure if they’re still doing it.)

Many of the CMLL shows this month have felt pointless. This Arena Puebla will fit in that box, though for slightly different reasons. They do appear to be doing something, setting up a Caristico/Cavernario main event for one of the next shows, but it is a match we’ll probably never see. Tonight, they team with Hechicero, Rey Bucanero, Angel de Oro and Niebla Roja.

The Guerreros face Diamante Azul, Stuka, and Valiente. Stigma is in his usual tercera spot, teaming with the Panthers against Kawato, Okumura and Vangellys. The early matches include King Jaguar back to being a tecnico, Black Tiger as a rudo and Sonic wrestling in the opener for the third straight weeks, all for unclear reasons. The show will stream on CMLL’s channel at 9 pm.

Tickets are on sale for the 01/19 AAA TV Mexico City show. Tickets are running 185 to 770, which might be a little bit more than the Gimnasio Juan de la Barrera shows. The setup looks like in the 3000-4000 range.

It appears the 01/26 AAA TV show in Ciudad Madero has been announced locally. AAA hasn’t announced it on their own yet.

“Casandro el Exotico” was nominated for best documentary of the year at the Lumieres Awards.

El Manana has a bio of retired Reynosa lucahdor Alacran Negro.

some other left over takes about the Bandido/ROH deal

• Flamita is going to be OK. I don’t know Ring of Honor’s thinking about him, but I do not know if Flamita would even be all that interest in Ring of Honor. He’s a guy who signed one deal in his career – with AAA/LU – and it turned miserable pretty quick. I’m guessing he’s not eager to commit to anyone beside Dragon Gate again. DG is always going to be his #1 – if all he had were Dragon Gate trips and working in Neza, I think he’d be fine with that.

  Still – and I wrote this last night too – Mexablood is still going to be around. Flamita & Bandido still plan to team. It won’t be the tour of the US indies they’ve done the last six months, but they’ll be around. Bandido doesn’t get to a ROH deal in 2019 without Flamita and I think Bandido is aware of it; he’s not going to leave him hanging. And while I don’t think Flamita and ROH are doing a contract, there’s nothing preventing from working together on a ROH show here or there if that’s worked for everyone. ROH brought in The Sandman and Hurricane Helms for a few dates in 2018, they can probably bring in Flamita too if it makes sense.

  (another way I’m thinking about it: I would not be the first high profile tag team to come in to Ring of Honor after the Young Bucks have left. That is an unwinnable situation. No one would expect Bandido to replace Cody or Hangman Page but the tag team is a different deal. I know not everyone on Twitter is a fan of the Bucks but most of the people going to ROH shows were very much so, and following them is going to be tough.)

• if you are a person who is wondering who Bandido can wrestle in ROH, I think you owe it to yourself to watch this year’s Battle of Los Angeles. It is a really good time and there’s an obvious name in the end. And there’s also Bandido working with a variety of people beforehand. He is very good and they’re going to make it work.
• I do not think Bandido rejecting WWE is going to be anything more than an outlier at the moment. You only have to read/watch the Dragon Bane interviews to understand how quickly almost all Mexican wrestlers would sign whatever deal WWE is offered by them. It still is an interesting test case. Raul Mendoza & Humberto Carrillo went to WWE essentially straight from Mexico, and are stuck in a long-term holding pattern (despite positive reviews on live events.) People who come to WWE from promotions like Ring of Honor often (though not always) jump to the front of the line. Maybe Bandido doesn’t go to WWE ever, but it’d be interesting to see if he’s treated differently because of his path if he does.
• this is not my department but: Do not start penciling Bandido into NJPW’s Best of Super Juniors. I would love to see it but the three-way politics between NJPW, CMLL, and ROH over Bandido are going to be really weird and I can’t predict how it’s going to work out. Likewise, I wouldn’t count on seeing Bandido showing up in Arena Mexico either. Maybe everyone will be chill and it’ll work out the best for everyone involved, but this is uncharted waters and wrestling promotions.
• this is also not my department but: things are pretty solid for PWG if ROH continues to let their wrestlers work there, and things are pretty great for PWG if anyone signed with Elite can also work PWG. Since the Young Bucks were the ones who made the ROH/PWG deal, maybe they’d carry it over to a new company? Or maybe everyone decides no more sharing with PWG and then I have no idea what becomes of PWG in 2019. I’m hoping for peace.
• I could write a(nother) “top 10 indie luchadors who could be the next Bandido for an indie promotion (but won’t be brought in until PWG uses them first)” article, but I think I’d also have to write a “top 10 indie luchadors who might get booked in the US if only they had visas.” It is not like that part is simple – I happened to get an explanation this weekend of what it the process is like for a Mexican to get approved to travel to the US simply for fun, and it was roughly 100x more work than it was for me to go to Walgreens and get some passport photos taken – but it is a significant obstacle. And maybe one that doesn’t seem like it is always worth the hassle when you can just find a booking or two every weekend around Mexico City.
• But of course, I have a list. You already have my list if you’re paying attention to the same matches. I’m just too scared to write names and forget someone.
• things which seem to get Mexican luchadors booked in the English speaking US indies in 2018:
  • having a great match/matches for a Japanese promotion
  • getting written up in the WON for drawing people in Mexico in a major way
  • getting an endorsement from Konnan
  • having someone who already works English speaking indies specifically want to work with you
  • somehow making it into PWG, and getting over there
  • appearing on Lucha Underground when people were still paying attention to Lucha Underground
• things which seem to not matter at all as far as Mexican luchadors being booked in the English speaking US indies in 2018:
  • having really good matches in AAA. Or CMLL. Or The Crash or your favorite indie. Even if it’s sitting on YouTube in free pristine quality.
• Making it to US English speaking indies is not the end all be all. It is not validation, it is not necessary to have achieved to have a great career. It is simply an opportunity. It also does not thrill me to acknowledge the reality, but that’s still where things are right now.

Lineups

CMLL (SAT) 12/22/2018 Arena Coliseo
1) Acero & Aéreo vs Pequeño Nitro & Pequeño Violencia
2) Oro Jr., Príncipe Diamante, Retro vs Metálico, Nitro, Sangre Azteca
3) La Vaquerita, Marcela, Princesa Sugehit vs Dalys, La Seductora, Metálica
4) El Audaz vs Tiger [lightning]
5) Soberano Jr., Stuka Jr., Titán vs Pólvora, Templario, Vangellys
6) Atlantis, Carístico, Diamante Azul vs Máscara Año 2000, Shocker, Terrible

Marcela/Metalica still on pace to happen. Audaz/Tiger might be good, probably will involve a Destroyer.

Bandido had a 2018 like few others. He came in a well regarded Mexican prospect virtually unknown elsewhere. Bandido’s 2018 saw him incredibly included in the headline match on the biggest non-WWE US show of the year and in the final of the biggest indie tournament of the year. Bandido will also have a 2019 like no other: he’s the first Mexican wrestler to sign a full-time contract with Ring of Honor.

My understanding is the deal between Bandido & ROH is done. It has not yet been officially announced by Ring of Honor, probably intending it as a surprise similar to how Brody King and PCO were not officially announced prior to appearing on their TV taping Saturday night. (Sorry.) Bandido is expected to start in ROH in early 2019; I’ve been told a couple different dates and I’m not sure which will be his first.

Bandido’s favorite hashtag slogan is #elmasbuscado – The Most Wanted. That was very accurate for him situation the last few months. I’ve heard Bandido received offers from multiple companies, including WWE. Bandido was part of a tryout at the WWE Performance Center a few months ago – one that was never made public – but ultimately decided to pass on going to WWE at this point. Everyone who wrestled on All In appears to be receiving a lot of interest and Ring of Honor looks like they want to continue to be an important destination after the departure of the Elite.

Bandido will be fulfilling most of his already scheduled dates. (When asked, WrestleCon specifically told me he’s still on their WrestleMania show. He’ll surely work the ROH MSG show too.) Bandido will finish up with Dragon Gate at the end of this current tour. Assuming ROH continues to allow their wrestlers to work PWG, I expect Bandido to still be at the Globe. It is theoretically possible Bandido will be used in NJPW, but I haven’t heard anything specific about that happening.

Ring of Honor exclusive deals do not cover Mexico, so he’d be free to continue teaming with Flamita in the Crash and elsewhere. I expect that team to continue. I have no idea where this will leave Bandido with AAA, but my guess he’s not going to be free enough for AAA to do anything with him so they’ll just skip the potential political hassle and move on.

I’m really curious about how CMLL will feel about ROH signing a Mexican wrestler. Bandido did technically start under that name in CMLL and has some ties to that promotion, but this is a deal completely independent of ROH’s deal with CMLL. CMLL wrestlers have appeared in ROH sparingly and someone who left the promotion (and worked for AAA!) getting a full-time spot is going to provoke some feelings.

Again, I expect Flamita & Bandido will keep teaming in Mexico. They won’t be doing in Dragon Gate. If Dragon Gate leaves that spot open for another Mexican wrestler, it becomes the most valuable spot for a wrestler. Bandido being Flamita’s partner got him in that great match with Dezmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz; he never gets to PWG without that match. If Bandido’s never in PWG, and never doing really well in PWG, then Bandido is probably never in the main event of All In, and maybe Ring of Honor doesn’t even know about him. It probably won’t go as well for the next guy – Draztick Boy was really good in Dragon Gate before Bandido and never had a similar moment. Still, there are few paths to make it as an international star out of Mexico. Bandido found one that didn’t seem to exist.

CMLL (FRI) 12/14/2018 Arena México [CMLL, LuchaCentral, Marca, Publimetro, thecubsfan]
1) Halcón Suriano Jr. & Robin b Espanto Jr. & Grako 
12:04. Tecnicos took 1/3.
2) Cancerbero, Disturbio, Raziel b Astral, Eléctrico, Fuego 
16:14. Rudos took 1/3.
3) Esfinge, Titán, Tritón b Misterioso Jr., Templario, Vangellys 
14:02. Tecnicos took 1/3, though Titan was hurt when Triton hit the ropes as he was springboarding for a moonsault. Titan seemed shaken up but not seriously hurt.
4) Forastero b Soberano Jr. [lightning] 
9:24. Forastero won with a spinning reverse slam
5) Ángel de Oro, Diamante Azul, Niebla Roja DQ Rey Bucanero, Shocker, Terrible 
10:06. Tecnicos took straight falls, the last when Bucanero tried to fake a foul from Niebla Roja and was caught. Diamante Azul replaced Flyer earlier in the week.
6) Carístico, Valiente, Volador Jr. b Cuatrero, Sansón, Último Guerrero 
10:02. Tecnicos took 1/3.

Post Match promos were Halcon Suriano Jr. (happy to debut with a win), Esfinge & Triton (apologizing for wiping out Titan before challenging for matches they’re not going to get), and Forastero (talking about beating Soberano again).

Like every other show this week, this was totally skippable. Not great matches, not great effort. Halcon Suriano seemed excited to be there and not a lot others did.

MLW’s announced they’ll be running the LA Park vs Rush match as part of WrestleMania weekend on 04/04. That’s the Thursday show, which runs against DDT, Interspecies Wrestling, Impact, and the WrestleCon Supershow. I already have a ticket to the WrestleCon and I’m going to see MLW already when they come back thru Chicago in February, so I think I’m skipping it. But I may change my mind or have regrets later. WrestleMania weekend will be nothing but regrets. I strongly doubt MLW will be able to put together the mask versus hair LA Park/Rush match but they’re smartly trying to take advantage of the interest and promote something unique on an over-crowded weekend.

Arena Naucalpan has a Lucha Memes/Lucha Libre Boom/NOBA show with a cage match tonight and a trainee show on Sunday. There’s an AAA show in Tijuana that was scheduled for the Auditorio and ended up in Arena Big Punch. That’ll get some attention because they’re going to do something with the La Parkita kid from the viral clip. CMLL has a couple of ordinary shows on Saturday and Sunday. FILL runs Arena San Juan. Matinez promotion runs on Saturday.

Puma King finished up 2-4 in DDT’s D-Oh Gran Prix. DDT and NJPW are so alike. It sounds like his matches have been positively reviewed even if the results weren’t there.

Lineups

CMLL (FRI) 12/21/2018 Arena México
1) Robin & Star Jr. vs Cancerbero & Raziel
2) Black Panther, Blue Panther Jr., Drone vs Kawato San, Okumura, Virus
3) Esfinge, Titán, Tritón vs Felino, Luciferno, Pólvora
4) Ángel de Oro vs Mephisto [lightning]
5) Kráneo, Stuka Jr., Valiente vs Euforia, Rey Bucanero, Terrible
6) Cavernario, Penta 0M, Último Guerrero vs Carístico, Diamante Azul, Volador Jr.

Still nothing much happening here. Penta returns to sort of feud with Caristico.

The Crash (SAT) 01/19/2019 Auditorio de Tijuana, Tijuana, Baja California
1) Rayo Star vs Fantástico, Rencor, Terror Azteca, Taliban
2) Deluxe, Mr. Iguana, Savage vs Star Boy, Viento, Zarco
3) Flip Gordon vs Xperia, Oráculo, Jake Atlas
4) El Bandido, Flamita, Swoggle vs Jeff Cobb, Sam Adonis, Willie Mack
5) Penta Zero M & The King vs Trauma I & Trauma II
6) Extreme Tiger, Rey Horus, Último Dragón vs Bestia 666, Garza Jr., Mecha Wolf 450

The Crash’s next card is very The Crash. Rebelion Amarilla is in the main event, Traumas vs Lucha Brothers is the indie dream match, Swoggle is in an inexplicable match. Sam Adonis posted a promo for it.

Lucha Time (SUN) 01/20/2019 Gimnasio Nuevo León Independiente, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon
1) Chocolata & Erika Sotelo vs Punk Clown & Zambo Clown
2) Baby Xtreme vs Apóstol
3) Azrael, Muerte Extrema, Sick Boy vs Hell Raider, Kaientai, Lord Byron
4) Lady Flammer vs Sexy Star, Reina Dorada, Baby Love
5) Rey Horuz vs The Tiger, Emperador Azteca (IWRG), Hijo Del Espectro
6) Alberto el Patrón, Hijo De Dos Caras, Último Dragón vs Damián 666, Psicosis I, René Guajardo III

Alberto has stopped wrestling this year but turns up next year in Monterrey.