Titan Rey del Aire, Fantastica Mania lineups, La Parka Jr. (Jr.?)

CMLL

CMLL (SAT) 01/05/2019 Arena Coliseo [CMLL]
1) Apocalipsis & Inquisidor b Bengala & Leono
2) Estrellita, La Maligna, Sanely b Amapola, La Comandante, La Seductora
tecnicas took 1/3
3) Black Panther, Blue Panther Jr., Drone b Nitro, Tiger, Universo 2000 Jr.
Tecnicos took 1/3.
4) Flyer b Okumura [lightning]
Okumura replaced Polvora.
5) Ephesto, Felino, Hechicero b Ángel de Oro, Guerrero Maya Jr., Soberano Jr.
Rudos took 1/3
6) Atlantis, Carístico, Valiente b Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero
tecnicos took 2/3.

Flyer talked about his win. Polvora seemed to be at the building – a fan posted a photo with him – so no idea why he didn’t end up wrestling.

CMLL (SUN) 01/06/2019 Arena México [CMLL]
1) Fantasy & Último Dragóncito b Pequeño Olímpico & Pequeño Violencia
Pequeno Olimpico replaced Pequeno Universo 2000. Tecnicos took 2/3.
2) Espanto Jr. & Espíritu Negro b Magnus & Oro Jr.
Tecnicos took 2/3.
3) Hechicero, Rey Bucanero, Shocker b Blue Panther Jr., Guerrero Maya Jr., Stuka Jr.
Rudos took 2/3, Hechicero beating Stuka and asking for a title (re)match. Stuka accepted.
4) Titán b FlyerTritónEsfingeRey CometaDroneBlack PantherAudazTemplarioVirusSagradoPólvoraKawato SanVangellysTigerUniverso 2000 Jr. [Reyes del Aire]
No battle royal, rudos versus tecnicos. Elimination order: Universo 2000 (Black Panther), Drone (Virus), Sagrado (Triton), Black Panther (Tiger), Virus (flyer), Esfinge (Polvora), Tiger (Rey Cometa), Polvora (Audaz), Rey Cometa (Vangellys), Audaz (Kawato), Vangellys (Titan), Triton & Kawato double elimination, Flyer (Templario), Templario (Titan) leaving Titan as the winner.
5) Carístico, Dragón Lee, Volador Jr. DQ Cuatrero, Sansón, Último Guerrero
straight falls, UG once again fouling Caristico.

Espiritu Negro & Espanto want to form a faction with Akuma. That seems random, even if Akuma & Espanto already have matching gear. Stuka & Hechicero talk about their title match, and Titan celebrates his first Reyes del Aire.

This show might air on NJPW World eventually, though it’s unlikely we’ll get both the Rey del Aire and the Hechicero/Stuka match. CMLL is definitely booking the Sunday shows stronger than the Tuesday ones over the last six or so months for whatever reason.

I’m on Strong Style Story talking about FantasticaMania and the other NJPW stuff this week. We didn’t know the lineups so I had to take some guesses, but it’s still worth a listen.

Monterrey luchador Demonio del Caribe says he’s leaving that city in preparation to join CMLL. Not sure if that should be taken seriously, or if it should be filed in the same category as Carlos Elizondo saying Mil Mascaras versus Canek could still happen.

Men’s Health has an interview with Soberano Jr., who talks about his workout and eating habits in addition to his career. I really don’t think about how much you’ve got to put in yourself to look like that, seems like an underrated nuisance.

Marisela Pena, La Parka and others were honored Plaza de las Estrellas mall today. Zona Ruda pointed out Pena’s photos of the ceremony include a second La Parka – possibly a La Parka son. La Parka having a son in training was mentioned a while back but it didn’t sound like he was close to debuting. Maybe we’ll hear something more at the AAA press conference on Monday.

AAA’s TV from this week combined the two November tapings (so 3 matches out of the 13 that were taped.) The ones that make the cut were the exoticos versus Mercenarios & Jinetes del Aire versus Poder del Norte from Orizaba, and just the Pagano/Lider vs Macizos match from Juarez with a Pagano feature before it. Can’t think of the last time multiple tapings were combined like that. They’re still very behind and have some urgency to catch up. The rest of the matches will go up on Wednesday.

LuchaWorld has the latest news update.

Mexico City area luchador Dragosth doubles as a dance instructor. Dragonsth has since suffered a facial injury and there’s a benefit show for him next week.

An interview with Oaxaca’s Angel Nazi.

Lineups

The Fantastica Mania lineups came out Sunday night. They’re not as strong as recent years. Instead of scheduling big matches on the Tokyo shows, they’ve built around another family tag team tournament. It means most of the card for the 18th and 20th is TBD, not that we should expect a lot of stuff given what’s been announced elsewhere. The shows should be fun, but it’s not as interesting as they could’ve been. I’m going to focus on the streaming shows.

CMLL , NJPW (FRI) 01/11/2019 Osaka Prefectural Gym, Osaka, Japan
Fantastica Mania, 2019 Day 1
1) Audaz, Ryusuke Taguchi, Tiger Mask vs Gedo, Taiji Ishimori, Templario
2) Flyer, Jushin Liger, Titán vs Forastero, Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru
3) Atlantis & Atlantis Jr. vs Okumura & Sansón
4) Ángel de Oro, Dragón Lee, Místico vs Cuatrero, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero
5) Kushida, Místico, Soberano Jr. vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Carístico, Namajague [Relevos Increíbles]
6) Fujin, Raijin, Satoshi Kojima, Toa Henare vs Bushi, Shingo Takagi, Terrible, Tetsuya Naito

Atlantis Jr. makes his debut teaming with his father and facing Sanson & Okumura. Atlantis Jr. is tied to Okumura for the entire tour.

The show opener has a lot of people. Kanemaru and Taichi do not typically work these shows. Taichi is now a heavyweight, so Kanemaru would normally team with El Desperado. That man is nowhere to be seen. Instead, Namajague – not seen since the end of 2013 – is scheduled for all the shows. Sho & Yo also revert to their Fujin & Raijin identities.

Kanemaru previously wrestled on the 2000 TripleMania (in Japan) show.

Okada & Tanahashi are not present on this shows, except for a last night cameo in a strange form. They only worked the province shows last year and skipped Korakuen Hall. Kushida also announced tonight that he’s finishing with NJPW at the end of the month, but will work these shows.

CMLL , NJPW (WED) 01/16/2019 Makuhari Messe, Chiba, Japan
Fantastica Mania, 2019 Day 5
1) Kushida, Ryusuke Taguchi, Titán vs Forastero, Gedo, Taiji Ishimori
2) Fujin & Raijin vs Bushi & Shingo Takagi
3) Ángel de Oro, Audaz, Soberano Jr. vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Namajague, Okumura
4) Satoshi Kojima & Toa Henare vs Terrible & Tetsuya Naito
5) Carístico, Jyushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask vs Gran Guerrero, Templario, Último Guerrero
6) Atlantis & Atlantis Jr. vs Cuatrero & Sansón [CMLL FAMILY, semifinal]
7) Dragón Lee & Místico vs Flyer & Volador Jr. [CMLL FAMILY, semifinal]

This is the bonus streaming show added this year. It makes sense with the main events being the family tag team tournament again. This was fine last year but nothing extraordinary and seems to be getting in the way of more exciting matches.

Fujin & Raijian vs Bushi & Taguchi should be good, but an all NJPW match feels like someone missed the point of the tour somewhere along the line. The fourth match isn’t far of either.

CMLL , NJPW (FRI) 01/18/2019 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
Fantastica Mania, 2019 Toyko Day 1
5) ? & ?? vs ??? & ???? [CMLL FAMILY, final]
winner of the matches in Chiba
6) Soberano Jr. vs Bárbaro Cavernario
7) Fujin, Raijin, Satoshi Kojima, Toa Henare vs Bushi, Shingo Takagi, Terrible, Tetsuya Naito
Black Cat Memorial match

The annual Japan/Mexico match features exactly one Mexican. Soberano/Cavernario is a battle of champions with neither title on the line. Perhaps that is to make the winner harder to guess, though it’d be a surprise if Cavernario isn’t that winner.

The undercard is TBA depending on the results of the tournament.

CMLL , NJPW (SUN) 01/20/2019 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
Fantastica Mania, 2019 Toyko Day 2
1) ? & ?? vs ??? & ????
2) ? & ?? vs ??? & ????
3) ? & ?? vs ??? & ????
4) ? & ?? vs ??? & ????
5) Satoshi Kojima vs Terrible
6) Fujin, Raijin, Toa Henare vs Bushi, Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito
7) Gran Guerrero & Último Guerrero vs ? & ??
winners of family tournament

Last year’s tournament final was Gran Guerrero & Ultimo Guerrero beating Dragon Lee & Mistico. That looks the most likely match here because neither Munoz brother has much to do for the rest of the tour without it. I’d prefer Dragon Lee versus Namajague somewhere in here, but it seems unlikely.

Kojima broke his knee facing Rush last year, will get a chance at revenge on Terrible.

Again, an all NJPW semi-main. There’s a purpose to these matches, those two junior teams will meet in a title match in February, but it makes these shows a little less novel.

CMLL , NJPW (MON) 01/21/2019 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
Fantastica Mania, 2019 Toyko Day 3
1) Audaz & Flyer vs Bárbaro Cavernario & Templario
2) Atlantis Jr. vs Okumura
3) Fujin, Raijin, Satoshi Kojima, Toa Henare vs Bushi, Shingo Takagi, Terrible, Tetsuya Naito
4) Ángel de Oro, Atlantis, Titán vs Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón © [MEX TRIOS]
8th defense
5) Dragón Lee, Místico, Soberano Jr. vs Gran Guerrero, Namajague, Último Guerrero
6) Dragón George & Sweet Gorilla Maruyma vs Ginbae Mask & Gokiburi Mask
7) Volador Jr. vs Carístico

Volador and Caristico is a big match and one that hasn’t been done on this tour so far. Overall, it seems like the solution to running out of new singles matches for these shows is “less singles match.”

The semi-main are NJPW wrestlers in the personalities from the recent “My Dad is a Heel Wrestler” movie. Dragon George is Okada, Gorilla Maruyma is Togi Makabe, Ginbae Mask is Taguchi and Gokiburi Mask is Tanahashi.

The fifth match also points to Dragon Lee & Mistico winning the family tournament. Trios title match would be much better with almost any other tecnico besides Atlantis. (Audaz is in the spot of getting nothing to do this time around.)