Recapped: 02/3/2019
All matches are from Arena México on 01/06/2019.
Matches:
Blue Panther Jr., Guerrero Maya Jr., Stuka Jr. beat Hechicero, Rey Bucanero, Shocker
(17:14 [3:04, 3:16, 10:54], 1/3, n/r, 00:05:28)
Titán beat Flyer, Tritón, Esfinge, Rey Cometa, Drone, Black Panther, Audaz, Templario, Virus, Sagrado, Pólvora, Kawato San, Vangellys, Tiger, Universo 2000 Jr. in a CMLL’s Reyes del Aire
(29:21, good, 00:28:04)
- Black Panther dropkick to the head Universo 2000 (07:57)
- Virus nudo Drone (10:34)
- Triton climb up legdrop (11:54)
- Tiger casita Black Panther (13:02)
- Flyer wristlock Virus (16:19)
- Super Pólvora Driver on Esfinge (17:28)
- Rey Cometa rope flip spanish Fly Tiger (18:12)
- Audaz straight jacket cavernara Pólvora (19:15)
- Vangellys northern lights suplex Rey Cometa (20:51)
- Kawato Dragon suplex Audaz (21:12)
- Titan reverse rolling cradle with bridge Vangellys 541(21:58)
- Triton & Kawato double pin tapatia (22:49)
- Templario super powerbomb (24:04)
- Titan backside cradle (29:02)
Carístico, Dragón Lee, Volador Jr. beat Cuatrero, Sansón, Último Guerrero
(6:29 [2:30, 3:59], 1/2 DQ, ok,01:07:11)
What happened:
Titan won the Reyes del Aire for the first time.
Hechicero & Stuka set up a title match for next week that we may or may not ever see.
Thoughts:
The main event was a short quick match to show a little bit of everyone and set up an Último Guerrero versus Carstico match. That match never happened because they were out to Japan by the following Sunday and no one will remember this (as opposed all the other times they feuded), so there’s no real great storyline reason to do a DQ finish. Got them out of there in eight minutes, which might have been all the reason they needed.
The Reyes del Aire didn’t ever really feel like a Reyes del Aire, and more just like a general cibernetico. You had the usual high flyers doing their usual high spots for the most part. Triton & Cometa brought out the trickiest version of their dives, but there wasn’t anything new or different to be found here. It was more just general action from any sort of match, with a couple of more flyers thrown in. Flyer eliminating Virus with a wristlock of all things is not the right choice for this match, though it was still better than a destroyer. I’m not sure the atmosphere helped, it felt like the announcers were more sharing stories than invested in the match, but it wasn’t really any great match they were talking over. Templario and Titan did fine at the end but neither man used their bigger moves and Titan couldn’t get over on his finishing bridge. This is still good action but nothing you need to go out of your way to see.
The opener was not interesting enough to write about.
AAA leaving Televisa and going to Azteca is a big story, yet it does not feel nearly as big as it would have 10 years ago.
This will probably trigger CMLL returning to Televisa rumors. I remember when Zona Ruda debuted on UDN around the same time there was a strong rumor of CMLL returning to Televisa. I assumed that slot was going to CMLL and Zona took it’s place. I also figured the show would be Zona Lucha, or some neutral title, with no allegiance to either group, and show footage from both promotions.
AAA leaving Televisa is personal because of the history between the two. That’s why I’m betting on CMLL getting on UDN.
So are the weekly Arena Mexico shows all going on NJPW World from now on?
Keith: for what it’s worth, Zona Ruda seems to have been replaced by a show on the Chivas. Televisa just got the rights back for that team.
Will: some of the Sundays shows are going up on NJPW World but it’s totally inconsistent, just whenever they have time and space between NJPW tours. These seemed to be done quickly on the off day between Fantastica Mania shows, since they had Mima Shimoda there and she could tell stories of wrestling in Mexico.