CMLL Martes: 2019-04-09

Soberano’s headscissors don’t work every time.

Recapped: 4/16/2019

Matches:

Astral & Moreau beat El Guerrillero & Espíritu Negro
(15:36 [5:22, 5:23, 4:51], 2/3, ok,
VideosOficialesCMLL)

Átomo, El Gallito, Microman beat Chamuel, Mije, Perico Zacarías
(15:31 [6:57, 1:28, 7:06], 2/3, ok
VideosOficialesCMLL)

Blue Panther Jr., El Audaz, Tritón beat Kawato San, Tiger, Universo 2000 Jr.
(12:40 [6:00, 3:08, 3:32], 1/3, n/r,
VideosOficialesCMLL)

Flyer beat Felino in a lightning match
(5:51, DQ for Felino foul, ok,
VideosOficialesCMLL)

Atlantis, Diamante Azul, Titán beat Ephesto, Luciferno, Mephisto
(7:09 [2:39, 2:11, 2:19], 2/3, ok,
VideosOficialesCMLL)

Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón © beat Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Soberano Jr. to keep the Mexican National Trios Championship
(24:43 [5:28, 4:56, 14:19], 2/3, great,
VideosOficialesCMLL)

What happened:

Chamuel!

Nueva Generacion Dinamita retained the trios titles.

Angel was the referee for the Micros match.

Moreau and Guerrilero are Nitro trainees (trained in France, but neither is originally French), who just happened to be in Mexico when Eléctrico and Hijo del Signo happened to miss their match.

Thoughts:

The main event was an exciting match between the two young teams. There was a lot of drama in the third fall, which went longer itself than most Tuesday main events tend to go. They didn’t lose any steam going that long. The big near falls felt like they could end the match either way. This was one were it felt like all six men were on the same level contributing, though Sansón got the big moment in the end. There were some sloppy moments that stuck out a bit more on a rewatch. I didn’t even notice Cuatrero getting medical attention live. It is enough to say it probably won’t make the best matches of the year, but it’s a solidly in the group just below.

Diamante Azul wears a t-shirt and doesn’t tag in during the early sequences. He drops off the apron to the floor as soon as the rudos take over the ring. Azul does not go in, letting Titan and Atlantis get pinned. He does come in after they get pinned, takes one kick to the midsection from Luciferno, ducks a forearm, and rolls out. Azul actually starts in the ring in the second fall, taking a double drop toe hold and then rolls to the apron. Titan has to help him off the apron to the floor where he’s finally medically attended to by the doctor. It is clear whatever injury Diamante Azul had dates to prior this match and unclear why he was allowed to wrestle in such condition. Titan steals the second fall as Diamante Azul is strechered away, and the third fall last just enough for the técnicos to get in some offense before Mephisto unmasks Atlantis.

Guerrillero slam

The lightning match wasn’t much. Flyer did not seem into this at all. There’s a sequence in the four-minute mark where he’s walking to take the backdrop to the apron, then taking two tries on a moonsault. The finish was strange, a shot that didn’t look like a normal foul but that was the only possible intent of the move. I don’t understand what they were going for.

The segunda answered the question “do the main micros have an easy match?” This was it. Chameul was great, with some impressive mas skills early, and Gallito did a plancha to the floor for some reason. Not much of the rest was good or memorable. This also felt like one not as much laid out in advance as previous ones, as it meandered a bit and had no direction. The end was a big three-man highspot which seemed like it came out of nowhere. You can skip it.

The one-off APC guys made the opener at least a bit worth some curiosity. Guerrillero/Hugo Perez stood out as a rudo with some power and a few impressive spots. Moreau looked like a lesser version of a lot people who are already here (or a worse Johnny Idol.) Their finish went quite bad. It is not a good idea to read too much into one match but I’m not sure we’ll ever see them again. Espíritu Negro got to do his bump and Astral had his first dive on a stream in a long time.

Caristico/UG tonight, Puebla results, Kid’s Day, LU contracts

Soberano & Hechicero

CMLL (MON) 04/29/2019 Arena Puebla [CMLL, Lucha Central]
1) Astro & Meyer b Joker & Sombra Diabólika LA MEJOR LUCHA LIBRE EN VIVO DESDE LA ARENA PUEBLA 22 DE ABRIL DE 2019 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
tecnicos took 1/3.
2) Espíritu Maligno & Toro Bill Jr. b Asturiano & Millenium LA MEJOR LUCHA LIBRE EN VIVO DESDE LA ARENA PUEBLA 22 DE ABRIL DE 2019 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
Rudos took 2/3.
3) Drone, Fuego, Tigre Rojo Jr. b Disturbio, Policeman, Virus LA MEJOR LUCHA LIBRE EN VIVO DESDE LA ARENA PUEBLA 22 DE ABRIL DE 2019 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
tecnicos took 1/3
4) Marcela © b Metálica [CMLL WOMENLA MEJOR LUCHA LIBRE EN VIVO DESDE LA ARENA PUEBLA 22 DE ABRIL DE 2019 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
Marcela took 1/3 to retain. 2nd defense (first in Mexico)
5) Atlantis, Diamante Azul, Soberano Jr. b Gran Guerrero, Hechicero, Último Guerrero LA MEJOR LUCHA LIBRE EN VIVO DESDE LA ARENA PUEBLA 22 DE ABRIL DE 2019 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
Diamante Azul returned from injury to replace Atlantis Jr. Tecnicos took 2/3.
6) Ephesto, Mephisto, Volador Jr. b Carístico, Cuatrero, Sansón [Relevos IncreíblesLA MEJOR LUCHA LIBRE EN VIVO DESDE LA ARENA PUEBLA 22 DE ABRIL DE 2019 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
Volador cheated to win again, setting up a singles match with Caristico next week.

This sounded like an average Puebla show. Didn’t sound like the title match was anything special. Atlantis Jr. missing matches this early on doesn’t seem good. Diamante Azul is quietly back. I’m not sure I need another Volador/Caristico match.

Today is Kid’s Day in Mexico, a children’s holiday usually filled with lucha libre shows. It is also a Tuesday, so the celebration is more spread out over this week. There are many more shows than usual for Tuesday, but not as much as it would be if it was

2015-04-30 (Thursday): 39
2016-04-30 (Saturday): 68
2017-04-30 (Sunday): 109
2018-04-30 (Monday): 28
2019-04-30 (Tuesday): 25

CMLL celebrates with a Caristico/Ultimo Guerrero singles match tonight in Arena Mexico. They’ve matched up many times over the years, Caristico has won almost all of them, and he seems likely to do the same on Kid’s Days. The rest of the card is the usual. NGD take on Soberano, Stuka, and Atlantis in the semi-main. The Panther family are on stream together for the first time in a while, this time facing Ephesto, Felino, and Luciferno. Tiger, if he’s healthy, teams with Cancerbero & Raziel against Drone, Pegasso and Star Jr. The micros are back in segunda, which Atomo as the third tecnico and Guapito as the third rudo. The show opens with Bengala & Sonic versus Apocalipsis & Espiritu Negro.

Guadalajara has Angel de Oro versus Mephisto tonight. My recording of last week’s Guadalajara failed. Hopefully this week will go better.

Lucha Central reported yesterday that XO Lishus (Sonny Kiss), Famous B and Matanza (Jeff Cobb) have sought legal representation to get out of their Lucha Underground contracts. It does not sound as if lawsuits have been filed yet. Previously, King Cuerno/Hijo del Fantasma, Ivelisse, Joey Ryan, and Kobra Moon/Thunder Rosa did file a lawsuit, which was settled in after a month with those four getting their releases. Jeff Cobb sticks out because everyone believed he was out of Lucha Underground contract already. The LU staff have publicly talked about offering releases for anyone who asked for them prior to Season 4 as long as they stayed to finish out storylines and the Matanza/Jeff Cobb storyline was very definitely finished off.

Meanwhile, SoCal Uncensored was the first to report that Dorian Roldan threatened Ring of Honor & the NWA over using Willie Mack, saying Mack is thought to still be under Lucha Underground contract. Willie Mack lost the NWA National Championship this past weekend as a result and may also be looking for a legal remedy.

These are being framed as Lucha Underground contracts, but this isn’t MGM & El Rey voicing an opinion about where wrestlers can work. This is AAA/Dorian Roldan being left in charge of the contracts and choosing to enforce in the ways that best help their goals. (Having fans get made at the non-existent Lucha Underground instead of AAA over it is an added benefit.) Cobb & Mack are the only two of this batch who appeared to have gotten threatened legally. Cobb & Mack also are the only two who were appearing semi-regularly for The Crash. At least in Mack’s case, one proposed solution was for Mack to stop working The Crash and jump to the rival AAA promotion in the area, and Mack rejected the idea. I’m unsure if Cobb has been made the same offer, but it leaves me curious about Daga’s return to AAA and Rey Horuz/Dragon Azteca’s legal status among others.

I suspect what Dorian Roldan is doing will not hold up in arbitration, and this will get settled in a short time like the previous lawsuit. Roldan may be just be betting those involved will find it easier to cave and work for him rather than pay to get the legal fees and spend the time to win. It is also possible people under LU contract could just wait the few more months for Lucha Underground contracts to expire – but if Roldan is saying people who believed they were released are not actually released, I’m not sure anyone can be sure they’ll be free when they think their contract says they’ll be free.

RIOT 05/04 (Chicles) in Arena LLF

Caifan II got hurt over the weekend, so he’s out too.

EMW announced Tessa Blanchard for their 05/31 show, which would be her first appearance in Tijuana since vacating The Crash Women’s Championship back in February.

MDA 06/02 at Arena Naucalpan

+LuchaTV has a new edition of En+carados #119.

Rayo de Plata Jr., Rayo de Plata IV and Futuro 2000 defeated Ke-Changote, el Viejo de la Danza, and Red Monster for their masks at the opening of the new Arena Mexico Rayo de Plata on Sunday. No names announced.

Segunda Caida watches some Casandro & a CML undercard match.

El Sol de Durango has an interview with Dark Scoria.

Infobae has a video interview with Tony Salazar.

Lineups

CMLL (SUN) 05/05/2019 Arena México
1) Fantasy & Último Dragóncito vs Mercurio & Pequeño Violencia
2) Pegasso, Príncipe Diamante, Stigma vs Espanto Jr., Nitro, Sangre Azteca
3) El Audaz, Guerrero Maya Jr., Rey Cometa vs Kawato San, Sagrado, Universo 2000 Jr.
4) Atlantis, Atlantis Jr., Blue Panther vs Dark Magic, Pólvora, Vangellys
5) Místico, Titán, Valiente vs Ephesto, Gran Guerrero, Mephisto
6) Volador Jr. vs Rush

There’s no way that main event is ending clean.

CMLL Puebla: 2019-04-08

Soberano and Templario

Recapped: 04/15/2019

Matches:

El Perverso, Policeman, Tyson La Bestia beat Centella Roja, King Jaguar, Tigre Rojo Jr.
(12:14 [4:49, 4:25, 3:00], 2/3, n/r,
VideosOficialesCMLL)

Avispa Dorada, Marcela, Sanely beat Amapola, La Comandante, Metálica
(13:17 [4:46, 4:12, 4:19], 1/3, n/r,
VideosOficialesCMLL)

Ephesto, Luciferno, Misterioso Jr. beat Fuego, Guerrero Maya Jr., Kráneo
(16:59 [8:55, 2:39, 5:25], 1/3, n/r,
VideosOficialesCMLL)

Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Soberano Jr. beat Hechicero, Templario, Terrible
(17:34 [6:12, 5:28, 5:54], 1/3, good,
VideosOficialesCMLL)

Carístico, La Bestia Del Ring, Último Guerrero beat Diamante Azul, Mephisto, Valiente in a relevos increíbles match
(8:58 [4:38, 4:20], 1/2, n/r,
VideosOficialesCMLL)

What happened:

Avispa armdrag

The main event is supposed to set up a tag title match (Ultimo Guerrero & La Bestia del Ring against Diamante Azul & Valiente), only Diamante Azul is ruled out injured the following days.

Policeman gets away with a foul on King Jaguar and the rudos beat up King Jaguar after the opener. It is a prelude to a challenge for next week, only no one notices (including the announcers.)

Mephisto takes a hiptoss into the ring late in the first fall and land on his right shoulder. I’m not sure if he injured it on that, he doesn’t show it, but he also can’t hold up Carisitco on a boost headscissors or La Mistica directly after. Carisitco puts on a gentle armbar on the left arm while Mepshtio gives up. He’s attended to on the entrance ramp for a number of minutes while the match continues on, and he’s eventually taken away. The match continues 2 on 3 for a normal length the third fall. Último Guerrero & La Bestia del Ring challenge for a tag title match after their win and the rudos leave the técnicos unmasked.

Thoughts:

The semi-main might have benefited from being surrounded by a not so appealing show. I think it still would’ve held up as interesting on a normal show. Hechicero did more basing that he’s showed in other matches. The técnicos looked spectacularly in part because his and Templario’s work. Terrible has good chemistry with the Chavez brothers after their recent work. It got a little sloppy at times and the finish was probably helped quite a bit by the camera angle hiding how long Terrible had to freeze in place for Soberano to complete his tornillo but it was still entertaining.

Chavez corner charges