CMLL (FRI) 05/24/2019 Arena México [CMLL, LuchaCentral, Marca, Ovaciones, thecubsfan]
1) Cancerbero & Raziel b Magnus & Robin 
14:3. Rudos took 1/3.
2) Black Panther, Blue Panther Jr., Fuego b Kawato San, Misterioso Jr., Virus
12:20. Tecnicos took 2/3.
3) Amapola, Dalys, Metálica b Estrellita, Kaho Kobayashi, Princesa Sugehit
10:17. Kayo & Amapola feuded to set up next week’s tag match.
4) Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Templario b Soberano Jr., Stuka Jr., Valiente
13:07. Rudos took 1/3.
5) Cuatrero, Forastero, Máscara Año 2000 DQ Felino, Negro Casas, Último Guerrero
10:26. Straight falls, the last when Euforia & Gran Guerrero ran in to help Ultimo Guerrero. Feuding to build up next week’s Mascara/UG hair match.
6) Místico b Cavernario
19:21. Cavernario was DQed for unmasking Mistico in the second. Mistico won with La Mistica in the third.
CMLL promos: Virus promotes his retirement match with Metalico, Guerreros say they’re ready for the tag title match, Valiente says it’ll be a great match, Mascara 2000 & Ultimo Guerrero said things about their feud, so did Amapola & Kaho, and Mistico challenged Cavernario to a mask vs hair match.
This was a pretty forgettable show, the usual feuding the week before a build show, until the main event. This was a Mistico FantasticaMania level match in Arena Mexico, in front of a crowd that was actually pro-Mistico. Cavernario’s the secret sauce here, I’m not sure if Mistico could’ve had this quality of match with many CMLL rudos. It was a super match and definitely worth checking out.
You already know next week’s lineup.
The Crash (FRI) 05/24/2019 Auditorio de Tijuana, Tijuana, Baja California[@JorgeGCR, The Crash]
1) Tiago b Dinámico, Terror Azteca, Torito Negro, Ryan Kidd, Súper Caló Jr., Karma, Craven
Karma & Craven added tot he match.
2) Animal, Demencia, Silver Star b Star Boy, Viento, Zarco
Great match. Win via foul.
3) Flamita b Black Danger, Adam Brooks
Flamita beat Black Danger
4) Trauma I & Trauma II b Ángel de Oro & Niebla Roja
Lots of money thrown in. Niebla Roja was put in a neck brace after taking a knee to the head at the finish.
5) Austin Theory & Carístico DQ Hijo del Fantasma & Rey Horus
Fantasma unmasked Caristico as he had Horus in La Mistica.
6) Bestia 666 & Mecha Wolf b Penta 0M & The King © [The Crash TAG]
Originally a TLC match. Black Danger helped Rebelion Amarilla win the tag titles. Penta teased this as their final appearance.
The 2nd and 4th matches sound like the best matches. The crowd was up, up from last show’s disappointing number and up compared to most Friday night shows.
Penta’s tease of he and Fenix being doing in The Crash is about what everyone expects. It also conflicted with what The Crash announced earlier in the night:
06/15 (Saturday) The Crash
- Adam Brooks vs Bandido vs Matt Taven vs Dragon Lee
- Mesias vs Austin Theory
- Penta, Bandido, Fenix, Cuatrero, Mecha Wolf, Trauma II to appear
For purposes of shows we can watch without relying on random YouTube channels, Matt Taven showing up here means he’s probably working CMLL on at least 06/14.
The schedule of shows with a passing connection to lucha libre tonight that you can actually see in CT
- 6:00 pm AEW Double or Nothing free show
- 7:00 pm AEW Double or Nothing PPV
- 8:00 pm (ish) AAA in Queretaro
AAA’s got the talent for an interesting card – 36 people on the card, some of the better people they have – but it’s tough to tell if the interest to put together good matches will be there with it really being the secondary show for AAA’s interests. Some AAA officials will be there, though I think they’ll have representatives at AEW and the tag title match there is being treated bigger than anything happening in Queretaro tonight.
It still doesn’t seem a great use of time to go match by match with AAA shows when most of the matches are likely to change (especially the one that still has Jack Evans listed in it), but maybe less AAA focus on the show means less tweaking of the card. The Chik Tormenta, Keyra, and Tessa against Faby Apache, Lady Shani, and Taya match seems most likely to happen since it’s all the women who aren’t involved with Nino Hamburguesa. It also seems like the match most likely to be good but derailed by the 245th Faby Apache/Hijo del Tirantes bit. The minis match seems pretty likely too since it is unlikely they’ll be mixed with other people. No idea about the rest – Jinetes del Aire versus Super Fly, Australian Suicide and TBA could be great, but it’s hard to trust it is happening.
It’d be nice for AEW if the Double or Nothing included a mention of the AAA show in MSG. Nice if not really consequential. AAA really needs more than a mention, they need something to make more people excited about going, and a mention of existence alone isn’t going to do that. I presume the Young Bucks are winning and there may be some mention of them going to Merida, but I wouldn’t count on more.
(I may not be covering either of these shows live.)
DragonMania is also taking place tonight, in Arena Mexico. Caristico teams with Ultimo Dragon & AJPW’s Kento Miyahara against Diamante and Los Migras. The card includes Ricky Marvin’s first Arena Mexico appearance in 14 years, though in a match teaming with Argos and against Nitro & Tyso la Bestia. There’s a lot of lead anchors on this card, which makes me not that worried about missing it. This will air on SamuraiTV eventually and some years there are handhelds of the show as well.
Doesn’t having Caristico & Ultimo Dragon working with AJPW’s Kento Miyahara violate their deal with NJPW? Was that a typo or is there some agreement that I am unaware of in place?
Caristico is special enough that they won’t stop him from working AJPW. Ultimo Dragon doesn’t have a CMLL deal, and DragonMania is treated as a indie one off without those restrictions.