Austin Theory & Copa Dinasta Block B in CMLL tonight

Tonight’s CMLL show features the unexpected debut of Austin Theory. Theory is a 21-year-old wrestler from Georgia who has mostly known for working in EVOLVE and related promotions. He’s in CMLL thru their connection with The Crash. Theory’s look and presence had made him an obvious WWE pick up for quite some time. He’s a guy who gets favorably reviewed to John Cena and has a good a chance as any indie wrestler or NXT trainee of being the center of WWE’s universe five years from now. Theory is currently Evolve’s champion and WWE will probably let him finish that out. Theory probably won’t be an indie wrestler much longer than that. Being a CMLL wrestler for long is unlikely. I guess I can’t rule CMLL setting something up here for next week, but he’s not long for here. This is going to be a weird curiosity on his match listing.

The Crash/CMLL alliance is just a weird curiosity as this point. CMLL has brought in three people from The Crash. Two (Theory & Adam Brooks) were foreigners who are semi-regulars at best with the promotion. They’re not particularly promoting The Crash with this one, though I would guess the Tijuana promotion is happy keeping CMLL happy and keeping the doors open to send more talent their way. It does come off like CMLL is using The Crash as a foreign wrestler talent scout, despite in theory CMLL having people employed to find foreign people and also having access to a couple of different promotions of foreigners.

Theory teams with Caristico and Volador in the main event to face Rush, Cavernario and Negro Casas in what should be a good main event. Cavernario and Theory have wrestled a twice in Tijuana, Theory and Caristico teamed on the last The Crash show, he should be able to fit in fine.

Tonight also includes the second Copa Dinastia block. Angel de Oro & Niebla Roja fit the final thematically, having feuded with Los Ingobernables earlier this year. Ultimo Guerrero & Gran Guerrero are treated as the strongest pair. Mascara 2000 & Sanson would be the most disappointing finalists. Dragon Lee & Mistico would be the most exciting finalists normally but are unlikely to advance given their father & brother already have. I do wonder how the fans would react if they CMLL did have an All-Munoz final. There’s a pretty good tecnico/rudo dynamic and there’s also the change the diehards would be very upset about the Munoz push and loudly reject the whole thing.

The Chavez Brothers feel like they’re considered the weakest team in this block and want to prove they belong in the main events.

The rest of the card is just OK. Rey Bucanero versus Euforia is not a great mix for a lightning match. Atlantis Jr., Soberano Jr. and Valiente versus Cuatrero, Forastero, and Hijo del Villano III should be fine, but the younger wrestlers are still doing a lot of learning as they go. CMLL’s got to hope it turns it as well as it did for Gran Guerrero. Esfinge and Triton team with Rey Cometa against Polvora, Tiger, and Kawato. The NJPW wrestler is being booked every Friday, even if it seems his feud got dropped. Magia Blanca & Star Jr. open it up on against Akuma & Espanto Jr.

This show airs at 8:30 pm on Marca and their regionblocked YouTube channel, and I will also stream it on my YouTube.

Lucha Central has a preview of the show.

This is the start of three nights of streamed shows from major promotions. AAA runs both Saturday and Sunday this weekend. Those might be a bit more interesting.

Leonardo Riano’s column is on the Nacion Lucha Libre column. Riano says this had been a plan of Daniel Leal’s for about 10 years that came together in the last two. There’s not a lot new here, though Riano notes they’re not worried about the ticket sales thanks to their sponsors and patrons. I hope they really are prepared to lose a lot of money.

Daga is done from MLW. Their story is he pulled off the 06/01 show in Milwaukee at the last minute citing a vacation, and they later found out he was actually wrestling in Mexico. I don’t have a show for Daga on 06/01. He did wrestle the night before in Tijuana and the night after in Guadalajara. He and Tessa may have legitimately planned to take a vacation day in between instead of some long trips back and forth. There is a reoccurring MLW history with Daga, Sammy Guevara and Puma King where MLW brings them in with a big fanfare, just uses them to put over people, decides to stop using them, takes the additional step of telling media outlets that it is entirely the wrestler’s fault with a story, and then those stories haven’t rung true. I hope it works out better for Flamita & Rey Horus but everyone should know what they’re getting into going forward.

Rob’s interview with Konnan from Double or Nothing weekend is on the Highspots Wrestling Network. I haven’t seen it yet but they bury Sammy Guevera so it seems like quality content.

It is a good time to sign up for Highspots Wrestling Network or just RIOT’s channel because they’ve uploaded two shows: the July 2018 show with the surprise Jack Evans vs Sammy Guevera match and the all surprise show from February.

Hijo del Canis Lupus kept the IWRG IC Heavyweight Championship in Tijuana over Jonathan last weekend. Money was thrown in.

LuchaWorld has the latest Lucha Update.

Lineup

CMLL (TUE) 06/18/2019 Arena México
1) Arkalis & Bengala vs Cholo & Yago
2) Magia Blanca, Oro Jr., Retro vs Akuma, Espanto Jr., Nitro
3) Avispa Dorada, Lluvia, Maligna vs Amapola, La Comandante, Metálica
4) Esfinge vs Vangellys [lightning]
5) Black Panther, Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr. vs Ephesto, Luciferno, Mephisto
6) Místico, Titán, Volador Jr. vs Felino, Mr. Niebla, Rey Bucanero

Esfinge and Vangellys seems like CMLL is running of out of people. I don’t think the semi-main will be great but I have a feeling it’ll be the best possible version of that match. Can the tecnicas get a win when Dalys isn’t involved?