CMLL (FRI) 06/14/2019 Arena México [ESTO, Lucha Central, Marca, PubliMetrao, Record, The Gladiatores, thecubsfan]
1) Magia Blanca & Star Jr. b Akuma & Espanto Jr. 
10:25. Tecnicos took 2/3.
2) Esfinge, Rey Cometa, Tritón DQ Kawato San, Pólvora, Tiger
10:52. Straight falls. Tiger unmasked Triton for the DQ, then did it a second time.
3) Atlantis Jr., Soberano Jr., Valiente b Cuatrero, Forastero, Hijo del Villano III
14:09. Tecnicos took 1/3.
4) Euforia b Rey Bucanero [lightning]
8:47. Euforia won with a vradle.
5) Dragón Lee & Sansón b Ángel de Oro & Gran Guerrero [Copa Dinastia, seeding battle royal]
1:24.
6) Ángel de Oro & Niebla Roja b Gran Guerrero & Último Guerrero [Copa Dinastia, quarterfinal]
5:51.
7) Dragón Lee & Místico b Máscara Año 2000 & Sansón [Copa Dinastia, quarterfinal]
4:40
8) Dragón Lee & Místico b Ángel de Oro & Niebla Roja [Copa Dinastia, semifinal]
12:35. Angel de Oro & Niebla Roja advance to face La Bestia del Ring and Rush next week.
9) Austin Theory, Carístico, Volador Jr. b Cavernario, Negro Casas, Rush
9:32. Tecnicos took 2/3. Austin Theory wins in his CMLL debut.
Good show, with matches 2, 3, and 8 being the standout ones. I didn’t think anything was must see though the crowd was very into the show.
In a post-match interview, Dragon Lee relinquished the CMLL Lightweight Championship. This was inevitable as soon as he won the CMLL Welterweight Championship and only delayed so they could do the bit where Dragon Lee had a lot of the belts. CMLL ran into the same problem with Dragon Lee as they did with Mascara Dorada years ago: the Lightweight Championship is meant to be a midcard belt, but Dragon Lee got so good that they couldn’t imagine having a midcarder beat him. There’s not yet an announcement of when or how they’ll fill the title. I hope they put it on a Tuesday.
Tiger wants a shot at the Arena Coliseo Tag Team Titles but appears short a tag partner. Euforia says he liked facing Rey Bucanero. Niebla Roja & Angel de Oro feel they’re ready for Los Ingobernables. Austin Theory was proud to be in CMLL.
CMLL could make a lot of money with Austin Theory in the Marco Corleone role. Austin Theory could make much more money elsewhere and will be doing so.
AAA has back to back nights of streams, starting in a few hours in Cancun. Saturday’s show is scheduled to start at 8 pm and air on Twitch, and those are the only two things we can be absolutely sure of. The card has Texano Jr. in the main event, Texano Jr. says he’ll be in Texas instead. The card has Faby Apache in the opener, and she’s also in Texas on a different show. Killer Kross, Sammy Guevara, and Scarlett Bordeaux all are coming in. AAA got some buzz from the Laredo Kid/Hijo del Vikingo match and I suspect they’ll be trying to go for a similar match something this weekend to get more.
Sunday’s show is Verano de Escandalo at 5pm to watch. I wrote a long preview over on Voices of Wrestling but, with AAA’s fluid lineups, I’ve been trying to make them more catching up on what has happened in AAA the last few months than focusing on the matches. Not sure how effective that is, not sure what other options I have.
I feel relatively sure AAA’s promoted Fenix & Pentagon vs the Young Bucks too much not do it, but just as sure neither team is ultimately going to end up with the tag team belts. Fenix and Penta have singles stuff to focus on. The Jacksons may be back for TripleMania but the interesting thing going forward is if Fenix & Penta are specifically committed to appearing on any upcoming shows themselves. Konnan keeps talking about those two working a lot more in AAA soon and they’re not as of yet on any future lineups. The tag title match is going to be good whatever is going on with it, and we’ll see how many AEW fans seek it out. I assume it’s going to be a significant number but that’s just an assumption.
Wagner & Demon wrestling on the last big show before TripleMania seems like a lock. A bad finish in a Faby Apache versus Hijo del Tirantes also seems like a lock. Maybe the other thing to watch is how many (or if any) feuds along the lines of Faby/Tirantes get challenges for TripleMania. AAA’s turned down the hype on their biggest show of the year the last couple months, but it goes back up loud starting with this show. The TripleMania card, Demon/Wagner and Cain Velazquez (remember him?) are going to sell most of the tickets, but they need a card. They start putting it together here.
Hijo del Vikingo and Myzteziz Jr. were in Cancun early to promote the show.
The local Merida promoter is thrilled to have a show as big as Verano de Escandalo and has a special recycling campaign planned.
Blue Demon now says he’d wrestle one more time – the MSG show – if he lost his mask at TripleMania.
There are other shows this weekend, some of which are already ongoing because this is so late.
Saturday
- The Crash has Bestia 666 & Penta vs Mecha Wolf & The King (Rey Fenix) among a typically loaded show. My hunch is the odd Adam Brooks vs Bandido vs Dragon Lee vs Matt Taven match is the one everyone is going to hunting down in handheld form later. This will also be seemingly the 800th straight The Crash show where we have to pay attention to see if Penta & Fenix are finishing up and what that might mean.
- Arena Coliseo has a Titan vs Templario singles match and Dulce Gardenia’s debut.
- Lucha Libre Boom is scheduled to have LA Park vs Rush vs Diamante Azul in Arena Lopez Mateos. I’m not sure if Diamante Azul is really wrestling this soon. And also…
- Rush and his father are scheduled to take on Fresero Jr. & Mr. Iguana for Lucha Libre Real in Cuatutla. That’s about 2 hours away and a show that starts 90 minutes early, so that LLB show may have to run a little bit long.
- There’s an all-day lucha libre marathon in Tlalnepantla with one two three different lineups. Quality over quanity and the matches are already moving around.
- The Arena San Juan show isn’t one of the bigger promoters but they do have the team of Audaz, Latigo and Templario (if he can make it from Coliseo) against Cenutrion, La Roca and Rey Flama.
- XMW has a very XMW show.
Sunday
- IWRG will be honoring Vampiro with a rare Negro Casas appearance and a Dinamitas vs Dinamitas trios.
- KAOZ in Monterrey has Cibernetico & LA Park vs El Mesias & Rush. LA Park did a promo saying he’ll be Rush’s servant for two months if he loses, so he’s not losing.
- CMLL Arena Mexico has an ordinary show.
A new Box Y Lucha commission has been installed in Oaxaca.
There are free lucha libre classes in Miguel Aleman, Tamaulipas.
Lineups
CMLL (FRI) 06/21/2019 Arena México
1) Robin & Súper Astro Jr. vs Espíritu Negro & Hijo del Signo
2) Drone, Fuego, Tritón vs Disturbio, Tiger, Virus
3) Audaz, Flyer, Soberano Jr. vs Hechicero, Kawato San, Templario
4) Titán vs Negro Casas [lightning]
5) Ciber the Main Man, Gilbert el Boricua, The Chris vs Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero
6) La Bestia Del Ring & Rush vs Ángel de Oro & Niebla Roja [Copa Dinastia]
I think it would be better for CMLL for Angel de Oro & Niebla Roja to win the tournament and I do not expect them to do so.
First CMLL matches for Ciber and The Chris in CMLL since the first day of March. I wasn’t sure they’d be back. I’m unsure why they’re back. Maybe they’re setting up another trios match, maybe Gilbert finally gets his singles match with Ultimo Guerrero again.
Titan versus Negro Casas has been great in the distant past. 2nd and 3rd matches area really good. Kawato continues to show up a lot on Fridays despite the feud with Black Panther being dropped quick.