Paco Alonso, weekend shows, Elite

CMLL

IWRG (SUN) 07/07/2019 Arena Naucalpan [The Gladiatores]
1) Auzter b Neza Kid
2) Canibal Jr. & Death Metal b Atomic Star & Brazo De Oro Jr.
Perro Aguayo was honored after the match.
3) Black Dragón, Dinamic Black, Hijo del Alebrije DQ Dragón Fly, La Mosca, Marado
4) Centurion & Fly Warrior b Fulgor I & Fulgor II and Cerebro Negro & Dr. Cerebro
5) Herodes Jr., Hijo de Pirata Morgan, Hijo de Sangre Chicana, Rokambole Jr.Demonio Infernal, Diva Salvaje, Eterno, Lunatik Xtreme
Pirata Morgan got in a foul on Demonio Infernal, then challenged him to a title match.
6) Soy Raymunda L Óscar El HermosoMiss GaviotaDemasiadoLolitaDiva SalvajePasion KristalLilith DarkDiosa AteneaJessy Ventura[cage, hair, maskLa Jaula de las Locas 2019 en la Arena Naucalpan   COMPLETO (posted by Estrellas del Ring)
Raymunda lost her hair to Pasion Cristal. Last four were Lolita, Ludark, Pasion and Oscar. Lolila & Ludark left leaving Oscar & Pasion, but Raymunda came back to stop Oscar from losing and ended up losing.

Never go back in a cage after you’ve escaped. It always backfires on you. You can always get your revenge on someone later. An important lesson for a Monday.

Madriza (SUN) 07/07/2019 Centro de Alto Rendimento The Crash, Ecatepec, Estado de México [+LuchaTV]
1) Black Joe & Príncipe Perseo b Blue Win & Guerrero De Fuego
2) Gallego, Rocky Santana, Romano García b Karma I, Karma II, Máscara Oriental
3) Ancla b DrakoMisteryk
4) Bestia 666 b Demus Bestia 666 vs Demus  ¡¡¡ MANO a MANO en el CAR THE CRASH !!! (posted by Estrellas del Ring)
Bestia used the ropes to win. Demus complained about it but Bestia said a win is a win.
5) Puma King b Kill Korton Puma King vs Kill Kortón   ¡¡¡ MANO a MANO en el CAR THE CRASH !!! (posted by Estrellas del Ring)
Kill Korton is the former Kronoz
6) Fénix (Indie) b Freelance Fénix vs Freelance   ¡¡¡ MANO a MANO en el CAR THE CRASH !!! (posted by Estrellas del Ring)
7) Penta b Arez Penta 0M vs Arez  ¡¡¡ MANO a MANO en el CAR THE CRASH !!! (posted by Estrellas del Ring)

I watched Fenix/Freelance so I’d have something to say here instead of just gesturing at the video links. Fenix/Freelance is not a match you need to watch. It’s rough for a while, with both guys taking turns slipping at unfortunate moments. It got a bit better at the end but it’s clearly not the match they hoped to have.

Today’s Arena Puebla show has a King Jaguar versus Perverso lightning match, which seems to be setting up a hair match as soon as next week. King Jaguar originally became a tecnico (“turned tecnico” is not accurate) late last year opposite of Perverso, but the feud got dropped – or saved until this year’s Arena Puebla show. Having a deep memory of Arena Puebla locals feuds is something I will regret on my deathbed.

Dragon Lee, Mistico and Soberano face Euforia, Gran Guerrero and Negro Casas in the semi-main and best-looking match on the show. The actual main event has a Los Ingobernables versus NGD match. Sanson fouled Terrible last week so that might be a title match coming up soon. Electrico, Pegasso, and Millenium take on Policeman, Raziel, and Cancerbero in the tercera. Halcon Suriano & Sonic turn up in the second match against Espiritu Maligno & Rey Apocalipsis. The show airs at 9 pm on Arena Puebla.

Elite returns again tonight. Kind of. The lineup is another one of the AAA vs Elite shows that AAA was using a TV tapings last yet but has dropped as a concept in 2019. AAA’s mentioned the show but this seem to be sort of an Elite promoted show, whatever that means at this point. The poster indicates the show will be taped for TV and El Planchitas suggested this group really did have some of TV deal, but didn’t specify with who and there’s been no mention of it since. Australian Suicide & Bengala vs Eterno & Imposible sounds fun if it turns up, and it has a good shot of at least showing up in bootleg form.

Both of those shows will have moments of remembrance for Paco Alonso, as many shows did last night. There’s no more news on his death at this point. The Perro Aguayo death announcement included a mention of his wake. There was not the same in Alonso’s announcement, seemingly respecting his wish for privacy even after his death.

I keep thinking about what is next. Sofia Alonso is 28. She’s often compared to WWE’s Stephanie McMahon. McMahon was also running her own department at 28, being in charge of the WWE writers, similar to Alonso being charge of CMLL’s marketing. That’s a lot of responsibility at a young age, but not something that encompasses the entire business of the promotion. If Vince McMahon passed away when Stephanie was 28, I’m skeptical they would’ve put her or her husband fully in charge – they would’ve been in front of the promotion to assure their business partners of stability, but those same business partners would’ve wanted an experienced CEO and a team to be involved. I have no idea if Sofia Alonso is more capable of running CMLL at this point, but convincing the sponsors and TV partners and everyone else they’re working with is the more immediate challenge, not really the luchadors. The good news is WWE is a situation where everything runs thru Vince McMahon, while it has appeared that a lot of stuff in CMLL ran without Paco Alonso being involved and might still keep rolling along for a while no matter who’s in charge, buying ownership more time to decide what to do next.

+LuchaTV has an interview with Cuatrero, who did a good job of not tipping his hand to whatever he must be going thru right now.

Box Y Lucha #3392 has Perro Aguayo on the cover.

Pirata Morgan Jr. appeared to wrestle on a Contreras show Saturday. Assuming it’s the same one it used to be, that’s the first time he’s turned up on a wrestling show since he was found to have stolen from fellow luchadors on a US tour. Pirata Morgan Sr. had said this son would no longer be allowed to use his name. Six months might have been enough time for attention to die down, though I don’t think there was any people on that tour who was on this show.

Rocky Star and other Ciudad Juarez luchadors of the past appeared for a talk at the Ciudad Juarez lucha libre hall of fame.

Peridico la Voz has a bio of Monclova luchador Chicano Power.

Last Sunday in Puebla, Guerrero Espartaco unmasked Leone. Leone gave his naem as Leonardo Hernandez Vazquez, 41 years old, 3 years a wrestler. That’s a combination of age and experience I don’t hear much.