AAA is back on Twitch at 8 pm, or thereabouts. AAA can both have good matches and not an exciting card, which is sort of what happens when you go with a four way tag cage match as a main event in Mexico.
You can’t throw a stick without hitting a Guerrero Maya lightning match. He’ll be on both the Sunday and Tuesday shows with one this week. There is no good reason.
Daylight Savings Time starts in Mexico a week from Sunday.
AAA , CAPITAL (WED) 10/16/2019 Pinche Gringo Barbecue, Miguel Hidalgo, Distrito Federal [AAA, Lucha Central, thecubsfan]
1) Ayako Hamada b Big Mami, Hades 
7:53. Ayako beat Hades, who left on a backboard
2) Flamita b Willie Mack, Máximo
12:19. Flamita cradled Mack.
3) Rich Swann b Niño Hamburguesa, Argenis
8:29. Rich Swann defeated Argenis with a 450 splash.
4) Drago b Aerostar, Villano III Jr.
11:49. Dragon cradled Villano III Jr.
A good show, if repetitive at the end. The format works as far as balancing the availability of different wrestlers, but two months of three matches is going to wear thin. Hades was upbeat on Instagram so whatever injury she may have picked up doesn’t appear serious.
There are point standings but they hardly matter after one week. There were no real angles on the show; Konnan mentioned it was a conscious choice last year and the plan again this year. He also said the format was not his creation, which seems accurate when he tries to explain the concept of the tournament and doesn’t have all the details right.
Konnan’s asked about Heroes Inmortales, and is excited for Fenix/Omega. He mentioned the mixed tag feud will possibly lead to a hair match with Big Mami & Lady Maravilla. Konnan explained he’s not a fan of relevos increibles matches in general but feels like it’s good one in a while, and believes the Guerra de Titanes main event is the first AAA’ one in about two years. He teases a match coming out of Pagano/Chessman or Psycho/Escorpion.
Silver King
An investigation into Silver King’s death found “a raft of safety failures.” This news was expected after the scene of his death though still depressing. No ambulance was on sight, it took five minutes for one to be called, it took up to five minutes for the staff to get the medics to the body and by then it was much too late. Silver King’s chance of survival was gone in those first five minutes; he may not have lived anyway, but any chance he had was gone by not being prepared. The promotion did have a first aid person at the venue, and that first aid person did have a defibrillator. The first aid person was not at ringside, did not know what injury had occurred and did not bring the defibrillator with her on her first trip to the ring.
Silver King’s cause of death is listed as severe heart disease, with the match itself triggering the death. The report notes Silver King also likely suffered a heart attack “many months or years ago.” It is not certain he would’ve been revived if he had gotten help, but “there was a significantly greater likelihood.”
The report recommends “Mexican wrestling” (treated as something different than regular wrestling) have a paramedic or someone else responsible for the health of the performers stationed at ringside. Generally, I’ve seen medics near the ring if not exactly ringside at most of the bigger lucha libre shows I’ve gone to. AAA seems like an exception, but they do have the ringside people keeping an eye on the wrestlers and calling for help when needed. It nearly always feels like it could be a little bit faster, but there are usually people there. I can’t recall seeing the same thing when I went to GALLI on Sunday, though perhaps I just didn’t spot them. There’s a least an attempt to regulate those sort of regular promotions in the US and Mexico, though how strictly they’re regulated depends on the location. It’s the pop up promotions like Lucha Libre London, who run a couple shows a year and then disappear for 12 months, that seems to go under the radar. I hope there’s more scrutiny on these things, and I hope there’s no weird allowance it for it being “Mexican wrestling” when it should get at least the same regulations as any other wrestling show in that country.
In the case of wrestling, “someone else responsible for the health of the performers” should have included the other performers themselves. Neither referee Black Terry nor opponent Juventud Guerrera seemed prepared for someone suffering a heart attack during a match. That’s something that can and should be improved on by all wrestlers and referees.
Other News
So here’s a strange one. Space, one of AAA’s cable partners goofed up and used a mask of Atlantis on the Statue of Liberty to promote airings of the AAA Invading New York show. They used it when they show happened, and they continue to use it to promote a documentary they’re airing on the trip. It’s dumb, but it’s dumb in the way even the people who put lucha libre shows on the air don’t really pay attention to it. It’s doesn’t have anything to do with AAA except them not being concerned about it enough to get Space to knock it off. Somehow, people (who may or may not exist) turned this into “this means Atlantis and/or Atlantis Jr. are going to AAA!” It did not mean that. And yet, Atlantis Jr. did an interview with ESTO yesterday confirming he and his father are 100% in CMLL and you can’t believe anything you read on the internet.
Valiente says he and Star Jr. are not concerned with applause, just with winning on Friday. He thinks they’ll be the rudos against Mistico & Fugaz.
Volador & Titan are 2-0 in the Super Junior Tag Team tournament, which would be more impressive if they didn’t beat the two rookies. Titan is still getting the pinfalls.
Abismo Negro Jr. says he’s preparing a new martinete. There’s nothing indy luchadors know better than piledrivers so I believe Eterno. He really needs one. AAA also posted an introduction of Octagon Jr., because he’s just now debuting on YouTube.
Ring of Honor’s 11/02 show is being determined by fan votes on their website. One vote is for Dragon Lee’s opponents. The choices are PJ Black, Jeff Cobb, Kenny King, and Eli Isom. I like what I’ve seen from Isom (and it’s been disappointing that he and his trio has seemingly disappeared from the portion of ROH shows that get streamed live) and a match with him and Dragon Lee would be interesting. The right choice is Jeff Cobb. If you vote for PJ Black or Kenny King, please stop hurting me.
RIOT 11/02 “420” lineup
Gringo Loco, Puma King, and Septimo Dragon face Myron Reed, Jordan Oliver and Kotto Brazil on MLW’s 11/02 PPV. That’s the show with LA Park challenging Jacob Fatu for their title in a match that will definitely not end cleanly.
Fenix, Penta, Bestia 666, Rey Horus and Mecha Wolf are headed to the UK for Fight Club Pro on 11/29. That’s a home and home with the FCP guys working a recent The Crash show. I presume they’re working on other shows in Europe that weekend.
LuchaWorld has this week’s Poster-Mania and the latest Lucha Report.
Lineups
CMLL (MON) 10/21/2019 Arena Puebla
1) Astro, Meyer, Sonic vs Espíritu Maligno, Guerrero Espacial, Sombra Diabólika
2) Asturiano, Star Jr., Tigre Rojo Jr. vs Akuma, El Perverso, Espanto Jr.
3) Kráneo, Rey Cometa, Volcano vs Luciferno, Máscara Año 2000, Vangellys
4) Atlantis, Soberano Jr., Stuka Jr. vs Ephesto, Mephisto, Mr. Niebla
5) Carístico, Místico, Valiente vs Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón
The main event was headed to Forastero/Caristico, though perhaps they’ll change it back. Mascara 2000 is back, and there hasn’t been as much Kraneo & Volcano lately.