Bandido defeats Cuatrero (sorta), Flamita/Lee officially to ROH

Brillo Cometa

CMLL (FRI) 01/03/2020 Arena México [CMLL, Lucha Central, OvacionesThe Gladiatoresthecubsfan]
1) El Coyote & Grako b Sonic & Súper Astro Jr. LUCHA LIBRE VIERNES ESPECTACULAR DE ARENA MEXICO 3 DE ENERO DE 2020 FUNCION COMPLETA (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
14:30. Rudos took 1/3.
2) Avispa Dorada, La Jarochita, Marcela b Amapola, Dalys, La Metálica LUCHA LIBRE VIERNES ESPECTACULAR DE ARENA MEXICO 3 DE ENERO DE 2020 FUNCION COMPLETA (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
13:21. Tecnicas took 1/3.
3) Atlantis, Esfinge, Rey Cometa b Misterioso, Pólvora, Vangellys LUCHA LIBRE VIERNES ESPECTACULAR DE ARENA MEXICO 3 DE ENERO DE 2020 FUNCION COMPLETA (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
10:56. Tecnicos took2/3.
4) Soberano Jr., Titán, Volador Jr. b Cavernario, Forastero, Templario LUCHA LIBRE VIERNES ESPECTACULAR DE ARENA MEXICO 3 DE ENERO DE 2020 FUNCION COMPLETA (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
15:00. Tecnicos took 2/3.
5) El Bandido DQ Cuatrero LUCHA LIBRE VIERNES ESPECTACULAR DE ARENA MEXICO 3 DE ENERO DE 2020 FUNCION COMPLETA (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
13:08. Bandido took it in straight falls, the last when Cuatrero unmasked Bandido.
6) Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero b Ángel de Oro, Carístico, Niebla Roja LUCHA LIBRE VIERNES ESPECTACULAR DE ARENA MEXICO 3 DE ENERO DE 2020 FUNCION COMPLETA (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
8:49. Rudos took 1/3.

CMLL promos: Coyote & Grako, Rey Cometa, Cuatrero, Bandido, Niebla Roja & Angel de Oro, Los Guerreros.

Pressroom interviews: Cuatrero (Box Y Lucha, The Gladiatores, +LuchaTV), Titan (Box Y Lucha, +LuchaTV) Guerreros Laguneros (Box Y Lucha, The Gladiatores, +LuchaTV), Bandido (Box Y Lucha, The Gladiatores, +LuchaTV).

Bandido/Cuatrero might be chalked up as a learning experience for Cuatrero if not for the other issues. The Arena Mexico fans rejected the match from the moment it started, not even as rooting for the rudos but wanting to see another match. This made sense as a semi-main if they’re going with Bandido as a top star but the Arena Mexico crowd didn’t buy it as a semi-main. It’s not even clear CMLL buys Bandido as top guy if they couldn’t find a way to give him a pin here. Not sure when we’ll see Bandido back in CMLL – they might not bother while FantasticaMania is ongoing – but it’ll be worth waiting to see if the presentation changes.

The rest of the show was the usual level. CMLL’s not heading into FantasticaMania with a lot of momentum.

Maybe it’s been up there for a while, but there’s a sign prohibiting filming matches in Arena Mexico. I haven’t seen many CMLL bootlegs in a long time, but no one really bothers with so much being streamed.

CMLL (FRI) 01/03/2020 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [CMLL]
1) Exterminador, Maléfico, Ráfaga b El Divino, Fantástico, Mr. Samurai
rudos took 2/3
2) La Seductora, Súper Estrella, Tiffany b Lluvia, Mystique, Princesa Sugehit
Rudos took 2/3. Super Estrella replaced Reina Isis.
3) Flyer, Fugaz, Guerrero Maya Jr. b Dark Magic, Okumura, Virus
Okumura replaced Akuma. Tecnicos took 2/3.
4) Felino, Mephisto, Rey Bucanero b Audaz, Star Jr., Stuka Jr.
rudos took 1/3
5) Diamante Azul, Místico, Valiente b Negro Casas, Shocker, Terrible
tecnicos took 1/3

This looks like a nothing show. It’s the first of three events in five days here, maybe one of them will have something better.

This is another slow weekend. There are a few shows for Three King’s Day on Monday, but even that seems less than usual. Tonight has the Mr. Niebla tribute show and Volador vs Ultimo Guerrero in Arena Coliseo. Tomorrow’s shows include a Toryumon Mexico show and a Dia de Reyes show in Arena Naucalpan.

Ryu Lee wrestles in the Tokyo Dome late tonight/early tomorrow morning as part of NJPW’s WrestleKingdom shows. He’ll probably wrestle again Sunday night/Monday morning as part of New Year’s Dash.

This week’s AAA’s YouTube show this week is the best matches of 2019. There’s no mention yet of what matches are included

Ring of Honor confirmed Dragon Lee & Flamita are signed with the promotion in a news update. The first instinct here is to wonder how CMLL feels about ROH signing people they’ve fired (they probably don’t care much) but it’s also curious how NJPW feels. Dragon Ryu Lee would figure to be a part of the NJPW US shows if he was legally allowed to be, and those seem like competition for ROH. Maybe that’s been worked out

In an outcropping of the latest Octagon/AAA argument, El Hijo del Santo says he still hasn’t been paid for TripleMania 2009 even after winning a court case against AAA.

Drabek I talks about his double life as a police officer.

LuchaWorld has the latest Lucha Report.

An interview with Mazatlan’s Kempo Dragon.

An ex-referee in Ciudad Victoria is looking for donations.

Lineups

CMLL (MON) 01/06/2020 Arena Puebla
1) King Jaguar, Meyer, Millenium vs Fuerza Chicana, Guerrero Espacial, Sombra Diabólika
2) Astro, Kaligua, Shockercito vs Espíritu Maligno, Joker, Pierrothito
3) Drone, Esfinge, Príncipe Diamante vs Akuma, Espanto Jr., Espíritu Negro
4) Dulce Gardenia, Kráneo, Volcano vs Ephesto, Kawato San, Mephisto
5) Carístico, Diamante Azul, Negro Casas vs Euforia, Titán, Último Guerrero [Relevos Increíbles]

I’m currently making fun of NJPW for not releasing FantasticaMania’s lineups until late, please don’t tell the norms that CMLL didn’t get around to announcing this card until three days out. Diamante & Negro and Kawato & Dulce rematch. Poor Euforia is facing Diamante Azul again, isn’t he.

CMLL (FRI) 01/10/2020 Arena México
1) Fantasy & Shockercito vs Mercurio & Pequeño Violencia
2) Lluvia, Marcela, Princesa Sugehit vs Amapola, La Comandante, Tiffany
3) Esfinge vs Universo 2000 Jr. [lightning]
4) Black Panther, Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr. vs Ephesto, Felino, Vangellys
5) Atlantis Jr., Star Jr., Valiente vs Hechicero, Rey Bucanero, Templario
6) Diamante Azul, Místico, Volador Jr. vs Gran Guerrero, Shocker, Terrible

Nothing says “half the roster is at FantasticaMania” likes Shocker in a Friday main event. Mistico & Volador being around gives these shows more star power than usual, but it’d also be fair to skip this entier thing. The fifth match is about one more useful wrestler from being promising but it’s not clear who that rudo would be. The imbalance between the tecnico and rudo side is evident for the next couple of weeks.

Esfinge vs Universo 2000 Jr. is a thing of horrors.

Dalys not being in the women’s match suggests she’s off to Japan with Negro Casas.