January 28, 2020 – luchablog

CMLL Martes: 2020-01-14

January 28, 2020July 30, 2020 thecubsfan 2 Comments

Recapped: 2020-01-18

Matches:

Mercurio & Pequeño Violencia beat Acero & Aéreo
(14:02 [5:16, 2:53, 5:53], 2/3, n/r, VideosOficialesCMLL)

Eléctrico, Magnus, Oro Jr. beat Grako, Inquisidor, Nitro
(11:56 [5:32, 2:37, 3:47], 2/3, n/r, VideosOficialesCMLL)

Dark Magic, Misterioso, Sagrado beat Blue Panther Jr., Pegasso, Stigma
(14:17 [6:45, 3:04, 4:28], 1/3, n/r, VideosOficialesCMLL)

Templario beat Drone, Rey Cometa, Kawato San, Príncipe Diamante, Akuma, Black Panther, Hijo del Signo, Star Jr., Virus, Esfinge, Disturbio in a CMLL’s Reyes del Aire
(23:22, great, VideosOficialesCMLL)

09:22 Drone rope flip moonsault Akuma
10:50 Disturbio front backbreaker Principe Diamante
11:55 Black Panther springboard dropkick Hijo del Signo
12:34 Kawato knee neck breaker Drone
14:05 Virus octopus cradle Black Panther
14:46 Rey Cometa 450 splash Kawato San
15:18 Templario spinning powerbomb Rey Cometa
16:15 Esfinge nudo egipico Disturbio
18:03 Templario ramp cartwheel splash Esfinge
19:16 Star Jr. Valenca Virus
23:22 Templario moonsault powerslam Star Jr.

Místico beat Mephisto
(15:51, 1 DQ/2, good VideosOficialesCMLL

DQ Mephisto [pulled Mistico’s mask] (3:55)
Místico top rope headscissors (11:56)

What happened:

Rey del Aires is tecnicos versus rudos.

A new ring announcer debuted. Jesus is from Guadalajara and his last name may be something like Escara, but I’m not sure. He replaces Enrique Gil, who retired in December.

Místico made mask match gestures after the main event.

Thoughts:

Tuesdays are an alternate world of CMLL, where the fans are eager to cheer Místico against the forces of evil. There were more Mistico chants in this match than most years of Friday shows. Mephisto played his part by being cruel early on; the mask pull right when Mistico made a comeback worked with it. Mephisto also expanded what he did a little bit, though someone might want to notice the “surprise” Canadian Destroyer got no reaction. The unexpected two fall structure helped, though it was hard to ignore it was happening when the second fall was more ten minutes old. It didn’t overstay their welcome; getting out when they did instead of doing more just to do more was the right call. A perfectly satisfying main event.

The Rey del Aire was a lot better in the ring than on paper. Templario and Star Jr. got showcased big, and they were good picks for the role. They had a strong last four minutes, with the crowd really buying into the Dragon Rana/Torito near fall. The pace was strong there and all match, with the match never really letting up after it got going. The rudos who didn’t fit, like Akuma & Signo, threw themselves into topes and stayed out of the way until getting eliminated. Panther threw a lot of topes, though one less than the announcers thought. He’s learned from his father to do things that stand out even and to keep getting reactions even when he’s not in the plans (and going on fifth meant he was really not in the plans here.) This held together well with no problems or dead moments. There’s been better Reyes del Aire but it was better than it had seemed.

unremarkable CMLL shows, Vikingo on Impact, Laredo Kid out until March

January 28, 2020January 28, 2020 thecubsfan 1 Comment

The 2020 Tapatia awards for excellence in the field of lucha libre remain open until at least 02/01. Maybe 02/02 if I’m tired on Sunday. These are very serious!

CMLL (MON) 01/27/2020 Arena Puebla [CMLL, Lucha Central, Tribua Noticias]
1) Black Tiger & Rey Apocalipsis b Asturiano & Rey Samuray
Asturiano replaced Milenium. Rudos took 2/3.
2) La Comandante, La Infernal, Reyna Isis b Marcela, Mystique, Sanely
rudas took 1/3
3) Stigma b Kawato San [lightning]
4) Shocker, Templario, Vangellys b Audaz, Dulce Gardenia, Flyer
rudos took 2/3
5) Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón b Carístico, Soberano Jr., Titán
rudos took 1/3, Sanson cheating to beat Caristico

The matches went longer to make up for not having as many of them. Matches going longer just fill time makes for worse action. A better solution would’ve been to have six more people on the card as usual. Hopefully everyone got paid more for doing more. (That probably didn’t happen.)

Today’s CMLL show has another NGD main event, this time with Atlantis, Carisitco and Soberano Junior. Blue Panther, who was given another sports awards (this time from Iztacalco) yesterday, teams with his sons versus Hechicero, Rey Bucanero and Terrible. Hechicero and Panther will probably do something weird. Diamond has a rare match without Espiritu Negro in the fourth match. Super Astro & Coyote meet in the lightning match. It is possible some of the undercard or other matches may change with the Nitro trainees around. The show will stream at 7:30 pm on CMLL YouTube.

Los Guerreros face Angel de Oro, Diamante Azul and Niebla Roja in Guadalajara.

AAA wrestlers on Impact tonight (7 pm CT on AXS, also streaming on Twitch)

Daga & Dr. Wagner vs Reno Scum
Josh Alexander vs Hijo del Vikingo
Pagano & Murder Clown vs Dez & Wentz

Karis La Momia Jr. told the press at Sunday’s Arena Neza show that it is way too soon for him to start using the La Parka name and he’ll only do so when it becomes necessary.

I missed this, but Konnan did show up with Faccion Ingobernable on Saturday’s AAA show. It was just after the show, making a run-in with their post-match interview.

As has an interview with Laredo Kid about his time in Exatlon. The surprising part is he says he won’t be returning to AAA until March. That’ll be about a six-month break between matches. Laredo has a family that he’s been away from for 17 weeks, so he can’t really argue with him with wanting to spend the next five or so weeks with them.

Lucha Memes has started a YouTube channel and said they’d be posting matches once they get to 100 subscribers. They did reach 100, so Demus vs Neptuno from New Year’s Day is up. I’d go with a bigger name match but they’re Lucha Memes, Neptuno was basically a meme, it makes some sense.

Andrade (La Sombra) is suspended from WWE for 30 days for a Wellness Policy violation. Pro Wrestling Sheet reported the story first. Andrade was written off of TV last night.

Diosa Quetzal & La Baronessa talk about their paths to wrestling.

I neglected to write about the shows I went to last weekend. I went to both AAW and GALLI primarily to go see Aramis’ matches. The one on GALLI – I bootlegged it for YouTube – was the better of the two. The simplest way to get Aramis over to a new audience is to for him to show his most spectacular offense – the tope, the spinning torture powerbomb (la Desnucadora del Mosquetero) and the rope walk tope con giro. Aramis got in the rope walk dive in AAW and spent much of the match selling, which was to be expected with Juventud Guerrera as a partner. (Juventud took most of the spotlight in the match, but he talk up Aramis before and after it.) He got that dive and the powerbomb in the second match, which felt like a better showcase. Aramis did take the pinfall in both matches, which was more confusing with GALLI since it set up a return date for a title match. The GALLI people fans interested in seeing the match so it seems fine. I’m not sure if he impressed enough in AAW to for certain to get brought back (though it’s more likely if AAW & GALLI weekends lineup again), though the crowd did give him a nice reaction after the match. Really though, the indie/fringe AAA luchador who got over the most in front of US audiences this past weekend seemed to be Arez on the GCW PPV.

The Mexa Squad ROH trios title win is now free to watch on Fite.TV. Entrances starts around 28:23. That match was helped with strong reactions from Atlanta fans who seemed to be Mucha Lucha Atlanta. That promotion hasn’t run since October but announced a return soon. No date given, but they do mention they’re getting Rush, Dragon Lee, and Bandido for the show through Ring of Honor. Ring of Honor recently has allowed their wrestlers only to work in the US for them and PWG, but seems to be opening that up slightly.

02/22 The Crash

03/07 MexaWrestling in Monterrey’s Arena Femenil

There’s a lucha libre inspired art exhibit in Dallas for the next couple of weeks.

LuchaWorld has the latest Lucha Report and this week’s Poster-Mania.

+LuchaTV has this week’s podcast.

Segunda Caida has made it to episode 4×19 of Lucha Underground.

Lineups

CMLL (SUN) 02/02/2020 Arena México
1) Fantasy & Último Dragóncito vs Mercurio & Pierrothito
2) Aaron Sykes, Remington, Retro vs Akuma, Jerome, Nitro
3) Black Panther, Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr. vs Misterioso, Pólvora, Tiger
4) El Audaz vs Vangellys [lightning]
5) Kráneo, Soberano Jr., Volcano vs Hechicero, Rey Bucanero, Sansón
6) Ángel de Oro, Diamante Azul, Niebla Roja vs Cavernario, Negro Casas, Último Guerrero

Jerome appears to be Jerome Gryffen; I can’t find anything under that name. Remington is Ryan Remington. Aaron Sykes name is spelled correctly, and they’re all on the Arena Rey Bucanero card next Saturday. Maybe all the trainees are getting one match, which would leave two more spots to fill.

CMLL Puebla: 2020-01-13

January 28, 2020January 23, 2020 thecubsfan

Recapped: 2020-01-13

Matches:

Asturiano, King Jaguar, Tigre Rojo Jr. beat Ares, Centella Roja, Policeman
(13:27 [7:25, 3:00, 3:02], 2/3, n/r, VideosOficialesCMLL)

Espíritu Maligno, Joker, Pierrothito beat Astro, Kaligua, Shockercito
(12:29 [5:10, 3:06, 4:13], 1/3, below average, VideosOficialesCMLL)

Dark Magic, Kawato San, Olímpico beat Black Panther, Esfinge, Stigma
(15:02 [5:52, 3:47, 5:23], 1/3 DQ, n/r, VideosOficialesCMLL)

Kráneo, Valiente, Volcano beat Máscara Año 2000, Rey Bucanero, Universo 2000 Jr.
(15:37 [6:19, 3:10, 6:08], 2/3, n/r, VideosOficialesCMLL)

Felino, Gran Guerrero, Templario beat Diamante Azul, Místico, Volador Jr.
(12:11 [4:42, 2:16, 5:13], 1/3, n/r, VideosOficialesCMLL)

What happened:

Gran Guerrero pulled Mistico’s mask to win the main event, setting up a singles match.

Kawato tries twice to unmask Stigma in the closing moments (and it’s not clear if the misses are on purpose; it looks clunky.) Kawato grabs the mask, Stigma fouls Kawato, Kawato pulls off the mask while taking the blow. Referee Edgar considers both options and eventually rules a DQ on Stigma for fouling first.

Thoughts:

The minis match was the only one I watched in detail on this show. Pierrothito and Shockercito remain good together and seemed to set up a title match, though not one CMLL felt like booking. The other four had weak nights, which was mostly the rudos seemingly screwing up the tecnicos spots. It’s hard to give a below-average to something where they’re so obviously trying to have a good match, all the way to the end, but there was just too much wrong here.