CMLL (FRI) 02/28/2020 Arena México [+LuchaTV, culticon, ESTO, Marca, Ovaciones, R de Rudo, Record, thecubsfan, TUDN]
1) Akuma & Espanto Jr. b Halcón Suriano Jr. & Sonic
9:30. Rudos took 1/3.
2) Sagrado & Soberano Jr. b Dulce Gardenia, Luciferno, Black Panther, Stigma, Hijo del Villano III, Disturbio [MEX TAG, battle royal]
2:28
3) Disturbio & Virus b Pegasso & Stigma [MEX TAG, 8f]
4:45.
4) Hijo del Villano III & Templario b Dulce Gardenia & Fuego [MEX TAG, 8f]
6:59.
5) Ephesto & Luciferno b Black Panther & Blue Panther Jr. [MEX TAG, 8f]
3:30.
6) Misterioso Jr. & Sagrado b Soberano Jr. & Titán [MEX TAG, 8f]
5:56.
7) Hijo del Villano III & Templario b Disturbio & Virus [MEX TAG, quarterfinal]
5:24.
8) Soberano Jr. & Titán b Ephesto & Luciferno [MEX TAG, quarterfinal]
5:18.
9) Hijo del Villano III & Templario b Soberano Jr. & Titán [MEX TAG, semifinal]
13:43.
10) Felino, Negro Casas, Terrible b Ángel de Oro, Diamante Azul, Niebla Roja
17:25. Rudos took 1/3.
11) Carístico & Forastero b Cavernario & Volador Jr. [Torneo Nacional Increible de Parejas, final]
12:19. Straight falls, the last when Felino distracted Cavernario and Felino.
CMLL promos: Akuma & Espanto Jr., Templario & HIjo del Villano III, Felino, Caristico & Forastero, and Barbaro Cavernario.
Pressroom interviews: Caristico & Forastero and Hijo del Villano III & Templario.
The main event was the better of the two 2v2 finals, but the finish kind of made the whole tournament pointless. The Soberano/Titan vs Villano III/Templario match had more issues but a much better ending. The next best tag match on the show might have been the opener.
El Grafico writes about the mixed feelings about the CMLL barricades around the ring following Valiente’s injury. The article correctly attributes them to a Sombra/fan interaction, though the details are slightly off. Hijo del Villano III says it was too risky before the barricades (though he didn’t wrestle in CMLL Before the barricades.) Pierrothito and Halcon Suriano Jr. are less positive about it.
Miguel Reducindo talks about the pointlessness of bringing back the tag team belts: there are too many belts as it, fans do not show up in more numbers to see title matches and champions do not benefit from them.
On the Lucha Time show last night, The Mummy became the first overall champion, while Baby Extreme became cruiserweight champion. Or at least that was what on the poster. Neither report on the show mentions belts, so maybe they were just matches.
AEW has a PPV tonight. Penta & Fenix do not appear to be on it. No lucha libre talent made the show this time. That’s disappointing. The show looks good and I’m going to be there, but still.
Dragon Lee did not win the ROH championship last night. Tonight’s show includes
- Rush vs PCO vs Mark Haskins for the ROH World Championship
- Dragon Lee vs Dak Draper for the ROH TV Championship
- Rey Horus & Bandido vs Jonathan Gresham & Bandido
The show starts at 7 pm tonight, straight up with the AEW show. It is possible Rush wins the championship back tonight, though it’d be a disadvantageous night with attention elsewhere. Dak Draper hasn’t shown anything but height in his Ring of Honor matches so far so it’d be disappointing if he beat Dragon Lee (and I don’t think Dragon Lee is losing.) Horus & Bandido get a tag title shot if they go to a win or draw. It’s possible but there seem to be many contenders for the tag titles already.
There is no AAA Twitch stream this weekend but there are other shows Saturday
- Lucha Libre Boom is in Arena Lopez Mateos with Santo & Octagon against Fuerza Guerrera & Dr. Cerebro. That has a +LuchaTV logo on it.
- Welcome To Mi Barrio has a show with a WTMB vs IWRG main event. That has a +LuchaTV logo on it.
- Black Mask Lucha Libre in Tulancingo includes Willy Banderas vs Arez vs Jimmy vs Draztick Boy. That has a +LuchaTV logo on it.
- Blue Panther vs Virus main events Arena Rey Bucanero. That does not have a +LuchaTV on it.
- There’s a six women apuesta cage match in Arena San Juan with Marcela, Metalica, Skadi, Casandra, India Sioux, and Lilith Dark.
- Atlantis Jr. & Caristico headline against Sanson & Cuatrero in Arena Queretaro.
- Demus vs Fly Star vs Demonio Infernal takes place in CAR The Crash.
- There’s also an Arena Coliseo show.
The way things work now, where promotions don’t take care of their videos themselves and everyone’s reliant on a few people deciding where they’d like the spend their night, means there absolutely will be five versions of some of these shows and no video of other ones. This frustrates me even though I probably won’t actually watch most of this.
Sunday
- DTU opens a new Arena in Tulancingo. This should stream on +LuchaTV.
- The Villano III Jr. vs Aereo mask match takes place in Chihuahua. Those guys are going to so amazing dumb stuff. It would be a shock if Aereo won. I believe this will eventually air +LuchaTV
- The semi-main is scheduled as Texano & Escorpion vs Psycho Clown & a mystery person. The popular guess has been Sin Cara/Cinta de Oro as the mystery person, but he says it will not be him.
- IWRG has a captain’s apuesta match.
- Ultimo Dragon has his quarterly show.
- NGD vs Angel de Oro, Niebla Roja and Soberano headlines Arena Mexico.
Maximo talks about the rumors about his health, says it was just he and his family being extra thorough about a minor issue following La Parka’s injuries.
Segunda Caida watches one of the recent CMLL Japan matches that have been posted to YouTube.
A promo for the AAA/EMW/MLW show.
Lineups
CMLL (FRI) 03/06/2020 Arena México
1) Fantasy & Shockercito vs Mercurio & Pierrothito
2) Black Panther, Blue Panther Jr., Dulce Gardenia vs Misterioso, Sagrado, Virus
3) Titán vs Soberano Jr. [lightning]
4) Rey Bucanero & Shocker vs Felino & Tiger and Cancerbero & Raziel and Pólvora & Vangellys and Atlantis Jr. & Flyer and Rey Cometa & Star Jr. and Drone & Esfinge and Audaz & Fugaz [MEX TAG, battle royal]
5) ? & ?? vs ??? & ???? [MEX TAG, 8F]
6) ? & ?? vs ??? & ???? [MEX TAG, 8F]
7) ? & ?? vs ??? & ???? [MEX TAG, 8F]
8) ? & ?? vs ??? & ???? [MEX TAG, 8F]
9) ? & ?? vs ??? & ???? [MEX TAG, quarterfinal]
10) ? & ?? vs ??? & ???? [MEX TAG, quarterfinal]
11) ? & ?? vs ??? & ???? [MEX TAG, semifinal]
12) Carístico, Valiente, Volador Jr. vs Cavernario, Euforia, Último Guerrero
Atlantis & Flyer seem the favorites. CMLL trying to force the second generation Atlantis/Villano feud into happening seems like their top priority. Audaz & Fugaz have an outside shot, but it’s hard to imagine any of the other tecnico teams actually winning the championship. Cometa & Star Jr. would be fun secondary tag team champions but CMLL doesn’t have time for them.
Felino & Tiger seem destined to lose via Cavernario distraction. Shocker & Bucanero being in this tournament is a statement on how far they’ve fallen – everyone else is solidly midcard – and yet they’ll probably advance far. The matches would be better if Cancerbero & Raziel did instead.
Titan and Soberano are going to have a really good match again. Titan won the last one.