Arena Neza iPPV leads to discovery of COVID-19 positive luchadors, other results & notes from the weekend

VPR (SAT) 08/15/2020 Arena Neza [ESTO]
1) Bizarro, Fashion Boy, Legendario b Brazo De Oro Jr., Laberinto, Survivor
Laberinto was the only one originally scheduled who appeared. Moto Cross, Rey Neza, Brayan all did not appear.
2) Geo, Rey Caballero, Valiente Jr. b Corsario De Fuego, Kanon, Tony Cirio Jr.
Rey Caballero & Corsario de Fuego both added.
3) Diosa Quetzal b Miss Delicious
Lolita & Star Fire were scheduled but didn’t appear.
4) Hijo Del Impostor & Súper Nova NF Dragón & Skayde
Skayde and Super Nova both betrayed and unmasked their partners.
5) Blue Demon Jr. & Ricky Marvin DQ Black Taurus & La Máscara
Dr. Wagner Jr. & Galeno del Mal made a surprise appearance to attack Demon for the DQ.

I had been told this show was taped in advance, but all information since is that it took place as advertised live on Saturday.

SuperLuchas reports this show got approval from the Nezahualcoyotl government, who set strict protocols. Those protocols included COVID-19 testing for all participants. They all took a PCR test a week ago, where three people came out positive. A second test, a rapid one with a lesser accuracy rate, was administered to everyone on Saturday. Two luchadors were positive. All did not participate in a show. Everyone else got an additional PCR test on Saturday, and those results will be known today.

There are five people who were advertised in matches who did not appear on this show. There are five people who were positive if I’m understanding the report correctly. That doesn’t mean those groups of people are the same people – luchadors miss shows for all sorts of reasons in normal times. It is concerning that some of the missing names were on notable no-fans shows in the recent past or are currently advertised for future ones. To the best of my knowledge, the only lucha libre events where there’s been COVID-19 so far have been the CMLL closed-door show, this Arena Neza event, and IWRG’s failed attempt to run a Rey del Ring Part 2 show. There have been quite a few more shows than that. There are people who should be looking at that list and getting tested, but everyone wrestling on an empty arena show probably needs to get tested.

These positive tests are the closest thing to a system working we’ve seen: you don’t want anyone to get this, but at least people found out they may have it and didn’t spread it to other people. I’d expect that most every lucha libre show going on has someone who is positive who doesn’t even realize it because it’s that widespread. Maybe the actual biggest lucha libre news this week is US approval for a saliva-based test for the coronavirus. Cheap, fast, and accurate testing would solve a lot of issues.

I didn’t watch the Arena Neza show. Maybe it came off on screen better than it reads. It comes off as running lots of angles to set up future shows, or someone booking on the belief that what fans want to see are controversial match outcomes. I’m not sure the financial wisdom in paying Dr. Wagner to come to your iPPV and not advertising it ahead of time.

Rico Rodriguez won the Rey del Norte rumble.

Draztick Boy retained the Black Mask Lucha Libre Cruiserweight championship over Shun Skywalker & Kid Silver on the BMLL show.

Another attempt at running a clandestine show in Gomez Palacio was shut down over the weekend.

“Nail in the Coffin: The Fall and Rise Vampiro” will be released digitally on September 8th. It’s getting a short theatre run on September 4th. The Vampiro documentary probably would’ve made its way to more film festivals first had those still been around in conventional form this year.

Dalys was named one of the 100 most powerful women in Central America by Forbes Central America. It reads like they were looking for candidates from Panama to include, and any mention is nice.

Parka Negra says he feared AAA would get rid of his character after La Parka died. The character was originally designed to be a La Parka rival, though that was three or four people in the suit ago; Zorro Parka Negra. This latest Parka Negra hasn’t gone away and feels it’s a chance to redefine himself, though it seems like he’s had an occasional feud with Hijo de LA Park anyway.

Clarin reposts a piece on Silver King’s death. They mention the show as an AAA Worldwide show and say  AAA refused to give a comment about the death. This seems fair on AAA’s part since it wasn’t an AAA show. It was a “Lucha Libre World” promoted event using Todo x el Todo luchadors. It’s a very researched via Wikipedia piece.

Cibernetico is back at home and doing better.

Negro Navarro & Freelance are leading a seminar on September 19th.

La Jarochita claims her father banned her from trying out for the women’s national soccer team because that sport was for men, so she got into a lucha libre. That seems like a backfire. CMLL also sent out Rey Cometa & Espiritu Negro, Angel de Oro, and Reina Isis.

Reforma (via Critero Hidalgo) asked LA Park to tell some stories about his life and he told some stories.

Yucatan lucha libre promotion War Lucha Libre is running a pre-taped tournament on Saturday nights. The shows will air on their Facebook page.

Diario Basta writes about luchadora Zayna. She was one of many who a contest with the same newspaper ten years to train lucha libre with Psycho Clown a decade ago, and it inspired to become a luchador many years later.

A YouTube vlogger has a useful video on visiting Arena Coliseo Guadalajara. Or at least the outside of it during a pandemic.

Box Y Lucha 3435 has Dos Caras on the cover.

Hidalgo Tarasco II talks about avoiding wrestling in closed-door shows during a pandemic, feeling it’s unsafe.

An interview with Tampico’s Disturbio.

ESTO has a long interview with Mexico State’s Minimo.

Segunda Caida watches a mystery Negro Casas & Mocho Cota versus Atlantis & Lizmark match that appears to be from Sinaloa.