Princesa Sugehit announced she tested positive for COVID-19 Wednesday. Her positive came in on Wednesday morning. The announcement was made that afternoon on CMLL Informa. She said she was showing no symptoms.
Sugehit will be quarantined in her home in Monterrey for two weeks to prevent the spread of the virus. She will be unavailable to participate in CMLL’s Aniversario show, despite winning the poll to challenge Marcela for the CMLL Women’s Championship. CMLL said Wednesday they’d announce how they’ll handle this situation shortly. There’s been no announcement as of Friday midday. CMLL’s website currently lists Marcela as defending the title, with a challenger to be determined.
Princesa Sugehit is the first person in either CMLL or AAA to acknowledge a positive COVID diagnosis. (I don’t know of any other positive tests, but there’s no reason anyone would’ve announced them until now.) Sugehit mentions she’s been tested three times, the last just back in Monterrey. Sugehit’s wrestled at least three times – once on PPV, twice on TV matches airing the previous week – so CMLL doesn’t seem to be testing before every match. Perhaps CMLL is doing the entire week of TV in one batch, and everyone’s getting tested before that marathon starts.
The fairest way to honor the fan’s votes would delay Princesa Sugehit’s title match until she’s cleared to return. That was the outcome last year when Marcela couldn’t defend this same title on this same show due to injury, though it took until Chrismas to make that match up. CMLL’s lineup suggests they’re still planning on having Dalys Marcela defend the title at this point. CMLL could hold another poll to determine a replacement challenger, as they did when Cavernario was injured. The CMLL Informa chat, not necessarily a representative sample, preferred that option. CMLL could also replace Sugehit with the second-place finisher, Dalys. That’s the most straightforward option and is also the likeliest.
The combination of Dalys and distrust in CMLL has led a segment of the CMLL fanbase to be suspicious of this story. The theory is CMLL paying Princesa Sugehit (money, more bookings for the rarely seen Raider, other benefits) to bow out of the match so Dalys can get it instead. That would’ve fit with CMLL’s plan; they expected Dalys to win this title shot. Dalys had been upset on social media when fans were not making that happen. CMLL’s programming division and Dalys seem to agree on this – she’s booked as the #1 woman even without the title, so she’s the would be the ‘correct’ choice to be dominated. The title doesn’t seem to mean anything as far as selling tickets or gaining the interest of the fans. Dalys title matches haven’t been impressive, but the title itself means the world to her.
I have trouble believing this theory just because of the COVID diagnosis. That’s going to way more people to look into the story than you’d want. Reporting a positve COVID test will cause local authorities to evaluate CMLL’s health plans. Everyone close to Sugehit has to question their health status. If CMLL wanted to pull a scam, Sugehit could’ve claimed a knee injury or a muscle pull, and it’s a non-story outside the small world of CMLL. JCR & Sugehit seemed to be taking the issue too seriously for it to be any ruse, though I’m terrible at figuring out those things.
That last point is worth noting: CMLL’s shown concern and support for Princesa Sugehit after this diagnosis. You’d think that would be something any wrestling promotion would do, but maybe not every promotion. So it’s worth noting CMLL is handling this as they should.
CMLL Informa also corrected the match order slightly. It’s going Micros, World Trios, Mexican Women, Mexican Trios, CMLL Women, NWA Welter, and CMLL Tag. I don’t immediately understand how they came up with that order, but I’ve burnt out on caring. This show will be Caristico’s fourth Aniversario main event and first since 2010. It’ll be the first for everyone else. All matches will be one fall, which is probably for the best with seven matches.
CMLL finishes out the pre-Aniversario stretch tonight with another Ticketmaster Live card. Volador versus Gran Guerrero is the headline match. I wonder if Volador and Ultimo Guerrero were meant to be this main event before UG disappeared from these cards. The interactions in the preview trios matches have been lackluster. Volador & GG have to step it up a lot to make this an exciting match, something Volador hasn’t done much the last couple of years.
NGD make their first PPV appearance of this run against Mistico, Bandido, and Valiente. Espiritu Negro & Rey Cometa continue their appearances, this time against Hechicero & Mephisto. Jarochita teams with newly minted title challenger Lluvia against Amapola and Reyna Isis. The always fun Super Astro Jr. returns in the opener to face Diamond.
The show airs on Ticketmaster Live at 8:30 pm. I can’t imagine anyone buying this today; the only people watching will be those bought the entire package a few weeks ago, the people who will be watching CMLL no matter what. Tonight’s event is the last regular show in the package. CMLL hasn’t announced how they’ll handle these going into October.
The Los Angeles Times has a long on Ultimo Guerrero and Olimpico, among others, working in food trucks because lucha libre has shut down. Olimpico’s working at his wife’s pre-existing crepe business. Ultimo Guerrero is at his recently purchased hamburger truck. Guerrero’s hamburger stand is the most popular in this neighborhood, thanks to his popularity as a wrestler. The article reads like the transition to street food has been a success, though they miss wrestling.
The Los Angeles Times article mentions he works there with his wife, Lluvia. Their relationship had not been acknowledged publicly but was the source of a lot of recent discussion gossip site discussion alongside Lluvia’s surprising poll results.
Tiger & Hijo del Villano III will be challenging for the national tag team titles on Televisa on Saturday, as revealed as part of the weekly virtual media day. They’ve been feuding with Atlantis Jr. & Flyer on that TV show these last two weeks, the only feud CMLL’s done on TV so far. I remain surprised how little CMLL has pushed this match on social media. Maybe there are promos on TV. CMLL – and most lucha libre in general – still see TV as the enemy to the live turnout and that’s seemingly why lucha libre on TV is never much promoted. There’s no live gate now, so the best thing CMLL can do is get people to buy their PPVs (which they promote well) and watch their TV (which they barely acknowledge.) Maybe it is just hard to change that mindset.
Lucha Memes, LLB (WED) 09/16/2020 Arena Lopez Mateos [Mas Lucha]
1) Gremlin b Kastigador (Querétaro)
2) Rey Marte b Dominio, Imperio
3) Toxin b Fly Star
4) Corsario Negro Jr. COR Drako
Drako couldn’t make it back in after being thrown into the barricade. Fantasma de la Opera & Cerebro Negro were advertised but are not listed in the results.
5) Mike Segura b Freelance
6) Ricky Marvin b Arez [cage]
Arez argued he was only pinned for two.
7) Aramis b Baby Extreme
I’m not sure the same deal of the Arez/Marvin finish. This match at Lucha memes was their second lucha of the night, having wrestled in CAR The Crash and doing a hair match challenge shortly before. They did a hair match challenge in Arena Lopez Mateos as well. My feeling, baseless without seen either of those matches, is to move away from that feud for now. There’s nothing gained from Arez losing to Marvin so often. Arez getting the win, or Arez losing again in a hair match, might as well be saved for a day when a lot more people can be put in the building.
The photos show not many people in the building. The promotion said it was just a consequence of 30% capacity. AULL’s reopening show was also limited to 30%, but that seemed to be many more people. That “30%” appeared more than 30%; Memes might have the right amount of people. Legend also ran last weekend in Arena Lopez Mateos, which might clarify this attendance bit, except there are no photos of that one. Legend is putting that show & the 09/26 show as a 250 MXP Whatsapp PPV, and they seem to have stopped people from videoing their PPV (or at least putting it out yet.)f
This Memes show will eventually turn up on IWTV. Lucha Memes is back on 10/04 in Coliseo Coacalco with another eight-person tournament.
Arena Mama Lucha-s in Mexico State has been closed by the authorities. The local Cuatitulan Izcalli municipality closed the arena for running public events during the pandemic without proper health procedures. Their first show since the start of the pandemic did take place. Reports aren’t clear on that part, but there’s a video of the matches on their YouTube channel. I believe they’re prohibited from having more events at the moment. Lucha Libre shows in Mexico State were allowed to restart on August 17th, though individual towns may have different policies. It appears the promotion took the required medical care of the wrestlers; they’ve posted videos of the sanitization and COVID testing procedures. The promotion also posted photos of what they say was a non-wrestling event that was not stopped by the government. The government notice cited various health statues but didn’t give a specific reason for the shutdown.
The accusation is this shutdown is tied to the Anibal Jr./Princesa Azul situation from three months ago: Anibal suddenly revoked permission from his “daughter” to use the character, Princesa Azul implied sexual harassment and refused to change the name. Nothing much came of it; Princesa Azul hasn’t worked a whole lot in the last few months (like everyone else), so there wasn’t much to take issue with over the name. This show was her first announced match in Mexico State since everything happened. Anibal Jr. also promotes in the state, so the idea is he’s got some extra influence in the area. Mama Lucha hasn’t posted specific evidence of Anibal being involved. It’s more circumstantial stuff like a message chain from a few weeks ago where it appears Anibal is still upset about the situation. The promoter also pointed out there were seven shows in Mexico State that day, and hers was the only one shut down. Anibal’s not talked about the situation on social media. He did seem to reference in a post an Albert Einstein quote about not caring what others think of you. Wrestling people tend to be conspiracy-minded, but it’s public enough that everyone will be watching for it the next time Princesa Azul is booked in Mexico State.
The head of the Torreon lucha libre commission has submitted health protocols to the local government for resuming lucha libre. They sound a lot like what’s being done in Mexico State – 30% capacity, mandatory COVID testing – which the head commissioner insists will make all shows unprofitable. He’s saying tests cost 1000 pesos. I’m curious how promotions around Mexico State are making it work at that price. There are some indications they’ve found sponsors or have turned into a marketing partnership.
Hijo del Pirata Morgan faces Jean Montanez in a hair versus mask match on 09/26. It’s the Montanez WR promotion, and they usually win, but it’d be strange for anyone to lose their hair at 30% capacity.
DTU released their full next card, which will be a charity show
DTU (FRI) 10/02/2020 Pachuca, Hidalgo
1) Dragón Suicida & Flash Boy vs Anarquía (Veracruz) & Dariux
2) Blaze vs Princesa Azul, Fight Panther, Brazo Cibernetico, Diosa Quetzal, Dark Power
3) Brazo De Oro Jr. vs Kevin, Samuray Jr., Aeropanther [DTU AI, #1 Contenders, torneo]
4) Hormgia vs Kaleth, ?, Brazo Celestial [DTU AI, torneo, #1 Contenders]
5) ?, Chaneke, Disturbio vs Demente Extreme, Hijo De Dr. Pólux Jr., Paranoiko
6) Crazy Boy & Joe Lider vs Dr. Wagner Jr. & Galeno del Mal and Black Fire & Camuflaje
This was originally supposed to air 09/27, which would’ve been a free show airing at the same time as Vanguardia’s PPV. DTU’s show moved to the Friday after to avoid conflict.
Cibernetico says he plans to return to the ring in February and still wants Ultimo Guerrero’s title.
El Diario de Finanza has a list of what luchadors are paid per match. They do some research in the post, but the big list they use doesn’t seem to be sourced in any way I can tell, but maybe they’re right.
El Dandy & Satanico will be honored (but do not appear to be wrestling ) on a 10/04 Arena San Juan show. There are over 50 people booked for a show which appears to be selling no tickets and airing on the internet for free.
Latin Lover made one of his periodic mentions that he’d like to do another match.
An article saying a scheduled show in Leon has been canceled doesn’t seem to mention why it’s canceled.
Chessman was named in charge of the Deportivo de Alto Rendimento Villa Nicolas Romero, a local government-sponsored boxing and wrestling training center.
LuchaWorld has the latest Lucha Report.
