Month: September 2020

IWRG (SUN) 09/13/2020 Arena Naucalpan [Mas Lucha, R de Rudo]
1) Dick Angelo 3G b Rey Halcón Jr. 
Dick Angelo replaced Legendario
2) Avisman, Fulgor I, Karaoui b Alas de Oro, Alas De Plata, Eragón 
3) Puma de Oro b Toxin [super libre] 
Puma de Oro got the win to set up a title match next week.
4) Demonio Infernal & Fresero Jr. b Big Chico Che & Big Ovett [IWRG IC TAG, #1 Contenders, quarterfinal] 
5) Dragón Bane & Hijo de Canis Lupus b Shun Skywalker & Yoshioka [IWRG IC TAG, #1 Contenders, quarterfinal]  

Those two winning teams face in the semifinals, probably on 09/27. Los Traumas versus Los Capos and Los Exoticos versus Hijo del Espectro & Hijo de Kahoz are the next quarterfinals.

There would absolutely be a show in Naucalpan on 09/16 most years. It doesn’t appear there will be one this year.

Daga defended the AAA Latin American championship against Isaias Velazquez Saturday in Chicago Heights. AAA didn’t seem to acknowledge this title match. They didn’t either with the Fenix/Aeroboy match a couple of years ago but I counted it then so why not now.

No big changes in the CMLL polling. Lluvia’s lead over Reyna Isis is hovering around five percent, and it’s the closest battle.

Diario el Mundo has a remembrance of past Orizaba, Veracruz luchadors.

Box Y Lucha 3439 has so many things on the cover. The “El Aribto” cover is a delayed obituary for the writer who passed away early during the pandemic. Inside, Hijo del Pirata Morgan (hair) versus Jean Montanez (mask) is announced for September 26th and Tromba reveals he’s actually an alien from the planet Iris.

Lineups

Vanguardia (SAT) 09/19/2020 Estadio Primero de Mayo, Tulancingo, Hidalgo
1) Alfa Jr. & Dayami vs Misionero & Zuzu Divine
2) Billy Biker & Murdoc vs Dragón Boy & Rey Dragón
3) Gasparín & Símbolo Azteca © vs Drolux & Moria [BMLL TAG]
4) Látigo vs Lobo Blanco, Crazy King [VANGUARDIA 4X4]
5) Oriental vs Arez, Draztick Boy, Falcón Fire [BMLL CRUISER]
6) Cíclope & Miedo Extremo vs Jitsu & Santy Hernández [explosion]

Full lineup for the the next show. This is a PPV a week or so later. I think they had it on 09/27. Mas Lucha is airing a free DTU charity show on 09/27 (lineup is sort of implied by the poster) so that would be a rough day to run a PPV but who knows.

The idea is Ciclope scared Santy Hernandez into re-hiring him and making the main event. The last explosion match they did had good (loud, not actually dangerous) explosions. I’d like to see the fourway match if you’re willing to deal with Whatsapp & Facebook.

CMLL (FRI) 09/11/2020 Arena México [CMLL, Lucha Central, Marca, Ovaciones, R de Rudo, thecubsfan]
1) El Coyote b Oro Jr.
13:44. Coyote took 2/3.
2) La Jarochita b Reina Isis
17:15. Jarochita 1/3.
3) Espíritu Negro & Rey Cometa b Cancerbero & Raziel
16:51. AtrapaSuenos took 2/3.
4) Soberano Jr. & Titán b Templario & Tiger
25:42 (last fall 14:21). Tecnicos took 2/3
5) Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Sansón b El Bandido, Flyer, Volador Jr.
13:45. Rudos took 2/3. Gran Guerrero used the ropes to beat Volador, setting up a singles match next week.

The fourth match may have been the best. There was a lot of effort and Titan came up with some new ideas, though it may have been stronger with a crowd. The main event was the weakest match easily. Everything beyond the Bandido/Euforia sequences showed no effort. Flyer looked like he didn’t belong in a ring. Volador and Gran Guerrero are not trying to an embarrassing degree. The singles match between them next week is unappealing. The bigger problem is it’s hard to be excited for this Volador to face Bandido in two weeks if this is the Volador we’re getting now.

Coyote/Oro Jr. had a good third fall. Jarochita & Reina Isis continue to show that the younger CMLL women will try to make something happen if put against each other. Cancerbero & Raziel didn’t step it up much, though Cometa & Negro showed a few more teamwork spots. The semi-main got a lot of time and I can hardly remember anything Tiger did in it. Titan & Templario had a long final back and forth to finish that.

La Jarochita took a header on a tope in the third fall, looked shook up, but was allowed to continue after a ten-second consult by the doctor. Cancerbero seemed to get drilled head first into the sideboard in the tercera, but was up like nothing happened.

The seemingly inevitable PPV failure took place on this show. There were stream issues from just after the second match concluded until the last fall of the fourth match. The video and audio were out of sync, with both distorted at times. The stream also stopped, seemingly an attempt to restart it. CMLL replaced the two affected matches after the show, though not without the stream going out another time during the replay. It appeared the stream was set to automatically end after three and a half hours; they got it back going again quickly if you refreshed. It is frustrated this happened but better it happened in week two rather than the Aniversario. Maybe CMLL and Ticketmaster will learn from it, and at least the viewer now has the expectation that any compromised match will just be replayed later. It may be a very long night on September 25th but you will get to see everything.

additional CMLL empty arena shows

CMLL is taping and airing new matches for their TV shows, though those shows seem to be as scarcely advertised. I believe they started airing last weekend, though only a new match on the AMX show (old TV Mex) show was mentioned by the promotion. Friday’s AMX show aired three matches, including Blue Panther (Senior & Junior) defeating Luciferno & Polvora. MVS TV on Saturday showed three matches of their own, with a Black Panther & Dulce Gardenia over Okumura & Akuma main event. Televisa was the one channel I was not able to record, but someone watching the show mentioned three matches on the show (and seemed to indicate there was an additional opening match.) Only Televisa seemed to be getting a match program: there was an allusion to Flyer & Atlantis vs Tiger & Hijo del Villano III last weekend too. The rudos won this week, so they’re probably headed to a tag title match next week. Maybe CMLL will mention it? These shows total up to ten additional matches taped a week in addition to the five airing weekly on PPV.

Since I started writing this, CMLL revealed they’ll be putting up last week’s Televisa episode on YouTube Sunday, so we’ll at least get to see those matches.

CMLL had shows on Teleformula (Sunday) and MegaCable (Monday) before the pandemic. Those channels currently aren’t mentioned on the CMLL website and I’m not sure if they’re still airing. It’s always been believed CMLL makes only a small money on these TV deals, especially the non-Televisa ones. It must still be something. CMLL wouldn’t bother to tape new matches if they weren’t profitable endeavors

I’m using the air dates for these shows as tape dates, as I’ve tended to do for most mysterious streaming content during this pandemic. Those dates aren’t correct, these shows aren’t live. I think it could be possible to deeply research social media to see which wrestlers are posting pre/post-match Instagram photos and track ringside clothing changes to figure out when things were taped, but it doesn’t seem like a great use of my time.

A pattern:

• PPV’s women’s match was La Jarochita vs Reina Isis
• AMX’s women’s match was La Jarochita vs Reina Isis
• Televisa’s women’s match was La Jarochita & Princesa Sugehit vs Tiffany & La Infernal
• MVS’s women’s match was La Jarochita & Princesa Sugehit vs Tiffany & La Infernal

All those are different matches; some of the gear changes even if the matches do not. The repetitiveness of these matches is a discussion is a thing in itself, but La Jarochita wrestling so many times sticks out. Sugehit is wrestling and Marcela was on PPV last week. Are all the tecnicas unavailable? It’s strange Lluvia is leading a poll to get a title shot but hasn’t wrestled as far as I can tell. (Though she may not be leading for long; Reina Isis has suddenly made up a lot of ground.)

Additional Notes

Former AAA luchador Taboo (Bardo Escoboza, 49) passed away Friday in Queretaro. Mas Lucha reports the cause of death as pulmonary thrombosis – clotting in his lungs – originally suffered a week earlier. Taboo’s time as an AAA television performer was relatively brief. Cibernetico and La Parka were (again) feuding, with Cibernetico using video of Parka’s family and kidnapped Parka’s son with the help of the new masked ally. La Parka’s legitimate brother, Taboo, was introduced as the masked man. Taboo became part of Cibernetico’s Bizarros group, then faded out once as that concept did the same. Taboo won the IWRG IC Heavyweight Championship in 2011. He may have used the name Karis la Momia afterward, but he didn’t seem to wrestle much outside of 2010-2012.

No big positive changes on the biweekly Mexico health map; some states rolled back from Yellow to Orange. The colors are easier to understand version of an underlying point system. A state has to get to 15 to get to Yellow. Mexico City was in the mid-20s, so nowhere close. Mexico State was at 16, so they’re almost there. The next update is scheduled for 09/25.

You may have forgotten the Stronghearts showed up in AAA card earlier this year. Apparently they’re still coming for Big Mami and Nino Hamburguesa.

Mr. Condor says he’s taking a break from wrestling until after the coronavirus goes away. (Furia de Titanes noticed this post first.)

Arena Puebla’s Manuel Robles says La Fiera is the best wrestler from Puebla ever. He also names Egipico, Loco Max, Stigma, Centella de Oro, and Lestat; the big factor here are people who wrestled as locals in Arena Puebla who made it to Arena Mexico even briefly. He says CMLL has told him it’s not worth the cost to do TicketMaster Live-like empty shows in Puebla or Guadalajara, so they’re sidelined until they can open to fans.

Lucha Libre Vanguardia is happening on 09/19, airing as a PPV on 09/27

• Draztick Boy vs Oriental vs Arez vs Falcon Fire for the Black Mask Lucha Libre Cruiserweight Championship
• Gasparin & Simbolo Azteca vs Drolux & Moria for the Black Mask Lucha Libre Tag Team Championship
• Dayami & Alfa Jr. vs Zuzu Divine, Misionero
• Latigo (c) vs Crazy King vs Lobo Blanco Jr. for the Vanguardia 4×4 Championship – new

I guess Fly Star couldn’t make the show so they moved the title over? And they didn’t know that until after the last show happened? I’m not sure. Mas Lucha briefly uploaded and then removed a video with Ciclope & Santy Hernandez teasing an explosion match, so maybe look for that next week. Not much more time before this show.

Chinampaluchas luchadors were handing out masks or threatening holds in the Zocalo. The photo with the article shows them handing one to a traffic officer, which might suggest how seriously people in charge are taking all of this.

The second of the three CMLL pre-Aniversario PPVs takes place tonight. There’s a better on paper match than anything we’ve seen. It’s still a lot of matches just to have matches.

The main event has Volador Jr., Bandido, Flyer against Sanson, Gran Guerrero, Euforia. Gran Guerrero tossed his mask to draw a DQ on Volador, setting up this rematch. That is the usual CMLL set up a singles match for 09/18. Volador’s already scheduled to have a singles match on 09/25. The same guy having back to back singles matches is almost never done in CMLL, but this is a strange time. CMLL going to Volador to be in a special match is something we’ve seen a lot from them in recent years.

Soberano & Titan take on Templario & Tiger in the semi-main. That looks like a very strong match on paper. Last week’s environment didn’t feel conducive to great matches, but these guys will show enough effort to make up for it. Tiger is the one I’m least confident among this foursome; the disappointing FantasticaMania tour (earlier this year or a century ago, it’s hard to remember) felt like he may have already peaked as far as what we’re getting out of him in CMLL. Maybe the other guys can bring more out of him.

Rey Cometa & Espiritu Negro face Raziel & Cancerbero in a tag match between luchadors likely to challenge for the Aniversario show. La Jarochita & Reyna Isis and Oro Jr. & Coyote meet in singles match.

The show streams at 8:30 pm. If you got the bundle package (which I assume is 95% of the people watching), you need to go into your email and click the same link as last week.

Last week’s show went two hours; the matches went a little longer to compensate for less of them. That seemed to hurt the action if anything; it’s ok and probably better if Oro & Coyote get 10 minutes and not 15. I’d also like to see some copyright-free music for entrances because the silence is weird.

SuperLuchas reports Cavernario is expected out three to four months; we’ve probably seen the last of him until 2021.

Templario officially replaced Barbaro Cavernario in likely trios title challengers. He’s still eligible to wrestle twice and challenge Volador, though it’s unlikely that’ll happen. Gallito has cut Microman’s lead to 11% in that poll, though he’ll have to pick up the pace greatly to surpass by next Wednesday’s deadline. There’s no big shakeups in the other polls.

Olimpico talked about his switch to being a referee on CMLL Informa. It was as much a battlefield promotion as it seemed. CMLL isn’t going to use Pompin, Bestia Negra, and Terror Chino as referees during the pandemic so Panico brought up the idea to Olimpico. Olimpico has no referee license, with Fantasma letting him slide on his wrestler license for the rest of 2020 due to the situation. They’ll sort out a referee license (and maybe a new name, like Metalico/Tigre Infante) next year. Olimpico would like a retirement show, when fans can comeback, but is otherwise considering himself retired.

I wonder if other CMLL luchadors were asked; could we’ve gotten referee Rey Bucanero or Nitro or some other wrestler near the end of their run? I guess we might still if something happens to Metalico or Edgar.

The CMLL media interviews this week were Bandido, Reina Isis, and Mephisto. Mephisto said the best argument for his team to get the trios title is they’ve been a team so long. I think that might actually be why they’re losing. He notes he beat Ultimo Guerrero for tag titles long ago so they’ve got a good chance if they get the match. Bandido says he wasn’t expecting the fan support and has lots of people he’d like to face even past Volador, like a hair match with Ultimo Guerrero.

Mascara 2000 says 2021 will be his last year of wrestling. This is the normal retirement stuff, though the reality is he probably shouldn’t be wrestling this year as it is. If CMLL isn’t putting the older referees in the ring, they probably can’t be putting 62-year-old Jesus Reyes either. 60-year-old Negro Casas is listed in one of the polls but hasn’t been scheduled otherwise for a match yet.

Salvador Lutteroth is again scheduled to appear on a panel discussion next Friday. This one is on the legacy of lucha libre in Baja California, airing on the Facebook page for the Secretary of Culture. Rey Misterio & Maurcio Limon Pino are also from the Comic Con panel. Estudiante Jr., Lady Lee and Ruby Gardenia are also scheduled to appear.

AAA put up a Daga vignette challenging Fenix. I’d like to think these vignettes are going somewhere but Daga being involved makes me feel like it’s just something to keep people talking. Daga also seems to have made his match this Saturday in Warrior Wrestling against Isais Velazquez a title match.

Lucha Memes says their 09/16 show will be their first show on IWTV. There’s no word yet of when it’ll be on there, though the promotion does say they’ll talk more about their plans this week.

Lucha Libre Vanguardia is happening on 09/19 but airing as a PPV on 09/27

• Draztick Boy vs Oriental vs Arez vs Falcon Fire for the Black Mask Lucha Libre Cruiserweight Championship
• Gasparin & Simbolo Azteca vs Drolux & Moria for the Black Mask Lucha Libre Tag Team Championship
• Dayami & Alfa Jr. vs Zuzu Divine, Misionero

Vanguardia set up a Fly Star versus Crazy King match for the Vanguardia 4×4 (24/7) Championship on the last show. Latigo pinned Fly Star for the title during a training session, so that match has changed.

Cancun’s Alfa Dragon talks about his return to wrestling; local venue Arena Revolucion is running an empty arena show tomorrow.

The Reynosa boxing and lucha libre commission has had no leader for three years. That seems like a long time. The mayor typically appoints someone, but no one’s been named since 2017. Two boxing guys are putting themselves forward for the position.

The “Cassandro, the Exotico” documentary, an inspiration for the upcoming film, is available for free on TubiTv.

Warrior Jr. says he’s switching to Hijo de Mano Negra, or maybe Mano Negra Junior. The name’s not his issue; he’s going to be working the same indie shows. Furia de Titanes points out this man has a cousin who is already training as Hijo de Mano Negra in CMLL. That Mano Negra suggested he’d be giving up the name on Facebook, then told Furia de Titanes it actually had been decided. CMLL will probably call their one Hijo de Mano Negra if they want to use the gimmick (and bringing back old gimmicks is what CMLL like to do.)

Crazy Boy is doing a one man tour of indie promotions and autograph signings starting this weekend. A match with Principe Cometa will stream on 09/16. DTU also says they’re running Arena Mama Luchas in Mexico State in November.

A TeleDiario report says lucha libre is not expected to return in Puebla until November. That seems later than Arena Puebla was expecting, though there may be different rules for them.

Sarah Stock’s furlough from WWE has become a permanent job loss. The former Dark Angel has been traveling the US in a van and filming vlogs, having gotten bored with being in the same place for long. It doesn’t seem like she’d be in a hurry to get back the wrestling grind outside of WWE.

LuchaWorld has the latest Lucha Report.

An interview with Tampico’s Mensajero de la Muerte.

Lineups

IWRG (SUN) 09/13/2020 Arena Naucalpan
1) Legendario vs Rey Halcón Jr.
2) Alas de Oro, Alas De Plata, Eragón vs Avisman, Fulgor I, Karaoui
3) Toxin vs Puma de Oro [super libre]
4) Demonio Infernal & Fresero Jr. vs Big Chico Che & Big Ovett [IWRG IC TAG, #1 Contenders, quarterfinal]
5) Dragón Bane & Hijo de Canis Lupus vs Shun Skywalker & Yoshioka [IWRG IC TAG, #1 Contenders, quarterfinal]

The top two matches are part of an eight tag team tournament, winner to face current champions Marshe Rockett & Bryce Benjamin. Los Traumas face Los Capos and Los Exoticos face Hijo del Espectro and Hijo de Kahoz in the other half. That seems like Los Traumas versus Los Golepadors in the final, though it’s not certain. Far less certain is how a tag title match is going to happen with US based wrestlers. Maybe the winner is heading north.

Mexa Wrestling (SAT) 09/19/2020 Arena San Juan Pantitlan, Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, Estado de México
1) Noicy Boy & Rey Halcón vs Sherekan & Zika
2) Fulgor I & Fulgor II vs Alex Black & Mafioso
3) Hija De Gatubela & Séptimo Dragón vs Hijo Del Impostor & Universis
4) Príncipe Aéreo & Puma de Oro vs Galeno del Mal & Hijo Del Espectro
5) El Diablo Fly Star, Lunatik Xtreme, Sobredosis vs Black Danger, Fly Warrior, Toxin
6) Dragón Bane © vs Baby Xtreme [IWRG REY DEL AIRE]
7) Centvrión & León Dorado vs Hijo de Canis Lupus & Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr.

Full lineup for this show. León Dorado is the former (and maybe still occasionally) Metaleon, who was using “León Dorado Jr.” in a few 2016/2017 ELITE shows. Centvrion and Dorado have an on and off mask feud, though this would be an unfortuante time to restart it.

The IWRG Rey del Aire title is a real IWRG title, in that it hasn’t been defended in a full year. Dragon Bane & Baby Xtreme are both capable of having good matches but I’m not sure if they’re a good fit for each other.

This show airs on Mas Lucha’s premium channel. I’m playing around with simple ideas to keep track of the streaming show schedule but I’d still rather someone else do it.

None of the CMLL Aniversario polls are feel close one week away from closing. Bandido challenging Volador and Mistico & Caristico facing Rey Cometa & Espiritu Negro seems set already. Terrible, Hechicero and certain replacement Templario are just as safe to get the world trios match, assuming CMLL doesn’t reset the poll due to injury change.

The other four polls are numerically close but don’t feel in great danger in changing. The people winning are the same who were winning last week, typically by larger margins. Virus, Raziel & Cancerbero are up by nearly 10 points on Negro Casas, Felino and Tiger. Princesa Sugehit has increased her lead to 4% over Dalys. Lluvia has remained steady with a 5% lead over Reina Isis. Microman leads Gallito by 12.5%, but Gallito seems like the only challenger who has some momentum and has been cutting into the lead. These polls won’t be final until next week, but catching up is increasingly difficult the more votes that are cast. It’ll take something big to happen for those leaders to change.

CMLL Informa will have Gran Guerrero, Reyna Isis, Templario, and Olimpico as guests. CMLL was searching hard for things to talk about before the pandemic, which makes it odd Olimpico’s retirement and referee bit is just now coming up. The Cavernario replacement poll will close on Informa, and Templario will be the winner barring some massive surge of voting.

Barbaro Cavernario says his operation was a success. No hint about a return date.

CMLL announced the passing of Gerardo Antonio Pastrana Santa Cruz of Mobility ADO, who is the bus service that runs the Turiluchas bus in Mexico City. The announcement says he was involved in that project in some fashion.

The Turiluchas bus is running again. Just not to Arena Mexico. The bus is taking fans to a brewery to watch the show on a stream each Friday. A luchador will be appearing at the event. They’ve got dates through the 25th, which suggests they’re not expecting to be able to go Arena Mexico for the Aniversario.

Lucha Memes has set up a channel on IWTV. There’s no word what will be on it or where it’ll be on it, just the usual vague Twitter posts. This seems like an overdue move inspired by other Mexican promotions doing the same. Lucha Memes has also started in different directions in the past only to abandon them so maybe it’s not worth thinking about too deeply.

Angelico makes his first in-ring appearance on AEW Dynamite since February today. He’s facing Orange Cassidy and it probably won’t end well for Angelico. The graphic mentions Jack Evans, so maybe Jack is traveling the globe with a broken face?

(A) Hijo de La Parkita unmasked (a) Hijo del Especrito in Guanajuato on Sunday. Espectrio was unmasked as José Alejandro Pérez Retana.

El Sol del Tampico interviews referee Nino Bailarin.

Barbaro Cavernario is off the CMLL Anniversary due to injury, CMLL announced on a special Facebook video stream Monday night. Box Y Lucha quotes the injury as “luxofractura de la base en articulación proximal de primer metatarsiano”, which Google tells me is a badly dislocated toe and also an image I wish I didn’t see. Cavernario believes he suffered the injury on his springboard plancha, feeling foot and knee pain after landing. The match was briefly stopped between falls for the doctor to check on him, though Cavernario was allowed to finish the match and didn’t appear to be badly injured. Cavernario said he would not know exactly how long he’ll be out until after the surgery, though it was estimated as “some months.”

The team of Cavernario, Hechicero, and Terrible was likely going to challenge Los Guerreros for the CMLL World Trios Championship on the Anniversary show. The poll is still open, but that trio is leading the closest contender by 40 percentage points. CMLL will replace Barbaro Cavernario in that team with another poll. Templario, Vangellys, and Dark Magic are the choices to replace him in a replacement poll which will conclude on Wednesday by Informa.  It appears like CMLL just picked pick candidates they’d knew would assure a Templario victory. CMLL comes at things so differently, than I understand that I’m not completely sure, but Dark Magic and Vangellys are not pushed as much as Templario and don’t have much popularity. Templario had nearly 70% of the vote last I checked.

Templario is the fourth/alternate member of Los Guerreros, so this sets up an odd dynamic of him trying to dethrone his usual teammates. Assuming they’re there even all there. The other Los Guerreros unspoken storyline is Ultimo Guerrero is strangely missing from the CMLL return cards. He was pulled off the 09/04 show and he’s not on the 09/11 show, he didn’t even appear on the government show. This comes after Ultimo Guerrero was also pulled off multiple indie dates. Maybe he’s dealing with an injury? Maybe something else is going on?

CMLL also announced the CMLL World Tag Team poll had gotten the most votes so far. That means the CMLL Aniversario main event is currently Caristico & Mistico defending against Espiritu Negro & Rey Cometa. It’s a bit of a surprise because all that poll isn’t all competitive even though it has four teams. It is possible fans of Caristico & Mistico realized they need to vote in that poll to get their guys into the main event, but those two luchadors haven’t pushed that concept hard as far as I’ve seen. As silly as it may sound, I think that poll might also be helped because it’s near the top of the page and a few people will get bored with voting before reaching the end.

The Cavernario replacement poll closes this Wednesday by the start of Informa, where the winner will be announced. The Aniversario challengers polls will all close next Wednesday, also with the matches to be announced on Informa. CMLL said that multiple times on Friday and I guess my brain is just set to zone out the in-between match segments.

CMLL also revealed the 09/11 lineup

CMLL (FRI) 09/11/2020 Arena México
1) Oro Jr. vs El Coyote
2) La Jarochita vs Reina Isis
3) Cancerbero & Raziel vs Espíritu Negro & Rey Cometa
4) Soberano Jr. & Titán vs Templario & Tiger
5) El Bandido, Flyer, Volador Jr. vs Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Sansón

The semi-main could be very good, but this week’s main event looked like it could be very good and was not last week. I’m curious if we’ll see a more motivated Raziel & Cancerbero in their first appearance after doing well in their poll.

During the CMLL Facebook live, the hosts responded to some alternate suggestions for luchadors to replace Cavernario. Mesias/Gilbert el Boricua was the one outside name who got as far as being mentioned on the stream. Julio Cesar Rivera explained CMLL is focusing on giving work to as many of the current roster as possible and so will not be bringing in outside talent. (JCR later stated Bandido was on the CMLL roster when that discrepancy was brought up.) Half of the people on this show are people who also worked on 09/04. Reina Isis & Jarochita aren’t among that count, but they also worked the government show. I have no problem with Coyote as a wrestler, it’s just hard to understand a policy of spreading out work while having the same opening match rudo back to back weeks.

CMLL stated there’d be news soon about plans for October. That seems likely to be the same run of normal Friday shows and Dia de los Muertos as a more expensive show at the end of the month. They’re also still hoping to get fans in the building and seem dependent on the health color changing from Orange to Yellow. The next update of that color map is Friday.

The “Nail in the Coffin: The Fall and Rise of Vampiro” documentary is available on streaming starting today. It’s a $5 rental on Apple/Vudu and cheaper than that on Amazon if you’re subscribed to prime. The reviews of the movie have generally been positive.

EMW has a poster out for the 09/15 Autolucha show, though no matches or location. Bestia 666 and MechaWolf are joined by Damian 666, Daga, Tessa Blanchard, Nicho, and Extreme Tiger among others.

Lucha Libre Vanguardia is happening on 09/19 but airing as a PPV on 09/27

• Draztick Boy vs Oriental vs Arez vs Falcon Fire for the Black Mask Lucha Libre Cruiserweight Championship
• Gasparin & Simbolo Azteca vs Drolux & Moria for the Black Mask Lucha Libre Tag Team Championship

I didn’t understand that one date was for the live event and one date is for the PPV until the promotion explained it to me. It still took a while for me to get it. I hope everyone else gets it easier.

DTU announced a #1 contenders tournament for their Alto Impacto title. There will be three four-way matches (two on their next show) were the winners the advance to a tournament final. The people who finish second place will get in a last chance match and the winner of that will also go to the final. This is all leading to the idea of Ace Austin returning to Mexico “in a few months”, which I guess could be a thing that is possible to happen.

Mas Lucha has a new edition of En+carados.

Jack Evans is out with a broken face, a very Jack Evans injury.

Aeroboy mentioned his parents are now free of COVID after a 55 day battle with the virus.

IWRG (SUN) 09/06/2020 Arena Naucalpan [Mas Lucha, R de Rudo, SuperLuchas, The Gladiatores]
1) Legendario b Dick Angelo 3G
Dick Angelo replaced Canival King.
2) Diosa Quetzal b Lilith Dark
3) Toxin b Puma de Oro 
Toxin won with an unseen foul. Puma de Oro wants a no rules match.
4) Big Chicoche, Big Ovett, Veneno b Capo del Norte, Capo del Sur, Fresero Jr. 
5) Dragón Bane & Trauma I b Hijo de Canis Lupus & Trauma II [Relevos Increíbles]  
6) Demonio Infernal © b Shun Skywalker [IWRG Rey del Ring] 

Demonio Infernal/Shun Skywalker was said to be a better all-around match than last week’s Shun Skywalker main event. I don’t understand Puma de Oro’s logic – he lost to a foul so now he’s going to make sure fouls are legal?

Mas Lucha had a rough weekend of streaming. The ChinampaLuchas show was delayed; it was a taped show, but the sound and the video were way off. The IWRG show had streaming issues again; the video currently up seems to start the third match. There’s something wrong with the internet in that spot.

ANLPL (SUN) 09/06/2020 Arena Lopez Mateos [@tampicoluchafan]
1) Hijo del Fishman b Hijo de Máscara Sagrada
Fishman unmasked Mascara Sagrada in front of the referee, who held onto the mask as he counted the pin. Both men were very tired on the finish.
2) Pirata Morgan b Súper Astro
3) Solar I b Satánico
4) Octagón b Fuerza Guerrera
5) Rayo de Jalisco Jr. DQ Canek
Canek fouled Rayo

It was a mild surprise to find results for this show so I decided to put them here. They’re going to restream this show on Monday and Tuesday so maybe people will watch it then? I saw only one Twitter account talk about. This appeared to be taped some afternoon at Arena Lopez Mateos; it was much lighter in that building than I’m used to seeing it. The promotion did do COVID-19 testing for it and we know that because the COVID-19 testing service sponsored the show.

The opener was briefly on the old Nacion Lucha Libre bootlegging YouTube channel; the promotion showed up in the comments and asked to them to take it down, and then did. I did see the end before it went away. Sagrada was horrendously tired by the finish, which may have contributed to it looking like a mess. Those were the young guys you’d hope would have some energy on this show, which has me fearful of the rest.

CMLL referee Pompin was part of the same government ceremony where the luchadoras were honored. He noted started refereeing when he was 14 and now has refereed for 63 years, making him the oldest referee in the world. I don’t know that’s correct but it certainly seems right. Pompin also said he was retiring in 2020 because he can’t see well any more. It’s still four months between now and the end of the year so maybe the health situation in Mexico improves to where CMLL feels safe in using the older referees again.

EMW announced Bestia 666 & Mecha Wolf were the first two announced on drive-in shows on September 15th and 16th. No location was announced. Those two are the last full-time stars of The Crash’s Rebelion era, so it’s a big surprise for them to show up for their archrivals. Maybe the current situation has the EMW & Crash working together, but The Crash hasn’t said anything. Bestia & Mecha Wolf were involved behind the scenes as well, so my first impression seeing those names was the thought The Crash might be a victim of the pandemic. The Crash has survived many changes in the past so this could turnout to just be another one, but I wonder.

I wouldn’t immediately assume Bestia 666 & Mecha Wolf are going straight to AAA from this; can’t rule it but I would assume AAA’s going to be focusing on giving their current guys work once they have it. I’m also curious how this Autoluchas is going to work since the Tijuana commission has said they’re requiring COVID testing and the lucha promotions have previously claimed it was too expensive. Maybe a solution was found or maybe this will be outside of Tijuana’s reach.

09/19 or 09/26 Lucha Libre Vanguardia

• Draztick Boy vs Oriental vs Arez vs Falcon Fire for the Black Mask Lucha Libre Cruiserweight Championship – will be semimain

That match is something I would pay to see, but the whatsapp/facebook PPV style makes it very hard for me it very difficult for me to do so even if I wanted. So it goes. I think the last Vanguardia show would’ve gotten a lot of interest had it streamed on IWTV and this might as well without hurting the iPPV sales. I also think there’s a low chance of it happening

Vanguardia is still advertising a 09/19 date today, while Mas Lucha is promoting the show as on 09/26. I keep thinking it would help Mas Lucha to publish a regularly updated calendar of upcoming streaming events, free or paid. It’s increasingly evident this is an absurd request because internally they don’t have a calendar and that’s how you end up with promoting a show for two different days simultaneously.

Likewise, that ChinampaLuchas show definitely was a PPV last week but switched to donations by the time it aired. I would have guessed three months into all of this Mas Lucha would have a definite idea whether donations, PPV, or their premium channel is the best option. All the promotions are shifting around but there’s no one answer they’re moving towards, so either no one knows or everyone is just going to keep guessing until normal shows can be held again.

Dragon Rojo Jr. is unsure if he’ll be able to return to wrestling. He’s had four operations on his right knee and he’s still rehabbing it. He had talked about returning earlier this year but it reads like that wouldn’t have happened even if not for the pandemic. It’s been twenty months since his last match, which is increasingly looking like his final match. Most of the article is about Rojo finding work out of wrestling, including helping people with 21-day fitness challenges.

Box Y Lucha 3438 has the CMLL restart.

Pachuca luchador Bestial (Luis Perez Sanchez) passed away Friday.

Retired Acapulco wrestler Hercules (Gilberto Valentin Clemente) passed away Sunday.

Lady Shani was holding a mask raffle for a young woman in need of a liver transplant, but the woman passed away before it could be held.

A profile of Oaxaca luchador Birdman.

Periodico La Voz has an interview with Guerrero Negro III.