Tonight’s CMLL TicketMaster Live show is supposed to be a ‘regular’ show as a prelude to a much bigger event next week. It instead includes two championship matches and a cibernetico. Very few CMLL shows have two championship matches, much less a third special match. It’s hard to read if this is a reaction to a low amount of people purchasing these PPVs or simple CMLL randomness. It is definitely more than there “here’s some normal matches” approach CMLL was taking to these shows a month ago.
The main event is Titan & Volador challenging Mistico & Caristico for the CMLL Tag Team championship. Volador & Titan looked like a much better team last week, but CMLL didn’t give them the pinfall win (just did a freak DQ finish) and so they’re unlikely to do so this week. There’s more story left in the two Misticos and there’s nothing in the thrown together tecnico team, so it makes sense. It just would help if the champions came across stronger.
The Rey del Inframundo cibernetico is the semi-main, an elimination match to two people left, who will then fight next week. The Rey del Inframundo complete field is Rey Bucanero, Terrible, Atlantis Jr., Stuka Jr., Soberano Jr., Templario, Diamante Azul, Euforia, Valiente, and Mephisto. Nothing there seems like a sure main event for next week. CMLL has Bandido & Volador and seemingly Euforia & Ultimo Guerrero pending, but it would be unusual for them to run two big singles matches on a show like this. (It’s not impossible, this week’s card shows some things are changing.) The missing trios title match seems a better fit, though that would require Euforia, Terrible & Templario to not advance in this tournament. There aren’t many quality match-ups for next week without those three.
Mephisto should win this tournament for thematic reasons and CMLL still seems to believe in him in big singles matches, but the reality of those matches has not been great. Mephisto/Stuka or Mephisto/Valiente are traditional matches. Mephisto/Soberano has the best shot of being good. Mephisto/Atlantis Jr. is an interesting test to see where Atlantis at in a big match with an experienced opponent. Mephisto/Diamante Azul is an interesting test to see if I’ll really watch any Friday night CMLL show.
Soberano & Euforia being in this same match is notable. It could be a potential change of CMLL’s unspoken rule against fathers and sons on opposite sides of the match. Or they could just be drawn on the same side in cibernetico.
The last six names for this cibernetico were announced around 10:30 PM last night on a Facebook stream, with just over a hundred people watching. I’ve seen media articles today mentioning they don’t know who’s in the match, because real publications have to be finished before 10:30 PM. I didn’t like it, I didn’t want to watch a Facebook stream at 10:30 pm to watch interviews about who was going to be in a tournament less than a day later, but I also don’t believe that’s an effective way to hype a match. It’s unlikely Euforia, Mephisto, Valiente, Soberano, Templario, and Diamante Azul are going to make a difference in most CMLL situations, but the only people buying these shows are the most diehard people. There are very big fans of those people who didn’t know they were wrestling on this show yesterday, and CMLL’s got to hope they stumble onto the news today.
Princesa Sugehit gets the CMLL Women’s Championship title shot she earned in the Aniversario fan vote tonight against Marcela. The title clearly matters greatly to the point involved, but there’s no momentum behind it at all making it impossible to see which direction it’s headed. Maybe Princesa Sugehit gets the win to reward the fan vote. Maybe Marcela keeps the title because they’re going have her face Dalys again and again. It’s more interesting to find out if Marcela’s recent performances are pandemic blips or if she’s crossed into the same part of her career as Amapola, where good matches are a thing of the past. Maybe the answer is already clear, and they might as well make a title shift.
Rey Cometa & Espiritu Negro take on Ephesto & Okumura. The rudos are not a team and not taken seriously. Cometa & Negro need to win or they’re on the same level. Oro faces Espanto in the opener. Oro’s last few days on Facebook have been more interesting than that match is likely to be. The show airs live only at 8:30 pm on TicketMaster Live. The package deal is still the best way to get this, if you haven’t bought it already.
CMLL interviews: Diamond, Gallito (not joining the rudos), and message of hell Amotlamini (who bears a resemblance to Retro.)
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter mentions the next Ring of Honor taping is planned for December, maybe in a different location. It’s not reported, but logically Dragon Lee & Rush would have to be on those tapings if they’re going to defend (and/or drop) those titles before their contracts come up. ROH and the Munoz family could also individually agree on new deals before then and make this less urgent.
Box Y Lucha reports the death of Mexicali luchador Lore Garcia/Red Killer (85 years old), who was a big star in the 70s locally. They also mention the death of Ciudad Juarez luchador Tigre Romano, who was inducted into the Ciudad Juarez lucha libre hall of fame in 2010.
With Fly Star retiring, Lunatik Extreme will replace him in Sunday’s Lucha Libre Vanguardia main event.
Announcer Arturo Rivera talked to BolaVIP about the virus which almost ended his life in 2011. It was implied to be serious by how AAA people were reacting at the time. Rivera says that he was in an induced coma and his children were told five times to be prepared for Rivera to pass away shortly. They’re still not even sure what virus it was. Rivera works for AAA and media outlets now after being with Televisa since 1983. He says he realized he was going to be cut by Televisa after they had let go of other talent, decided to offer his resignation, and that was accepted on the same day they did end up cutting a bunch of other people.
AULL wants a Copa Higher Power match IWRG and Weclome To Mi Barrio.
Welcome To Mi Barrio will have their 24 man tournament final next Wednesday. It’ll be Verzal, Hijo del Payaso Purasanta, and Rugido in the final, three regulars for the promotion. I’m planning on catching up on the semifinals and finals next week.
In a Mas Lucha interview with Aerostar, he revealed he has the full gear Abismo Negro used in his final match.
The Tijuana Boxing, Lucha Libre, and MMA commission has been remodeling around Auditorio de Tijuana during the down period. This sounds like the workout facilities and not the main arena. The boxing work is done, they’re about to start the MMA work, and the wrestling work is in progress. I’m guessing this might be the spare ring that’s behind the arena, usually the site of autograph signings.
Dorian Roldan is part of a Sports Innovation Society sports business class/seminar that’ll take place over six weeks. It’s a $40 USD class, which is a little bit out of my price range for likely one hour Roldan speaking AAA in a language I don’t speak, but there’s usually interesting big picture stuff in those discussions.
LuchaWorld has the latest Lucha Report.