CMLLL runs its Dia del Muertos show tonight. These shows have been sold on the novelty of seeing Arena Mexico dressed up in a Dia del Muertos set, with demons of various sizes hanging around the stage and the losers of the matches being dragged to hell. The 2020 version of this show seems to be sold on the same thing – the card is not strong – but it is unclear if it’ll be the same feeling. An empty Arena Mexico definitely feels spooky, but last week’s show had no special set despite being billed as a Dia del Muertos show. That’ll likely be better tonight, but can people mill on the stage to scare the wrestlers right now? Is it safe to drag people to hell? Can you drag people there hell if we’re already there?
The main event tonight calls back to a tournament eight years ago. The 2012 Gran Alternativa final saw Atlantis & Triton lose to the team of Euforia & Terrible. That win solidified Euforia as an upper-level rudo who’s existed mostly to help the very top guys have good matches. Terrible has been in the same position for even longer. Terrible tends to get the heavier guys, and more high profile matches since he has hair to lose, while Euforia’s skills work better with flyers but in the same spot on the show. They’re two guys who fulfill the same role, rarely are the story’s stars, and seldom wrestle with each other. It’s a rarely seen match but not a much anticipated one; there’s not a great story here beyond that long ago tournament win. Both guys have had strong matches in the past, but the combination doesn’t necessarily imply one. This match, this tournament itself, seems to exist to get Euforia a big win leading into his feud with Ultimo Guerrero. Euforia might not have been the star of the show since that 2012 match, but he will be tonight.
CMLL fan voting earned Lluvia a Mexican national title match back on the Aniversario show, which she then missed due to a COVID-19 positive test. She’ll get her title match tonight. Lluvia originally was to face Metalica, who lost to replacement challenge Reyna Isis instead. I would’ve picked Lluvia to win the Aniversario title match, yet she’s unlikely to do it now. CMLL loves spreading the title belts out, Lluvia is now a tag champ, so Reyna Isis probably gets to keep this belt. It’s possible this could be good, but we haven’t seen Lluvia in singles all that much. Reyna Isis has appeared to be better of late, but not so much that she’s going to have a good match on their own.
The rest of the show is random tag matches, the CMLL staple. In a relevos increibles match for no obvious reason, Angel de Oro, Niebla Roja, and Forastero face Negro Casas, Soberano, and Titan. CMLL appeared to make a significant mistake last month by giving fans who bought the September shows nothing on the Aniversario show to build to October. CMLL will presumably still be on TicketmasterLive in November, and that semi-main trios match seems like an obvious place to set up something for the next show. The debuting Los Embajadoes del Mal, perhaps the 50th different unit CMLL has named “del Mal” since Los Perros, face Rey Cometa, Espiritu Negro, and Audaz. Okumura, Vangellys, and Dark Magic are a dreadful trio who provide little upside out of bad GIFs. Atomo & Microman take on Guapito & Chamuel in an opener; Atomo’s also looked out of his depth in previous appearances.
You can buy the show on Ticketmaster for 288 pesos (13.50 USD). Reminder: this is the fall Daylight Savings Time gap week. If you are in the US or someplace else who hasn’t switched their clocks, the show is one hour later than usual. It’s only that way this week. (If this is confusing, you can see the start time here.)
CMLL had virtual media day interviews with La Catrina (edecan Gaby Bau, who says Paco Alonso personally picked her for the role) and Terrible.
AAA & TripleMania
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter mentions talent has been told the planned date for TripleMania is currently December 5th.
AAA is only running TripleMania with fans in the building, which will only happen if the entire state’s health regulations change or AAA gets a specific rule change from the government. CMLL and the Mexico lucha libre commission has so far been stopped when asking for that rule change. The Mexico health regulation status updates every two weeks, with announcements scheduled for November 6th, 20th, December 4th, and the 18th. That 11/20 date looks like the latest AAA can get a thumbs up and still run on 12/05. They could push it back two weeks, with 12/04 as the last day where Mexico City could switch from orange to yellow and allow AAA to run a fan attended show. Keep in mind that all these rules have changed many times during the pandemic.
TAO (Queretaro) Lucha Libre announced a 12/04 AutoLuchas show with AAA wrestlers on a video show last night. Dorian Roldan called that false on Twitter. That fits if AAA plans to run TripleMania 12/05; AAA wrestlers are usually needed at Arena Ciudad de Mexico for run-throughs the night before.
On his podcast, Konnan mentioned AAA had been taking with Marvel for months and originally planned on introducing their characters in November at TripleMania Regia II. That’s not happening this year, so it’s moved to the normal TripleMania. Konnan didn’t say who’d be playing the characters but did explain them in a way where it sounds like top guys will be under the masks. The WON adds that they’ll “all be well-known talent,” some AAA wrestler, and some US talent, which may include signed US talent.
Konnan specifically mentioned Terror Purpura – the Thanos character – “will be the biggest and the baddest.” I don’t know any of the names. I think a guy like Brian Cage might fit size wise and he’s also a guy who’s publicly a big Marvel fan, but that’s just throwing a name as an idea. It seems counter-intuitive that versions of Marvel heroes aimed for the Latin American market would be people from the US, but maybe that’s what Marvel wants. Konnan talked about how detailed oriented Marvel is, down to knowing exactly how the Marvel wrestlers will walk to the ring. If they want to know that, it’s a safe assumption Marvel already knows who will be each character, and those deals are already done. Konnan mentioned the possibility of a Marvel Wrestling League if it goes well; it’s an AAA Big Plan, so the only reaction is to say it sounds cool but not to put too much thought into it.
Marvel announced a partnership with fashion designer Vero Solis for lucha libre superhero-themed clothing. I know nothing about fashion, but I’m told this is an important person who makes high-end outfits. You can buy the fashions here. They streamed a fashion show on Thursday. This seems more a bit to show Marvel can be high fashion too; there’s going to be plenty of t-shirts.
Konnan also said the last AutoLuchas show – Sunday night, 8:30 pm CT – would again stream on Facebook Live. AAA has not yet announced this yet but I’ve been told this is indeed the plan.
Aerostar says he’ll miss this weekend’s AutoLuchas shows due to his neck injury but believes he’ll be fine for December.
Other News
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter also mentions Ring of Honor is planning their next taping on 12/11 and 12/12, and hope to bring in Dragon Lee & Rush. No word on any other Mexican luchadors. Dragon Lee appearing is dependent on if he’s in Best of Super Juniors since dates conflict (but if they’re even talking about this, it suggests he’s not.) Those seem like they’d be the last dates on their current ROH contracts, though I still expect they’ll be here in 2021.
Lucha Libre Real announced they’re suspending running shows in a Facebook post that turns into strangely lecturing their wrestlers. I am missing something there.
Zona 23’s card announcement Wednesday was a bit strange; their Facebook post mentions a match “too controversial to announce.” It is hard to imagine what could be too controversial for a promotion that sells itself on being outlaw lucha libre. IWRG subsequently posted a promo from El Cuervo de Puerto Rico, teasing a return to Mexico. That suggests an exact horrible idea. My mind went right to Zona 23 running am Angel o Demonio/El Cuervo match. I do not know it’s happening as a fact, but that fits something Zona 23 would book but not want to announce. The entirety of Mexican wrestling will look terrible if it happens.
Border Lucha had an interview with Damian 666, where he mentioned a plan to retire in two years (when he reaches forty years of wrestling.)
Monterrey promoter Oscar Devilla passed away from a heart attack on Tuesday.
Tijuana’s boxing, wrestling, and MMA commission will hold a meeting to see how lucha libre can be restarted.
Halloween says he got his start in WCW when they were short a man for a lucha libre match and was at the show visiting. (That story doesn’t seem entirely accurate.) He feels the Mexican wrestlers revolutionized US wrestling. The US wrestlers got jealous and treated him in racist and xenophobic ways, where he felt more comfortable changing clothes in the bathroom.
Puma King’s got a video this afternoon teasing quitting lucha libre. It doesn’t go up until after this post, but I don’t think he’s quitting lucha libre.
Verzal won Welcome to Mi Barrio’s twenty-four man tournament. He had not impressed me in the tournament matches I’d watched, but maybe I’ll find the final better when I see it. The big news from the final to me is ring announcer Tania Niebla got to stand somewhere other than the same spot she’d been shown for the last two months.
KAOZ Lucha Libre is hyping an El Rey del Monterrey tournament for December, mentioning 13 promotions being involved. The “[X] amount of promotions” stuff seems really over to promoters, but I’m not sure more people are invested in logos they have no emotion about. There’s no date announced, and lucha libre is currently illegal in Monterrey, so this will likely be quietly taped in “Arena Lucha Time” some point soon.