CMLL has two different elimination matches tonight, on their non-streamed Friday night show:
CMLL (FRI) 09/10/2021 Arena México
1) Diamond, Magia Blanca, Panterita del Ring Jr. vs Dark Magic, Okumura, Pólvora
2) La Guerrera, Marcela, Princesa Sugehit vs Amapola, Reyna Isis, Stephanie Vaquer
3) Templario vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Enfermero Jr., El Coyote [MEX MIDDLE, #1 Contenders]
4) Ángel de Oro vs Stuka Jr., Fugaz, Atlantis Jr., Rey Cometa, Dark Panther, Gran Guerrero, Negro Casas, Euforia, Terrible, Virus, Gemelo Diablo II [Copa Independencia, semifinal]
Stuka Jr. replaced Titan on Friday
Titan continues to miss shows. I suspect he’s fine so they keep listing him, but he can’t get cleared so he keeps getting pulled. They’ve got one more week to sort it out.
Volador faces the winner of the Copa Independencia main event. Euforia & Gran Guerrero would be logical if unexciting picks. There’s a bunch of others who could have arguments, with Virus being the most interesting pick. I kind of wonder how a Rey Cometa/Volador match would go too. I don’t want to see Angel de Oro versus Virus, though Los Nuevos Ingobernables have lost any steam as a group and probably should get a win if they’re still meant to be something.
The Mexican Middleweight eliminator match – four go in, last two go onto next week – is similar up in the air. Templario being one of the two seems close to a lock, and there’s a case for each other. Dragon Rojo Jr. is the biggest star, though he’s wrestled infrequently in this return. Enfermero Jr. is the guy CMLL just gave a new (old) gimmick to and winning is proof it’s “working.” Coyote is the prelim guy with an unlikely amount of supporters who might be worth a bigger look. I think it’s Templario/Enfremero as the final.
The opener is Diamond & Magia Blanca debuting as Depredarors, and the rest of us finding out what that means. Isis & Vaquer, close rivals in CMLL’s poll, are partners in the segunda.
Sunday’s card
CMLL (SUN) 09/12/2021 Arena México
1) Átomo & El Gallito vs Chamuel & Perico Zakarías
2) Oro Jr. & Sangre Imperial vs Grako & Nitro
3) La Guerrera, La Vaquerita, Marcela vs Dalys, Dark Silueta, La Seductora
4) El Audaz, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa vs Cancerbero, Raziel, Rey Bucanero
5) Atlantis, Panterita del Ring, Volador Jr. vs Felino, Último Guerrero, Virus
Atlantis replaced Atlantis Jr. on Friday
Felino returns! This may be his only warmup match before the hair versus hair main event with Cavernario on 09/17. No obvious reason why Atlantis Jr. is off Sunday – he’s wrestling today, Saturday (ChinmpaLuchas) and Monday.
CMLL (MON) 09/13/2021 Arena Puebla
1) Fénix So & Rey Samuray vs Cholo & Inquisidor
2) Lluvia & Marcela vs Dark Silueta & Stephanie Vaquer
3) Stigma vs Okumura [lightning]
4) Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa, Titán vs Felino Jr., Pólvora, Templario
5) Último Guerrero vs Atlantis Jr.
In the past, singles matches would mean more people booked in the undercard. It’s a new world. This card has 18 people booked, down from 20 the last couple of weeks.
CMLL (TUE) 09/14/2021 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Estrella De Jalisco I, Estrella De Jalisco II, Obelisk vs Conde, Persa, Ponzoña Jr.
2) Leo & Príncipe vs Ángel Rebelde & Optimus
3) Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Pantera Blanca Jr. vs Crixus, Halcón Negro Jr. (Queretaro), Trono (Queretaro)
4) Akuma, Espanto Jr., Rugido vs Bestia Negra, Demonio Maya, Difunto
5) Espíritu Negro & Rey Cometa vs Gallo & Joker [MEX TAG]
Rugido working a semimain. Rugido definetely got the Depredador spot. Maybe the first time those titles have been defended in Guadalajara since the 80s; the locals won the is past week.
Volador Jr. announced Magia Blanca and Diamond as the first members of his Los Depredadores group on Wednesday’s CMLL Informa. They’ve both been training with him for five years and wore Volador-inspired sharktooth masks. He only revealed these two because they were appearing with Friday, with other members to be revealed later. The way Volador explained this concept – “tecnicos or rudos, we’ll let the fans decide!” and anyone who works hard can join – suggests there may not be concrete plans for where this is going, just an announcement of a group loosely associated group. Booking Magia Blanca & Diamond in teams with Volador would require a significant change in how CMLL books matches. CMLL’s been willing to do smaller cosmetic changes so far.
There were six total Depredador members on Wednesday including Volador, up from five in previous appearances. Titan was announced as returning on Wednesday, Titan’s teaming with Volador, so my guess is he’s been added to the group. CMLL said they’ll announce more members next week on Informa. Volador suggested there could be 10 in the group if people are deemed worthy.
Furia de Titanes says the CMLL voting will end on Tuesday the 14th, with the announcements of the winners on CMLL Informa the next day.
CMLL announced Nao Ishikawa broke her hand and will not be coming to Mexico, so Momo Kohgo will replace her. CMLL could’ve made the change and 99% of the people who regularly watch CMLL would not know there was a substitution, so good on them for actually announcing it. Kohgo is officially from promotion Actress girl’Z, but she’s working many Ice Ribbon shows like the other two women (Tsukasa Fujimoto & Tsukushi) who are coming to CMLL.
Sangre Chicana says AAA gave permission to La Hiedra to appear as part of his tribute segment on the 09/17 Homenaje a Dos Leyendas show. That’s expected, AAA seems pretty open for those kinds of presentations as long as they don’t conflict with a TV date. The bigger issue is always CMLL allowing an AAA person to appear at their event. It does seem like CMLL has given that permission.
IWRG
IWRG (THU) 09/09/2021 Arena Naucalpan [IWRG, Mas Lucha]
1) Rey Halcón b Sol 
2) Caballero de Plata & Legendario b Fly Warrior & Hijo Del Estudiante 
3) Karaoui b Avisman, Mafioso
Karaoui & Mafioso are feuding
4) Hijo del Alebrije © DQ Hijo del Pirata Morgan [IWRG JUNIORS] 
2nd defense. Pirata unmasked Alebrije.
5) Gianna Valletta, Medico Brujo, Sick Boy b Diva Salvaje, Estrella Divina, Jessy Ventura
Officially, Hijo del Pirata Morgan unmasked Hijo del Alebrije. In practice, Pirata gave Alebrije a chokeslam into a backbreaker, Alebrije unmasked (which weren’t supposed to notice), Pirata covered for the three, the referee raised Pirata’s arm, saw Alebrije unmasked, and called the DQ. It did not come off well, those are the kind of finishes that turn crowds against the tecnicos and the promotion, and don’t make people want to see a rematch.
IWRG (SUN) 09/12/2021 Arena Naucalpan
1) Bengalee & Sagitarius vs Lolita & Satania
2) Akbal, Caballero de Plata, Mexica vs Ra-Zhata, Shil-Ka, Tortuga Leo
3) Halcón Mágico, Noicy Boy, Relámpago vs Dick Angelo 3G, Puma de Oro, Tonalli
4) Cíclope & Miedo Extremo vs Medico Brujo & Sick Boy
5) Estrella Divina & Jessy Ventura vs Mafioso & Oficial AK47
6) Gianni Valletta & Hijo del Pirata Morgan vs Súpernova & Texano Jr.
Los Macizos hasn’t been seen much since Vanguardia went on COVID hiatus; they’re here because they’re also in to work MexaWrestling on Saturday. I’m not sure how long Valletta is around but Texano Jr. makes sense as a heavyweight challenger.
Other News
09/11 AAA on Space lineup
- Villano III Jr., Super Fly, Parka Negra vs Drago, Aerostar, Komander
- Octagon Jr., Myzteziz Jr., Aramis vs Poder del Norte (w/Goya Kong)
- NGD (AAA debut) vs Psycho Clown, Laredo Kid, Hijo del Vikingo
It’s nice we’re at least getting good trios matches if nothing is going to happen. Goya Kong and Carta Brava Jr. are a couple but Goya Kong with Poder del Norte is otherwise a weird fit, just a place to put Goya after doing the turn. Konnan (or “AAA sources”) had previously told the WON that Aramis was replacing Vikingo in Los Jinetes del Aire so that appears to be what’s happening in the segunda.
I believe AAA taped one more NGD match at this taping, though no idea if it’s airing on Space next week or disappearing into the void.
AAA also put up a vignette with La Empresa after TripleMania, when they were joined by a masked woman cosplaying as Harley Quinn. In an amazing coincidence, Estrellita has the same hair situation going on right now and would be a logical fit with a fake-CMLL group if it’s going anywhere. She didn’t appear to be around on this month’s tapings so who knows if it is going anywhere.
ROH has a lot this weekend. Their TV show includes
- Chris Dickinson & Homicide (c) vs Dragon Lee & Kenny King for the ROH Tag Team Titles
- Bandido & Rey Horus vs Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe
This TV show will be available starting Saturday at 7 pm CT (overlapping with AAA) to allow fans to watch it before their PPV on Sunday.
The Sunday Death before Dishonor show has a 6 pm CT start for the free hour, 7 pm for the paid portion, including these matches
- Rey Horus among 15 people in the Honor Rumble, winner gets a title shot
- this is on the free hour
- LFI (Dragon Lee, Kenny King, La Bestia del Ring) vs Shane Taylor Promotions (c) for the ROH Six-Man Championship
- Bandido (c) vs Brody King vs Demonic Flamita vs EC3 for the ROH World Championship
ROH hasn’t announced its next show following this one.
Even more shows of note
- The Andrade/PAC match will air on AEW’s Rampage show tonight at 9 pm CT. This turns out to be the first Rampage show not available in Mexico. The AEW FITE service has been disabled for Mexico this week and Space has not picked up Rampage yet. I suspect that’s only a matter of time.
- The Crash returns from 1.5 year COVID hiatus on Saturday, with Vikingo vs Taurus vs Andrade vs Fenix as the main event, and Laredo Kid vs Danny Limelight underneath it. There is no official stream but fan video will likely turn up after and maybe even late that night (show starts at 10:30 pm CT)
- city rival EMW updated their Facebook this past week so I guess they’re returning soon too
- Robles Promotions has shows on Saturday in Arena Neza and Sunday in Arena Lopez Mateos. As usual, just a lot of random trios matches of no particular purpose. Penta & Vampiro are listed for both shows, with Blue Demon on Saturday and Pagano in on Sunday.
- these are not Robles Patron Promotions, no Alberto this weekend
- these are the first Mexico City bookings for Blue Demon since he got removed from his own Disney show; maybe we’ll get an explanation this weekend
- MexaWrestling has Super Nova & Texano Jr. vs Corsario Negro Jr. & Drako in Arena San Juan on Saturday.
- In the Chicago area, GALLI has Psycho Clown vs Mesias on Saturday.
Emperador Azteca has been added to Mas Lucha’s 10/07 Torneo Supremo.
DTU wrestler Blaze was part of a Disney taping in Arena Mexico on Thursday. Mas Lucha’s Vic Martz indicated he was there too. Hip Hop Man, who often recruits wrestlers for movie/TV extra work, was said to be involved. I wonder if this and the recent Arena Coliseo taping is footage for the not-Blue Demon “Black Scorpion & Ultra Violet” Disney TV show since that’s the only Disney lucha libre show I know of. They hadn’t previously mentioned plans to tape in Mexico City, only New Orleans. TV production in New Orleans is rough at the moment but moving production to Mexico City at the last second would seem even harder.
Andrew Thompson interviewed Matt Taven recently. Taven was very strong in praising his time in CMLL and talked about his hair match.
Laredo Kid’s return match to Impact Wrestling is available for free on their YouTube channel. He appeared to be on the proper Impact show
IWTV put up the 08/22 Lucha Memes show.
Nike is introducing a line of lucha libre inspired shoes and clothing tomorrow. They appear to be having an exhibition in Arena Mexico on Wednesday, the same time as CMLL Informa.
Heraldo Deportes has a story about Chinampa Luchas. The story is Gran Felipe Jr., Mr. Jerry, and Ciclonico are brothers who already were working/farming on a chinampa island in Mexico City, had been running shows inside in Xochimilco, and decided they might as well try running shows outside on the island when the pandemic started.
AAW announced Gringo Loco & Arez vs Aramis & Laredo Kid for their 10/01 show. That should be worth the price of admission.
Rush is picking NFL football games on ESPN Mexico’s website this season.
Nuevo Leon luchador Loco Corona (Martín Corona Ocañas, 66) passed away on Wednesday according to Box y Lucha.