Warrior Jr.
CMLL luchador Warrior Jr. passed away on Thursday. Warrior Jr., also billed as Black Warrior Jr., was a fourth-generation CMLL/EMLL wrestler. He was the son of Black Warrior, the grandson of Mano Negra, and the great grandson of El Rebelde. His family included the Panthers and the Casas family; he was married to Negro Casas daughter Omii Casas, and they had two children together. While Warrior Jr. was an independent wrestler, he and Omii promoted shows under the “RO Wrestling” name, using their initials. He came off on the indies as a guy with big ideas and enthusiasm, and a youthful inability to follow through on them.
Warrior had most recently been part of CMLL’s training school and apparently a few times in Arena Coliseo Guadalajara in 2021. His last known match was at that building on August 10th. Warrior Jr. was announced for the August 13th show but didn’t appear. He was listed on other later indie shows but doesn’t seem to have appeared on them. Warrior Jr. was training with Volador Jr. at that time and was expected to be one of Los Depredadores, but never ended up introduced as one of them. Volador did hint early on that there was an additional member yet to be revealed, which may have been Warrior Jr.; that extra member hadn’t been mentioned in recent months.
A luchador passing away at 24 is very strange, and the fact that no one’s explaining what happening – not even attempting a cover story to move attention away from that glaring omission – suggests it’s a sad situation, a rock that no one wants to turn over to find out the mess underneath. CMLL and Warrior’s family have not mentioned a cause of death, and the media stories on Warrior Jr.’s death are just relying on those social media posts.
Miguel Fonseca, who hosts a YouTube wrestling news/opinion channel in addition to running X-LAW, posted a short obituary video for Warrior Jr. In that video, Fonseca says Warrior Jr. suffered a “serious spinal injury” and passed away as a result. No one else has reported this as far as I’ve seen. There are some social media clues that something serious happened with Warrior Jr. last August and a serious injury fits with Warrior Jr.’s abrupt disappearance from wrestling. Fonseca’s video includes no further details about the injury. I know enough of Fonseca that I believe he’d only share a cause of death like that if he believed the story to be true.
Negro Casas, Warrior Jr.’s father-in-law, is scheduled to wrestle tonight in Arena Mexico. Black Warrior is scheduled to return to Arena Coliseo Guadalajara on Tuesday. It would be understandable if either or both of those matches changed. CMLL acknowledged Warrior Jr.’s passing on social media and they likely will have a moment of applause for him tonight in Arena Mexico.
CMLL
Homenaje a Dos Leyendas is tonight. It’s a show; I dug more into it on Voices of Wrestling and found a show that should be fine but doesn’t feel like one of the bigger shows on paper. I’m giving CMLL a lot of benefit of the doubt by assuming they got scared by that January shut down and didn’t want to build up a big show in case another shut down came up, because it feels like a lot like the pandemic “big” events of the last two years.
The lightweight opener should be good. The main event should be fun if they’re not rushed for time. Casas/Templario should be reliably good if it still happens. It’d be a fine “big show of April” card, it’s just not one of the biggest shows of the year. What little build there was for this show was for things people aren’t that invested in; the women’s apuesta match doesn’t have much interest outside of those who are always intensely into the women, Casas/Templario came out of nowhere, there’s been no build towards the trios title match. There’s no anticipation like there should be, no matter what the situation was coming into it.
The show will air on TicketMaster Live for a little over 11 USD at 8:30 pm local. Remember, this is an hour later than usual if you switched your clocks this past week. It’ll air on TV next week and go up on YouTube the week following, where many more people will see it.
I haven’t been keeping a close eye on in-person tickets, but they don’t appear to be moving well. It’ll probably pick up closer to show time.
CMLL posted a video with various legends and wrestlers paying tribute to Ringo Mendoza. I would’ve cut out Skandalo’s video for filming his vertically, but I’m a terrible person.
This weekend includes a Hechicero vs Gran Guerrero CMLL World Heavyweight championship on Saturday and Felino Jr. & Polvora defending the national tag titles against Esfinge & Fugaz on Sunday. Champions figure to retain in both.
CMLL (MON) 03/21/2022 Arena Puebla
Homenaje a Dos Leyendas, 2022 (Puebla)
1) Asturiano, Cachorro, Robin vs Perverso, Siky Ozama, Toro Bill Jr.
2) Arkalis, Pegasso, Stigma vs Akuma, Dark Magic, Espanto Jr.
3) Atlantis vs Stuka Jr.
4) Magia Blanca, Rugido, Volador Jr. vs Esfinge, Fugaz, Soberano Jr.
5) Místico vs Gran Guerrero
Puebla gets its own Homenaje a Dos Leyendas show, with two singles matches and probably a very good semi-main. The Depredadores matches are going to be emotional with Warrior Jr.’s passing; they may pay tribute to their missing member for a while.
50/60/70s legend Dory Dixon will be honored; he still lives in Puebla at last work. Like Gran Cochisse, he’s worthy of being honored in the big Arena Mexico celebration too, but there are so many names that fit there and it’s good they’re honoring Dixon while he’s still around to feel it.
CMLL announced they’d fill the Arena Coliseo Tag Team championships next Saturday in another one night tournament. They originally announced 7 teams, then corrected to list a normal eight:
- Rey Cometa & Espiritu Negro
- Akuma & Espanto Jr.
- Diamond & Magia Blanca
- Pegasso & Stigma
- Magnus & Rugido
- Hombre Bala Jr. & Robin
- Guerrero Maya Jr. & Esfinge
- Dark Panther & Cachorro
It would be good for the Los Depreadores act for someone besides to win a title, so my guess is it’ll be one of those two teams.
When listing all the vacant CMLL titles, I forgot the Mexican National Welterweight title is still unfilled after Soberano gave it up a few months ago.
Discounted CMLL tickets are one of many benefits being offered as part of a Mexico program to keep at-risk kids in school. The Mi Beca para Empezar program will allow kids to attend CMLL shows for 10 pesos along with a paying adult, in specific sections.
AAA
AAA TV this week on Space (6:30 pm local, one hour later than usual due to DST), finishing off the 03/05 show from Madero
- Mr. Iguana, Myzteiz Jr., Octagon Jr. vs Flamita, Latigo, Toxin
- Heavy Metal & Laredo Kid vs Bandido & Jack Cartwheel vs Abismo Negro Jr. & Gringo Loco
- NGD vs Chessman, Pagano, Psycho Clown
The three way tag match was said to be the best match from the taping live. I plan on streaming this show on Twitch.
Abismo Negro Jr., Laredo Kid, and Estrellita are off Saturday’s AAA spot show in Saltillo, due to AAA apparently forgetting they were booked in Impact or at the Vive Latino festival. Heavy Metal, La Maravilla, Sanson and Forastero have been added. This is the local promoter announcing changes; AAA still isn’t in the business of doing so. The semi-main was supposed to be Laredo vs Vikingo vs Bandido; I’m not sure if Heavy Metal goes in Laredo’s spot or if they’re doing Vikingo & Bandido vs Sanson & Forastero. That show is usually taped for Mas Lucha (and we got Vive Latino handhelds pre-pandemic.)
Impact tapes Friday and Saturday in Philadelphia. Taurus isn’t booked those days so he’s probably going with Laredo. They’ve missed the last two tapings due to AAA date conflicts.
Pagano appeared in a video protesting the building of a convention center in Ciudad Juarez on what is now parkland.
The WON notes Estrellita replaced Sam Adonis in Sunday’s match in Merida; Adonis had travel issues. There’s also a note that AAA wants to find a third for the Hamburgesa/Iguana trio; the idea those two have plans was teased on TV.
There’s also an update about Kenny Omega’s return timeline in the WON, in that there is no specific return timeline. He’s getting his sports hernia surgery at the end of March, he’s still recovering from knee surgery, and there may be other injuries. The implied context of the update is “don’t expect him for AEW’s Double or Nothing”, but it reads like there’s little chance Omega is returning of AAA’s TripleMania in Tijuana this June. Maybe the last TripleMania in CDMX, if an Omega return is still even in the cards at this point. My big reading from this is Omega was really messed up by the end of his AEW title reign and they were lucky to get him to gut it out as long as he did.
The AAA Aguascalientes promoter posted a message reading only “Verano de Escandalo“. It was unclear if AAA was going to run the Verano/Heroes Inmortales/Guerra de Titanes shows this year with the three TripleManais. A Verano de Escandalos show in Aguascalientes would make a lot of sense given how well past spot shows have drawn there.
Other Notes
IWRG , LLB (THU) 03/17/2022 Arena Naucalpan [Estrellas del Ring, IWRG, Mas Lucha]
1) Fantasma De La Ópera I, Fantasma De La Ópera II, Power Bull b Davo, Gravedad Cero, Ska Boy 
2) Arturo Gaona, Dark Horus, Demencia, Hijo De Brazo De Platino b Caramelo, El Divino, Juan Diego, Pinochito
3) Artemiz & Princesa Azul b Big Mami & Mary Caporal and Diosa Quetzal & Sagitarius [LLM WOMEN TAG]
Lucha Libre Magazine championship
4) Noicy Boy b Freelance, Tonalli, Chicanito, Belial, Cerebro Negro Jr.
5) Carta Brava Jr. (LLB), Cerebro Negro, Fantasma de la Ópera b Corsario Negro, Drako, Fulgor
match was followed by an Erika Canseco dance number
6) Cíclope & Miedo Extremo DCOR Alpha Wolf & Dragón Bane
Ciclope did a moonsault off the lower entranceway to setup the countout.
7) Canek & Octagón DQ Dr. Wagner Jr. & Fuerza Guerrera 
Dr. Wagner replaced DMT Azul after about a week, fouled Canek for the DQ. Canek challenged him to a hair versus mask match before TripleMania XXX.
The show seemed short of a sellout, but that’s great for a Thursday night show. The old wrestlers move like old wrestlers but they still mean something if used sparingly.
In the women’s match, Quetzal & Sagitarius tried to give Big Mami a middle rope superplex and it went bad. Quetzal slipped off the ropes while delivering the move, and Mami essentially took a DDT bump. She rolled out and didn’t come back in; her partner was eliminated soon after. It was a poorly designed and executed spot.
Fuerza Guerrera announced he’s restarted his pandemic-delays retirement tour, with the idea he’ll retire in December 23, 2023 in Arena Mexico. I’m skeptical of all Mexican wrestling retirement tours in execution but I’d believe Fuerza wants to do that at this moment.
Octagon said he’d be willing to put up his mask against Fuerza Guerrera if the people want it. I may be reading too much into this, but I think Octagon is trying to walk back his “I’ll only put up my mask for 15 million pesos” comments of a few months back. Fuerza Guerrera said his mask wouldn’t be worth as much. The eternal Guerrera/Octagon feud only works if fans (and more so promoters) believe they’re still slowly heading to their mask match, Octagon naming a ridiculous price exposed that it wasn’t actually happening, and so Octagon has to sell people on the possibility again.
Dragon Bane called Los Macizos “anti-professional” in a post-match interview. Bane & Lupus have been accused of being the same by others. They may have expected to win in their home arena and Los Macizos may have not been interested in losing; it’s a curious double countout.
IWRG (SUN) 03/20/2022 Arena Naucalpan
1) Mini Raider & Relampaguito vs Mini Demon Rocker & Mini Spirit
2) Fulgor & Yorvak vs Shocko & Tito Moran and Estrella de Oro & Relámpago
3) Freelance © vs Puma de Oro [IWRG REY DEL AIRE]
4) Alpha Wolf, Dragón Bane, Hijo del Alebrije, Noisy Boy vs Accion Jackson, Brad Alexis, Lil Blay, Travis Banks
5) Toxin © vs Aster Boy [IWRG MEXICO]
6) Villano V vs El Hijo del Medico Asesino, Dick Angelo 3G, Hijo De Dos Caras, Hijo del Pantera, Capo Mayor, ?, Cerebro Negro Jr., Halloween Jr., Hijo del Pirata Morgan [Rebelion de los Juniors]
The annual Rebelion of Los Juniors show is a Mas Lucha Premium show. The winner of the titular match will likely face current champion Hijo del Alebrije. The two title matches were set up this past Thurday.
The Republic of Lucha, the store owned in part by Penta & Fenix, will host a wrestling show Saturday night in celebration of their one year anniversary. The show is on airing on a delay on FITE; the current schedule has it at Wednesday at 6 pm, which puts it up against Dynamite for the second half. It’s a 10 USD show; I’d definitely get it live and it’ll be more about remembering to get it later. The slight issue is we don’t know the actual matches; some have changed multiple times, some have quietly disappeared. Republic of Lucha says they’ll release the final card on Saturday morning. This is what I could piece together Friday morning
- Dante Martin, Darius Martin vs Aramis, Rey Horus
- Jacob Fatu vs Lince Dorado
- Danny Limelight, Slice Boogie vs Steve Filip, Tome Filip
- Chik Tormenta vs Taya
- shown on the poster: Penta, Arez, Daga, Dralistico, Johnny Caballero, Chavo Guerrero Jr.
Dragon Lee versus Penta was advertised at one point and is mentioned in some of the descriptions, but the match graphic is gone and Dragon Lee’s not on the poster. Arez was in various iterations of the Top Flight match. Fenix was advertised at wrestling early on but hasn’t been in quite a while (or they removed his mentions and I haven’t noticed.) There’s enough names here to make this a good show.
Other shows of not this weekend include The Crash’s first post-AAA show tonight. Penta vs Cinta de Oro vs Lince Dorado headlines; I’m interested in finding out how much the ex-WWE guys mean in Mexico. X-LAW has their second show of their revival, but the first in a place close enough to Mexico City to show up on fan cams. Austin Aries vs Dr. Wagner Jr. vs Mesias headlines.
KAOZ held a press conference Thursday for next week’s return show at Arena Coliseo Monterrey. The press conference teased this would be the last show ever at the building. My information is there’s a chance it would be the last show, but there have been rumors of the show being closed down for years and there’s no specific reason this would be the final show.
Alberto el Patron, who seems to be on a podcast tour to promote that show, says he was paid only 800 pesos for his first match. 800 pesos is pretty good pay for most wrestlers on the first match. It should be better than that but 800 is more than a Coke and a torta.
04/01 the WRLD on Lucha
- Psycho Clown vs Dr. Wagner Jr. – main event
- Pagano vs Sadika in an extreme match
- Jack Carthweel vs Johnny Caballero
- Tony Deppen vs Psicosis – new
- Gringo Loco, Abismo Negro Jr., Demonic Flamita vs Laredo Kid, Rey Horus, ASF – new
- also scheduled to appear: Psicosis, Hugo Savinovich, Drago Kid
MLW added Aramis vs Gino Medina in a lumberjack strap match to their 04/01 show.
Laredo Kid is out of the 04/02 LuchaManiaks main event, with Black Taurus now facing ACH in the main event. The full card is up now.
The March 6, 2022 Zona 23 show has been added to IWTV.
LuchaWorld has the latest Lucha Report.