Eagles/Dragon Rojo tonight, Wagner on special Coliseo show, IWRG heavyweight title vacant

CMLL

Tonight’s CMLL show has Dragon Rojo vs Robbie Eagles and not much more. I still think Eagles is more likely to win but I’m not totally convinced it’s happening. The semimain is Euforia, Hechicero and Templario vs Atlantis, Titan and beach bum Volador Jr., a promising match if Euforia & Hechicero didn’t have a title match next week and Atlantis wasn’t involved. Atlantis’ son is a rudo this week, and teaming with Cavernario and Hijo del Villano III against Blue Panther, Negor Casas and Soberano. Fuerza Poblana and Ola Negra meet in the second and the micros open the show. It’s the usual $5 USD Ticketmaster live show.

CMLL (MON) 08/15/2022 Arena Puebla
1) Centella Roja & Hijo de Centella Roja vs Black Tiger & King Jaguar
2) El Asturiano, Halcón Suriano Jr., Rey Samuray vs El Perverso, Prayer, Rey Apocalipsis
3) Guerrero Maya Jr., Pegasso, Stigma vs El Audaz, Fugaz, Star Black
4) Lince Dorado, Oráculo, Volador Jr. vs Kenny King, Matt Taven, Último Guerrero
5) Soberano Jr. vs Robbie Eagles

The foreigners are in on Monday. (I should’ve considered Taven & still being in the US until then because of the Impact tapings.) Puerto Ricans are faces and Americans are heels. Tough to argue with that. Audaz is the Esfinge replacement for the night. 

CMLL (TUE) 08/16/2022 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Atilius, El Divino, Rey Urano vs Aurelius, Jhonny Dinamo, Maximus
2) Ángel Rebelde, Optimus, Trono vs Cris Skin, Mr. Trueno, Rey Trueno
3) Niebla Roja & Terrible vs Hijo del Villano III & Zandokan Jr.
4) Halcón Negro Jr. vs Crixus [lightning]
5) Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa © vs Furia Roja, Guerrero de la Muerte, Joker [MEX TRIOS]
2nd defense
6) Kenny King & Matt Taven vs Lince Dorado & Oráculo and Ángel de Oro & Atlantis Jr. and Averno & Robbie Eagles [torneo]

Main event is a country vs country tag team tournament. Eagles & Averno are listed as Rest of the World; I assume Averno is representing Hell. Matches 2/4 follow up from last week. 

Dr. Wagner Jr. has been added to the 08/18 Expo Museo/Big Lucha card, where the main event tag tournament has changed a bit:

Original Teams	New Teams
Averno & Mephisto	Averno & Mephisto
Tiger Mask IV & TBD	Tiger Mask IV & Robby Eagles
Rocky Romero & Robby Eagles	Rocky Romero & Skayde
Aeroboy & Skayde	Aeroboy & Dr. Wagner Jr.

Mistico previously said he wouldn’t be 100% for the Gran Prix and that would be his first match back. I suspect he was to team with Tiger Mask IV, they left it as a mystery opponent in case he got better news, and now they’re making due without him. CMLL allowing that indie show to use Dr. Wagner Jr. is a more generous gesture than usual, also a slight indication something happened. CMLL talked about this on Informa and emphasized this was a one-night-only appearance for Dr. Wagner and he would not be returning to their promotion at this time. Wagner hasn’t wrestled for CMLL proper since 2015 and this isn’t really a CMLL show either.

On CMLL Informa, Mesias mentioned he’d be returning “full-time” to CMLL, not just a one-off for the Gran Prix. Mesias was appearing irregularly prior to the pandemic. Recent CMLL news is a lot of indicators they’ve largely climbed out of whatever economic hole the pandemic threw them in, and they’re back to operating their business close to what they did before. Bringing in outsiders to run a Gran Prix and holding two apuesta matches on the Aniversario are all signs CMLL feels more comfortable than earlier this year. Mesias and CMLL also re-iterated he’ll use the “Mesias” name in CMLL, so they must feel legally safe. He’d like to challenge Hechicero for the heavyweight title.

Julio Cesar Rivera also made a comment on Informa hyping an upcoming night of champions show. There’s was no more info, except it came as a setup to imply other named promotions were borrowing their idea. It seemed like a shot at AAA’s idea for Hijo del Vikingo’s TripleMania opponent, though plenty of other promotions elsewhere have also used fan voting to determine matches for decades. WWE had a whole promotion built around the concept. If I was CMLL, I would instead brag that they know how to fan voting right, compared to whatever’s going on with this AAA idea.

CMLL did belatedly put up the Gran Prix to buy on TicketMaster Live for 198 pesos, twice the weekly price. Homenaje a Dos Leyendas 2022 was 200 pesos. I think that’s a fair amount for a show of that level and about what outside fans might expect to pay for a PPV. The limitations are more the service (TM Live not having VOD or people having poor past experiences) and lack of commentary in outside of Spanish.

Members of the Mexico Gran Prix team met with the media on Thursday to promote the show. They pushed the idea that they’ll put aside their personal differences to work together for Mexico. Mistico’s big idea is everyone attending the show needs to wear the colors of the Mexican flag (green, white or red) to support the team and to create a visual unseen before.

AAA

AAA TV this Saturday should have week 2 of Verano de Escandalo

• Aramis, Mr. Iguana & Nino Hamburguesa vs Diva Salvaje, Dulce Canela, Jessy Ventura
• NGD vs La Empresa for the AAA World Trios championship

My current plan is to go to the Saturday Impact show and try to remotely stream the show at the normal time.. This may not work; it’s not easy. I’ll reschedule to Sunday if it falls apart, and it should be up on YouTube next Sunday regardless.

Denise Salcedo announced she’ll be coming to Mexico City for TripleMania, covering the show and interviewing AAA wrestlers for her popular YouTube channel. AAA and Salcedo worked together earlier this year and it’s a good way for AAA to reach fans who aren’t already paying attention to AAA.

IWRG

IWRG (THU) 08/11/2022 Arena Naucalpan [IWRG, La Tijeras de Lucha, Mas Lucha]
1) Spider Fly won a 20 person battle royal [royal rumble] 
2) Adrenalina, Ángel Del Amor, Caballero de Plata, Guerrero Olímpico, Historico b Calibus, Epidemia, Gárgola Xtreme, Steel Heart, Zenick 
team Sencilito (Bambuchito) vs team Coacalco (Justiciero). Rematch challenges followed as always.
3) Paymon, Puma de Oro, Yorvak b Ajolotl, Ciclonico, Mr. Jerry and Dragón Yuki, Vantvert Jack, Vantvert Negro 
Puma de Oro replaced Freelance.
4) Canibal Jr., Capo del Norte, Hijo De Mr. Niebla, Pistolero Negro b Adrenalina, Hijo de Payaso Purasanta, Maradó, Payaso Pura Santa Jr. 
Team WTMB couldn’t get along.
5) Diva Salvaje, Hip Hop Man, Spider Fly, Zumbi b Black Terry, Heddi Karaoui, La Mosca, Maldito Jr. 
Aster Boy couldn’t wrestle due to injury (so Puma de Oro attacked him again. Hip Hop Man won with La Mistica on his brother Mosca.

IWRG has a deal where you get a photo with wrestlers and other discounts if you celebrate your birthday in Arena Naucalpan. This was like a Hip Hop Man birthday celebration show, just booked around Hip Hop Man related things and a “here is your wrestling life” Hip Hop Man video to start it off. If you’re going to go with a concept show, you might as well go all in it. The show ended with Alushe beat boxing.

None of the reports had the full 20 names in the battle royal. Maybe I’ll work this out later.

IWRG (SUN) 08/14/2022 Arena Naucalpan
1) Sol & Spider Fly vs Rey Aztaroth & Vértigo
2) Diosa Quetzal & Sagitarius vs Casandra & Satania
3) Aster Boy & Noisy Boy vs Puma de Oro & Yorvak
4) Big Boy, Big Chicoche, Big Tackle vs Alan Extreme, Fulgor, Hell Boy
5) Gran Pandemónium, Pandemónium Jr., Paymon vs Caballero de Plata, Relámpago, Zumbi
6) Dr. Wagner Jr. vs Hijo de Pandemónium, Simon Blanco, Drako, Karaoui, Maniacop 360, Tony Trivado, Oficial AK47, Galeno del Mal, Fly Warrior [IWRG IC HEAVY, semifinal]
final two advance to title match on 08/21

IWRG announced the IWRG Heavyweight Championship is now vacant. Rey Espectro was the most recent champion. Roberto Figueroa reported Rey Espectro (and his family) were in a car accident in July and hospitalized, but was not in serious condition. Espectro’s gone silent on Facebook. IWRG’s video on the change says Espectro suffered a cervical injury which will leave him unable to defend “indefinitely”. They did imply he’d be back at some point but everything seems like there’s a missing piece to this story.

The match on this show will set up a title match on 08/21. Murder Clown seemed to be involved with this title when it was teased a couple of weeks ago, but he’s working in Arena Aficion on that Sunday. The 08/21 will be IWRG’s carnival of champions show and likely a Mas Lucha Premium event. Dr. Wagner Jr. in a title match would get some people interested.

Chico Che must’ve suffered an injury in early June because he and the “Big Strippers try to a find a new trios partner” story has been dropped from then until now. Big Tackle is of course the large wrestler in US football gear who works Ultimo Guerrero and Rey Bucanero shows. 

While we’re on Rey Espectro/Espectro Jr. stuff, it looks like Espectro II sold the name Hijo del Espectro Jr. name to a different wrestler in May.  His first match was May 15th (soon after Espectro II & now Rey Espectro had their public falling out) and he seems mostly to wrestle against around Guadalajara against the local versions Gemelo Diablos. “Rey Espectro” started using that name in July. Every “Espectro” listing in mid-May and June might be either guy, though one was traveling a lot more than the other. 

Big Lucha

Big Lucha World (WED) 08/10/2022 Bandidos Gym, Iztapalapa, Distrito Federal [Mas Lucha]
1) Sussy Love b Diosa Nix, Hantana 
2) Forneo b Carito [BL CHAMP, Block B Qualifying, semifinal] 
Shocko got involved to cause Carito to lose.
3) Radioactivo b Limbo [BL CHAMP, Block B Qualifying, semifinal] 
Radioactivo & Foreno face off next Wednesday for the final Block B spot.
4) Arez b Komander [BL CHAMP, Block B, quarterfinal] 
great match. Arez advances to the semifinals on 08/26.

The whole episode is watchable but go out of your way to see Arez/Komander.

DMT Azul vs Galeno del Mal in another Block B quarterfinal will take place on next Wednesday’s show, along with Radioactivo vs Foreno to determine who gets the last quarterfinal spot. That winner, Ricky Marvin, Bandido, and Gravity will all wrestle on the following Wednesday’s show (08/24).

Other News

LuchaWorld has the latest Lucha Report and an obituary for TNT.

PWG’s May 1st show is available for rent/purchase on the newly redesigned Highspots.TV. Matches from that show

• Aramis vs Konosuke Takeshita
• Black Taurus vs Blake Christian
• Bandido (c) vs Daniel Garica for the PWG World Championship

Impact’s Emergence show tonight has

• Bandido vs Rey Horus
• weirdly nothing announced with Black Taurus & Laredo Kid

This is a $1o PPV on FITE or $5/month via YouTube (Impact Insider: Ultimate). I’m not sure if this is a deal for everyone, but YouTube offered half off for the first month for me. Bandido/Rey Horus for $2.50 sounds like a good deal.

Impact TV tapings on Saturday 

• Black Taurus vs Laredo Kid vs Rey Horus vs Trey Miguel
• Eddie Edwards vs Steve Maclin vs Moose vs Rich Swann vs Bandido vs Sami Callihan

These matches will air over the next two weeks of Impact’s show on AxsTV.

The taped edition of AEW Rampage tonight has Sammy Guevara & Tay Melo (ex-Tay Conti) vs Sky Blue & Dante Martin for the AAA Mixed Tag Team championship. It’s the first TV defense of that belt since winning it in April, though they did defend it on a Northeast Wrestling show in June. AAA tends to acknowledge only televised title defenses.

The Crash (FRI) 09/09/2022 Auditorio de Tijuana, Tijuana, Baja California
1) Anubis vs Rey Furia, Sol, Pod, Charro Blanco, Noisy Boy
2) Lunatik Extreme & Toto vs Alas de Oro & Próximo
3) Destiny, Rey León, Tony Casanova vs Dark Zorro, Jimmy, The Tiger (Indie)
4) Arandú, Star Boy, Zarco vs Bugambilia, Máximo, Pimpinela Escarlata [ROBLES TRIOS]
5) Súper Nova & Texano Jr. vs Hijo de LA Park & LA Park Jr. and Dragón Lee (Indie) & Dralistico [The Crash TAG]
vacant titles
6) DMT Azul & LA Park vs Dr. Wagner Jr. & Pierroth

The Crash shows continue to be the usual Mexico City area super indie shows that happen to take place in Tijuana (and aren’t officially taped). I’m including this lineup just to have an explanation of the tag titles handy. Bestia 666 & Mecha Wolf were the champions, they were supposed to face Hermanos Lee in March but didn’t appear, Hermanos Lee faces the Filip Bros instead and people watching were unsure if it was still meant to be for the tag titles, and now five months later we know it was not for the tag titles. The titles aren’t much relevant if someone can go five months without knowing who’s champion.

The new Pierroth’s going to get booked in the main events forever because he’s the only guy willing to take losses. It’s actually a good strategy until the fans get bored with it.

Nacion Lucha Libre announced their 09/24 card a week ago. It already looks like it’s changed. The poster they’ve now sent out has no matches listed, and slightly different people included:

• Added: Sagittarius, Relampago, Super Beast, Travis Banks, el Greco, and Ricardo Rodriguez
• Removed: Sucii Love, Mecha Wolf, Cobrade Jr., Hijo del Pirata Morgan, Mr. Leo, and Rey Espectro

Alberto’s going to adopt Banks as a guy he puts on all of his events after one show. None of these changes are going to make much of a difference. They should sell out the small room they’re running based on the bigger names. The changes do re-enforce the half-baked nature of this promotion. I’m not going to update the lineup in the database because there are no matches listed and the names will likely change again. Nacion Lucha Libre, in the comments, mentions they’ll have announcements about the TV announcers and timeslot for the show later this month.

El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. lost in his opening round NOAH N1 tournament match against Kenoh. This is a league style tournament that’ll last through September. He faces Kazuyuki Fujita on Saturday. Wagner is expected to have the usual Mexican mid-table finish for one of these. 

A news report in Xalapa claims luchadora Princesa del Infierno got into “verbal and physical fight” with an eldery fan after a show. Her father is Rey Infierno and the report says he drunkenly encouraged her to continue the argument over how the fan treated her father during the match. The report is sourced entirely from one anonymous account; local wrestlers have pushed back and said it’s not accurate, even posting video of Princesa del Infierno and an eldery woman (suggested to be the one from the story) saying it’s not true. 

Criterio Hidalgo has an article on local legend (and occasional Vangaurdia participant) Colmillo Blanco. They list him as 73 with 38 years of wrestling. One of those numbers seems wrong because 35 would be very late to get into wrestling and then keep on it for 30 years. (I think he’s probably 63.) I knew Colmillo Blanco was the grandfather of Mago/Draztick Boy and Ciclope, and the article adds Devitt Rodriguez to that list.