CMLL
CMLL (SUN) 01/01/2023 Arena México [CMLL, El Universal, Kaiser Sports, The Gladiatores (video), thecubsfan]
1) Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa b Cancerbero, Okumura, Virus 
12:54.
2) Marcela b Faby 
20:20. Both brawled on the outside for the countout. Marcela demanded a rematch, then attacked Faby when she stalled on giving an answer.
3) Cavernario, Místico, Templario b Averno, Gran Guerrero, Titán [Relevos Increíbles]
20:05
4) Apocalipsis L Difunto, Zandokan Jr., Príncipe Odín Jr., Nitro, Inquisidor, Bengala, Neón, Millenium, Oro Jr., Valiente Jr., Retro [cage, mask]
26:08. Escapes started after 3 minutes. Order of escape: Bengala, Oro, Prinicipe Odin Jr., Millenium, Inquisidor, Zandokan, Neon, Retro, Difunto, Nitro leaving Valiente Jr. and Apocalipsis. Finish took two tries to get the pinfall to work. Apocalipsis is Apocalipsis is Juan Carlos Contreras Uribe, 47 years old, 23 years a wrestler.
A sisappointing turnout for this show. It wasn’t bad, but crowds have been up for the last couple of weeks and weren’t up for the one show with an apuesta match. They got very much into the Marcela/Faby match and enjoyed the luchadors fooling each other to escape the cage. They didn’t care at all about the Apocalipsis/Valiente final, and Valiente Jr. seemed to run out of gas before the finish. Apocalipsis was the guy everyone figured was losing from the moment he started this feud. Doing a mask match with guys who aren’t pushed didn’t seem to mean anything this year.
The Marcela/Faby was a really good finish if this is the first match in a long program. It’s a lame finish if CMLL booked a match where they couldn’t get either person to agree to lose. Mexico wrestling suggests it’s probably the latter. CMLL was been better about those things in 2022.
Valiente Jr. says he almost missed this show due to COVID, and got a negative test clearing him just on Saturday. Valiente Jr. did miss shows with COVID last month, and maybe this is conflating two stories for dramatics.
Puebla tonight is scheduled to have Titan/Negro Casas in a title match. It’s only a schedule; an AAA spot show in Puebla on Sunday was postponed to 02/18 and said to be the due to the rise of COVID cases in the city.
CMLL (TUE) 01/03/2023 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Jhonny Dinamo, Luminoso, Quka vs Gran Kenut, Jabalí, Minotauro
2) Avispón Negro Jr., El Divino, Mágico vs Exterminador, Javier Cruz Jr., Maléfico
3) Adrenalina, Explosivo, Fantástico, Omega vs Furia Roja, Gallero, Guerrero de la Muerte, Ráfaga
4) Guerrero Maya Jr., Pegasso, Stigma vs Leo, Omar Brunetti, Vaquero Jr.
5) Blue Panther, Cachorro, Dark Panther vs Rey Bucanero, Satánico, Vaquero Fantasma
6) Dr. Karonte I, Dr. Karonte II, Místico vs Dark Magic, Okumura, Yota
The Dr. Karontes are definitely on CMLL’s B-team – they had two matches in December, one match in November – but they’ve got a main event teaming with their brother. The fourth and fifth match seem bigger, if not for Mistico. This Vaquero Fantasma has been showing up in random places like Rey Leon, and “Vaquero Fantasma” is a Pro Wrestling Revolucion character (one I believe many people have used.) Fourth match continues the Puebla/GDL feud from Puebla.
No one else cares beyond me but that’s why you’re reading this blog: the CMLL MVS Saturday show had been airing six-week-old matches since the return to live events. They skipped a month of shows and now are two weeks behind. That puts them on the same schedule as the CMLL AMX show. This week, AMX aired match 1, 3, 5 from the 12/18 Sunday show, and MVS aired match 2 from that same show (where they would’ve aired something from November previously.)
AAA
AAA TV continued the best of episodes this week.
The 01/21 Queretaro lineup should be out at any time.
Konnan, on his podcast, mentioned Sammy Guevara and Tay Melo missed a third show due to a flight issue. Still not sure when that third show would’ve been. Melo did send Konnan a photo of the expired visa when they missed the Madero show, and Konnan was frustrated by a run of wrestlers (Daga, Fenix, Melo, Natalia Marakova) waiting until the last minute to renew visas and missing AAA shows as a result. He was also frustrated that Sammy Guevara not coming to Acapulco by himself, since he wasn’t booked in AEW last Wednesday. (AAA would’ve at least had the belts back.) Konnan’s podcast cohosts believed AEW was messing with AAA’s shows as payback for Konnan being critical of AEW on that podcast. Konnan himself didn’t offer an opinion. He did say he still considered Guevara & Melo friends.
IWRG
IWRG (SUN) 01/01/2023 Arena Naucalpan [IWRG]
1) Rossel L Baby Star, Legado, Pequeño Jocker, Tiger Fly, Cometa Boy, Troyano, Limbo, Pasion, Genex, Rey Eclipse, Kenji [cage, hair, mask]
Rossel lost his hair to Kenji after Baby Star betrayed Rossel.
2) John Tito b Mr. Leo, Imposible, Rey Halcón, Paymon, Spider Fly [Cofre del Pirata Moreno, cage]
Tito can challenge for a title at any time
3) b Rey Espectro, Hijo del Alebrije, Rokambole, Cerebro Negro Jr., Máscara Sagrada Jr., Villano V Jr., Rocky Casas, Hijo del Fishman [IWRG JUNIOR, #1 Contenders, cage]
winner (Fishman, replacing Gran Pandemonium) immediately got a title match
4) Hijo del Fishman b Dick Angelo 3G © [Ladder, cage, IWRG JUNIORS]
HIjo de Fishman was the surprise wrestler and won
5) Puma de Oro b Aramis, Hell Boy, Hijo De Canis Lupus, Noisy Boy [mask, hair, IWRG MEXICO, IWRG REY DEL AIRE, cage]
Puma de Oro won the IWRG Rey del Aire championship from Noisy Boy, making him a third champ
I am never in a mood to watch an all cage match show, and less so immediately following a CMLL cage match.
- Neo, Kanda, Mochizuki vs Super Mega, Fantasy, Skayde (02/12/1999)
- Oficial, Guardia, Viglante vs Fantasma Jr., Motocross, Alan Stone (06/15/2000)
- Pierroth Jr., Tarzan Boy, Pentagon Black vs Dr. Wagner Jr,. Negro Casas, Heavy Metal (03/17/2005)
IWRG (SUN) 01/08/2023 Arena Naucalpan
1) Águila Oriental vs Súper Cometa
2) Jhon Tito & Tortuga Leo vs Rey Halcón & Troyano
3) Alan Extreme & Mr. Leo vs Noisy Boy & Spider Fly and Dick Angelo 3G & Legendario
4) Tonalli vs Yorvak
5) Caballero de Plata, Hijo del Alebrije, Imposible vs ?, Dominique, Karaoui
6) Aeroboy, Hellboy, Hijo De Canis Lupus vs Hijo del Fishman, Hijo del Pirata Morgan, Puma de Oro
Tickets are free for children in honor of Three King’s Day weekend. A lot less voltage than this past week.
Other News
Ayako Hamada won Muneca de Plata’s hair in Arena Neza on Sunday.
Pantera de Occidente won El Titere’s mask in Guadalajara. Titere is Juan Moises, 26, 3 years ago.
Angel del Abismo lost his hair to Tornado Azteca in Mexicali, and Enemgio Mortal unmasked Potro (Alvaro Vera, Monterrey, 30 years a wrestler) on the same show.