CMLL
Tonight’s show:
CMLL (FRI) 01/06/2023 Arena México
1) Mercurio vs Angelito
rematch from 2022-05-27 (minis title match)
2) Dark Panther, Panterita del Ring, Panterita del Ring Jr. vs Cancerbero, Luciferno, Virus
rematch from 2022-11-25. Original poster mistaken listed Blue Panther instead of Panterita Sr.
3) Ángel de Oro & Niebla Roja vs Guerrero Maya Jr. & Titán
rematch from 2022-01-23 (CMLL tag title change); Maya replacing Volador Jr.
4) Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Sagrado vs Euforia, Hechicero, Mephisto
rematch from 2022-09-30 (then a trios title match)
5) Soberano Jr. vs Templario
rematch from 2022-07-29 (Leyenda de Plata final)
This is the first of the Best of 2022 shows, and so it should be a really good show. Soberano & Templario was one of the top matches of the year last year. Angel de Oro & Niebla Roja vs Titan & Volador was a great match just one week ago, and Maya will give it a fresher feel. The other matches should be at least good. I don’t expect anything important to happen, but you don’t need anything to happen if you’re just going to have good matches. It’s a TicketmasterLive PPV show as always.
KeMonito is likely to retire this year. He said as much in a recent radio interview and has made similar statements in the past. CMLL’s press department told SuperLuchas this was his real sentiment; this is not so far along that they have an end date or it’s not yet 100% KeMonito is retiring, but just the way it’s going. I would expect him to be around at least for the 90th Aniversario, since that is supposed to be such a big show. KeMonito says he doesn’t expect his sons to take over the character but leaves it open that someone else might take it over. A very long time ago, he was replaced as Alushe so he’s had that happen before.
Microman, Kemonito’s son who seemed to be destined to take over the KeMonito character before leaving CMLL, was mentioned in the Wrestling Observer as going independent. It wasn’t clarified if that means he’s leaving AAA, but he’s not listed with Mr. Iguana & Nino Hamburguesa on the upcoming taping. It would be nice if he’s returning to CMLL, but I don’t believe that’ll happen.
A local media outlet between soon-to-debut Galaxy is the first person from Quintana Roo to be a regular CMLL roster member. That seems hard to believe but I can’t think of a counter-point and Quintana Roo has never been a big lucha libre place. Other Quintana Roo luchadors have appeared in Arena Mexico before – the article notes Corsario Jr. appeared on the 2019 Dragonmania show – and this is just about full-timers.
AAA
AAA starts 2023 with a mid December TV taping. They have part one of the Madero show. We probably won’t know which three (or four) of these matches will air:
- Loco Castillo, Pekador, Reina Dorada vs Demus, La Hiedra, Maravilla
- Mr. Iguana & Nino Hamburguesa vs Kento & Takuma
- Arez & Myzteziz Jr. vs Argenis & Parka Negra
- Aramis, Octagon Jr. Willie Mack vs Cuatrero, Forastero, Sanson for the AAA Trios Championship
- Aerostar & Sexy Star vs Lady Flammer & Abismo Negro Jr., winner is #1 contenders for the AAA Mixed Tag Championship
- Dave the Clown & Murder Clown vs Gringo Loco & Villano II Jr.
- Komander, Pagano, Taurus vs Cibernetico, Dralistico, Rush
AAA’s live commentary might make that mixed tag match very strange, especially if they’re building to a match that didn’t happen. This doesn’t seem like a strong taping but maybe it’ll be better when we see it.
AEW taped Bandido versus Christopher Daniels in Seattle on Wednesday. You may recall Bandido versus Christopher Daniels was one of the matches announced for the AAA’s Showcenter tournament, in a brief window where AAA put out a bracket of matches before apparently shifting gears and giving up on that setup entirely.
Marvel Lucha Libre is now listed as “Coming Soon” on Disney+. It had not been listed at all previously. There’s no sign of an air date outside of a “2023” year. It was always weird to me that AAA & Marvel were holding the title match after the related streaming show went up; maybe they taped something else that was meant to be a conclusion to that finale. Or maybe they changed their mind.
Other News
Vince McMahon apparently is returning to power in WWE – or he’s back to exercising his power, at least. He’s saying he’s doing it as lead in to a sale (and that’s why the stock price is up) and that he’s staying out of their creative, though it would be unwise to take anything in that situation at face value. This will definitely affect Mexican lucha libre, and I can only guess at what that effect will be. In the short term, AAA’s attempt to build a bridge with WWE is less likely to work out for them. I think Dragon Lee would’ve still signed with WWE had he known Vince McMahon was coming back but it’s less likely to work out for him if McMahon has real power.
MLW Fusion had Microman, Komander, and Laredo Kid vs Gino Medina, Black Taurus and Mini Abismo Negro. The gimmick was the loser of the fall was out of MLW. Microman only wins on the show, Gino Medina only loses, and the other guys are never booked in MLW, so there wasn’t much drama. There was plenty of time, a long match followed by another long match to fill out the hour. There were a few good spots and an over-complicated finish; you won’t mind seeing it but you don’t really need to. MLW is using a lot less luchadors going forward.
Former AAA wrestler El Magnate was falsely reported as deceased this week. He’s still alive.