CMLL Friday preview, AAA in Morelia (Saturday) and Puebla (far far future)

CMLL

CMLL (TUE) 05/16/2023 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Avispón Negro Jr., Luminoso, Mortis b Black Boy, Thunder Boy, Yaky Boy 
2) Obelisk, Raven, Temerario b Estrella de Jalisco I, Estrella de Jalisco II, Último Ángel 
3) Gallero, Hombre Bala Jr., Robin DQ Barboza, Draego, Persa 
Barboza unmasked Robin for the DQ
4) Brillante Jr., Guerrero Maya Jr., Pólvora b Leo, Omar Brunetti, Vaquero Jr. 
Brillante Jr. beat Vaquero Jr. (though he messed up his finish.) Vaquero wanted a singles match next week.
5) Akuma, Dark Magic, Espanto Jr. b Adrenalina, Explosivo, Fantástico 
Ola Negra wants a OCCIDENTE TRIOS title match
6) Averno & Soberano Jr. DQ Místico & Panterita del Ring Jr. 
Averno unmasked Mistico after a Soberano dropkicked the referee to stop a count and also fouled Panterita.

Soberano is a full rudo in Guadalajara and a tecnico everywhere else. Lots of feuding people with a big show a month away. Guadalajara says they’ll run a Sunday show on June 4th.

Friday’s CMLL lineup:

CMLL (FRI) 05/19/2023 Arena México
1) Robin, Sangre Imperial, Valiente Jr. vs Difunto, Dr. Karonte I, Zandokan Jr.
2) Magia Blanca © vs Fugaz [MEX WELTER]
third defense
3) Dark Panther, Guerrero Maya Jr., Star Jr. vs Espanto Jr., Felino Jr., Misterioso Jr.
4) Stuka Jr. vs Euforia [lightning]
5) Místico vs Volador Jr., Atlantis Jr., Dragón Rojo Jr., Soberano Jr., Averno, Panterita del Ring Jr., Hijo del Villano III [Copa Jr. VIP, semifinal]
final two advance

The show will include with the least favorite ending, two people who want to figure who will not be allowed to fight for another week. I’m unsure if they’re doing a cibernetico or a singles elimination. (CMLL Informa is on my watch list, but my watch list hasn’t had much progress in the last few days.) The whole show is Junior themed; they could use some more rudo Juniors. It’s kind of weird that, out of all the young wrestlers CMLL has, they’re really fixated on the Fugaz/Esfinge team.

It’s on PPV as always. It’ll go up on YouTube on June 4th

CMLL (SUN) 05/21/2023 Arena México
1) Aéreo vs Pierrothito [lightning]
2) Cachorro, Neón, Oro Jr. vs Grako, Nitro, Raider
3) Capitán Suicida, Fuego, Hombre Bala Jr. vs Explosivo, Fantástico, Gallero
4) Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa vs Magnus, Rugido, Zandokan Jr.
5) Blue Panther, Panterita del Ring, Valiente vs Cancerbero, Kráneo, Rey Bucanero
6) Místico, Panterita del Ring Jr., Star Jr. vs Ángel de Oro, Euforia, Niebla Roja

Gallero is a surprising Guadalajara call-up. That’s Adrenalina’s spot in Los Fantasticos, and Gallero hasn’t been around. My luchadb default is to wait for Guadalajara (and Puebla and IWRG) wrestlers to show up in the arena twenty times before tracking them in the database, and Gallero hasn’t hit that 20 mark yet. He just started showing up there, at least under that name, back in December and doesn’t work every week.

CMLL (MON) 05/22/2023 Arena Puebla
1) Amnesia & Astro vs Dreyco & Sombra Diabólika
2) Asturiano & Black Tiger vs Dr. Karonte I & Enfermero Jr.
3) Millenium, Pegasso, Rey Samuray vs Akuma, Dark Magic, Espanto Jr.
4) Euforia, Hechicero, Mephisto vs Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Sagrado
5) Atlantis Jr. & Soberano Jr. vs Ángel de Oro & Niebla Roja

If I were a terrible person, I’d write “I think Amnesia is new but I can’t remember.” I’m clearly not a terrible person. He’s a Puebla indie wrestler for at least a decade, though not much in recent years.

Templario officially vacated the Mexican National Middleweight championship on Wednesday’s Informa. The long-standing rule is a wrestler is not allowed to be a national and world champ in the same division. Templario winning the CMLL World Middleweight Championship means he had to give up the lesser title. CMLL hasn’t indicated when they’ll fill the now vacant title.

Star Jr. said his six-month injury was a knee (CL) one.

Titán lost to Mike Bailey but defeated Lio Rush to reach 8 points in NJPW’s Best of Super Juniors. That technically ties him for second place, with four other wrestlers at eight points. Bailey leads at ten. It ties Titán’s point total from last year; a single point the rest of the way sets a new high. (It’s rare for CMLL wrestlers to go much higher.) Titán faces SHO early Friday, then DOUKI on Sunday. Both are opponents Titán could theoretically win, but it’s probably time to give some wins to some people who are farther back.

Zandokan Jr. told MedioTiempo a fan interaction story. He says he was once at a show in Tepatitlan where he was insulting a crowd, and a fan started to reach for something out his bag; Zandokan believes the guy was pretending to pull a weapon out as as intimidation beat Zandokan says his instinct was that he couldn’t back down whatever got pulled out, because it would make luchadors look weak. He instead told the fans that he better be ready to use it if he takes it out his bag. (Zandokan says he was later snuck out the back door.) Zandokan also says he previously wrestled as Cain (we had him as Hijo del Bucanero), that his brother wrestled for a short time but didn’t like it, and that he reminds people so much of the previous Zandokan that his aunt – the original Zandokan’s wife – doesn’t like to watch him wrestle because it’s too strange. Zandokan and Difunto are living together in Mexico City, which meant Zandokan leaving behind his wife and his daughters in Guadalajara for now.

Magnus, Rugido, and Magia Blanca helped out with a blood drive at a hospital for premature children and their mothers.

AAA

Space this week has finishes off the 04/08 San Luis Potosi show.

• Mr. Iguana vs Puma King
• Dalys & Negro Casas vs Argenis & Toscano
• Dralistico, Hijo del Vikingo & Laredo Kid vs Antifaz del Norte, Dinamico, Gringo Loco

AAA tapes in Morelia on Saturday. Lineup is here. It’s AAA so who knows what happens, but Vikingo/Penta vs Dralistico/Gringo at least has a chance of being good. The tag title three way makes no sense but maybe it’ll be good. Shani & Tormenta will do big things in their hardcore match. The on paper lineup looks better than the next couple of shows.

AAA announced the full lineup for the 06/18 Puebla taping on Thursday

AAA TV (SUN) 06/18/2023 Auditorio GNP, Puebla, Puebla
1) Baby Xtreme & Mini Vikingo vs Kamik-C & Skalibur
2) Mr. Iguana, Niño Hamburguesa, Willie Mack vs Kento, Takuma, Tosscano
3) Abismo Negro Jr. & Flammer © vs Arez & La Hiedra and Látigo & Maravilla [AAA MIXED TAG]
first defense (won in December)
4) Jack Cartwheel vs Daga, Toxin
5) Jack Evans & Vampiro Canadiense vs Bestia 666 & Mecha Wolf
6) Lady Shani, Negro Casas, Psycho Clown vs Chik Tormenta, QT Marshall, Sam Adonis

QT Marshall sticks out, and not just because I left him in blue. He’s disliked by the AEW fans primarily because of the feeling that any time he’s on screen is time that could go to someone with more buzz. He’s also got a rap of being in the promotion as a favor to Cody Rhodes (which may not be completely accurate) and he’s just a heel that doesn’t do anything that people will like. Those AEW problems are fine for an AAA Sam Adonis associate. I don’t know how many people in Puebla are going actually to know who he is (no AEW TV in Mexico) There’s no history AAA will do anything to introduce him before the show. Marshall is just going to end up being the latest random foreigner who beats up the tecnicos (after the opener and after the main event), does a promo after the show teasing a match, and then is never seen or mentioned again. Marshall is also a higher-up in AEW, which might have to do with what he’s here and not someone that would be better known in Mexico.

Vampiro is back. I’m sure we’re all shocked that his retirement didn’t stick. This is not the first time I’ve written about this but it’s worth repeating. At least one of two things is happening:

• Vampiro embellished the severity or variety of his ailments
• OR AAA is unfeeling/uncaring enough to put a man with degenerative brain disease in wrestling matches on a regular basis

It’s got to be one of those. I guess it could be some of both. The story Vampiro’s tried to tell is it’s all very real but also it’s still somehow safe for him to wrestle. That’s a hard needle to thread, and harder still when he quit part way through his last match. I wish I felt strong enough about one or the other. I’d like to think it’s a first option. That AAA and Vampiro both know Vampiro’s stated diagnosis is not quite true, and are guessing there’s less heat in continuing to use a double Alzheimer’s/Parkinson’s sufferer than revealing maybe that diagnosis isn’t exactly accurate. I’m guessing the people who follow this blog are accustomed to Vampiro’s tall tales and would have trouble believing him no matter what, but the general fan probably just spend much time thinking through it and assumes everyone Vampiro is saying is largely accurate.

I’m not confident on much except that match will be terrible and every match with Vampiro will continue to be terrible until there are no more matches with Vampiro. I hope he’s getting a big reaction because there’s nothing else to hang on to here.

There’s a repeated social media bit of AAA fans being angry Fenix won both the Latin American and Cruiserweight championships and has never defended them. He’ll reach a year reign with zero defenses when this show happens. Part of that’s just availability – Fenix was supposed to defend (and probably lose) the Latin American title back in December, missed that show, and has been out of action at least some of this year. Still, the biggest factor has to be “AAA doesn’t care much about their titles and neither should you.” The mixed titles going six months without a defense, with two wrestlers who are on most every show, shows the importance of these things. Use your energy elsewhere. (I will not take my own advice.)

Vampiro started a faction with Aramis and Willie Mack, so he’s teaming with Jack Evans instead with Willie booked. Estrellita seemed to be joining a new Pagano led faction, no idea why she’s with La Rebelion. Latigo and Jack Cartwheel began a feud on the last AAA TV, so Latigo is in the mixed tag and it’s Toxin wrestling Cartwheel instead. No particular reason storyline for Las Toxicas to be fighting. (Real reason is probably “no Reina de Reinas title and no trios titles and no ideas beyond that.”) I seem to recall Flammer telling La Hiedra she was welcome to challenge her for the mixed tag team titles but not to settle to team with an ‘ordinary’ luchador like Arez. Maybe she forgot.  I think I’d rather see 2023 Toscano wrestle than 2023 Crazy Boy but I may eat my words on that.

There’s no great emotional investment in any TV AAA produces outside of TripleMania, it only matters if they’re going to produce matches worth seeing. It’s possible match 2 or 4 will be good, and matches 1 and 3 might have GIF spots. The main event will be about heat. I write a lot of about AAA problems but I think the simpler version is I liked AAA better when they had more good matches.

I’m more invested in figuring out AAA’s TV schedule than watching it at this point. What I have at the moment:

taping	airing
04/08 San Luis Potosi	05/20
04/22 Tijuana (TV)	05/27 & 06/03
05/20 Morelia	06/10 & 06/17
05/25 Chihuahua	06/24 & 07/01
06/18 Puebla	07/08 & 07/29?
07/15 TM Tijuana	07/15 (FITE) & 07/22
07/?? VdE Aguascalientes	08/05 & 08/26?
08/12 TM CDMX	08/12 (FITE) & 08/19

(Whatever happened to that Showcenter return?)

On Wednesday, Laredo Kid announced he and Black Taurus were now free agents.  About an hour later, Laredo Kid deleted that post and announced he and Black Taurus were still working with Impact and AAA but were also open to working elsewhere.

They’re probably both still under some agreement, but also very interested in higher-paying opportunities. Impact is believed to pay significantly better than the likes of MLW for guys on Laredo & Taurus’ level. AEW or WWE would pay a lot more. Impact surely pays their top guys comparable amounts, but it seems very unlikely Laredo Kid or Black Taurus will ever be a top guy in Impact. It seem unlikely they’ll even be regular midlevel guys; they’ve been in the same spots since they showed up for this current run, and it doesn’t appear there’s been much effort to change that. (Laredo Kid’s match on Thursday, where he was just a way to get heat for Trey Miguel before Miguel faced off, is about normal.) The potential for an AEW/WWE deal is much bigger, there’s just no knowing if there’s any actual interest there. Unless you loudly leak work that you’re available, I guess.

An AAA spot show in Arena Aficion on Tuesday drew some international action. Dragongate’s Takuma and SB KENTo were listed on the poster. They’re back on that AAA show up there but have otherwise disappeared from wrestling for the last few months, and there apparently are theories about that. At any rate, those two showing up in Mexico would’ve been news, but it was always suspect because the poster designer used a photo of Nishikawa instead of either of those two. I was told (and wrote here) a while back that KENTo and Takuma wouldn’t be appearing. News report on the show still had Takuma & KENTo wrestling, which caused me to go searching around Facebook until I saw proof. Sure enough, it was Nishikawa and Nozaki (of IWRG of late) and most of the people just assumed those two men were Takuma & KENTo. I’m not sure if that’s a media story or a story about the limited power of AAA TV (where Takuma & KENTO were on for a few months earlier this year.) Maybe more relevant: the show seemed to draw pretty well for an AAA spot show in that building. Abismo Negro Jr. cheated to beat Vikingo in the tag match event. I wouldn’t beat Vikingo on house shows but I suppose no one outside of the people reading this blog, the people in Pachuca, and maybe the people who read the AAA section of the WON (if this makes it in next week) will ever know.

Other Notes

(I’ll catch up on IWRG later.)

WWE CEO Nick Khan spoke at the Moffetnason TMT Conference. Wrestlenomics (subscription) and Fightful both note Khan spoke of interest in doing a “lucha libre” show. He noted here, as he’s done in other interviews, that WWE over-indexes Hispanic fans and it’d be interesting the growing documentary. (“Over-indexes” means the WWE fanbase has a higher percentage of Hispanic fans than the general TV population.) This was Khan speaking to potential investors and media partners. The purpose here is to demonstrate ways WWE can/will continue to grow even after their new TV deals are locked in and the upcoming UFC merger is complete. Investors want to know there are always new ideas to raise profits that are reasonable viable, and WWE extracting more value out of underserved areas is one way to do that. (Same with Khan mentioning India plans in this interview.) Demonstrating that you have growth ideas is more important than executing those ideas, though Khan has brought up the idea of going after Hispanic fans frequently enough in these interviews that I believe it’s probably one of his favorites. I think most people reading this blog are skeptical WWE could do that well, but that’s also beside the point. Khan frames the ideas as after the merger is complete and everyone’s settled into what they’re doing, so that’s probably a year or more from even getting past the concept stage.

Andrade says he is indeed wrestling on the June 15th Arena Olimpico Laguna show, facing Psycho Clown and Cibernetico. It appears to be his first post-injury match. AEW’s Collision show will debut two days later, June 15th, Andrade was listed as appearing on it, and perhaps that’ll be his return to AEW TV. (Perhaps not; he appears to have been a late sub for CM Punk, and whatever’s going on there is a much bigger story than if Andrade is wrestling on an AEW show in a month.)

Dragongate is doing a bit where Ultimo Dragon refuses to wrestle Diamante in a singles match. People who follow the promotion closer than me believe they’re headed to a mask match, and that wouldn’t be good for his mask. The latest part of the story had Dragongate suspending Ultimo Dragon from the promotion until he wrestles Diamante. That’s gotten a bit of attention in Mexico, notable because almost nothing from Japanese wrestling outside of occasional NJPW stuff gets mentioned in Mexico.

The Ciudad Juarez lucha libre hall of fame will add Trovador Solitario (current president), Serpiente Blanca, La Sirenita, Sombra de Plata, La Bestia, Rossy Solis, Arana Negra, Rocky Star, el Tupamaro and Master. It’s Juarez, so Pagano appeared to endorse the lucha libre activity.

Blue Demon Jr. received an award from the Mexico City Tourism Commission.