AAA Medina (SUN) 07/29/2012 Arena Lopez Mateos [The Gladiatores]
1) Mini Sangre Chicana & Urano b Black Soul & Tootsy
2) Fabi Apache & Lolita b La Hechicera & Sexy Lady
3) Mini Monster Clown, Mini Murder Clown, Mini Psycho Clown b Blacky, Mascarita Sagrada, Octagoncito
Blacky, a guy in warmup clothes and a mask, replaced La Parkita
4) Dark Dragon, Escoria, Espíritu b Aerostar, Argenis, Atomic Boy
Rudos snuck in a foul on Aerostar
5) Daga & Halloween DRAW Semental & Texano Jr.
Perros took the first, Consejo took the second, Daga pinned Semental and Texano pinned Halloween for the draw.

CMLL (MON) 07/30/2012 Arena Puebla [El Sol de Puebla, Espectáculos Del Cuadrilátero]
1) Blue Center & Dinámikoo b Ares & Espiritu Maligno
2) Höruz, Soberano Jr., Stigma b Apocalipsis, Disturbio, Inquisidor
3) Arkángel de la Muerte, Bobby Zavala, Nitro b Molotov, Pegasso, Sensei
Team pink shirt took falls 2/3.
4) Pólvora b Fuego [lightning]
5) Kráneo, Morphosis, Rey Escórpion b Ángel de Oro, Sagrado, Valiente
Rudos took 1/3, Kraneo submitting Valiente.
6) Atlantis, Diamante Azul, Máximo b Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas, Psicosis
tecnicos took 2/3.

El Hijo del Santo got someone to write a news article about his YouTube channel. That’s skills. I’m always kind of surprised that more luchadors aren’t doing things like this, trying to use YouTube or other social media to turn themselves into a Mexican Zack Ryder. Getting yourself over on the internet can only get you so far in WWE (as Ryder found out), but if you’re any indy luchador totally dependent on people thinking you’re a star (or a friend) to get yourself booked, you need to take any opportunity to get yourself over. Especially if it’s free just using the phone you already have. Maybe this is happening on Facebook or someplace else and I’m just not aware.

Dorian can’t imagine losing with Jeff and Kurt in his corner. If TNA is staying on after TripleMania, he really shouldn’t be losing.

Rob has Guadalajara training footage. They work on none of the fundamentals, it explains so much about Mascara Dorada.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update.

DTU has a new website, dtu.mx

AAA’s website (luchalibreaaa.com) is now the TripleMania special site they introduced.

Cronicas y Leyendas looks back at early AAA gimmicks.

Lucha Libre in Japan

07/29 REINA X WORLD: Silueta b Crazy Star – now you know! I wish Mexico promotions reported attendance like Japan, so I could see more things like “they claimed 88 paid” when maybe half of that is in the tiny building.

NJPW had their press conference for the G1 press conference. This link should take you to the Rush promo. He’s slightly more respectful than usual, but overall still respects no hierachies or nationalities and is doing it for Mexico. Hooray.

The actual G1 kicks off today. Much like Angel de Oro, I’m setting the bar at two (2) wins. Anything better than that is exceeding expectations.

(photo by Black Terry Jr.)

IWRG (SUN) 07/29/2012 Arena Naucalpan [Black Terry Jr. (flickr), IWRG]
1) Infierno Kid & Matrix Jr. b Galaxy & Sky Ángel
Matrix Jr. replaced Blue Monsther, and took 1/3.
2) Dinamic Black & Hijo del Pantera b Comando Negro & Eita
Hijo del Pantera replaced Charly Madrid & Comando replaced Dowki. Tecnicos took 2/3.
3) Alan Extreme, Black Terry, Bombero Infernal b Chicano, Danny Casas, Golden Magic
Danny Casas replaced Centvrion. Rudos took 1/3, Black Terry beating Chicano. Nuevo Temerarios are undefeated.
4) Oficial 911, Oficial AK47, Oficial Fierro b Dr. Cerebro, Pantera, Trauma II
Pantera replaced Danny Casas. Rudos took 1/3. 911 snuck in a foul on Pantera for the win.
5) Hijo de LA Park, Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr., Veneno b Head Hunter, Heddi Karaoui, Oficial 911
Oficial 911 replaced Scorpio. Tecnicos took 2/3, Park & Wagner teaming up to beat Karaoui.

CMLL (SUN) 07/29/2012 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [El Occidental (5), Fuego en el Ring]
1) Demonio Rojo & Spark b El Tapatío & Indigo
Demonio Rojo, debuting here, is another son of Javier Cruz.
2) Brillante & El Divino b El Hippie & Relampago Azul
Divino & Brillante debuted matching gear.
3) Halcon de Plata b Infierno [lightning]
Announced as a lightning match, but they went 11 minutes. Halcon de Plata won with a small package.
4) Acertijo, In Memoriam, Mr. Trueno b Esfinge, Metatrón, Smaker
Rudos took 1/3, Mr. Trueno sneaking in a foul on Smaker. Challenged for a rematch and or a singles match next week.
5) Gallo, La Máscara, La Sombra DQ Dragón Rojo Jr., Malefico, Rey Escórpion
Tecnicos took 2/3, Malefico ripped off Gallo’s mask for the DQ. Challenges for a singles match followed.

The last evening Sunday show. They’ll be starting at 12:30 from now until they change their minds again.

My Friday update never was posted, so if you’d like to go back in time and read it now, it’s right here.

Mr. Niebla was hurt on a show in SLP, though it’s unclear how severe.

Lineups

CMLL (FRI) 08/03/2012 Arena Mexico
1) Molotov, Starman, Tigre Blanco vs Arkángel de la Muerte, Nosferatu, Skándalo
2) Diamante, Fuego, Triton vs Misterioso Jr., Namajague, Shigeo Okumura
3) Stuka Jr. vs Felino [lightning]
4) Ángel de Oro, Mistico, Valiente vs Ephesto, Euforia, Mephisto
5) Máscara Dorada, Máximo, Shocker vs Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas, Volador Jr.
6) Dragón Rojo Jr. & Último Guerrero vs Atlantis & Diamante Azul [CMLL TAG]
Rojo & UG are the champs.

Mistico starts in the fourth match, about where they said. He’s main eventing elsewhere. It’s a slightly more loaded show than usual, with the Mistico match added on and everyone else moved down one spot (or off the card.)

Mistico faces three of the best rudos for his style in the group (a certain other one is missing), and teams with a guy who is great but they never do anything with and a guy who was reportedly offered this character and turned it down (or had it turned down for him) previously.

I was right about the tag team title match being set up! I was wrong about who was in it. They did this match a couple months ago with Blue Panther in Atlantis’ spot. It was not any good, but Dragon Rojo can’t help but be slightly better. UG has not-blue gear of late, so maybe he’ll wear it for that match.

Titan, on the show in a star position every week, is not on the card on week 6 week, never actually main events. A winner!

CMLL (SUN) 08/05/2012 Arena Mexico
1) Astral, Eléctrico, Último Dragoncito vs Pequeño Nitro, Pequeño Olímpico, Pequeño Warrior
2) Hijo del Fantasma, Pegasso, Rey Cometa vs Niebla Roja, Puma King, Virus
3) Blue Panther, Diamante, Guerrero Maya Jr. vs Kráneo, Morphosis, Psicosis
4) Shocker vs Mr. Niebla [lightning]
5) La Sombra, Máximo, Super Porky vs Averno, Black Warrior, Terrible
6) Marcela vs Tiffany [hair]

At other times, they definitely would’ve put that trios match in the main event over the hair match. They may not be doing that just because they don’t want to singles matches in a row. Remind me to make a line graph about Averno.

Shocker vs Mr. Niebla sounds interesting, but I wonder what’ll actually be.

The second match has a chance of being better than anything on TripleMania, and we can actually see it. Amazing. Terra’s broadcast the full Sunday show the last few weeks, so we should be able to see Marcela vs Tiffany as well.

This show starts at 5:00 and runs to around 7:15 CT. TripleMania list a 6:30 start time, so really 7 and probably to 10 or 10:30. I am planning on doing live results running a chat, but it’s going to be a 5+ hour death march. You need not hang around for the whole thing.

CMLL (SUN) 08/05/2012 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Brillante & El Tapatío vs Demonio Rojo & El Piraña
2) Halcon de Plata & Virgo vs Rey Trueno & Sádico
3) Esfinge & Metatrón vs Acertijo & In Memoriam
4) Smaker vs Mr. Trueno
5) Gallo & León Blanco vs Espectrum & Malefico
6) Atlantis, Mistico, Titán vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Ephesto, Mephisto

First noon show, and that’s a smart way to make sure people know to come out. Trio of GDL tecnicos in the main event. Ephesto & Mephsito working with him here. You can figure out who CMLL trusts the most by seeing who faces Mistico the next few weeks.

photo by CMLL

CMLL (SUN) 07/29/2012 Arena Coliseo [CMLL]
1) Niño de Acero & Pequeño Halcón COR Mercurio & Pequeño Nitro
Tecnicos took 2/3.
2) Bobby Zavala, Disturbio, Nitro b Molotov, Starman, Stigma
Stigma looked good in his Arena Coliseo appearance, landing a Brillo Dorada move in the third. Rudos took 2/3 anyway.
3) Dark Angel, Goya Kong, Marcela DQ Amapola, Princesa Blanca, Tiffany
Straight falls. Tiffany had Marcela beat, but went for more punches. Tigre Hispano tried to break it up, and Tiffany punched him twice. The first drew the DQ, the second knocked him out. Tiffany still can’t beat Marcela.
4) Sagrado b Pólvora [lightning]
Sagrado won in about 6 minutes.
5) Ángel de Oro, Hijo del Fantasma, Valiente b Black Warrior, Tiger, Vangelis
Tecnicos took 2/3.
6) Atlantis, Marco Corleone, Máximo b Kráneo, Morphosis, Psicosis
Tecnicos took 2/3.

At the CMLL press conference, Panico & Feliciano said Mistico would only be working CMLL owned arenas  in the short term. I guess CMLL must’ve bought a lot of arenas, because the kid is working everywhere

08/03: Arena Mexico
08/04: Morelia (CMLL TV) and Neza (KrisZ)
08/05: not announced yet but surely Arena Mexico
08/06: Leon (sorry? Puebla)
08/15: Queretaro

Mistico II is not going to be eased in. He’s going to be everywhere as a new attraction right away. Good luck.

SuperLuchas #473 has all TripleMania on the cover. I wonder if the magazines will hold back publishing a couple days next week, or if they’ll have new Mistico on the cover the day after TripleMania?

Rob has highlights of 11/07 & 11/21 Puebla and Carta Brava Jr. & Impossible destroy the New Oficials.

Bill has highlights of 07/11/12 IWRG.

Lucha Libre in Japan

07/29 NJPW: Prince Devitt b Volador Jr. [NWA MIDDLE] in 13:05
:( Second defense for Devitt. Volador shook his hand after the match. With Kota Ibushi winning the IWGP Junior Heavyweight match prior, NJPW is setting up Devitt vs Ibushi sometime in the near future.

07/29 REINA X WORLD: Silueta ?? Crazy Star – I don’t know, that video cuts off at the 10 minute mark. Crazy Star has lost a lot of weight from the last time I saw her, especially since she had a kid in the meantime.

CMLL has only put up a placeholder card for next week with wrestlers scheduled to appear - Mistico, Atlantis, Shocker, Sombra, Mr. Niebla, Ultimo Guerrero, Valiente, Angel de Oro, Mephisto, Diamante Azul – but no matches. I presume the problem is last night’s show being canceled. CMLL luchadores are promised a certain amount of matches a month (varies per luchador) and they may be reworking things to make up matches for the people who didn’t get to work last night.  They could’ve just paid the guys for the show that got canceled, but CMLL is cheap.

Based on the names listed, my bet for the Mistico debut is Mistico, Angel de Oro (is this irony?), Valiente vs Mephisto and two rudos to be determined.

Volador and Prince Devitt signed contracts for their match tomorrow, which will happen sometime past 11pm CT tonight for us. You can watch the press conference on YouTube (NJPW uploads their press conferences, hint hint), starting at the  10:30 mark. Devitt was respectful, Volador was Volador: Devitt just got lucky, and he’s just been borrowing the NWA Middleweight Title for the moment. Volador noted CMLL is a 77 year promotion, while NJPW is only 40 years, so of course the title match from CMLL should be in the main event. Devitt hopes to win and challenge for the IWGP belt next.

I’m thinking Volador is wearing his Captain America outfit, and I honestly believe he’s winning this. Feel free to mock me in the comments.

52MX aired the expected matches.

IWRG has a video interview with Golden Magic and Mr. Magia, Golden Magic’s dad.

Kurt Angle says Kurt Angle is the best in the world.

DJ Spectro looks back at Verdugo vs Dorado and Medico Asesino Jr.

Arlequin Negro lost his hair.

Cronicas y Leyendas looks back at Huroki Sato applying the cruz nipona.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update.

(photo by Black Terry Jr.)

IWRG (THU) 07/26/2012 Arena Naucalpan [Black Terry Jr. (flickr), IWRG]
1) Infierno Kid b Galaxy
2) Centvrión & Charly Madrid b Imposible & Matrix Jr.
Charly Madrid returned from an elbow injury. Matrix Jr. replaced John Crazy.
3) Alan Extreme, Black Terry, Bombero Infernal b Danny Casas, Dr. Cerebro, Suicida
Rudos took 1/3, Bombero Infernal submitted Danny Casas.
4) Oficial 911, Oficial AK47, Oficial Fierro b Oficial Factor, Oficial Rayan, Oficial Spartan [EdM Trios]
Oficials took 1/3 from Comando Elite to win the titles back for the second time. They lost these belts 3.5 years ago. AK-47 caught Factor with a counter dropkick to get the win
5) Fuerza Guerrera, Hijo de Pirata Morgan, Pirata Morgan DQ Damián 666, Head Hunter, Pete Powers
Pete Powers replaced X-Fly, but X-Fly & Bestia 666 turned up in the crowd during the show. FdT took the first, Pirates took the second, then the Piratas attacked Bestia and X-Fly in between falls. Pirata had Damian about ready to submit in the third, but Bestia & X-Fly ran in for the DQ.

TVC Deportes wasn’t taping this week (and probably the next two) due to the olympics, so Black Terry Jr. is free to upload them.

IWRG sure seems to have a lot of set trios, and a some IWRG Trios titles that are vacant and waiting for a tournament.

The Arena Mexico show is canceled.

AAA tapes in Queretaro, and should have no such problems.  The main event is the last Mascara Ano 2000 Jr. vs Dr. Wagner Jr. match before their TripleMania match, and will air that same day. It’s probably not going to end well for Wagner. The rest of the show is more place keeping stuff not involving the major players on TripleMania. Consejo and Psycho Clowns continue their feud, and Octagon and La Park remember theirs. The newest Alebrije debuts, facing the also debuting Demon Rockers, one of who may be Semental.

Rob has highlights of 07/10/12 CMLL C3.

Links

• Sombra, Mascara and Averno are supposed to appear tonight in Mission, Texas, though Sombra was supposed to be in Arena Mexico too.
• Wagner hypes his match with Mascara Ano 2000 Jr.
• Fenix and Dark Dragon talk about their rivalry leading into TripleMania.
• Texano and La Parka talk about TripleMania in a video.
• Psycho Circus want to prove they’re better than Consejo.
• Monterrey has Chicanas vs Chicanas and another Konnan King Tournament.
• Interview with Super Parka.
• Cronicas y Leyendas looks back at Gemelos Diablo vs Rubi Ruvalcaba & Coloso Colosetti.

Lineups

IWRG (THU) 08/02/2012 Arena Naucalpan
***Festival de Mascaras***
1) Centvrión, Chicano, Panterita vs Comando Negro, Eita, Imposible
2) Dr. Cerebro, Orito, Trauma II vs El Hijo del Diablo, Eterno, Oficial AK47
3) La Cobra, Pantera, Veneno vs Alan Extreme, Black Terry, Temerario Infernal
La Cobra is debuting.
4) Villano III, Villano IV, Villano V vs Cuchillo, Kahoz, Rambo
5) Canek, Octagón, Solar I vs Cien Caras Jr., Fuerza Guerrera, Negro Navarro

The annual “everyone wears their old masks” show, though it seems like less unmasked people than normal. I wonder if Black Terry has an old mask he might wear. It’s also a Villano III tribute show, one of many.