Traumas (and Octagon Jr.) off AAA Fusion show, Infierno Rockers, Dr. Wagner Jr., FULL Barcelona

AAA Fusion Lineup Changes

There’s been changes in Sunday’s AAA Fusion card. AAA actually hasn’t announced the show themselves yet, but the lineup was promoted on last week’s Tercera Caida. The new card has Samuray del Sol replacing Octagon Jr. in the tercera. It’s the same guy either way, but the Octagon Jr. idea could use some more build up before it happens and should debut on a much bigger show. It’s not quite like debuting a new Mistico, but the concept of “Octagon Junior” should be treated as nearly as huge a deal, and it seemed like it was just going to be rolled out with no fanfare. Pulling back there is smart.

The more notable change are the Traumas coming off the card. They’re also listed as working a show with CMLL wrestlers that day and will be on that show instead. What I have been told is the Traumas were unhappy being scheduled for the opener in Neza – they feel working first two matches are beneath them at this time – and that’s why they said they would not attend. Hijo del Perro Aguayo talked them into going anyway. This time, the Traumas were never told they were booked for 11/18 by AAA, and had already accepted the CMLL spot show and an IWRG booking. If you recall, Vampiro mentioned the same thing when he didn’t get attend the Arena Neza show – he was never told about the booking and could not have accepted because he had other commitments.

The communication issues is one problem, one that should be easily fixed. Booking the Traumas in early matches is not as easily fixed. No young indy wrestlers have been as aggressive and dedicated to protecting their brand as the Traumas. They project themselves as a young independent stars; there’s a lot of young luchadors but there’s almost none who can get themselves booked out  on their names (and not on a promotion’s name) alone. The Traumas are not going to do anything to endanger that. There are stylistic issues between them and CMLL, but I suspect they could get past those if they were brought in to Arena Mexico as stars and not guys who have to work to get out of the first and second matches like a Hijo del Signo. I’m not sure anyone of their age can make the same decision in Mexico right now, but it’s working for the Traumas.

Enrique Yniesta has a short podcast talking about the previous Fusion shows. Among other items, he felt the Fusion show in Arena Lopez Mateos suffered from too many shows in that building and area in a short time, and Arena Neza attendance was held down because of “insecurity.” Neza has a bad but earned reputation and that was a late show. He’s picking Daga to advance on this show – I think that’s a fine pick.

The Infierno Rockers

Ok. Let’s see if I can finally get this right. You may want to skip down three paragraphs if you don’t want the back story. Semental is Machine Rocker. Konnan revealed this, he’s usually reliable. (Not always, get to that later.) The easiest way to tell the Rockers apart is by seeing how many sleeves they have, and Machine has been the guy with no sleeves.

Devil Rocker, the smallest of the Rockers and the one who has sleeves on both of his arms, is former Poder del Norte/Militia member Tito Santana. I am happy for him, if only because people will stop being confused on which Tito Santana is wrestling for AAA.

We’ve gone thru a lot of guesses on the third rocker, Soul Rocker, the guy with one sleeve. Decnnis was a possibility, but then he turned out to be hundreds of miles away from where the Rockers were wrestling one day, which kind of rules him out. Tigre Cota was the current guess, since he was Tito’s partner and had similarly disappeared. Except the rumors which had Decnnis & Extreme Tiger leaving also had Tigre Cota leaving, and the first two are confirmed gone. And Soul Rocker has shown some wacky comedy tendencies that are unlike Tigre Cota.

It turns out Tigre Cota is not Soul Rocker. I have been told Soul Rocker is Picudo. Picudo has been with AAA since the early days, appearing on the third ever show they ran and was part of early feuds with Rey Misterio Jr. and Perro Aguayo Jr. Picudo left AAA in 2009 about not being used enough, worked a bit with other people who had left AAA, may have started training luchadors, and then disappeared the last year. The only match listing I have for Piduco this year is an May AAA spot show, teaming with Tito Santana of all people. That’s about two months before the Rockers debuted. Picudo’s most memorable run in AAA was part of Los Vatos Locos, who AAA have frequently brought up for their similarities to the Infierno Rockers.

Other News

On today’s MLW Radio podcast, Konnan said Dr. Wagner is under contract for a year more, but he’s already trying to get a new deal done but taking it public. As Konnan noted, it’s exactly what he did with CMLL. For me, one of Dr. Wagner Jr.’s greatest skills is endearing support from the public, but one of his greatest weakness is how much time he spends trying to get that support. He’s just at it again.

Konnan also said he watched AAA Fusion, and it’s a half hour show featuring matches with just one match with young wrestlers. That’s completely wrong. I was going to make some sort of sarcastic joke here, but I will stick with “that’s completely wrong.”

FULL has a poster for a show in Barcelona, Spain, on March 9th next year. Tineiblas Jr. has previously announced he was planning on taking the promotion to Spain next year, but this is the full talent list: Tinieblas Jr., Dr. Wagner Jr., Mesias, Ramses (Silver King), Super Parka, Pimpinela Escarlata, Dante, Oriental, Veneno, Alan Stone, Hijo del Pirata Morgan, Laredo Kid, Dark Angel, Sexy Lady, Cinthia Moreno, Ludark, La Maestra, Maribel, Mascarita Dorada, Mini Halloween, Ultimo Chingon, Caribe Caliente, Kidman and Tigre de Santa Julia. I believe the Kidman on the show is not the ex-WWE guy pictured, but a Spanish wrestler (as are a few others.) I can’t imagine Dark Angel will end up working this show, but then it’s a surprise everyone Mesias & Wagner would go to Spain for what must be an extended time (a week or two?) around the time AAA would be running Rey de Reyes. Card subject to change.

Ozz won the main event of his 14th anniversary show, held in his hometown of Uruapan. It was a free show drawing 3000 people. Ozz, Cuervo and Espiritu beat Argenis and locals Justicia Infernal and Guerrero Nocturno, and set up a rematch for Dia de Reyes (01/06/2013).

Segunda Caida’s EricR watches 10/08 CMLL Puebla.

Ring Belles has the first of what looks to be an ongoing column of Taya Valkyrie talking about her experiences in Mexico.

Joe Lider talks about his Monterrey appearances.

Kcidis previews Atlantis & Diamante Azul vs Terrible & Tama Tonga.

DJ Spectro has an article about the debut of Bobby Lee and a rare Gran Hamada hair loss,

Luchas2000 #646 has Dr. Wagner Jr. vs LA Park.

Copa LLF is this weekend.

Lineups

CMLL (SUN) 11/18/2012 Arena Mexico
1) Shockercito & Último Dragoncito vs Mercurio & Pequeño Universo 2000
2) Dalis la Caribeña, Dark Angel, Marcela vs La Comandante, Mima Shimoda, Tiffany
3) Fuego vs Namajague [lightning]
4) Ángel Azteca Jr., Rey Cometa, Triton vs Misterioso Jr., Puma, Sangre Azteca
5) Blue Panther, Delta, Hijo del Fantasma vs Kráneo, Mr. Águila, Olímpico
6) La Sombra, Marco Corleone, Máscara Dorada vs Tama Tonga, Terrible, Tiger

Maybe Tama is staying forever! He’s found a niche of being everyone’s third man, first Dragon & Escorpion, now the replacement Bucanero.

Angel Azteca not showing up has only moved him on lineups. He may (not) main event soon if he keeps this up! (This is ridiculous.)

Switching “Puma King” to Puma is awful and we should not let this go yet.

Namajague and Fuego should be fun, but it’s only great if Namajague does the Fuego dance.

CMLL (SUN) 11/18/2012 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Azteca de Oro & Javier Cruz Jr. vs Acertijo & Relampago Azul
2) Black Metal & Virgo vs Demonio Maya & Demonio Rojo
3) Gallo, Máscara Mágica, Smaker vs Espectrum, Maléfico, Ráfaga
4) Eros & Leo vs In Memoriam & Infierno [mask, hair]
Eros’ mask and Leo’s hair versus Infierno’s mask & In Memoriam’s hair.
5) Diamante, Máximo, Sagrado vs Black Warrior, Vangelis, Volador Jr.

Black Warrior still exists! His first match since the title match. Aguila’s still in circulation, so the title change doesn’t seem to signal either one of them leaving immediately, but they just wanted different champions.