Dragon Rojo out, CMLL Universal Amazonas begins, AAA

CMLL

Dragon Rojo Jr. is out four to six weeks after suffering an incomplete scapular fracture. There was no obvious moment in his match on Tuesday where he got hurt, and he didn’t indicate what happened on social media. Dragon Rojo has a long injury history, and it was my concern something might happen prior to the Aniverasrio. Dragon Rojo made it through that. It’s disappointing he’s out now but it could’ve been much worse.

CMLL seems to have really wanted to put the trios title on Dragon Rojo, Cavernario, and Terrible to establish them as a new unit. They may have done it already last Tuesday if Volador had been healthy for the first match in the program. They probably were going to do it next Tuesday if Dragon Rojo had stayed healthy. Atlantis Jr., Star Jr., and Volador Jr. are trios champs of necessity more than purpose; they just happened to be the right tecnicos around when CMLL wanted to re-configure Los Infernales. CMLL just happened into Los Indestructibles as national trios champions too, so both their six-man titles are a bit unplanned at the moment. A month or a month and a half is not a long time but sometimes CMLL just moves onto the next idea and doesn’t get back to the old ones.

CMLL (FRI) 10/06/2023 Arena México
1) Capitán Suicida & El Audaz vs Difunto & Grako
2) Futuro, Hombre Bala Jr., Neón vs Magia Blanca, Magnus, Rugido
3) Esfinge vs Misterioso Jr. [lightning]
4) La Jarochita vs Reyna IsisStephanie VaquerLa CatalinaPersephoneLady ShadowMiss GuerreraMetálicaLa VaqueritaLa GuerreraValkiriaOlympia [CMLL UNIVERSAL DE AMAZONAS, semifinal]
5) Máscara Dorada, Místico, Titán vs Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Templario

CMLL goes to pink ropes and breast cancer awareness armbands for the month of October. They also start featuring the women a lot more, starting with this block of the Universal tournament. Persephone will make her CMLL debut roughly six months after making her AAA debut. She showed a lot of personality in her Informa appearance. CMLL tends to list these matches in internal depth chart order, so it’s very notable that they’re at least starting out the new women over a bunch of the established ones. I’d be surprised if it played out that way in the match. Vaquer shouldn’t win this tournament, but Vaquer winning this block to lose to the eventual winner would make a lot of sense.

That main event could be very good. The first two matches have chances. The lightning match is something from a Saturday/Sunday show that we haven’t gotten a lot of on Fridays this year.

It’s the usual 6 USD fee. I’ve got something else going on Friday and may not watch this one completely live.

La Guerrera, La Jarochita, and La Metalica all talked up their participation in the match to Record. Olympia, in doing press with Mundo Deportivo, mentioned her father Valiente forbid her from training in lucha libre until she got a career. Valiente didn’t say anything about bodybuilding, so she got into that instead. She tries to balance wrestling and bodybuilding; she wants to win the Universal tournament but also hopes to win the CMLL bodybuilding competition – not just the women’s category but the overall category.

CMLL (SUN) 10/08/2023 Arena México
1) Andrómeda & Lady Shadow vs Miss Guerrera & Persephone
2) Histórico & Pelon Encapuchado vs El Gallero & Raider
3) Lluvia vs Reyna Isis [lightning]
4) Guerrero Maya Jr., Pegasso, Stigma vs Dark Magic, Okumura, Pólvora
5) Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Sagrado vs Hijo del Villano III, Villano III Jr., Zandokan Jr.
6) Atlantis, Atlantis Jr., Volador Jr. vs Dragón Rojo Jr. Averno, Euforia, Mephisto

Andromeda makes her CMLL debut in an opener (so, she’s probably in the Universal block next week.) The opening matches are the most interesting: Historico gets another appearance and Gallero turns up from Guadalajara again.

CMLL (MON) 10/09/2023 Arena Puebla
1) Mayahuel & Shitara vs Astaroth & Lady Amazona
2) Blue Shark & Rayo Metálico vs Espíritu Maligno & Fénix SO
3) Meyer, Retro, Valiente Jr. vs Perverso, Prayer, Siki Osama
4) La Jarochita & Lluvia vs Stephanie Vaquer & Zeuxis
5) Felino, Felino Jr., Hechicero vs Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Sagrado
6) Atlantis Jr., Máscara Dorada, Volador Jr. vs Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero

The main event is a near rematch. Volador is instead of Soberano, and maybe that was the original plan before Volador got held out one more week. Grada’s recap of last week’s show suggests they’re headed to a Mascara Dorada versus Ultimo Guerrero singles match. The women in the opener are all Puebla locals making their debuts.

CMLL (TUE) 10/10/2023 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Adira & Xenna vs Atenea & La Pantera
2) Calavera Jr. I, Calavera Jr. II, Eclipse Jr. vs Destello, Pesadilla, Shezmu
3) Obek, Rav, Último Ángel vs Halcón Suriano Jr., Misterio Blanco, Misterio Negro
4) Demonio Maya, Kráneo, Nitro vs Mr. Trueno, Rey Trueno, Volcano
5) Crixus, Max Star, Neón, Vegas vs Ángel Rebelde, Halcón Negro Jr., Optimus, Trono
6) Hijo del Villano III & Villano III Jr. vs Barboza & Zandokan Jr. and Felino Jr. & Vaquero Jr. and Furia Roja & Guerrero de la Muerte
7) Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Templario vs Arlequín, Averno, Sagrado

Match 6 is listed a four way tag on the Facebook page and just an eight man match with no teams on Instagram. I wonder if there’s a plan to for Templario to take Terrible’s spot with the Chavez brothers or if it’s just a coincidence they’re booked together in the next week.

Arena Coliseo Guadalajara announced they’ll hold a tournament to decide new Occidente Women’s Tag Team Champions starting this month. Stephanie Vaquer and Zeuxis gave up these titles when they won the new world tag titles. Guadalajara is also announcing names for their 10/31 show. It already had their version of the Gran Prix announced but the names suggest it’ll also be an all-women’s show.

CMLL is holding their monthly polls for the match of the month. As I write this, the current leader for the best match of August 2023 is Esfinge versus Misterioso. The current leader for the best match of September 2023 is Esfinge versus Rugido. This sounds like a serious problem, but it’s more a problem that no one votes in this polls. My vote for Dorada/Titan was the 37th vote cast. Not for that match, overall only 37 people had gone to CMLL’s page and voted for anyone in this poll. The problem is no one votes on these things.

The match of the month polls get little attention outside of a mention on Informa; I only looked at them because they stood out as weird to me. All eight nominated matches over the two months are singles matches, none include foreigners and the Aniversario main event (Dragon Rojo/Templario) wasn’t included. That seems like CMLL carefully choosing which matches they can run next January and a bit of which ones they want to run. (Also, I realized I probably can get learn how to automate my night of the champion numbers by testing it on these polls, maybe that’s a weekend project.)

Mistico, Mascara Dorada, Robin and Dr. Karonte II are in the Chicago area for GALLI this Sunday.

There was the usual amount of press for a CMLL announcement in Mexico about Tessa Blanchard on Team World for the Gran Prix. Most mention her successes in the US, winning the male Impact title and previously wrestling in AAA. Almost none of it mentions why she’s not wrestling much in the US. Again, I think there’s a (small) batch of irregularly watching international fans who dip into CMLL for the women’s month of big matches. Many of those will watch less or none of CMLL this year. It probably won’t hurt CMLL in any other way they care about; the KeMonito situation is the real big bad publicity situation hanging over CMLL. I’m also not sure Tessa Blanchard helps in any way either.

This is not news but I’m putting it here so I can be found later for history’s sake. Stephanie Vaquer always talks about wrestling Mercedes Mone in CMLL. It’s not just her bringing it up, interviews push the idea. That match happening in Arena Mexico is completely up to Mone; it will absolutely happen if it’s a dream of hers and probably won’t happen if she’s expecting CMLL to pay her what she’s worth. CMLL themselves have never even hinted Mone is coming in, but they know that bit, everyone knows the story of Vaquer wanting the rematch with Mone in Arena Mexico. CMLL was absolutely playing off that expectation when they teased a mystery international wrestler coming in while talking to Vaquer, and there was about a five-minute window where Mone in CMLL seemed like an actual possibility. I sat there watching the Mexico team announcement thinking about how crazy Twitter could end up being in a moment. CMLL made a very different announcement, and Twitter went crazy in a very different way.

AAA

AAA has the rest of Heroes Inmortales at its regular time on Space

  • Mini Vikingo, Mr. Iguana, Niño Hamburguesa vs Dinámico, Kamik-C, Skalibur
  • Copa Antonio Pena (first round)
  • Dalys & Negro Casas vs Abismo Negro Jr. & Flammer for the AAA Mixed Tag Titles
  • Forastero & Sansón vs Dave The Clown & Murder Clown and Chessman & Parka Negra for a tag title shot

Mas Lucha posted a lot of interviews from this show.

  • Triton and Reycko apparently had a tryout match after the show. It seems weird to interview people having a tryout match but also these are name people to Mas Lucha.
  • Faby Apache says AAA invited her to participate in this Copa Antonio Pena match and she happily accepted. She makes a funny face when Hijo del Tirantes comes up and then he busts in their usual argument.
    • Faby Apache did interviews during the week with the Gladiatores and Estrellas del Ring, saying her return to AAA was a one-off. They’re still talking about other appearances but nothing’s been agreed upon as of yet. She would like to start training wrestlers.
  • Octagon Jr. says he’s going to bring the Latin American title back to AAA.
  • Los Cachanillas do their usual promo
  • Absmo Negro & Flammer crow about their victory, and Flammer says Dalys was unprofessional for her actions getting DQed in the match
  • Sanson & Forastero say Arez & Komander should say goodbye to those titles
  • Dralistico does not want to feud with his father, says maybe they should go separate ways on their career for now. He’s a rudo in the US but he feels like his roots are tecnico and he’s 100% tecnico in Mexico.  (He’s saying this while wearing a black outfit and black facepaint.) Dralistico mentions going back to AEW and that he’s heading to Japan in December – presumably more NOAH.
  • La Bestia del Ring is going for the top names in AAA. He’s out for the best for his career.
  • Myzteziz thinks Dralistico is a tecnico and the fans want him to be a tecnico.
  • Chik Tormenta is really happy to win the first women’s Copa Antonio Pena in her homestate of Jalisco.
  • Alberto reels off a list of big names he’s “destroyed” (Cena, Orton, Big Show, the Hardys, Kane) and thinks QT and Adonis are no problem.  “I beat John Cena in 3 minutes in Hell in the Cell!” Alberto, unprompted, talks about all the different things he has gone on and promises a big surprise in 2024.

AAA’s annual mass in honor of Antonio Pena took place Thursday. Maricela Pena saying one of Antonio’s last ideas was “lucha libre acuatia” – I guess a ring in a pool like others have tried – and they actually secured a location at the Olympic pool. They still didn’t run it because the wrestlers did not know how to swim.

Hijo del Vikingo is scheduled to come to the Chicago area for GALLI on 10/15. Toxin, Aramis, Rey Horus, Aeroboy, Mechawolf are also listed. Flamita is too but I presume he’s off now.

Psycho Clown, back in Mexico, lost a singles match to Reynosa wrestler Estrellato this past Sunday. That seemed pretty random. It makes more sense now that the arena will run a Psycho Clown vs. Estrellato mask vs. mask match on 11/26. The show will air on Mas Lucha’s channel for members.

Lady Shani and bodybuilder Diego Cruz will be a team in the first Copa Alpha Nutrition, a bodybuilding contest on 10/28 to be held in Gimnasio Juan de la Barrera. The pair revealed they’ve been secretly engaged for some time and will be getting married sometime next year. Dalys will also be participating in the bodybuilding contest.

IWRG

IWRG (THU) 10/05/2023 Arena Naucalpan [La Tijera, Zona Ruda]
1) Águila Oriental & Tornado b Súper Boy & Thunder Storm LIVE | El PODER DEL NORTE vs La Pandemia + Sàdika vs Sagitarius en mano a mano (posted by mluchatv)
2) Caballero de Plata, Glamurosa, Último Legendario b Águila Roja, Rey Astaroth, Satania LIVE | El PODER DEL NORTE vs La Pandemia + Sàdika vs Sagitarius en mano a mano (posted by mluchatv)
debut of Glamurosa
3) Hell Boy, Noisy Boy, Spider Fly b Cerebro Negro, Cerebro Negro Jr., Rey Halcón LIVE | El PODER DEL NORTE vs La Pandemia + Sàdika vs Sagitarius en mano a mano (posted by mluchatv)
Hell Boy and Cerebro Negro set up a match for Sunday.
4) Sádika b Sagitarius LIVE | El PODER DEL NORTE vs La Pandemia + Sàdika vs Sagitarius en mano a mano (posted by mluchatv)
Sagitarius challenged Sadika to enter the Castillo del Terror
5) Mocho Cota Jr., Súper Comando, Tito Santana b Gran Pandemónium, Hijo de Pandemónium, Pandemónium Jr. LIVE | El PODER DEL NORTE vs La Pandemia + Sàdika vs Sagitarius en mano a mano (posted by mluchatv)
Poder del Norte out cheated La Pandemia. Teams talked up a double title match.

Lights were turned very low but it didn’t look like there were a lot of people out in the dark.

Big Lucha

Big Lucha (SAT) 10/21/2023 Arena Big Lucha, Iztapalapa, Distrito Federal
1) M Doble R vs Steel Dragón
2) Mr. Win & Tirano vs Helios & Morfosis
3) Elipse & Vengador vs Odiseo & Ursus Mendoza
4) Skayde vs Veneno
5) Viajero vs El Brujo [super libre]
6) Forneo, Limbo, Torito Negro vs Gran Pandemónium, Hijo de Pandemónium, Pandemónium Jr.
7) Cometa Maya & Radioactivo © vs Súper Nova & Texano Jr. [BIG LUCHA MIXA]
first defense
8) El Potro de Oro © vs Black Andrómeda [Big Lucha World]

This is a better show at giving Big Lucha regulars something to do than the last one, though it’s missing some star power with no Flamita. Andromeda (the exotico, not the woman) hasn’t been built up a lot to be a meaningful challenger, so it’s mostly about if Sangre Texano and La Pandemia draw some extra fans.

Recent Big Lucha shows usually went up by the Thursday after. Not so much this time. Maybe we’re waiting for the GLEAT channel to put it up now?

Big Lucha will also run matches at 11/05 “Speedfest” Nascar Mexico event at Mexico City’s race track. There’s typically lucha libre matches as a side show at that venue whenever they have a race, but the promotion they work with seems to change often and no video ever turns up.

Other News

Polvo de Estrellas got an operation for a “right humeral head fracture” on Thursday after suffering the injury a couple of weeks ago on a Robles show. I read “head fracture” and was very confused at why it why it took so long to get surgery on it. In this case, a “humeral head” is the bone connecting the arm to the shoulder. A different kind of head, still bad.

The former Diamante, now wrestling as Luis Mante, returns to the Dragongate ring this Saturday. He’d been out since losing his mask (and recovering from an injury.)

Tirantes Sr., in promoting his upcoming show, was asked about gender equality in wrestling. He said he believes that in “three to four years”, Mexican wrestling will have more women wrestling than men. It does seem like the number of women in wrestling has increased, but I don’t see it increasing that much that fast and it sort of seems like something you say to put lucha libre in a good light. He has a lot closer view of it than me, though.

La Tijera Lucha Libre caught up with Mil Mascaras at the La Mole comic con last week. He says he’s still training and is at 90 KGs. He’s semi-retired – but because there’s not many matches to be had.

The Guapos/Intocable match on the Mas Lucha show was set up by Intocable sort of trying to dine on dash on Scorpio Jr. “Wey” was said about 100 times in this two-minute segment.

Box y Lucha has started to release 1958 issues. It’s early reviews but I don’t like the “Clinch” monthly magazine as much as the Box y Lucha weekly ones. Fewer results and news, more profiles that feel like they just didn’t have room on the weekly issue.

A new (free) lucha libre school has opened in Leon.

Villahermosa announced a new lucha libre commission.

CMLL Gran Prix Femenil, Blue Panther tribute show, AAA/Impact UltraClash

CMLL

CMLL (MON) 10/02/2023 Arena Puebla [Porra Fresa]
1) Centella Roja & Hijo de Centella Roja b El Malayo & Rencor
2) Amapola, Metálica, Zeuxis b La Vaquerita, Lady Metal, Skadi
3) El Coyote, Kráneo, Pólvora b Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa, Volcano Facebook video (posted by )
4) Star Black, Star Jr., Titán b Hijo del Villano III, Villano III Jr., Zandokan Jr. Facebook video (posted by )
5) Atlantis Jr., Máscara Dorada, Soberano Jr. DQ Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero Facebook video (posted by )
excessive violence DQ beating up Dorada.

Not sure where exactly they’re going with that main event. It seemed as if Gran Guerrero was more the instigator but it was really all three rudos stomping down Dorada by the end.

CMLL (TUE) 10/03/2023 Arena México [CMLL, Kaiser Sports]
1) Pierrothito COR Shockercito [lightningFUNCIÓN COMPLETA DESDE LA ARENA MÉXICO MARTES 3 DE OCTUBRE DE 2O23 SOLO MIEMBROS (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL) Shockercito vs Pierrothito MATCH RELÁMPAGO/ARENA MÉXICO (posted by Estrellas del Ring) Sorprendió a todos, Olímpico cuanta los 20 segundos y da la victoria a P. Pierroth sobre Shockercito (posted by La Tijera Lucha Libre)
2) La Vaquerita & Lady Shadow b Miss Guerrera & Tiffany FUNCIÓN COMPLETA DESDE LA ARENA MÉXICO MARTES 3 DE OCTUBRE DE 2O23 SOLO MIEMBROS (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL) La Vaquerita y Lady Shadow vs Tiffany y Miss Guerrera ARENA MÉXICO (posted by Estrellas del Ring) Vaquerita y Miss Guerrera Vs Tiffany y Lady Shadow, martes de Arena México (posted by La Tijera Lucha Libre)
Arena Mexico debut for Guerrera & Shadow
3) Apocalipsis, Cholo, Disturbio b Astral, Robin, Valiente Jr. Cholo, Disturbio y Apocalipsis vs Valiente Jr, Astral y Robin ARENA MÉXICO (posted by Estrellas del Ring) FUNCIÓN COMPLETA DESDE LA ARENA MÉXICO MARTES 3 DE OCTUBRE DE 2O23 SOLO MIEMBROS (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL) Robin, Astral y Valiente Jr. (posted by La Tijera Lucha Libre)
4) Hera, Lluvia, Zeuxis b Amapola, Sanely, Skadi [Relevos IncreíblesFUNCIÓN COMPLETA DESDE LA ARENA MÉXICO MARTES 3 DE OCTUBRE DE 2O23 SOLO MIEMBROS (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL) Lluvia, Zeuxis y Hera (posted by La Tijera Lucha Libre) Zeuxis, Lluvia y Hera vs Amapola, Sanely y Skady ARENA MÉXICO (posted by Estrellas del Ring)
Lluvia & Zeuxis wrestled as Las Infernales
5) Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr., Dark Panther b Felino, Felino Jr., Hechicero Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr y Dark Panther vs Felino, Felino Jr y Hechicero ARENA MÉXICO (posted by Estrellas del Ring) FUNCIÓN COMPLETA DESDE LA ARENA MÉXICO MARTES 3 DE OCTUBRE DE 2O23 SOLO MIEMBROS (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL) Los Divinos Laguneros (posted by La Tijera Lucha Libre)
6) Bárbaro Cavernario, Dragón Rojo Jr., Terrible b Atlantis Jr., Star Jr., Volador Jr. FUNCIÓN COMPLETA DESDE LA ARENA MÉXICO MARTES 3 DE OCTUBRE DE 2O23 SOLO MIEMBROS (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL) Terrible, Bárbaro Cavernario y Dragón Rojo Jr vs Volador Jr, Atlantis Jr y Star Jr ARENA MÉXICO (posted by Estrellas del Ring) Volador Jr., Star Jr. Y Atlantis Jr. (posted by La Tijera Lucha Libre)
straight falls, setting up a title match next week. Volador wrestled in a shoulder sling in his return from injury.

The main event rudos are going with a “we’re ugly but we’re a force” idea and are looking for a team name; they’re pretty likely winning the trios titles next week.

Lady Shadow and Miss Guerrera looked like people without a lot of experience but a willingness to do things. The dives looked good, the in-ring portion needed work (and maybe better partners/opponents.) They seemed like they would’ve been better with a year or two more experience before coming to Mexico City, but they’re probably going to be working with higher-level experienced people so maybe it’ll work out.

The opener was a planned count out finish, a rare one for CMLL.

CMLL (TUE) 10/03/2023 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Arena Coliseo Guadalajara, Mas Lucha]
1) Estrella Maldita & Yemaya b Frida & Luna
2) Ponzoña Jr., Relámpago Azul, Rumbero b Avispón Negro Jr., Bello Antuan, Samurai
3) Exterminador, Javier Cruz Jr., Maléfico b Flash, Metatrón, Pepe Aguayo
4) El Gallero, Johnny Dinamo, Minotauro b Astro Oriental, Persa, Temerario
5) Draego, Gallo Jr., Rafaga Jr. b Futuro, Leo, Omar Brunetti
Leo & Omar Brunetti replaced El Elemental & Yutani (who did appear but only did commentary)
6) Bestia Negra, Cris Skin, Ráfaga b Barboza, Difunto, Zandokan Jr.
7) Adrenalina, Explosivo, Fantástico b Esfinge, Fugaz, Star Black

Yutani & Elemental did commentary but did not wrestle. Elemental described it as “small paperwork issue”, was complimentary towards management, and said they’d return. The same thing happened with Persephone, so I wonder if there’s some licensing or union that in affect here.

CMLL (SAT) 10/07/2023 Arena Coliseo
1) Cachorro, Diamond, Eléctrico vs Dr. Karonte I, Enfermero Jr., Inquisidor
2) Lady Metal & Lady Shadow vs Hera & Miss Guerrera
3) Furia Roja & Guerrero de la Muerte © vs Akuma & Espanto Jr. [Arena Coliseo TAG]
4) La Jarochita vs La Catalina [lightning]
5) Fugaz, Star Black, Valiente vs Cancerbero, Kráneo, Luciferno
6) Atlantis, Blue Panther, Octagón vs Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero

Lady Metal makes her CDMX debut; pencil here in for the Universal Block B next week.

Informa had some news, did it ever. First, the lineup for the 10/20 show:

CMLL (FRI) 10/20/2023 Arena México
***Blue Panther 45th Anniversary***
1) Brillante Jr. & Halcón Suriano Jr. vs Misterio Blanco & Misterio Negro
2) Mei Suruga & Sumie Sakai vs ? & ??
TBD after the Universal prelim rounds
3) Espanto Jr., Luciferno, Misterioso Jr. vs Dulce Gardenia, Magia Blanca, Panterita del Ring
4) Ángel de Oro & Niebla Roja vs Euforia & Soberano Jr. [CMLL TAG]
12th defense
5) ? vs ?? [CMLL Universal de Amazonas, final]
6) Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr., Dark Panther, Hijo De Blue Panther vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero

Hijo de Blue Panther is the former Cachorro Lagunero, getting a new name. (Poor Dark Panther just gets skipped over.) The concept is all the men on the show are from the La Laguna metro area of Torreon & Gomez Palacio. (Dulce gets a reprieve because they need bodies.) The women spots will be figured out after the first two rounds of the Universal tournament.

CMLL then went to announce the Gran Prix teams for 10/27. Team Mexico:

  • Marcela
  • Lluvia
  • La Jarochita
  • Reyna Isis
  • Dark Silueta
  • Skadi
  • Hera
  • Sanely

Marcela will return from knee surgery back in March. Skadi, Hera and Sanely are all making their Gran Prix debuts. (Dalys, Faby Apache and Princesa Sugehit were on last year’s team.)

Team World

  • Stephanie Vaquer
  • Zeuxis
  • La Catalina
  • Johnnie Robbie
  • Makoto
  • Sumie Sakai
  • Mei Suruga
  • Tessa Blanchard

Johnny Robbie is from NJPW Strong, and was already announced to be teaming with Lluvia against Vaquer & Zeuxis in Las Vegas. (Robbie also apparently appears on the Women of Wrestling show.) Makoto last appeared in CMLL in 2014. Sakai sent along word that she was retiring soon and so these will be her final matches in Mexico. Suruga stood out in last year’s tournament.

Tessa Blanchard’s name was kept as a big surprise at the end of the broadcast. CMLL clearly believes she was a great get, and she checks their boxes: third generational star, has an impressive title history on Wikipedia, and can speak conversational Spanish.

Blanchard was indeed a big deal at one point, looking like a future WWE star at one point and reigning as Impact’s main champion in 2019. Even then, there were whispers are issues with her and she’s essentially been blackballed from respectable wrestling promotions following solid accusations of racism in 2020. Even the non-so-respectable promotions don’t have much to do with Blanchard nowadays, and she’s working in the backwaters when she’s working at all. Blanchard’s hated by most social media fans; there’s a few people who see her as an avatar against the make believe concept of ‘cancel culture’, but it’s mostly negative. Still, there are some people who get negative social media reactions and still get booked. Blanchard doesn’t. Even her fellow wrestlers and promoters don’t seem to want much to do with her. Blanchard was booked in AAA before the accusations and might still be booked there if not for the pandemic and not for an ugly seeming divorce with Daga burning her bridges there. Anyone who suggested CMLL bring in Blanchard would’ve been well aware of all of this and surely is looking at Arena Mexico as a fresh start to rebuild her name (not unlike Marty Scurll’s AAA appearances.) CMLL brought in Ivelisse in past years, who also was been ostracized to the edges of the English speaking wrestling world and checks a lot of CMLL’s boxed. The bet, as always, is that CMLL’s fans won’t carry about that and that the people covering the show aren’t going to push it.

I do believe that most of the people who are upset on social media are people who aren’t ever paying a dime for a CMLL show anyway, and are just looking for a moment to dunk on Blanchard. There are some people who do watch CMLL who going to skip because of her, and there are people who do dip in for the Women’s CMLL Gran Prix who probably will take a pass this year.

For her part, Blanchard called the champion “Stephanie Vaquero”; she’s coming into this more blind than CMLL is. Hope she invests the 8 USD to check out the YouTube channel before coming in.

CMLL also announced their Dia del Muertos schedule:

  • 10/31 (Tuesday): Rey del Inframundo cibernetico
  • 11/03 (Friday): Stuka Jr. vs the winner of the cibernetico
  • 11/04 (Saturday): Leyendas y Cuicas in Arena Coliseo
  • 11/05 (Sunday): “Tzompantli de Mascaras”, probably everyone wears the mask again

That’s the first Arena Coliseo version of this event, and the most Dia del Muertos shows CMLL’s run. I would expect Saturday and/or Sunday will be bonus YouTube shows, but they’re not consistent on those.

CMLL and winter league baseball team Naranjeros de Hermosillo seem to be doing cross-promotion. Mascara Dorada’s popped up on the baseball team’s social media.

Tirantes Sr. is a regular character on AAA TV. Tirantes is an occasional wrestling promoter in Xalapa. His next show, on 10/19, has Esfinge & Mistico vs Averno & Mephisto in the main event. A little weird.

AAA

AAA posted a list of when and where their show can be seen now. Azteca+ is on the list. Azteca 7 is no longer on the list. Might just be a omission, but a reality show is now listed in the late night Azteca time slot. I still think that’s a terrible time slot and AAA isn’t hurt much if it’s gone.

AAA TV (SUN) 11/26/2023 Showcenter Complex, San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo Leon
1) La Momia vs EpydemiusLíder
preshow match, other surprises planned
2) Chik Tormenta & Dinámico vs Chris Sabin & Trinity
3) Forastero & Sansón vs Arez & Frankie Kazarian
4) Deonna Purrazzo & Maravilla vs Jordynne Grace & Sexy Star II
5) Eddie Edwards & Látigo vs Myzteziz Jr. & Rich Swann
6) Brian Myers & Taurus vs Laredo Kid & Tommy Dreamer
7) Moose & Toxin vs Josh Alexander & Octagón Jr.
8) Abismo Negro Jr. & Trey Miguel vs Alex Shelley & Hijo Del Vikingo

This is AAA/Impact UltraClash. This was mentioned as airing in both Mexico and the US, and Laredo Kid mentioned FITE TV at the end.

The reason for this being all 2v2 matches is “it’s AAA”. It’s a better AAA card than usual, though I would’ve prefered Laredo & Taurus in a real match. Main event could be great if they want it to be.

(Wrestling Observer) Award Note

If you CMLL’s the best-booked promotion of the year and would like to vote for the person responsible, the name to write down is “Panico”

If you CMLL’s the best-promoted promotion of the year and would like to vote for the person responsible, the name to write down is “Salvador Lutteroth III”

In reality, CMLL booking seems to be more a committee with a handful of people involved. Panico, Jose Luis Felicano, Edgar Noriega and Julio Cesar Rivera have been mentioned as being part of the Programming department in articles. There are also probably other people working in that area without being mentioned. Ultimately, the owner of the promotion is going to have the final say on the biggest decision but my sense is the Lutteroth’s aren’t involved much on that side of the business. (By contrast, it’s clear the Roldans are more involved in the booking of AAA than the Lutteroths in CMLL, and Konnan’s occasionally taking bullets over decisions that weren’t his decisions.)

I personally believe separate “Best Booker”, “Best Promoter,” and “Best Promotion” awards overlap greatly, are treated as about the same by the voter base and should be combined into one award. There are differences in those categories but they’re slight, and they’re not something most people voting spend a lot of thinking about. It’s also not my awards.

I’ve gotten this question a couple of times in a couple of ways so I thought I’d make sure to clear it up here. It probably will not actually clear it up.

IWRG

IWRG , FILL (TUE) 10/03/2023 Arena Naucalpan [IWRG, Mas Lucha]
1) Hijo Del Palenque b Sumed BlackCosmicÚltimo LegendarioAzatroth
2) Dehyna, Golden Girl, Kali b Danessa, Lady Wind, Mirvan
Golden Girl Naucalpan debut
3) Adrenalina, Milagro, Mr. Jerry b Arceus, Cheff Benito, Cicloncio
4) Black Shadow Jr., Rey Gato Jr., Thunder Storm b Argus, Gaius, Golden Jr.
5) Ivan Rokov & La Masa b Heddi Karaoui & Hip Hop Man
6) Atómico, El Mariachi, Hijo del Pantera, King Lobo, Nuclear, Reactor, Rey Garfio, Rey Pantera Jr. b Águila Oriental, Águila Roja, Fussion, Príncipe Arkano, Rey Astaroth, Súper Boy, Súper Cometa, Tornado [Copa Higher Power]
Yorvak appeared to help Lucha Libre Radioactivo beat the home FILL team.

Yorvak did an Instagram story angle where he’s now quitting IWRG to join Radioactivo. At least they’re having fun with the quitting angle..

IWRG (THU) 10/05/2023 Arena Naucalpan
1) Ryu & Tornado vs Águila Oriental & Thunder Storm
2) Caballero de Plata, Glamurosa, Último Legendario vs Águila Roja, Rey Astaroth, Satania
3) Hell Boy, Noisy Boy, Spider Fly vs Cerebro Negro, Cerebro Negro Jr., Rey Halcón
4) Sádika vs Sagitarius
5) Mocho Cota Jr., Súper Comando, Tito Santana vs Gran Pandemónium, Hijo de Pandemónium, Pandemónium Jr.

The short recent history of the IWRG Trios Championship

  • Dinastia Navarro (Negro Navarro, Trauma I & Trauma II) defeat the Pirata Morgans in 2015 to win the belts.
  • Navarros defend them about once a year through 2017.
  • Negro Navarro has a health issue in summer 2017, stops wrestling, then returns in early 2018 but never returns full time to IWRG. He appears once more in late 2018 on a sponsored show and nothing past thhat.
  • Los Traumas go in and out of IWRG, quitting for good in late 2020.
  • IWRG is asked “so, you going to vacate those trios titles?” and basically says nah, they’re going to let it work itself out
  • Dinastia Navarro pull the titles out of the closet in 2022, and drop them to Saltillo luchadors Espartaco, Latino and Tempestad. (IWRG does not acknowledge the change.)
  • The Saltillo teams defends the title often in their home city; it’s more than the belts usually get defended. For a few months.
  • After not defending the titles for seven months, they lose the titles to the new Poder del Norte (Mocho Cota Jr., Tito Santana and Super Comando) in August
  • IWRG gets those guys back here, booking their own trios champions for the first time in about six years.

I guess they were right to let it play out. La Pandemia are the Mexico State trios titles, which have been the effective top trios titles in the promotion since the actual ones went on walkabout. Maybe they’re going to combine them next week.

Mas Lucha has their Torneo Supremo show on October 15th

Mas Lucha (SUN) 10/15/2023 Arena Naucalpan
1) Bengalee vs Zuzu DivineKeyraSádikaLilith DarkShamilaQuimeraDulce Luna
2) Princesa Azul & Reina Dorada vs Jessy Jackson & Mary Caporal
3) Chris Stone Jr., Scorpió Jr., Shocker vs Diva Salvaje, Intocable, Jessy Ventura
4) Súper Crazy vs ZorroHell BoyMr. LeoEl ElementalSúper CalóSúper FlyHijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. [Torneo Supremo, torneo]
5) ? vs ?? [Torneo Supremo, quarterfinal]
6) ? vs ?? [Torneo Supremo, quarterfinal]
7) ? vs ?? [Torneo Supremo, quarterfinal]
8) ? vs ?? [Torneo Supremo, quarterfinal]
9) ? vs ?? [Torneo Supremo, semifinal]
10) ? vs ?? [Torneo Supremo, semifinal]
11) ? vs ?? [Torneo Supremo, final]

I’ve talked myself into signing up for this before and then written unhappily about the tournament. I’m safely not going to do this time. The tournament seems OK but the rest of that card is not good – Los Guapos in 2023? – that I know it’s a waste of both our time for me to watch. It’s not for me. Good luck to them all the same.

luchadb Note

Box y Lucha seems to have ceased offering new 1956/1957 magazines on sale for now, I’ve actually caught up reading them and I added them all to the luchadb. If you’re running a match database and want to add to your database, I’ve put a list of every even added or changed here. Credit to me is nice, crediting Box y Lucha is better. I’ll still be doing a little catch up on my side (and I have to make some luchawiki edits) but that list should be final. This also is a good time to update the Github archive; it’s running in another tab right now.

I hope to post month-by-month recaps on those magazines soon. I should get to updating the big

Other News

Ciclon Orizabeno (Jorge Oropeza Carreon, 89) passed away on Tuesday. He had a hair match victory over Cavernario Galindo in 1968 and was a Veracruz local star in the 60s and 70s.

The Crash has their 12th Anniversary show on November 3rd.

The Crash (FRI) 11/03/2023 Auditorio de Tijuana, Tijuana, Baja California
***The Crash 12th Anniversary***
1) Anubis © vs Rey FuriaGallo ExtremeNoisy BoyEl Rey [The Crash JUNIOR, Ladder]
2) Dulce Tormenta © vs ZamayaKeyraTrish Adroa [The Crash WOMEN]
3) Microman & Toto vs Diva Salvaje & Jessy Ventura and Black Danger & Tony Casanova
4) Aeroboy vs FlamitaLance AnaoiCanis Lupus NG [TLC]
5) Bestia 666 & Rey Horus vs Bryan Keith & El Gran León Chavi
6) Destiny © vs Tonalli [The Crash CRUISER]
7) Rey Fénix (Indie) vs Galeno del MalMetalikEl Bandido
8) Mamba vs D Luxe [hair]

Not officially taped, bootlegs on YouTube as usual. Bestia 666 is the notable name here; he, Fenix and Las Shotas are done with AAA by their current rules against people working The Crash. The other ones were known previously, Bestia is new and more a part of AAA’s weekly plans.

Flamita might not be working his match. Flamita fractured his nose on Sunday’s Big Lucha, as feared. He’ll be out a  month. I assume this was announced because Flamita has to miss a GLEAT match over it.

RIOT has quietly added the 2022 La Rina tournament to their Patreon. These shows hadn’t been released prior. It’s a $5/month deal.

Chico Che wants to face Nino Hamburgesa in a hair match.

Box y Lucha 3571 has the Night of Champions and the CMLL/MLW news.

An interview with Puebla luchadora Amber.

A luchadora photography exhibit is opening in Spain.

Vaquer & Indestructibles new champs at CMLL Night of Champions, new CMLL luchadoras, AAA Heroes Inmortales,

CMLL

CMLL (FRI) 09/29/2023 Arena México [Black Terry Jr.CMLLCMLL (web)ContrareplicaKaiser Sports, thecubsfan]
1) Bárbaro Cavernario © b Esfinge [CMLL LHBárbaro Cavernario vs Esfinge CAMPEONATO SEMICOMPLETO CMLL (posted by Estrellas del Ring)
14:34. 2nd defense, first this year
2) Stephanie Vaquer b La Catalina [CMLL WOMENCMLL - CAMPEONATO MUNDIAL FEMENIL / LA CATALINA VS STEPHANIE VAQUER  / ARENA MÉXICO / 29-09-23 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
13:41. Vacant championship (Stephanie Vaquer neck injury). Vaquer becomes 21st champion and first CMLL champion from Chile.
3) Mercurio © b Pierrothito [CMLL MINICMLL - CAMPEONATO MUNDIAL DE PEQ. ESTRELLAS / PEQ. PIERROTH VS MERCURIO / ARENA MÉXICO / 29-09-23 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL) Mercurio (c) vs Pierrothito (r) CAMPEONATO MUNDIAL MINI CMLL (posted by Estrellas del Ring)
14:59. 6th defense
4) Místico © b Virus [NWA MIDDLECMLL - CAMPEONATO MUNDIAL HISTÓRICO MEDIO / VIRUS VS MÍSTICO / ARENA MÉXICO / 29-09-23 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL) Místico (c) vs Virus (r) CAMPEONATO MUNDIAL HISTÓRICO DE PESO MEDIO (posted by Estrellas del Ring)
14:46. 7th defense
5) Apocalipsis, Cholo, Disturbio b Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa © [MEX TRIOSCMLL - CAMPEONATO NACIONAL DE TERCIAS / LOS INDESTRUCTIBLES VS D. ATRAPASUEÑOS/ARENA MÉXICO/29-09-23 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL) Los Dulces Atrapa Sueños (c) vs Los Indestructibles (r) CAMPEONATO NACIONAL DE TERCIAS (posted by Estrellas del Ring)
14:16. Atrapasuenos fells on their fifth defense (1st this year). Los Indestrucitbles are the 43rd champions.
6) Titán © b Máscara Dorada [CMLL WELTERTitan (c) vs Máscara Dorada (r) CAMPEONATO MUNDIAL WELTER VERSIÓN CMLL (posted by Estrellas del Ring)
20:01. 8th defense

Another strong Friday show in a year full of them. You can look at the times and figure out what they did here: everyone gets 15 minutes, the main event gets 20 minutes, go have fun. One fall matches and generally 1v1s saved some time, and the show went a little longer than usual.

Mascara Dorada/Titan completely lived up to potential. Dorada had a great night, and Titan was the perfect vet to keep up and keep pushing him. They had some spectacular sequence and a lot of drama. Just like his biggest BOSJ matches, Titan built towards the El Inmortal and fought to keep his opponents from reaching the ropes. Dorada felt like he was milli-seconds from winning most of the match, and ended up just millimeters short of reaching the ropes. He looked better for coming so close; this was another night where it seems certain Mascara Dorada is going to be a giant star.

Los Indestructibles worked very hard in their surprise title win, though it didn’t feel like one of the better Atrapasuenos performances. The loss probably bothered them. Dulce Gardenia, in an interview that seems to be from before Friday’s match, mentioned he suffered a serious injury on last year’s Night of Champions show and was out for several months. Gardenia took a middle rope destroyer on the finish, went into convulsions, and was stretchered out. He also wrestled eight days later, completely fine. Gardenia blames his infrequent appearances on dealing with the (non-existent) injury and also trying to spend more time with his family, who are still living in Torreon. His hope is to be more regularly in CMLL in early 2024. That seems like an admission he knew was going away from CMLL for some time after Friday night. Gardenia looked downcast coming to the ring, then briefly cried in the ring before hugging his teammates. Nothing is a sure thing in lucha libre but it sure appeared Gardenia is done in CMLL for now.

Mistico/Virus was a lot of Virus plugged into the Mistico formula and not as much the Virus mat wrestling style. (They finish did play off that, Mistico showing he knows more holds than just La Mistica.) Virus can still work a Mistico match well, and the crowd seemed to really behind him pulling the upset. Mistico defending his title on this show should continue to be a yearly tradition as long he’s champ, because it’s an easy match to plug in whomever wins that time and it’s usually a new opponent for Mistico. Virus and Mistico briefly met in a tournament recently, but hadn’t had a real singles match since 2004.

The counterpoint is CMLL really needs to either give the minis a year off from this idea, or switch around the choices so it’s only new people. Mercurio and Pierrothito was fine and the crowd rallied behind the more charismatic challenger as the match went along, but it felt like something seen a lot already. Both this minis match and the trios title match stood as the two matches this year that the votes really wanted to see but the general Arena Mexico going public didn’t have any reason to care.

Vaquera and Catalina was also not a natural match up, but it was a much easier sell – the two young Chileans deciding a new champion. They had a strong match planned out and it seemed to go as they planed the whole way. Vaquer looked great, as she has all this year, and makes a deserving double champion.

La Catalina used tried to use a reinera twice in that title match. On Twitter, Catalina mentioned the move and her outfit were tributes to Dark Angel, who helped train her in WWE and has been advising her since coming to CMLL.

Barbaro Cavernario coasts a lot in CMLL when he’s not given anything to do. When he gets something he feels is important – this title match, or that NJPW Strong match – he can still turn it a lot. Cavernario treated the opener like the climax of a long term feud, with incredible effort and willingness to break himself. (He brought back the splash to the floor to Arena Mexico for the first time in a very long time.) Esfinge may have regretted rallying people to vote for him with the way he got took the brunt of a lot of punishment. I wish we saw this side of Cavernario more often, though at least it’s nice to know it’s there.

CMLL (SAT) 09/30/2023 Arena Coliseo [CMLL]
1) Angelito, Kaligua, Pequeño Magía b Fantasy, Shockercito, Último Dragóncito
2) Metálica & Reyna Isis b Hera & Skadi [Relevos Increíbles]
3) Misterioso Jr. b Hombre Bala Jr. [lightning]
Misterioso dropped Bala on his head and neck with a powerbomb to win, Bala was is in a neckbrace after the match
4) Akuma, Dark Magic, Espanto Jr. b Arlequín, Furia Roja, Guerrero de la Muerte
Akuma & Espanto Jr. won and asked for an Arena Coliseo Tag Team championship match. Furia Roja & Guerrero de la Muerte accepted.
5) Panterita del Ring, Star Black, Valiente DQ Cancerbero, Luciferno, Virus
Virus fouled and unmasked Valiente
6) Ángel de Oro, Dragón Rojo Jr., Niebla Roja b Averno, Euforia, Mephisto

This was the fifth singles match Misterioso has been in since the start of August, and he’s got another one coming up Friday. I’m not sure why that is happening.

CMLL (SUN) 10/01/2023 Arena México [CMLL]
1) Cachorro & Grako b Leono & Retro [Relevos Increíbles]
2) Diamond, Robin, Valiente Jr. b Apocalipsis, Cholo, Disturbio
3) Astral b Sangre Imperial [lightning]
4) El Coyote, Okumura, Pólvora b Capitán Suicida, El Audaz, Pelon Encapuchado
5) Ángel de Oro, Hechicero, Niebla Roja b Soberano Jr., Titán, Valiente
6) Euforia, Templario, Terrible b Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero

Just a normal show.

CMLL (TUE) 10/03/2023 Arena México
1) Shockercito vs Pierrothito [lightning]
2) La Vaquerita & Lady Shadow vs Miss Guerrera & Tiffany
3) Astral, Robin, Valiente Jr. vs Apocalipsis, Cholo, Disturbio
4) Hera, Lluvia, Zeuxis vs Amapola, Sanely, Skadi [Relevos Increíbles]
5) Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr., Dark Panther vs Felino, Felino Jr., Hechicero
6) Atlantis Jr., Star Jr., Volador Jr. vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Dragón Rojo Jr., Terrible

Volador again tries to return (and CMLL again tries to set up a trios title match.)

La Laguna’s Lady Shadow and Miss Guerrera make their Arena Mexico debut. Lady Shadow is part of the Andrarde family, and is the sister of Brillante Jr. She’s wrestled in Arena Coliseo Guadalajara. Miss Guerrera hasn’t appeared on a CMLL show prior. Guerrera is the daughter of long-time local rudo Mr. Guerrero. Shadow and Guerrera have wrestled each a lot, though they haven’t wrestled Vaquerita and Tiffany. It appears CMLL is expanding their women’s division, not just replacing people. Still, that’s a match of the past and the future of the division and an immediate test to see how much the past is going to be willing to go along with the changes.

CMLL (FRI) 10/06/2023 Arena México
1) Capitán Suicida & El Audaz vs Difunto & Grako
2) Futuro, Hombre Bala Jr., Neón vs Magia Blanca, Magnus, Rugido
3) Esfinge vs Misterioso Jr. [lightning]
4) La Jarochita vs Reyna IsisStephanie VaquerLa CatalinaPersephoneLady ShadowMiss GuerreraMetálicaLa VaqueritaLa GuerreraValkiriaOlympia [CMLL UNIVERSAL DE AMAZONAS, semifinal]
5) Máscara Dorada, Místico, Titán vs Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Templario

CMLL had two ten-women blocks last year, and are expanding to twelve this year in their ‘best woman in CMLL’ tournament. New entries are Catalina, Lady Shadow, Miss Guerrera and Persephone, who’s been wrestling as Perse in Guadalajara. Maybe someone checked and found AAA never registered that name? It’s a bit surprising she’s getting an Arena Mexico debut this quick, and suggests Andromeda will be around next week.

Lluvia won last year’s tournament, La Jarochita the year before that, which probably eliminates them from winning this year. It would be equally unlikely for Stephanie Vaquer to win both world titles and this competition. Maybe Dark Silueta, who should be back in time for the next block? Maybe Zeuxis?

QueMoniito, in doing press for his lawsuit, said CMLL didn’t pay for his medical treatment. He specifically cites needing an operation following the famous Ultimo Guerrero spot, was left to pay for it himself, and CMLL did not pay him in the meantime. QueMonitto was back on screen the week after that GIF and I don’t recall him disappearing for any extended amount during that period, but it’s possible injuries there needed surgery later on.

Amapola and Princesa Sugehit spoke at univerisity UNAM about being women in lucha libre.

AAA

I did catch up with last week’s TV. Three different three way matches on one TV show wasn’t ideal.

  • Ultra/Gemelo Tapia/Dulce Kanela felt like a random indie match. Tapia looked better of the two non-AAA guys but no one really stood out.
  • Belcegor/Iguana/Epydemius was heavily comedy in the first half with Belcegor & Epydemius working against Iguana, then they just had start fighting each other so they could have a normal match. Belcegor seemed to know right away that he got hurt on his dive and they went quickly to the finish after he came back in.
  • Centella/Maravilla/Sexy Star was rough in the first few minutes. Centella was so far on a different page that I started to wonder if there was some sotry we missed here. It settled down into a normal three way match, with Centella getting a few showcase spots near the end. It probably would’ve bene the best on the show if recorded the whole show.

AAA’s Heroes Inmortales took place Sunday:

AAA TV (SUN) 10/01/2023 Auditorio Benito Juárez, Zapopan, Jalisco [Lucha Central, Mas Lucha, thecubsfan]
***Heroes Inmortales, 2023***
1) Mini Vikingo, Mr. Iguana, Niño Hamburguesa DQ Dinámico, Kamik-C, Skalibur
Dinamico faked a foul
2) Chik Tormenta & Maravilla b Dulce KanelaSexy StarFaby ApacheLady ShaniReina DoradaEstrellita [Copa Antonio Pena, semifinal]
Reina Dorada replaced Centella on Tuesday. Faby Apache was a surprise wrestler. The Tirantes fought again.
3) Abismo Negro Jr. & Flammer DQ Dalys & Negro Casas [AAA MIXED TAG]
Dalys hit Tirantes Sr. with a back elbow for no obvious reason (in the short clip seen) so Tirantes DQed them.
4) Forastero & Sansón b Dave The Clown & Murder Clown and Chessman & Parka Negra [#1 Contenders, AAA TAG]
5) Dralistico & La Bestia Del Ring b Hijo Del Vikingo & Myzteziz
12:09. Bestia del Ring fouled and unmasked Myzteziz in front of Hijo del Tirantes to set up the win (which was a purposeful rudo referee move rather than Tirantes being oblivious.) Dralistico was again upset with his father cheating during the match and for the win.
6) Chik Tormenta b Maravilla [Copa Antonio Pena, final]
8:00. Hijo del Tirantes attacked Tirantes Sr. before the match and took his place as referee. Straight match between rudas, no interference. Tormenta won clean with a Styles Clash. Tirantes Sr. returned immediately after the match to attack Hijo del Tirantes, but all three rudos beat him up.
7) Alberto el Patrón & Octagón Jr. b Qt Marshall & Sam Adonis
13:57 (unclear when match started.) Alberto el Patron replaced Pentagon Jr. (AEW) on Tuesday

The last three matches aired live. (They aired about a second of the post match of the tag title match.) I thought the booking of this show felt different than recent AAA shows. I mentioned that on Twitter and got a lot of good-hearted people pushing back that I should stop trying to delve deep into AAA booking, there’s nothing to be found there. They’re probably right. Still, the Konnan booked EMW Tijauan show on Saturday looks a lot more like this year’s AAA TV than what happened here in Jalisco. It was an easier show to watch, not sure if it was a better one.

The main event was theoretically about establishing the Marshall/Adonis team, tough Alberto took a bunch of the spotlight himself. Octagon Jr. may have won the next shot at QT Marshall but came across as the least important part of the match. Alberto reportedly picked up a knee injury the night before in Tijuana; he had one wrapped here. He wrestled a fair amount but didn’t actually do much, if that explanation makes sense.

Myzteziz/Hijo del Vikingo vs Dralistico/Bestia del Ring was more about Dralistico/Bestia issues. Dralistico tecnico/rudo status has inconsistent during his entire run, but he was definitely a rudo when he helped his brother at TripleMania Mexico City. Dralistico is now acting like a tecnico who has issues with Bestia del Ring cheating. Vikingo was way toned down, though he still took some painful looking slams from Bestia for a guy with a bad hip.

Vikingo’s going through things. He wrestled on Friday for LuchaManiaks in Texas, only to leave that match early due to injury.  Vikingo talked to Mas Lucha after and seemed about as depressed as I’ve ever seen him in one of those interviews; he was hurting, his hard work at rehabbing his injury weren’t helping enough, and he really was unsure if he’d be able to make all his scheduled bookings. Vikingo was most concerned about making the Guadalajara show and the GCW Japan tour; he didn’t seem to think he’d do either. (Vikingo did clarify that when he said he’d be out “two weeks”, he was counting the one week he’d already sat out – this was his planned return weekend.) Vikingo went on to wrestle Saturday in Dallas and then Sunday on this Guadalajara show. He was in a clearly limited state on Sunday.

Maravilla/Tormenta had a lot of moves but was missing some emotion. It was a ruda/ruda match where both were wrestling as tecnicas; there was no spark there. The crowd seemed to rally behind Tormenta as the hometown woman but the wrestlers didn’t take advantage of it. It was still better than the usual interference heavy women’s a singles match and the crowd stuck with them, but I would’ve thought they had better in them. AAA is doing the Tirantes fight in every women’s match and it’ll never go anywhere.

Heroes Inmortales was an overall easier-to-watch show due to improved audio (no Hugo & JMG over the PA) and none of the matches were bad. It was still more the type of episode you watch all the episodes, not some special show you need to catch if you’re looking for a special event. The size of the crowd made it feel special but the matches really were just normal TV stuff.

Mas Lucha had clips of the finishes for the undercad. They mention Faby Apache as the singular surprise in the women’s match; I haven’t found a full list of participants. Apache worked her last AAA match nearly a year to the day, leaving with plans of working for CMLL. That stint lasted two matches before CMLL tried to clamp down on Apache’s outside work and she took her leave. I presume this is a one night surprise that may lead to more occasional spot work but not a full time return.

Dalys hitting Tirantes makes no sense in the clip, but maybe there’s a better content when AAA shows the full match next week. That result seems like an “everyone thought they’d win, so we swerved them”, but even thinking that much about this is too much.

The next TV taping is 10/18.

AAA has a press conference to talk about their November Showcenter show. I may just wait to do the next update for that and for the CMLL lineup. It’s not like these are coming around midday lately, anyway.

Big Lucha

Big Lucha (SAT) 09/30/2023 Arena Big Lucha, Iztapalapa, Distrito Federal [@robviper]
1) Sangre Nueva b NordicoAutzer
2) Helios & Urzus Mendoza ?? Black Skayde & Odisseo Mendoza
3) Andrómeda b Súper NovaTiranoBendito5678910111213141516
Andromeda (Guatemala) defeated Super Nova to win. Flamita invited Andromeda to join Black Generacion as long Andromeda changed his name. It’s Black Andromeda now. Flamita also said Black Generation didn’t need Yutani or Elemental.
4) Cometa Maya & Radioactivo b SB KENTo & Takuma [BIG LUCHA MIXA]
tournament final scheduled as Delta Force vs Sangre Texano, but Texano Jr. had a conflicting booking in Tijuana. He and Super Nova will get a future title shot. Delta Force (Cometa Maya & Radioactivo) become first champions.
5) El Potro de Oro, Jack Evans, Watanabe, Zumbi b Emperador Azteca, Flamita, Orbita, Vengador
Zumbi was the surprise wrestler. Elimination match. Flamita left the match for a long portion due to a nose injury, then returned to set up Watanabe pinning him for the win. Flamita challenged Potro de ORo first, but Potro de Oro felt Black Andromeda should get the first title match by winning the earlier match. Mr. Big announced it’d be Potro de Oro & Black Andromeda and Loco Evans vs Black Generation on the next show (no date given?)

Not a good show. The top two matches both were affected greatly by injuries (Flamita in main, Cometa Maya apparently shook up in his.) The battle royal didn’t go well, and the opener matches were inexperienced guys who looked inexperienced. Attendance was done, which may have been the lineup or the Canelo fight happening the same night.

There was a lot of talk at the start of the show about GLEAT and Big Lucha working together. It sounded like GLEAT announced they’d have the Big Lucha shows on their streaming service. GLEAT’s streaming service is YouTube, same as Big Lucha, though GLEAT has about 30K subscribers and Big Lucha has about 4K. The idea of the main event may have been to make Watanabe look good as part of the partnership, but it didn’t happen as planned with Flamita out of a large chunk of the match.

There was some talk about Big Lucha World returning, but the promotion doesn’t seem to have anything definite. A low key part of losing Golden Guns is Big Lucha lost a lot of experience, and they could really use more work to start building that up again.

IWRG

IWRG (SUN) 10/01/2023 Arena Naucalpan [IWRG, Mas Lucha]
1) Kurama & Superboy b Águila Oriental & Tornado
Aguila Oriental replaced Dinastia (not working an opener!)
2) Príncipe Arkano b FussionÁguila RojaRey Aztaroth
No Low Rider or Lanzelot, Fussion filled in
3) León Dorado & Mr. Leo b Elemental & Tornado
4) Cerebro Negro Jr., Noisy Boy, Spider Fly b Mr. Mike, Relámpago, Tonalli
Tonalli and Relampago had issues.
5) Galeno del Mal & Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. b Hijo de Canis Lupus & Ivan Rokov
6) Cerebro Negro & Cerebro Negro Jr. b Hell Boy & Shocko [seconds hair]
referee Reyes Rosas (Cerebros) and Sonrisas (Hell Boy) hair on the line. The referees fought during the match.

Usually when guys like Low Rider and Dinastia work an IWRG show, it’s because they’re also working a Saturday show somewhere and are picking up an extra booking on the way home. I never saw a second booking for those guys so something may have happened.

Other News

Nayarit luchador Micro Boy (José Antonio Mendiola Arteaga, 26) passed away on Friday when he was shot to death in Tepic. Another brief mention of his death noted Micro Boy had just gotten out of jail a couple of days ago, and a third says the shooting happened when a “couple of people went over to his house to ‘talk'”, and then shot him when the talking ended. No one’s been arrested. Micro Boy also wrestled as Mini Elegido, and I believe there were multiple of those over the years. That news report has him as a former AAA wrestler but it looks like it was just something he put on his Facebook without being true. This is a luchador I might not know existed if I didn’t stumble on posters for local Arena La Cantera earlier this year.

Impact Wrestling is coming to Cicero Stadium in Illinois on 10/21 for Bound for Glory and Sunday 10/22 for the Bound for Glory Fallout TV taping. Bound for Glory is a PPV and will include a guest appearance by Will Ospreay among other matches; they should have no problem putting people in the building for that. The TV taping needed a draw too, so Impact’s billing it as “Lucha Libre Legacy” night. Konnan, Juventud Guerrera and Samuray del Sol will join regulars Laredo Kid and Black Taurus for the events. They’ll have a $100 ticket fan fest to meet the wrestlers, eat some tacos, and participate in other activities.

I can see this as a good business move: it’s Cicero, fans might be more into luchadors, Samuray’s around Chicago a bunch but Juventud and Konnan are not so there may be some interest there. 100 USD is pretty pricey but you don’t need a lot of people to make that worth. From an irrational emotional point of view, Impact shouldn’t be allowed to celebrate lucha libre. The only time luchadors appear on Impact is to lose. Impact should push and focus on the wrestlers they think are going to be the most help for Impact. They just can’t bury the Mexican wrestlers and also run a Mexican wrestler appreciation day. It’s insincere, even by the standards of professional wrestling.

(There’s a lot of drama over how luchadors are used in AEW and WWE. I participate in it, sometimes I even cause it. So does one of the people appearing on this Impact show. Impact’s much worse treatment somehow escapes the same criticism.)

There’s is a business case here that if you’ve made the luchadors look like jobbers, the fans of the luchadors are going to stop coming out to see them – but, like, the fans Impact are trying to draw here aren’t probably watching Impact shows so it might not matter. The people who run Impact also seem to believe, by their choices here, that the people who are going to draw to this audience are strictly people who’ve appeared on US TV (no matter how long ago that TV is.) I don’t think that’s true.

The main event (match 31) of Juarez’s lucha libre marathon was Cinta de Oro versus Andrade. The problem there is AEW doesn’t usually want their wrestlers losing outside of AEW and Cinta de Oro isn’t going to want to lose in his hometown area (if at all). They had a bunch of people run in for a no-contest. A weird way to end a very long show. The shows did draw really well and the government agencies that put them on had glowing press releases.

The garbage indie finish of the weekend is Halcon Lucha Libre’s main event, where Ice Killer Jr. lost his hair to Ciclon Ramirez Jr. in a 17 person main event. Ice Killer wasn’t announced for the match. Ice Killer is also a masked wrestler and instead just got his hair cut.

Thunder Rosa gave a motivational speech at a Tijuana university. She did some press with the local newspaper as well, said she still considers himself AEW champion because she never was beat, but she still seems to have no idea when she’s going to return.

Heraldo Public visits new-ish Puebla wrestling venue Arena Solis. They opened in January, and the owner/promoter is Joaquin Solis Melendez. They have capacity for 250 people. Policeman, Pequeno Joker, Charly Zargoza and Hechiceor Maldito are teaching classes at the building. They’ve hosted DTU and Lucha Memes shows, and their events have shown up on Mas Lucha. Their long-term goal is to expand into a bigger building in another part of Puebla.

There was a wrestler’s licensing exam in Tijuana. They plan on running them every six months. No word on how many people participated.

Segunda Caida reviews some more 90s Monterrey.

CMLL Noche de Campeones, Heroes Inmortales, Roshfrans, MLW

CMLL

I just posted the Friday lineup, you could just scroll down to see it, but I will post it again because it’s a Friday.

CMLL (FRI) 09/29/2023 Arena México
1) Bárbaro Cavernario © vs Esfinge [CMLL LH]
2nd defense, first this year
2) La Catalina vs Stephanie Vaquer [CMLL WOMEN]
vacant championship (Stephanie Vaquer neck injury)
3) Mercurio © vs Pierrothito [CMLL MINI]
6th defense
4) Místico © vs Virus [NWA MIDDLE]
7th defense
5) Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa © vs Apocalipsis, Cholo, Disturbio [MEX TRIOS]
fifth defense, 1st this year
6) Titán © vs Máscara Dorada [CMLL WELTER]
8th defense

There are lots of good and interesting matches on this card. Titan/Dorada has CMLL MOTYC potential if they’re on and if the fans care. Catalina & Vaquer appear to be close friends out of the ring and are going to want that match to be special. Los Indestructibles believe this is the only chance they might get at a semimain on a Friday night and are going to want to make something of it. Mistico and Virus have been in CMLL many years but haven’t had a real singles match since the earliest days of Mistico. Cavernario and Esfinge have wrestled a bunch in trios, but haven’t had a singles match since Esfinge joined the main roster. Mercurio and Pierrothito are old hands at this. It’s more a question about how much fans are going to care about these; it’s only a small portion who participates in these “fan choose the matches” polls and some of these are strange pairings to the casuals.

It’s live via Boletia and will go up on subscription YouTube on 10/08.

CMLL has not booked Dulce Gardenia in Arena Mexico since September 3rd. He’s worked only five matches there since July. He’s not turning up on next week’s cards so far. Cholo, Disturbio and Apocalipsis would be unlikely to win national gold as a team in any other situation. There’s a decent chance they win tonight.

CMLL had its usual media session with wrestlers on Wednesday. It was a slightly awkward one because it happened before Informa; no one could talk with certainty about any matches on Friday because nothing was official yet. Tiffany and Skadi promoted CMLL’s upcoming women’s wrestling month instead, but couldn’t really talk much about that because that was also on Informa. Fugaz and Dark Panther, who pretty much knew they didn’t win, could only just thank the people who did support them. Esfinge did give out an interesting fact in his interview.  He said he sold his Aniversario mask to a fan for 9,500 pesos (~540 USD), in an interview with La Posta. That’s the most he’d ever sold a mask for. Esfinge wasn’t planning on selling but he decided he could do a lot with that money. The same fan had bought his 2022 mask, and started asking about this one when Esfinge was just in the Copa Independencia tournament and unsure if he’d make the Aniverasrio.

 

CMLL Aniversario airs on Samurai TV on October 8.

Clearing up a piece of the KeMonito story I was confused on: the most recent CMLL plan was to introduce both a new person in the KeMonito suit and additionally a new KeMalito to feud with him. CMLL has cast people for the roles and those people have been told they’d be starting ‘soon.’ QueMoniito knew what he was talking about when he said they might start last Sunday; that start date just keeps getting pushed back. I’m not sure CMLL can do anything with the new characters right now without a significant backlash.

CMLL (MON) 10/02/2023 Arena Puebla
1) Centella Roja & Hijo de Centella Roja vs El Malayo & Rencor
2) La Vaquerita, Lady Metal, Skadi vs Amapola, Metálica, Zeuxis
3) Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa, Volcano vs El Coyote, Kráneo, Pólvora
4) Star Black, Star Jr., Titán vs Hijo del Villano III, Villano III Jr., Zandokan Jr.
5) Atlantis Jr., Máscara Dorada, Soberano Jr. vs Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero

Soberano and Ultimo Guerrero will be back playing their game again. Lady Metal went from a last minute replacement to appearing every week.

CMLL (TUE) 10/03/2023 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Frida & Luna vs Estrella Maldita & Yemaya
2) Avispón Negro Jr., Bello Antuan, Samurai vs Ponzoña Jr., Relámpago Azul, Rumbero
3) Flash, Metatrón, Pepe Aguayo vs Exterminador, Javier Cruz Jr., Maléfico
4) Astro Oriental, Persa, Temerario vs El Gallero, Johnny Dinamo, Minotauro
5) Draego, Gallo Jr., Rafaga Jr. vs El Elemental, Futuro, Yutani
6) Bestia Negra, Cris Skin, Ráfaga vs Barboza, Difunto, Zandokan Jr.
7) Adrenalina, Explosivo, Fantástico vs Esfinge, Fugaz, Star Black

Less CDMX talent than usual. and less women than last week. The ex-Black Generacion duo of Elemental and Yutani popping up here is intriguing. Yutani suddenly leaving Big Lucha and showing up here suggests a stronger connection than just a one off appearance.

Thursday morning, CMLL and Roshfrans had a press conference to talk about their partnership. CMLL streamed this. I did not watch. I’m sorry for letting you all down. Roshfrans, which produces car oil and related products, resumed their sponsorship of CMLL with the Aniversario show. Roshfrans’ logo appeared from 2016 to February, quietly vanishing just prior to the pandemic. They were also sponsoring AAA that last year and went away from both companies at the same time. A great unwritten Luchawiki page would be to chart the various mat sponsors over time. There’s no mention of the length or terms, only that Roshfrans did not want a sponsored wrestler – they said they want to leave the wrestling up to the wrestling people and focus on what they do.

There were some details reported by other people who did watch this press conference.  Roshfrans was asked if they’d have a character (similar to Fuego as Pelon Encapuchado) and said no. There was talk about possibly a tournament or something along those lines. Salvador Lutteroth was asked about how CMLL takes care of the wrestlers, which seemed inspired by some of the QueMoniito press conference. He talked about how CMLL has beefed up its medical team at shows, and revealed every wrestler goes to sports medical clinic CEVAFIN to get checked out before they start with CMLL.

CMLL/MLW

“The MLW deal is not as big a deal as it was portrayed” is a frequently useful phrase. At least for now, the MLW/CMLL deal fits. The big CMLL name for the 10/14 MLW show is Rocky Romero defending the CMLL Historic Welterweight Championship against MLW Middleweight Champion Akira in a title versus title match. Romero is not losing that title outside of Mexico, so he’ll be coming back to CMLL as double champion if there’s a decision there. Romero’s defended the title on other indie shows, Romero’s worked in MLW before (though not for a couple of years), the only difference is branding it as a CMLL deal. Romero is great, but the tease was someone from Mexico and Rocky’s not flying in from Mexico. MLW is great at playing this game: they’ll get a day’s worth of attention out of hyping the CMLL deal and the Romero title match will be a small line item.

I presume there will be an actual Mexican wrestler on the November MLW taping. I’m skeptical of anything MLW does, but CMLL is only announcing something if they believe they’re getting something more out of it than a Rocky Romero booking. NJPW has also mentioned the deal and they wouldn’t position themselves to look goofy. It just very much comes off goofy to start this way.

MLW’s Court Bauer appeared briefly on Wrestling Observer Live to hype the deal with CMLL. Bauer said he was heading to Mexico at that moment, though it wasn’t clear if that was related to CMLL. He mentioned Mance Warner as someone from MLW interested in going to CMLL. Bauer was asked if there was any NJPW pressure to switch partnerships to CMLL, and Bauer said no, it was his decision to move: “we needed better a partnership in Mexico than we were experiencing [with AAA.]” Bauer and AAA go back to before this version of MLW, so it’s surprising he’d take even a mild dig at AAA.

The deal also came up in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Jacob Fatu is the only wrestler mentioned from either promotion. MLW would like to send him to CMLL, but the WON notes MLW wanted to send him to Japan for NOAH and Mexico for AAA and he never actually leaves the US due to a “legal issue.” MLW also said their wrestlers can only work for CMLL in Mexico, which seems like the most unnecessary stipulation possible. Some of the MLW wrestlers also work for GCW, the GCW guys work with Zona 23 and those two promotions are working together on 12/10 – but CMLL wouldn’t touch anyone working deathmatches anyway, no matter where they’re from.

That is the big obstacle to overcome with a MLW/CMLL deal; their rosters aren’t natural fits for each other. Looking through MLW’s roster page, it’s a lot of guys I don’t know well or that CMLL could’ve gotten before if they had been interested. I would like to see Tony Deppen but CMLL didn’t need an MLW deal to accomplish that. Some guys, like Matt Cardona, make a lot of sense in their current context but would be weird fits in Arena Mexico. Maybe Hammerstone? Maybe Thatcher? Thatcher seems like he should’ve appeared on a DragonMania show wrestling Navarro and Solar, like in a match no one outside the lucha bubble noticed but every six months someone on Twitter ‘discovers’ it on cagematch and starts desperately DM-ing me for video.

I think this is just weird trivia and not important, but it is notable that the current MLW announce team are current are AAA’s Joe Dombrowski and ex-AAA Matt Striker. I really don’t think CMLL cares.

AAA

AAA has Heroes Inmortales on Saturday:

AAA TV (SUN) 10/01/2023 Auditorio Benito Juárez, Zapopan, Jalisco [HBO Max press release]
***Heroes Inmortales, 2023***
1) Mini Vikingo, Mr. Iguana, Niño Hamburguesa vs Dinámico, Kamik-C, Skalibur
2) Dulce Kanela vs MaravillaSexy Star???Lady ShaniReina DoradaEstrellitaChik Tormenta [Copa Antonio Pena, semifinal]
Reina Dorada replaced Centella on Tuesday
3) Forastero & Sansón vs Dave The Clown & Murder Clown and Chessman & Parka Negra [#1 Contenders, AAA TAG]
4) Dalys & Negro Casas vs Abismo Negro Jr. & Flammer [AAA MIXED TAG]
5) Hijo Del Vikingo & Myzteziz vs Dralistico & La Bestia Del Ring
6) ? vs ?? [Copa Antonio Pena, final]
7) Alberto el Patrón & Octagón Jr. vs QT Marshall & Sam Adonis
Alberto el Patron replaced Pentagon Jr. (AEW) on Tuesday

This show is listed at 4 pm. Space and HBO Max are scheduled to pick it up at 6 pm local. (That’s the same time as the AEW PPV starts if you’re converting time zones.) My guess is the last four matches will air on Space. It’ll be the less-than-ideal bit of airing a tournament final in the first week and the rest of the tournament in the second week.

I wrote this a bit earlier. Only in coming back later did I realize I didn’t write about any of the matches. There’s just nothing too interesting here. There are ‘good’ matches in some of these will get heat, but there’s nothing I’d be trying to watch on a second screen during the AEW PPV. The main event is building to the Octagon/QT match. The two women’s matches will have lots of moves, plenty of interference in the final, and no drama, like every other AAA women’s match. Match 5 almost certainly won’t happen as advertised. The mixed titles mean nothing to anyone but Dalys and Negro Casas, so they might as well win them, and only won’t if AAA decides they get more heat out of Nicho, costing them the match. I guess Forastero/Sanson are heading towards the tag title match, but who knows when/if Komander and Arez will be around to defend. I would’ve still watched this live if this came around when I didn’t have a conflict, but that’s more just to make sure I got it watched in a timely fashion; I have no excitement for any of this. It’s going to look really great for AAA though, they should draw great in association with this fair.

This is a Sunday show. No AAA Space airing on Saturday this week.

This may be Old News that I just didn’t pick up when it was announced. Back in the women’s match at TripleMania, the tecnicas did a big arm-raised pose before the match and body spray shot out of the corner. It was a sponsored bit with Fraiche Mexico perfumes. What I didn’t know is there are actually AAA body mists as part of this collaboration. (MVS had pointed it out in an press release-ish article.) The three offerings are Mascarita Sagrada, La Parka, and Lady Shani. The Mascarita Sagrada bottle is smaller than the other two, which is cute, and they all cost between 3-4 USD.

IWRG

LLB (THU) 09/28/2023 Arena Naucalpan [Estrellas del Ring, IWRG, Mas Lucha]
1) Hijo De Sparta b SpartaRyuPríncipe CentauroLatino BoyGravedad CeroRey Spartano LIVE | Noche de Leyendas: Místico y Octagón vs Averno y Fuerza Guerrera (posted by mluchatv)
2) Amnesia, Gaona, José Caporal b Demencia, Hijo De Brazo De Platino, Reptil LIVE | Noche de Leyendas: Místico y Octagón vs Averno y Fuerza Guerrera (posted by mluchatv)
3) Argus, Eurus, Solido b Oro Blanco, Papelito, Voltio LIVE | Noche de Leyendas: Místico y Octagón vs Averno y Fuerza Guerrera (posted by mluchatv)
Mas Lucha and Estrellas del Ring have opposite results
4) Sádika b CandelaLa BravaMarinaPrincesa AzulJesse JacksonDanessaReina ObscuraMary Caporal LIVE | Noche de Leyendas: Místico y Octagón vs Averno y Fuerza Guerrera (posted by mluchatv)
5) Calibus, Hell Boy, Hijo de Canis Lupus, Puma de Oro b Aero Boy, Cíclope, Miedo Extremo, Rey Dragón LIVE | Noche de Leyendas: Místico y Octagón vs Averno y Fuerza Guerrera (posted by mluchatv)
6) Black Dragón, Bombero Infernal, Carta Brava (Llb) b Chico Che, Pantera, Último Vampiro LIVE | Noche de Leyendas: Místico y Octagón vs Averno y Fuerza Guerrera (posted by mluchatv)
Fantasma de la Opera interfered.
7) Lunatik Fly, Lunatik Xtreme, Súper Boy, Toto b Fandango, Hijo De Carta Brava, Noisy Boy, Spider Fly LIVE | Noche de Leyendas: Místico y Octagón vs Averno y Fuerza Guerrera (posted by mluchatv)
8) Espanto Jr., Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa b Gran Pandemónium, Hijo de Pandemónium, Pandemónium Jr. LIVE | Noche de Leyendas: Místico y Octagón vs Averno y Fuerza Guerrera (posted by mluchatv)
Espanto Jr., Rey Cometa and Espanto Jr. replaced the Pigs (?!?)
9) Místico & Octagón b Averno & Fuerza Guerrera LIVE | Noche de Leyendas: Místico y Octagón vs Averno y Fuerza Guerrera (posted by mluchatv)

There were so many matches that both Mas Lucha and IWRG’s recaps missed two of the results. The show ended some time after midnight. The CMLL guys working as Pig replacements is weird (and also makes one wonder if the Pigs not working a CMLL show is a coincidence.) The show drew well, as Lucha Libre Boom hows always do. I watched the video to figure out who won match 3 and will now move on.

Big Lucha

They’re back on Saturday night, though I presume this isn’t airing until mid week.

Big Lucha (SAT) 09/30/2023 Arena Big Lucha, Iztapalapa, Distrito Federal
1) Nordico vs Sangre Nueva
2) Helios & Urzus Mendoza vs Black Skayde & Odisseo Mendoza
3) 1 vs 2345678910111213141516
4) Cometa Maya & Radioactivo vs SB KENTo & Takuma
5) Emperador Azteca, Flamita, Orbita, Vengador vs ?, El Potro de Oro, Jack Evans, Watanabe

It’s a small card than usual, though it may go about as long thanks to another dreaded battle royal. Match four could be great. The mystery person in the Mexico versus the World main event is said to be a familiar face.

Other News

WWE NXT’s Yulisa Leon left the promotion last week. She was among a mass group of cuts but clarified she had asked for her release. Leon was the first Mexican born woman signed to WWE. (Pantera Surena had worked for WWE on a per-night basis in the past.) She’s also the daughter of Monterrey’s Bronco, who wrestled in CMLL in the mid 90s and lost his mask to Black Warrior. She’d never wrestled in Mexico prior to going to WWE, though she’d trained with CMLL (Tony Salazar) and in Monterrey; her background was more in powerlifting. It was uncertain if she was interested in continuing in wrestling. Leon is now apparently counting until her 30-day no-compete period concludes, which sure seems like she’s planning on doing more wrestling. She’d be free just in time for the CMLL Gran Prix if they were very much interested in using her.

Aerostar and Dios del Inframundo (Drago) randomly started teasing a mask vs mask feud on an indie show. It’s probably going nowhere, but it’s a different way to get bookings than teaming. If Dios del Inframundo was really willing to lose his mask at indie prices, he would’ve done it before switching gimmicks.

El Sol de Hidalgo has an interview with Aguila Solitaria. He says he was on break due to COVID and an unspecified operation. He debuted when he was 25, which is late for a Mexican luchador. He says his trainer told him not to wrestle until he got invited to wrestle on big shows, because he’d end up liking the small shows and staying there if he worked those.

The Dragon YouTube channel has a video on Komander’s top 10 moves.

CMLL Noche de Campeones card set, Alberto replacing Penta on Heroes Inmortales, AAA’s Centella becomes CMLL’s La Andromeda

CMLL

CMLL (MON) 09/25/2023 Arena Puebla [Porra Fresa]
1) Centella Roja, Hijo de Centella Roja, Xelhua b Dreyko, El Malayo, Sombra Diabólika
2) Hera b Lady Metal [lightningFacebook video (posted by )
3) El Perverso, Prayer, Vegas b Historico, Novato, Valiente Jr. Facebook video (posted by )
4) Crixus, Difunto, Kráneo b Blue Panther Jr., Dark Panther, Volcano
5) Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero b Máscara Dorada, Soberano Jr., Titán Facebook video (posted by )
UG snuck in a foul on Dorada
6) Ángel de Oro b Templario

Templario continues to fill the role of Volador, taking the loss to the person Volador beat at Aniversario. I need to work on some of this tecnico/rudo coding. CMLL’s definitely landed on Vegas as a rudo. Lady Metal may be a tecnica in Puebla but a ruda elsewhere.

CMLL (TUE) 09/26/2023 Arena México [CMLL, Kaiser Sports, thecubsfan]
1) Acero, Aéreo, Galaxy b Pequeño Olímpico, Pequeño Polvora, Pequeño Violencia Aéreo, Acero y Galaxy Vs Pequeño Violencia, Pequeño Pólvora y Pequeño Olímpico. Arena México (posted by La Tijera Lucha Libre) FUNCIÓN COMPLETA DESDE LA ARENA MÉXICO MARTES 26 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 2O23 SOLO MIEMBROS (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
2) Brillante Jr. & Oro Jr. b Dr. Karonte I & Dr. Karonte II FUNCIÓN COMPLETA DESDE LA ARENA MÉXICO MARTES 26 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 2O23 SOLO MIEMBROS (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
3) Neón b Raider [lightningFUNCIÓN COMPLETA DESDE LA ARENA MÉXICO MARTES 26 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 2O23 SOLO MIEMBROS (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
best match of the night
4) Magia Blanca, Magnus, Rugido b Arkalis, Pegasso, Stigma FUNCIÓN COMPLETA DESDE LA ARENA MÉXICO MARTES 26 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 2O23 SOLO MIEMBROS (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
5) Dark Panther, Fugaz, Guerrero Maya Jr. b Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Hechicero FUNCIÓN COMPLETA DESDE LA ARENA MÉXICO MARTES 26 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 2O23 SOLO MIEMBROS (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
6) Bárbaro Cavernario, Dragón Rojo Jr., Terrible b Atlantis Jr., Blue Panther, Star Jr. FUNCIÓN COMPLETA DESDE LA ARENA MÉXICO MARTES 26 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 2O23 SOLO MIEMBROS (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
Blue Panther replaced Volador (shoulder) earlier Tuesday.

Neon/Raider was for the luchadorks not so dissimilar from Virus/TJP. The style of match was different and the older guys tried to make it a battle, but both were about doing a lot of cool stuff for nine minutes and putting together a finish. Neon is Mr. Leap To The Top Rope and he did a lot here. Raider occasionally crushed him. It was great fun. The rest of the show was an ordinary Tuesday show.

Volador was a late sub and isn’t on any of the upcoming bookings, which sounds not good about his AC joint. It did read like he was coming back too soon, but we have no idea when he’ll be back now.

Someone asked in the comments if the CMLL subscription channel was now a good value. I’m still not high on it. The “bonus matches” have dried up off recent and the historical content never showed up. You’re just getting the Tuesday stream live and the Friday stream really late on Sunday night. CMLL seems to purposefully book more matches subscribers might like on Tuesdays than they did before, but it’s still generally “wrestling you have on in the background” rather than must see stuff. The channel is overall a decent amount of content compared to other streaming services but having to wait for the Friday makes it worse than most and there’s no great additional content to make it up. (It’s too late now, but CMLL should’ve tossed a bone like ‘the subscriber members only get to pick of the night Night of Champions matches’.) The CMLL YouTube channel works if you just want a good way to dip in to catch up on CMLL and will grow stronger with that in time, but it lacks any also sort of collation or easy way to navigate to find the best stuff; you have to really know what you’re looking for already. If your standard is comparing to other streaming offerings, CMLL’s YouTube channel isn’t great, but it’s also still the easiest way to CMLL.

(All that said, I’ve kept the Aniverasrio show off the Google Drive so far because I feel unfair to the people who actually paid for it. I’ll add it eventually. I’m sure there are other ways to find it if you really want it and can’t/won’t pay.)

CMLL (TUE) 09/26/2023 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Arena Coliseo Guadalajara, Mas Lucha]
1) Atilus, Maximus, Rey Urano b Black Boy, Calavera I Jr., Yaky Boy Empresa de Lucha Libre más antigua del MundoArena Coliseo GDL️ Martes 26 Septiembre ‘23 (posted by Martes de Glamour Oficial )
Calavera I Jr. replaced Thunder Boy
2) Adira, Andrómeda, Katara, Magia Azul b Centinela, Hatana, Lady Metal (Puebla), Perse Empresa de Lucha Libre más antigua del MundoArena Coliseo GDL️ Martes 26 Septiembre ‘23 (posted by Martes de Glamour Oficial )
Andromeda is the ex-Estrellita Lagunera/ex-Centella.
3) Arlequín, Furia Roja, Guerrero de la Muerte b Akuma, Dark Magic, Espanto Jr. Empresa de Lucha Libre más antigua del MundoArena Coliseo GDL️ Martes 26 Septiembre ‘23 (posted by Martes de Glamour Oficial )
4) La Catalina b Sanely [lightningEmpresa de Lucha Libre más antigua del MundoArena Coliseo GDL️ Martes 26 Septiembre ‘23 (posted by Martes de Glamour Oficial )
Catalina used the ropes to beat Sanely.
5) La Jarochita, Lluvia, Valkiria b La Maligna, Stephanie Vaquer, Zeuxis Empresa de Lucha Libre más antigua del MundoArena Coliseo GDL️ Martes 26 Septiembre ‘23 (posted by Martes de Glamour Oficial )
6) Atlantis, Atlantis Jr., Máscara Dorada b Gran Guerrero, Soberano Jr., Último Guerrero Empresa de Lucha Libre más antigua del MundoArena Coliseo GDL️ Martes 26 Septiembre ‘23 (posted by Martes de Glamour Oficial )

Soberano Jr. and Ultimo Guerrero are still banned from touching each other during matches, which makes being a team very hard. They both were in the ring at the same time and slightly interacted, but mostly were wrestling separate matches that happened to be taking place at the same time. They’re apparently not even allowed or interested in tagging each other, which led to a moment where Ultimo Guerrero tagged Gran Guerrero, and then Gran Guerrero just turned on the apron tagged Soberano in. It could not be sillier. The main event wasn’t otherwise that worth watching; it was not said to be not a good Mascara Dorada day.

The former Super Estrella (sister of La Magnifica, daughter of Gran Cochisse) is working as a referee for some women’s matches in Guadalajara.

CMLL (SAT) 09/30/2023 Arena Coliseo
1) Fantasy, Shockercito, Último Dragóncito vs Angelito, Kaligua, Pequeño Magía
2) Hera & Skadi vs Metálica & Reyna Isis
3) Hombre Bala Jr. vs Misterioso Jr. [lightning]
4) Arlequín, Furia Roja, Guerrero de la Muerte vs Akuma, Dark Magic, Espanto Jr.
5) Panterita del Ring, Star Black, Valiente vs Cancerbero, Luciferno, Virus
6) Ángel de Oro, Dragón Rojo Jr., Niebla Roja vs Averno, Euforia, Mephisto

Match 4 is a home/home match from Arena Coliseo Guadalajara.

CMLL (SUN) 10/01/2023 Arena México
1) Cachorro & Grako vs Leono & Retro [Relevos Increíbles]
2) Diamond, Robin, Valiente Jr. vs Apocalipsis, Cholo, Disturbio
3) Astral vs Sangre Imperial [lightning]
4) Capitán Suicida, El Audaz, Pelon Encapuchado vs El Coyote, Okumura, Pólvora
5) Soberano Jr., Titán, Valiente vs Ángel de Oro, Hechicero, Niebla Roja
6) Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero vs Euforia, Templario, Terrible

Gran Guerrero and Stuka haven’t been around Arena Mexico much of late, but are back here.

One of the prime goals of the KeMonito press conference was to get attention and that part has been a definite success. That story has gotten picked up in most every news story has gotten picked up everywhere in Mexico, so that part of the press conference was a definite success. (There’s almost no other lucha news because that was the news.) One of the threats in the press conference was a demonstration that would shut down Arena Mexico. Ironically, there were demonstrations that affected Tuesday’s crowd – streets near the arena were shut down and wrestlers arrived late – but they weren’t lucha libre or KeMonito related.

CMLL Informa announced the October run of Friday night shows

  • 10/06: Torneo Universal de Amazonas Block A
  • 10/13: Torneo Universal de Amazonas Block A
  • 10/20: Torneo Universal de Amazonas Final/Blue Panther 45th Anniversary show
  • 10/27: Gran Prix Femenil

The 10/20 lineup will be announced next week on Informa. Minus the tournament final, of course.

Estrellita Lagunera/Centella/Andromeda/(whatever her name is this week) jumps to CMLL

La Andromeda is the now former AAA wrestler Centella, who was Estrellita Lagunera in the indies. AAA believed she quit because she had a CMLL offer, and they turned out to be absolutely correct. The Guadalajara poster with “Andromeda” on it was out last Thursday, which means CMLL was advertising her before she even gave AAA notice. She probably knew for weeks and just didn’t tell AAA until the last moment. AAA’s inconsistent TV schedule meant she hadn’t actually worked for them in five weeks (since the 08/20 Showcenter card), though she was figured in shows going forward.

Whatever you want to call Andromeda, she showed up wearing a Gran Jefe headdress. Her brothers are Gran Jefe IV and Gran Jefe V, and V appeared in the Torneo de Escuelas earlier this year. They seem to be a CMLL family and likely “guided” her towards CMLL once that became an option. I don’t think AAA did anything specifically wrong. The issue is just they were AAA. She’d barely been in AAA (two TV matches) though it still feels like a blow. Konnan had talked about wanting a high flying luchadora for some time and seemed excited to have her part of their roster. Andromeda probably would’ve stood out more in the short term in AAA, because she’d work mixed tag where men could base for her. She might have more success long term in CMLL, who seem more interested in putting their homegrown talent in higher positions.

CMLL appears to be recruiting women heavily, especially for these Guadalajara shows. It took me until now to realize the Centinela that’s here is the same one who popped up on AAA’s military base show earlier this year. CMLL’s big advantage here is volume. That eight women’s match can more easily exist because CMLL has 40+ matches every week, and they can easily set aside one a week to a bunch of young luchadoras who may be years away from making Friday night Arena Mexico shows. AAA, as they currently run, has about three matches a week. It’s not a fair battle. AAA has Luchatitlan too, but I’m not sure how much development can be done when everyone’s doing the show night after night; maybe they’ll get very good in a specific way.

(Irrelevant fact: There was a previous La Andromeda between 1999-2001 in CMLL, when CMLL’s women’s division was essentially one match every couple of months before dropping the concept entirely for years. That Andromeda returned to CMLL when the division got relaunched and wrestled as Rosa Negra from 2006 to 2009. In a trivia note, TNA wrestling ran vignettes for an Andromeda in 2009, but the person never debuted. That person was supposed to be current movie star Cassandro.)

Centella’s match on this week’s AAA TV was the one I wasn’t able to record. If I can’t catch it on a repeat and if AAA cuts it out of their YouTube (which I would totally do if I were them), it will be lost for all time and it’ll drive me mad.

Noche de Campeones

CMLL revealed the full lineup and card order on Informa on Wednesday.

CMLL (FRI) 09/29/2023 Arena México
1) Bárbaro Cavernario © vs Esfinge [CMLL LH]
2nd defense, first this year
2) La Catalina vs Stephanie Vaquer [CMLL WOMEN]
vacant championship (Stephanie Vaquer neck injury)
3) Mercurio © vs Pierrothito [CMLL MINI]
6th defense
4) Místico © vs Virus [NWA MIDDLE]
7th defense
5) Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa © vs Apocalipsis, Cholo, Disturbio [MEX TRIOS]
fifth defense, 1st this year
6) Titán © vs Máscara Dorada [CMLL WELTER]
8th defense

The trios title match swung back and forth in the last few hours. Los Indestructibles won by 295 votes, the closest contest of the six. La Catalina eeked out Stephanie Vaquer for the most votes among the women, though it doesn’t really matter who is one and two between them.

All the challengers appeared on Informa to discuss their finish, some of them talking about how much they were encouraging friends and family to accept. The Indestrucibles team of Cholo, Apocalipsis and Disturbio might have been the happiest; none of them thought they’d be in a title match, much less the semi-main on a Friday night Arena Mexico show. All those guys have been in apuesta matches, but seem to feel as if this is as big of any of those. Friends and countrywomen Catalina & Vaquer were also beaming up about the chance to wrestle each other in a title match. Titan/Dorada should be great but everyone seems motivated to reward the people who voted for them with a good performance.

Vote entirely was up 42% for last year. CMLL seems pretty happy with how it went and will surely be running it back in 2024.

(Mercurio did tell the press he’d rather face Minos, because he’s defeated Pierrothito & Angelito already. He’s out of luck. They may want to give the minis a year off next year.)

CMLL also surprised Mascara Dorada with an announcement that he’d be going to the UK as part of RevPro’s British J Cup on October 21st. Hechicero and Atlantis Jr. earlier talked very positively about their FantsticaMania UK experience.

CMLL now working with MLW and NJPW

CMLL Informa had a brief mention of a new promotional alliance with Major League Wrestling. MLW confirmed a three-way deal between CMLL, MLW, and NJPW starting next month. The press release mentions the leaders of the three organizations and Rocky Romero, which may be a tell. This is probably the same sort of deal CMLL has going with NJPW Strong: a few wrestlers going to a US based TV taping every one or two months. MLW shows air live as PPV before getting cut up for TV. MLW’s next show is 10/14 in Philadelphia.

It’d be a sound idea if this wasn’t MLW. MLW’s alliance with AAA ended with a weird title change or two, some matches that didn’t get anyone over, and a couple of wrestlers trapped under a lowball contract without being used. It helped in AAA in that it was a couple of extra paydays and as something for people to put on their resumes, but not much beyond that. Maybe CMLL will be fine with the same. AAA and MLW’s brand of weird seemed a much better fit.

I don’t follow MLW closely, but I did see manager Salina de la Renta returned to the promotion recently and noticed promo included a line about questioning why all the luchadors have disappeared. That was foreshadowing, I just assumed it was the Parks coming back again or something along the lines. Just browsing the YouTube channel, they also seem to have suddenly written out Sam Adonis and Dario Cueto, as well at least teasing Microman being out of the group. This was all probably a plan for a bit.

MLW/CMLL will probably amount to some extra CMLL matches on a different YouTube and a few extra bookings for a while. MLW tapes about once a month, so it’s not going to much work. It’s also probably not long for this world; MLW seems to shift promotional alliances every 4-5 anyway. (They’ve had deals with Dragon Gate, NOAH, AJPW along with AAA, all of which quietely disappeared.) We’ll all get through it fine as long as no one signs a contract.

AAA

Alberto el Patron will replace Penta on Sunday in Guerra de Titanes. AAA acknowledged Penta had a commitment with AEW and that they’re be changing the match. Alberto & Octagon Jr. versus Sam Adonis & QT Marshall is the new main event. I was suspicious AAA wouldn’t announce a change and they did in advance this time.

The plan seemed to be to build Octagon Jr./QT Marshall, but that seems less likely to happen with Alberto involved. Alberto’s a downgrade for my interest but that event is going to draw a very casual audience – they’re people coming for a fair who decide to stick around for a wrestling show – that I think it’ll be fine. AEW may not be pleased to have one of their VPs be in the ring with Alberto though. Alberto being involved is a heavy negative to the US audience but the US audience has no real way to watch this show normally and the people who’d be upset are probably going to be watching the AEW show instead. I wouldn’t want Alberto around but this is the easiest place

Reina Dorada also replaces Centella in the Copa Antonio Pena. (The two mystery spots remain a mystery.) Hijo del Vikingo is still listed on the card, but then he was listed on last week’s card too. My impression was Vikingo was going to be out two weeks so I wouldn’t expect him to wrestle.

Tickets for Sunday’s AAA show go from 250 to 600. They got a huge crowd in that arena last year and will get the same.

AAA officially announced Guerra de Titanes would take place November 19th in Ciudad Juarez. We worked this out earlier, it’s just now official. It would make sense to have one more big Pagano/Texano match on Pagano’s hometown show; he’s over huge every time they run that city.

Roberto Figueroa announced the 11/26 Showcenter will have 8 matches and include 10 wrestlers from US/Canada. Impact previously told their wrestlers they’d be taping in Mexico this year, so I presume this is them. I’m just not sure if this is the taping itself or if they’re doubling up on the weekend with an Impact taping elsewhere. Impact tends to tape twice at a time. Figueroa said the card would be announced this Wednesday, which turns out to mean October 4th and not today.

Komander returned to Reynosa to a big reaction.

IWRG

Thursday’s show is a Lucha Libre Boom show with a hundred people

IWRG (THU) 09/28/2023 Arena Naucalpan
1) Sparta vs RyuPríncipe CentauroLatinoHijo De SpartaGravedad CeroRey Spartano
2) Demencia, Hijo De Brazo De Platino, Reptil vs ?, Amenesia, Gaona
3) Oro Blanco, Papelito, Voltio vs Argus, Eurus, Solido
4) Sádika vs CandelaLa BravaMarinaPrincesa AzulJesse JacksonDanessaReina ObscuraMary Caporal
5) Fandango, Hijo De Carta Brava, Noisy Boy, Spider Fly vs Lunatik Fly, Lunatik Xtreme, Súper Boy, Toto
6) Chico Che, Pantera, Último Vampiro vs Black Dragón, Bombero Infernal, Carta Brava (LLBL)
7) Pig Destroyer, Pig Destructor, Pig Pool vs Gran Pandemónium, Hijo de Pandemónium, Pandemónium Jr.
8) Hell Boy, Hijo de Canis Lupus, Puma de Oro vs Aero Boy, Cíclope, Miedo Extremo
9) Místico & Octagón vs Averno & Fuerza Guerrera

I will not watch this show. I apologize to Aeroboy.

IWRG (SUN) 10/01/2023 Arena Naucalpan
1) Dinastía & Tornado vs Kurama & Superboy
2) Príncipe Arkano vs Low RiderLanzelothÁguila RojaRey Aztaroth
3) León Dorado & Mr. Leo vs Elemental & Puma de Oro
4) Dr. Cerebro Jr., Noisy Boy, Spider Fly vs Mr. Mike, Relámpago, Tonalli
5) Cerebro Negro & Cerebro Negro Jr. vs Hell Boy & Shocko [seconds hair]
referee Reyes Rosas (Cerebros) and Sonrisas (Hell Boy) hair on the line
6) Galeno del Mal & Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. vs Hijo de Canis Lupus & Ivan Rokov

The referees have been feuding lately. I think the Wagners were rivals last time here but I guess Canis Lupus & Ivan Rokov aren’t friends either. Dinastia showing up to Naucalpan to work an opener is strange, but maybe he won’t show up.

Other Notes

Ensenada’s government website has a story story on how successful it’s “La Lucha Libre es Cultura” event was last weekend. AFN Noticias has a bit on a part of the event that goes unmentioned; the wrestlers invited fans in the ring to take a chop to see how hard it hit, and a minor got chopped repeatedly and needed medical treatment. The dad threatened criminal complaints against everyone. I think the issue starts with the parent saying it was OK for the child to go get hit.

Other Notes

An interview with Puebla’s Astaroth.

Box y Lucha 3570 has Cassandro, KeMonito and the CMLL show.

Cassandro was honored by the El Paso government. I remain confused if not surprised by the wrestling sphere in totally ignoring this movie. It’d be less weird if they just watched and decided they didn’t like it, but people who seem to absorb anything tangentially related to wrestling seem to have let this one slip by. I’ll stop writing this paragraph after today.

Impact Wrestling “Before the Impact” (the show that airs for free on YouTube) has Laredo Kid & Black Taurus versus Sami Callihan & Rich Swann on Thursday. I assume it’s a Callihan farewell match, as he’s said he’s finishing with the promotion and Swann is one of his good friends. Did you know: Laredo Kid has won two matches over the last calendar year in Impact. He has lost many more than two.

Segunda Caida digs more into Panamanian wrestling.

KeMonito vs CMLL, AAA vs announced main events, FantasticaMania UK and more

CMLL

CMLL (FRI) 09/22/2023 Arena México [AS, CMLL, Estrellas del RingThe Gladaitores, thecubsfan]
1) Difunto & Espanto Jr. b Hombre Bala Jr. & Pelon Encapuchado CMLL - ESPANTO JR. - DIFUNTO VS PELÓN ENCAPUCHADO - HOMBRE BALA JR. /ARENA MÉXICO/22-09-23 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL) Espanto Jr. y Difunto con Mije en su esquina vencen al Pelón Encapuchado y Hombre Bala Jr. (posted by La Tijera Lucha Libre)
First loss for Pelon Encapuchado.
2) Reyna Isis, Stephanie Vaquer, Zeuxis b La Jarochita, Lluvia, Skadi CMLL - ESPANTO JR. - DIFUNTO VS PELÓN ENCAPUCHADO - HOMBRE BALA JR. /ARENA MÉXICO/22-09-23 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL) Stephanie Vaquer, Zeuxis y Reyna Isis logran dar cuenta de Lluvia, Jarochita y Skadi (posted by La Tijera Lucha Libre)
11:17.
3) Virus b TJP [lightningCMLL - MATCH RELÁMPAGO / TJP VS VIRUS /ARENA MÉXICO/22-09-23 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL) Virus logra sacar la rendición con la (posted by La Tijera Lucha Libre)
9:36
4) Atlantis, Blue Panther, Negro Navarro, Pantera, Panterita del Ring, Rocky Santana b Águila Solitaria, Black Terry, Felino, Octagón, Satánico, Solar I [ciberneticoCMLL - TORNEO CIBERNÉTICO DE LEYENDAS /ARENA MÉXICO/22-09-23 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL) Eliminatoria del Torneo de Leyendas Mexicanas del CMLL (posted by La Tijera Lucha Libre)
30:17. Order of elimination: Rocky Santana (via Black Terry), Aguila Solitaria (Pantera), Panterita (Satanico), Pantera & Felino double pin, Black Terry (Negro Navarro), Solar (Atlantis), Satanico (Blue Panther), Negro Navarro (Octagon), Blue Panther (Octagon), Atlantis (Octagon) leaving Atlantis as the winner.
5) Ángel de Oro, Místico, Templario DQ Dragón Rojo Jr., Rocky Romero, Soberano Jr. [Relevos IncreíblesCMLL-SOBERANO JR.-ROCKY ROMERO-DRAGÓN ROJO JR. VS ÁNGEL DE ORO-TEMPLARIO-MÍSTICO/A. MÉXICO/22-09-23 (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL) Dragón Rojo Jr, Soberano Jr y R. Romero son descalificados frente a Templario, Místico y Á. de Oro (posted by La Tijera Lucha Libre)
14:16. Dragon Rojo unmasked Templario for the DQ. Soberano and Rocky Romero antagonized Mistico post match.

This was about as good as it looked on paper. TJP/Virus was exactly the battle people who wanted to see those guys hoped it to be; there just weren’t a lot of them in Arena Mexico. The old guys were very over and very old. The main event ended up more about Sobreano and Rocky against a strongly over Mistico than the normal Dragon Rojo/Templario follow up, though they still figured into the finish.

Luchadors in attendance included Dos Caras, Mano Negra, Rambo, El Halcon, Ringo Mendoza, Americo Rocca, Irma Gonzalez, Irma Aguilar, Kahos, Talisman, Enrique Vera, Tony Salazar, Tinieblas along with all the guys who were in the match. Fantasma was there as Mexico City commission. Famous fans Guillermina Sarzosa (La Cavernaria) and Jesus Ornelas (Chabelo) were also included, as well as CMLL barber Alfonso Penaloza.

We learned the feed you get if you buy the CMLL show in Mexican Pesos and if you buy it in USD is different this week. The Pesos feed worked at the start of the show, the USD one did not. I bought the USD one and Neerme sent me a link to the working Pesos about a half hour in, but I had already figured out what had happened and bought a second PPV by that time. Both were working by the time VOD went up. There was also an issue with the crowd sound, which seemed way turned up. At least this all happened this week and not last week.

CMLL (SAT) 09/23/2023 Arena Coliseo [CMLL]
1) Leono b Inquisidor [lightning]
2) Max Star, Oro Jr., Valiente Jr. b Dr. Karonte I, Dr. Karonte II, Enfermero Jr.
3) Amapola, La Jarochita, Sanely b La Catalina, Stephanie Vaquer, Zeuxis
Amapola replaced Lluvia
4) Star Black, Valiente, Volcano b Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Kráneo
5) Blue Panther & Felino b Negro Navarro & Solar I
6) Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Templario b Bárbaro Cavernario, Dragón Rojo Jr., Terrible

Slightly surprising that Dragon Rojo didn’t get the win in the main event. It doesn’t mean much. Felino won the battle of maestros with a flying elbow drop.

CMLL (SUN) 09/24/2023 Arena México
1) Angelito b Minos [lightning]
2) Amapola, Hera, Olympia b La Guerrera, La Vaquerita, Skadi
3) Cancerbero & Luciferno b Felino Jr. & Pólvora
4) Crixus, Hijo del Villano III, Villano III Jr. b Arkalis, Pegasso, Stigma
5) Averno, Euforia, Mephisto b Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Misterioso Jr.
6) Dragón Rojo Jr., Stuka Jr., Terrible b Ángel de Oro, Fugaz, Místico [Relevos Increíbles]

Just a normal Sunday show.

CMLL (TUE) 09/26/2023 Arena México
1) Acero, Aéreo, Galaxy vs Pequeño Olímpico, Pequeño Polvora, Pequeño Violencia
2) Brillante Jr. & Oro Jr. vs Dr. Karonte I & Dr. Karonte II
3) Neón vs Raider [lightning]
4) Arkalis, Pegasso, Stigma vs Magia Blanca, Magnus, Rugido
5) Dark Panther, Fugaz, Guerrero Maya Jr. vs Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Hechicero
6) Atlantis Jr., Star Jr., Volador Jr. vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Dragón Rojo Jr., Terrible

Volador Jr. is indeed back on Tuesday. That still seems too soon. Neon/Raider could be a lot of fun.

Atlantis Jr. was double booked here and Arena Coliseo Guadalajara. The Jalisco arena re-issued their lineup, with Pantera del Ring taking the spot there.

CMLL (FRI) 09/29/2023 Arena México
1) Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa © vs ?, ??, ??? [MEX TRIOS]
fifth defense, 1st this year
2) Místico © vs ? [NWA MIDDLE]
7th defense
3) Mercurio © vs ? [CMLL MINI]
6th defense
4) ? vs ?? [CMLL WOMEN]
vacant championship (Princesa Sugehit neck injury)
5) Bárbaro Cavernario © vs ? [CMLL LH]
2nd defense, first this year
6) Titán © vs ? [CMLL WELTER]
8th defense

We won’t have the full lineups until Wednesday (which means another late Wednesday update FWIW), and this is just the match order at the moment. Even it may change; the women are pushing into the second spot. The voting wasn’t as nuts as it was on Friday, but it is all over the map and much higher than it was before Wednesday. CMLL’s promoting the contest a little bit more on social media with it being the next show, but it’s more than that. The votes for all the matches have narrowed to the point where I don’t really have any great clue on who’s going to be in any of the matches.

Arena Coliseo Guadalajara announced the Lucha Femenil Naciones would take place October 31st. That’s their version of the women’s Gran Prix. Those matches usually precede the Arena Mexico version. I don’t think that’s happening this time, because that Friday would typically be a Dia del Muertos show. I suspect instead the Women’s Gran Prix will be October 27th. CMLL will officially announce the date on Wednesday.

KeMonito press conference

KeMonito (or QueMoniito) held a press conference on Monday afternoon to explain his side of the CMLL breakup. It went over two hours. It felt longer. The facts explained were generally the same as released to the press last week: the person wanted to retire, CMLL didn’t want to “the gimmick” to retire, he decided he wanted to leave, and he’s arguing he has the right to continue being KeMonito anywhere. In the press conference, he acknowledged CMLL drew a sketch of the character and gave him the colors they wanted to use. He made the costume. Dr. Alfonso Morales, technically a Televisa employee (who’s primary job was to call CMLL matches) came up with the name. CMLL trademarked the KeMonito name and outfit as intellectual property. KeMonito (or more his lawyers) are arguing he’s actually more of an artist, and so such be able to take the art he created with him outside the promotion.

I don’t know Mexican law enough to that it will work. It did not seem like it would. The lawyers – and one of the primary themes is there were a lot of lawyers – brought up Psicosis, Histeria, Kraneo and Latin Lover as people as success stories in. They may have actually won the case that they’ve got an artistic right to their name, but they were unable to use those AAA-born characters in CMLL. They did sort of get away with it on non-TV indie shows, in the idea that indie shows aren’t usually worth AAA’s time to threaten over it. Maybe CMLL’s indicated to KeMonito they’ll threaten him over it, but that wasn’t made clear here. This was more a pre-emptive strike, KeMonito (and his lawyers) asserting he had the right to do what he was planning on doing, and accusing CMLL of not paying money owed for past work.

The facts just don’t see strong in KeMonito’s case. A lot of the press conference turned instead to sympathy for the rights of luchadors, talking about how they’re mistreated and underpaid. They emphasized how much punishment KeMonito took in this role, and the injuries to his body. It doesn’t seem to help the legal argument, but it may gain more attention for his case. That seemed the true goal of this bit, to get attention for KeMonito’s plight, maybe to get some governmental attention, and for all these lawyers to get a moment in the spotlight. There’s not money to be found – KeMonito says he doesn’t have a lot, and he wouldn’t get a lot more if he kept the gimmick. It came off like he was being used for the attention.

One of the people who most seemed to soak in the attention was “Sindicato Nacional de Luchadores y Referees de la República Mexicana” leader Jose Contreras. He dominated the last hour of the press conference, talking about how strong the syndicate (union) is, how many members they’ve got, how they all know the promotions are mistreating the wrestlers but only KeMonito is brave enough to take a stand against them. Contreras suggested there’d be a demonstration in support of KeMonito. Contereras turns up this way every year or so, people take him seriously, and then there’s nothing heard of him for a long time. He made up for that absence by speaking for and forcefully about how important he and his job is. As best I can tell, they haven’t gotten as far as making a Facebook page, but they usually make enough noise to last a few weeks at a time. Some public spectacle seems likely.

CMLL responded a few minutes after the press conference ended with a Comunicado Oficial. Their position is they would sign a fair deal with KeMonito right now if he came back to the table. They say it was KeMonito’s decision to walk away and KeMonito who talked about retiring previously. CMLL says they informed and showed documents to KeMonito to prove they owned the rights to the characters and made it clear they wanted to continue the character after he left because it was so over. They say they met with KeMonito and his lawyers about this multiple times and they’re willing to do it again to find a deal that benefits both sides (and not any third parties getting involved.) CMLL says they’ve treated every part of the CMLL family with respect and dignity they deserve over the last 90 years, and asks people not to believe any false declarations or charges from third parties.

CMLL’s side is too much different in broad strokes than what KeMonito presented, it’s the details. CMLL says they want a fair offer, KeMonito says CMLL offered almost nothing. Both agree that KeMonito talked of retiring, but KeMonito says it was required to be a secret retirement. CMLL is definitely portraying it like some people are influencing KeMonito to make some bad decisions so they themselves can benefit. (Unfortunately, that press conference had a vibe that supported CMLL on that one.) It’s hopeful that CMLL is at least taking the public posture about trying to work a deal out; this seems like something that should be settled instead of going to court.

Of related note, CMLL published a trademark for KeMalito on Wednesday. They filed it last Thursday, which would’ve been the last non-holiday before he was introduced.

FantasticaMania UK

I gave the FantasticaMania (Japan) it’s own section, so I guess I should do this as well.

RevPro , CMLL , 2 pm (SAT) 09/23/2023 Manchester, United Kingdom [@britwrestling1RevPro, thecubsfan]
1) Magia Blanca b Levi Muir
6:07
2) Audaz (CMLL), Ricky Knight Jr., Zak Knight b Kid Lykos, Kid Lykos II, Sangre Imperial
10:28
3) Titán (CMLL) b Robbie X
11:04. Moved down to before an intermission. (No intermission on show 2.)
4) Wild Boar b Capitán Suicida
9:53.
5) Flash Morgan Webster & Mark Andrews b Okumura & Zandokan [BRITISH TAG]
13:42. Lykos Gym ran in post match and Zandokan helped them beat up Subculture until Titan evened the numbers.
6) Hechicero (CMLL), Trent Seven, Último Guerrero b Atlantis Jr., Guerrero Maya Jr., Michael Oku
18:10

(Both shows on Revpro’s on-demand site – click the Revpro link up there – costs $9.50 a month.)

I missed the first two matches of the first show but caught up with everything after that, as well as the seocnd show. Hechicero/Oku was easily the best match on the show, an easy and strong recommendation. Robbie X/Titan was pretty good and easily the best thing on the afternoon card. Atlantis/Ultimo Guerrero and the trios on the evening show were also worth checking out. The show ended with everyone coming to the ring to celebrate in FantasticaMania fashion, and promos from Oku and Atlantis Jr. (in English), saying they’d be back next year. (Hechicero also made it clear he wasn’t done with Oku or the title.)

Both shows actually streamed live and are up RevPro’s VOD now (though distractingly both listed as “Part 2”.) This was at a taco fest but indoors, in a building that had the feel of a warehouse. The sound bounced around nice enough. I didn’t catch the commentator’s names on either show, but they seemed excited for the CMLL wrestlers and into the show. There were the odd technical glitches; one commentary was quieter than the other, and it felt like there was an open mic transmitting some conversation during most of the Robbie X/Titan match. The fans seemed to have a good time and easily got into the show; everyone seemed happy with the idea of CMLL wrestlers coming back in 2023. CMLL luchadors seemed happy with seeing the sights (or the football arenas) or Manchester the day after the show.

CMLL wrestlers are expected to be part of more RevPro shows going forward, so I may not be able to quickly cancel my subscription. There’s some discussion of other CMLL/RevPro collaborations.

AAA

AAA TV (SAT) 09/23/2023 Gimnasio Olímpico Juan de la Barrera, Ciudad de México, Distrito Federal [@robviper, Record]
1) Éxtasis & Shere Khan ?? Mini Psycho Clown & Rey Espectrito
dark match
2) Dinámico, Kamik-C, Skalibur b Drago Kid, Dulce Kanela, Mini Vikingo
3) Dalys DQ KrisstaChik TormentaLolita
scheduled as Chik Tormenta/Centella (Centella apparently quit?). Elimination match. Tormenta got DQed and fought with Dalys later.
4) Kento & Takuma b Mr. Iguana & Niño Hamburguesa [lumberjack]
Kuukai and La Estrella helped Kento & Takuma win, Komander and Mecha Wolf made the save. Konnan appeared, and showed footage of Vikingo’s injury. Vikingo appeared, announced he wouldn’t be wrestling, and suggested a fourway between Komander, Mecha Wolf, Kuukai and Estrella for the vacant cruiserweight title. Konnan agreed.
5) Octagón Jr. b DragoBestia 666 [AAA LA, #1 Contenders]
Octagon Jr. earns a shot at QT Marshall
6) Dralistico & Negro Casas b Argenis & Nicho el Millionario
Earlier, three mystery men attacked Negro Casas and Nicho, and revealed themselves to be Argenis, Nicho and Texano. Dralistico ran them off. La Mistica on Argenis. Bestia del Ring attacked Negro Casas, with Dralistico breaking it up. Casas challenged Nicho to a hair match afterwards.
7) Komander b La EstrellaKuukaiMecha Wolf [AAA CRUISER]
Scheduled to be Komander/Vikingo for the AAA Mega champion, Vikingo unable to wrestle due to hip injury, suggested a four way based on interference in the lumberjack match. Vacant title, given up by Fenix back in August. Komander is 15th champion, beating Mecha Wolf.
8) Texano Jr. b Pagano [ambulance]
Texano drove away with Pagano in ambulance (with the implication we’ll see more on TV)

Lots going on here. The Centella thing is a mystery to all. The word from the AAA side is she never came to the building, instead calling the promotion in the afternoon to say she would not be there today and would no longer be working for AAA. That’s wildly unprofessional if true. Centella/Estrellita Lagunera has said nothing on social media. The assumption is she got an offer to go to CMLL and quit AAA to take it, but that’s mostly the assumption because no one seems to know what the deal is and everyone’s guessing. CMLL Informa on Wednesday will be talking all about their women’s wrestling plans on Informa, and maybe we’ll get an answer as part of that. Dalys was already at the building with Negro Casas but AAA planned on doing Dalys/Tormenta as a standalone match later on, so they needed more people. Lolita and Krissta just happened to be around or nearby for an emergency call and are not factored into plans beyond this show.

Nothing AAA really could do about that. Nothing AAA can really do to prevent Vikingo from getting hurt. It’s wrestling, people can get hurt.  (AAA showed ROH footage to ‘prove’ it was a real injury.) There’s a lot AAA could’ve done after Vikingo got hurt. They could’ve told people the match might not be happening. AAA did not do that; they waited until midway through the show to say Vikingo would be off (and had Vikingo do it.) AAA could’ve found a replacement of equal value, as it often promised in boilerplate text on lucha libre cards. With all due respect to La Estrella and Kuuaki, AAA didn’t come to doing that either. It was an especially difficult weekend for AAA to find a late replacement – Psycho Clown was in Japan, Laredo Kid & Taurus had Impact obligations*, Arez, Latigo & Gringo Loco were in Europe among other bookings – and we don’t know how hard they tried to get someone. We just know they used two foreigners already in Mexico, and filled the vacant Cruiserweight championship to say they’ve done something. I didn’t sense any huge outrage over this; I think anyone who’s would go to AAA just to see specific matches either has stopped going or has accepted that you can’t trust AAA to deliver anything they promise at this stage.

Vikingo walked out with crutches but doesn’t actually need them, it was just a way to get across that he really was injured. He was saying he’d be out for two weeks, but then he also thought he could make this show. Vikingo is still expected to wrestle on Defy’s 10/13 show in Yakima, Washington. I suspect he’s planning going to Japan for GCW’s shows; he was announced as facing Gringo Loco on 10/12. (Probably one flight leads to the other one.) Two weeks would leave him on schedule for those.

It appears AAA will be missing main event wrestlers on back-to-back weekends. The Heroes Inmortales show is scheduled to be headlined by Octagon Jr. & Pentagon Jr. vs QT Marshall & Sam Adonis. On Saturday, AEW announced Penta & Rey Fenix will be on WrestleDream as part of a four team tag match. Those shows are on the same day. I know it can be confusing with names, but it’s the same Penta booked for two different countries on the same day. It’s still possible AEW TV will write Penta out of the WrestleDream match this week – that just happened last month with other PPV matches – but it would be unwise to expect AAA to say anything about this situation before Sunday. Penta is absolutely going to work the AEW show if he remains booked in both; he’s under contract to AEW and not to AAA, so the priority is not in doubt. This unavailability (and maybe late surprise unavailability) will increasingly become an issue in 2024 if reports of AEW running 12 PPVs in 2024 prove correct. It’s also curious that AEW VP QT Marshall would be wrestling in Jalisco on the same day as an AEW PPV, but that’s someone else’s issue to figure out.

I didn’t put together Heroes Inmortales and WrestleDream on the same day until this Penta situation came up. I was actually thinking that since Heroes Inmortales is airing live – on Space and HBO Max in Mexico – maybe it was time to bring back the stream. I guess not, so much if myself and may people who would watch the stream are watching AEW instead. There is a greater issue here more than my dumb streams: AEW adding two more hours of TV and more monthly PPVs continues to shift some eyeballs away from non-major US wrestling promotions. There’s just only so much time in a week.

The Heroes Inmortales card has at least three matches that will need to be changed since Vikingo and Centella were both advertised. Your guess at what they end up doing is as good as mind. We can guess when AAA might have been clued in on some change: they last promoted the lineup on September 12 and cropped on the lineup starting on September 18th.

There was a show here! Again, the fourway cruiserweight was said to be the best match on the show. There was an angle with Hip Hop Man disapprovingly watching matches and taking notes. Texano and Pagano weirdly went for pinfalls in the ambulance matches, which the referee would not count. They figured it out eventually. Dralistico and maybe Mecha Wolf appear to have flipped to the tecnico side off camera. The angle they ran in the lumberjack match is the same angle they ran in the last lumberjack match with those two teams (only replacing Nishikawa with La Estrella.) It probably says something important about La Estrella’s status with Dragon Gate that he was fine doing an angle with Takuma & Kento, who are very much out of Dragon Gate. I refuse to believe AAA is actually doing a Negro Casas/Nicho match because it’s too sad. There was no commentary over the sound system; there’s no definite decision if that’s a one show pause or a full time change. Gimnasio Juan de la Barrera looked about 60% full for this show, which seems a little disappointing for a Mexico City show. It’s not a great sign for the drawing power of Komander/Vikingo, which is why I’m finding it harder to get worked up about it.

I didn’t get to watch this week’s AAA on Space show as of yet. You probably can’t totally either if you’re relying on me. I took five tries and I couldn’t get find one complete recording of the women’s match, which turned out to the be main event. There doesn’t appear to be any skits or angles on the show, just matches. The video quality is superb this week though.

AAA airing on “AMas” move to Sundays at 4pm. AAA’s been on this channel, a subchannel of Azteca, since they jumped over in 2019. It’s a much better time to watch it the 1 AM slot on the main Azteca channel, but obviously a lot fewer people checking out the channel.

IWRG

IWRG (SUN) 09/24/2023 Arena Naucalpan [Estrellas del Ring, IWRG]
1) Fussion & Sagitarius b Diablo I Jr. & Maggie Girl
No one can agree if it’s Maggie Girl or Magic Girl (which is what it actually sounds like)
2) Karaoui b Dr. Cerebro [Cero Cuerdas, semifinal]
3) Hell Boy & Shocko b Cerebro Negro & Cerebro Negro Jr.
feuding referees, setting up a Reyes Rosas/Sonrisas seconds hair match.
4) Judas el Traidor b Avisman [Cero Cuerdas, semifinal]
5) Ivan Rokov, Relámpago, Súper Comando b Dr. Cerebro Jr., Puma de Oro, Último Legendario
Super Comando is 1/3rd of the IWRG IC Trios champions, having won them elsewhere.
6) Hijo de Canis Lupus, León Dorado, Mr. Leo b Hijo del Fishman, Tonalli, Toxin
7) Heddi Karaoui b Judas el Traidor [Cero Cuerdas, final]

Heard this was a fun show.

More Lucha Elsewhere

I caught the NOAH show from Sunday morning, as part of my deep and unhealthy fascination with Psycho Clown matches not in AAA. I thought his match with El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. was good, but disappointing if you (like me) wanted to see what Psycho would do in a straight match. I mean, it was a straight match compared to an AAA match, but also Psycho’s just not going to do a completely straight match – they did as much blood, mask ripping and brawling in the crowd as the NOAH format would allow. I did really like the story of the normally confident and successful Wagner being absolutely thrown off his game by the man who unmasked his father, and resorting to a mask pull and a foul to escape. It was not cheating just because that’s what an evil character to do, it was cheating because the man had lost all confidence he could win any other way. Psycho talked post match about doing a rematch, and there’s obvious ground to do one, but it seems unlikely he’s going to spend another few weeks in Japan. he got to bring his family for a trip and that was fun, though it would be surprising to see him as more regular presence there with his Mexico schedule. Likewise, there’s probably some mileage of Wagner 3G as a new Psycho opponent in AAA but I don’t know if he’ll be around Mexico enough to do anything more with it.

Elsewhere on the show, Los Golpeadors defeated Ninja Mack and Alejandro for the vacant GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag team Titles. This surprised me; I was sure Mack & Alejandro were winning once they showed off matching gear in NOAH colors. It was exactly the sort of “tons of moves, some of them work, some of them make sense” you’d expect from these guys. There were more moves and a lot of effort because it was a title match, but there were holes you could point out if you wanted to. It achieved it’s goal. The Alpha Wolf/Dragon Bane tossed dive is really over as a GIF.

The titles were vacant because Daga’s partner Chris Ridgeway left NOAH for personal reasons. Daga himself won a singles match on the show and looks to be getting the next shot at the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship.

The Gringo Loco, Arez, and Latigo trip through Germany (for both wXw and GCW) seems to have gotten good reviews. Haven’t seen it, would like to see it, don’t know when I would find time for it.

The Galeno del Mal/Dinasita freak show match in Prestige didn’t happen. No Dinastia; the word I’ve heard it was completely a Dinastia issue.

Other News

Hijo del Santo say he’s still training every (week)day because his body wouldn’t know what to do if he stopped.

Blue Demon Jr. helped promote a wrestling book.

Salon Los Angeles, the same place that hosted the CMLL afterparty last week, held an event to celebrate Dia Nacional de la Lucha Libre. Among those in attendance were Villano IV, Hijo del Villano III, Black Shadow Jr. and Canek (who told the press he had not been invited to the CMLL celebration.)

Milenio has a “what are (Jalisco) wrestlers like in real life” article. Valkiria turns out to be from Zacatecas.

Lucha libre annual awards were handed out in San Luis Potosi. I’m not typing all 19 awards. Best luchadors appears to be Rey Aguila (rudo?) and Gavilan Jr. (tecnico), best luchadoras are Luz Viva (tecnico) and Dark Moon (ruda.)

A story about the history of lucha libre in Tulancingo. The annual celebration at El Santo’s statue in Tulancingo took place.

Wrestlers in Oaxaca celebrated national lucha libre day.

A profile of retired Cuernavaca luchador/wrestler Kaliman (Baltazar Jayer Gomez.) He started at the age of 17, and was still working as a referee until a couple years ago. He’s 77 now.

The Ciudad Juarez government pledged 45,000 pesos (~2,600 USD) to various local lucha libre arenas as part of their upcoming lucha libre marathon.

El Universal vists Zona 23.