luchablog

Saturday: The moment you’ve been waiting for – Groon debuts in CMLL. Surely a match never to be forgotten. In Robert’s review (luchaworld – reg required), he dug the Spectacular moments more than any of the matches – which actually isn’t really all that specific, never mind.

Sunday: So you can’t see Universo vs Halloween for a while longer, but you can see his last big Arena Mexico singles main event where he…uh, lost to Heavy Metal in a match that fell apart. You might understand the cynicism towards the Universo match better. (Added bonus: we’re up to the recaps I’ve actually done! (except for next week))

GdRM: Let it be clear that I’m completely guessing on these, because there hasn’t yet been a pattern established except one Coliseo, one Mexico (and I still haven’t gotten to see last week’s episode), but Angel Blanco Jr’s debut and the Tarzan Boy walkout are likely.

CMLL (TUE) 12/06 Arena Coliseo Results [ova]
1) Mini Olimpico, Bracito de Oro b Fire, Sombrita
2) Danger, Sensei, Stuka Jr. b Flecha, Super Comando, Artillero
3) Nitro, Loco Max, Hooligan b Metro, Tony Rivera, Pantera
4) Black Warrior, Volador Jr., Satanico b Pierroth, Hijo de Pierroth, Emilio Charles
5) Dr. Wagner Jr., Rayo de Jalisco Jr., Dos Caras Jr. DQ Atlantis, Universo 2000, Mascara Ano 2000

Atlantis tried to low blow Dr. Wagner, Wagner blocked the kick, and Atlantis pulled his mask. Refs saw it. Mask challenges after, going nowhere.

Rush job. I apologize for the spelling mistakes. Everything but Ovaciones will be later; just don’t know if that’s later today or tommorow. Lucha Times is highly doubtful, but I’ll try to remember to add GdR to the listing guesses.

Ovaciones has already reduced Halloween’s injury time to “6 months.” I don’t know Halloween other than what I what I see on the television box, but I kinda expect he’ll be working to beat estimates back, and kinda just hope he doesn’t over do it.

AAA’s last show of the year is 12/17 in Chilpanicingo, Guerrero. Already scheduled is the semifinal Mexican National Middleweight tournament match between Zumbido vs el Hijo del Fantasma, which also measn the Psicosis vs Histeria. I’ve been looking at back results of late, and I’m starting to actually believe this might be a tournament with legit brackets and everything. Astounding.

I haven’t had time to flip thru Box Y Lucha’s forum for any Arena Puebla results (and there might not be any more there, as it sounded like the guy who was posting them was involved with the promotion and didn’t ID himself as such, and so there are issues about how unbiased he was describing the crowd), but Ovaciones has Mistico beating Ultimo Guerrero in the main event.

Halloween will be out seven to nine months. It sounds like he had a pre-existing knee ligament injury, and that’s the only injury the doctor talks about in the article, but of course the storyline is pinning the absences completely on the devastating effects of Unvierso’s black hammer. The doctor does say they took an MRI and checked his vertebras and he’s lucky not to be more hurt. Halloween’s going to be transferred back to a Tijuana hospital (oh no) shortly.

Ovaciones says Friday’s Arena Mexico main is actually a Triple Main Event where any of the top three matches could happen in any order, but I don’t think they’re really going to end having Kenzo main event the show. Of note, they say Texano Jr. and Kronos are teaming with a unrevealed partner; is Maximo (scheduled partner) in Japan again?

Rayo accepted a challenge from Canek’s to face off on Sunday, so add that to the Arena Coliseo card. Canek’s actual challenge was for Rayo’s WWA Heavyweight Championship, but the title is not mentioned here.

The Lucha Commission will have it’s annual Dia De Luchador party tomorrow, and they’ll announce their choices for wrestlers of the year. Hope that makes the Thursday or Friday paper.

Ain’t It Cool News posted a picture of Jack Black as Nacho Libre.

Box y Lucha #2743 is up
- Cover is all over Halloween taking the Black Hammer. I guess this angle is selling magazines.
- Poster has Volador Jr. in mid Asai Moonsault, among others.
- Abismo Negro has turned tecnico. Cibernetico was ticking him off and the tecnicos hugged him, so the decision was easy. Because he’s a good guy, he’s going to wrestle as a rudo where he’s previously committed to, but he’s looking forward to teaming with the tecnicos.
- Hector Garza declares that the Perros del Mal/Perros del Notre (huh?) are strictly Halloween, Damian 666, Mr. Aguila, el Hijo del Perro Aguayo, and Hector Garza. Not only is Tarzan not part of the group, but apparently neither is Terrible. Where this leaves the Trios titles, I have no idea.
- Original (I think) Pentagon’s near death experience. In March of ’96, a dive went bad and he suffered serious vertebrae and brain injuries, and was nearly brain dead. He was told he wasn’t going to walk or even see again, but he walks mostly normal, and he can somewhat see. He’s been supported by charity functions over the years sense, but has overcome a lot.
- Damian talks about the injuries he’s suffered thru his career. This is kinda like the Scared Straight issue.
- Sangre and Safari talk about going to NJPW. Sangre sounds thrilled with what he’s done and what’s he learned. Safari wants everyone to know he hasn’t and isn’t going to disappear; he’s hoping to prove himself here to get a better position in CMLL. Good luck on that.
- Black Warrior says he was overbooked the Friday he was shuffled out of the Arena Mexico card, but he isn’t going anywhere. He pleads to return to the rudo side, feeling it’s a better fit, and promises to give 200% in the future.
- Estrellita, real name Viviana Barradas, talks about being a wrestler and a mother. She is (or was? not clear) married to Jerrito Estrada and has two children, Christopher (10) and Monica (8). Her kids like lucha libre, but she rather they go to university than wrestle.
- Interview with Lourdes Grobet, of the Lucha Libre: Masked Superstars Of Mexican Wrestling photography book. He was told by publishers that people wouldn’t buy a Lucha Libre book, but he’s gotten great turnouts at signings. I just realized, I have no idea of Lourdes is a male or female name. Sorry about that if I’m screwing it up.
- Fantasma de la Opera explains he’s using the same exact name as his father, because he was such a fan of him.
- Aeroflash talks about what he’s done since UWA folded. Not much. Unlike others, he didn’t go to Mexico City because he’s got business responsibilities that keep him in the area, and he still wanted to wrestle, so he’s been doing in smaller shows in southern US.
- Interview with Acapulco area wrestler Apostol
- Rambo talks about his first tour of wrestling.

CMLL (SUN) 12/04 Arena Coliseo Results [ova]
1) Rayo Tapatío II, Rayo Tapatío I, Sombra de Plata b Flecha, Polvora, Vaquero
2) Marcela, Sahoria b Hiroka, Amapola
3) Satanico, Brazo de Oro, Pantera b Okumura, Masada, Ohara
4) Hijo de Lizmark, Blue Panther, Felino b Angel Blanco Jr., Pierroth, Emilio Charles Jr.
5) Rayo de Jalisco Jr., Negro Casas, Heavy Metal DQ Canek, Ultimo Guerrero, Olimpico

The big idea coming out of Friday’s show is Universo, having beat Halloween and Hector for their hair and having sent Damian to the hospital, is trying to pick off all the Perros on the way to Perro Jr. That leaves Terrible (who’s been missing a lot lately) and Mr. Aguila.

Blue Demon Jr. was robbed in Juarez. While he was sleeping, they snuck in and stole a laptop, phone, “personal medicines and documents” and 7000 pesos.

Sangre Azteca and Safari lost to Jushin Liger and Minoru on 12/04 in the second show of their NJPW tour. Liger got the pin on Sangre. (Puroresu Fan)

There’s a rumor that Universo and Mistico will get a tryout when SmackDown comes to Mexico next month. I’m sure some people will get a tryout, and I’d guess Mistico would be one (and it’d be a smart idea, especially if they’re using WWE rings, rather than do this on live TV), but that’s a bizarre combination. It sounds a lot more like who a CMLL fan would expect to be chosen (two of their top guys) than the guys WWE would typically go after (young, more visually impressive guys than Universo.)

That reminds me – Olimpico was jacked up to an unreal degree on the GdR show. He’s been getting into Hector’s luggage, I guess. It was an odd visual opener, because Mascara Ano has blond hair (not working for him in the slightest) and Tarzan Boy has apparently exchanged hair with Rey Bucanero (also not good.) If I figure out how to hook a VCR near my computer (peharps to it?), I’ll recap the wrestling (and not the fashion) this week.

Speaking of recaps: I finished #181 last night; Mistico vs Ultimo to you. I think I’m the last person in the lucha hemisphere to see this match, so I won’t go over what you already know (unless you read the recap, I guess), but I thought Perro vs Mistico was slightly better. I want to see both matches again, at any rate.

Was it Anth who posted the breakdown of that match on DVDMB? I never got around to reading it because I wanted to see the match, and now I think it’s gone in the last crash? If you still have it, you should post it to the wiki – that kind of stuff should be preserved.

What belt was Amapola wearing at the Arena Mexico show?

IWRG (THU) 12/01 Arena Naucalpan Results [ova]
1) Kid Tiger b Zaiyer
2) Ultra Mega, Freesbee b Paramedico, Black Jaguar
3) Matrix, Avisman, Suicida b Tomota, Cyborg, Andy Barrow
4) Veneno, Dr. Cerebro, Cerebro Negro b Masada, Mephisto, Nitro [EdM Trios]
5) Universo 2000, Mascara Ano 2000, Pierroth b Hijo del Perro Aguayo, Damian 666, Halloween

Ovaciones says that’s the four defense of the belts by Veneno’s trio. I still think the Payasos have those belts, and while I have a Corp trio holding the IWRG IC Trios, it’s a Black Tiger, Pantera, Pentagon Black trio. So I’m just confused.

IWRG (SUN) 12/04 Arena Naucalpan Lineup [ova]
1) Foreastero vs Freezby
2) Great Cuchillo & Kid Tiger vs Supercolt & Black Jaguar
3) Suicida, Metro, Kung Fu Jr. vs Pirata Morgan Jr., Nemesis, Kaleth
4) Veneno, Cerebro Negro, Dr. Cerebro, Bestia Salvaje vs Cyborg, Nitro, Masada, Andy Barrow
5) Mistico, Rayo de Jalisco Jr., Matrix vs Pierroth, Scorpio Jr., Head Hunter I

CMLL (SUN) 12/04 Arena Neza Lineup [ova]
1) Muerte I & Muerte II vs Rayo Tapatio I & Rayo Tapatio II
2) Negro Casas, Felino, Fantastik vs Corasrio, Terrible, REy Bucanero

There’s another interview with Shocker (or, more likely, more from the same one) where he says Sangre Chicana started the fight and he’ll finish it, and setting up a rivalary with Cibernetico’s yet to be revealed group.

TV Notes

Late Night Lucha was episode #186, which had aired on Vuelta two weeks ago, on Saturday on 09/04 and was taped on 04/01:
Ultimo /Rey Bucanero/Tarzan Boy vs Shocker/Black Warrior/Mistico
Universo/Mascara 2000/Apolo Dantes vs Perro Jr./Canek/Pierroth
Heavy Metal/Mr. Niebla/Felino vs Damian/Halloween/Black Tiger
Atlantis & Blue Panther vs Averno & Mephisto [CMLL Tag]

LdV was 189, as noted in Lucha Times.

Gurerreros del Ring (soon to be abrevated to GdR by me) is airing as I type this; here’s what they announced for the show:
11/27 Coliseo: Mistico, Hijo de Lizmark vs Tarzan Boy, Mascara Ano 2000
11/25 Mexico: Averno, Mephisto, Atlantis vs Heavy Metal, Negro Casas, Blue Panther
At least no Pierroths vs Caneks. I am taping it this time, lucky me.

CMLL (FRI) 12/02 Arena Mexico Results [ova]
1) Texano Jr., Virus, Stuka b Arkangel, Loco Max, Hooligan
2) Dark Angel, Marcela, Diana la Cazadora b Amapola, Medusa, Princesa Sujei
3) Atlantis, Rey Bucanero, Olimpico b Heavy Metal, Negro Casas, Blue Panther
More Atlantis/Panther feuding.
4) Dos Caras Jr., Dr. Wagner Jr., Mistico b el Hijo de Perro Aguayo, Héctor Garza, Tarzan Boy
Tarzan didn’t get along with his partners, and they lost in two straight falls.
5) Universo 2000 b Halloween [hair]
Mascara Ano 2000 and Damian both interfered and got thrown out. Perro did not actively interfere, but did distact with his appearance. Halloween got a near fall on his own variant of the Black Hammer, and then Universo got it for the win. Ovaciones says Halloween got shaved before being strechered out, which is more consistent with what they’ve done in the past.

In their first match of the tour, Sangre Azteca & Safari defeated Jado & Gedo in 10:48; Sangre pinned Gedo. (Puroresufan.com)

b

Universo beat Halloween with the Black Hammer in tonight’s Arena Mexico main event. (Insert mock surprise comment here.) Of note, Halloween did not actually get his head shaved, as he was stretchered out and taken away in an ambulance after recieving the Black Hammer. You’d think they at least deliver on the stip. (Unless he’s really hurt or something.)

Why I stopped listening to Johnny Cash to find this out tonight, I have no idea.