What happened:If you missed this show, you might get a chance to see it again next week. The last four matches all featured rematches challenges.
Esterllita versus Dallys for the CMLL Women’s Championship and a rematch of the Angel de Oro trios seemed actually set for next week. The rudo/rudo battle and Caristico/Mascara were far less certain.
What was good: Not much. Maybe everyone was burnt out from a busy weekend, but this seemed to be a lot of people going thru the motions and nothing really good. The second match was the one I liked the best.
They really should’ve made the Ninja Turtles the main event if they were actually going to win the secondary trios titles. Oh well.
Tonight’s Arena Puebla has Caristico taking on La Mascara in the main event. They’ve been feuding on and off for the seemingly six months. La Mascara has looked better in trios this year, but his Liga Elite matches have been lacking. The crowd’s have been in Caristico so this should still be well received even if it’s not a remarkable match. The semimain is a rudo/rudo battle between Peste Negra & TGR, a rematch from last week. Estrellita hasn’t been on TV or internet in about four weeks, but she returns tonight for a lightning match with Dalys. The other matches all seem like they have chances to be good, though there’s no sure bet. The show airs on CMLL.com & YouTube starting at 9pm.
Konnan’s posted a video of an ex-AAA office worker who says they lost a leg in the same bus crash that claimed the life of Irma Osorno. This is a follow up to Osorno’s family going public with their complaints about how AAA hasn’t helped them out after Osorno’s passing. In the wake of their bus accident, there was definitely talk about many more people being hurt than Osorno, including people hospitalized much after the accident, but no details came out (and the situation was quickly overwhelmed by Perro’s death.)
Konnan’s also posting photos of him with Electroshock.
CMLL (SAT) 04/30/2016Arena México [CMLL]
1) Acero & Fantasy b Pequeño Universo 2000 & Pequeño Violencia
2) El Cuatrero, Nitro, Sansón b Oro Jr., Robin, Star Jr. Rudos took 1/3.
3) Bobby Z, Ephesto, Luciferno b Stigma, The Panther, Tritón Rudos took 2/3.
4) Ángel de Oro, Blue Panther, Rey Cometa b Pólvora, Rey Escorpión, Vangellys Tecnicos took 1/3.
5) Euforia, Terrible, Último Guerrero b Máscara Dorada, Máximo Sexy, Valiente Valiente replaced Dragon Lee (injury) on Monday.
A show just to have a show in Arena Mexico on Kid’s Day.
CMLL (SUN) 05/01/2016Arena México [CMLL]
1) Artillero & Cholo b Bengala & Sensei
2) Magnus, Soberano Jr., Stigma DQ El Cuatrero, Espanto Jr., Sansón Espanto pulled Stigma’s mask for the DQ.
3) Guerrero Maya Jr., Pegasso, Tritón b Disturbio, Sangre Azteca, Skándalo Tecnicos took 1/3.
4) Cavernario, Euforia, Negro Casas b Rey Cometa, Star Jr., Titán Casas said to be returning from a right foot injury. Star replaced Angel de Oro. Rudos took 1/3. Cometa and Cavernario feuded. Cavernario was stretchered out after the match, but Cometa continued to attack him.
5) Ángel de Oro, Máscara Dorada, Valiente DQ Rey Bucanero, Terrible, Vangellys Valiente replaced Dragon Lee on Sunday. Angel de Oro replaced Super Porky. Rey Bucanero fouled Mascara Dorada.
The recap doesn’t say how Cavernario got hurt – it may be after a Cometa dive. The photos show Cometa pulling Cavernario off the stretcher once and attacking him another time. This seemed like it was going for a title match, but a hair rematch doesn’t seem out of the question.
Bucanero had a busy weekend, picking up the FILL (Chile) Championship from Bobby Z on Saturday on a show he was helping to promote. The Panther & Guerrero Maya Jr. retained their Arena Coliseo Tag Team championship over Arkangel de la Muerte & Virus. Black Terry Jr. has photos of that show.
Titan (CMLL) & Triton (CMLL) won the DTU Nexo championship over Rocky Lobo (Elite) & Lanzeloth (AAA) and Jinzo (Elite) & Dinamic Black (Elite) on their show today. Flamita was the mystery luchador in the main event and Shocker made his in-ring return.
AAA (FRI) 05/06/2016Arena Naucalpan
1) ? vs ??
2) Mini Drago & Niño De Cobre vs Máscarita Negra & Mini Psycho Clown
3) Faby Apache & Niño Hamburguesa vs Lady Shani & Mamba
4) Monsther Clown & Murder Clown vs Daga & Joe Lider and Atomic Boy & Dizzy Atomic Boy and Dizzy are said to represent Promocion Rosales
5) Electroshock, La Parka, Octagón Jr. vs Chessman, Pagano, Taurus
An AAA show in Naucalpan that’s not a TV taping, announced a few days ago. I’d guess Monsther & Murder get moved up to the main event and the fourth is just a straight 2v2 match.
CMLL (SAT) 05/07/2016Arena Coliseo
1) Bengala vs Inquisidor
2) Leono vs Camorra
3) Flyer vs Artillero
4) Hombre Bala Jr. vs Nitro
5) Tritón vs Disturbio
6) Blue Panther & Esfinge vs Puma & Tiger
7) La Máscara, Súper Porky, Titán vs Ephesto, Luciferno, Ripper
Triton vs Disturbio will probably make the internet, sounds fun.
CMLL (SUN) 05/08/2016Arena México
1) Bengala & Flyer vs Apocalipsis & Cholo
2) Fantasy, Shockercito, Último Dragóncito vs Pequeño Olímpico, Pequeño Violencia, Pierrothito
3) Esfinge, Oro Jr., Tritón vs Cancerbero, Sangre Azteca, Tiger
4) Guerrero Maya Jr., Stuka Jr., Titán vs Misterioso Jr., Pierroth, Sagrado
5) Atlantis, Máscara Dorada, Máximo Sexy vs Ephesto, Mephisto, Rey Escorpión
No Cometa & Cavernario. Maybe they got the week off, maybe that feud really has been moved to Friday. (They’d kind of have to be doing the big match on May 13th if Cavernario’s going to the BOSJ, but we’ll know if that’s happening in a couple days.)
This is the Mother’s Day show, so maybe a dance number too.
CMLL (SUN) 05/08/2016Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Avispón Negro & Black Sugar vs Destructor & Guerrero de la Muerte
2) El Alteño & Javier Cruz Jr. vs Diplomático & Gitano
3) Cosmos vs Relámpago
4) Frezzer, Mágico, Neutrón vs Demonio Rojo, El Chakal, Rey Trueno
5) El Divino, Gallo, Vaquero Jr. vs Kempo Dragón, Príncipe Kisho, Ráfaga
Kempo Dragon & Principe Kisho return from Sinaloa. Third match is listed as a normal singles match for no title.
The main event sounds like a little bit of a confusing mess, but it may be partly due to circumstances: Electroshock quit, again. He seemed to briefly quit a few months before coming back, so it’s been on his mind a while. I don’t know how close he is with his brother Sharly Rockstar right now, but Electro showing up in Elite seems plausible. It’s been a strange year and a half of Electroshock, with him disappearing off TV for moments, returning as a depressed drunk, putting together a new trio with Hijo del Pirata and Kronoz, wrestling exactly one match with that trio before Kronoz got hurt, Pirata & Electroshock being booked apart from each other, then doing the break up angle after they’ve already broken up, then the whole thing going nowhere. It’s not like Electroshock was forgotten by AAA, but the payoffs to his stories never happened. AAA seems to be in a rebuilding period and 46 year old luchador doesn’t quite fit in, but AAA was still putting him in the main events of their TV tapings. Losing Electroshock doesn’t seem like a great loss to AAA, though it fits a pattern of people walking away for all sorts of reasons.
The tag team title deal is a less understandable mess and the usual bit of AAA focusing the attention on their referees over their luchadors. They do want to re-enforce the idea of Ricky with Averno & Chessman (a third man on a two man team) and maybe there’s a thought they’ll need to replay the match at Verano de Escandalo with Jack & Angelico currently broken, but the referee reversing the finish after the belts have been awarded is among the most aggravating bits you can do.
The Frontierizos – Pagano, Damian, Halloween and Nicho – getting humiliated in the back and run off in an ambulance would seem like a quick write off to the characters in a US promotion. The AAA recap emphasizes the rivalry will continue, so maybe it’s more about balancing the scales after the Perros have taken the worst of it every time so far.
None of the matches on this show sound particularly worth watching. Maybe the qualifiers. Maybe the opener. Nothing really jumps out.
Running the Lucha World Cup qualifiers meant AAA really needed to explain Lucha World Cup, and so a press release was sent out Friday. The big news is it’ll be two different shows: a June 3rd (Friday) show at a Puebla convention center will have qualifying rounds, and the June 5th (Sunday) final back at Palacio de los Deportes. NOAH, TNA and Lucha Underground were announced as participating. ROH is not back from last year – the word was NJPW as unhappy about their partner ROH working with someone other than their other partner CMLL, which makes it really confusing why NJPW’s other other partner NOAH is participating. Hopefully TNA still exists by June. Hopefully I still exist by June.
Way back in February, Enuhito mentioned it would be a two day tournament and women would be involved. He’s completely correct on the first part, and looks to be right on the second. The press release doesn’t explain it, but the logos for Japanese joshi promotions Oz Academy and Pro Wrestling Wave are on the poster. AAA and Wave combined to hold the 2012 Reina de Reinas tournament in Japan (won by Sexy Star.) Oz Academy has sent women to AAA in past.
There’s no details on how many teams will be involved, or if the format will be different, or if the show will be on iPPV (though I expect they’ll at least try for the last part.) Tickets go on sale Tuesday, maybe there will be more details then. AAA’s next TV taping is May 14th in Orizaba, and that might also come up with more details. It should at least have a third qualifier if they’re going the trios route again. That lineup should be out no later than Wednesday.
CMLL (FRI) 04/29/2016Arena México [CMLL, KronoSport, SuperLuchas, thecubsfan] Arena Mexico 60th Anniversary
1) Cancerbero & Raziel b Flyer & Star Jr. 16:00. Rudos took 2/3.
2) Marcela, Princesa Sugehit, Skadi b Amapola, Dalys, Zeuxis 14:20. rudas took 2/3.
3) Blue Panther, Máximo, Stuka Jr. b Bobby Z, Hechicero, Kráneo 13:49. Tecnicos took 2/3. Hombre Bala Jr. replaced Super Pokry (double booked).
4) Rey Cometa b Cavernario [lightning] 8:37. Cometa won with a Destroyer
5) Máscara Dorada, Máximo, Volador Jr. b Ephesto, Felino, Rey Escorpión 10:40. Tecnicos took 2/3. Volador Jr. replaced Dragon Lee on Monday. Maximo replaced Angel de Oro on Friday.
6) Mephisto & Mistico b Carístico & Cibernético [natl pi, final] 15:36. Team Mephisto & Mistico took 2/3. In the third, Mistico beat Cibernetico, Caristico defeated Mistico and Mephisto defeated Caristico.
I liked the show. I covered the main event in detail a post below, but the short version is it’s utterly bizarre for Mistico to lose to Caristico cleanly and that not to even be the finish of the match unless something’s up with Mephisto. And even then, it’s a bit strange.
CMLL kept the lights up a bit, instead of darkening everything but the ring. They’ve done this at big shows int he past, and it’s still not quite as lit as the Elite shows, but it’s a better look. It did feel like a bigger crowd than usual in photos but not a huge one, and they didn’t do the big sweeping camera pans they use when it’s a 12,000 seat kind of night.
Liger Fever has another translation transcription of a lucha libre interview, this time one with Dragon Lee. Part 1, Part 2 (includes a great stories about boxing and another about bodybuilding), Part 3, Part 4. Dragon Lee hints at multiple tours of Japan. Everyone’s figured he’s in the BOSJ and we’ll know that for sure in a couple days, but that suggests he’s already been told he’ll be brought back later in the year for more.
Puma, Terrible, Super Halcon Jr., Super Comando and (I think) Hijo del Pantera are a show in Berwyn on May 8th. That’s the same night as the ROH PPV in Chicago Ridge. I already bought a ticket for ROH and I’d bet that show will technically be better, but I’m also thinking I’ll be watching a good match for a promotion I don’t really pay much attention to and feel like I’m missing out on Puma hanging on the ropes or something.
Diosa Atenea lost in the first round of Stardom’s Cindrella tournament.
Lineups
ELITE (WED) 05/04/2016Arena México
1) Estrellita & La Jarochita vs Muñeca De Plata & Rossy Moreno
2) Hijo De Dos Caras, Jinzo, Metaleón vs El Cuatrero, El Hijo del Medico Asesino, Sansón
3) Ángel de Oro & Golden Magic vs Argos & Magno
4) Rush vs Negro Casas [Liga Elite]
5) Carístico, Máscara Dorada, Mistico vs Ángel Blanco Jr., Euforia, Último Guerrero
6) Atlantis vs LA Park [Liga Elite]
Negro Casas finally gets started in Liga Elite – maybe. I’d be tempted to take the day off if I had to deal with Rush. (Dorada, UG, and Caristico being around gives them plenty of backups.) Caristico lost clean to Atlantis, yet it’s hard to imagine LA Park doing the same.
Medico Asesino & Angel Blanco are two more TxT refugees washing ashore in Arena Mexico. There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to the Elite undercards in the Azteca era (and Medico’s shown up on the 2010 and 2016 DragonManias) but Blanco’s in a notable position right away, though that doesn’t seem like the right match for him. He had runs in CMLL in the early 90s and 1998. His last match in Arena Mexico was teaming with that same Ultimo Guerrero (and Halcon Negro) against Mr. Aguila, Olimpico, and Hijo del Solitario. Solitario’s the biggest non-Santo regular from TxT who hasn’t shown up in one of the other groups. It always seemed like TxT was hoping for a big show to do the Santo/Solitario mask match. That’s probably still in someone’s back packet, unless/until he shows up here.
CMLL (FRI) 05/06/2016Arena México
1) Hombre Bala Jr. & Súper Halcón Jr. vs Espanto Jr. & Hijo del Signo
2) Blue Panther Jr., Pegasso, The Panther vs Fujin, Raijin, Skándalo
3) Ángel de Oro, Fuego, Súper Porky vs Bobby Z, Hechicero, Vangellys
4) Titán vs Rey Bucanero [lightning]
5) Rey Cometa, Valiente, Volador Jr. vs Cavernario, Felino, Negro Casas
6) La Máscara, Rey Escorpión, Rush vs Marco Corleone, Terrible, Último Guerrero [Relevos Increíbles]
The Rush/Marco feud is back on the show – as is UG/Escorpion, I guess. It’s not Thunder.
Cometa gets bumped up to the fifth match, so they’ve got a plan for him and Cavernario but no idea when or even what. They have a lot of matches that could end up on a big show, but no sign of a big show any time soon.
The fourth match will be the first Titan singles match to be broadcast since September. First ever Bucanero/Titan singles match.
Fujin & Raijin make a return to streams, opposite their normal rivals in the Panthers.
Hombre Bala sent back to first match purgatory. It was a nice one show run.
What happened: Mephisto & Mistico won the incredible pairs tournament. Carístico beat Mistico in the third fall, only to lose to Mephisto in the deciding decision.
Rey Cometa beat Cavernario in a lightning match. It came off as a setup to a title match, but no challenge was made.
What was good: I liked everything, to varying degrees. The lightning match was the best match, but the entire show as watchable.
Where can I watch it: The main event is on Claro’s site, and the show will be on my channel Tuesday.Read More