Toscano’s departure and the state of CMLL

photo by AAA

The big news at the Guerra de Titanes press conference did not have anything directly to do with any of the matches on this show, but the main event of the Perros del Mal show. Toscano appeared, announcing he was the mystery man at this weekend’s show, and would also be appearing in AAA. LA Park complained about Octagon being his second at Guerra de Titanes at the press conference, so perhaps Toscano or Texano could end up taking the spot. (There are bigger issues here, but the only other notes AAA posted from the press conference was Konnan and Casandro will be the seconds in the Sexi Star vs Pimpinela match.)

Toscano, like Texano, is officially a Perros del Mal wrestler. Signing with Perros del Mal means you’re going to work for AAA when they want you, but you’ll also be working the Perros del Mal shows regularly and taking outside bookings. It’s a distinction that means something to the luchadors, though not a very important to what fans will see  as long as Perros del Mal and AAA continue to work together. Toscano leaving CMLL had been talked about for a long time. There was a very solid rumor he was the intended surprise luchador on the AAA tapings @ Naucalpan in June, but had backed out at the last second. Toscano was intended to do something with Elegido then (either team or feud) and it’s possible AAA go that direction again if AAA can find where they put Elegido.

Toscano’s departure is the least significant to CMLL of the recent run. He was a name who’d been built up enough to still matter a bit when he lost his hair (like with Naito in 2009), but not a person the promotion had any interest in years. A slow decline is easier to handle when business is good. It’s not, and it makes sense for Toscano to try something different. Toscano had been one of the names bandied about as the surprise Perros del Mal wrestler this weekend, brought on by those past rumors and not being around CMLL much the last month. Toscano was scheduled to be back in action this upcoming week, going Guadalajara-Puebla-Guadalajara from Sunday on. It’s very possible he still will be going to those shows, just like Garza did, though whatever insta-feud they were doing with him in Puebla is surely done.

Toscano joining the Perros del Mal fills out the Perros del Mal card this weekend, but it should not be taken as the end of the jumping. LA Park isn’t alone in comparing CMLL to a sinking ships, and there’s a lot more rats looking to get off in time. CMLL is a company full of disillusioned luchadors and management who doesn’t feel they need any of them to survive. It’s not clear to me if they believe this is some natural cycle of the business which will resolve on it’s own, or if they simply do not care about the state of things, but it is clear the people in charge are unconcerned with the departures and the fan turnout.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter adds to this, as they had a ton of lucha libre news this week. Of special note to this story was a meeting CMLL management had with the luchadors prior to last Friday’s show, laying down the law. The luchadors were told that anyone who wanted out right now were free to leave, even if they were under contract, because CMLL didn’t want unhappy people. There was also a new directive to be more serious in matches, trying to be more ‘real’ to distance themselves from the other promotions. The newsletter also mentions Averno & Babe Richard both asking why the company doesn’t do more long term storylines instead of quick feuds, and were told CMLL is a promotion that does quick feuds and long storylines are too fake-showy.  (These kind of CMLL meetings appear to be a staple, though Mistico isn’t around to rant about it this year.)

Most of the younger wrestlers did not agree with CMLL’s new directive. I do not believe it it a good idea. More importantly, I’m not sure the people in charge totally buy that it’s a good idea, because they’ve been doing the opposite with the storylines most important to them. Blue Panther vs the Casas brothers is a long term storyline. Ultimo Guerrero vs Atlantis is a long term storyline. Felino vs Rey Bucanero is a long term storyline based on a show that’s just setting up long term storylines (and a show that’s far less than serious.) Ultimo Guerrero & Dragon Rojo Jr. chasing the all time record for most title defenses is definitely a long term storyline that’s near and dear the hears to whoever’s booking it. And just hours after talking about how serious and real everything needed to be, the finish of the fourth match of Friday’s show was Tirantes refusing to count for the tecnicos and helping the Invasors win. It seems like these directives and limitations don’t quite apply to the people who work with the programming committee or are allied with those who do, but maybe I’m missing something. It’s much harder to find the same pattern with people more on their own; those long term storylines seem to fade away.

When Mistico left and CMLL was initially talking about getting a new Mistico, Panico made a point of saying CMLL would go thru the various affiliated training centers, and pick out a new Mistico from the trainees. That hasn’t exactly happened, but CMLL has never had more confidence in their ability to create new stars out of fresh clay then they do in 2011. There’s ample amount of evidence this may not actually be the case (“Generacion 2011”), but CMLL is arrogantly sticking to that belief that just putting the stamp of CMLL on someone makes them important to the fans. They don’t need anything except the name and the building, and no one can take it away from them. That belief is what is motivating all of their decisions – anyone can go because anyone can be replaced by the next kid out of the school, and anyone who leaves is immediately diminished by not being CMLL anymore. The downturn in business has only hardened this view, as evident by their statements this past week. The big shakeups (or returns) people ask about are even less likely to come as long as this management crew stays in power. That means people who are going to keep looking for other places to work and taking those jumps, and hurrying to make those jumps while there are still spots. It may be AAA/Perros, it may be WWE, but people will be going and it will be important people.

Back to Toscano. In an ideal world – or at least an ideal Mexico – the economy and general situation improves in 2012, there can be more shows run around the country, AAA can run more places and bigger shows farther away from Mexico City. Maybe the same for Perros del Mal, or maybe they’ll be able to run the Toluca’s and Ecatpec’s more if AAA doesn’t. There must be more AAA/Perros shows next year to keep everyone employed happy, but there can be if the situation improves. That’s the hope behind these moves, there’s more reason for hope there than in Arena Mexico. There’s reasons to believe this might be a too optimistic outcome – the WON reports the recent last minute cancellation of AAA’s San Luis Potosi taping was due to fear of cartel-related violence – but the people involved and definitely the people making this jump feels this is a much better gamble than CMLL turning around. That’s where the luchadors believe CMLL is at the moment.

(But maybe they’ll still get good matches? That would be good. You know, title matches that go 2 minutes, 2 minutes, and 12 minutes don’t seem that serious…)

Mexico results, next week’s lineups

CMLL (FRI) 07/10 Arena Mexico [SuperLuchas, ESTO, Ovaciones]
1) Metalico & Tigre BlancoCaligula & Messala
2) Dr. X, Hooligan, SkandaloAngel Azteca Jr., Angel de Oro, Astro Boy
3) Mascara Dorada, Maximo, ValienteMisterioso II, Shigeo Okumura, Virus
4) La MascaraEphesto [lightning]
5) Black Warrior, Naito, YujiroHector Garza, Sagrado, Toscano
6) Mistico, Shocker, Volador Jr.Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas, Ultimo Guerrero

Volador got Negro with a guillotine legdrop and Mistico got Niebla with La Mistica for win. ESTO points out, the last three weeks, the tecnicos (Volador & Mistico all 3 weeks, Shocker replacing Sombra this week) have a perfect record in the main event.

In the semimain, Naito fouled Garza, with Yujiro covering for the win.  Black Warrior revealed a previously unknown ability to translate Japanese and challenged Hector Garza to a hair match on behalf of – well, some say Yujiro, and Naito.  CMLL says Yujiro, so we’ll go with that. Anyway, all three rudos were cornering Garza before Toscano came back and made his own challenge to Black Warrior. Warrior told Garza not to trust Toscano, since he’s turned rudo before. Nothing was agreed to, but they’ll have a rematch next week.

Mascara beat Epehsto clean. The tercera was said to be the best match of the night, though no tease of a hair match in this one. There were a few comments about Astro Boy looking particularly good in his match. Vicky Palacios made an another appearance to give out calendars, again. Calendar’s in July are quite something.

Ovaciones also has a side note on Dos and Psicodelico in FCW, mentioning who they faced, but conventionally neglecting to mention how they fared. I guess Ovaciones loves WWE again?

While in Gomez Palacio, Ultimo Guerrero was honored for reaching 20 years in wrestling.

AAA notes Decnnis & Billy Boy back together as a team and discussed Tito Santana‘s background.

The Gladiatores talked to Juvi and Fuerza about their IWRG invasion.

People are working on a documentary and book about Solar.

LuchaWorld has Robert on CMLL 05/17/08,  C3 05/17/08, and AAA TV 05/19/08.

indy (SAT) 07/11 Gimnasio el Ranchero de Gomez Palacio [El Siglo de Torreon]
1) El Astro vs Camorra Jr.
2) Monarca & Rey Dragon vs Demonio Negro & Morbo
3) Principe Halcon Jr. & Rey Fobia vs Brillante & Halcon Suriano Jr.
4) Moro Jr. vs Cadete de la AtlantidaVikingoGalaxyZaracatan Jr.Super Punk [name]

The winner of the main event gets to be the new Diamante Negro. Dragon Rojo Jr. is going to be bummed out when he hears that.

CMLL (TUE) 07/14 Arena Mexico
1) Cholo & Ramstein vs Bengala & Trueno
2) Pequeno Nitro, Pequeno Violencia, Pequeno Warrior vs Bracito de Oro, Electrico, Fantasy
3) Angel Azteca Jr., Angel de Oro, Angel de Plata vs Arkangel de la Muerte, Shigeo Okumura, Vangelis
4) Atlantis, Felino, Negro Casas vs La Sombra, Stuka Jr., Volador Jr.
5) Averno, Ephesto, Mephisto vs Hector Garza, Hijo del Fantasma, La Mascara [CMLL TRIOS]

They did end up pulling a switch on the challengers for these trios titles. This one could go either way.

That’s Pequeno Nitro’s debut. In his Ras de Lona appearance, he struck me as more a kid instead of an actual mini, but I’m never good in figuring that out.

CMLL (FRI) 07/17 Arena Mexico
1) Puma King & Tiger Kid vs Molotov & Starman
2) Dr. X, Nosferatu, Skandalo vs Leono, Pegasso, Rey Cometa
3) Mascarita Dorada vs Pequeno Warrior [lightning]
4) Mascara Dorada, Metro, Sagrado vs Euforia, Misterioso II, Virus
5) Black Warrior, Naito, Yujiro vs Blue Panther, Maximo, Toscano
6) Hector Garza, Mistico, Shocker vs Averno, Terrible, Texano Jr.

Well, not so much a rematch in the semimain, though I guess this clinches they’re doing something with Toscano in here. Without La Mascara, the lightning match slips back down to third spot.

CMLL (SUN) 07/19 Arena Coliseo
1) Artillero & Super Comando vs Rayo Tapatio I & Rayo Tapatio II
2) Bronco, Inquisidor, Polvora vs Horus, Metalico, Tigre Blanco
3) La Nazi, La Seductora, Princesa Blanca vs Estrella Magica, Lluvia, Sahori
4) Mascara Dorada, Mictlan, Valiente vs Heavy Metal, Lizmark Jr., Sangre Azteca
5) Hector Garza, Mistico, Toscano vs Atlantis, Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas

Edit: Location corrected.

No sign of either Shocker or UG, so either they’re being added later in a title match, or they’re just dropping that feud after this week.

04/29: Cancellations, Santo vs Deportes Martinez

Today’s list
– Canceled: Arena Coliseo Guadalajara, until the anniversary show on May 8th. Apolo Dantes uses the opportunity to hype up that show! (Cesar compares this show to the Perros.) This is only the 3rd suspension of shows in that building – once the arena was shut down for a while because of a riot at a boxing show, and the other time was in the aftermath of the Guadalajara sewer explosions of 1992.
– Canceled: Tijuana lucha libre, until May 6th
– Canceled: Lagunera Lucha Libre; only confirmed for the next couple days, including the Wagner show Friday. They’re not yet prohibiting the Sunday shows, but they’re telling people not to go to them.
– Canceled:
Psicosis and Histeria’s DF show, scheduled for today.

Other news:

RFC notes reaching 9 years of writing about lucha libre. Congrats.

AAA wants it clear that it’s only canceling spot shows thru May 6. The May 18th date is their next TV taping, but other shows from the 7th to 18th are still on at the moment.

(Reforma via SuperLucha) Hijo del Santo is threatening a lawsuit against Deportes Martinez for selling Santo gear without permission (or paying Santo.) Most masks and other merchandise sold in Mexico appears to be unauthorized, but it’s a situation that’s been the norm for decades. It’s not a surprise Santo is fighting this, because he’s been so protective of his image and brand, but the twist here is Santo is inviting in CMLL, AAA and independent wrestlers to join in the lawsuit. If Santo was successful here, it’d could be a big change in the status quo, changing the way both stores like Deportes Martinez and the mask vendors outside of buildings do business. So much so that I kind of wonder why Deportes Martinez didn’t try to get this quietly settled (Santo asked for too much? That seems like Santo’s move.)

Ovaciones also has a interview with Toscano about his rehab (he’s about six weeks out), and a generic profile of Dr. Wagner Jr. (old enough that it doesn’t mention anything about AAA.)

Jornada talks to Chritian Cymet and Orlando Jimenez, the writers of the Viva La Lucha magazine series, which was supposed to start Monday but who knows this week. Here, it’s said each edition will come out every second week, so this is going to be a long run. Cymet apparently has a crazy huge Santo collection.

Informador interviews Satanico, who says he saw Dr. No about 30 times before he used the name. He also tells the story about sneaking into to debut without his trainer’s permission, being awful, and being forced to train two more years. Satanico is proud of facing El Dandny in five hair matches in Arena Mexico, and that record is not getting broken any time soon.

SuperLucha says Dark Phoenix is one name under consideration for Dark Angel in TNA, and confirms that she’ll continue in CMLL. HOORAY!

The San Fran Decider writes about Lucha Va Voom’s show there. It must be fantastic to be Tom Kenny right now; you’re Spongebob, and occasionally you get to be a wacky lucha announcer.

Cesar rates Hector Garza.

Lucha y Box En Aztecas catches up with Mini Dracula.

SegundaCaida has their 26-100 most enjoyable wrestlers of 2008. They’ll be breaking down 25 to 1 day be day.

OJ watches the 04/23 version of Terrible Cerebros vs Navarros.

Wrestling Observer has their AAA recap.

Anyone notice that CMLL’s news page links to SuperLuchas’ tag page. That’s something that’d happen if they just cut and paste from SL.

03/02: Coliseo, GDL

CMLL (SUN) 03/01 Arena Coliseo [Ovaciones]
1) Rayo Tapatío I & Rayo Tapatío II b Inquisidor & Semental
2) Bracito de Oro, Mascarita Dorada, Niño de Acero b Fantasy, Pequeño Olímpico, Último Dragoncito
3) Flash, Metro, Stuka Jr. b Euforia, Nosferatu, Virus
4) Atlantis, Rey Bucanero, Ultimo Guerrero b Blue Panther, Marco Corleone, Mascara Dorada
5) Averno, Ephesto, Mephisto b Hector Garza, Hijo del Fantasma, La Máscara

Rudos cheated in some unspecified way to win the main event. They’re rudos, I guess it doesn’t need to be specified. Shocker was replaced by Hector here, but that probably had more to do with the story than a noshow. This sets up a rematch next week, and probably a title match on 03/15.

Felino & Negro are listed as replaced by UG and Atlantis. Either Ultimo Guerrero really gets around or someone made a typo.

I’d be more relieved about Flash & Stuka winning (preventing that program from restarting again) if Flash & Stuka moved onto a new feud.

Minis match was said to be best match and Dorada was said to be awesome. I guess you hold out that this slips onto LATV or turns up as filler programming on the Dos Leyendas week.

CMLL (SUN) 03/01 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [MT: main, semimain]
4) Misterioso II, Terrible, Texano Jr. b Máximo, Sagrado, Toscano
5) Héctor Garza, Místico, Volador Jr. b Black Warrior, Mr. Niebla, Último Guerrero

Mistico, who the fans had issues with last time here, was beloved this evening and beat UG clean and they did the usual challenges and such (the upside to the pending mask match is UG can beg out of any others because he’s already occupied.)

The big angle of the night was in the semimain. Texano sneaking into foul Maximo for the win is not a big angle, that’s an every show bit, but the two cut promos on each other noting they grew up playing together (Texano saying he’d been playing with trains while Maximo was playing with Barbies) but now they’re going to end each other once and for all. They settled on a hair match for 03/15, a fan appreciation day show. Neither man has ever lost their hair, though Texano lost his mask (as Kempo Kid) and both their fathers (Texano Sr. & Brazo de Plata) were notorious for losing their hair frequently in the later stages of their careers.

By sheer coincidence, I’m sure, March 15th is also the day Rey de Reyes is in Guadalajara. You know, as the card is currently listed on AAA’s site (without those two openers mentioned elsewhere), I probably would go see Texano/Maximo instead. I also am pretty sure I’d be lonely making that decision; this might be a match that’d mean something with a month or two build, instead of two weeks.

There are times when Mistico’s booed. And there are times when people are booed for not being Mistico. Take this charity show in Cabo San Lucas, where the sponsors of the show wanted to come to the ring and talk a bit before the main event. No one’s quite sure what he said, because the fans booed the coordinator of the national institute of health care for the elderly for not being Mistico and delaying them from seeing Mistico. Eventually, the people in charge figured it out.

(via Box Y Lucha Foro) Xalapa luchador Tigre Cosmico is in at least temporary retirement due to a brain injury suffered on the 02/04 show. Sounds like he blacked out. Doctor says he may get better, but it’s not sure thing and he’s not supposed to be wrestling until he does.

SuperLuchas continues it’s look at Antonio Pena’s ideas for CMLL in 1991. If you’re a subscriber to WON and have been reading the old 1991-1992 newsletters as they’ve gone up (which I higly recommend), it’s interesting to get the slightly different perspective on the shows CMLL was running in a night club, as both a way around the ban of recording at Arena Mexico (WON) and as a way to reach different fans (SuperLuchas).

Box Y Luchas #2912 has Ultimo Guerrero vs Villano V. Box Y Lucha TV Episode (#3?) is up, but I haven’t had a chance to watch it. Is it any good?

Vampiro, Abismo Negro and Latin Lover were at the Mexican premiere of the Wrestler. AAA fixed the Super Crazy typo from last night – this is why I’m using backup URLs, just to prove I’m not losing my mind.

If you do nothing else today, watch Principe Maya vs Angel Azteca in a mask match from 2002 for Principe Maya’s epic performance. My favorite part is how he clearly did not want to do that match, but still went to the ring in his gear.

01/04: Coliseo, Monterrey, Mistico back to Japan, Lineups

CMLL (SUN) 01/04 Arena Coliseo [Ovaciones]
1) Sensei & Starman b Artillero & Súper Comando
2) Cosmico, Electrico, Mini Fantasy DQ Pequeño Halloween, Pequeño Universo 2000, Pequeño Warrior
3) Fabián el Gitano, Máscara Púrpura, Máximo b Bronco III, Skandalo, Vangelis
4) Terrible, Texano Jr., Virus b Mascara Dorada, Sagrado, Valiente
5) Mr. Niebla, Rey Bucanero, Último Guerrero b Shocker, Toscano, Volador Jr.

Toscano did not get along with his partners on occasion. Shocker ended up in the main event as part of the Dos Caras shuffle; Sagrado was added to the semimain. Mini rudos got DQed for excessive violence, which won’t be a problem next week.

Ovaciones also includes it’s lucha year in review.

AAA (SUN) 01/04 Arena Coliseo Monterrey [RFC]
1) Baby Fox & Rey Imagen b Jorobados del Mal I & Jorobados del Mal II
2) Ejecutor & Mr. Secuestro b Aguila Extrema & Relampago Azul
3) Tigre Cota b Chris Stone [bull terrier]
4) Kenzo Suzuki, Monje Negro Jr., Tiffany b Dama de Hierro, Mascarita Divina, TDN
5) Rio Bravo & Tito Santana II b La Momia & Virtual X [AAA NORTH TAG]

Poder del Norte retains. We don’t have a title history for this one; should we? I think it’d help out, to clarify the many different names it’s listed under.

Mistico/SportsNavi
Mistico/SportsNavi

NJPW announced Mistico returns to their promotion on 02/15 for a singles match with Mephisto. It’ll be just the one match for now, but they’re building to something here. Judging from the pictures, Mistico was wearing the CMLL Welterweight Championship to the ring, while Averno had his NWA Middleweight Championship. He should’ve brought all three belts!

From Sinola, local wrestler Psicolpe talks about himself and Monster Truck I starting up with AAA. I guess they means a dark match? Psiclope talks about winning the mask of El Hechicero of Tijuana, who’s said to be the brother of Black Abyss.

ESPNDeportes has a blog entry about Hijo del Santo and marketing. In EXOnline, Santo mentions returning to Europe in the summer (perhaps for a russian roulette tournament) and trying to break a Guinness record at the celebration of his father’s passing. It’s sound as if they’re going to try and have the most people ever to draw the same thing (Santo) at the same time, or something along those lines.

Box Y Lucha #2904 has the Zero Hour CMLL Minis Cage match as it’s cover. Stories inside include a story about the Hijos de Pirata Morgan going to the US in March (what month is CHIKARA’s King of Trios? March? Perhaps?), the Traumas noticing everyone who Negro Navarro beats up is taking out on them, and Perro Aguayo Jr. saying they’re not interested in going to AAA. Mascarita Dorada also responds Freelance’s “I’m better” story last week by saying “prove it”, and that needs to happen ASAP.

CMLL (MON) 01/05 Arena Puebla [hugo 999 @ Box Y Lucha]
1) Black Tiger (Puebla), Centella de Oro, Tigre Rojo vs Karisma, Mr. Rafaga, Siki Ozama Jr.
2) Asturiano, Blue Center, Lestat vs Ares, Espiritu Maligno, Fuerza Chicana
3) Loco Max vs Euforia, Nosferatu, Virus, Skandalo, Valiente, Hijo del Fantasma, Pegasso, Mascara Dorada [ciber]
4) Sangre Azteca vs Mictlán [MEX WELTER]
5) La Sombra, Shocker, Volador Jr. vs Mephisto, Terrible, Texano Jr.

What we’ve got here is a clever way of putting the same amount of guys on the card but still doing the singles match. This is Arena Puebla’s first discounted show, which means 60 for ringside and down to 25 for the cheapest seats. ($4.42 -> $1.85). I do not possess the burning hatred of Mictlan present in others, but there’s another possible title change that’d be an injustice. Let’s all just hope Sangre is adding another X-ed out picture to his Wall Of Defeated Men this time tomorrow. Second match is a rematch from last week.

CMLL (FRI) 01/09 Arena Mexico
1) Molotov & Starman vs Inquisidor & Pólvora
2) Lluvia, Marcela, Princesa Blanca vs Amapola, Princesa Sujei, Rosa Negra
3) Stuka Jr. vs Euforia [lightning]
4) Mascara Dorada, Máscara Púrpura, Valiente vs Felino, Shigeo Okumura, Virus
5) Héctor Garza, Hijo del Fantasma, La Máscara vs Heavy Metal, Terrible, Texano Jr.
6) La Sombra, Místico, Volador Jr. vs Averno, Ephesto, Mephisto

Obvious statement time: main event could be good. Stuka and Euforia have fought once or twice. The ex-Trios champs continue to team up more after they stopped being champs.

This is the third straight week Okumura’s been in the 3rd from the top. That’s higher than usually and normally indicates there’s a feud I’m overlooking, but these are all different tecnicos than last week.

I didn’t post 2008 records for those with few matches, but Lluvia is currently undefeated in Mexico City. That looks to be over this week. At least Marcela is not (that?) hurt.

CMLL (SUN) 01/11 Arena Mexico
1) Pegasso & Rey Cometa vs Calígula & Méssala
2) Flash & Stuka Jr. vs Euforia & Nosferatu
3) Blue Panther, Mark Corleone, Shocker vs Ephesto, Terrible, Texano Jr.
4) La Sombra, Místico, Volador Jr. vs Black Warrior, Mr. Niebla, Rey Bucanero
5) Mascarita Dorada vs Pequeño Olímpico, Shockercito, Pequeno Ninja, Tzuki, Pequeño Universo 2000, Pierrothito, Pequeño Warrior, Nino de Acero, Último Dragoncito, Fantasy, Electrico, Cosmico [mask, cage]

Not to be a downer, but are we sure this is a good idea? Minis main eventing a show with a big match is a fine idea (this might be the first one; I hope someone does the research on it – besides me), but I don’t know that an 11 person cage match is really the best way to do it. That’s a lot of people in a little space with nowhere to dive and ropes not working as usual. The best case scenario is the eliminations go fast and the time gets spent on a long one on one sequence to end it. I’ll put the poll up later in the week.

Will Flash & Stuka ever be in a tag match against a team besides Nosferatu & Euforia? Dunno, but this promotion is some kind of loaded when those two matches are you openers.

There’s no offical announcement, but these two cards feel like CMLL’s starting up again.

07/16: Coliseo

CMLL (SUN) 07/15 Arena Coliseo [Alvin @ el Martinete]
1) Celestial & Pequeño Olímpico b Fire & Sombrita
2) Amapola, Medussa, Rosa Negra b India Sioux, Luna Magica, Marcela
3) Euforia, Nosferatu, Virus b Mictlán, Stuka Jr., Tony Rivera
4) Ephesto, Loco Max, Shigeo Okumura b Felino, Mascara Purpura, Máximo
5) Místico, Negro Casas, Volador Jr. b Averno, Mephisto, Último Guerrero

Mistico + Averno =

Loco Max filled in for Toscano, who was said (by his wife, one of the valets) to be sick.

Amapola beat Marcela with the ropes. That sounds like the start to a B show title defense feud.

DeporTV America aired about 4 minutes of highlights from Tuesday’s Arena Coliseo DF show. They spent about a minute on the top 4 matches. This didn’t seem like a pilot for a TV show – they appeared to have two cameras, but no hard camera. The segment was hyped thru the air, but it was the last thing aired on the show (and went over the hour.) I think this is a weekly thing.

Accion again was cut to a half hour due to Copa America coverage in Mexico.

Update: Yea, so I forgot about everything I read before noon today and have to edit in here. Fine job by me.

FCW (SAT) 07/14 LA Sports Arena [Steve Sims, Brandon Chow @ FCW]
1) Luke Hawk b Lil Cholo
2) Angel (LA), AWC, Black Metal b Scott Snott, Shane Ballard, Shannon Ballard
3) Vampiro DQ Aaron Aguilera
4) Enigma de Oro & Kayam b Phoenix Star & Zokre and Young Buck I & Young Buck II and Pogo & Supreme [FCW TAG]
5) Dos Caras, Mil Mascaras, Perro Aguayo, Psicodelico Jr. b Cien Caras, Hijo de Cien Caras, Mascara Ano 2000, Universo 2000
6) Cassandro L Santo, Rey Misterio Sr., Hijo de Rey Misterio, LA Park, Nicho, Pentagon Black, Gran Hamada [hair, cage, mask]

Santo left last, so he gets credit. They ran angles during the show to set up these matches (according to Steve’s recap, which I assumed he sent to the Observer site till I actually checked that recap – too bad)

FCW (SUN) 09/02 LA Sports Arena
1) Hijo del Rey Misterio & Rey Misterio Sr. vs Cyanide & Piloto Suicida
2) Perro Aguayo Sr. vs Rayo de Jalisco Jr., Mascara Ano 2000 [hair, mask]
3) Hijo del Santo vs Pentagon Black [mask]

So, they’re doing a Santo mask match and a Perro Aguayo hair match on the same show. No word if they’ll be burning $20s in the parking lot after the show. (I love you, FCW, but you are crazy.)

Former LLF/Monterrey wrestler Nikki Roxx debuted with TNA tonight. Mesias was hinted at, but of course did not appear.

Apology: Rosalio Vera is a guy. Ernesto Ocampo (still) does not have an apostrophe. I apologize for the screwups.