1. LA Park announced he has quit AAA. He showed up at a Todo x el Todo press conference as a surprise last week to challenge Dr. Wagner Jr. to a mask match (for the millionth time), then announced this week he wanted to be free and it was time to move on. LA Park is the current AAA Latin American champion, but AAA hasn’t done much with that title. AAA hasn’t said anything about the situation.
2. Blue Demon signed a contract with AAA in the ring at the very busy AAA TV taping in Leon. Demon announced AAA would be holding their own version of the Leyenda de Azul tournament, calling it “Legado Azul”. Demon also introduced Axel, el Nieto del Santo, as joining AAA. Feuds were set up between Axel and cruiserweight champion Daga, and Demon and Konnan, who announced he was returning to wrestling. Ricky Marvin returned to AAA later in the show, joining the Perros del Mal, and Mesias and Demon feuded after the main event.
3. CMLL announced Rey Cometa and Namajague would face off in a hair match this Friday, as part of the Arena Mexico Anniversary show. It’s a continuation of their Dos Leyendas feud, and a surprise since Mr. Aguila vs Shocker appeared to be set up as a hair match on that show instead. The hair vs hair match is not the main event; instead, a Mistico (II) vs Averno match for the vacant Mexican Welterweight Championship will end the show, and the finals of the Gran Alternativa tournament (Atlantis & Hombre Bala vs Rey Escorpion & Bobby Zavala) will be the semimain event.
4. Mistico is also feuding with Volador on the Sunday series of shows, leading to Mistico having two big singles matches in Arena Mexico in the space of three days.
5. AAA held it’s first Evolucion show in Veracruz. It kept the ongoing feuds going but did not do anything new. It’s unclear when and where this will air, and AAA has said that people on the show are not necessary part of the Evolucion brand. The split into two brands is still being brought up, but nothing much has happened on screen with the split since the it was announced a month ago.
6. A show honoring Hector Garza this past Sunday in Arnea Solidaridad featured Monterrey, CMLL and AAA wrestlers in one card (though the two promotions were kept separate on it.) The show came close to selling out the arena. Latin Lover, retired from lucha libre, did run in to help the tecnicos in the main event and sold photographs during the show.

• Texano Jr. kept the AAA Mega Heavyweight Championship over Mesias in Puerto Rico. It was a good match. Octagon Jr., using that name, also particpated on the show but took a loss, while Blue Demon Jr. won the Pro Wrestling Revolucion heavyweight championship.
• Arena Coliseo Guadalajara announced a double apuesta match between locals as it’s own Kid’s Day shows. Kid’s Day is offically Tuesday, but the weekend is full of extra Kid’s Day themed shows.
• Eterno won the IWRG IC Middleweight Championship title
• Chico Che lost his hair in IWRG’s annual Guerra de Golfo tournament.
• Rey Demonio Jr. lost his mask on the Arena el Jaguar anniversary show.
• Monterrey’s Kaientai won an international fourway match on a Chilangamask show in Chicago.

Tags: two weeks

1. CMLL’s 70th Arena Coliseo Anniversary show featured Dragon Rojo defeating La Sombra to keep the CMLL Middleweight Championship in the main event. The crowd seemed most enthused about a CMLL vs Independent match with Shocker, Averno and Blue Panther facing off against Negro Navarro, Black Terry and Villano IV. The CMLL team won, fans threw in money, and Navarro eventually left to defend some tag team titles in the suburbs. Goya Kong won a women’s cibernetico, while Metalico and Hijo del Signo continued to feud in the undercard. The show, with raised ticket prices, did not sell out but still seemed to have one of the stronger Coliseo turnouts of the year.
2. CMLL started to run vignettes for a new Pierroth. The daughter of the original Pierroth said he had agreed to allow CMLL to create a new one before his stroke and that was all she knew about it.
3. Blue Demon defeated Texano Jr. in a non-title rematch on AAA’s Naucalpan TV taping. Perro and Cibernetico continued to feud, and US wrestlers Willie Mack & AR Fox appeared (already in town for DTU matches.)
4. Shocker and Mr. Aguila continue to feud on CMLL shows, with Shocker making hair match challenges (and that match seeming likely.) Shocker’s mini is also feuding with mini Pequeno Violencia, which also seems like a hair match.
5. Marco Corleone survived the Guerreros to help the Bufete del Amor to keep the CMLL Trios championship, then survived a bad car accident on the way home from Puebla. He’s bruised but alive.
6. AAA is promising a great surprise for it’s taping in Leon on Monday. I would rate it more as an ‘okay happening’ if it’s what I’ve been told it is.

• DTU finished one tour – a planned 4 show run AR Fox & Willie Mack with that was truncated to 3 – and announced another couple of shows for this weekend with CIMA, Eita and Tomahawk representing Dragon Gate.
• AAA held their latest Fusion taping in Arena Lopez Mateos with little news, but a much better looking turnout than they’ve had for this brand the last few times out. Atomic Boy and Gran Apache continue to feud. A local paper gave out the lineup for AAA’s next Fusion taping in Veracruz, which seems to continue the pattern of not a lot of advancement happening on these shows, and there are no obvious signs of the split announced on Rey de Reyes.
• Dr. Wagner Jr. (in yet another article) and Villano IV (at a Luchas 2000 show where he lost to Atlantis) both tried to talk their way into the Atlantis vs Ultimo Guerrero mask. Neither is happening. Wagner’s newest tall tale is he’s coming back to CMLL on 09/01.
• Negro Casas and Tama Tonga & Terrible kept their titles.
• Mascarita Dorada went to WWE, possibly to have a match with the Undertaker next WrestleMania.

Tags: two weeks

1. Ultimo Guerrero and Atlantis signed for a mask match. The date was left undecided, but there’s a 99.9% chance it will end up happening on the 80th Anniversary show in September. It’ll probably sell out the building.
2. Cibernetico and Perro Aguayo Jr. signed for a hair match. The date was announced as TripleMania on June 16 in Arena Ciudad de Mexico. It’ll probably sell out the building. This match was announced at Rey de Reyes, with the mask match announcement following a few days later.
3. AAA announced a deal with FactoryMade as part of an expansion to the US. This deal includes a presence on FactoryMade’s co-owned station El Rey (to launch on New Year’s Day 2014.) Their plans include AAA shows starting in the US in late 2013 and running two separate tours (which was announced at Rey de Reyes.) AAA is very excited about the capabilities of their new partner.
4. Okumura lost his hair and Namajague lost his mask to Rey Cometa & Stuka in the main event of CMLL’s annual Homenaje a Dos Leyendas show. Namajague was revealed to be NJPW trainee Kyosuke Mikami as expected. In undercard matches, Estrellita took Amapola’s hair, Volador & Sombra won the incredible pairs tournament (with Ultimo Guerrero & Atlantis breaking up again), and Rayo Jr. returned to Arena Mexico to win by DQ over Universo in trios. Rayo de Jalisco Sr. was honored on the show. The show drew unexpectedly well, estimated between 12-13,000.
5. Mesias won the Rey de Reyes tournament on the show of the same name in Monterrey. He defeated LA Park and surprise inclusion Canek in the final. Other matches on the show saw Texano Jr. keep the mega heavyweight title over Blue Demon, Fabi Apache won the vacant Reina de Reinas championship, and Fenix won the new Fusion championship. The big news going forward is the hair match and the announcement AAA would be split in to two brands – Dorian led Evolucion and Joaquin led Fusion – but there are few details or other signs of a split so far. The show drew well in Monterrey, estimated as 11-12K.
6. Ray Mendoza held his retirement show on 03/16; he and his brother Villano IV defeated Hijo del Pirata Morgan & Cassandro in the finales of a losers advance mask/hair tournament. Hijo del Pirata Morgan was revealed to be Antheus Ortiz Chavez. The show drew very poorly, around 1-2,000 people in an 8,000 seat building with a very expensive lineup. Villano V said on facebook that he’d lost $38,000 (USD) on the show. Four days later, Ray Mendoza Jr. came back out of retirement to work on next Sunday’s Arena Coliseo Anniversary show (along with other independent luchadors.)

• Hijo del Santo resumed his Todo X El Todo shows this past Saturday, defending the CMB (boxing federation) Lucha Libre championship for the first time over evil foreigner Oliver John. Angel Blanco Jr. also defended the WWA Welterweight title he won from Santo last year on the same show, and the main event of the next show seems to either be Santo vs Angel or Santo & Mexicans vs Oliver John and the rest of his evil La Migra. No next show date has been announced, but Santo told the press he plans on running eight shows this year. There was no mention of Nieto del Santo’s upcoming trip to start training in Japan.
• Lucha Libre USA announced it’s tour dates, with 9 shows between March and April. The promotion has gone from having short run TV with limited reach (and low turnouts) to no TV at all, and appears mostly reliant on doing local interviews in the day before the show. RJ Brewer continues to be the focus, facing off against Blue Demon and Solar on shows. Super Crazy, Hijo del Fantasma, and Melina are among those added to the roster. No lineups have been announced.
• CMLL held a press conference to announce the Ultimo Guerrero vs Atlantis mask match, as well as tournaments (Gran Alternativa, En Busca de Idolo), a CMLL vs Independents themed Arena Coliseo Anniversary show (which seems to be getting a Dragon Rojo/Sombra match as well), and Titan being stripped of his national welterweight championship due to injury.
• SuperLuchas magazines announced it was going on hiatus for at least a couple weeks. It was not announced as farewell issue, but many of the columns referenced it being an end, and it seems at least questionable if they’ll actually be returning.
• Alberto Del Rio told a follower on Twitter that WWE would be returning to Mexico in September, running shows in Monterrey, Guadalajara and Mexico City. No other information is known.
• In another Incredible Pairs tournament in Puebla, Atlantis & Volador vs Shocker & Rey Bucanero will be the final next Monday.
• Mascara Ano 2000 Jr. won Pirata Morgan’s hair in IWRG’s Prison Fatal match, continuing a bad weekend for the Pirata family. They rebounded the following weekend, winning the vacant IWRG trios titles.
• Soberano won CMLL’s Sangre Nueva tournament.
• Infierno won Alteno’s mask in Guadalajara.
• Successful title defenses: Cien Caras (IWRG Heavy), Dinamic Black (twice!)

Tags: two weeks

1. A story from Japan claimed Nieto del Santo will soon be training wrestling in NOAH for a debut in August (probably around El Hijo del Santo’s birthday.) This hasn’t been announced in Mexico yet.
2. AAA’s big TV taping of the weekend took place in San Luis Potosi and included a surprise appearance by Blue Demon Jr. Demon took Texano Jr. on his open challenge, and the two were set for a title match at Rey de Reyes.
3. AAA announced the full card for Rey de Reyes. Besides the Demon/Texano match, two other matches were set up on their Fusion tapings; the finals of a Fusion title tournament with Fenix, Daga, Juvi and the returning Crazy Boy, and the finals of a tournament for the vacant women’s title with the Apaches, Taya Valkyrie and newcomer LuFisto. 18 wrestlers will compete for the Rey de Reyes sword (3 groups of 6, including two yet to be revealed names, and a final three way), and another Infierno Rockers vs Psycho Clowns trios match. The card takes place next Sunday.
4. Namajague & Okumura, the two big rudos for the upcoming Dos Leyendas card, ended the 5 year Arena Coliseo Tag Team title of Stuka & Fuego this past Sunday. Stuka & Fuego (as Flash) had won the titles in a tournament back in 2008, and they spent the first couple years as rarely seen trivia belts before being regularly defended for the last couple years. The Japanese cheated the Mexicans to win the match, as they’ve tried to do (sometimes successfully) thru this feud. Namajague & Okumura face Stuka Jr. & Rey Cometa in a mask vs hair match on 03/15
5. Trauma II unmasked former AAA wrestler el Angel on Sunday in IWRG. The match was part of a three way with Oficial 911. Angel was revealed to be Oscar Omar Puentes Molgado, the former Oscar Sevilla. The crowd was easily the biggest IWRG’s had this year.
6. Sombra and Volador Jr. advanced to the finals of CMLL’s incredible pairs tournament, just weeks after Sombra defeated Volador to win the Reyes del Aire. Those two will face the winners of this week’s bracket, likely either Atlantis & Ultimo Guerrero or Rush & Terrible, next Friday as part of Dos Leyendas.

• Ray Mendoza accused El Hijo del Santo’s wife of telling people not to work his retirement show if they want to work Santo’s show. Hijo del Santo denies this. Rayman, who told this veto to Mendoza, did move from Mendoza’s card to Santo’s show. Despite the issues, Villano IV (Mendoza’s brother) still worked with Santo on a show this past Santo.
• Mistico returned to wrestling in Mexico City. He’s been booked as a main event guy, but one of many main even guys and not as a top guy in the promotion. His return seems to have little effect on crowd.
• Soberano and Taurus advanced to the final of CMLL’s Sangre Nueva tournament.
• Dr. Wagner, who was suggesting he’d appear on the CMLL Dos Leyendas card, was instead booked on a show in Tijuana with Canek. Dr. Wagner’s latest claim is he’s not going to CMLL until his AAA contract is finished, but AAA can’t stop him from working anywhere else.
• Dinamic Black won the IWRG Welterweight Championship
• Tomahawk from Dragon Gate started with IWRG.

Tags: two weeks

1. CMLL announced Dos Leyendas 2012 would take place March 15th. The main event will be the Japanese midcard team of Namajague & Okumura versus the Mexican midcard team of Stuka Jr. & Rey Cometa, with each teaming putting both mask and hair on the line. Estrellita and Amapola will have a hair vs hair match as well. The luchador honored this year is Rayo de Jalisco Sr., and Rayo de Jalisco Jr. returns to the promotion as part of that celebration. He’ll have a match with also returning Universo 2000 (probably a trios.) Finally, the annual parajes increible tournament will finish up at Dos Leyendas, and should build strongly towards CMLL’s plans for their 80th Anniversario show this September. CMLL also announced dates for Arena Mexico & Arena Coliseo anniversary shows in April.
2. The big news on AAA shows hasn’t been an in-ring result, but the onscreen firing of Dorian Roldan and Konnan, leaders of the rudo Sociedad faction. The two had spent the previous portion of the TV taping firing tecnicos who had annoyed him (minor names and a referee) before Joaquin Roldan fired them. All of the rudos present turned on the leader when threatened with their own firing. It was quite a reversal, as the last major show had ended with Dorian & Konnan threatening to leave the company and take all the rudo champs with them but were forced to stay by Joqauin; everyone’s feelings seemed to pivot 180 degrees in the course of a TV taping for no known reason. It’s also odd Joaquin had the power to fire the guys who had been doing evil deeds in his promotion for years and never got around to doing until now – in fact, the show with their firing indicated he might not be able to do that, and it might annuled or changed in a skit to air this weekend. In reality, it seems as though Dorian and Roldan will be focusing on the soon to launch US wing of the AAA promotion, and this bit might be a setup to explain why that group exists.
3. The big news with AAA but not on their shows has been Dr. Wagner’s continued insistence that he doesn’t work for AAA anymore. Wagner has said he’s finished with AAA (on good terms) and about to join CMLL since December, but it got added attention of late because Wagner said it for video cameras instead of print, and because Luchas 2000′s cover stated he’d be on the Dos Leyendas show. That does not appear to be the case, and CMLL’s said in the past they have no interested in bringing Wagner back. Wagner always notes he just has a small legal issue with AAA, which AAA claims is he’s actually under contract until 2014. At the same time, AAA hasn’t used him on any of their TV tapings all year, explaining they won’t use him until he admits he’s under contract. There is no reason to believe Dr. Wagner’s story, but 90% of fans in Mexico appear to believe it anyway. Dr. Wagner Jr. may be in possession of a reality distortion field.
4. AAA announced Rey de Reyes 2013 would take place March 17th in Monterrey, but has not indicated any matches for the show. The taping lineups and results, all the way up to the taping prior to the show, have not given away a match from the show. Texano defending his title vs Mesias and/or an outside wrestler and a team match with Cibernetico and Perro are the best bets for the top matches. Nothing is very clear, unusual for an AAA show this close to a major show and giving the impression this won’t be as major a show as in prior years.
5. AAA’s taping in Irapuato saw two title changes. Dinastia won the AAA minis title over Mini Psicosis, in a feud that’s led to an adjacent Drago vs Nicho Psicosis rivalry. The Psycho Circus won the AAA Trios titles back, defeating the El Consejo team with Toscano completed his tecnico turn.
6. Sombra beat Volador to win CMLL Reyes del Aires. This was the biggest field ever for the tournament, 32 wrestlers over two weeks. The tournament ended with both guys pulling each others masks and Sombra coming out on top on the cradle. Post match included mask vs mask challenges (which appear to have no chance of happening.)

Other Stories Of Note

• Astro de Plata, a Mexico City based tecnico who had worked for IWRG and had recently been used in opening matches on AAA tapings, suffered major spinal injuries on an indy show. Plata and his opponent Terremoto miscommunicated on a move, and all of Terremoto’s (large) weight came down on Plata’s spine as he hit the mat. Plata lost feeling in his lower body and has since undergone surgery. Various promotions and luchadors have held fund raisers to help offset his large medical costs. A few days after Plata’s injury, the Mexico City lucha libre commission announced they’d soon start offering health insurance to independent luchadors. This had been a project the commission and the Mexico sports ministry had been working on since last year, and coincidentally announced around the same time as someone who really could’ve used it.
• AAA announced their first Fusion taping of the year for 03/01. It’s the first taping exclusively for that show since November; they’ve made due with a Perros del Mal show, a WAVE/AAA show in Japan, and lots and lots of reruns. The show continues their Fusion tournament, and also starts one for the abruptly vacant Reina de Reinas championship. Sexi Star, who has been in a match since December, announced she was giving up the title but did not announce why.
• Trauma II vs Angel for the masks will take place next Sunday for IWRG. IWRG is the one DF based promotion who’s successfully built to a big match for their March show. Everyone knows how it’s going to go, but there’s a little bit of doubt there.
• The Brazo family sold out Arena Neza show for an event based on their family having (and winning matches.) The AAA members were restricted from working the show, but all appeared on the show. Goya Kong & Muneca de Plata were part of a women’s trios win, Brazo Cibernetico won a cibernetico (!), Brazo de Oro & Brazo de Plata were part of a winning atomicos team in a battle of former UWA wrestlers, and La Mascara & Maximo won a tag team tournament with some assistance from Psycho Clown (the ex-Brazo de Plata Jr.)
• Octagon Jr., who debuted that character for AAA on Guerra de Titanes, missed his next scheduled appearance to work for an ill-fated show in Canada, then missed his second scheduled appearance to go tryout for WWE. He’s scheduled to be back on the first TV Taping in March, which would be a 3 months gap from his debut.
• Villano V announced a retirement show for March, with a ruleta de la muerte where the losing team will lose both their mask and hair. The tournament is filled with big names (names who wouldn’t be expected to lose in a tournament like this), so it’s either the Villanos themselves lose their mask and hair in Villano V’s last match, or Casandro loses his hair and Hijo del Pirata Morgan loses his mask.
• Hijo del Santo announced the return of Todos x el Todos, with a card at Arena Lopez Mateos in March. It’s a much smaller venue than the promotion was running, back when it was still running shows last year.
• Thunder, CMLL’s new muscular mask Australian, has been kept in Puebla and Guadalajara (and missed time with a leg injury.) Early reviews of his work has been poor. He won’t make his first Arena Mexico appearance until 03/29. Mistico has also recently returned from injury, and is also being kept out of Arena Mexico for the moment.
• Rush missed some time with a leg injury, suffered in a singles win over Ultimo Guerrero. He returned the following Sunday for an already announced trios title match against the Invasors. Rush and the rest of the Bufete del Amor won, but was limping significantly by the end of the match. There’s no
• CMLL early match tecnico Metalico, who’s hasn’t had a meaningful match in CMLL for about a decade (but has had plenty of matches), is suddenly feuding with about four different people. No one’s quite sure what’s going on here, but cage match is the best bet.
• People who won titles: Los Pirata Morgans (Mexico State Trios), Carta Brava Jr., other people I forgot to list
• People who kept their titles: Negro Casas, Polvora, Dragon Rojo, La Sombra, Invasors, other people I forgot to list

Tags: two weeks

1. CMLL & NJPW held their annual FantasticaMania shows. It was the first 3 show tour, and listed attendance was down compared to the last two years. NJPW suggested they may take the shows out of Tokyo next year. In the ring, Sombra lost a challenge for the NJPW IC title in against Nakamura, but picked up the NWA middleweight title from Dragon Rojo, Rush won two singles matches over Yoshihashi & Rey Escorpion and La Mascara beat Volador once again to keep the national light heavyweight title. Mistico, pulled from wrestling due to his troubled left shoulder, appeared on all three shows.
2. An indy show in Los Angeles featured CMLL luchadors (Panther, Atlantis, Volador, Mascara), El Hijo del Santo and other indy luchadors, LA Park (AAA affilated but books his own dates) and Dr. Wagner Jr. (who knows) all on once card. The CMLL luchadors were kept to their own match, but CMLL luchadors had previously been banned from working on any show with El Hijo del Santo, much less AAA affiliated luchadors. It’s unclear if this represents a change in policy or just an exception. Show drew about a half quarter house to LA Sports Arena (and must’ve cost quite a bit.)
3. AAA held their first TV taping of the year in Toluca. The Cibernetico/Perro feud was the focus of the show, with Gran Apache & Atomic Boy resuming their issue on the undercard. Octagon Jr. missed his second appearance under the name, working a show in Calgary with Teddy Hart and Konnan. (Pentagon Jr. later explained Octagon Jr. is just totally scared of him. That checks out.)
4. CMLL debuted a new star luchador. CMLL could not decide among itself the name of this new luchador, not the best of start. They eventually settled on Thunder. He’s a muscular masked Australian tecnico who does not speak enough Spanish to do promos – the kind of luchador CMLL’s hardcore fans love to boo – and it’s unclear if he had been a wrestler before arriving in CMLL. Thunder debuted in Puebla, and seems to be kept away from the Mexico City arenas for at least his first few matches.
5. Rush gave up his CMLL Light Heavyweight title as part of a challenge at Terrible and the CMLL Heavyweight title. Rush then lost to Terrible, giving him no singles titles. This was odd. Rey Escorpion won the vacant title by defeating Volador Jr. in the final of a tournament.
6. FCK held their debut show (under that name) at Coliseo Coacalco. The hyped matches of Fenix vs Chuck Taylor and Matt Cross vs Daga were canceled hours before the card, with the promoter explaining AAA pulled their luchadors but oddly expressing no ill feelings to AAA for doing that. The replacement Ricky Marvin/Taylor/Fenix match was said to be good. Extreme Tiger beat Masada of CZW in the main event.

• Namajague & Stuka started a feud and seem like they could be headed to a mask vs mask match at Dos Leyendas. Amapola and Estrellita also continue to the feud and could also have an apuesta match, but neither seems like the match you’d headline the biggest show of the year.
• In IWRG, Negro Navarro defeated AAA Heavyweight Championship Texano in both a tag team title defense and a singles title match. (Navarro got a bit of help from Trauma II and Texano’s ex-friend Toscano.)
• AAA continued to vaguely tease something happening in the US at some point in the future.
• People keeping their titles: Los Invasors (MEX TRIOS), Ricky Marvin & Super Crazy (GHC TAG), Barbaro Cavernario (OCCIDENTE MIDDLE), Angel (IWRG MIDDLE), Estrellita (MEX WOMEN)
• Carta Brava Jr. & X-Fly won IWRG’s El Protector tournament
• IWRG held a 12 Piratas vs Oficials tag with 3 regular sized people and 3 minis on each side. This is why IWRG wins awards.
• speaking of, some people won some awards!
• #laluchalibredebe was talked about a lot for most of Tuesday on Twitter.

Tags: two weeks

• Emilio Charles Jr. passed away.

1. Many lucha libre shows were held on Christmas and New Year’s Day. On 12/25, Negro Casas kept his NWA Welterweight Championship over Guerrero Maya Jr., and Polvora defeated Titan to keep the CMLL Welterweight Championship on 01/01 day. Also, Bobby Zavala & Disturbio defeated Leono & Tigre Blanco in a double hair match, with the young rudos cheating a bit to save their scalps.
2. AAA held it’s only TV taping in a 6+ week stretch. Toscano, one of the founding members of El Consejo, seemed to quit the group after he cost the team another match. Drago & Psicosis started a feud, and Cibernetico and Perro Aguayo continued towards a singles match.
3. Fuerza Guerrera & Black Terry continued to feud on IWRG shows, teasing a cage match with many of their lucha students.
4. AAA & CMLL’s Televisa shows went into 3 long weeks of Best of material. The AAA Fusion show also went into reruns.
5. In other year in review material, CMLL and AAA officials came together to discuss lucha libre in 2012, while luchadors from both companies debated who was to blame for low turnouts at shows in 2012
6. Fuego & Stuka Jr. continued their 4.5 year long reign as Arena Coliseo Tag Team champions with a win over Cancerbero & Raziel.

• Mini Stukita debuted in CMLL, while IWRG debuted a plethora of new minis for the holiday season.
• Rayan kept his title in IWRG, while Factor won the IWRG Juniors championship.
• video of Alushe beatboxing surfaced.

Tags: two weeks

1. CMLL did not have a British Night. CMLL never explained why it didn’t have a Britsh Night. The charity committee explained CMLL would not promise them percentage of money they wanted, but did not say what that percentage was. No one who writes about lucha libre seemed any of this interested in writing about any of us except for us Americans. It was all weird.
2. CMLL’s year end show, Sin Piedad, was main evented by Sombra defeating Tama Tonga to win Copa Junior. Reports indicated the match ended early, a referee (once again) counting three on what was meant to be a near fall. There were no ongoing feuds finished or even continued on this show, though there was some hints of new feuds possibly starting. Attendance did not seem any different than most weeks.
3. Mistico was advertised for spot shows, was still too hurt to wrestle, CMLL did not feel like mentioning that part until the main events of those shows.
4. AAA concluded it’s second annual Quien Pinta Para La Corona contest, with La Jarochita (women), Rey Celestial (mini) and Saturno (men) winning their divisions. This is the only news for AAA in a very slow couple of weeks for them.
5. Dr. Wagner Jr. continued to do interviews claiming he was out of contract with AAA but being prevented from leaving by Dorian (which could be read as by the storyline evil boss or the real life boss). AAA’s previously said Wagner is under contract for a while longer.
6. ex-WWE-er Chris Masters posted on Twitter that he was coming to CMLL in early February. This immediately led people to believe he was the mystery man CMLL’s been hyping the last few weeks, though the mystery silhouette does not look much like Chris Masters.

• Lucha Libre USA will have a ten show 2013 tour, according to an article about their sponsor Dr. Pepper.
• The Invasors – Kraneo, Mr. Aguila, Psicosis – upset Reyes del Atlantida – Atlantis, Delta and Guerrero Maya Jr. – to win the Mexican Trios Championship. The strongest rivalry among the trios was between the giant Kraneo and the lightweight Guerrero Maya Jr., and Kraneo again gave Maya a sit down piledriver to win the championships.
• DTU’s 5th Anniversary tour ended with Ciclope losing his mask in a three way main event. Dragon Gate’s Rich Swann impressed in his appearances.
• Tama Tonga held onto the CMLL tag team titles with Terrible and has since gone home for holidays. It’s uncertain when he’ll be back. Negro Casas has also kept his title in CMLL, and Daga and Angel kept their titles in their promotions
• Llaves y Canados attempted to sign Hulk Hogan for a match! It did not work, but points for effort.
• Perros del Mal announced ex-WWE Tough Enough participant Ivelisse Velez would be joining the promotion for their New Year’s Day show.
• Dr. Cerbero beat Cerbero Negro in a hair match between broken up tag team partners.
• A group is bringing in CZW’s Masada to face Extreme Tiger on a show in January with Trauma I vs Trauma II and Daga vs Matt Cross.
• Discovery won a hair!

Tags: two weeks

1. AAA’s year end show, Guerra de Titanes, took place Sunday night. Chessman took Vampiro’s hair (or at least the part of it he wanted cut) in the six way main event. That outcome was a bit of surprise, but not as big as Texano Jr. defeating Mesias cleanly to win the AAA Heavyweight championship. Texano had spent all but the last couple months as a trios wrestler and actually was beat by Mesias in the first match of this feud (in Ziggler-like fashion), so both the outcome and the lack of controversy were unexpected. Fellow rudo Daga also won the cruiserweight championship in a ladder match which saw two people hurt (Juvi and Fenix) and two people not appear with no explanation (Teddy Hart & a TNA wrestler.) All the big rudo wins led to an end of show declaration from Konnan that he and the rudos – including the Jarrett, who were flown in simply for a inconsequential attack on LA Park – were leaving AAA to form their own promotion.
2. In other matches on the same show, Octagon Jr.’s debuted under his name, teaming with Octagon & La Parka to face Silver King and surprise partners Pentagon Jr. (evil Octagon Jr.) and La Parka Negra (evil Zorro). Octagon Jr. still won, but the evil doppelgangers appear to be permanent additions. The Infierno Rockers saw their win streak come to an end against the Psycho Circus, but still beat up the Clowns post match with the help of giant Uro Rocker. The show itself drew a disappointingly small crowd.
3. CMLL’s announced Sin Piedad, it’s year end show, will take place next Friday (12/14). That’s all they’ve announced for the show. The Copa Junior final will take place but nothing else will take place and no big matches are expected as a result. CMLL’s pushed this Friday’s British Night much stronger, though even that is just for the theme than any built up feud.
4. Sombra won a non-title match over Terrible, the Advanced division of the annual bodybuilding contest, and the first bracket of the Copa Junior tournament, but came up just short for the heavyweight title against Terrible.
5. in other bodybuilding results, Dark Angel won the women’s division for the 7th straight year, with Stukita (minis), Flyer (beginners), Sensei (Intermediate) winning the other divisions and opening match wrestler Sensei declared the overall winner.
6. CMLL hyped the debut of yet another mystery new wrestler in 2013. CMLL has done this bit, and introduced so many new wrestlers, that there is mininal buzz about the mystery this time around.

• Perros del Mal beat AAA in the main event of a benefit show for Hector Garza (who did not appear). The show featured AAA, Perros del Mal and small promotions wrestlers and will air as part of AAA Fusion.
• AAA announced the lineup for the it’s final Televisa taping of the year, to take place 12/21 in Acapulco. It’s the first show in their usual slow period, and there’s not much to the show.
• a show headlined by LA Park, Dr. Wagner and Canek (with the usual inconclusive ending) drew a near full house for Arena Lopez Mateos. The same building has had trouble drawing for other shows, including a AAA Fusion taping.
• Estrellita won the Mexican National Women’s Championship
• Samuray del Sol explained he’d only be Octagon Jr. in AAA.
• Sexi Star kept the Reina de Reinas title in a tournament with the WAVE promotion in Japan. AAA wrestlers and Dorian Roldan flew over to Japan for the show.
• Guerreros and the rebel memebrs (Los Revolucionarios del Terror) continued to feud
• Oficial Factor lost his mask in IWRG’s Prison Fatal
• Rush and Diamante Azul did laughably poor in NJPW’s World Tag Team Tournament.
• people who kept titles: Factor, Angel
• Daga will face Matt Cross on 01/20

Tags: two weeks

1. Oficial Fierro lost his mask in the main event of IWRG’s annual Castle of Terror show. el Angel, on a winning streak of late, took the rudo’s mask.
2. The 12/02 Guerra de Titanes lineup was announced: the main event will be a six person cage match with Chessman, Vampiro, Cibernetico, Perro Aguayo Jr., LA Park and Dr. Wagner with the loser losing mask or hair. Also, Mesias defends his title versus Texano. AAA’s spent year plus setting up a Jeff Jarrett vs LA Park match, but Jarrett is nowhere to be seen. A TNA wrestler will be wrestling in the undercard.
3. Dr. Wagner Jr. started rumors that Dr. Wagner Jr. was leaving AAA. AAA has not said anything, though they haven’t said anything when other guys have left recently. Wagner’s working a lot of outside shows and only scheduled for Guerra de Titanes for AAA right now.
4. Mistico suffered a shoulder injury on a botched shooting star press. Early reports suggested he’d be out 2 months, but CMLL says he’ll be back two weeks from now.
5. Octagon gave Samuray del Sol the Octagon Jr. character on the most recent Naucalpan taping. The same taping was highlighted by a crazy LA Park vs Dr. Wagner brawl
6. Hijo del Santo, Villano IV, Blue Demon, and Fuerza Guerrera feuded on a show at Arena Neza and challenged each other for a mask match on 01/01/13

• Atlantis, Delta, and Guerrero Maya (Reyes del Atlantida) recaputered the Mexican National Trios titles from Volador, Black Warrior and Mr. Aguila in a rematch of the title change.
• CMLL and AAA’s Televisa TV shows were abruptly moved to Sunday for one week. AAA, at least online, did not appear to know the show had been moved until it just wasn’t on the air. CMLL put out the day/time change, but Televisa aired the show an hour late from even that. The move meant no episode of CMLL aired in the US.
• Mascara Dorada lost the CMLL Welterweight Championship to Polvora in a shocking upset. It appears Polvora got the win because he’s being moved up the card to round out the Diamante Azul & Rey Escorpion trio
• Tama Tonga defeated Diamante Azul in a singles match, then two day later beat Azul & partner Atlantis for the tag team titles, teaming with Terrible. The title change was a big surprise.
• Pequeno Warrior lost his mask in a sudden cage match in Guadalajara. The match had a seven day build, after Warrior cheated Shockercito to win a Pequeno Reyes del Aire cibernetico. Shockercito got his revenge. Many luchadors appeared to suffer injuries during the match, most notable Astral falling off the cage.
• AAA taped Fusion in Deportivo Reynosa, in a show mostly building to Guerra de Titanes but also including Daga advacing in the Fusion title tournament.
• AAA also taped Fusion in Arena Neza. The crowd was about half full, but better than the last taping. Dr. Wagner and LA Park turned on each other in the main event tag match, while Fenix advanced in the Fusion title tournament. Vampiro was scheduled to appear, claimed he was never told, and was blasted on the show by (current arch enemy) Chessman.
• A benefit show will be held for Hector Garza this weekend, and will also be taped for AAA’s Fusion show.
• NJPW and CMLL announced the lineup for the FantasticaMania show: Mistico, Titan, La Sombra, Rush, La Mascara, Mascara Dorada, Maximo, Diamante, Volador Jr., Mephisto, Dragon Rojo Jr., Rey Bucanero, Euforia, Misterioso and Okumura. Lineup subject to change, since Mistico & Bucanero are out due to injury.
• Ultimo Guerrero continued to feud with Rey Escorpion & Dragon Rojo. The rebels won in trios matches, but Ultimo Guerrero out cheated Rey Escorpion in a singles match.
• Both Extreme Tiger and Decnnis confirmed they were leaving AAA
• DTU announced a five show tour for their fifth anniversary
• Rocky Santana took Iron Love’s hair.
• People who kept their title: Angel, Dragon Rojo, Negro Navarro & Trauma I, Bufete del Amor, Titan
• AYM is being dropped in the US, meaning no more IWRG on my TV.

Tags: two weeks