Not much to say about the main event. Tecnicos won the semimain in straight falls due to Metal faking a foul from Perro Jr.. Toscano ran in after and brawled with his opponent for next week, which somehow annoyed Los Peroros and led to Perro Jr. challenging both men to change next week's hair match into a triangle match with him. Seems a bit late for that, but attendance was way down this week so maybe they're concerned. V5 pinned Panther in their match.

Ovaciones was already calling next week's match a Triangle of Death, so everyone's got the tip that the match would be changed last night. They didn't even hint this was a possibility on Thursday - could they have looked out at the crowd before the fourth match and changed on the fly? That doesn't seem like CMLL...

CMLL (TUE) 05/20 Arena Mexico
1) Molotov & Sensei vs Carrona & Cholo
2) Arkangel de la Muerte, Bronco III, Hooligan vs Metalik, Tigre Blanco, Tony Rivera
3) Fabián el Gitano, Flash, Mictlán vs Diamante Negro, Euforia, Nosferatu
4) Olímpico, Sangre Azteca, Último Guerrero vs Blue Panther, Negro Casas, Volador Jr.
5) Héctor Garza, Místico, Sagrado vs Averno, Mephisto, Villano V

That would be Metalik's DF debut. Also, Tigre Blanco hasn't been around a few weeks, and I'd guessing being back here means the head issues aren't much of them. And they're already doing a rematch of the tag title participants.

CMLL (FRI) 05/23 Arena Mexico
1) Stuka Jr. & Súper Nova vs Ohara & Shigeo Okumura
2) Dark Angel, Goddess, Luna Mágica vs Amapola, Hiroka, Mima Shimoda
3) Alex Koslov, Blue Panther, Negro Casas vs Damián 666, Terrible, Texano Jr.
4) Dos Caras Jr., Marco Corelone, Shocker vs Atlantis, Rey Bucanero, Último Guerrero
5) Héctor Garza & Místico vs Averno & Mephisto [CMLL TAG]
6) el Hijo del Perro Aguayo vs Toscano, Heavy Metal [hair]

I suspect Perro is just there to sell the tickets, beat both men, and not be in the final match to risk his hair. But it's not like we'd be ripped off not to see Toscano vs Heavy Metal.

I don't know what this mean, and maybe it means nothing, but they would've referred to the top two matches as a double main events in recent years. This time, Mistico's match is just a semifinal.

CMLL (FRI) 05/16 Arena Mexico
1) Shockercito & Último Dragoncito vs Pequeño Violencia & Pierrothito
2) Dark Angel, Goddess, Marcela vs Amapola, Hiroka, Princesa Sujei
3) Blue Panther, La Máscara, Valiente vs Damián 666, Mr. Águila, Villano V
4) Heavy Metal, Negro Casas, Shocker vs el Hijo del Perro Aguayo, Terrible, Texano
5) Dos Caras Jr., Héctor Garza, Místico vs Atlantis, Toscano, Último Guerrero

NotiMex preview. ESTO.

This should be all about Metal and Toscano, except they're in separate matches. Maybe they won't be by the end? Maybe they're going to set up Hector/Mistico issues? Perhaps they're just taking a week off? I dunno. Women's match should eventually make 52MX and be fun.

Arturo Rivera's column from earlier in the week made it to the website. He hopes regardless of whomever is working wherever in Monterrey, no one hires Konnan Big. He also implies there was some locker room dispute between Rossy Moreno and Sexy Star before Rossy left AAA.

CMLL (SUN) 05/11 Arena Neza [the gladiatores]
1) Moto Cross & Rey Neza b Dr. Trauma & el Pillo
2) Luis Cirio, Manny Cirio, Tony Cirio b Principe Celeste, Super Insecto, SuperMan
3) Ciber Black & Súper Camaleón DQ Cholo & Yidra
4) Puma King & Teuton b Chac-Mol & Kid Tiger
5) Rayo Tapatío I & Sombra de Plata b Artillero & Súper Comando
6) Místico & Volador Jr. DQ el Hijo del Perro Aguayo & Ephesto

I guess, to balance getting Mistico and Perro, Neza got a night of a thousand novatos in the other matches. Rudos fouled tecnicos in the third fall.

Puma got eliminated in the third fall by Tiger Kid, but snuck back in to help his partner win.

Cholo can't even get a win in Neza. It's own fault here, his team got DQed for excessive violence.

After Luis Cirio used a foul for the win, the tecnicos challenges for the Cirio's trios belts. Super Man was, in fact, a guy in a old Super Man outfit.

Konnan complained to a gossip site that AAA doesn't give him a private dressing room, massuese and van with driver, like they do with Cibernetico and Latin Lover. This is just a thin attempt to get AAA talked about by gossip TV people (and it worked, so good for Konnan.)

Villano IV is doing a video chat with esmas on Monday.

Box Y Lucha video of the lucha libre expo and interviews with Money Pack and Dance Boy.

AAA (MON) 05/19 Arena Cuatro Cainos Nuevo Laredo
1) La Parkita & Octagoncito vs Mini Charly Manson & Mini Chessman
2) Danna & Street Boy vs Black Mamba & Goya
3) Casandro, May Flowers, Pimpinela Escarlata vs Apolo Estrada Jr., Rey Infernal, Tigre Cota
4) Escoria vs Hombre Sin Miedo
5) El Elegido, Laredo Kid, Octagón vs Cuervo, Escorpion Negro, Zumbido

AAA TV (THU) 05/29 Poliforum Zamna de Merida [Black Park619 @ el Martiente]
1) Estrellita, Fabi Apache, Gato Eveready vs Ayako Hamada, Mari Apache, Yuriko
2) Billy Boy vs Gran Apache [winner referees Apache match at TripleMania]
3) Crazy Boy, Juventud Guerrera, Ultimo Gladiador vs Joe Lider, Nicho el Millionario, X-Fly
4) Extreme Tiger & Halloween vs Jack Evans & Teddy Hart
5) Chessman vs Ozz
6) Charly Manson, Cibernetico, La Parka Jr. vs Kenzo Suzuki, Konnan, Zorro

Projected Air Date
....uh, I dunno. Is the 05/29 taping scrubbed? I'll wait to that's figured out.

Last taping before Triplemania builds it up in a general way.

Chessman vs Ozz could be great, could be turn into a disappointing garbage brawl. I will have hope. It's seems like they're separating Ozz from the rest of the Sect for a singles push at some point.

Gladiador is still here, good for him. That guy on the other side is kinda a huge spoiler for the 05/19 taping, but we all figured he'd be around here somewhere at some point.

Figures there had to be a twist for Fabi vs Mari and this is it: winner of the men's match gets to be ref for the women's match.

Note that all of the women brought in for Reina de Reinas, it's only four of the usual ones who are still around 5 days later.

Upcoming announced taping
- 06/13 DF - TripleMania

Instead, the press conference was about pushing next Friday's double main event and the continuing push of the 75th Anniversary. (A new logo for the year was debuted to highlight that.)

Heavy Metal and Toscano signed the contracts for their hair match and had a bit of a back and forth. Heavy Metal again re-iterated this is not personal and all professional, about seeing who's better. (Which I've come around on - better than faking it's personal when no one belives it.) Of course, then it got personal, with Heavy Metal bringing up Tarzan beating Negro Casas for his hair back 2002. Metal wasn't around then*, but he's avenging his brother now. Toscano told Metal to worry about his own hair, not his brother's. Metal says that at the end of the match, he'll offer Toscano a handshake, because he's a professional, but if Toscano doesn't shake it, he'll spit it Toscano's face instead. OKAY. No word if Metal will prepare for this match by smashing watermelons.

* - Metal actually said something like "I was not in the world wide lucha libre corporation with the most elite luchadors, I was somewhere else." Still not so happy with AAA.

Who are the Los Angeles Celestials? Well, they may also be los Guardianes del Ring. Ovaciones has the list as

- Marco Corelone
- Volador Jr.
- Sagrado
- Sombra
- Mascara Purpura
- Stuka
- "Metalic" (which probably should be Metalik and not Metalico)
- and Hector Garza as leader

ESTOs version of the story also includes

- Super Nova
- Angel I
- Angel II (we don't know who ever of these guys are)
- Metal Blanco
- Hijo de Faraon
- Angel Azteca Jr.

Metalik doesn't get his name spelled right here either.

SuperLuchas version
- Hector Garza
- Sombra
- Volador Jr.
- Sagrado
"will give an opportunity to"
- Super Nova"
- Angel I
- Angel II
- Metalik (spelled correctly!)
- Metal Blanco
- Hijo de Faraon

Surely CMLL's own site will have this all clear! The group here is called "Los Angels Celstial del Ring" which is a three works too long.
- Hector Garza
- Volador Jr.
- La Sombra
- Super Nova
- Angel I (but NOT Angel II)
- Marco Corelone

No Metalik, no Super Nova, no Stuka, no Mascara Purpura, no half dozen other people.

If you can actually figure out who's in the group, who's out of the group, who's in this second tier group, who's still just going to be wrestling in Guadalajara so it doesn't really matter, you're better than I. I'm going to stick with "all the tecnicos will be teaming together, regardless of group."

Putting the membership for a second, you will recall this group sounded a lot like one Mistico wanted to create earlier this Spring. It never got out of the newspaper quote/speculation stage, but of course now there's this group that's a lot like it. Mistico is upset about his idea being lifted - he feels he was robbed of his idea to boost young wrestlers, and by his own tag team partner. Mistico said he'd reject any offer to join the group, is totally not interested in and does not want to talk about that group. He notes again his group would focused more on younger wrestlers. Garza completely passed off the blame to Paco Alonso, saying the CMLL mandated the group and Garza didn't come up with it, and he doesn't know anything. Both guys vowed to be professional for their tag team title match.

This is the second time Mistico's gone against the script CMLL was working on - it was really strange when he ignored the "commission holding up tag belts and deciding on date" plot to make his own challenge, and this is very strange too. Something's going on here.

Okay, getting back to the lists. That's not the only list there's an issue with:

Ovaciones lists the "Generacion de 75" as Hijo del Fantasma, Hijo del Faraon, Flash, Micltan, Axxel, Tiger Kid, "Puma, Kid" (never gets his name right), Bronco, Skandalo, "Metalic", and Super Nova. Notimex adds Diamante Negro, Vangelis, Stuka and Angel Azteca Jr. while dropping Metalik. ESTO includes Metalik. Same with SuperLuchas. CMLL gives some of the same names and then trails off with "many more", the only safe thing to do.

Everyone was at the same press conference, right? Actually, I don't think it's the reporting that's at fault here. When everyone gets it differently, it's probably the person who's explaining it.

Also announced at the press conference: Valiente will be out two months with torn ligaments in the knee and a dislocation of the right wrist.

AAA TV (SUN) 05/25 Plaza de Toros Palacio del Arte, Morelia, Michoacan [MT & triplea]
1) Aerostar, el Ángel, Gato Eveready, Pegasso vs Barba Roja, Hijo de Pirata Morgan, Pirata Morgan, Pirata Morgan Jr.
2) Ayako Hamada vs Cinthia Moreno, La Diabólica, Estrellita, Carlos Amano [Reina de Reinas, SF]
3) Mari Apache vs Martha Villalobos, Sexy Star, Chikayo Nagashima, Sonoko Kato [Reina de Reinas, SF]
4) Fabi Apache vs Dianmite Kansai, Mayumi Ozaki, Akino, Vicky Carranza [Reina de Reinas, SF]
5) Chessman, La Parka Jr., Super Fly vs Jack Evans, Konnan, Teddy Hart
6) ? vs ??, ??? [Reina de Reinas, final]
7) Cibernetico vs Kenzo Suzuki

Projected Air Date (#839)
Mexico: 06/08
US: 06/28
(note that future dates past this show are all thrown off, because we didn't have this on our list of upcoming tapings)

The ongoing AAA discussion in the comments has revolved around AAA uses of foreigners. More specifically, it is AAA bringing in people their fanbase is mostly (or completely) unfamiliar with and AAA doing nothing to make people familiar with these people. It's money being wasted and local talent being underused in a misguided and superficial attempt to appear global.

There is no better example than this tournament. Who are these people? They're not going to sell one ticket more than lots cheaper to fly in. The Lola Gonzalezs, Lady Rabbits and Rossy Morenos (did she find out she was being left out and then left, or the other way around?) probably wouldn't mean much when the show's over, but neither will Carlos Amano, Sonoko Kato or Akino and they're probably a little more work to get here. The matches may end up being really good - I hope so! - but if everyone's just nameless faces brought in for one set of tapings and gone, what does it really mean? I'm sure the Joshi girls are happy to add "wrestled in Mexico" to the resumes, I'm just not sure what AAA is really getting.

In a fashion, this is dumber than bringing in Lashley - at least he's only taking up one spot. If you're a midcarder and you're not Super Fly, you're not getting paid for this TV.

MT's story says all the women are from the Oz Academy. Mayumi Ozaki is the leader of the group (hence the name). Carlos Amano and Chikayo Nagashima were in last year for the "Reina de Reinas international" match which saw the joshi girls laughing partway thru it. Akino was in AAA for a three TVs back in 2001, including that year's Reina de Reinas. Sonoko Kato and Dianmite Kansai appear to be making their AAA debuts here, if I've got the right spellings.

I'm sure I could go on joshi sites and figure out who all these women are, and I'm sure they're intesting people. But explaining who these people are should not be my job - it should be AAA's, and AAA passes on that job.

The tournament lineup is happening, whatever I think, so I hope it's great.

Cinthia, Mari and Fabi are your easy favorites from each group. The Morenos are back just in time to run accidentally interference in the Apache feud and prolong impossibly farther. Tiffany not making it back for this probably means we're not going to see her any time soon.

Why are Parka and Konnan and in that trios match? So much better without them. They need to go brawling off in the first three minutes.

I don't know you, but I'm secretly thrilled by that main event. It could be something memorable.

Upcoming announced taping
- 05/30 Cancun
- 06/01 Merida
- 06/13 DF - TripleMania

Ovaciones lucha article of the day is the Villanos announcing they will open a website next Thursday. The address of the website is never mentioned in the article, though I guess the idea is they'll announce it next week and they're plugging a contest where the first five e-mailers to arturosas@gmail.com who can figure it if the nickname of the Villanos is "the Imperial Dynsaty" or "the Pink Panthers" get passes to the press confrence (for a website.) It's the dynasty, but I'm thinking they've got far more than five e-mails by the time anyone reads this.

Notimex did a bunch of CMLL coverage of Tuesday's Arena Mexico show. If you recall, Panther's team won when Ultimo pulled his mask.

- Villano V votes for a Blue Panther vs Villano V vs Atlantis match. Not he's scared of Ultimo Guerrero, of course, he just wants to settle the longer rivalries first.

- UG explains he doesn't mind losing, he just didn't want to be caught in Panther's "lethal" hold. Yea, makes sense not to die on a Tuesday show. Save that for Friday. UG also seems to think his feud with is much more serious than the Villanos do. I suspect paranoia.

- Lizmark Jr. wants Dos Caras's title - this is the article which appeared in Reforma.

ESTO has two articles

- one on Nicho and Lider's Brotherhood (Lider explains he turned on the MPs because he was bored of doing the same thing)

- Another Perro Aguayo Jr., continuing his campaign for a non-title, non-apuesta singles match with Mistico.

Box Y Lucha posted a bunch of articles on it's site, all from recent editions of the magazine. They'd be much better served posting these a little more spread out. (And remember I said that when I post six AAA recaps in a day.)

- their story on the Wagner march
- Vampiro talking about his return to AAA.
- Joe Lider explaining the Mexican Powers were failing because Juvi was too occupied with his singing and fashion design (?) and Crazy Boy was focused on his own promotion. Joe Lider's going to start putting Joe Lider first.
- Brazo de Oro assures us the Union of Luchadores of CMLL is still working hard for it's members.
- Hijo del Santo says it was Durango Kid who sent border security of him. Huh. Santo also says Durango is illegally in the US from Puerto Rico (which is actually part of the US so I think he's good - I didn't need a passport when I went there.) He also congrulated Dr. Wagner for standing up for what he believes.

- history of Tatsumi Fujinama's time in Mexico.

- profile of a lucha libre school in Tampico

- Nicho talks about his three year contract. Since when are their contracts? (WWE does three year contracts, so I guess that's the idea we're supposed to be getting here.)

New Mexician Lucha Libre matches on upcoming CHIKARA shows:
05/23 Framingham, MA:
- Jorge Rivera (Skayde) vs Pantera
- Lince Dorado & Turboman vs FIST

05/24 Wallingford, CT:
- Jorge Rivera vs Turboman
- Lince & Pantera vs Fabulous Two

FSE-US: Someone realized they aired a repeat a couple weeks back and decided to make with the catching up. There are TWO new episodes this Sunday:

"Mistico vs Atlantis": starts at 7:30pm EST, and listed as 90 minutes. HMMM. Opener should be Flash/Purpura/Mictlan vs Ohara/Okumura/X

"Grey Shadow vs Sangre Azteca" - midnight eastern, and containing a singles match between those two. Opener is Fantasma/Sagrado/Valiente vs Loco/Satanico/Vangelis - so close.

Of course, this is balanced out by no lucha scheduled for next week.

AAA: Main event is Konnan/Zorro vs Cibernetico/Parka. If you really care about someone, you will not allow them to watch that match. But be sure tune in early for Jack & Teddy vs Charly & Chessman.

CAN52: Minis are airing here, I'm pretty sure. I'm less sure if it's the minis from Arena Mexico (no second match slot because of the short show, so it'd be a rare opener to air) or the minis from Coliseo (which would mean a couple of debuts.) If the new pattern is semimains here, it's more V5/Panther feuding.

----

AAA-MEX: Hellbrothers vs Sect, Zorro vs Mesias.

CMLL: focus should be on Toscano/Metal for next week, though Mistico and Garza might run into some Perro interference. It occurs to me now there's no hint of next week being a PPV, which is probably a good idea. I think the June would make sense.

FS-Mexico: Maybe a Women's match and Mistico vs the Guerreros

ALSO: the Record's show, being taped tonight, appears to be turning up on FS-Mexico (/Cono Norte). It's listed as airing on Friday, at 7:30, and running for 90 minutes. No idea if this means it'll turn up in the US in a few weeks time.

CadenaTres: Guerreros vs Tecnicos.

CMLL LLA (SUN) 05/11 Arena Santa Lucia [josedjesus @ superluchas]
1) Codigo Rojo & Mortifero b Fomer Lover & Navegante
2) Angel Dorado Jr., Principe de Oro, Regio Boy b Principe Guerrero I, Principe Guerrero II, Rey Demonio Jr.
3) Bengaly, Difutno I, Difutno II b Diablo I, Diablo II, Diabolico
4) Gato Volador, Orientale I, Orientale II b Golden Boy, Monje Negro Jr., Sergio Romo Jr.
5) Averno & Tigre Universitario DQ Misterioso II & Rey Hechicero

Misterioso pointed out that Averno is a rudo and really shouldn't teaming with a tecnico in this match. In the end, Averno agreed and turned on Universitario in the third fall. This is to set up another match Tigre's for the WWA Middleweight Title.

CMLL (TUE) 05/13 Arena Mexico [cmll]
1) Puma King & Semental b Fireman & Súper Camaleón
2) Fantasy, Mascarita Dorada, Pequeno Maximo DQ Pequeño Damian 666, Pequeño Halloween, Pequeño Warrior
3) Axel, Fabián el Gitano, Felino b Diamante Negro, Misterioso II, Virus
4) Terrible, Villano IV, Villano V b Sagrado, Shocker, Volador Jr.
5) Blue Panther, Dos Caras Jr., Marco Corelone DQ Lizmark Jr., Rey Bucanero, Último Guerrero

Ultimo took Blue Panther's mask for the DQ. In the semimain, Sagrado came up hurt after a dive and the rudos took advantage of the numbers. Tecnico minis won in straight falls, rudos DQed in the 1st for excessive violence, and Mini Damian cradled in the second.

After the show, Lizmark Jr. told Notimex that he'd really like a(nother) shot at Dos Jr.'s belt. They say this is Lizmark's return after four months out, but he was just on an Arena Mexico card three weeks ago. Time flies.

Sunday's results STILL have not turned up. I wonder if Alexis had finals.

(KrisZ) CMLL will be throwing a 25th Anniversary celebration for Atlantis on 07/11 (a Friday.) Besides the matches, Atlantis will show off the many masks he's won, there'll be pictures of his career, and a mass in his honor.

Ovaciones has a profile of Saeta Azteca. It notes he was a fast moving wrestler, but never really pushed big by either EMLL or LLI. Which makes you wonder what mertis he had to be a Star of The 75th Anniversary and the article doesn't really explain that.

El Sol de Cuautla writes about Cinthia Moreno and Oriental's return to AAA on this next TV taping.

Box Y Lucha #2870 focuses on Toscano & Heavy Metal in a hair match.

indy (FRI) 05/16 Coliseo Fraternidad [Notiver]
1) Century 2000, Kato, Nimbus vs Blue Angel, Kronos (Veracruz), Trueno Infernal
2) Angel del Misterio, Matematico Jr., Rey Egipto, Sangre y Fuego vs ?, Acero, Relampgo Cadenas Jr., Tormento Chino
3) ?, Celestial (Veracruz), Rey Mistico vs Black Baby, Matrix, Triple X

I'm not sure what's exactly going on here. There's a picture of Mistico, but they keep saying "Rey Mistico". There's no one else CMLL-ish working the show (that's a local Celestial and a local Kronos), so I'm thinking misleading advertising.

AAA (SUN) 05/18 Arena Solidaridad [wagnersoriano @ SML]
1) Aguila Xtrema & Guerrero Blanco vs Jorobado I & Jorobado II
2) Chico Calavera & La Momia vs Diabolik & Thunder Brother
3) Chiva, Sexy Star, TDN vs Antifaz del Norte, Fabi Apache, May Flowers
4) Crazy Boy, Joe Lider, Ultimo Gladiador vs Black Abyss, Decnnis, Zumbido
5) Cibernetico vs Zorro, Cuervo

CMLL (SUN) 05/18 Arena Coliseo Monterrey [RFC]
1) Angel del Silencio & Rey Pantera vs Guardian & Super Gala
2) Dralion, Furor, Orquidea Negra vs Black Diamond, Dranser, Scravos
3) Hijo del Trueno & Mongol Chino vs Caifan Rockero I & Potro Jr.
4) Solar I & Super Astro vs Negro Navarro & Shu el Guerrero
5) Heavy Metal & LA Park vs Averno & Toscano

I think I'd rather see the ACM show - because I haven't seen the Solar/Negro match, but AAA put together a bigger card for the first week of this switch. If it matters at all.

IMDET (FRI) 05/23 Auditorio de Tijuana
1) Pandillero I, Pandillero II, Zandokan vs Camaleon, Diamantina, Rubi Gardenia
2) el Hijo del Perro Aguayo, Mr. Águila, Villano V vs Angel Blanco Jr., Hijo del Enfermero, LA Park

AAA (SUN) 05/11 Arena Coliseo Monterrey [RFC]
1) Baby Fox b Invasor
2) Aguila Extrema & Euforia (Monterrey) b Diabolik & Guerrero Blanco
3) Mini Chessman & Poly Star b Estrellita & Mascarita Divina
4) Casandro, Chico Calavera, Sangre Chicana b Antifaz del Norte, Jesse, Yuriko
5) El Elegido, Pimpinela Escarlata, Super Fly b Cuervo, Escoria, Espíritu

RFC says 700 people for this show, about normal.

This is the last show before a game of musical chairs breaks out in Monterrey. AAA jumps to Arena Solidaridad. Arena Solidaridad currently hosts the CMLL affiliated Lucha Libre VIP promotion, which will take over Arena Coliseo Monterrey. Got it? I've lost track of how many times AAA's left ACM in the last few years, so it's tough to believe this won't get changed again in the next six months.

Which building is bigger? I think it's ACM but I'm not sure.

Arturo Rivera's column in Ovaciones talks about this situation and the Moreno's status with AAA. The lone lucha article is a preview today's Arena Mexico card, focusing on the Villanos. It'd be nice if they started posting these article to their website again.

CMLL (SUN) 05/11 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [CMLL]
1) Thunder Boy b Milenio
2) Golden b Impostor
3) Depredador (Guadalajara) & Güero Loco b Carlo Roggi & Nuba Roja
4) Exterminador, Jeque, Super maquina b Lider, Metalik, Metatron
5) Cien Caras Jr. & Mr. Águila b Gallo & Leon Blanco
6) LA Park & Negro Casas DQ Villano III & Villano V

Villano 3 fouled Negro in the main event, covered him, the ref counted the pin, and then gave the tecnicos the win. Rudos won the fourth match in straight falls.

CMLL (SUN) 05/18 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Palacio Negro & Quazar vs Milenio & Relampago
2) Lider & Nube Roja vs Exterminador & Güero Loco
3) Infierno, Máscara Mágica, Toxico vs Casanova, Metal Blanco, Metatron
4) Metalik vs Jeque [hair, mask]
5) Blue Panther & Shocker vs Mr. Águila & Villano V
6) Negro Casas vs Villano III

CMLL (MON) 05/12 Arena Puebla [hugo999 @ box y lucha]
1) Blue Center, Lestat, SWAT b Aguila Guerrera, Siki Ozama 2, Zigma
2) Karisma, Siki Ozama, Skandalo b Astro Boy, Centella de Oro, Tigre Rojo
3) Diamante Negro, Misterioso II, Vangelis DQ Axxel, La Máscara, Stuka Jr.
4) Policeman b Cerebro Negro [hair]
5) La Sombra, Shocker, Volador Jr. DQ Averno, Ephesto, Mephisto

indy (SUN) 04/27 Arena Coliseo Acapulco [El Sol de Acapulco]
1) Fighter King & Kuman b Eifi & El Puma (Acapulco)
2) Caballo Loco & Gassman b Cuchillo de Plata & Navegante
3) Dragon Latino & el Titere b Fenix & Fulminante
4) Agorafobia III, Aquiles, Wild Cat DQ Centinela, Darkness, Mhurna
5) Destroyer, Fuego Negro, Super Mascara DQ El Guerrero, Pocima, Rey Tigre

I think that's the ex-Eclipse, still wrestling back in Acapulco. It looks like the same Rey Tigre mask in the picture.

Looks like TripleMania tickets are on TicketMaster, though it's past the on sale date and they're not available to purchase. Tickets are already on sale for next Friday's Arena Mexico show (hair match, tag title match), and prices are up 140 pesos ($13) for the closest seats. They also started putting Tuesday Arena Mexico shows on sale at some point.

El_Blue @ El Martiente posted the cover of Record Luchas #1, the new magazine put out by Record which was released yesterday but is offically launching with their show at Arena Mexico tomorrow. The review says it's light on results and heavy on interviews and stories.

Rossy Moreno did another "I'm leaving AAA" video interview, this time with Box Y Lucha.

Rey Misterio Jr. revealed how he got his Louis Vuitton mask to Reforma (via Jazz): his wife bought a Louis Vuitton bag and they cut it up to use it as mask. Rey figures it's legal because they never say how they have to use the bag.

CMLL announced a press conference for Thursday to announce it's partnership with TNA. While I'm not sure if anything good will come off this, this is at least better than the usual level of uncertainty. The latest Observer says TNA was rebuffed on requests for Mistico ("already booked thru August") and Perro Jr.

I firmly do not believe there's big cross over between the CMLL audience and the TNA audience, at least in the US where it might make some finical difference for TNA, and it's silly to think TNA can suddenly reach that audience when they have so much trouble reaching their own audience. I've said this before and I'll say it again: they should just bring in four midcard flyers (let's say Trios Champs + Valiente), let them do show off what they can do, and they'll get over all on their own.

Knowing TNA, the team will include Mr. Aguila and Shocker, since they've worked there before. I don't want to slight either guy as a wrestler, but I think you're better off going with guys the audience doesn't know than people they better recall, in Aguila's case, as a WWE cast off.

The Observer also says TNA will be giving Dark Angel a tryout sometime soon. She's definitely good enough to make their roster, so I bet it'll come down to a money/availability thing and probably will help her get her name elsewhere.

ROH posted a note saying Jack Evans was taking a leave of absence to work internationally. This would appear to mean he's going to be a regular in AAA, who had offered Evans and Teddy Hart an apartment if they were willing to move down their full time. Hopefully next year, Bryan Alvarez has Jack on for lucha week instead of me.

Noticias Oaxaca has an interview with KeMonito. They talk about his career as Alushe as well.

AAA moves to Arena Solidaridad starting next Sunday.

Ovaciones's sole lucha libre coverage is a picture of Mini Damian win the Dragonmania hair match.

They set up a Fuerza/Fantasma Jr. mask match in the main event. That's one not happening. Enterrador 2000 tried wrestling the match with his mask on, but the commission stopped the match in the second fall to make him take it off. Fantasma de la Opera and Multifacetico did not get along in their match, and FdlO wants a shot at Multifacetico's title as well. That line is getting long.

IWRG (THU) 05/08 Arena Naucalpan [SuperLuchas #263]
1) Avisman b Comando Gama
2) Trauma I & Trauma II b Centello & Jack
3) Black Terry, El Hijo del Diablo, Quarterback b Avisman, Chico Che, Kazuki
4) Aeroman, Fantasma de la Ópera, Multifacético b Arlequin, Demony, Veneno
5) Fuerza Guerrera, Hijo de Cien Caras, Mascara Ano 2000 Jr. DQ Dr. Wagner Jr., El Dandy, Silver King

Hijo de Cien tried to martinete Wagner, Dandy made the save, and Wagner gave the martinete to Hijo de Cien.

Semimain had a bizarre finish. Multifacetico and Fantasma de la Opera didn't get along again, and Arlequin decided to take advantage by switching his mask with Fantasma de la Opera. I don't know how his plan was supposed to work, but it failed - Multifacetico ended up pinning the Arlequin-masked FdlO, and somehow this counted.

Dragonmania (SUN) 05/11 Arena Mexico
0) Durango Kid, Steve Pain, Thunder Wolf b Chilango, Laberinto, Principe Orion
1) Arkangel de la Muerte & Negro Navarro b Daisuke Hanaoka & Satoshi Kajiwara
2) Hiroka & Mima Shimoda b Fuka & Sahori
3) Hiromi Horiguchi, Ohara, Shigeo Okumura b Brazo de Oro, Brazo de Platino, La Máscara
4) Katsuhiko Nakajima & Miyakawa b Dr. X & Nitro
5) Alex Koslov b Amigo Suzuki, Astro Boy, Hijo del Fantasma, Loco Max, Marco Corelone, Olimpico, Super Nova, Texano Jr. [Dragon Scramble]
6) Pequeño Damian 666 b Toshiya Matsuzaki [hair]
7) Animal & Kensuke Sasaki b Damián 666 & Terrible [UWA TAG]
8) Atlantis, Rene Dupree, Último Guerrero b Místico, Tatsumi Fujinami, Último Dragón

Yes, Animal & Kensuske Sasaki (as Power Warrior) won the UWA Tag Team Titles, which are currently being defended in Japan's El Dorado promotion. This was a vacant title match, and they did have a rep of the old UWA out to proclaim this as the official championship, picking up from the end of the LLI promotion in '95. (All reigns since then have to be reclassified as disputed.) The belts being used match the belt Dr. Wagner Jr. uses for the UWA Heavyweight Championship, and those are the only two belts that was passes for the current UWA considers authentic.

Don't spend too much time thinking about this, because I'm sure we'll never see these tag team belts again.

I've been spending too much time paying attention to El Dorado this weekend, but that's a PS3 joke for another post elsewhere. Anyway, the most inexplicable thing is not the last minute add of a title to a match for no reason, but it's bringing in Tatsumi Fujinama just to have him be on the losing side of the match. In fact, even of the ways the rudos could win that'd make sense - Atlantis or UG screwing with Mistico, UG beating Dragon to continue their never ending feud, Rene Dupree doing something to explain his existence in this match - Atlantis beat Dragon with a half crab. This was indeed an Ultimo Dragon show.

Yay for Alex (winning a battle royal) and Mini Damian. Sahori replaced Dark Angel because CMLL decided to book her elsewhere.

This week's SuperLuchas also has an interview with Oriental, where he's disappointed about not getting anything for AAA lately and threatens to jump to...WWE. (It's phrased non-confrontational, but that's the clear idea.) But what he'd really like to do is work for both.

In related news, the Gladiatores has an interview with Rossy Moreno, who says she's done with AAA. The hair match with Estrellita was apparently her swan song and she's going independent. I see lots of matches with Lola Gonzalez and Xochitl Hamada in her future. If you don't watch the interview for the news, watch it for the swank Matematico t-shirt.

Today's Ovaciones has Villano V saying he'd like to take Blue Panther's mask, but he's most focused on embarrassing him. That's cold.

Lineups of note

IWRG (THU) 05/15 Arena Nauclapan
1) Avisman vs Halcon 2000
2) Kazuki & Super Destello vs Black Thunder & Judas el Traidor
3) Chico Che, Freelance, Turbo vs Black Terry, Cerebro Negro, Hijo del Espanto
4) Aeroman, Blue Dragon, Multifacético vs Demony, Septiembre Negro II, Veneno
5) Hijo del Cien Caras, LA Park, Máscara Año 2000 vs Dr. Wagner Jr., El Dandy, Silver King

Will Turbo wrestle this week? Hijo de Cien Caras is coming back from the piledriver quick.

CMLL (SUN) 05/18 Arena Coliseo
1) Molotov & Trueno vs Artillero & Zayco
2) Goddess, Luna Mágica, Marcela vs Hiroka, La Seductora, Rosa Negra
3) Flash, Máscara Púrpura, Metálico vs Bronco III, Diamante Negro, Skandalo
4) Axxel, La Máscara, La Sombra vs Ephesto, Misterioso II, Vangelis
5) Alex Koslov, Héctor Garza, Místico vs Atlantis, Rey Bucanero, Último Guerrero

IWRG (SUN) 05/18 Arena Naucalpan
1) Avisman vs Quarterback
2) Freelance, Gemelo Fantastico I, Gemelo Fantastico II vs Hijo del Espanto, Judas el Traidor, Karloff Lagarde Jr.
3) Aeroman, Marco Rivera, Ultramán Jr. vs Ciclon Negro, El Hijo del Diablo, Veneno
4) ? vs ?? [1, IWRG WELTER]
5) El Dandy, el Hijo Del Anibal, Multifacético vs El Hijo del Solitario, Fuerza Guerrera, Máscara Año 2000

CMLL (FRI) 05/09 Arena Mexico [ESTO]
1) Mascarita Dorada & Tzuki DQ Pequeño Warrior & Pierrothito
2) Valiente b Sagrado, La Sombra, La Máscara, Volador Jr., Máscara Púrpura, Stuka Jr., Flash, Virus, Mr. Águila, Ephesto, Misterioso II, Loco Max, Sangre Azteca, Diamante Negro, Euforia [Reyes del Aire]
3) Alex Koslov, Heavy Metal, Shocker b Black Warrior, Rey Bucanero, Toscano
4) Atlantis, Olímpico, Último Guerrero DQ Héctor Garza, Marco Corelone, Místico

Mistico had UG, but UG pulled off his own mask and Mistico got blamed. This sounds familiar.

Heavy Metal pinned Toscano clean in the third fall. Ovaciones story says Toscano used the ropes to win the one fall the rudos took.

Tatsumi Fujinama appeared was honored in between the second and third match. He's wrestling on the Dragonmania show tomorrow.

Order of elimination: Loco Max, Stuka Jr., Virus, Flash, Diamante Negro, Mascara Purpura (who got hurt), Euforia, Ephesto, Volador & Mr. Aguila took each other out, La Mascara, Misterioso II, Sombra and finally Sangre Azteca lost to Valiente. Valiente was taken to the hospital after the show. Refoma (via Jazzo) says it was a left ankle injury. Match was said to be around 15 minutes. If the pictures are right, Valiente got a ridiculously tiny trophy for this.

Warrior yanked Dorada's mask in the opener.

CMLL is on from 5:00 to 6:50 CT today.

Also in Reforma (via Jazzo), Mick Foley mentions becoming friends with Cinthia Moreno and Gran Apache on a tour of Japan.

Lineups

CMLL (TUE) 05/13 Arena Mexico
1) Puma King & Semental vs Súper Camaleón & Súper Tri
2) Fantasy, Mascarita Dorada, Pequeno Maximo vs Pequeño Damian 666, Pequeño Halloween, Pequeño Warrior
3) Axel, Fabián el Gitano, Felino vs Diamante Negro, Misterioso II, Virus
4) Sagrado, Shocker, Volador Jr. vs Terrible, Villano IV, Villano V
5) Blue Panther, Dos Caras Jr., Marco Corelone vs Lizmark Jr., Rey Bucanero, Último Guerrero

CMLL (FRI) 05/16 Arena Mexico
1) Shockercito & Último Dragoncito vs Pequeño Violencia & Pierrothito
2) Dark Angel, Goddess, Marcela vs Amapola, Hiroka, Princesa Sujei
3) Blue Panther, La Máscara, Valiente vs Damián 666, Mr. Águila, Villano V
4) Heavy Metal, Negro Casas, Shocker vs el Hijo del Perro Aguayo, Terrible, Texano
5) Dos Caras Jr., Héctor Garza, Místico vs Atlantis, Toscano, Último Guerrero

Lizmark, Mano Negra, Ultrman and As Charro will be honored on this show and the Sunday one.

We know Toscano and Metal are in a hair match next week, and they're in different matches here. We know there's a tag team title rematch next week, but Averno & Mephisto aren't even on the card, and the former champs are facing the Guerreros, not the Perros. How odd.

Is that a reward for Valiente? Doesn't seem like one.

There's a slightly adjusted lineup for TripleMania posted in el Maritente from Dos y Tres.

AAA TV (FRI) 06/13 Palacio de los Deportes, DF
1) Fabi Apache vs Mari Apache
2) Crazy Boy, Juventud Guerrera, Ricky Marvin vs Bryan Danielson Joe Lider, Jack Evans, Teddy Hart and Extreme Tiger, Halloween, TJ Xtreme
3) Alan Stone, Octagón, Super Porky vs Decnnis, Scorpio Jr., Zumbido
4) ?, Charly Manson, La Parka Jr. vs ?, Electro Shock, Kenzo Suzuki
5) Mr. Niebla vs Abismo Negro vs Psicosis vs Histeria vs Antifaz vs Black Abyss [mask, cage]
6) Vampiro vs Mesias [extreme]
7) Zorro vs Cibernetico [AAA HEAVY]

So we've got LIder for Danielson, a bit of a chance, and Abismo facing every single Viper they have handy, which actually sounds like something Abismo would accept. I don't know that this is actually any more accurate than other lineups - there's no telling how long it takes the magazine to make it to print, and AAA could've changed the lineup between then and now.

I'd say the basic format of the show is pretty confirmed if it's in AAA's magazine, though there may still be wrestler changes.

CMLL (THU) 05/08 Arena Neza [Reforma via Jazzo]
3) Calígula, Méssala, Valiente b Misterioso II, Okumura, Puma King
4) Alex Koslov, Blue Panther, La Mascara b Atlantis, Olímpico, Sangre Azteca

La Mascara replaced Mistico. That's a refund situation.

CMLL (FRI) 05/09 Arena Mexico
1) Mascarita Dorada & Tzuki vs Pequeño Warrior & Pierrothito
2) Sagrado vs La Sombra, La Máscara, Volador Jr., Valiente, Máscara Púrpura, Stuka Jr., Flash, Virus, Mr. Águila, Ephesto, Misterioso II, Loco Max, Sangre Azteca, Diamante Negro, Euforia [Reyes del Aire]
3) Alex Koslov, Heavy Metal, Shocker vs Black Warrior, Rey Bucanero, Toscano
4) Héctor Garza, Marco Corelone, Místico vs Atlantis, Olímpico, Último Guerrero

There's talk about Toscano/Metal, but the real match of interest is the Rey de Aires.

Ovaciones' newspaper article actually made the website. Progress! It's just a preview of the card, picking Flash, Mascara Purpura, Mr. Aguila and Diamante Negro. ESTO thinks Volador Jr. might become a three time champion.

Robert breaks this out on the DVDMB, but this is how I figure things split up.

(no chance)
Diamante Negro - nice to be here
Loco Max - maybe he can set up another three week hair match program
Euforia - not enough of a high flyer
Ephesto - here just to catch people

(low chance)
Stuka Jr. - push seems to be evaporated, but every tecnico has an outside shot
Máscara Púrpura - being dropped for Hijo del Fantasma says something
Flash - has a chance to steal the show
Misterioso II - has a bunch of unsettled rivalries with the rest of these guys - double pin?
La Máscara - needs to be reinvented as an more technical wrestler because he's never going to outfly these guys
Sagrado - there are better choices
Virus - should stay to late to make everyone look good
Sangre Azteca - same with him

(strong chance)
Volador Jr. - surely will get near the end, but won this twice already
Valiente - really sharp
Mr. Águila - there has to be a reason while he's here, because he's "above" these guys
La Sombra - very strong possibility, they still seem very high on him

WWE's Press Conference news: they're coming back for 10 years, at least twice a year. Usually "we might do a PPV" and "we might bring in more Mexicans" stuff. Far more interesting was Super Crazy telling Reforma (via Jazzo, and apparently after the press conference) the WWE is down on Wagner because he looks too big. WWE is also down on hiring Mexicans after their experiences with Juvi and Nicho.

According to ESTO, the referees for the tag title rematch will probably be Terror Chino and Rodolfo Ruiz. Also, Atlantis (25 years of wrestling), Rey Bucanero (15 years of wrestling), Marco Corelone (best foreigner) won Golden Microphone awards in Hidalgo.

LuchandoLibre, recapping the Expo says the AAA booth was the best, has video of AULL, and DTU.

ESTO says 24,000 people came to the lucha libre expo.

(PE.com) The San Bernarido County Fair will include lucha libre wrestling (and Christian pop) this Sunday.

CMLL (MON) 05/12 Arena Puebla
1) Blue Center, Lestat, SWAT vs Aguila Guerrera, Siki Ozama 2, Zigma
2) Astro Boy, Centella de Oro, Tigre Rojo vs Karisma, Siki Ozama, Skandalo
3) Axxel, La Máscara, Stuka Jr. vs Diamante Negro, Misterioso II, Vangelis
4) Cerebro Negro vs Policeman [hair]
5) La Sombra, Shocker, Volador Jr. vs Averno, Ephesto, Mephisto

Policeman's losing his hair, I think.

AAA TV (MON) 05/19 Domo de la Feria de Leon [gkave @ Satanico's Mansion]
1) Alan, Javi, Kevin, Ricky vs Barba Roja, Drake Morgan, Pirata Morgan, Pirata Morgan Jr. Jessy, Nygma, Yuriko, Polvo de Estrellas
2) Cinthia Moreno, Estrellita, Fabi Apache vs Ayako Hamada, Mari Apache, Martha Villalobos
3) ?, Joe Lider, Nicho el Millionario vs Extreme Tiger, Halloween, TJ Xtreme
4) Abismo Negro, Oriental, Super Porky vs Antifaz del Norte, Mr. Niebla, Psicosis
5) Mesias & Ozz vs Kenzo Suzuki & Konnan
6) Charly Manson, Chessman, Cibernetico vs Jack Evans, Teddy Hart, Zorro

Projected Air Date (#838)
Mexico: 06/01
US: 06/21

Note that the same person who posted this is the person who posted the TripleMania card. I think you've got to believe both are true or neither.

Main event is interesting. (The program lists them as the Hart Foundation 2 - but I'm thinking that doesn't include Zorro.) Charly/Chessman vs Teddy/Jack could be really really good and a feud would give the lesser Hell Brothers something to do that doesn't involve Chessman near death experiences and Charly in random card filler atomicos. I hope this works and they run with it.

Semimain, less so. As I noted in the comments previously, Black Abyss seems to have vanished - perhaps dropped?

An article on AAA's site says the third member of Joe Lider's Brotherhood (the surprise wrestler on his team) will be another Ultraviolent wrestler, so I guess it'll be someone from DTU.

The women are back, probably in anticipation for Reina de Reinas. I'd guess they bring in the International women (Ayako and ?) for both the 05/30 and 06/01 tapings. Doing a tournament the show right before TripleMania doesn't seem to make sense focus wise but it sure seems possible - you'd want to spend the 05/30 taping introducing the foreigners so they mean something when they lose on the next taping. I'm sure there are many women better in Mexico than Martha, but not many who promote AAA spot shows.

Upcoming announced taping
- 05/30 Cancun
- 06/01 Merida
- 06/13 DF - TripleMania

(Reforma via Jazzo) Heavy Metal hypes up the hair match with Toscano by saying: "We have no rivalarly, I just challenged him and he accepted." I think Emilio vs Pupura might have a more exciting hair match. Meanwhile, Damian 666 says he was surprised to be honored for his 25 years of wrestling at the lucha libre expo. Which is odd, since we all knew. He says his retirement is far away, but his family would prefer he doesn't do any more hardcore matches so he'll probably do few of them.

Notimex has stories on Tuesday's Coliseo show and Averno & Mephisto's reaction to the title rematch being announced (spoiler: they think they will win.) Ovaciones seems to be picking up Notimex's articles now. No new unique articles from them today.

AAA (SUN) 05/11 Arena Coliseo Monterrey [RFC]
1) Baby Fox vs Invasor
2) Diabolik & Guerrero Blanco vs Aguila Extrema & Euforia (Monterrey)
3) Estrellita & Mascarita Divina vs Mini Chessman & Poly Star
4) Casandro, Chico Calavera, Sangre Chicana vs Antifaz del Norte, Jesse, Yuriko
5) El Elegido, Pimpinela Escarlata, Super Fly vs Cuervo, Escoria, Espíritu

SuperLuchas has video and results from the 05/02 Diabolico & Horoscopo vs Rey Fuego & Kamakazee double mask vs hair match.

Shane McMahon has a press conference in Mexico, with Ric Flair, Mr. Kennedy, Mick Foley and Super Crazy also expected to be there.. There hasn't been much talk about opening up a WWE Mexico group of late - I think it'd be a "Germany invades Russia" level idea - but that SuperLuchas post talks about the rumors. Surely most of it will be talk to push tickets and lip service about bringing in lucha talent. WWE's pre-PPV clips seem just about soundsbites and rabid fans easily compressed into a :30 video package; there might be more news in the post conference chattering.