Author: thecubsfan

Gemelo Muerte II suddenly passed away Saturday. Muerte and his brother were an excellent tag team around Monterrey who also appeared on the Noches de Futbol variety show on Multimedios. The Gemelo Muertes advanced to the finals of last year’s Quien Pinta Por La Corona. He was also the Mini LA Park in Lucha Libre USA: Masked Warriors. There’s a benefit show for him this weekend in Arena Coliseo Monterrey.

CMLL’s Guerrero Negro Jr. lost his hair to Spartaco in Saltillo. This always might be a set up to Negro disappearing for a while and getting a mask, but he’s currently on the CMLL card for Friday.

Lucky Boy and Nino de Ebano seem more certain to get new identities. The Ringside AAA column in SuperLuchas 509 mentions Aerostar’s new plans for that team include bringing back past Antonio Pena gimmicks to change the current Maxima Velocidad. That fits with rumors we were told in Mexico about those guys (and others in AAA) getting new identities soon.

I’m probably wrong on who I thought was the mystery guy in AAA. Dan on the F4W points out Konnan saying “Brodrick” possibly means it’s Mikey Broderick, another Australian who’s currently in Osaka Pro. We were told it was someone coming from Japan, which makes sense. He still wouldn’t be American, which some of the posters has listed. He’s a Lance Storm trainee, like Taya.

Hijo de Climax & Gallo Tapado kept the Juniors Tag Team titles in Acapulco. I believe they also successfully defended them in Expomascaras after we left.

DTU TV premieres tonight. Rich Swann versus Flamita will air on the first episode.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update from Monday and yesterday, 60-51 of the 2012 top 100, a remembrance of Steve Gerber.

Lucha Libre in Japan

09/14 NJPW: Rey Bucanero & Tama Tonga won the CMLL World Tag Team Championship from Hiroshi Tanahashi & Jushin Liger when Tonga beat Liger after some involvement from the Bullet Club. CMLL Gaceta’s recap omits the interference part. Must’ve been lost in translation. Bucanero & Tonga are the 35th champions. It’s obvious the previous title change was to get Tanahashi into the Universal tournament so he could win the thing, it’s not as obvious why CMLL felt Tanahashi winning the Universal tournament. Bucanero is now a four time tag champion, though this is his first tag reign since 2004 and the first without Ultimo Guerrero.

Mascara Dorada is heading to NJPW for the final week of their current tournament on their 09/29 iPPV. He’ll be on the opposite sides of an atomicos of Rey Bucanero. Another – yet to be announced – CMLL tecnico will be on the next tour which may be his first international experience.

Fenix has been very successful in NOAH results this tour, getting pinfall wins to show off the many possible ways he could defeat Ishimori, including getting a direct pin on Wednesday. Their junior heavyweight title match is coming up on Sunday

Cuervo has been taking all the direct losses in his AJPW run. On the other hand, Low-Ki beat Cuervo in the tournament they’re running, then got squashed by Akebono in the next tournament match so bad that he’s missed the rest of the tour due to injury. Could be worse for Cuervo.

Links

Tales of Masked Men repeats a lot this weekend and coming month on PBS.

Psicosis threatens La Secta. Daga says La Secta are crazy to think they can take on La Secta.

Dinastia says Mini Abismo is his biggest challenge.

Gronda XXX feels better than ever.

Rey Misterio Jr. is doing press for the upcoming WWE Mexico tour. The lineups for the shows are coming out next week.

An interview with Hip Hop Man mentions he’s a second generation luchador – his father was Jaguar in Titanes en el Ring.

Various Rey Bucanero masks, among other things.

Cronicas y Leyendas looks back at Sangre Chicana shaving La Fiera, multi-champion Super Halcon, multi champion Los Infernales, Satanico as a new idol, and a history of Rey Misterio.

Ohtani’s Jacket reviews rudo focused trios matches.

 

IWL (SAT) 09/14/2013 Centro de Convenciones, Tlalnepantla, Estado de Mexico [@luchablog, Black Terry Jr. (flickr), Estrellas del Ring, La WagnerMania, R de Rudo]
***IWL 3rd Anniversary***
1) Chamuel b Guapito, Gallito Feliz
Guapito wrestled in dress clothes. Played to crowd long before starting. Chamuel split his pants. Guapito broke holds but stayed out of the action for long periods. Chamuel beat Guapito with a guillotine dropkick and Gallito with a top rope senton con giro. Bad match.
2) ????, ?????, Heavy Boy, Medics I, Medics III, Muerte Negra b ?, ??, Brazo Jr., Epidemia, Kid Jaguar, Mystery Man In Orange [cibernetico]
Listed as a 10 man cibernetico, ended up as a 12 man tag that went way long. Participants were announced but inaudible and mostly anonymous, but probably more luchadors from Arena Aficion.
3) Flyer b Concord, Gotita de Plata [lightning]
Added match. Flyer beat both men (Gotita, Concord) to win in a match with high spots and low spots.
4) Infierno Kid, Ojo Diabólico Jr., Sepulturero I, Último Vampiro b Arkanos, Kilvan, Shadow, Yoruba
Crowd was very into Yoruba and Shadow as soon as they tagged in. Turned into a chaotic light tube brawl. Vampiro used an Abismo Negro fire can to blind Shadow for the pin.
5) ATM, ATM Gold, ATM Super b Dinamic Black, Freelance, Pantera and Carta Brava Jr. (IWL), Hijo del Fishman, Kung Fu Jr.
ATM Gold stole the (single) pin from Freelance after Freelance had given him a top rope headscissors and was aiming for a moonsault. Freelance challenged Gold to a single immediate fall mask/hair match.
6) Carta Brava Jr. (IWL), Cerebro Negro, Fantasma de la Ópera b Súper Muñeco, Súper Pinocho, Súper Ratón [WWA TRIOS]
Very bloody brawl, unlike what you’d expect from Trio Fantasia. Pinocho’s unnamed valet threw in a chain, Super Muneco got it, whipped it around until he hit the ref by accident, Carta Brava got in a foul and pinned Muneco (though Muneco had a shoulder very visibly and purposefully off the mat.) IWL announced Carta Brava’s mother had passed away earlier in the day and the other luchadors on the show (including Monsther II, who did not wrestle) came to the ring to console and congratulate him. Trio Fantasia demanded a title rematch.
7) Ángel o Demonio, León Rojo, Ovett, Perico b Aeroboy, Demente Extreme, Hormiga, Violento Jack
total extreme blood match. Porros won after throwing someone thru a wood panel. Everyone held each other’s arms up after the match. Crowd was really behind the Porros and into the match.
8) Super Crazy b Último Gladiador, Fantasma de la Ópera, Loco Max, Tony Rivera, Zumbido, Flamita, Cerebro Negro, Ninja de Fuego, Mike Segura, Pesadilla [IWL IC, TLC]
Chaotic brawl for a new title. Despite it being a ladder match, pinfalls and submissions were treated as if legal at times.
9) LA Park b Canek, Justin Credible, Dr. Wagner Jr. [IWL HEAVY]
New title, which was supposed to handed out in a failed 2010 tournament. LA Park pinned Justin Credible, Canek got himself DQed pulling Wagner’s mask, and LA Park beat Wagner after a ref bump, Wagner pulling LA Park’s mask and LA Park ignoring it to pin Wagner.

It was really what I an expected an IWL show to be – an too long event with some good points, random indy people, and screwy finishes so everyone could go home feeling OK.

ATMs are other usual luchadors, including one who wrestled twice on this card. Mike Segura is looking more like Danny Trejo these days.

No one has full results for the 12 man tag – Estrellas del Ring still lists it as a cibernetico, but it definitely was not one. (It really would’ve been improved by being one to give it some direction.) I had Gallito Feliz and Chamuel confused, so we all could do better.

LA Park talks about his win and other events.

CMLL (SUN) 09/15/2013 Arena Mexico [@luchablog, Estrellas del Ring, Terra, Yahoo! Deportes]
1) Bengala & Oro Jr. b Espanto Jr. & Zayco
Tecnicos took 1/3.
2) Astral, Bam Bam, Eléctrico b Mercurio, Pequeño Nitro, Pequeño Olímpico
Tecnicos took 2/3. Dragoncito was originally listed but switched for Bam Bam ahead of time. Astral is jacked but also still blowing spots at times.
3) Estrellita b Princesa Sugheit [MEX WOMEN]
Estrellita took 2/3 for her second defense, the last with a bridging backslide Toscano style, both versus Sugheit. Crowd was not into the match beyond hollering semi-serious support for Estrellita.
4) La Máscara, Super Porky, Thunder b Ephesto, Felino, Pierroth
Tecnicos took 2/3. Usual Porky match. Pierroth and Thunder fought and were bad but the world did not actually end.
5) Kráneo, Psicosis, Volador Jr. b Máscara Dorada, Mistico, Valiente
Volador’s debut unmasked – he took off his mask during his entrance. Crowd was way behind him and Kraneo & Psicosis led chants for him after the first fall. rudos took 1/3. Volador spoke off this being a new start for him but he’ll continue to do it for his fans. Kraneo & Psicosis challenged for a trios title shot (implied that Volador would not be on that team.) Mije was there but not really involved.
6) Marco Corleone b Mr. Niebla
Marco took falls 2/3. Crowd was easily behind Niebla. Marco had rudo moments, including taking the second fall grabbing the ropes. Niebla rolled thru the Aero Italiano in the first for the pin, but Marco landed it clean for the win in the third. Marco did his “I wasn’t born in Mexico, but I’m now Mexican in my heart.” Crowd wasn’t having it today.

Main event booking was really weird – the result matters little going forward, just do the Niebla win and send the crowd home happy. (Again, they couldn’t have been surprised by the reaction.)

Semifinal was the best match. Crowd has definitely picked Volador as their rebelling rallying point, though he’s been that for that group of fans for some time. The tecnico Porra Tepito were all wearing Volador Jr. masks on Tuesday. CMLL ought to take advantage of this.

Estrellita looks even more Fan Service-y in person. Her pants were indiscreetly tight in certain areas.

CMLL (SUN) 09/15/2013 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [@acogdl]
1) El Brillante & El Divino b Relampago Azul & Samael
Tecnicos took 2/3.
2) Jocker b El Ídolo [lightning]
Jocker snuck in a foul on Idolo.
3) Sky Kid & Smaker b Black Metal & Esfinge and Espectrum & Infierno and Exterminador & Maléfico [OCCIDENTE TAG, semifinal]
Black Metal beat Espectrum to eliminated his team, Sky Kid beat the Black Metal/Esfinge team, and Sky Kid moonsaulted Malefico for the win. They face Los Truenos next week
4) Ángel de Oro b Misterioso Jr.
Tecnicos took 2/3.
5) Bárbaro Cavernario, Ishii, Shigeo Okumura b Delta, Gallo, Guerrero Maya Jr.
Rudos took 1/3, Ishii beating Delta.

A show I didn’t go to. Ishii is being put over strong, though with no particular direction.

CMLL (MON) 09/16/2013 Arena Puebla [Porra Fresa]
1) Black Tiger & Paris b Centauro de Fuego & Siki Ozama Jr.
Paris’ Arena Puebla debut. Tecnicos took 1/3.
2) Bam Bam & Último Dragoncito b Mercurio & Pequeño Olímpico
Straight falls.
3) Pegasso, Starman, Stigma b Arkángel de la Muerte, Hooligan, Nitro
Tecnicos took 1/3.
4) Fuerza Chicana, Stuka Jr., Super Porky vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Pólvora, Rey Escorpión
Fuerza Chicana replaced Rey Cometa. Revolucionarios took 1/3.
5) Atlantis, La Máscara, Máximo DQ Gran Guerrero, Niebla Roja, Último Guerrero
Tecnicos took 2/3, UG fouling Atlantis.
6) Volador Jr. b Mistico
70% of the crowd was for Volador, who took falls 1/3 clean to win. Mistico won the second fall by countout after a hurricanrana from the floor (so he didn’t pin or submit Volador in this match.)

Another show I wasn’t at!

There were many rumors floating around Sunday night about the status and workplace location of Volador Jr. Between this result and Tuesday, it’s pretty clear CMLL expected him to stay for the foreseeable future. (Though they’ve been wrong about that before.)

High chance of Paris being important, because he won his debut match and will be back next Monday.

AAA RCH (MON) 09/16/2013 Arena Naucalpan [Estrellas del Ring, IWRG, The Gladiatores, @luchablog]
1) Centvrión & Seiya b Ares & Impulso
Team IWRG took 1/3. An unfamiliar referee worked the match and put attention on himself. Ares came into the match with an obviously hurt shoulder and wrestled one armed during the match. Centvrion/Seiya did a Doomsday Device Tope spot at the end, Impulso did his usual big stage dive, Seiya beat Ares and pulled Centviron back in to beat the count (so Impulso lost on his own dive.)
2) Atomic Boy, Jennifer Blake, Pimpinela Escarlata b El Apache, Taya Valkyrie, Yuriko
Piero refereed this match and all the rest on the show. Tecnicos took 2/3. Atomic Boy’s shoulder is still not healed. Jennifer, celebrating a birthday, was the standout with lots of tough and big spots, including a running dive on the floor into Taya and chairs. Texano attacked the tecnicos after the match, with Psycho Clown making the save to build up their match later.
3) Angélico & Jack Evans b Carta Brava Jr. & Eterno
Best match of the night. Gueros del Aire took falls 1/3, the last with their now usual double team crucfix corner powerbomb/630 senton. Jack introduced his brother to the crowd in between falls.
4) Monster Clown, Murder Clown, Psycho Clown b Argos, Máscara Año 2000 Jr., Texano
Tecnicos took 1/3. Texano avoided Psycho Clown as much as possible, but Psycho still had him beat in the end – until Consejo broke it up. Psycho beat Argos with a Canadian Destroyer.
5) Último Gladiador L Joe Lider and Daga [hair, hardcore]
Match was a straight fight until Daga beat Joe Lider to escape the match. The match had not been listed as elimination or one fall, but it went on. The Lider/UG section was all extreme spots, with Gladiador spending the first few moments bringing item out from the back. Lider came back and won despite a botched three count. Confetti was shot out for the win.

First time with Ultimo Gladiador has ever lost his hair, though the very obvious outcome with the three people involved. Show was fun – I felt myself stunned into silence at times.

CMLL (TUE) 09/17/2013 Arena Mexico [@luchablog, CMLL Gaceta, Yahoo! Deportes]
1) Metálico & Sensei b Espanto Jr. & Zayco
tecnicos took 1/3
2) Ishii, Namajague, Shigeo Okumura b Diamante, Fuego, Sagrado
Team Japan took 1/3. Ishii fought Sagrado and pinned him with the delayed superplex.
4) Stuka Jr. b Sangre Azteca [lightning]
Moved up a spot. Stuka won it with the hammerlock DDT in 4:44.
4) Ephesto, Mephisto, Negro Casas b Delta, Guerrero Maya Jr., Máximo
Rudos took 2/3. Negro danced after the match, demanded Maximo (who took a triple powerbomb for the loss) dance, Maximo refused, and Negro kicked him in the face.
5) Máscara Dorada, Mistico, Valiente b Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Niebla Roja
Estetas took falls 2/3. Gran Guerrero had a bad match.
6) Terrible b Shocker [CMLL HEAVY]
Seconds were Comandante and Mascara Dorada. Shocker weighed in at 107.5 kg (237 lb) and 105.5 kg (232.5 lb). Shocker wore a Cruz Azul shirt in honor of a championship under 17 Cruz Azul team in the audience. Crowd got into the match. Shocker won the first with the Dos Caras clutch and went for it many times in the second until Terrible slapped him. Terrible took the second fall with his top rope splash. Shocker kept surviving and nearly winning in the third, but Terrible dropped him with an Air Raid Crash. Terrible’s seventh defense. Shocker made hair challenges after the match which aren’t going anywhere.

Crowd was not good; it’s never good on Tuesday but the rain didn’t help. They got into this title match much more than the one on Sunday.

CMLL (TUE) 09/17/2013 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [@acogdl]
1) Leo & Metatrón b Mr. Trueno & Rey Trueno
Tecnicos took 1/3.
2) Magnus, Sky Kid, Smaker b Artillero, Canelo Casas, Ráfaga
Tecnicos took 1/3. Canelo Casas replaced Super Comando. Magnus won via La Mistica on Rafaga.
3) Amapola, Princesa Sugheit, Tiffany b Estrellita, Goya Kong, Lluvia
Rudas took 1/3. Amapola beat Estrellita to set up a title match next week.
4) Blue Panther, Diamante Azul, Titán b Kráneo, Olímpico, Psicosis
Tecnicos took 1/3. Titan pinned Psicosis.
5) Atlantis & La Sombra b Último Guerrero & Volador Jr.
Rudos took 1/3. Volador beat Sombra with something (Spiral?) that caused Sombra to be strechered out and taken to the hospital.

Sombra was tweeting away later. Everyone heals at different rates.

CMLL (FRI) 09/13/2013 Arena Mexico [CMLL, CNN Mexico, Esto, LuchaWorld, MedioTiempo (masks), MedioTiempo (rest), Porra Fresa, Viva La Vida, Yahoo! Deportes]
***CMLL 80th Anniversary show***
1) Ishii, Namajague, Shigeo Okumura b Fuego, Rey Cometa, Stuka Jr.
Namajague wore his mask to the ring and both teams entered as groups. Ishii’s CMLL debut; he and Stuka hit each other hard (which seems to be Ishii’s spot here.) Japan took 1/3 with Ishii beating Stuka via delayed superplex.
2) Euforia, Mephisto, Niebla Roja b Brazo de Plata, Máximo, Titán
Rudos took 1/3. Mephisto had a new scary mask. Super Porky actually did the much teased tope for the first time in years (and lived!) Euforia submitted Maximo and Mephisto lifted up Porky for La Rosa in a strong show of strength.
3) Marco Corleone, Rush, Vangelis b Negro Casas, Shocker, Terrible [Relevos Increíbles]
Straight falls. Vangelis and Marco beat Shocker and Terrible in the first while everyone was watching Negro and Rush fight on the outside. Negro/Rush was the center of the match, though the crowd was very into Shocker too. Shocker pinned Vangelis & Marco pinned Terrible, then Shocker & Marco spilled out of the ring. Rush landed a top rope double on Rush, Rush kicked out, and Rush eventually got the pin by using the ropes. Rush was very happy with himself – crowd was not happy with him.
4) Averno b Blue Panther [hair]
Submission rules, as promised. Panther submitted Averno with a palanca. Averno surprised Panther with heelhook in the second. Lots of back and forth in the third fall, including Averno reversing holds into pinfalls but Tirantes refusing to count. Panther caught Averno in his armbar, Mephisto threw in the towel, Panther let go, Mephisto grabbed the towel and pulled it out before Tirantes saw it, Panther was distracted and caught in a sleeper by Averno for the win. Panther got his hair shaved in the ring.
5) La Sombra & Volador Jr. b Atlantis & Último Guerrero [winners advance]
Atlantis & UG dominated the early portion of the one fall match, both sides hit big moves, and the Sombra & Volador team defeated Atlantis & UG with a Brillante Driver and Spanish Fly. Crowd hated this result and chanted Fraude loudly during the rest of the show and after it.
6) Máscara Dorada, Mistico, Valiente b Dragón Rojo Jr., Pólvora, Rey Escorpión [CMLL TRIOS]
Tecnicos took 2/3 to keep the titles (second defense.) Crowd chanted FRAUDE through the match, but did respond to the closing dives by the tecnicos.
7) La Sombra b Volador Jr. [mask]
Sombra took falls 2/3, the last a long fall won via super Canadian Destroyer. Crowd chanted Fraude during the first two falls, but eventually supported Volador and went back to being unhappy after he lost. Volador Jr. was announced as Ramon Ibarra Rivera, 32 years old, 17 years a luchador.

We talked about this show a lot on the podcast. This show had three great/excellent level matches but is forever going to be remembered for the Fraude chants after the tag title match (and thru the rest of the show.) CMLL believes there was no fraud – they said the other match wouldn’t happen – but they obviously didn’t prepare the fans enough for the possibility. They could’ve just done Sombra vs Volador from the outset, but they probably don’t get the near-sellout at those prices because obviously a lot of people who came wouldn’t have bought tickets at that price for that show. CMLL picked

Crowd is going to be very down this week. Crowd was going to be much down no matter what the outcome was (though there might have been more interest in the first shot at seeing Atlantis unmasked.) The real evaluation is the size of the crowd for the next big show, or for Atlantis/UG. If the fans still turn out, this still worked out fine and CMLL got two big gates out of that match. If it doesn’t, if CMLL’s driven off the fans who will show up once or twice a year for huge matches, they may have broken the current scheme. The weekly normal shows may and probably will go down (though it’s hard to go much farther down), but CMLL seems to be just breaking even on those and making their money on the big shows. It’s a big help if they can multiple them by dragging out the Atlantis/UG match, it’s a big problem if they break them by giving the fans an outcome they were not prepared to see.

It’s actually kind of remarkable the last two matches were that good considering the crowd had totally turned on the show. My impression live was there were other Volador/Sombra matches which were better than this one, helped a lot by the crowd in those giving Sombra a shot. Sombra, Mistico and Rush are the symbols of what the 12,000 extra fans hate about CMLL and those people made their voices very clear. Crowd would’ve been anti-Sombra even if they weren’t upset about the tag team match, because they were anti-him before the show even started. It’s a remarkable difference from Sombra versus Nakamura just a couple months ago. Either CMLL needs to make themselves more accessible to those old and now only occasional fans – terra.mx.com probably doesn’t help there – or they need to find some new fans who see these guys as their guys.

CMLL was aware enough of the possible rebellion to have both the dance and the unrelated match buffer, not that it worked. My theory is Blue Panther versus Averno in the semifinal spot would’ve had a better chance of calming down the crowd. I’m not sure anything would’ve done it completely and the chant would’ve come back right when the title match came back. I’m 100% sure that the last person to send out there get a crowd to stop chanting FRAUDE is the fake Mistico.

Live, and because of the reactions, Blue Panther versus Averno felt like the best match. I will probably end up watching the DVD and maybe my impression will change. Every match seemed good, though the tag team title match was close to “tournament match good” than a really good match.

It didn’t click until seeing all the results together, but this was very downbeat show. Team Mexico lost. Super Porky’s team lost. Negro Casas’ team lost and there’s no doubt that’s crowd favorite team. Blue Panther lost. Atlantis & Ultimo Guerrero lost. Volador was easily the crowd favorite in the mask match and he lost. Only the Estetas won and they weren’t in a position where most fans felt great about their victory.

On Facebook, Volador thanked his fans for supporting him and promised this was just the start of a new chapter.

Kcidis has an illustration of the winner.