como estaz 3×1: TripleMania XXIII

Back for a one shot. This is a double feature, combining everything Rob and I saw this past week in Mexico.

Right click to download.

0:00:00 Intro
0:00:39 music interlude 1!
0:01:37 Part 1: IWRG, CMLL, CaraLucha, pyramids, Triplemania predictions
1:20:54 music interlude 2!
1:21:11 Part 2: TripleMania

 

The como estaz tag should still work as a podcast feed, though I’m not sure when another one will turn up.

08/09 AAA TV Results (TripleMania XXII)

AAA TV (SUN) 08/09/2015 Arena Ciudad de Mexico, Ciudad de México, Distrito Federal [thecubsfan]
***TripleMania XXIII***
1) Dinastía, Drago, Goya Kong, Pimpinela Escarlata b Daga, Mamba, Mini Psycho Clown, Sexy Star
Pimpinela got the win, in a match not as good as usual mixed openers (and not close to last year’s version)
2) Villano III, Villano IV, Villano V b Monsther Clown, Murder Clown, Psycho Clown
retirement matches for Villano III & Pepe Casas. V3 and V5 wore their masks for the match. Casas and Copetes were referees, with Casas only dropping down to count the winning pin. Bad match, Villanos struggling. V4 snuck in a foul on Psycho Clown for the win, which annoyed the other Villanos.
3) Averno, Chessman, Cibernético © b Angélico, Fénix, Jack Evans and Hijo del Fantasma, Pentagón Jr., Texano Jr. [AAA TRIOS, cage]
Made a cage match early in the week. Rules were a modification of cage match rules, with the belts hanging from a metal scaffold in the center of the ring (and almost reachable by jumping; cage seemed smaller than usual, or just smaller in person.) Quick match with mostly high spots in the time they did. Chessman was knocked off the side of the cage into tables, but landed badly and hurt his knee. Fenix did a moonsault off the top of the cage. Angelico leaped from the side of the cage to the metal scaffold, but was kicked off before getting the belts. Averno knocked Fantasma down, and carefully unhooked a belt to win.
4) Blue Demon Jr. & La Parka b El Mesías & Electroshock
Blue Demon 30th anniversary match. Crowd was a little into Demon when he appeared, but these four had a completely ordinary TV match (for them, which is not so good) and Demon submitted Electroshock for the win.
5) Alberto el Patrón b Brian Cage [hair, cage]
Incredibly, Tirantes was the referee again for this match. Essentially the same match from Verano de Escandalo, with Fenix and Fantasma as seconds (for a Fenix dive) and Tirantes not going full heel until late and not nearly as much. This time, Alberto kicked out of a powerbomb thru a table, fouled Cage, and put him in the armbar for the win (thanks to Maya.) Cage was shaved in the ring, then attacked Alberto but ended up laid out under the Mexican flag. Best match and more over match of the night.
6) Rey Mysterio Jr. b Myzteziz
Myzteziz descended from the ceiling, Rey had a winged outfit. Myzteziz worked rudo the entire match. Crowd was not nearly as into it as expected, with sporadic whistles and not as many chants for Rey/Myzteziz. Myzteziz bled, landed the 619 to a big boo, and surprisingly lost completely clean to a Misterio Mistica (second time he tried, much better that time.) Joe Lider, Pentagon Jr. and Averno attacked both men for no obvious reason, complete with staple gun spots, but the tecnicos rallied and sent them away. Rey offered a handshake, but Myzteziz spit in his face instead and attacked Rey. Myzteziz turned fully rudo, saying he was embracing the boos, angry the fans were supporting Misterio over him in the match. Myzteziz challenged (semiconcious) Rey to a mask match. Konnan brought the three rudos back a second time to attack Rey, then offered a place in La Sociedad. Myzteziz rejected it, saying he wanted his want to be solo. Myzteziz started to leave, then took a Perros del Mal shirt from someone (a fan?) and put it on. Myzteziz joined the rudos in attacking Rey for a long time before they were finally dragged away.

Air Date: 08/16 and 08/23?

I can’t speak to the US and iPPV issues. I’ve see Twitter, so I know it was nothing but issues. From a live perspective, every match underdelivered. We were having “we’ve definitely seen worst shows than this, right?” discussions on the way back to the hotel. This was a terrible show for new viewers, with stuff not making sense or done in a way that would drive new fans away from the product. You can at least argue the semimain shenanigans ended with a huge pop for Alberto. The mess that was the post main event finish didn’t work for anyone. Alberto & Cage and Rey & Myzteziz were Good, but they needed Great or Excellent to save the show and didn’t get it. The stuff that looked bad was really bad. The stuff that looked like a waste of guys was a waste of guys. It may not mean a lot because the show was a production disaster, but they weren’t messing up a good show by any means.

AAA made a lot of money tonight, filled a big building with a lot of expensive tickets. Maybe that’s enough to consider it a good night. It felt like anything but. I really want AAA to make it, in Mexico and everywhere else, but tonight felt like a failure that’ll haunt them for some time. This was a dispiriting night for lucha libre.

CaraLucha, TripleMania

Cara Lucha (SAT) 08/08/2015 Arena San Juan Pantitlan, Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, Estado de México[+LuchaTVBlack Terry Jr. (Flickr)Estrellas del Ring,KronosportMano a ManoMedioTiempoThe Gladiatores, thecubsfan]
1) Jimmy Madrid & Príncipe Aéreo b Imperio Negro &Ying Sang
Madrid’s team took falls 2/3
2) Keira & Ludark Shaitan b Felina Metalica & Krazy Star
Teams gave the impression they really didn’t like the opposition, especially Star and Keira. Keira and Ludark took two and three, though LuDark’s knee gave out on the finish.
3) Magnífico I & Magnífico II b Rayo Star & Sky Man
Magnificos took 1/3 in a match with a lot of high spots. the two sides discussed a rematch with masks on the line.
4) Kilvan & Yoruba b Akuma & Demus 3:16
Straight falls, Demus fouling Yoruba (and Kilvan hurt after an Akuma dive.) Yoruba and Demus were covered in blood by the finish and set a match for the 09/16 show.
5) Pólvora b Jinzo and Toxin
Polvora defeated Jinzo with the Polvora Driver after Jinzo beat Toxin.
6) Bestia 666, Damián 666, Halloween DDQ Bárbaro Cavernario, Rey Hechicero, Último Guerrero
Referees called the match when all six men refused to stop brawling in the ring at the same time. Bestia and Cavernario feuded and will fight in September

A fun show. Nothing MOTYC and a heavy focus on setting up September’s big show, but everything was good and cool to see live. We did a podcast talking more about the show which will be up in a few days.

Today is TripleMania. Not a lot of news. Looks like most everyone is already here.  Cage was on morning TV doing interviews and Fantasma made it back from Colombia. Alberto is the only guy who hasn’t been seen. There’s no hints on any surprises; Maximo is trolling people about jumping but that’s about it.

There’s even more Rey (and some Konnan and Striker) interviews today to preview the show. I think the people who are willing to try a wrestling PPV from a promotion they don’t follow will check this out, and they can build a pretty good buzz off of that if the show delivers. I think the goal will be to set up the rematch in a years time but, for the English Speaking audience, it’s just important to have a fun and big show.

I’ll be tweeting from the show,  if internet holds. Maybe a little more too.

Saturday notes: LU Season 2, CMLL app, TripleMania

I’d say its a 99.9% chance that a second season is happening

Erik Van Wagenen started off a Reddit AMA with the answer to the question everyone wanted answered after Ultima Lucha. EVW goes onto say they wanted it to be back by October, it probably won’t be, but it should start no later than January 2016. A post on Voices of Wrestling has some selected interesting quotes from the other answers and I’ll write more about this next week. To me, the January 2016 date is the more important part; they can move the goal posts once, but it’ll be tough to move it again. (It’s also a great pressure release, enough info so people won’t be asked about it every five minutes for a while.)

CMLL launched an official app, available for Android and iOS. It’s simply a mobile version of their existing website, and it was created by the same people currently doing the Anniversary ticket give way contest.

There were people also people giving away a glossy oversized eight page weekly program called Estrellas de Lucha Libre. The copyright info mentions it’s being done by O’Farrell Creative, so it’s another project outside of CMLL but licensed in some way. I’m not sure if it’s a current project: the one I got last night was actually from January and their social media accounts are dead, but I did see a sign that they had an Ultimo Guerrero/Rey Escorpion hair vs hair one a few weeks back.

The AP interviewed Rey Mysterio about TripleMania. All the Rey interviews blend together, but the purpose isn’t for all of them to be read together, it’s to make sure as many people are reached as possible. I’m not thrilled with the lineup – you might be able to tell that from the preview I did at Voices of Wrestling! – but I also think the casual Rey fans who don’t really follow AAA will enjoy the big event pagentary, and selling shows as Big Events seems like the most successful move right now. UFC seems to be doing well with one (or two) actual huge names in the main event and not a lot of great stuff underneath, might work for AAA too.

I’m headed out to Cara Lucha in a few hours. Podcast plans haven’t been decided. Internet issues haven’t been resolved; I’ll probably have something up tomorrow, but don’t expect a lot for a couple days.