05/13: Mexico, VIP, TV notes

ESTO

CMLL (FRI) 05/11 Arena Mexico [superluchas, ESTO]
1) Euforia, Nosferatu, Virus b Brillante, Leono, Stuka Jr.
2) Averno, Black Warrior, Mephisto b Felino, Heavy Metal, Negro Casas
3) Último Guerrero b Dr. Wagner Jr., Dos Caras Jr., Sagrado, Atlantis, Lizmark Jr., Rey Bucanero, Olímpico, Marco Corelone, Jushin Liger, Alex Koslov, Último Dragón, Hirooki Goto, Minoru Suzuki, Pierroth, Shigeo Okumura [Gran Prix, ciber]

It did indeed turn out to be a ciberentico, and 45 minute one at that. As seems to be the more common practice of late, most everything before the first elimination was cut out on TV. Ocampo has the elimination order, and the story points were

– Sagrado replaced Shocker (no explaination no show yet again). They seemed to give Sagrado the push they would’ve given Shocker, lasting to the final three over much usual higher profile guys. Wouldn’t be a bad idea to continue this trend – I think I’d like to see a summer long Sagrado/Ultimo feud as much as the proposed Shocker/Ultimo one, and I’m not sure there’s much of a difference in drawing power at this point.
– Alex and Atlantis got the token double elimination, so they may still be tied to each other for future matches.
– Ultimo and Rey teamed up a bit before Rey got tossed
– Minoru Suzuki got DQed on interference (Takayama came in and helped put the boots to Ultimo); no surprise the Triple Crown champ wasn’t taking a pinfall here
– Corelone pinned Dos after the Superman dive, and they teased that as future feud
– Liger pinned three men (Rey, the Doc, Sagrado) but was beaten by Ultimo Guerrero via Guerrero Special for the win.

Ultimo’s the first two time winner and first back to back winner. I think this means he’s entitled a shot at Open the Dream Gate championship, but please note only I think that.

The feud that was set up out of all this was…Negro Casas vs Black Warrior. Not sure why no Ephesto, except they needed Warrior in there to start a quickie hair match, which somehow came out of an otherwise unremarkable semimain. No date was announced, so I’m somewhat iffy on this, but from the reports and CMLL’s news update on it, we’re evidently supposed to take this seriously.

Opener was said to be good. It looks like Virus may have an alliance with the newest Infernals.

VIP (SAT) 05/12 Roots Magic Club [ESTO]
1) King Fish, Leon Guerrero, Super Nino b Black Heart, Halcon Guerrero, La Mosca
2) Coco Amarillo, Coco Azul, Coco Rojo b Axxel, Caramelo, Super Muneco
3) Negro Navarro & Solar I DRAW Black Terry & Mano Negra
4) Blue Demon Jr., El Dandy, Último Dragón b Villano III, Villano IV, Villano V

Odd sounding show – it reads as if either the commissioners want to enforce their powers on smaller shows, or there was just strangess. The Cocos came out for their match wearing their masks, and the comissioner demanded them to take off their masks (and they did.) Villano III wore his mask out for his match, and the same thing happened. I dunno. Dandy and Villano III ran in after the third match to demand to be in the next maestro match, and this led to a classic style tournament being announced for a future show.

Next Week’s Cards

CMLL (TUE) 05/15 Arena Coliseo
1) Pequeno Olimpico & Tzuki vs Fire & Sombrita
2) Danger, Sombra de Plata, Trueno vs Arkangel, Dr. X, Jeque
3) Fabian el Gitano, Ogun, Valiente vs Hijo de Pierroth, Ohara, Okumura
4) Felino, Heavy Metal, Negro Casas vs Misterioso II, Texano Jr., Virus
5) Dos Caras Jr., Lizmark Jr., Marco Corelone vs Averno, Black Warrior, Mephisto

I’m good with this not being taped. This is the first time NJPW tag partners Negro and Texano will oppose each other.

CMLL (FRI) 05/18 Arena Mexico
1) Mini Fantasy & Ultimo Dragonicto vs Pequeno Violencia & Pierrothito
2) Hiroka, Mima Shimoda, Princesa Sugeith vs Dark Angel, Diana la Cazadora, Marcela
3) Minoru, Takayama, Terrible vs Dos Caras Jr., Marco Corelone, Ultimo Dragon
4) Hijo de Perro Aguayo vs Negro Casas, Felino, Tarzan Boy, Mephisto, Maximo, Alex Koslov, Stuka Jr., Volador Jr., Mascara Purpura [LdP, ciber]
5) Dr. Wagner vs Atlantis

I don’t like the tecnicos chances in the tercera. We’ll break down the Cibernetico later in the week, but I will note here that I expect Mistico to get pulled from the 05/25 cibernetico, much like Atlantis was last year.

CMLL (SUN) 05/20 Arena Coliseo
1) Astro Boy & Sensei vs Polvora & Vaquero
2) Tigre Blanco, Tigre Metalico, Tony Rivera vs Dr. X, Hooligan, Nitro
3) Brillante, Mascara Purpura, Mictlan vs Euforia, Nosferatu, Virus
4) Felino, La Mascara, Maximo vs Ephesto, Hijo de Pierroth, Pierroth
5) Atlantis, Olimpico, Ultimo Guerrero vs Hirooki Goto, Minoru, Takayama

Whichever show gets stuck with the semimain is the loser for sure. Note Virus teaming up with his new boys, and I believe it was Robert who noted it’s Euforia and Brillante should’ve worked previously, having started in the same area.

TV Round Up

AAA airings were as expected.

CMLL Main
05/06: Dark Angel, India Sioux, Sahori b Hiroka, Princesa Sujei, Rosa Negra
05/11: Averno, Black Warrior, Mephisto b Felino, Heavy Metal, Negro Casas
05/11: Gran Prix

CAN52
05/04: Euforia, Nosferatu, Satánico b La Máscara, Mictlán, Virus
05/06: Dr. Wagner Jr., Marco Corelone, Negro Casas b Atlantis, Olímpico, Tarzan Boy

FSE
05/06: Euforia, Nosferatu, Satánico b Felino, Mictlán, Tony Rivera
05/06: Alex Koslov, Neutrón (though the show open lists Maximo), Último Dragón b Mephisto, Misterioso II, Virus

Feature for both shows was various bits from the Lucha Libre Expo, but FSE started with a Warrior clip and GdR started with Mistico talking about his injury. Haven’t had a chance to watch any of the shows indepth yet.

Accion

CMLL: Gran Prix highlights.

AAA: Sect vs Mexican Powers from Oaxaca

IWRG’s site is still down.

05/11: Mexico preview, Leyenda de Plata announced

CMLL (FRI) 05/11 Arena Mexico
1) Brillante, Leono, Stuka Jr. vs Euforia, Nosferatu, Virus
2) Felino, Heavy Metal, Negro Casas vs Averno, Ephesto, Mephisto
3) Atlantis, Dos Caras Jr., Dr. Wagner Jr., Lizmark Jr., Olímpico, Rey Bucanero, Shocker, Último Guerrero vs Alex Koslov, Hirooki Goto, Jushin Liger, Marco Corelone, Minoru Suzuki, Pierroth, Shigeo Okumura, Último Dragón [Gran Prix]

It will be a one on one tournament – Ovaciones kinda tries to explain this, but you can assume by no one saying “cibernetico”, and what’s going on next week. No main event gives them more time, but if you break that up by match, that’s just an extra minute or two. I don’t think it’ll be broken up by match, though – maybe one long final after 14 short matches.

You’d think they’d push some tecnico really hard, with no Mistico around at the moment and no Perro needing a win. I’d guess Bucanero, Shocker, Ultimo Guerrero, Wagner, Liger and maybe Suzuki have a shot, though the Triple Crown champion has gotten absolutely zero hype to the point where I’d mistakenly think this is Minoru Tanaka again and perhaps some people do think that. Too bad Hajime Ohara isn’t here instead of Okumura, because we’d have like every top Japan wrestling promotion but NOAH in one match and like five people in Mexico would care. (I guess Dragon counts? Dragon counts as his own personal universe.)

Lots of talk about Liger and Wagner doing a NJPW Juniors re-enactment society for the final. I’m rooting for Ultimo, as always – maybe they’ll force another big Rey/Ultimo match on the fans since people won’t show if they knew it was coming. (I’d be happy.) Something should start ticking towards a hyped match for June here.

CMLL announced lineups for Leyenda de Plata today, and it’ll start next week. They must’ve had these in the plans previously, and didn’t want to do cibernetico tournaments back to back. (Dunno why they wouldn’t just wait to do these a little alter in the year, but maybe we’ll figure that out later.)

05/18: Maximo (returning from injury?), Mascara Purpura (ditto), Stuka Jr., Volador Jr., Alex Koslov, Mephisto, Tarzan Boy, Felino, Negro Casas, Perro Aguayo Jr.

05/25: Averno, Ephesto, Valiente, Mr. Aguila, Loco Max, La Mascara, Leono, Heavy Metal, Virus, Mistico (returning from injury?)

06/01: Final

Mistico’s injury is not addressed in this announcement, so I wouldn’t take it as proof that he’s going to be fine, but they’re planning with him in the picture. I’ll wait to preview this later, but there’s some surprising names in there. No Ultimo?