The Big News: El Hijo del Santo and El Hijo de Perro Aguayo resolved nothing. Their Arena Mexico main event was a draw due to a third fall brawl outside of the ring leading to a DCO. This has all the makings of the undercard for the Rayo/Universo show, which sounds like it should be loaded.
Arena Mexico Results
– El Hijo del Santo DCO El Hijo de Perro Aguayo
– Mascara Sagrada, Negro Casas, Shocker b Hector Garza, Tarzan Boy and Terrible
– Black Warrior, Felino, Blue Panther b Pierroth, Averno, Mephisto
– Mistico b Virus in the lightning match [good match]
– Loco Max and Super Comando beat Brazo de Oro Jr. and Sombre de Plata
This week’s card – the first of the Olympic ones – is focused on the Gran Alternativa tournament. I mentioned the teams before, but let me just c&p:
Shocker and Alan Stone
El Santo and Mistico
Mascara Sagrada and Sagrado
Misterioso I and Misterioso II
Perro Aguayo Jr and Sangre Azteca
Ultimo Guerrero and Dr. X
Ultimo Dragon and Neutron
Atlantis and Volador Jr.
That’s quite the lineup. The older stars in the Gran Alternativa tournaments usually are upper midcard guys but not the tippy top guys, probably partly because it’s usually an Arena Coliseo event. There’s tremendous CMLL star power here; more gathered here than they usually put on non-major Arena Mexico shows. I guess that makes this a major show?
Lots of intersting parings as well. Guapo 2004 winner Alan Stone is finally teaming up with Shocker, for the first time, months after Alan supposedly won the right to join the Shocker and Magica in a new trio. Giving Mistico the win over Virus last week in the lighting match kinda indicated they had big plans for him (and a CMLL SL feud? Is it dead already?), but pairing him up with Santo takes that to a different level. And you’ve got the last (failed? I don’t know if it’s too soon to say that with CMLL’s glacial pace) new character Sagrado teaming up with the new comer Sagrada in an effort to make spelling difficult. It’s a surprise that they’d bring in Ultimo Dragon for this, and it’s also a little surprise he wouldn’t somehow talk them into using Taiji Ishimori. Maybe they need someone to take the pin.
This is the original Misterioso‘s first match in CMLL in 12 years. The La Arena bio I’ve got linked there should bring you up to speed, but as far as this tournament is concered, I suspect his background will lead to a match against the Atlantis/Volador Jr. team. That Volador/Misterioso mask finish is too good to be true.
Given the Santo/Aguayo stuff, those two teams will meet at somepoint down the line. Beyond that, it’s not particuarlly obvious how this is going to break down. I’d bet on Santo’s team, just because they seem to be giving Mistico a big opening push. This would be nice to watch – even with 4 minute matches, there’s going to be some fun matchups – but it’s unlikely ever to get to US TV.
The complete Arena Mexico lineup is
– Rayo de Jalisco, Canek, Mr. Niebla vs Universo 2000, Hector Garza, Vampiro
– Gran Alternativa Tournament
– Black Warrior, Safari, Satanico vs Okumura, Emilio Charles, Olimpico
– Tigre Blanco, Texano Jr. vs Mr. Mexico, Nitro
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Hall Of Fame voting results was announced in it’s latest newsletter. Here’s how the lucah guys did:
2004 2003 Ultimo Dragon 62% 58% - IN Villano III 43% 47% Blue Panther 39% 43% Eddie Guerrero 31% 11% Atlantis >10% 17% Gordman/Goliath >10% n/a La Parka >10% n/a Dr. Wagner Jr. >10% n/a
You could see Eddie getting in someday, but the declining totals for others makes it seem that no one earlier than him has a realistic shot of making it. Ultimo Dragon going up enough to make it this year surprises me, but I guess the Japanesse votes gave a lot more cred to his WWE stint than the rest of us.
I feel like we have the 2002 numbers around here as well, though I haven’t turned them up.
(2004 votes were out of 58 voters. 2003 data from tOA)
CMLL LH Title Match: Haven’t heard if Ultimo retained or Atlantis won the title last night. I’ll let you know.
Lucha Times to come later today.
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Alright, my 2004 predictions…
This looks like the strongest tournament ever. Yet I think even with all the great teams and possible matches, we’re going to end up with a rather simple final…
Round 1:
Mascara Sagrada/Sagrado vs Misterioso/Misterioso II – It’s a toss-up b/c no matter what team moves on here, they will lose the next round and seeing as though both teams are tecnicos, either will do. Sagrada doesn’t need a win… Misterioso could use one *if* he intends on staying around. If this is a one-time deal… well he should still move on b/c why bring him in for one little 3 minute match. Winners: Misterioso/Misterioso II.
Ultimo Dragon/Neutron vs Ultimo Guerrero/Dr. X – I can’t see Dragon being paired up with anyone except Guerrero and Neutron is the only obvious first round jobber in the entire group. Winners: Ultimo Guerrero/Dr. X.
Shocker/Alan Stone vs Atlantis/Volador Jr. – Another all tecnico match since there really are only two rudo teams in the tournament. If CMLL is serious about making Alan Stone a big name and officially putting him on the level of Magica in the Guapos, he needs this and what better way than pinning Volador Jr. and Atlantis in the same match. Winners: Shocker/Alan Stone.
El Hijo Del Santo/Mistico vs Perro Aguayo Jr./Sangre Azteca – For some reason the three others I’ve spoken with have picked this as the finals. I can’t see that b/c it’s wayyyyyyyyy too obvious. Plus you’d have to give Mistico and Azteca pinfall wins over at least 6 of the above 12 guys and that isn’t happening. I predict when they do the battle royale to sort the teams out, Mistico and Azteca remain at the end which pops the crowd since they know they’ll get Santo vs Perro Jr. once more. The match will be a brawl and since EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHERS expects Mistico to win, Perro Jr. will cheat to pin Santo and extend that rivalry. No way Santo is pinning Perro Jr. this soon. Winners: Perro Aguayo Jr./Sangre Azteca.
Semi-Finals:
Misterioso/Misterioso II vs Ultimo Guerrero/Dr. X – By now my finals should be pretty obvious.:) The tecnicos would have no chance here except to show off their offense and the two rudos are more than capable of carrying them before eventually putting them away. Winners: Ultimo Guerrero/Dr. X.
Shocker/Alan Stone vs Perro Aguayo Jr./Sangre Azteca – Story writes itself. Crowd hates Perro Jr. b/c of the first round so Shocker and Alan end up looking great when they go over the two rudos. Also, it continues the Guapos vs Pandilla Guerrera rivalry. You can even tease a future Shocker/Perro Jr. feud which will no doubt eventually happen. Winners: Shocker/Alan Stone.
Finals:
Ultimo Guerrero/Dr. X vs Shocker/Alan Stone – You can have this one start right after the previous match with the rudos running out to attack the tecnicos. You can even have Perrito and Azteca stay around to make it four-on-two. Eventually the tecnicos fight back and it winds up with Alan Stone vs Dr. X with Alan coming out on top just like he did a few months back in the Torneo Cibernetico with the Guapos vs the Pandilla.
Shocker/Alan Stone win the 2004 Torneo Gran Alternativa. Alan becomes the first person to win the same tournament twice except this time hopefully they will make it count and either do something with him or stop the teasing finally. I’m not a huge Alan Stone fan(though I used to be) but if you look at the past history of the tournament, CMLL loves doing these little twists and never having the obvious guy win b/c they probably have the “well there’s always next year” mindset. I’d love to see Mistico win but EVERYONE is picking him which only works to hurt his chances. I’d also love to see Sangre Azteca win and lord knows he deserves it but I can’t see it being this year. I will say… it will be CRIMINAL if either Misterioso II or Sagrado end up on the winning team. Why do I have a sinking feeling in my stomach all of a sudden…
Rob