Day: August 23, 2004

The Big News: The Alianza is going to team up in Guadalajara! Okay, maybe not that.

El Santo and Mistico are the winners of the 2004 Gran Alternativa tournament, besting Ultimo Guerrero and Dr. X in the final. Between this win and

El Santo/Mistico--------------
                              |Santo/Mistico----
Misterioso I/Misterioso II----                  |
                                                |Santo/Mistico-
Atlantis/Volador Jr.----------                  |              |
                              |Atlantis/Volador-               |
Perro Aguayo Jr/Sangre Azteca-                                 |
                                                               |Santo/Mistico
Ultimo Guerrero/Dr. X---------                                 |
                              |Guerrero/X-------               |
Ultimo Dragon/Neutron---------                  |              |
                                                |Guerrero/X----
Shocker/Alan Stone------------                  |
                              |Shocker/Alan-----
Mascara Sagrada/Sagrado-------

No particular reward has been announced. (This info has been added to the GA history.)

Notes from the tournament
– the Santo/Mistico/Mistereio match was the longest match of the tournament and the best, though some people were apparently not fond of Misterisisos.
– Perro got his team DQed for taking off Atlantis’ mask
– Dr. X was actually the one who beat Dragon, making him submit to a Boston Crab. Neutron was stretchered out after taking the Guerrero Special.
– Santo went after Volador’s mask. I’m not totally sure what this was about, except that there’s history there. Couldn’t be the Super Parka/Santo mask match, could it? Probably something that happened previously.

Nothing particularly notable from the main event, just the expected Rayo/Universo conflicts.

From here, CMLL’s going to be treading water for the next three weeks, focusing on Rayo/Universo in the lead up to their hair/hair match. The full 9/17 card has already been announced

– Rayo de Jalisco vs Universo 2000 in a hair vs hair match
– Santo, Shocker, Negro Casas vs El Hijo del Perro Aguayo, Hector Garza, Terrible
– Ultimo Guerrero (c) vs LA Park for the CMLL LH Title
– Canek, Atlantis, Mr. Niebla vs Tarzan Boy, Pierroth, Vampiro
– Mistico, Misterioso II, Volador Jr. vs Olimpico, Averno, Mephisto
– Mascarita Sagrada, Tsuki, Shockercito vs Espectrito, Fire, Mini Violencia

I desperately want to see that Guerrero/Park match. Probably not going to happen. Looks to be a pretty fun card.

This week’s card
– Rayo De Jalisco, La Park, Mascara Sagrada vs Hijo de Perro Aguayo, Hector Garza, Ultimo Guerrero
– Canek, Ultimo Dragon, Negro Casas vs Dr. Wagner, Tarzan Boy, Rey Bucanero
– Felino, Mistico, Zumbido vs Okumura, Super Crazy, Mascara Magica
– Volador Jr., Misterioso II, Virus vs Sangre Azteca, Loco Max, Nitro
– Texano Jr., Brazo de Oro Jr., Neutron vs Dr. X, Holligan, Ramstein

This is Wagner’s return from suspension. Part of me wants to know why Mascara Magica is on the rudo side of that trio, and part of me knows the answer.

Got a look at the 08/16 Observer, and there’s one note about the TNA/Mexico situation I hadn’t heard before.

“Jeff Jarrett and Dutch Mantel at first wanted to go to CMLL, which has better wrestlers overall and far more depth than AAA, but Mike Tenay advised them against doing so, saying they would just win up with the same problems, and they could book the biggest name talent in Mexico on their own since the highest guys are now are independents.”

Tenay’s probably right (didn’t it CMLL noshow meetings originally and that’s part of the reason AAA got/kept the deal?) but still c’mon. There’d be a better chance of getting a complete match from a CMLL worker if he was on Impact.

Hector Garza will be back in once he can offer proof he’s actually free and clear from AAA, and Super Crazy will be in once his work permit paperwork is in. Dave mentioned there’s talk of bringing el Hijo Del Santo and Perro Aguayo Jr and for the big shows, but I’d think it’d cost them more than they’re willing to spend on outside talent who aren’t more mainstream US draws.