Month: November 2007

11/30: Mexico preview, Cuernavaca

thecubsfan 5 Comments

Tonight’s CMLL show.

CMLL (FRI) 11/30 Arena Mexico
1) Starman & Trueno vs Apocalipsis & Loco Max
2) Fabián el Gitano, Flash, Mascara Purpura vs Euforia, Nosferatu, Satánico
3) Alex Koslov, Rey Bucanero, Shocker vs Black Warrior, Lizmark Jr., Toscano
4) Dos Caras Jr., LA Park, Marco Corelone vs el Hijo del Perro Aguayo, Héctor Garza, Texano Jr.
5) Místico vs Averno [NWA MIDDLE]

Mistico vs Averno in NWA Middlweight title matches:
01) 2005.01.01 Mistico b Averno – Arena Coliseo DF (Mistico wins title, becomes The Man)[NWA MIDDLE],
02) 2005.01.30 Mistico b Averno – Arena Coliseo De Guadalajara
03) 2005.02.11 Mistico b Averno – Arena Mexico
04) 2005.02.21 Mistico b Averno – Arena Puebla
05) 2005.10.16 Mistico b Averno – Arena Coliseo De Guadalajara
06) 2005.12.29 Mistico b Averno – Arena Isabel De Cuernavaca
07) 2006.01.16 Mistico b Averno – Arena Puebla
08) 2007.06.24 Mistico b Averno – Poliforum Zamna – Merida, Yucatan
09) 2007.06.30 Mistico b Averno – Arena Solidaridad
10) 2007.09.30 Mistico b Averno – Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
11) 2007.11.22 Mistico b Averno – Palenque Expomex, Nuevo Laredo

Averno just beat Mistico so totally clean last week, there’s no doubt he’s losing once again tonight. I think this feud is peaking or has peaked and, as sad as it might be, now’s the time they could get maximum value for doing the mask match. There’s no way they’re going to do it this year, though – it’s too late in the year, it’s not enough continuous build. (Maybe in March?) This seems like a way just to get one more strong turnout before the end of the season (and before they’re running every single show in the building.)

Tercera and semimian really should be switched and probably will be. The guys in next week’s main event shouldn’t be in the middle of the card.

I guess we find out if Flash is back or not tonight.

ESTO’s preview of tonight’s Arena Mexico show includes quotes from LA Park. He’s a tecnico tonight because he just likes switching sides a lot and he uses the “I only wanted to face Santo one on one line.” Looking back at it now, Park doing that same speech at the press conference had to be a escape plan in case he wanted out later. I don’t think Park knew he wasn’t going to do Todos X Todos at that point, but he sure set up an easy way out of it.

CMLL (THU) 11/29 Arena Isabel de Cuernavaca [strato_wagner @ Satanico’s Mansion]
1) La Máscara, Mascara Purpura, Valiente DRAW La Sombra, Sagrado, Volador Jr.
2) LA Park & Místico b Averno & Último Guerrero

I thought that semifinal was supposed to be a title match this time out, but apparently it was not, and they did another draw finish and challenge for a title match at the next show.

AAA (SUN) 12/02 Plaza San Pedro
1) Gataca vs Milenium, Triple X, Amenaza Nortena, King Vikingo, Sadico, King Dart, El Coronel [hair, mask]
2) Joe Lider & Mexicano vs Gallego & Mr. Cóndor
3) Alberije & Cuije vs Chucky & Monsther and Guapito & Scorpio Jr. [AAA MASCOT TAG]
4) El Elegido, Estrellita, Gronda II vs Histeria, Mr. Niebla, Rossy Moreno

CMLL (MON) 12/03 Arena Puebla [hugo999]
1) Asturiano & Centella de Oro vs Fuerza Chicana & Mr. Rafaga
2) Cerebro Negro, Furia Chicana, Toro Bill vs Black Terry, Policeman, Siki Osama Jr.
3) Ángel Azteca Jr., Flash, Stuka Jr. vs Loco Max, Ohara, Shigeo Okumura
4) Universo 2000, Villano IV, Villano V vs Alex Koslov, Marco Corelone, Shocker
5) LA Park, Negro Casas, Volador Jr. vs el Hijo del Perro Aguayo, Héctor Garza, Misterioso II

ESTO’s notes article talks about Sombra winning the NWA Welterweight Title and guessing he might win Rookie of the Year. I can’t think of anyone else close.

Lady Apache was teaching self defense yesterday in Mexico City.

Guerra de Titanes 9 preview

thecubsfan 2 Comments

If there’s another 2007 taping for AAA, they’ve kept it awful quiet. This could be it for the year; ESTO’s preview seems to indicate that. Mesias is expected to go back to Puerto Rico until March after this show. Kenzo went back to Japan for a few months after last December’s CMLL show; even though he’s just back from a Dragon Gate tour, he might disappear agian until they start running regular TV.

1) Aero Star, Rey Cometa, Super Fly vs Cuervo, Escoria, Ozz

This is the only non-stip match on the show. When this was announced, I wondered why they wouldn’t just add Espiritu and another Air Force guy and make this for the Atomicos title. Now that I’ve had a month to think about it, I belive it’s non-title because they’d want to the Air Force to win if these two teams faced for titles, they’d want Laredo Kid to be on that title winning team, and he’s unlikely to be 100% (though he will be make an appearance higher up in the card.) So this is just a match to set up for that match, and I’d guess that means the tecnicos win.

2) Billy Boy & Fabi Apache vs Cinthia Moreno & Oriental and Gran Apache & Mari Apache and Ayako Hamada & Mr. Niebla [AAA MIXED TAG]

La Diabolica has found a spot for herself in this feud for unclear reasons, but I guess she could turn out to replace Cinthia Moreno if Cinthia’s too injuried to compete. (Cinthia hasn’t be wrestling that I’ve seen since 10/20, due to her shoulder injury.) It wouldn’t really make sense for Diabolica to team with Oriental (Estrellita or Sexi Star have to be available), but there are weirder things going on, on this very card.

This match is just another marker in the Apache/Billy Boy fued. It seems like they’re aiming for three straight years of Gran Apache vs Billy Boy in a hair match for Rey de Reyes, so the finish here is probably just supposed to set them up for the next four months. If Mari’s going to keep wrestling until then (and sometimes seems like she’d rather not), she and Gran Apache should take the belts to set up family rematches the rest of the way. If she’s not, then Fabi and Billy win the titles and defending against Gran Apache and random ruda of the moment. That empty spot would fit La Diabloica, so I’ll go with Billy and Fabi win the titles.

3) Charly Manson & Chessman vs Crazy Boy & Joe Lider and Extreme Tiger & Halloween and Sabu & Teddy Hart [AAA TAG, ladder]

Unless someone has actually seen Sabu and Teddy Hart in Madero, I don’t think you can be totally sure this match is going down as listed. It might, but those two have had issues. I’m hoping they do – never has a promotion and a wrestler been a better match than AAA and Teddy Hart. AAA frequentantly devolves into uncontrolled insanity, and so does Teddy Hart. And so is this match, probably.

Seeing as they’ve already started the Familia de Tijuana/lesser Hellbrothers feud – to explain why Charly and Chessman are even in this match – I think that’s the direction AAA’s coming out of this match. Remember when Charly said he was retiring after this year? Not so much now (unless he has another horrifying ladder spot here.) Mexican Powers probably would be just as happy facing Random US(/Canada) Indy Stars, and while I’m not sure if AAA will actually end up doing it, I’m sure they THINK they’re going to do it right now. They don’t have to have the belts for that, so they end up with Hellbrothers to set up the scene at the end of the show.

4) La Parka Jr. & Octagón (w/Laredo Kid) vs Electro Shock & Kenzo Suzuki (w/Konnan) [MEX TAG]

If you recall, the last time AAA tried to have a Mexican National Title match with a Japanese person, it was a cibernetico for the (then vacant) Mexican Middlweight Title and Nosawa back in 2005. The commission had previously put their foot down to force that title to be vacant and disallowed AAA from running the planned title match with Nosawa. I have no feeling if the comission will step in here, because it’s only been us message board poster types who’ve even commented about this issue. (Super Luchas noted the problem as well, but had no more answers than the rest of us.) If the comission does put a halt to this being a title match as listed, they could surely grab Espiritu and stick him in here, with Kenzo freely interfering.

I’ve had tecnicos winning all the matches to the point, and I think that’s the only reason I have to belive the rudos win, but that’s what I’m going with. These are mostly useless belts, a championship which was bordering on defunct until they turned up here, but they need to be taken off Parka and Octagon if they’re ever going to use them again. Parka is getting worse and needs a long break after this match (who knows if he’ll get it), so maybe they do another injury angle with him here.

5) Alan Stone, Intocable, Super Calo vs Decnnis, Scorpio Jr., Zumbido [cage, hair]

Normal AAA cage rules apply: “last person left in the cage, be they an announced particpant, a mini manager or a referee, is the one whom loses their hair.” Guapito and Chris Stone are announced to be ringside, Piero is probably the referee and those three all have as good or better chances of being the eventual loser than the six in the match. This is supposed to be AAA’s first six side cage match, which will eventually give Chessman more places to fall to his death.

Alan’s not losing. Intocable’s not losing. AAA’s done a lot of things, but I don’t think they’re capable of giving Decnnis a new gimmick, pushing him hard for four months, and then having him be a big loser, so he’s safe for now. All the other people, Calo, Scorpio, Zumbido, Chris Stone, Guapito and Piero are all reasonable choices. I figure on Intocable or Alan being credited with the win, which means it’s a Guapo who goes down, and I’ll guess Zumbido in a slight surprise. I’ve got nothing to back that up.

6) Zorro vs Cibernetico vs Mesias [AAA HEAVY]

I’d say Every Man For Himself, but it’s more likely Every Man In The Locker Room Runs In. I’m not totally clear if it’s meant to be one pinfall or elimination.

This is the end of Mesias, though probably not quite as specatuclarlly as last year. (Either that, or it’s the Legion’s turn to burn him alive.) I’d been writing earlier about what they can do with Zorro so we don’t even up with a Konnan in-ring dominated 2008. The best way to get there is Zorro winning the title, on the surface.

I’ve been rethinking this the last couple days, and I think I’m flipping on this. Protect Zorro if you can, but if the belt is supposed to denote The Guy, then it must be on Cibernetico at this point. The AAA fans who go to shows and watch their TV in Mexico clearly see the Main Man at a level above all others; Mesias has gotten enough on Cibernetico and talked about being the best enough that people could accept him as a reasonable competition for the top spot, but Zorro’s not there yet. If Zorro gets the title here, it’s just another random shiny piece of gold and AAA wasted their time with the tournament for the title and the build for this match. Zorro would even be better of winning the title down the road then winning it here.

Best possible finish is Zorro caning Mesias from outside the ring, and Mesias stumbling into the chokeslam for Cibernetico’s win. It sets up Mesias’ revenge and it gives Cibernetico and Zorro something to work with inbetween.

11/29: Sunday card lineup, MS-2

thecubsfan 3 Comments

There’s nothing going on today. What passes for Hot News is Carlito leaving WWE and possibly ending up in AAA (according to WON), though he wouldn’t show up till early ’08 if it even happens.

CMLL actually added two matches to Sunday’s card.

CMLL (SUN) 12/02 Arena Mexico
1) Sensei, Sombra de Plata, Trueno vs Calígula, Hooligan, Méssala
2) Metálico, Stuka Jr., Tigre Blanco vs Shigeo Okumura, Skandalo, Virus
3) Amapola vs Marcela [CMLL WOMEN]
4) Felino, Sagrado, Volador Jr. vs Ephesto, Mephisto, Misterioso II
5) Leono vs Mr. México [hair]
6) Black Warrior, Lizmark Jr., Olímpico vs Místico, Rey Bucanero, Shocker

Marcela getting a title shot is quite random, since they’ve been building up Lady Apache getting a title shot. This should be fun and probably make TV, I’m not complaining.

Ovaciones writes about MS-2 returning to the ring. The short blurb has MS-2 claiming to be the original, but I believe MS-2 was a name used by many local wrestlers, to be the partner of the night for MS-1. I’m not sure what’s going on here.

Ovaciones also has a note about AAA being recognized as the Sport of the Year by the National Magazine Circulation organization. I guess they’ve been selling the most copies? Or they’ve been selling a lot more than the 0 we were pegging them for this time last year. Estrellita was named luchadora of the year, and I can’t think of why that’d be true.

Super Amigos airs Saturday (and already aired Wednesday) in the Santa Fe Film Festival.

12/01 – 12/02 Lucha Times

thecubsfan

box

AAA US: Saturday airing is back. #1 Contender is chosen, and things keep going bad for the Familia de Tijuana.

FSE US: This week skips Leono/Mexico for whatever reason. Valiente makes an appearance in the opener, and main event is Guerreros vs Tecnicos

CAN52: Four matches on the main show last week means an extra match here. I think that means, instead of the women’s match from Friday, it’s the women’s match from Sunday. Looking at Friday’s photos, there’s one where the opener is being shown on the big screen and one where it looks like they’re doing the intro for the main show.

11/28: El Paso, Todos x Todos, Halloween

thecubsfan 7 Comments

DELGADO (SUN) 11/25 El Paso, TX
1) Green Danger & Rey America b Atomo (El Paso) & Peluchin II
2) Baby Solis & Titanik b Bestia II & Rey Guerrero
3) NASCAR b Galactico, Bestia Jr.
4) Epidemia & Hurricane Hector b Imposter Jr. & Magno

Santo’s now coming in for their 12/09 show, teaming with Incognito versus Cobrade and Cobarde Jr.

Ovaciones has a complete lineup for Todos x Todos. It’s pretty much consistent with what’s been listed, but just to get in the database:

CMB (SAT) 12/08 Toreo de Cuatro Caminos
1) Octagoncito & Voladorcito vs Espectrito I & Pentagoncito
2) Lola Gonzalez vs Xochitl Hamada [UWA WOMEN]
3) Blue Demon Jr. & El Hijo Del Santo vs El Fantasma & Mil Mascaras and el Hijo Del Anibal & El Hijo del Solitario and Pentagon Black & Super Muneco and Dos Caras Sr. & Tinieblas Sr. and Fishman Jr. & Máscara Sagrada and Hijo del Cien Caras & Rayo de Jalisco Jr. [toreno, losers advance]
4) ? vs ?? [mask]

Negro Navarro and Mano Negra will be referees for the show. Maybe better than random indy referees.

Lola Gonzalez isn’t the last known UWA Women’s Champion – that’d be Miss Janeth and we haven’t seen the belt in quite a while – but Lola was a four time champ so I’m sure this is just an old version of the belt they’ll use here.

Which Octagoncito is in AAA, and which one is here? I know they’re not the same ones.

They’re really short one match that should be good->great in quality. I’m sure they could round up Incognito and various miscellaneous young talented guys who would work very cheap to be part of a show that’s going to get this much attention.

Ovaciones also has an interview with Halloween. Halloween wants it clear he’s not saying he’s the best extreme fighter – he’s third or fourth, and Damian is #1. Of actual news value, the article mentions the four way tag team title match is also a US style ladder match, with the belts hanging from the ceiling and such. It’d be nice if they explained this concept on TV before hand, but they’ll probably just assume all the casual fans will have been watching the same matches they have. Ovaciones lineup still has Jack Evans in it, though it should be Sabu in his spot by now.

El Hijo de Santo made his appearance at the Hidalgo Communication Expo.

11/27 Arena Mexico Results (Sombra new NWA Welter champ)

thecubsfan 3 Comments

CMLL (TUE) 11/27 Arena Mexico [CMLL, Super Luchas, ocioso @ box y lucha]
1) Pólvora & Vaquero b Kid Tiger & Sensei
2) Arkangel de la Muerte, Dr. X, Hooligan b Astro Boy, Neutrón, Super Nova
3) Euforia, Nosferatu, Okumura b Leono, Metálico, Stuka Jr.
4) Ephesto, Mephisto, Sangre Azteca b Felino, Heavy Metal, Valiente
5) La Sombra b Ohara [NWA WELTER]
6) Blue Panther & Negro Casas b Atlantis & Último Guerrero

Sombra is the 55th champion, and a two title champion. Super Luchas reports the match as going nearly 19 minutes. This is the FOURTH CMLL title change this month, in just 25 days.

When this championship was brought back in 2006, it seemed to be for the same general purpose it was used since the J-Crown was brought back: “singles belt for Ultimo Dragon led promotion.” The welterweight belt was used by the Toryumon promotion before the schism that led to Dragon Gate, and it figured that Ohara would bring the belt back to El Dorado or whatever promotion Ultimo Dragon ended up getting involved with. Now that Sombra’s won the title, this could be going in a number of directions

1) Sombra’s going to Japan with Ohara so Ohara can get a title win there
2) Dragon’s given/sold the belt back to CMLL
3) This is part of a long term fued, where Sombra will end up losing the title while in Mexico (but win Ohara’s hair or something)

I think that’s pretty much the order of possiblities as well. Meanwhile, Sombra continues turning into Mistico II

                            Mistico         Sombra
plucky undersized tecnico     yes             yes
mask                      silver/white   silver/black
high flyer                    yes             yes
fights Averno a lot           yes             yes
multiple titles               yes             yes
NWA title                     yes             yes
pointless IWRG title          yes             no!

How long could it take for IWRG to make a, I dunno, IWRG Super Lightweight Championship? Someone needs to get this done.

In Other Action, that’s the tag team champions going down in a non-title match. We’re just waiting to find out which show gets the title match. Mephisto slipped in a low blow on Heavy Metal. Mehisto is doing a lot of that lately. Okumura filled in for Skandalo. Nova was helped to the back after his match, due the Pandilla killing him with powerbombs.