Month: October 2008

10/10 AAA TV Results (Queretaro)

thecubsfan 49 Comments

AAA TV (FRI) 10/10 Auditorio Municipal Jose Maria Arteaga de Queretaro
1) Fabi Apache & Mari Apache b Ayako Hamada & Cinthia Moreno
2) Alan Stone & Chris Stone b Jack Evans & Teddy Hart
3) El Mesias DQ Chessman
4) Electro Shock & Konnan b Octagón & Súper Fly
5) Killer Clown, Psycho Clown, Zombie Clown b Cuervo, Escoria, Espiritu
6) Cibernetico b Zorro

2008 AAA TV Taping List
Projected Air Date (#857)
Mexico: 10/12
US: 11/01

You know how I sometimes complain about AAA doing three months of angles on one show, and then no angles for three months? This was the one with all the angles.

The show started with another promo. I’ll let you know when AAA blocking their show out like WWE stops being hilarious. Konnan was in ring with the urn, calling out Roldan so he could hand over his demands (which go unrecorded in AAA’s recap.) Roldan came out with security, who were promptly taken out by Jack, Teddy, Zorro and Electro. Roldan had more help, and Chris Stone, Alan Stone, Killer Clown, Zombie Clown, Psycho Clown (Psycho Circus is AAA!), Octagon, and Super Fly ran out to attack the Legion. In the scrum, Alan got the urn, but it turned out to be a fake. Konnan gave Roldan a two hour dealine to accept the demands, or else.

Opener doesn’t get much write up, just the Apaches beating the rudas.

As the second match was going on, D-Generation-Mex interrupted from the stage to introduce their newest member, Alex Koslov. This distracted Jack & Teddy and cost them the match. After the match, DGM hit the ring to confront Hart Foundation 2. Alex was about to hit Jack with a chair, but X-Pac stopped him, saying they wanted to recruit Evans for the group. X-Pac and Rocky proceeded to beat up Teddy and Nicole with a (sledge?)hammer, causing Teddy to be strechered out.

Clowns are at 210 wins now. The Dark Family (Espiritu replacing Ozz for no mentioned reason) might have won this match, if not for Chessman trying to help out and accidently spearing Espiritu. Psycho covered for the pin.

Fourth match saw Octagon get tied in the ropes and Super Fly killed again like a jobber. After the match, Konnan said the time was up and he wanted Roldan out now. Roldan did come, but instead of meeting Konnan’s demand, suggested a match where if Konnan wins, he keeps the ashes and gets to run AAA, but if Roldan wins, he gets the urn back and Konnan has to retire from wrestling. (I presume they’re having others wrestle this match for them, but it’s not made clear.) Konnan accepted, because he can’t be too worried about having to retire from wrestling; it takes something to show that clip of Konnan losing the retirement match every year while he’s still wrestling, it takes something more to do another match with him and a retirement stip.

Chessman got DQed in his match with Mesias. There’s a mention of excessive violence, but that doesn’t seem to exist in AAA. They also mention him hitting Hijo de Tirantes, which does get you a DQ here. Chessman tied Mesias up in the ropes in a crucfix position (of course!) and poured gasoline on him. Right when Chessman was about to burn Mesias alive, the Dark Family came out – and turned on Chessman. After they finished beating him, they set upon burning Mesias themselves. I guess they really wanted to be the one to do it! This time, Cibernetico made the save for Mesias. And then, the Psycho Circus showed up, and challenged Cibernetico to a match!

If you followed all that, on one read thru, give yourself a gold star. The end product is we’ve got Chessman split right back off from Cuervo/Ozz/Espirtu/Escoria but both groups are still feuding with the iffy Mesias/Cibernetico alliance. And the Clowns are here too.

AAA suggests this may set up a Chessman/Psycho Circus alliance which would not only has potential for entertainment, but could give the Psycho Circus something approaching an endgame (the Dark Family’s atomicos titles.)

In the main event, Zorro lost. That’s all Zorro gets. It seems like Zorro and Konnan are having issues about who’s in charge. Chessman also interrupted the match to challenge Cibernetico to another match. After Cibernetico won, Chessman figured there’s no time like the present and attacked Cibernetico. The save was made by Charly Manson’s music. Charly came out to the stage and said “I have decided to go with…

…

…

…” and then he just left. What a jerk!

10/11: Mexico, Rey Jr., lineups

thecubsfan 15 Comments

CMLL (FRI) 10/10 Arena Mexico [sololuchas, superluchas, La Afficon]
1) Sensei & Starman b Calígula & Méssala
2) Ángel Azteca Jr., Flash, Máscara Púrpura DQ Dr. X, Loco Max, Skandalo
3) Mictlán, Sagrado, Stuka Jr. b Dragon Rojo Jr., Ephesto, Mephisto
4) Heavy Metal, Lizmark Jr., Negro Casas b Hijo del Fantasma, Marco Corelone, Volador Jr.
5) Blue Panther, Dos Caras Jr., Héctor Garza b Atlantis, Mr. Niebla, Último Guerrero

Tecns won the main event in two falls, clean. After the match, the Villanos returned to attack Blue Panther. Dragon Rojo ran down for the save, then Ephesto and then finally Ultimo Gurerero decided to help out too. It seems the Lagunera guys have decided to rally around Blue Panther in his fight with the Villanos, which leaves three questions

1) all the guys who made a save were rudos – is Panther headed that way?
2) is this a one time, or an ongoing faction? What does this mean for the Guerreros?
3) Hooligan’s totally going to be involved, right? Please say yes.

In the semimain, the rudos got DQed for excessive violence, but they kept on going to win the second and the third (Lizmark foulding Corelone without the ref seeing it.)

Dragon Rojo replaced Virus, which makes sense in retrospect to get Dragon Rojo in the building to make his save. ESTO says Stuka replaced Valiente because Valiente is/was hurt from a head injury.

Skandalo grabbed Flash’s mask for the DQ in the second. Tecs took it in two.

Rey Misterio Jr. talked to Notimex. If there was a question about the recent Ovaciones stuff, it did not make it in here; this was more focused on the Dos Jr. rumors (Rey didn’t know if he was coming or not, but thinks he’s got the attributes to do well – he’d really love to have Perro Jr. in WWE though.) Rey’s NOT on next week’s WWE Mexico tour, since he’ll be with the RAW brand in Puerto Rico unless things change at the last minute. Rey’s was happy with RAW’s debut rating and fine with Televisa moving the show to a later hour, because it makes it “more flexible schedule”.

SoloLuchas interviews Bestia Negra, who talks a bunch about his pre-refereeing wrestling career. I wish SoloLuchas next page links were a bit more visible (or everything was just on one page, because you can apparently make them as long as you’d like.)

The next Dos y Tres magazine has the Psycho Circus on the cover.

Robert recaps 04/02/06 AAA, 04/16/06 CMLL and 04/20/06 IWRG

I guess Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu really is a bitch though b/c at the end of the fall he went for a slingshot somersault senton dive and HORRIBLY blew it.

CMLL (TUE) 10/14 Arena Mexico
1) Carrona & Cholo vs Molotov & Sombra de Plata
2) Calígula, Hooligan, Méssala vs Angel Azteca, Angel de Oro, Hijo del Faraon
3) Leono, Máscara Púrpura, Stuka Jr. vs Arkangel de la Muerte, Vangelis, Virus
4) a replacment for Alex Koslov, Máximo, Mictlán vs Dragon Rojo Jr., Ephesto, Olímpico
5) Héctor Garza, Hijo del Fantasma, La Máscara vs Misterioso II, Negro Casas, Rey Bucanero

As you’ll see, they had no idea Koslov was jumping, because he’s booked like normal next week (and probably the weeks after.) Not really surprised they still put his name up in the lineups after the rest of the world knew, because they probably didn’t know.

Hey, look, Hector actually teaming with his former title partners after they’ve stop holding the titles! Could be there’s just no other top tecnicos on this card, but let’s pretend they planned it that way.

CMLL (FRI) 10/17 Arena Mexico
1) Axel, Flash, Metalik vs Loco Max, Nitro, Skandalo
2) Máximo, Sagrado, Valiente vs Felino, Heavy Metal, Sangre Azteca
3) a replacement for Alex Koslov, Dos Caras Jr., Héctor Garza vs Averno, Mephisto, Terrible
4) Blue Panther, Ephesto, Último Guerrero vs Villano III, Villano IV, Villano IV [ri]
5) Marco Corelone vs Lizmark Jr. [hair]

Lizmark is teasing a surprise for his second. (Lizmark Sr.?) Since it logically would’ve been Alex, I’d guess Marco’s second will be a surprise too. Hey Marco, just don’t pick Mistico, that worked out really poorly for the last guy who did that.

AAA tapings results in a little bit.

Alex Koslov is the next jump to AAA

thecubsfan 37 Comments

It’s been mentioned in the comments and other websites, but I figure AAA putting a picture pretty much confirms he’s the new member of D-Generation-Mex. This doesn’t seem as good a move as Romero; when/if these guys get lost in the mix, I think Alex ends up with a lower position than he had in CMLL. But I hope I’m wrong and it works out great; Alex is a friend of the site enough to do a podcast a while back, so I’m still rooting for him.

Don’t think he’s finally winning that title any time soon, though. AAA’s gotta create another one, or put one of the other ones they have back in play.

I think this is a better deal for AAA then Romero, because Alex has been built up enough to mean something over a long enough under they name they’re going to use.

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CMLL FSE #111 (09/21)

thecubsfan 3 Comments

taped 09/14, aired 09/21

If I was a conscious type who was focused on timely recaps, I’m fairly certain this teaser would’ve gone differently. Then again, it would’ve been largely irrelevant even at the time it was written, and I can still make the same points.

I really enjoyed the Grey Shadow/Alex Koslov team so much, for the two weeks it lasted. They were doing so much ‘wrong’ that it really made it right. Even though both guys have been around here for quite a while, ti felt like two modern US indy guys were plopped down in the middle of Mexico City with some idea of the lucha style and the intention to keep doing what they knew how to do. Instead of the usual recitation of today’s opponents in their promo, we got a very indy-ish tecnico one with two guys so excited to be wrestling that they’re talking over each other. Instead of one tecnico in the ring going taking a moment of rudo offense then going thru his weekly showcase of offense, they showed off rapid fire double teams and moments of actual inspiration. Alex and Shadow appeared as though they were actually happy to be there, happy to be teaming, and not running a countdown timer in their head, tracking how long they had until they had to get some place.

There was actual LIFE in the ring, and it was a beautiful thing to see.

Now, I know Everyone Hates Rocky Romero and I’m not here to stop you from doing that, if that’s what you do. I gather a lot of it isn’t anything against the man himself, but to some extent he seems a lesser version of other wrestlers in the indy scene. But those wrestlers aren’t the ones he’s being seen against in Mexico – it’s more tolerable to be a 2nd tier Bryan Danielson when there are no other Danielsons around, and when everyone is trying to be another person.

That’s the other big problem here. Everyone tecnico in CMLL tries to be Mistico, and everyone rudo in CMLL tries to be Averno*. Some people are better at it the other people, but almost no one tries to do anything else. Mistico vs Averno is even starting to get a bit old when they do it, and seeing it twice a week every week by 3 guys a side gets tremendously boring. I don’t know if it’s because that’s what the people in charge want to see from the wrestlers so that’s only who gets picked up, or if it’s because that’s what the wrestlers believe will get them better positions in the company (probably both), but it’s unbelievably numbing**. They’re not giving me a storyline to distinguish each guy, they’re not giving me a wrestling style to distinguish the guys, they’re just giving out different gear.

Back during this match, I was so hoping this would this trio would become a running group. Not just because it’s be nice to have actual TEAMS on the rudo side, but because maybe some of Alex and Grey’s inherent indy wackiness would rub off on La Mascara. Maybe, just maybe, he’d stop wrestling like the 12th best Mistico clone in the company*** and mutate into something different and unique itself.

I don’t know how it’s going to work out for Rocky in AAA. I think he’ll make out money wise better, at least at first, but given the disuse of Silver King since his jump, plus D-Generation-Mex apparently being Yet Another Rudo Stable That Doesn’t Get Along With The Million Other Rudo Stables, I don’t have super high hopes. Before he slips into the ether of AAA’s midcard, I do want to thank him for these couple of matches on FSE. In a world with scores of guys being different versions of off-white and scores of other guys being different versions of dark gray, it was delightful to see some green. I dare not suggest you were the best green ever, but it was freaking awesome to know I wasn’t going colorblind.

(opener was eh.)

download match (100 MB)
download entire show (303 MB)

* – yea, I know this is an overstatement. Every Perro tries to wrestle like Perro Sr.! Actually, there’s plenty of guys who don’t work as those types because it doesn’t make sense – Marco! – or are old enough to have trust in working as their own style, or are women and minis who have no choice but to wrestle as who they are and are so much better of for it

** – it’s also quite possible that lucha has passed me by and it’s time to move on. Though I do recall a time where everything wasn’t one dimensional.

*** – this smells like a list

10/10: Black Warrior, Mistico, lucha TV, notes

thecubsfan 25 Comments

Other people not going anywhere at least until 2009: Black Warrior, who refutes the rumors about him, but only for the next three months or so. Unlike the guy who runs the promotion he works for, Black Warrior thinks the boom is falling apart! Smart dresser = smart man. Warrior thinks it’s because of lack of variety in matches and little follow up on rivalries, but specifically does not blame the programmers – they succeed as a whole company or they fail as a whole company. TeleviasDeportes has a column from Warrior, who talks about finding out his uncle was a wrestler and all the sports he participated in as an amateur.

cmll
cmll

Not doing anything until 2009: Mistico. SickMistico on the Box Y Lucha foro was nice enough to type up the story from Box Y Lucha, where Mistico says he won’t return until Janurary now due to (as Chui said in the comments) a girl tugging on his arm asking for an autograph. That probably means he wasn’t going to be around long before he got hurt again anyway, if it only took that to put him on the shelf. Mistico makes time to cut promos on Wagner (can’t draw) and Villano V (Mistico is SURE there was a switch in the mask match).

Ovaciones reports on WWE RAW being moved to after AAA on Sundays (though they actually list it with the current time slot, so I’m confused.) They also say this starts next week, while AAA said it starts this week. They cite ratings for RAW being less than SmackDown, though it doesn’t seem to explain why moving it two hours later would help those ratings. Arturo Rivera’s column goes more in depth, saying this week’s lucha ratings went in order

1) SmackDown
2) RAW
3) AAA
4) CMLL

Arturo doesn’t mention the ratings for the top two shows, but says AAA is around a 6.9 or 7, and CMLL is around a 3 or 4. No idea how close AAA is to RAW, which would be of most interest. These are first week ratings, so it’d also be interesting to see if it’s a big bump for the premier or if these numbers start to slip. The lucha numbers don’t seem that off from usual (perhaps Arturo just meant those are the typical numbers), and it’s always important to remember that the only number CMLL appears to care about is the number of tickets sold on Friday nights.

Arturo also writes about the Pena urn angle, thanks CMLL for so underusing Romero that he jumped while patting AAA on the back for Aerostar and Super Fly pushes, and blames CMLL for their own downturn in attendance.

LuchandoLibre also takes the viewpoint that the decline in lucha libre turnout has more to do with the companies than what’s on TV and comes up with some solutions.

SuperLuchas talks about 100% Lucha and notes their ratings triple WWE’s show there.

Dr. Wagner: “Remember back when is said I wasn’t intersted in teaming with Blue Panther? I’m rethinking it!” Panther has to stay on top, fight with courage and connect with the people for Wagner to do this, though. Wagner also wants a mask match with Mr. Niebla.

CMLL Mexico previews: ESTO, notimex. Main event is teasing the Panther/UG hair vs mask match they don’t appear to have any real interest in doing, semimain is to build up Lizmark/Corelone for next week. The ESTO articles notes tickets for next week are already on sale. They’re 50 pesos more expensive for the closest seats and up for all the numbered seats, but the same price for all the general admission seats.

Diraio de Queretaro previews tonight’s taping there.

The 8 way mask match Sunday in Pachuca is getting some press. This is why you send a press release to everyone (except me, apparently. So unloved.)

In a press conference to hype a Durango AAA show on Sunday (“unless they die or are injured, the scheduled AAA wrestlers will be here”), Pantera is mentioned as soon joining AAA. He talks about having a mask/hair match with Abismo Negro soon, so I don’t know much I believe this.

AAA is teasing Shelly Martinez (ex-WWE as Ariel, ex-TNA as Salinas) as the newest member of D-Generation-Mex. As everyone noticed except AAA, and SuperLuchas caputured in a screen shot, the article originally featued a picture of WWE’s Mickie James, not Martinez. And it was a WWE picture, which they’re surely not authorized to use. The picture has been fixed so someone did figure it out. I do wonder if this is just like the Shocker/Olimpico/Tarzan/Bucanero bit, where they’re stirring up stuff by playing off rumors and end up doing something else.

In other AAA news, there’s a write up of the Pena mass, which oddly notes 70% of the roster turned out. SoloLucha has interviews with Marcela Pena and Konnan – Konnan’s vowing to smoke Pena’s ashes if his demands aren’t met.

AAA also mentions Psicosis II’s opponent in Germany on 11/01, Steve Douglas, and says Silver King is working on another movie, one which doesn’t appear to have a name. AAA also has more autograph signing over the weekend.

The Gladiatores also has recaps of 10/02 IWRG, indy shows on 10/03 featuring Mil Mascaras and Villano V, the NWA Mexico show, 10/05 Arena Neza, 10/05 Arena Emiliano Zapata and 10/05 Waukegan as well as a write up on the lucha libre museum exhibit and a video interview with Danger

kcidis celebrates the Oficials.

SuperLuchas profiles Samot Kol, who a best new rudo award.

The red carpet premiere of Los Campeones de la lucha libre is this Sunday (SuperLuchas was giving away tickets there), and it opens next Friday.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update. Segunda Caida writes about a July 2007 IWRG.

Dos Caras Jr. staying in CMLL until (at least) ’09

thecubsfan 9 Comments

And then? Well, from this ESTO article, it sounds like Dos is only going to WWE if he gets a better ($$$$) deal; the third offer he’s received is close but he feels they’re treating him like a rookie and he’s a star. Dos has no idea if WWE will come back with another offer.

Dos and CMLL (Paco Alonso) have settled their differences and are on “the best terms”, though Dos notes that doesn’t meant he still won’t end up leaving. Though he could stay. Though he could leave. Though he could just have himself a good sandwich and call it a day. The possibilities are endless, except for a definite decision being made and a conclusion to this story.

I think he’s staying for good at this point, but who knows.