Month: January 2009

01/30 CMLL Arena Mexico Preview

thecubsfan

CMLL (FRI) 01/30 Arena Mexico
1) Astro Boy, Hijo del Faraon, Tony Rivera vs Apocalipsis, Inquisidor, Pólvora
2) Felino, Vangelis, Virus vs Máscara Púrpura, Máximo, Rey Cometa
3) Marcela vs Princesa Blanca [MEX WOMEN]
4) Black Warrior, Blue Panther, Último Guerrero vs Averno, Mephisto, Villano V
5) La Sombra, Místico, Volador Jr. vs Atlantis, Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas

Previews: ESTO, Ovaciones

Previewing a show that’s already in progress: always awesome. I have no idea what’s going on, in case it matters. (I mean on that show, though perhaps in general too.)

Princesa Blanca beating Marcela for the Mexican National Women’s Championship would be a miscarriage of justice, for sure. Blanca has been more interesting as a ruda (though, with the women’s matches all being cut down to about 4 minutes, it may seem that way just because they’re showing a short match instead of a long angle), but Marcela is still awesome and may prove that again if this match is any good. But…if they could promise me dropping the title frees up Marcela for more title matches with Amapola, I’d be okay with it. (Until the first time Blanca has to defend it against someone not named Marcela.)

I expect the title change, because this bit has had six weeks of build behind it. It may not be over even with this; Princesa Blanca is pretty clear on wanting a hair match. In that interview, Blanca also hits on her other goal – a more important role in the women’s division – and the ruda turn has certainly helped achieve that already.

The Panther/V5 feud and the Laguneros team ups appeared to be draw badly, but they’re not responible tonight – that’s on the golden tecnico trio and their rivals. I don’t suspect it’ll be this group of rudos that’ll be able to stop their winning streak.

I’m wondering if the semifinal will go the way it’s been built; maybe it’s time for a left turn, with Panther ending the night feuding with his teamates more than V5. I just don’t think they’re doing this only to give us more V5/Panther.

Box Y Lucha Roundup: Freelance audio, Dos & WWE, fights on the way to Monterrey

thecubsfan 4 Comments

In the never-ending saga of “Freelance said what about Bam Bam and Mascarita Dorada?”, Box Y Lucha retorts Freelance’s retort by posting the audio of the interview! That’s the way to do it. I wish I still cared about this enough to listen to it.

Other Box Y Lucha Articles
– Rosa Negra talk about her return to CMLL. I like to think I am fan of Rosa Negra, and I had no idea she was actually gone. She was, for three months and says she went back to the gym to get better to make a bigger run in 2009. Rosa Negra mentions she’s maried to Enemigo Publico, who was a CMLL undercarder in the late 99s and early 00s before retiring due to an injury in training. Rosa also mentions she had a different name long ago but doesn’t want to reveal it. One of my favorite weird stories about the luchawiki is we actually had this identity on there, on Rosa Negra’s profile, because she mentioned in an interview with (the much missed) el Halcon net web magazine. Except, months later, I went to look it up for something else, and that information had vanished. So weird.

– Dos Caras Jr. wants it clear that only HE was offered a contract by WWE. How he would know this is beyond me; Dos is probably correct (except they did give tryouts to others), but WWE wouldn’t necessarily tell him this. Dos reveals he can speak English and Portuguese and mentions he had two offers from NJPW last year (which I would imagine is more coming over for a tour than full time, but who knows.)

– Following up on that piece, Box Y Lucha also has a good piece asking why are there no Mexicans left in WWE?. These type of articles tend to be “well, WWE sucks and Mexico is clearly more awesome (and also we’re not counting Misterio as Mexican this week)” bits, but this one is more serious, talking to Super Crazy and Juvi about their issues there. Crazy says the problem for him, and the problem Dos probably had, was that it’s tough to be a top guy in Mexico and then be slotted at the bottom in WWE. Crazy would advise people to go, but if they don’t like how it’s going in a year’s time, it’s time to get out. Juvi emphasizes that you’ve got to speak fluently English, or you won’t have any security.

– Black Warrior talks about his rough upbringing.

– newly retired referee Fresero talks about meeting Andre the Giant

– Villano III talks about accidently instigating a huge fight by using the women’s bathroom (the men’s one was broke and it’s a fun story.)

AAA: Circus Circus results, upcoming tapings

thecubsfan 1 Comment

AAA (THU) 01/29 Circus Circus, DF [AAA]
1) Mascarita Sagrada 2007, Pimpinela Escarlata, Sexy Star b Fabi Apache, Mini Psicosis III, Polvo de Esterllas
2) Jack Evans & Teddy Hart b Alex Koslov & Rocky Romero
3) El Elegido & Mesias b Kenzo Suzuki & Zorro

Night club show, much like Bucanero’s a few weeks ago. Elegido had home turf advantage.

AAA’s site list these taping sites for February. They don’t list when the shows are, but might as well put them here
02/?? – Palenque de la Feria, Tlaxcala
02/?? – Centro Civico de Ecatepec, EdM
02/?? – Celaya
02/?? – Cuernavaca

While I’m thinking AAA and it’s website – does anyone else find it strange that they never actually seem to talk to any of the AAA wrestlers? There’s history pieces (10 years ago, Charly Manson was slightly more of an impersonator than he is today), there’s lineups and there’s show reports, but that’s all the same stuff *I* could do if I had access to AAA’s press releases too. Or anyone could, if they had that access and the time. CMLL (and other promotions) sites don’t have that kind of access, but the modernization of AAA’s site makes the lack of content more apparent and CMLL does all of the up-close/angle promos on Ras de Lona.

My theory is they outsourced the website. Either a bunch of fans are running it (which would explain an odd article or two) or to a professional group that’s just in charge of receiving the information from AAA and putting it up. Either way, it seems like a one way communication deal and missed chances. I shouldn’t be going to Box Y Lucha to read a story about Picudo’s job as training the hopefuls, AAA should have that first. Same thing with the Estrellita injury – AAA’s site put up an article a couple days after the outside press had already reported on the injury, being scooped on a wrestler in their own company. And that’s not even to mention the promos and storyline stuff that could/should be up there. Even if they’re trying to save most of that for the magazine, they need to do a far better job of selling people on reading it.

BTW, first person who can figure what happened to the RSS feed for events or what I can do to simulate it gets a gold star.

Vampiro documentary on screens this weekend

thecubsfan

As teased, I’ve been really busy today (though less than expected tomorrow), and really just now getting around to reading and writing lucha posts. I’m going to break stuff up in to lots of little posts to get it up quicker and we’ll see if I catch up or pass out first.

I’ll have a full post on this later on (so it catches the podcast feed then), but you don’t need to wait for that – go listen to Tony’s interview with Marco Corleone right now. Here, I’ll even embed a link for you, so you have no excuses.

The documentary on Vampiro – “Vampiro: Angel, Devil, Hero” – which had to be filmed a couple years ago by now, got a couple mostly favorable reviews in the Canadian press today; it’s part of a film festival this weekend. From reading the reviews, it does seem to capture the genuine Vampiro, instead of just being a puff piece. It’s also good timing, since they can spin it as ‘the real life The Wrestler’. And, it produced perhaps the greatest line in the history of headlines:

Vampiro: He’s the wrestler who can spot a phony a mile away

I think even Vamp would gleefully spend 15 minutes coming up with hilarious punchlines to that setup. Feel free to add your own in the comments.

01/29: IWRG, Mexico, heavyweight returns, GDL lineups

thecubsfan 8 Comments

IWRG (THU) 01/22 Arena Naucalpan [The Gladiatores]
1) Halcon 2000 b Comando Gama
2) Anticristo Jr. Comando Negro & Avisman b Eragon & Miss Gaviota
3) Demony & Xibalva b Chico Che & Goleador
4) Freelance, Multifacetico, Pendulo DQ Tetsuya, Toxico AAA, Veneno
5) Oficial 911, Oficial AK47, Oficial Fierro b Trauma I, Trauma II, Zatura [IWRG IC TRIOS]

Champs win again. DQ in semimain for Tetsuya pulling Multifacetico’s mask, and they’re teasing a singles match there. Demony got away with a mask pull in the tercera, taking Goledaor’s before pinning him for the win.

IWRG (SUN) 01/25 Arena Naucalpan [The Gladiatores]
1) Avisman b Galactic
2) Fenix, Jack, Miss Gaviota b Anticristo Jr., King Drako, Nemesis IWRG
3) Chico Che, Gemelo Fantastico I, Gemelo Fantastico II b Black Terry, Cerebro Negro, Dr. Cerebro
4) Zumbido b Fuerza Guerrera
5) Freelance, Pendulo, Scorpio Jr. b Andy Barrow, Tetsuya, Veneno

Night of making title challenges. Gemelos and Chico want an IWRG Trios shot after beating the champs. Zumbido swept Fuerza (first fall was DQ for Fuerza’s excessive violence after winning the fall) so he wants a Welterweight shot. Even though Freelance and Tetsuya weren’t involved in the finish of the main event (Scorpio pinning Veneno), Freelance wants a hair/mask match and Tetsuya wants another shot at the lightweight belt. Tetsuya’s mask does not seem long for this world.

CMLL (TUE) 01/27 Arena Mexico [CMLL]
1) Metálico & Tigre Blanco b Camorra & Inquisidor
2) Pequeño Halloween, Pequeño Warrior, Pierrothito b Niño de Acero, Pequeño Ninja, Tzuki
3) Mascara Dorada, Metro IV, Valiente b Euforia, Nosferatu, Shigeo Okumura
4) Black Warrior, Dragon Rojo Jr., Sangre Azteca b La Máscara, La Sombra, Sagrado
5) Dos Caras Jr., Héctor Garza, Místico b Ephesto, Terrible, Texano Jr.

Rudos won the semimain again, so they’ve got a title match next week.

Ovaciones says Rayo de Jalisco, Universo 2000 and Mascara Ano 2000 are headed back in next month. :(

(Strong Style Spirit) Mephisto vs Mistico on NJPW’s 02/15 show will now be for Mistico’s CMLL Welterweight championship. Mephisto is probably still not a welterweight.

Diario Impacto has an interview with La Parka Jr. about his career, but they don’t actually have a permalink to the article. You can go to the Deportes section and look on the right side as you scroll down.

The Gladiatores also has interviews with Crazy Star and video interviews with the Traumas and last Oficials

El Manana profiles local wrestler Estrellas Universal

Todo Por el Todo has an invitation to the El Santo memorial fucntions in on 02/05.

DTU has Lord Byron and Kaientai talking about the next show.

LuchaWorld has Robert on 08/30/07 IWRG and bad CMLL MVS shows from 09/08 and 09/09/07.

CMLL (SUN) 02/01 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Drago & Relampago Azul vs Nube Roja & Thunder Boy
2) Casanova, Leon Blanco, Magnum vs Malefico, Máscara Púrpura, Mr. Trueno
3) Dark Angel, Goddess, Lady Apache vs Hiroka, Medussa, Mima Shimoda
4) La Sombra & Shocker vs Terrible & Texano Jr.
5) Volador Jr. vs Rey Bucanero [CMLL LH]

Title match is on. And Mima’s back in the country.

CMLL (TUE) 02/03 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Quazar vs Angel de Mal
2) Virgo vs Valentin Mayo
3) Metal Blanco vs Infierno
4) Dark Angel & Goddess vs Hiroka & Mima Shimoda
5) La Nazi & Lady Apache vs Medussa & Sahori [ri]
6) Averno, Mephisto, Terrible vs Máximo, Mictlán, Shocker

Poor Lady Apache. You know, I don’t know which women is going to lose the cage match, but from watching those promos on Ras de Lona, La Nazi didn’t look too confident.

Updates the next few days may be irregular. I’m going to see if I can get some recaps set up to fill in.

01/31-02/01 Lucha Times

thecubsfan 3 Comments

box

AAA-US: This is listed as three different lengths on Galavision’s website, but I believe it’s a 90 minute show; it was when it aired in Mexico. Matches are Zorro/Chessman, another AAA tag team ladder match, and Abismo’s big return. All this are up on my DailyMotion already, FWIW.

52MX: The Dos/Ultimo program should be headed here, plus Purpura/Maximo/Micltan vs Felino/Vangelis/Virus.

LATV/FS: One more women’s trios before the title match, plus Super Comando/Pegasso and an effortless match from Coliseo.

LATV’s repeat episode has a minis match (Fire masked! Bracito de Oro still existing!) and the Amapola/Dark Angel title match.

—

CMLL: It’s a one hour slot, so it’s top 3 if they want it. Could see the Arena Coliseo Tag Feud trios match getting passed by, though.

AAA-MEX: A couple hours earlier – to avoid the Super Bowl? last week’s taping – HX/Electro vs Mesias/Parka/King in the main event. Clowns win but lose. Minis perhaps actually make TV.

C3: top 4 from the show I haven’t put results up for. Be the first on your block to identify Metro III.