08/22-23 Lucha Times

box. The obvious big news to get out of the way early is Televisa’s site lists the AAA show in it’s normal timeslot. Think it did last week, too.

AAA-US: big #1 contenders match for the Verano de Escandalo title shot. If you’ve somehow made it this far without knowing who wins it, I won’t say a word. If you’re one who voted for Killer and Zombie Clown having left AAA, then their match here would seem to be farewell match.

52MX: Hope CatchChannel or someone else turns up to get the Valiente/Sangre title match.

CMLL-MEX: back to 2 hours, so top 3.

AAA-MEX: you know those AAA TV results I had up here a few hours ago? That show. Mesias vs Wagner in a match where neither man actually has to take a pin, and they still can’t do a finish. That seems a bad sign.

C3: Good minis match and a Romanos segunda, and then things may get a bit iffy

Puebla: I’m saying no on Leono, though the four way trios match probably is the biggest time sink. Title match has to make it, return of Guerrero Mantis absolutely has to make it.

Monterrey: Okay, maybe THIS is the farewell to Killer & Zombie. The Clowns working Sunday would have to mean they quit the company, and the company came up with new gimmicks, sometime between late Sunday and early Tuesday, I think.

08/30 AAA TV Lineup (Tlalnepantla)

AAA TV (SUN) 08/30 Centro de Convenciones de Tlalnepantla [chuy558 @ box y lucha]
1) Cinthia Moreno, Mini Abismo Negro, Ozz, Polvo de Esterllas vs El Elegido, Estrellita, Mascarita Sagrada, Pimpinela Escarlata
2) Aerostar & Fabi Apache vs Billy Boy & Sexy Star
3) El Mesías vs Cibernético
4) Dr. Wagner Jr., Electro Shock, Silver King vs Cuervo, Escoria, Zorro
5) Rocky Romero vs Jack Evans, Teddy Hart, Alex Koslov, Extreme Tiger, Sugi [cage, loser leaves town, #1 Contenders, AAA CRUISER]

2009 AAA TV Chart
Projected Air Date (#905) – assuming VdE airs over 2 weeks
Mexico: 09/13
US: 10/03

Main event is a bit confusing at first glance and needs a better explanation. It’s a six man cage match. The first wrestler out is #1 contender to the AAA Cruiserweight Championship. The last man remaining loses his spot in AAA.

Now, unless something very strange happens at Verano de Escandalo, the Cruiserweight champion at the time of this match will be in this match – all five guys are there. Not only is it weird for the champ to be in a match for the title, but there’s the theoretical possibility of the champion losing the match and being out of the company. It’s not going to happen, but it’s still weird.

Working thru the names:
– Sugi: supposed to be here for a year
– Jack Evans: loved by all in AAA
– Extreme Tiger: loved by all who book matches in AAA
– Alex Koslov: just turned rudo, a lot of build up on him
– Teddy Hart: Nikki is just on the way back, and AAA
– Rocky Romero: hmmm

FWIW, everyone but Sugi is listed on AAA lineups in September. They even put a lineup for October where Jack & Rocky vs Alex & Scoria, plus Teddy in the main event. Of course, it also has Escorpion Negro in a match, and he left on Monday, so don’t take advance lineups as gospel.

It’s always possible any one of the foreigners has just had enough of being a foreigner and wants to go home, so there’s no sure thing. Also, AAA wouldn’t be the first promotion to pretend Rocky Romero doesn’t exist and bring in a remarkable similar guy under a mask. I think Rocky’s the (un)favorite, but it’s not cut and dry thing.

Elsewise, it’s weird to see Mesias vs Cibernetico as a third match, but not weird to see it listed a revenge match. You can read into those two facing off and Wagner being in his own match in enough different ways to see any of the three guys coming out of Verano as champion.

Second match reminds us Fabi/Aero vs Sexi/Billy won’t be coming to a complete end this Friday, because it can never come to a complete end. It’ll be about mocking whoever lost.

Estrellita could make her return to TV after a short nine month break, unless they only air four matches. Or no matches, but then we’ve got bigger problems.

Super X debut, UG retains in Puebla, Mictlan wins in GDL

Super X (SAT) 08/15 Deprotivo el Recreo [el pancracio]
1) Dick Angelo, Jago, Negra Sexy b Cazador, Oculto, Salvaje
2) Veneno b Ricky Cruz
3) Scorpio & Zumbido b Black Terry & Negro Navarro
4) El Alebrije & Fuerza Guerrera b Solar I & Super Astro
5) Head Hunter I b Máscara Año 2000 Jr.
6) Juventud Guerrera b Angelico, Black Dragon [COPA XL]

Juvi won the trophy on his show. Hooray. After the main event, Gringo Loco came in the ring to sing a song and ask to join Super X. This ended up leading to a IWRG vs Super X brawl.

CMLL (MON) 08/17 Arena Puebla [SuperLuchas, el Pancracio]
1) Ares & Guerrero Mantis b Black Tiger & Tigre Rojo
2) Artillero, Fuerza Chicana, Súper Comando b Centella de Oro, Delta, Diamante
3) Fabián el Gitano, Leono, Tony Rivera b Durango Kid, Escorpion, Loco Max
4) Felino, Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas b Mictlán, SWAT, Toscano and Hijo del Fantasma, La Máscara, Sagrado and Naito, Shigeo Okumura, Yujiro
5) Último Guerrero b Héctor Garza [CMLL HEAVY]

UG fouled Garza and got away with with a win. YAY. SWAT filled in for Shocker. Guerrero Mantis is not a new wrestler, but a wrestler returning from a 9 year break. El Pancario also has interviews with the winner and loser from last Friday: Pierrothito vows Asturiano is the next local to pay the price, and Mr. Rafaga reveals himself to be Raul Santillana, 50 years old, 30 years a wrestler, originally from DF. There’s another interview with Pierrothito in Sol de Cuautla, talking about his big weekend. Having won masks, titles, and traveled internationally, Pierrothito figures he needs to win a hair and nominates Bam Bam to lose it.

CMLL (TUE) 08/18 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Fuego en el Ring]
1) Meteoro & Virgo b Güero Loco & In Memoria
2) Infierno & Malefico b Angelo & Idolo
3) Casanova, Gallo, Neutrón b Asesino Negro, Dragon, Leon Blanco
4) Mictlán b Misterioso II [OCCIDENTE LH]
5) Blue Panther, Máximo, Sagrado b Felino, Heavy Metal, Negro Casas

Poor Misterioso! Mascara Magica got all kinds of involved as Misterioso’s second. Even though the finish was Mictlan kicking out of the Gory Special and getting a ‘rana for a win, both Mictlan and Misterioso were talking about hair matches with Magica after. Meanwhile, there’s been work done on the arena, including adding a Arena Mexico style ramp.

CMLL (TUE) 08/18 Arena Mexico [Record]
4) Hijo de Lizmark, Mr. Niebla, Virus DQ Hijo del Fantasma, La Máscara, Mascara Dorada
5) Ephesto, Terrible, Texano Jr. DQ Héctor Garza, Shocker, Toscano

Ephesto fouled Garza, after the tecnicos didn’t look good in the main event. Niebla tosses his mask to Fantasma, I think.

AAA posted a note not really explaining why they weren’t on TV this past week, but saying we’ll be on this week. Might have been a good time to say what time.

CMLL 52MX #193 (08/01)

taped 07/26

Dark Angel ©, Estrella Magica, Lluvia vs La Nazi, La Seductora, Princesa Blanca © (video): I really really want to see a Dark Angel vs La Nazi singles match now. Make it one fall, that’s fine, but just do the match. They were too fun together here. Meanwhile, my theory is Lluvia was just well hidden and well protected early on to look like an average/slightly above average wrestler, and now we’re just seeing her as the still green wrestler she always was. She does seem worse in this feud then she was before it.

Angel Azteca Jr., Sagrado ©, Valiente vs Black Warrior ©, Dragon Rojo Jr., Sangre Azteca (video): good but rushed. Neither match was that long, which makes me wonder what outside the ring stuff they must’ve been running to take up so much time.

Is AAA dumb or just stupid?

(There’s a headline which won’t get me a link from luchalibreaaa.com)

While there are many situations where that question is applicable, the particular iteration has to do with luchalibreaaa.com’s lineup for Verano de Escandalo:

Putting aside “atomicos” means “teams of four”, just stare at the first team for a while. If you’re new, let me explain: the Psycho Circus has been Psycho Clown, Zombie Clown, and Killer Clown since debuting 19 months ago. Which is not the team listed there. There’s two possibilities here:

[poll id=”39″]

Both answers are face palm bad.

In other notes from AAA’s posted Verano de Escandalo lineup, it’s almost exactly what el Sol de Tampico posted a month ago. Some differences

– The Hermandad/Elegido/Gronda is NOT listed as a tag team title match, which is odd. It’s ladder and chairs instead, which is entertainingly bad.
– Nikki is listed as being back on this show
– The rules of the AAA Heavyweight Title cage match is the first person to escape wins the title. Pretty easy bet that this rule was made to get around asking people to take pinfalls they won’t want to take.
– They never explained the Ultimo Gladidador turn. Fine work!

08/17 AAA TV Lineup (Tehuacan)

AAA TV (MON) 08/17 Polideportivo la Huizachera, Tehuacan [AAA]
1) Rió Bravo, Tigre Cota, Tito Santana II b Argenis, Atomic Boy, Relampago
2) Alex Koslov & Jack Evans b Rocky Romero & Teddy Hart [Relevos Increíbles]
3) El Elegido & Gronda b Joe Lider & Nicho el Millionario
4) Billy Boy & Sexy Star b Aerostar & Fabi Apache [street]
5) Chessman & Cibernético b Charly Manson & Marco Corleone
6) Dr. Wagner Jr. NC El Mesías [bull terrier]

2009 AAA TV Chart
Projected Air Date (#902)
Mexico: 08/23
US: 09/12

There’s very likely something going on between AAA and Televisa. This past Friday and Saturday, AAA taped shows for Fox Sports. Sunday, AAA wasn’t on Televia, no explanation. Monday, AAA taped TV, and the Televisa announcers were not there.

There was a bit with Joaquin Roldan after the opener, where he was confused about the announcers not being there; he sent a car to pick them up, but they weren’t there. Konnan turned up instead, saying he now had a legal remedy to prevent Roldan from suspended him, so he’s back and the AAA/Legion war isn’t over. It sounds like Arturo Rivera was with him, so presumably they were the announce crew for the show. Arturo is believed to also be working for both Televisa and AAA directly, unlike the other announcers, so he’d be working here even if there were problems.

Both the CMLL and AAA Televisa shows are technically staffed by announcers appointed by Televisa, as if they were normal sports events. The promotions have some influence to block people unfavorable announcers, but they’ve always supposed to be independent from the promotion. I think it was last year when Arturo was accused of actually working for AAA and responded by claiming Leobrado Magadan was doing the same with CMLL, and Televisa would presumably have been upset if that was true. Maybe Televisa has changed it’s stance? It’d be the only way to explain why they’d be okay with Konnan doing the announcing, unless the car sent to pick up the announcers really did not find them.

There are pictures of the show on the recap, but they’re super tiny pictures blown up to be blurry. Maybe someone accidentally used the thumbnails? That, or a really bad camera phone.

Relampago appears to be the Sinola-based one who gets involved in angles every time they run around there. Since they didn’t do the announcing gimmick until after the opener, the match doesn’t sound like it’ll air.

Alex got the pin on Rocky with a superkick in the mixed partners match. This is probably a bit harsh, but those teams look like “guys AAA might get something out of” versus “guys AAA would not have a use for if they weren’t feuding with their old partners.” Which probably means they keep the feuds going and/or Rocky or Teddy wins the Cruiserweight championship on Friday.

Except: has anyone seen Extreme Tiger since he missed the last TV taping due to injury? Didn’t work this show, hasn’t worked any show I’ve got a result for since earlier this month. There were very few specifics on the injury. AAA still lists him as on Friday’s card, but I don’t know that I’d trust them.

Elegido & Gronda picked up a second tag win over the champs. Probably not winning a third. Probably still not good.

In a switch, everyone but Fabi Apache bleed in the street fight. They went all over the building, teased big falls, and Billy beat Aerostar near the stage.

Semimain turned into Charly/Chessman and Marco/Cibernetico. Charly was putting El Pozo on Chessman yet again, but Cibernetico broke it up and pinned Charly.

AAA recap says Wagner was booed and Mesias was cheered for the first time. They also told me it was 50/50 at TripleMania, so I dunno. Lots of teases of touching all six before Cibernetico attacked both to end the match with a non-finish.

Next taping is Friday, Verano de Escandalo. The lineup is finally on their website, but…