Month: May 2010

PdM (SUN) 05/30 Plaza de Toros Pepeillo Martinez, Salamanca, Guanajuato [R de Rudo]
1) Medussa & Pesadilla b Diva Salvaje & Ragde
2) Celestial & Cósmico b Mr. Aguilita & Talisman
3) Black Warrior, Hijo del Lizmark, X-Fly b Leo, Oriental, Súper Nova
4) Charly Manson, Hijo de LA Park, Marco Corleone DQ Damián 666, el Hijo del Perro Aguayo, Halloween

Main event ended in a foul related DQ! Perro fouled Charly, and covered him, but the only referee left is the tecnico one so he called the DQ.

DTU (SUN) 05/30 Coliseo Coacalco [Estrellas del Ring, Black Terry Jr. (flickr)]
1) Ciclope NC Flamita, Masterson, Pequeno Cobra
2) Chica Tormenta b Pantera Salvaje
3) Daga & Impluslo DRAW Low Rider & Wotan and Drastik Boy & Eterno
4) Epitafio, Judas el Traidor, Magnifico b Iron Love, Juan el Ranchero, Último Gladiador
5) Cuervo & Espíritu b Trauma I & Trauma II
6) Paranoiko b Skayde, Super Mega
7) Joe Lider b Aero Boy
8) Violento Jack b Psicosis III
9) Joe Lider b Violento Jack

You know how I know it’s a DTU show? The opener went to a no contest and there was a draw in a three way tag. We were only an EAW show from every strange promotion running shows this weekend. Top 3 matches were a tournament of hardcoreness, with Violento Jack losing after having to do his semifinal and final back to back and being randomly attacked by Cuervo. I think Skayde was pinned first in his triangle match when both guys teamed up, and then Paranokio and Super Mega turned into the usual hardcore match, but I may be misunderstanding things. Fabain el Gitano was listed on the lineup but did not appear. That would’ve been too weird.

CMLL (SUN) 05/30 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Fuego en el Ring]
1) Silueta b Princesa Maya
2) Relampago & Thunder Boy b El Divino & Virgo
3) Angelo & Leo b Exterminador & Rey Trueno
4) Ephesto, Euforia, Misterioso II b Astaroth, Hierro, Metal Blanco
5) Mr. Trueno DRAW Gallo [OCCIDENTE LH]
6) Blue Panther, Gigante Bernard, Strong Man b Atlantis, Averno, Mephisto

Strong/Bernard team won in straight falls again. Maybe Benard is joining the rudo side not so much because of a turn, but because CMLL has decided they’re too unfair a combination.

Semimain was the final of the tournament from the last few weeks, but we still do not have a new champion. Gallo took the first, Trueno the second. During the third fall, Metal Blanco (Gallo’s second) was arguing with the ref about something, which allowed Rey Trueno (Mr. Trueno’s second) to sneak in and help his brother. Mr. Trueno used a modified mecedora to pin Gallo, but also pinned himself at the same time. The Guadalajara box y lucha commissioner annulled the match and told them to try it again next Sunday.

CMLL (SUN) 05/30 Arena Coliseo [CMLL, @cmllmagazine, ESTO]
1) Artillero & Súper Comando b Bengala & Principe
2) Astral, Pequeño Olímpico, Último Dragoncito b Pequeño Nitro, Pequeño Universo 2000, Pequeño Violencia
3) Rush b Pólvora, Sagrado, Nosferatu, Delta, Skándalo, Metro, Arkangel de la Muerte, Fuego, Dr. X, Hooligan, Rey Cometa [cibernetico]
4) Felino, Negro Casas, Taichi DQ Brazo de Plata, Máximo, Volador Jr.

Taichi faked a foul to draw the winning DQ. CMLL.com notes how Taichi has dominated this feud. HMMMMMMM.

Order for the third is reverse order of elimination (Cometa was out first, and so on.) Arkangel & Metro took the double pin spot. Delta was eliminated due to injury; he’s really struggled since the Gran Alternativa, and may have been meant to stick around longer to work this finish off the Polvora/Delta GA final.

When Sombra beat Tiger Mask IV on Sunday, he really must’ve beat him. Earlier today, NJPW announced Tiger Mask IV was withdrawing from the tournament due to a neck injury. He’ll be out two months. This means Sombra’s win does not really help him much in progressing to the next round – everyone else will get a forfeit win now – but TM4’s absence probably opens up a spot for some else to advance. My guess is Liger or Ibushi are more likely, but Sombra has a shot.

A couple days late, Ovaciones has an interview with Sombra previewing his match with Tiger Mask IV. Oops! Sombra says he got some advice about how to handle TM4 from his fellow CMLL wrestlers. At the same time, Sombra says he still has a grudge against Mistico for the Super Sky Team break up, so I wonder who we’re supposed to think he talked to. Also, I wonder if anyone who’s programming CMLL still knows Sombra has a grudge against Mistico, because that’s sure not reflected in the ring.

LuchandoLibre’s recap of Toryumon Mexico show notes the CMLL guys, except maybe those in the main events and the minis, were mailing in their work. Hijo del Fantasma spending most of the Dragon Scramble laying on the mat sounds kind of hilarious, especially since he won.

In Monterrey, Shira took Malena Hernandez‘s hair in a battle of women’s wrestlers.

Relampago Cadenas Sr. passed away in Veracruz.

Lineup

AAA (SUN) 06/06 Arena Coliseo Monterrey
1) Mini Rey Sagitario vs Mini Sky
2) Babe Fox & Rey Imagen vs Demencia & Lobo Rojo
3) Rió Bravo, Tigre Cota, Tito Santana II vs Angel Dorado Jr., Gato Fantasma, Sky
4) Androide, Corazon Adicto, Rey Sagitario vs Black Abyss, Histeria, Psicosis
5) Golden Boy, Rey Demonio Jr., Simbolo vs Cuervo, Escoria, Ozz

More people who will not be getting a TripleMania payoff. Haven’t seen Psycho Circus listed anywhere; wonder if they’re scheduled for a run-in somewhere along the line, or maybe a dark match against the likes of Chris/Alan/Elegido. They’re billing this show as AAA vs Monterrey – which side is Poder el Norte on?

IWRG (THU) 05/27 Arena Naucalpan [The Gladiatores, Al Filo del Ring]
1) Halcon Fire b Halcon 2000
2) Dinamic Black & Guizmo b Alan Extreme & Keshin Black
3) Comando Negro, Eterno, Hijo del Signo b Eragon, Fly Star, Freelance
4) Bombero Infernal, Maldito Jr., Samot b Black Terry, Cerebro Negro, Dr. Cerebro
5) Kenzo Suzuki, Silver King, Último Gladiador b Hijo del Cien Caras, Máscara Año 2000 Jr., Veneno

Top 2 matches were rudo teams getting away with fouls on the tecnico team to take the match. Hate to see the Halcon on Halcon violence.

Today’s Ovaciones includes a sidebar with IWRG’s Marco Moreno, who talks about responding to AAA’s incursion on the Lucha Libre Expo by IWRG running in on TripleMania. Sure, why not. Don’t think the Maniacos are winning the tag titles.

Toryumon Mexico (SAT) 05/29 Arena Mexico [SuperLuchas, Estrellas del Ring, Black Terry Jr. (flickr), The Gladiatores]
1) Impacto & Metal TLDRAW Mr. Rolling & Snake
2) Boby Zavala, Robin, Stuka Jr. b Misterioso II, Negro Casasola, Semental
3) Steve Paint & Thunder Wolf b Blood Eagle & Laberinto
4) Hijo del Fantasma b Durango Kid, Máximo, Trauma I, Medico Asesino Jr., Brazo de Platino, Brazo de Oro, Skándalo,Astro Boy, Trauma II, Hijo del Signo, Ulises Jr. [dragon scramble]
5) Ayumi Kurihara & Marcela b La Comandante & Mima Shimoda
6) Yoruba L Pequeño Damian 666, Mascarita Dorada [hair]
7) Brazo de Plata, Mil Mascaras, Tatsumi Fujinami, Último Dragón b Arkangel de la Muerte, Chuck Palumbo, Negro Navarro, Rey Bucanero

Three text recaps, all have different results. Black Terry Jr.’s set calls this Naucalpan! This is exactly what I expect from a Toryumon Mexico show.

Hijo de Fantasma won a car stereo with USB port. Yoruba is a Rastafarian of undetermined origin. The guys in the third match are said to be from the LA Dojo.

Besides her win on Dragon’s show, Ayumi won X-LAW’s Women’s Championship at the Lucha Fan Fest

Sombra got a surprise win over Tiger Mask IV in their opening match of the Best of Super Juniors. This seems to be more a story about TM4’s future – he was bitter following his last loss and refused to shake hands with Sombra after this one – but it’s one win I wasn’t expecting Sombra to get and bodes well for the rest of his tournament. (Or he’s going to lose matches we’re not expecting – oh no, I tried to be optimistic but couldn’t keep it going for a whole paragraph. Konnan was right!) There’s a post match interview here, worthwhile for starting at Sombra’s sweet mask if nothing else.

Both Cesar and Luchas 2000 says NJPW young lion (and other surprise winner) Nobuo Yoshihashi is coming to Mexico. This is the name CMLL.com mentioned on their site after the CMLL vs Invasors press conference, then took down after it was pointed out. Figured they were waiting for some announcement or story elsewhere, but that doesn’t seem to have happened on the NJPW show. Both also mention Tiger Mask IV and Liger are coming, but no dates for any.

Getting back to Yoshihashi for a sec: popular opinion has strongly been towards Maximo losing his hair, because he’s Maximo and this has now been established as his role in the company. This is what I expected, too. However, if Yoshihashi is coming over and if he’s taking the NJPW excursion spot, Sunday sure seems like the adios to Taichi moment.

DJ Spectro posts video of Brazos vs Ultraman, Super Halcon and Kung Fu from 1986.

Segunda Caida reviews the 11/05/09 IWRG Ruleta de la Muerte.

Cesar reviews this week’s lineups. So does Robert.

SuperLuchas #366 has a TripleMania preview. Also, the Cancerberos and Tuareg continue their feud which only exists in the pages of this magazine.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update.

LA Park will take wedding photos.

Lineups

IWRG (THU) 06/03 Arena Naucalpan
1) Dinamic Black vs Comando Negro
2) Brazo Metalico & Eragon vs Eterno & Hijo del Signo
3) Suicida, Trauma I, Trauma II vs Avisman, El Hijo del Diablo, Gringo Loco
4) Black Terry, Cerebro Negro, Dr. Cerebro vs Bombero Infernal, Maldito Jr., Samot
5) CIMA, Kenzo Suzuki, Nosawa, Tozawa vs Gato Eveready, Máscara Año 2000 Jr., Pantera, Veneno

CIMA and Tozawa due end up here, and Nosawa is in town early for TripleMania. AAA vs IWRG put aside for Mexico vs Japan?

CMLL (SUN) 06/06 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Meteoro vs Johnny Dinamo
2) Nube Roja & Tondar vs Quca & Titanio
3) Angelo & Metatrón vs Infierno & León Blanco
4) Delta & Diamante vs Dragón Rojo Jr. & Pólvora
5) Blue Panther, Sagrado, Toscano vs Atlantis, Rey Bucanero, Último Guerrero

A show. That semimain could be fun or the opposite of that depending on how the dice are rolling that day. Not good, lately.

IWRG (SUN) 06/06 Arena Naucalpan
1) Máscara Magnífica vs Eterno
2) Daga & Hijo del Pantera vs Magia Negra & Rey Infernal
3) Aerostar, Laredo Kid, Súper Fly vs Cerebro Negro, Freelance, Suicida
4) Dr. Cerebro vs CIMA [IWRG WELTER]
5) Hijo de Pirata Morgan & Pirata Morgan vs Negro Navarro & Trauma I and Maldito Jr. & Tozawa and El Hijo del Diablo & Gringo Loco

I know there are a lot of opinions about the 6/6 battle, but I think we all can agree this show is getting killed. (Also, I think we all agree that Sin Salida is doing bad, so I guess we agree on everything. I think the programmers are less inept and more delusional into believing Rayo, Universo and Mascara can mean something if they’re back for the first time in a long while, but this has nothing to do with IWRG.) Pirata Morgan & Hijo de Pirata Morgan are the actual tag team champs at the moment, and probably are resumign their feud with the Navarros.

I think I called that title match, and wouldn’t be so surprised with a title change either. They didn’t do anything with the title for a year before Dr. Cerebro suddenly won it specifically to set up this title match, and could go another year or more without doing anything with it. IWRG only really need four titles (heavyweight, weight division besides heavyweight, tag, trios) and they have six (EdM Trios, the Navarro/Solar belt) besides this one, so CIMA can win this and, I dunno, defend it in Osaka Pro or something.

Poor Air Force, working here opposite of TripleMania. That may be a better match than anything on the bigger show, but I’m pretty sure it won’t pay as well.

CMLL (FRI) 05/28 Arena Mexico [SuperLuchas, @cmllmagazine, Cesar, Ovaciones, Luchas2000, Fuego en el Ring]
1) Metálico & Starman b Disturbio & Semental
2) Dark Angel, Lluvia, Luna Mágica b Amapola, Mima Shimoda, Princesa Blanca
3) Rush b Cancerbero [lightning]
4) Ángel de Oro, Blue Panther, Valiente b Euforia, Misterioso II, Sangre Azteca
5) Hijo del Fantasma, Máximo, Volador Jr. DQ Ray Mendoza Jr., Shigeo Okumura, Taichi
6) Gigante Bernard, Shocker, Strong Man b Héctor Garza, Terrible, Texano

Defying predictions, Gigante Bernard did not turn on his opponents, even though he’s scheduled as a rudo for matches in the rest of the tour. Tecnicos went over in two falls. Rudos were running scared of the tecnicos.

Semimain was also a two fall win. Tecnicos took the first, Taichi fouled Maximo in the second.

Ras de Lona had interviews with all the CMLL guys on the 06/06 card, including Strong Man and Magadan conversing in English. Also, Gigante Bernard on Strong Man: “Strong Man very strong. Also, very bad smell.” They also included Volador & Atlantis talking about their title match on Tuesday, Mistico talking at the Lucha Libre Expo press conference. He announced the top 3 matches for their show, which is below. The only mention of 100 episodes was a bit at the end where Porky and Taichi gave Magadan and Rivera cakes. That was actually great.

On LLF’s 10th Anniversary show, Angelica unmasked the previously undefeated Dark Unicorn in the finals of an 8 women loser’s advance tournament. Dark Unicorn unmasked as Hailey Hatred, the gimmick name she’d been using in Arena Coliseo Monterrey of late (and previously in Ohio, where she’s from.) Birthday, but no age given.

Fuego en el Ring catches up with Marco Corleone.

Al Filo del Ring has interviews with Psicosis & Histeria and Hijo de Fishman, from the AULL show.

The Gladiatores talks to Black Warrior, who’s talking about teaching wrestling classes.

AAA (or their video game company) is sending out a sweet looking photo book to video game reviewers.

Cronicas Y Leyendas looks back at a Santo & Lizmark team.

Segunda Caida continues thru 2009 IWRG with the 10/26 show.

Robert has reviews of the 10/17 and 10/19/09 AAA recap.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update.

Lineups

CMLL (TUE) 06/01 Arena Mexico
1) Principe & Robin vs Cholo & Inquisidor
2) Ángel Azteca, Ángel de Oro, Ángel de Plata vs Arkangel de la Muerte, Loco Max, Skándalo
3) Brazo de Plata, Hijo del Fantasma, Sagrado vs El Alebrije, Olímpico, Ray Mendoza Jr.
4) Felino, Negro Casas, Rey Bucanero vs Averno, Ephesto, Mephisto
5) Volador Jr. vs Atlantis [MEX LH]

Random rudos/rudos match, Invasors third from the top.

CMLL (FRI) 06/04 Arena Mexico
1) Astro Boy & Sensei vs Mortiz & Semental
2) Astral, Mascarita Dorada, Último Dragoncito vs Pequeño Nitro, Pequeño Violencia, Pequeño Warrior
3) Valiente vs Virus [lightning]
4) Máscara Dorada, Metro, Stuka Jr. vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Misterioso II, Sangre Azteca
5) La Máscara, Máximo, Volador Jr. vs Héctor Garza, Terrible, Texano Jr.
6) Shocker, Strong Man, Toscano vs Atlantis, Gigante Bernard, Último Guerrero

Not Inferno en el Ring. Gigante Bernard turns rudo without actually turning, which is the way nowadays. Poder Mexica teams up against the Mexican Trios champs, hmmm. Hope Dorada makes the show.

Haven’t seem them myself yet, but Robert says IWRG’s lineups go like this:

Thursday: Kenzo Suzuki, CIMA, Nosawa, Tozawa vs Veneno, Mascara Anno 2000 Jr., Gato Eveready, Pantera – Japan vs Mexico more important then IWRG vs AAA
Sunday: Dr. Cerebro vs CIMA [IWRD MIDDLE], Laredo Kid, Super Fly, Aerostar vs Freelance, Suicida, Cerebro Negro

At least I called the title match. Something I got correct lately.

CMLL (SAT) 07/24 Centro Banamex
1) La Máscara, Máscara Dorada, Máximo vs Averno, Ephesto, Mephisto
2) Atlantis & Último Guerrero vs Jushin Liger & Nobuo Yoshihashi
3) Místico, Shocker, Strong Man vs Héctor Garza, Terrible, Texano

Atlantis & UG’s opponents were announced as unnamed representatives from NJPW, but I believe that’s who they’ll end up being.  Most likely a women’s match there as well.

CMLL AULL (WED) 05/26 Arena Lopez Mateos [R de Rudo]
1) Elemento & Ronny Ventura b Love Angel & Rey Krystal
2) Astro Boy & Gallo Tapado Jr. b Fishman Jr. & Skándalo
3) Chucho el Roto & Iron Love b Super Panda & Tortuguillo Ninja and Rey Krymen & Terry 2000 and Cerebro Maligno & Herejia [AULL TAG]
4) Robin Maravilla, Rocky Santana, Sadico, Yakuza b Angel o Demonio, Leon Rojo, Ovett, Perico
5) Epitafio & Judas el Traidor b Mr. Potro & Sepulturero I [relevos suicidas]
6) Mr. Potro b Sepulturero I [hair]
7) Hijo del Fantasma, La Máscara, Místico b Dragón Rojo Jr., Histeria, Psicosis

43rd Anniversary Show. Mistico got Dragon Rojo in the main event. Sepulturero was hurt in the relevos, but insisted on wrestling (and losing) the hair match. Super Panda & Tortuguillo Ninja were the champions, broke up during the match, and want a mask match.

Attendance was said to be 70% full, and this show will air on AYM Sports at some point this weekend. Wish they made it clearer when shows were on that channel.

Yesterday was the kick off press conference for July’s Lucha Libre Expo. The website is up, though there are no lineups (yet), and the calendar of events seems a little misarranged. Either that, or Saturday just has a lot more stuff announced then the rest. As far as promotions, DTU & “Blue Demon Jr.” run on Friday, FILI (?), CMLL and IWRG run on Saturday, and Perros del Mal and AAA run on Sunday in the main ring. They’re also setting up an EAW style double ring, though no EAW show is listed. (They announced a show, so it’s oversight.) Instead, it’s the El Pancracio show on Friday, and a CMLL student show on Saturday. Other events for Saturday include a Shocker concert, a Que Monito contest, and a Fabian el Gitano show. I hope there are equally wacky things yet to be announced for the other days. Tickets are 150 pesos per night, a steal, and they’re expecting 28,000.

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Most of the press conference was all the groups talking about the show they plan on running and posing for photos (including Mistico posing with two big CMLL fans.) AAA was not on the dais, having said they wanted to do their own press conference in their own building. That was not the entire story; in the middle of the press conference, Silver King, Ultimo Gladiador and Kenzo Suzuki ran in to continue the angle with IWRG, talking about doing crossover matches. While they were going, according to the version Silver King gave to the AAA website, Blue Demon Jr. yelled at them for interrupting the press conference, and the CMLL guys refused to acknowledge them.  Record’s recap of the events says the Maniacos were kicked out of the press conference. The rest of the press conference was about the different Mexican promotions uniting to prove Mexican wrestling is better than WWE, and this bit sort of ran counter to the uniting idea.

The press conference was also notable for that great photo over there, which I plan to overuse in the coming months.

Other recaps of the show clarify the Blue Demon Jr. show is an NWA Mexico show, which would  be the first since April 2009. When Demon earlier talked about running tournaments to decide his NWA champions in July, this seemed like the logical place, but there wasn’t any specific mention of of such at the event. Demon did say he was planning in bringing Oliver John, who he has been feuding with in the NWA (and who he’s doing a bit with for the Viva La Lucha show – hmmmmmm.)

The DTU show is said to include a Lola Gonzalez match. What?

More recaps: Espaladas Planas (most detail), iSports, WagnerMania, MT.

ESTO previews today’s Arena Mexico by photographing Giant Bernard in the wild. We’re intended to believe he’s in Mexico to be a tecnico despite a) every NJPW guy has been a rudo and b) they already announced him as a rudo next week. Is it dumb or insulting? (It’s typical.) The semimain is also an angle for next Sunday, trying to heat up the Maximo/Taichi feud.

More previews: SuperLuchas, Ovaciones.

The volcano in Guatemala has caused this Sunday’s CMLL show to be postponed. No new date has been announced.

Sombra says traveling to Japan was one of his early career goals. NJPW‘s preview teases him as “Mr. Perfect” for his execution of moves. They also spotlight the springboard reverse tope con giro he stole from Aerostar – poor, poor Aerostar.

As mentioned in the comments, the MTV2 Behind The Mask show will now air on June 26th, with the Masked Warrior show starting in July. The first taping is now allowing children 5 and up to attend, though I bet they don’t want them running around the casino.

A “LuchaMania USA” (FMLL) show on July 17 just outside of Los Angeles in includes Santo, Park, Demon, Rayo, Cien, Mil Mascaras, Pirata Morgan,  Tinieblas and more. I’d like to see the business plan on that one.

TelevisaDeportes will host a chat today at 5 with Psycho Circus to talk about TripleMania, a show they are not scheduled to appear on. Should be fun!

DJ Spectro looks at Rene Guajardo,

Ohtani’s Jacket watches Black Terry, Negro Navarro, Villano IV vs Blue Panther, Ultimo Dragon, Olimpico match from the UWE show.