Fabian el Gitano unmasked, CMLL Universal tournament announced

Fabian el Gitano, via CMLL Magazine

results corrected Monday morning

CMLL (SUN) 07/18 Arena Mexico [@cmllmagazine, Cesar]
***Infierno en el Ring, 2010***
1) Metatrón & Tigre BlancoCholo & Inquisidor
2) Dalys la Caribeña, Luna Mágica, MarcelaLa Seductora, Princesa Blanca, Princesa Sujei
3) Fuego, Stuka Jr., ValienteEuforia, Misterioso II, Virus
4) Máximo, Místico, ShockerAtlantis, Jushin Lyger, Último Guerrero
5) Fabián el GitanoÁngel de OroDr. XHisteriaDiamantePuma KingÁngel Azteca Jr.Tiger KidSenseiMonstherÁngel de PlataHooligan [cage, mask]

This year’s Infierno en el Ring was all about betrayal. Friends turned on friends to make their own escape. Hooligan took advantage of fellow Tuareg member Dr. X, Angel de Plata left Angel de Oro behind, Tiger Kid stopped Puma King from leaving even as he was leaving himself, Puma learned from this to pretend to help Angel de Oro only to backstab him in turn. The listing above is in reverse order of escape, and the final four were Histeria, Dr. X, Angel de Oro and Fabian el Gitano. Histeria abandoned his fellow  rudo Dr. X, saving his own mask for another day and leaving him to the two tecnicos. Angel de Oro & Fabian el Gitano screwed up, Oro accidentally hitting Fabian. Doctor X betrayed the notion of his death feud with Fabian el Gitano, passed up a chance to finally settle it, and climbed out. That left Angel de Oro and Fabian el Gitano – two members of the same side forced to fight for the first time since CMLL has started running these matches. Angel de Oro won, and Fabian el Gitano was unmasked.

Fabian el Gitano is Emilio Fabian Fernandez de Leon, 38 years old, 16 years a wrestler, originally from DF. Fabian wasn’t one of the most likely to lose his mask, but it’s not a complete surprise. The only interesting part of the Dr. X vs Fabian feud was the lack of certainty who would lose. Fabian wasn’t and isn’t a young guy on the rise who would benefit from a springboard win, he’s a guy anchored to the same spot on the card as Dr. X and the two just happen to face each other a lot. Everyone’s quite aware his look and his personality far outstride his skill, and it really hasn’t changed much of the years. In recent years, CMLL’s has taken underperformed pretty boy luchadors and unmasked them to give them a fresh start (Mictlan) or scaled down their profile (Leono). We’ll see what plan they might have here, probably as soon as Fabian’s match on Tuesday, where he teams with the man who unmasked him.

(and, if you remember far enough back, Fabian’s face was exposed in a newspaper article just when the Guapos U story was starting; they did a segment on it at the time.)

Maximo replaced Super Porky. Mistico got someone with La Mistica.

Seductora replaced Mima, and Dalys replaced Luna.

On today’s CMLL TV show, this year’s CMLL Universal Tournament was announced. It’ll start on 07/30 and probably last over three weeks. Eligible champions, based on what titles were used last year:

  1. Mascara Dorada – CMLL SL, CMLL Trios, Mex Trios
  2. Negro Casas – CMLL Welter
  3. Jushin Liger – CMLL Middle
  4. Ephesto – CMLL LH
  5. Ultimo Guerrero – CMLL Heavyweight; reigning Universal champ
  6. Héctor Garza – CMLL Tag
  7. Mr. Águila – CMLL Tag
  8. La Sombra – CMLL Trios
  9. La Máscara – CMLL Trios
  10. Mephisto – NWA Welter
  11. Averno – NWA Middle
  12. Texano Jr. – NWA Light Heavy
  13. Valiente – Mex Middle Welter
  14. Volador Jr. – Mex LH
  15. Metro – Mex Trios
  16. Stuka Jr. – Mex Trios

16 is the perfect number for a tournament. They were at 14 before the title chagne  on Friday.

Rey, Negro, and Felino could win the trios titles on Monday without upsetting this – it’s be 2 in, 2 out. That’d also make the tournament very rudo heavy. As is, it’s 9 rudos to 7 tecnicos. If a title is going to change hands, I think it’s more likely Mistico beating one of the Hijos de Averno rather than the trios shifting.

the Psycho Circuis talk to Dos de Tres about win 688. I believe at least 350 of those are against the Air Force.

Rob writes about good matches from late ’09 and early ’10.

Rubber Guard Radio has Tony Galvin on to talk lucha tomorrow night

Infierno en el Ring, Dr. Wagner, lineups

CMLL has three apuesta matches in the next 36 hours. Silueta and Seuxis square off for masks in Guadalajara tonight, after which we’ll know which of these women we’re supposed to be taking seriously. Centella de Oro defends his hair once again on an Arena Puebla anniversary show tomorrow, versus fellow Puebla native Loco Max. The highest profile match is tonight’s in Arena Mexico, the annual Infierno en el Ring cage match.

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Histeria and Dr. X are the two prime suspects. Psicosis starting a feud with Mistico means his mask may not be long for this world, and Psi & Histeria’s fates have been tied together for a long time. Dr. X has complained to the magazines in recent years about going nowhere on CMLL shows, went into a feud with Fabian el Gitano and it may not be one he can win. Any older guy always has a chance to lose. Maybe not so much Monsther; Ras de Lona had a segment on Atlantis’ anniversary, including Hombre Bala talking about losing his mask. Maybe you wait for a less laughable occasion to have him lose this mask.

There was no mention of Dr. Wagner on Ras de Lona. If CMLL has any interest, they’re keeping it very quiet. I think the reality is Wagner’s got little chance of coming to CMLL, but wants the freedom to take any high paying bookings he wants from indy promoters without having to go thru AAA. That’s the sort of freedom he had at the very start of his AAA tenure, and it probably makes him a lot more money than having to be booked with the rest of the AAA stars. It’s not good for AAA, since they wouldn’t be getting a cut and there are liable to be promoters who just decide Wagner is all they need and don’t bring in AAA guys.

Konnan tells Estrellas del Ring, as a member of the Foreign Legion, he can’t know what’s up with Dr. Wagner. Right. He doesn’t think this is setting up a CMLL vs AAA feud. The show where the interview was done featured four substitutions out of the six people scheduled for the main event, though it was the one where Chessman showed up hurt. Mesias missing a show just after returning from injury seems ominous.

AAA held a press conference to hype it’s taping in Puebla. No hint about Decnnis’ partners. Joaquin, Ciberentico, Alex and Fabi were in attendance, the last two hyping up their title match.

DJ Spectro looks back at La Sombra vs Supremo II. The previous Sombra, not the current one.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update.

SuperLuchas #373 has coverage from Nuevo Laredo, including an interview with the Wagners. There’s also a couple of stories on Popitekus, and an interview with Fantasma de la Opera. Fantasma wants back in IWRG, has asked the Morenos to come back, but believes he’s been blackballed for a locker room incident (he says argument) when he was last in IWRG six month ago.

Lineups

IWRG (THU) 07/22 Arena Naucalpan
1) Flama Infernal vs Keshin Black
2) Gemelo Fantastico I & Gemelo Fantastico II vs Comando Negro & Magia Negra
3) Freelance, Hijo del Pantera, Zatura vs Eterno, Hijo del Signo, Nemesis
4) Espíritu vs Máscara Año 2000 Jr.Miss GaviotaTrauma IEscoriaDr. CerebroVenenoLaredo KidEl Hijo del DiabloAvismanDiva SalvajeSuicidaBlack TerryChico CheOficial FierroOficial 911,EragonCerebro NegroGringo LocoOficial AK47 [copa bicentenario]

I think the losers in the main event becoming lumberjacks with straps as they lose out. Gemelos adn Zatura turn up here for teh first time in three months.

IWRG (SUN) 07/25 Arena Naucalpan
1) Héros vs Comando Negro
2) Eragon & Freelance vs Magia Negra & Nemesis
3) Chico Che, Miss Gaviota, Zatura vs Avisman, El Hijo del Diablo, Gringo Loco
4) Hijo de Máscara Año 2000, Hijo del Cien Caras, Máscara Año 2000 vs Arlequin Amarillo, Hijo de Pirata Morgan, Pierroth Jr. (IWRG)
5) Joe Lider, La Parka Jr., Silver King vs Pirata Morgan, Scorpio Jr., Veneno

Why aren’t the Dinamitas facing the AAA team? Same day as the AAA TV taping. This show starts after the AAA one, so these three guys won’t be working twice.

CMLL (SUN) 07/25 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Nocturno vs El Divino
2) Idolo & Virgo vs León Blanco & Metalik
3) Gallo & Hierro vs Drago & Ebola
4) Delta & Valiente vs Shigeo Okumura & Yoshihashi
5) Brazo de Plata, La Máscara, Máximo vs Atlantis, Negro Casas, Terrible

Metalik on the rudo side?

CMLL (SUN) 07/25 Arena Coliseo
1) Principe & Robin vs Apolo Estrada Jr. & Disturbio
2) Pequeño Olímpico, Saturno, Shockercito vs Pequeño Universo 2000, Pequeño Violencia, Pequeño Warrior
3) Fuego, Rush, Stuka Jr. vs Arkangel de la Muerte, Loco Max, Skándalo
4) Blue Panther, Máscara Dorada, Sagrado vs Charly Manson, El Alebrije, Olímpico
5) La Sombra, Místico, Strong Man vs Averno, Jushin Liger, Mephisto

This is also running against the TV taping, and it shouldn’t be surprised if there’s something that goes down tonight to set up a different main event. Saturno, the kid from Guadalajara, makes another cameo in the minis division.