This week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter lucha notes, and specifically the AAA section, has a lot of interesting information. It’s not all information I take totally serious, but it’s interesting nonetheless. This line caught my eye:
The plan, and we’ll see how this turns out, is to start elevating the Air Force, Tigre Cota, Decnis and Billy Boy.
This echos a list from February from the WON (referenced in this post) where AAA was then talking about building around Zorro, Jack Evans, Marco Corleone and Laredo Kid. Marco left because he wasn’t being built around, Zorro & Jack are in the same exact positions they were six months ago, and Laredo’s elevation went so well that he’s back on the list again. That wasn’t the first list, either. It’s interesting Super Fly is back on a list, after previously being blamed for his ‘elevation’ not working due to his poor promos. At least on TV, his (rare) promos don’t seem to have changed. Rob has a great breakdown of the current guys on the list and the previous failures in following thru.
My first response to the list was to laugh. I thought about it more sense, and thought about something Konnan’s said on past interviews on Figure Four Daily. Last time he was on an audio interview was around the time the Invaders were debuting in CMLL, and Konnan was down on their prospects – he didn’t feel Psicosis, Alebrije and Histeria were stars and didn’t know Maniaco. CMLL hasn’t completely proven him wrong – Psicosis never reached the Averno/Ultimo Guerrereo level of creating a slight doubt about who might win in a mask match with Mistico (1). Still, I think we could agree the core Invaders are at a near top level in CMLL, and better off than they all were in AAA. And yet, if Konnan is asked about those guys again (2), he’d say those guys are still not stars. I believe the difference is about what different mean by the idea of a “star” and how you create one.
My philosophy (3) is stars are created by the promotion, via storylines and feuds and increased amounts of focus. Guys like Ultimo Guerrero, Averno, Valiente, Sangre Azteca were talented midcarders are below who only became stars after CMLL got behind them and gave them important victories. In Konnan’s view (4), being a star is a god given gift. You either prove yourself as a star quickly and everyone knows, or you’ll never be one. Psicosis II didn’t have those star qualities in AAA, and so it’s impossible for CMLL to ever make him one. Konnan himself is a fine example of a guy who was seen as a star from the moment he turned up, just based on his intrinsic star power qualities.
If you take the “a star is born a star” view, then “elevation” means something totally different. If you can’t make a star who isn’t already one, then elevation simply moves putting guys in higher positions. It doesn’t mean they’ll be built into being bigger stars, because that is impossible. They’ll simply being used to showcase the actual stars, and I can totally believe that to be the fate of those six guys on this latest list.
I think this list has a better chance of being followed out, just because AAA’s roster has shrunk and they’re not bringing in foreigners, so these guys will have to be more visible by default. And I think if the February list was “Hernandez, Electroshock, Silver King and Joe Lider”, people might take these lists a bit more seriously.
1 – and so we have a 14 man cage match
2 – perhaps as soon as Wednesday
3 – I’m using absolutes for simplicity, but there are no absolutes; the truth is definitely a combination of both views, we’re just arguing percentages and rare cases
4 – which is almost certainly shared by those who’ve had similar experiences, and I’m not even sure is actually Konnan’s view
(news follows)
The WON also explains the odd Joe Lider hair match loss in Tijuana: he needed money, AAA wouldn’t raise his pay or give him a loan, and the Tijuana promoter was offering more money for his hair than AAA did. Also, there’s a report of TNA considering bringing in Zorro as Hernandez’ partner. I might watch TNA for Zorro.
Perros del Mal have announced a bunch of shows for their next month.
09/04 Chihuahua
09/05 Pachuca
09/07 San Martin Texmelucan
09/12 Tepeapulco
09/14 Cuautitlan
09/19 Ecatpec
09/24 Culiacan
If some of those look familiar, it’s because these are all also AAA shows. Pachuca and Ecatpec are AAA tapings, and the 09/07 show is a regular AAA house show that happens to use X-Fly, Damian and Halloween. I suspect other shows are the same way; the difference between AAA shows and Perros del Mal shows may just be semantics. (The actually interesting thing is finding out how far in advance they know where they’re working.)
As mentioned in the comments, the AAA lineup for Pachuca oddly omits LA Park in the main event, saying luchador sopresa instead. That’s because LA Park is on that Santo show in Guadalajara the same day, and won’t be at the taping. Interesting that Park is able to take an indy show the same day; he’s surely being paid better at the Santo show.
Next Sunday’s Arena Coliseo Monterrey main event features wrestling radio DJs.
Sagrado tells Fuego en el Ring that he’s improving his body in preparation for November’s body building contest.
R de Rudo talks to Vaneli, who makes it clear how her name is spelled (always helpful) and says she was trained by the Morenos.
Milwaukee’s Mexican Fiesta takes place this weekend and includes lucha libre. The website doesn’t say matches, but does mentions CHIKARA’s Osarian Portal and (currently) Chicago area indy guys Noriega and Zero Gravity.
SuperLuchas has an article on the history of Chicago area indy GALLI. I might actually remember to go to their next show.
WagnerMania continues it’s look at EMLL wrestlers by year.
LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update.
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I am curious if any of the non AAA TV Taping Perros shows will wind up being taped for TVCDeportes and aired as Perros shows. Specifically, the card you posted yesterday would look like a possible taping, though the poster doesn’t seem to indicate it.
I also love that Bernardo leaves comments on the Perros facebook page. And that his profile picture is a picture of him with Ted Dibiase.
Jack Evans doesn’t seem to wanna be in AAA anymore. Random, but I saw this on his Facebook.
“Jack Evans One year left on my prison sentence…gotta make it through…”
@wakigatame: I’m sure he can walk at any moment. Especially if he’d agree to lose his hair. :)
@LLL: What hair?
im gonna believe konnan because they seem like they dont have other options