New IWRG Trios Champs, AAA/CMLL, tapings tonight

Expected to see a title change in one of the two title matches last night in IWRG. There was a title match, but not the one I figured…

IWRG (THU) 03/03/2011 Arena Naucalpan [Black Terry Jr. (flickr), Estrellas del Ring, Mi Lucha Libre (4), Mi Lucha Libre (1-3), Record]
1) Carta Brava Jr. & El Pollo Asesino b Eragón & Freelance
2) Eterno, Multifacético, Veneno DQ Comando Negro, Hammer, Magnifico
Comando Negro fouled Multifacetico in full view of the referee. Multifacetico wants a title shot.
3) Hijo de Pirata Morgan & Pirata Morgan b Negro Navarro & Trauma I [IWRG IC TAG]
Champs keep their titles. Negro hurt his knee in the match. In the final fall, Pirata eliminated Trauma with a questionably low knee, Negro beat Hijo, Negro pinned Pirata for what looked to be 3 but was counted as 2, and Pirata attacked Negro’s knee to defeat him.
4) Joe Lider, Silver King, Último Gladiador b Oficial 911, Oficial AK47, Oficial Fierro [IWRG IC TRIOS]
Title change! Oficials held these titles for two and a half years, but lost them to a team that’d never teamed before. Silver King replaced Nicho, who is said to be injured. AAA won the first, Oficials won the second. AK-47 injured his jaw and had to leave the ring. 911 was the captain, but when Fierro was pinned, the refs unusually eliminated AK-47 for being unable to continue and awarded the belts to the AAA invaders. Oficials demanded a rematch, and the new champions accepted – as long as it’s an extreme match.

Two straight Thursdays with only four matches, so apparently that’s the thing. There was a moment of applause for Felipe Ham Lee before the main event.

Estrellas del Ring has an interview with the new champs. There were hints last fall that IWRG was going to switch up the Oficials trio – at least two ‘new’ Oficals were introduced, but have since vanished – but they would’ve needed to change the trios belts before finishing that. Not sure if this title change is related to that, or just a new idea. Of the eight championships with the initials “IWRG” on them, now only 2 are held by IWRG luchadors: the lightweight belt (Comando Negro) and the tag team belts (Piratas, who are gone for stretches too.)

Yesterday’s big news was MedioTiempo’s interview with Dorian Roldan. It’s the same push for CMLL to work with AAA as Dorian’s done elsewhere, acknowledging that CMLL has ignored him so far. Dorian says lucha libre is not in critical condition now, but it’s the time to make changes before they all get in to trouble. Dorian claims AAA has not gotten any money from Televisa for their TV show in the “last eight to nine years”; they have a trade agreement but do not get paid a rights fee. Also, he says WWE made an offer to buy AAA three months before they got on Televisa and TV Azteca, but the Roldans refused because they would have to give up control of the company. It’s worth reading for yourself if you haven’t already.

As a fan of lucha libre, I do wish every would treat the lucha libre promotions better. As a person with a passing familiarity with business, I find it hard to have sympathy about the TV situation. There are fewer TV outlets in Mexico (most of the over the air stations are owned by Televisa or TV Azteca), but if AAA was concerned with getting money for their TV show, they just needed to find one network that’d give it to them, or they needed to play hardball with Televisa. They’ve chosen to sign whatever deal they’ve signed, bad or good (just like with the US tour deal.) Also, even if Televisa isn’t paying them anything, the video game deal came thru Televisa, the anime movie deal came thru Televisa, and they probably wouldn’t have gotten the Burger King ad campaign if they were only on TVC Deportes. It’s not direct payment, but it’s a benefit.

I do wonder what Televisa thinks about all of this unhappiness directed in their direction. AAA’s in no danger of being dumped, but combining disappointing rating numbers and public complaints does not usually improve your negotiating position. Or maybe that’s ultimately related to the “big news later in the year” Konnan mentioned on his Figure Four Daily appearance?

I would not be surprised if WWE talked to AAA about business at times, but I’d be surprised if they had a serious discussion about buying – WWE’s has not suffered at all for not buying AAA and are almost certainly better off. (The biggest benefit to WWE in buying promotions today is the tape library, and it doesn’t seem like AAA has one or owns their own footage.)  AAA was in a very hot run 3 months before WWE came in, and it’d be a big surprise for them to even consider selling at that point.

Electroshock agrees with Dorian.

AAA tapes tonight in Puebla. In an interview, Mesias talks about Rey de Reyes, looking forward to a rematch with LA Park, hoping Carlito makes it so they can settle their issues, and figuring it’s either him or Extreme Tiger who must win. Mi Lucha Libre previews tonight’s Rey de Reyes group. Cibernetico says La Parka is taking his comedy act to new levels by saying any other group could beat the Bizarros. Nicho is supposed to wrestle in the segunda, but he may be replaced if he’s hurt.

It’s usually the week before the major show that feels like a skip week for CMLL, but tonight’s show seems more like the unimportant show compared to the Virus/Demus match next week. Tonight will feature Mr. Niebla’s return to Arena Mexico and probably a setup for the Dorada/Averno title match, but that singles match is known and assumed already, and Niebla will (fingers crossed) be around for many more Arena Mexico shows to come. There’s not a lot of other looming news – Angel de Oro should beat Misterioso to keep his 2011 momentum going and three are three other matches.

Demus 3:16 & Virus talked up next Friday’s big match yesterday. Actually, Demus talked more, Virus just said he’d do his talking in the ring. In addition to Loser Is A Mini And Is Bald, Winner is Leader of the Cancerbros, and Loser Must Kiss The Winner’s Hand, Demus is now vowing to take away Virus’ lucha teaching gig, so the students can learn from a real maestro.

In Arena Aficion, Ares – part of the tecnico trio that keeps facing the same rudo team here – went for a headscissors on rudo Antar, but landed hard on his head and neck and went into seizures. This sounds like the same sort of injury as Mephisto, except more serious. Ares’ fellow wrestlers, the fans and Super Crazy (main evented the show) all tried to help control the seizures and get Ares water. Ares was carried out and they finished the match. The building’s promoter says Ares recovered completely and wants to get back in the ring next week.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update, Slammin’ Stan 50, and this week’s Ras de Lona.

Links

• Diamante talks about his title defense, is surprised to know he’s on Dos Leyendas