Tanahashi advances to CMLL Universal final, Terrible sweeps Rush

CMLL (FRI) 08/24/2012 Arena Mexico [CMLL, Kaiser Sports]
1) Camaleón & Starman b Artillero & Súper Comando
2) Dalis la Caribeña, Estrellita, Luna Mágica b La Seductora, Lady Apache, Zeuxis
Dalis replaced Dark Angel, though Lluvia was actually announced as the replacement first. Tecnicas took 1/3.
3) Mephisto b Máscara Dorada [lightning]
Mephisto won in 8:32 with a super Devil’s Wings.
4) Hiroshi Tanahashi b Marco Corleone [CMLL Universal, eightfinal]
2:30, Tanahashi won via frog splash
5) Diamante Azul b Pólvora [CMLL Universal, eightfinal]
6:53, Diamante won via german suplex
6) La Máscara b Dragón Rojo Jr. [CMLL Universal, eightfinal]
4:46, Mascara wins via campana.
7) Volador Jr. b Máximo [CMLL Universal, eightfinal]
1:17, Volador won quickly with a backcracker, though he still took a kiss from Maximo.
8) Hiroshi Tanahashi b Diamante Azul [CMLL Universal, quarterfinal]
Tanahashi survives Diamante Azul’s german suplex to win via frogsplash in 4:59.
9) Volador Jr. b La Máscara [CMLL Universal, quarterfinal]
Volador beat Mascara in 4:50 with a top rope ‘rana.
10) Hiroshi Tanahashi b Volador Jr. [CMLL Universal, semifinal]
8:00, Tanahashi winning once again with the frog splash.
11) Rey Bucanero, Terrible, Último Guerrero b La Sombra, Rush, Shocker
Terrible’s team won in straight falls. Rush was DQed for excessive violence, then Terrible beat Rush in the second.

In post show interviews, Tanahashi said NJPW sent him here to win the tournament and he’s already beat the best guy (Volador), so he’s going home with the belt. Terrible is very good, but Tanahashi is bringing the belt back to Japan.

There are three possible outcomes for next week’s CMLL Heavyweight Champion vs IWGP Heavyweight Champion match (with neither title on the line.)

1. Tanahashi wins without any outside help.
2. Tanahashi wins with Rush getting involved.
3. Terrible wins.

It may be that CMLL doesn’t care or is even okay with Terrible being the crowd favorite in the hair match. I don’t think CMLL is going to turn Rush rudo, but option 2 up there is exactly how you’d start it and that’s very much in play. It didn’t have to end up this way. La Mascara is not the heavyweight championship of another promotion, but he is a guy who’s gotten big singles wins constantly for the last year and should mean more to the fans than a guy who’s only around a couple weeks every year.

On the other side – and this is one of those stories that only exist in my mind but deal with it – Volador is having a run of bad results in big singles matches:

03/30 @ Arena Mexico: loss to Devitt for the NWA MIDDLE
05/21 @ Arena Puebla: DQ loss to Atlantis
05/29 @ Arena Coliseo Guadalajara: loss to La Mascara for MEX LH
07/15 @ Arena Mexico: loss to Mr. Niebla
07/29 @ Korakuen Hall: loss to Devitt for the NWA MIDDLE
08/17 @ Arena Mexico: DQ loss to Mr. Niebla
08/19 @ Arena Coliseo Guatemala: loss to Voltron for a title shot at the FMLL Champion de Monde title
08/20 @ Arena Puebla: almost beats Niebla only wins by DQ
08/24 @ Arena Mexico: loses to Tanahashi in the semifinal of CMLL Universal

There’s a win over Mascara in Puebla I skipped over, but it was not a title match. Psicosis might be rubbing off on Volador.

Links

• GALLI is returning to Villa Park.
• Espectáculos Del Cuadrilátero writes about New Mistico

Lineups

CMLL (FRI) 08/31/2012 Arena Mexico
1) Bengala & Leono vs Apocalipsis & Inquisidor
2) Astral, Pequeño Halcón, Último Dragoncito vs Demus 3:16, Pequeño Nitro, Pequeño Olímpico
3) Rey Cometa, Stuka Jr., Valiente vs Misterioso Jr., Niebla Roja, Puma King
4) Felino, Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas vs Marco Corleone, Máximo, Rush and Mr. Águila, Olímpico, Volador Jr. and Dragón Rojo Jr., Rey Escorpión, Último Guerrero
5) Terrible vs Hiroshi Tanahashi [final, CMLL Universal]

Bad times for Ultimo Guerrero (good times for the rest of us.) That match could also set up a Peste Negra vs Invasors match, though the involvement of the world champs muddies things up.

Puma and Cometa stay ready for their match. It would be normal if this was their last Friday match and they had next weekend off.

CMLL (MON) 08/27/2012 Arena Puebla
1) Black Tiger & Milenium vs Espiritu Maligno & King Jaguar
2) Aereo, Niño de Acero, Shockercito vs Pequeño Black Warrior, Pequeño Nitro, Pequeño Universo 2000
3) Estrellita, Goya Kong, Marcela vs Amapola, Princesa Blanca, Princesa Sugheit
4) Pegasso vs Shigeo Okumura [lightning]
5) Blue Panther, Brazo de Plata, Valiente vs Averno, Ephesto, Mephisto
6) Atlantis, Diamante Azul, Rush vs Hiroshi Tanahashi, Rey Bucanero, Terrible

New T is less likely to superkick people, more likely to win matches.

IWRG (THU) 08/30/2012 Arena Naucalpan
1) Sky Ángel vs Matrix Jr.
2) Freelance & Serpiente de Oro vs Delta & Infierno Kid Jr.
3) Chicano, Dinamic Black, La Cobra vs Alan Extreme, Black Terry, Temerario Infernal
4) Cerebro Negro, Dr. Cerebro, Pirata Morgan, Relampago vs Cien Caras Jr., Comando Negro, Eterno, Heddi Karaoui
5) Hijo de Pirata Morgan vs Hijo de Máscara Año 2000 [Rey del Ring]
only Pirata Morgan’s title is on the line.

Delta? Probably not the CMLL guy. I hope it’s the guy who used to be Triton. Infierno Kid changed his name or debuted a second generation wrestler sometime since June.