Daylight Savings Time starts this Sunday in Mexico. 52MX, Multimedios and AYM Sports run the same feed in the US and Mexico, so their shows will air an hour later this Sunday and next Saturday. (Unlike Spring, it’s a only a one week deal.) The CMLL on Terra show will also start an hour later, if you’re watching it from the US or Canada. The TV listing service I rely on seems to be confused on the times as a result; I know I’m confused, so you probably should more carefully rely on your own judgement this week.
== AAA ==
AAA-Televisa: This should be a second week of Heroes Inmortales. The Jarrett/LA Park trios match is a lock, and probably both tag team title matches will make it though on the main show should they have the time. I don’t think they have enough material for a third show, but something here has to be strechered out.
AAA-TVC: The GHC Tag Title match will air and I’d suspect the Infierno Rockers/Air Force match does, leaving the Exocitos/Women’s match as the one skipped from this taping.
== CMLL ==
Galavision/Televisa: Again, there’s nothing continuning from last week. The Guerreros break up has mostly been a Fox Sports storyline, but I figure they move it here for the actual matches. It’s been a while since they’ve had a women’s trios match, so that too.
FOX: That leaves Mascara Dorada, Super Porky, Titan vs Felino, Mephisto, Psicosis as the main match, and whatever else they have time for on the undercard. This appears to be moved to Sunday morning this week.
52MX: Tonga/Terrible/Volador vs Azul/Rush/Atlantis, and whatever else they have time for on the undercard.
C3: Reyes del Atlantida vs Depredadors del delayed in traffic
GDL: Averno vs Maximo.
EstrellaTV (Puebla): Reyes del Aire, Volador vs Sombra. This looks the best show of the air.
El Luchador: “The luchadors continue to deliver on the promise of bringing lucha libre to those with limited resources, while economic necessity causes Dragon Lee to hesitate about his wrestling career, the loss of a family member will test Leslie and Shocker’s relationship, Bucanero opens past wounds while trying to reconcile with Lety and Felino faces the betrayal of one of his sons.” The end of this week’s episode suggested we’d see Polvora vs Dragon Lee and TRT vs Bufete del Amor on episode 3.
En Busca de un Idolo: MOVED TO FRIDAY. Titan/Euforia (Ultimo Guerrero HAPPY) and Niebla Roja/Diamante (Ultimo Guerrero SAD). Since they’ve ended week 1 last week, internet voting should finally come into play.
Terra: Azul/Shocker/Mascara vs Felino/Tonga/Terrible in a build to – something. Angel Azteca is scheduled to be in the fourth match, start taking bets on his replacement now.
== Other ==
IWRG-TVC Deportes: Piratas vs Navarros, Angel vs Oficial AK-47.
IWRG-AYM Sports: Negro Navarro & Trauma I vs Cien Caras Jr. & Hijo de Mascara Ano 2000. Hijo de Mascara is growing on me.
AAA Fusion (SAT) 11/03/2012Arena Neza
1) Astro de Plata (IWRG) & Freelance vs Trauma I & Trauma II
2) Cuervo, Fabi Apache, Lolita vs Gran Apache, Mari Apache, Sexy Lady
3) Fenix vs Drago, Toscano, Dark Dragon [AAA FUSION, tournament]
4) Joe Lider & Vampiro vs Chessman & Daga
5) Dr. Wagner Jr. & LA Park vs Máscara Año 2000 Jr. & Silver King
Air date: 11/08 & 11/15
Looks like this show gets it’s own champion. It’s not like AAA’s doing a lot with the title belts they have (when is Daga getting his title shot? Mesias went six months without defending his title and may go another six) but it’d give them the freedom to do whatever they’d like to it on this show without concern of the other show. And it’s an excuse for what looks like a really good match. The first 3 matches should all be good and the main event is not without hope.
I’m okay with Daga never getting his cruiserweight title match if Chessman & Daga win here and then get the tag titles.
Show should draw better with Wagner & Park teaming again. It is about the same main event as the opening show, with Mascara in for Texano.
Again, they have five matches and seem like they’ll only air 4. They aired the opener this past week, so it’s not a matter of cutting out the local guys (and obviously they really like Freelance with how much he’ll be used.) Maybe the extra matches are being saved up for when everyone goes on vacation at the end of the year? Maybe it just is.
Traumas situation is odd; they’re members of Perros del Mal on PdM shows and they’re all over the Bizarros vs Perros fight they keep showing, but when the Naucalpan match aired, Trauma I was just a random IWRG guy. Maybe it’ll make more sense here.
truth: alls I got today is lame source versus source arguing not more than than 10 (diez) people in the world care about. You should know that by that title alone. That also means I can plug some other stuff because it’s not like I’m delaying some important news. I’m delaying some really pointless news.
About a week ago, I got the cool art work you see on the page. It was sent by Sam from Counting The Lights and I thank him for it. They’ve got more on their wrestling blog, which is worth checking out if you’re okay with seeing random naked people on the main page.
I’m heading out to an indy show this weekend. Not a lucha show, since they all seem to be on Sundays when I have too much going on, but the debut show for School of Roc out in Indiana. I’ve enjoyed the last year of their web series and I’m a fan of the people behind it (in part because of their other YouTube channel.) It’s not just the YouTube stuff has been good; their match at the CHIKARA show in Lafayette was fun too. It’s worth the trip if any of the matches Saturday are at that level, and looks like it’s going to be an amusing night even if they don’t.
If I can tie this back in to lucha somehow – Social of Roc is a weekly series on unknown or barely known Indiana area wrestlers. They spent a few months running an in-show tournament and storylines around it, took a few months off, and came back for a few months of shorter bits building up this debut show. They’ve built the personalities strong enough to get you to care about them. It’s not a show of **** 3/4 matches, but it’s a show of matches to easily get interested in. I don’t want that sound like they’re untalented, because there’s some genuine talent here, but the characters are much better defined because of the way they’re treated and it’s easier to invest in them.
That doesn’t happen with the guys in the main lucha promotions. Fuego has been around CMLL for six years, and the only time he’s had a chance to say something revealing or interesting was the comment about how hard it is to make it in CMLL if you’re not related to anyone, and that was on a show no one saw. AAA genuinely believes Fenix is a young future star for them, and the 10 seconds generic promo he talked on last week’s Fusion show is the first time he’s spoken in months. There’s no way the average person watching the show has the slightest idea who that man is.
(Meanwhile, there’s plenty of time for multiple vignettes where it’s made clear Konnan is involved with both Sexi Star and Jennifer Blake and they’re both too stupid to figure it out, because that’s a critical storyline to AAA’s future and certainly not a booker making himself the center of attention. Or CMLL announcers profiling edecanes, who come and go without much notice or change to CMLL’s business.)
Don’t misunderstand my point. I don’t know how many people will be at the School of Roc show, though I don’t expect it to be a lot, and I’m sure they’d like to have a lot more people checking out their web series than actually do. Whenever AAA posts tonight’s video interview with Silver King and Chessman, I have no doubt they’ll easily beat those numbers. It’s not about the end numbers, it’s about how far you’ve come. School of Roc started out from scratch with few resources and made something compelling. CMLL and AAA start out with huge advantages and great pools of talent, and make the least of them – or at least a lot less than the should be. (Check out the first story if you feel like arguing.)
Anyway, if you don’t care my Saturday plans or random digressions on social media usage, please realize this means I’m spending Saturday crossing back and forth time zones, while at the same time daylight savings time hits the US Saturday night but not in Mexico until next week. I will be so confused, I’ll be looking at the clock on my phone every five minutes, even more useless than normal
Dr. Wagner Jr., a Draw illustration via Counting the Light
the news?: This week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports the AAA taping at Arena Lopez Mateos sold 305 tickets ($3,600 gate, so $11 tickets, kind of pricey for lucha in DF.) There’s also a listing of recent Arena Lopez Mateos attendances, which I can’t recall seeing prior
460 09/30 LEGEND (Psycho Circus vs Koslov/Romero/Masters)
800 10/06 LMV (Mil/Solitario, cage match)
320 10/07 AULL (Epitafio, Negro Navarro, Trauma I, Trauma II vs Chucho el Roto, Iron Love, Mr. Potro, Rocky Santana)
1200 10/14 UWE (Wagners vs Caneks)
305 10/21 AAA Fusion (Mesias, Fenix, Vampiro vs Chessman, Silver King, Ultimo Gladiador)
WON: “We were told the show was poorly advertised locally. Also, some people went to the box office thinking it was a TV taping and when they found out it was for TVC and not Televisa, they decided against buying tickets.” I guess it’s possible some people actually did that. I’d believe 10. It’d have to be 500 for it to make difference. None of the other shows were TV tapings for any network, and Perros del Mal and DTU had no problems drawing when they were ‘only’ on TVC Deportes. I’d guess the price of the tickets and it being the 5th show in that 4 weeks were bigger factors, but I’d also suggest people didn’t go because they weren’t interested in the matches. The same paragraph mentions how over Vampiro is; doesn’t seem like anyone in that main event is over when it comes to selling tickets. Vampiro sure seems like a guy who gets a big reaction from people who are already going to the shows, but isn’t convincing many people to go and see him. I’d say he’s like Canek in that regard but look at those numbers, AAA wishes he was Canek. The only ongoing feud on the card was Chessman vs Vampiro (if Vampiro beating Chessman repeatedly counts as feud) , and no one cared enough about that feud to buy a ticket.
Elsewhere, at a nothing happening Arena Coliseo show, CMLL drew 2,700. One of their bigger turnouts of the year. Cheaper prices there, I believe.
The WON also mentions the TNA guys held a tryout camp with AAA and indy guys when they were there.
picture of Titan provided for unfortunate ringside people unable to see him/illustration by Counting the Lights
In follow up to Kaiser Sports stopping it’s CMLL coverage, Los Colisenos says CMLL has a new policy that limits ringside photographers. Only a [unknown number] are allowed to be ringside, the rest are forced to go to a farther away media zone (where TerceraCaida shoots, I believe) to not block the ringside fan’s views. This is not the first time this issue has come up, and it’s seemed to a big deal for a moment and then ignored over time. I counted 9 people at ringside for the Volador & Diamante Azul match, but most of those people were working on the TV show or the promotion. Rationing out the spots will only have limited chance of fixing the problem, and there’s not a lot of photographer spots going around. It’s not clear this is actually Kaiser Sports’ problem (and it’s worth noting the message previously displayed on KaiserSports’ website has now been removed, so perhaps there is no longer a problem.) Anyway, If CMLL really wanted to stop cameras from blocking fans views, maybe they should direct their video cameramen to stop insistently turning around and putting their cameras in the fan’s faces. If this complaint exists, it’s peculiar CMLL would act on only it, and not the many other complaints people have with the promotion.
CMLL (TUE) 10/30/2012Arena Mexico
1) Freesbe & Oro Jr. vs Akuma & Camorra
2) Ángel Azteca Jr., Pegasso, Sensei vs Artillero, Hooligan, Súper Comando
3) Fuego, Sagrado, Triton vs Arkángel de la Muerte, Cancerbero, Raziel
4) Rey Cometa vs Sangre Azteca [lightning]
5) Diamante Azul, Mistico, Stuka Jr. vs Euforia, Niebla Roja, Último Guerrero
6) Atlantis, Delta, Guerrero Maya Jr. vs Black Warrior, Mr. Águila, Volador Jr. [MEX TRIOS] Volador, Mr. Aguila, and Black Warrior are champs.
CMLL Gaceta hypes the title match. CMLL doesn’t usually change titles back and forth between the same two teams, but these titles haven’t been important either way.
Stuka gets a prime spot to give Niebla Roja someone to work against. Tiger must be jealous.
AAA (SUN) 11/04/2012Arena Coliseo Monterrey 1) Lobo Rojo & Viernes 13 vs Principe Guerrero I & Principe Guerrero II 2) Atomo & Demonio del Caribe vs Dr. Tormenta & Norteno Jr. 3) Gardenia Azteca & Pee Wee vs Mortifero & Norteno 4) Gato Fantasma, Orquídea Negra, Principe de Oro vs Androide, Iron (Monterrey), Memo Valles 5) Fenix, Silver Star, Súper Fly vs The Shadow, Tigre Universitario, Vaquero Romo 6) Drago, Electroshock, Pimpinela Escarlata vs Diluvio Negro I, Texano Jr., Toscano
Hype as the return of AAA to Monterrey with Multimedios and TVC Deportes logos. It’s the third straight week where AAA wrestlers are main eventing Arena Coliseo Monterrey, so not quite. Different lucah promoter for sure, the LUM guys are on the card and the LyC ones are nowhere to be seen.
SACCOMATS (SAT) 11/17/2012Arena Neza
1) Mr. Leo,Saruman, Turbo vs Black Thunder, Súper Colt, Vampiro Metálico
2) Dr. Cerebro, Hijo de Pirata Morgan, Mike Seguravs Henry, Neza Kid, Rey Lobo
3) Comando Negro vs Guerrero Mixtico
4) El Hijo de Aníbal, Ray Mendoza Jr., Solar I vs Black Terry, Negro Navarro, Pirata Morgan
5) El Hijo Del Santo & Villano IV vs Blue Demon Jr. & Fuerza Guerrera
Another one of the occasional bigger shows here, which also includes the ongoing local feuds (Comando/Mixtico, Segura/Neza.)
Hector Garza announced he had lung cancer and would be leaving wrestling while he fights it. Garza’s last match was at Heroes Inmortales, wrestling in the Copa Pena (royal rumble rules), though he’s since appeared in-ring at a Monterrey show he had been originally been booked on. That bit set up Perro Aguayo Jr. and members of the Garza family challenge each other to a hair vs hair match.
An extended interview with Dorian Roldan and Konnan, previously broadcast over Twitcam, was posted to AAA’s YouTube channel. Of note, they mentioned AAA is now ahead of WWE in the ratings, again put the blame on Paco Alonso for no CMLL/AAA matches, and encouraged aspiring AAA wrestlers to come up with their own gimmicks and provide video when they want to get looked at. They announced Guerra de Titans would be 12/02 in Zapopan, Mexico.
Season 2 of A&E (and CMLL’s) El Luchador premiered, focusing more on family drama than the previous season. The show starts in spring, will climax with Dragon Lee becoming the new Mistico, and strongly hints in that direction from the first scene
AAA announcer Jesus Zuniga said Konnan would be returning to the ring in January 2013. Konnan later indicated it would probably happen in the first quarter of 2013 but not January, which probably means Rey de Reyes.
Diamante Azul (aka fake Blue Demon) won the annual Leyenda de Azul tournament.
Fantasy unmasked Mercurio in a battle of lower echelon CMLL minis. It was probably the best match either of them have had. Fantasy used a sit down piledriver for the win after Mercurio had won the first fall that way.
AAA’s second Fusion show appeared to have some entertaining matches – Ricky Marvin & Super Crazy kept the GHC tag titles over Halloween & Daga in a match which left Halloween with rib injuries – but the bigger news was the shockingly low turnout. Only 305 tickets were sold, much less than other, non-televised shows held in the same building.
CMLL focused it’s Friday shows on Ultimo Guerrero teaming with his new proteges (Euforia & Niebla Roja) against his rebelous ones (Rey Escorpion & Dragon Rojo, teaming with NJPW’s Tama Tonga.)
NJPW’s Naoki Sugabayashi and Tigre Hattori visited Mexico to discuss their upcoming plans with CMLL. Likewise, TNA’s Al Snow & Bruce Pritchard visited Mexico to figure out plans with AAA, and to scout talent for their own promotion.
AAA pushed back it’s next Televisa taping a week to 11/09. No reason was given. It’s headlined by Cibernetico & Mesias vs Perro Aguayo & Texano. Halloween, thought to be out for many weeks, is listed as defending his share of the AAA Mixed Tag Championship.
Teddy Hart was announced as missing that Monterrey show because he suffered a fracture. Hours later, Teddy Hart was wrestling in Edmonton, apparently completely healthy. No one was surprised.
Amapola won the CMLL REINA International championship from Leon.
Volador has a busy week of single matches: cheating to defeat Diamante Azul on Sunday, beating Sombra clean on Monday, then losing via cheating to Sombra on Tuesday. He’s next set up to to defend his share of the national trios titles next week, and generally seems to be one of the center of CMLL’s plans being out of favor for long stretches of last year.
AAA launched a new website.
Hijo de Pirata Morgan won the IWRG Juniors title for a third time, as IWRG continued it’s build to it’s annual Castle of Terror show on 11/02.
Rayo de Jalisco Jr. claimed he never got plane tickets or money for his trip to Monterrey. The promotion sent copies of the plane tickets and deposit to prove he did.
Lizmark Jr. joined Perros del Mal, after a period of not wrestling much at all in Mexico. It appears he may be back to wearing his mask. He lost in an CMLL Anniversary show, but had been wearing as part of Lucha Libre USA.
Mr. Aguila made what was said to be a one time appearance former partner Damian 666 & Bestia 666 on an AAA spot show. Damian insisted it was a last minute fill in deal because X-Fly missed his flight back to Mexico City, but it got people talking (especially since Aguila is now putting his CMLL title on the line in a match.)
Bam Bam returned to CMLL and was immediately injured, slipping off the turnbuckle and landing badly to the apron. He did not look well even before the fall.
people who kept their titles: Negro Navarro & Trauma I, Dragon Rojo
