- CMLL & NJPW held their annual FantasticaMania shows. It was the first 3 show tour, and listed attendance was down compared to the last two years. NJPW suggested they may take the shows out of Tokyo next year. In the ring, Sombra lost a challenge for the NJPW IC title in against Nakamura, but picked up the NWA middleweight title from Dragon Rojo, Rush won two singles matches over Yoshihashi & Rey Escorpion and La Mascara beat Volador once again to keep the national light heavyweight title. Mistico, pulled from wrestling due to his troubled left shoulder, appeared on all three shows.
- An indy show in Los Angeles featured CMLL luchadors (Panther, Atlantis, Volador, Mascara), El Hijo del Santo and other indy luchadors, LA Park (AAA affilated but books his own dates) and Dr. Wagner Jr. (who knows) all on once card. The CMLL luchadors were kept to their own match, but CMLL luchadors had previously been banned from working on any show with El Hijo del Santo, much less AAA affiliated luchadors. It’s unclear if this represents a change in policy or just an exception. Show drew about a
halfquarter house to LA Sports Arena (and must’ve cost quite a bit.) - AAA held their first TV taping of the year in Toluca. The Cibernetico/Perro feud was the focus of the show, with Gran Apache & Atomic Boy resuming their issue on the undercard. Octagon Jr. missed his second appearance under the name, working a show in Calgary with Teddy Hart and Konnan. (Pentagon Jr. later explained Octagon Jr. is just totally scared of him. That checks out.)
- CMLL debuted a new star luchador. CMLL could not decide among itself the name of this new luchador, not the best of start. They eventually settled on Thunder. He’s a muscular masked Australian tecnico who does not speak enough Spanish to do promos – the kind of luchador CMLL’s hardcore fans love to boo – and it’s unclear if he had been a wrestler before arriving in CMLL. Thunder debuted in Puebla, and seems to be kept away from the Mexico City arenas for at least his first few matches.
- Rush gave up his CMLL Light Heavyweight title as part of a challenge at Terrible and the CMLL Heavyweight title. Rush then lost to Terrible, giving him no singles titles. This was odd. Rey Escorpion won the vacant title by defeating Volador Jr. in the final of a tournament.
- FCK held their debut show (under that name) at Coliseo Coacalco. The hyped matches of Fenix vs Chuck Taylor and Matt Cross vs Daga were canceled hours before the card, with the promoter explaining AAA pulled their luchadors but oddly expressing no ill feelings to AAA for doing that. The replacement Ricky Marvin/Taylor/Fenix match was said to be good. Extreme Tiger beat Masada of CZW in the main event.
- Namajague & Stuka started a feud and seem like they could be headed to a mask vs mask match at Dos Leyendas. Amapola and Estrellita also continue to the feud and could also have an apuesta match, but neither seems like the match you’d headline the biggest show of the year.
- In IWRG, Negro Navarro defeated AAA Heavyweight Championship Texano in both a tag team title defense and a singles title match. (Navarro got a bit of help from Trauma II and Texano’s ex-friend Toscano.)
- AAA continued to vaguely tease something happening in the US at some point in the future.
- People keeping their titles: Los Invasors (MEX TRIOS), Ricky Marvin & Super Crazy (GHC TAG), Barbaro Cavernario (OCCIDENTE MIDDLE), Angel (IWRG MIDDLE), Estrellita (MEX WOMEN)
- Carta Brava Jr. & X-Fly won IWRG’s El Protector tournament
- IWRG held a 12 Piratas vs Oficials tag with 3 regular sized people and 3 minis on each side. This is why IWRG wins awards.
- speaking of, some people won some awards!
- #laluchalibredebe was talked about a lot for most of Tuesday on Twitter.
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Congratulations to Rey Escorpion. If Volador keeps losing, he won’t be the top rudo of the year.
It’s interesting how CMLL likes the concept of a muscular white man while AAA would only use a Jarrett type for race-baiting promos and angles.
You look at the success of William Levy on Telenovelas and you can’t fault CMLL for wanting their own muscular tall white guy on their shows. It seems like something that works down there.