Day: February 28, 2013

Dr. Wagner Jr. went to Saltillo to talk to college students about sexually transmitted diseases, and all this article about it wants to talk about is CMLL and AAA. A tremendous disappointment. The only info we get is the name of the program, “Ponte la Mascara”, a program to encourage condom usage. I have so many more questions, and the Wagner/CMLL/AAA thing is not nearly as weird. Dr. Wagner’s new new new new newest story goes this way: AAA wasn’t giving him enough work, so Wagner went to the independents to get some more, and CMLL contacted Wagner for him to come in so he could get some work. (That is not true.) “I don’t know how AAA found out”, says microphone friendly Dr. Wagner. Truly a mystery! Dorian was going to sue Dr. Wagner for a million dollars, so Wagner was forced to cancel his CMLL bookings and serve out his contract until 2014. AAA can’t stop him from working with El Hijo del Santo and Wagner will be working those dates. If Wagner and AAA are now agreeing he’s working with them until 2014, then maybe everyone can stop doing interviews with him about this for 10 months. Wagner might also wrestle for AAA, but I’m less interested in that part.

On his Facebook page, Horuz says he’ll be out about three months due to the knee injury he suffered on Tuesday.

El Fantasma wants CMLL wrestlers to sign up for the new lucha libre insurance plan. Fantasma mentions CMLL will help out wrestlers who’ve been hurt in their rings, but it doesn’t extend to outside the ring and it doesn’t cover their families. If something happens to your family while you’re already out hurt, you’re out of luck, and it’s too late to do anything when you’ve already used up your money paying bills. The insurance he’s offering covers the luchador’s families as well, and Fantasma says the insurance is free. This lucha libre healthy insurance program is a very small part of a greater Mexico City plan to enroll 700,000 uninsured people into free health care programs this year. AAA wrestlers were in attendance at a large event in Arena Ciudad Mexico to push the program.

Villano V/Ray Mendoza Jr. held a press conference for his retirement show yesterday. MedioTiempo and R de Rudo have recaps, and Black Terry Jr. has photos. Villano V explained here that he was retiring because he didn’t want to be a guy who hung around too long and went downhill physically. (Older brother Villano III, also at the press conference, thought that was a good decision but said he’d be wrestling for a while longer.) Villano V mentioned he’d asked CMLL to use their wrestlers, and some had expressed interested, but CMLL did not approve of that idea. Villano V took a shot at El Hijo del Santo’s wife, Gabriela Obregón, referencing the TxT veto and mentioning their money from their show would go to charity. Rayman and Cien Caras Jr. are off that card for that reason, with Heavy Metal and Mascara Ano 2000 Jr. replacing them.

Psycho Circus and Drago were part of a press conference for Sunday’s AAA TV taping. Not much new info. Drago mentions he’d like to face Psicosis, then get a shot at either Daga’s Cruiserweight title or even the DTU Alto Impact championship (currently held by Flamita.)

And another press conference, this one in Tijuana, to hype MV’s show at the Auditorio this Friday. Just pictures, no details.

Lucha Libre USA is starting to officially announce dates and locations for it’s 2013 shows. The first is April 14 in Ontario, South California. People listed for the shows: Blue Demon Jr., RJ Brewer, Jon Rekon (Strong Man), Petey Williams, Stevie Richards, Psicosis (II), Hijo del Fantasma (!), Super Crazy (is everywhere), Super Nova, Lizmark Jr., Mini Park, Pequeno Halloween, Mascara Pupura, Solar, Melina, and Shane Helms.

Sounds like Crazy Boy has been cleared for a return. Congrats to him.

Culinary Backstreets visits El Cuadrilátero, Super Astro’s original restaurant which turns 21 years old this year. I was surprised to find out it still exists, because interviews with Super Astro the last few years have suggested it was gone or at least in new ownership. This article explains it’s owned María Guadalupe Cortés, mentioned as Super Astro’s ex-wife, so that probably explains that. You can still get the giant Gladiador sandwich (or a smaller junior one.)

A few more details on the Monterrey lucha libre exhibit. Orlando Jimenez and Christian Cymet are responsible for the event; this is a traveling exhibit which has been in other locations. There will be panel discussions with Mil Mascaras, Tinieblas, Alushe, Chucho Mar Jr., Galactar, Mr. Line and others. The exhibit will be in el Museo del Noreste until June 30th.

Some CMLL wrestlers are headed to Morelos for a show there this weekend, and so the local promotion announced they’ll be having a Reyes del Aire match. This doesn’t quite work when the luchadors going are Ultimo Guerrero, Taurus, Rey Escorpion and Espanto Jr., not a flyer among them.

DTU is hinting AR Fox will be on their March shows, in that they’re mentioning it’s the CZW TV champion and linking to videos of AR Fox matches, but saving the official announcement until this week’s Tercera Caida. They’re also promising 2 Dragon Gate wrestlers for their 03/16 show in Tulancingo, who are probably Eita & Tomahawk.

Rob has highlights of 12/11/1994 AAA.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update.

magazine roundup

again, this is some Stuff I Learned;

Box Y Lucha #3110 (cover date 12/24/2012)

• the cover proclaims “Sin Cara (Antes Mistico), A La Arena Mexico!”. Now, I write about a lot of stuff here, and I forget almost all of it as soon as I’ve written it, but I like to think I’d remember if that one happened. It turns out to be a hilarious Dia de la Inocentes joke, which I’m sure everyone who spent money to buy the magazine thought was funny
• In an interview with Barbaro Cavernario (Guadalajara) mentions he’d like to team with his brotherm Demonio Maya.
• the story about Relampago training with Arkangel in hopes to get in CMLL. That one is one I’ve blocked out of my mind.
• Rey Bucanero talks about his knee injury, say he’s aiming for a March return (which still seems to be the case.) The knee was much more damaged than they thought; he and his doctor expected him to be out only 3-4 weeks, and it’s going to be around 4 months. Bucanero was very disappointed not to go to Japan.
• Sangre Azteca roots for America.

Box Y Lucha #3113 (cover date 01/14/2013)

• not a lot of new news. This is the week of Sin Cara’s gym opening and just prior to FantasicaManaia
• Fresero (both Jr. and Sr.) and Tinieblas Jr. visit the Box Y Lucha office.
• tease of a In Memoriam/Barbaro vs Esfinge/Smaker match for the vacant Occidente Tag Team titles, which doesn’t seem to have turned out.
• Oriental says he started his career as ‘Acorazado Moreno’, the same name his father used, for the first two years of his career, his favorite partner was Tsubasa and his favorite rivals were Abismo Negro, La Fiera, and Dynamite Kid.

Box Y Lucha #3114 (cover date 01/21/2013)

• Headline: “I [Averno] had talks with a North American promotion.” You don’t say! Averno maintains they were only talks, nothing more Averno says 2012 overall was a year of opportunities for him, some exploited, some not so much, but his plans are to be the best rudo in CMLL and make the Hijos de Averno the best trio. Averno talks about his father, Rodolfo Ruiz, who’s been missing from CMLL rings for a while. Averno says says his father had health issues 2.5 months ago, but is doing better and hopes to return to the ring soon. (Averno says Rodolfo would be back at the end of January, which does not appear to have happened, unless they’ve put him in Puebla and I’ve missed him.)
• Rey Cometa says, despite losing his mask, 2012 was a good year for him – he’s moved up the cards, gotten more opportunities, and is one of the best flyers in the promotion. He’s wants to show that a guy from Queretaro is as a good as anyone from Comarca Lagunera or Guadalajara.
• Herodes has 15 sons, most professionals in their field. Herodes Jr. and the masked Maquina Asesina are the only luchadors.
• Guadalajara’s Pirana is originally from Torreon.

Luchas 2000 #655 (cover date 01/21/2013)

• Karlo Colin talks to Hector Garza’s wife for an update – Hector was hospitalized for pneumonia, but recovered and is back at home. They appreciate all the support
• lots of push for the Brazos show
• interview with Alberto Munoz, one of only 7 people to win three different national championships (and possibly the most obscure one). I need to grab this one for the wiki later.
• Rayo de Jalisco mentions he’s got tours for “Europe, Asia, and Japan” in May or June, but he’s really like to face Canek in a mask match in 2013.
• Blue Demon mentions he’s only working in Mexico a bit because he’s on TV in the US so much.
• Perro Aguayo Jr. has plans for lots of shows in 2013, with lots of international talent.
• Metatron’s goal for 2013: be in Mexico City more.

 

Box Y Lucha #3115 (cover date 01/28/2013)

• A cover blurb says Hector Garza is in a fight for his life. You will find no article about Hector Garza in this magazine, but a brief mention of him at the end of the Palqiue Enmascarados column mentioning Hector is stable and fightning.
• magazine spells it “Thunderbir” in the headline, then “Thunderbird” in the text.
• Vangelis wants a shot at the world heavyweight title! I’m not sure I’m ready for Terrible vs Vangelis, though imagine if Rush had won that title. He still would like that match for the national light heavyweight title, but it’s not his focus right now.
• Fenix – who roots for Toluca – says his worst match was the one late last year where he was bizarrely teaming with Amazona & Ludark to face Kristal, Sadica, and Pasion Kristal. Yea, that was a weird one.

SuperLuchas #499 (cover date 02/17/2013)

• El Fantasma talks about the insurance program. He mentions it’s open to luchadors, boxers, announcers and referees. Fantamsa is asked about the XMW show where Astro de Plata show was hurt, and says it was not sanctioned by him – they had sanctioned the one where his son main evented, but noticed many problems. He read the promoter the riot act after he found out what happened (from Astro de Plata’s family) and the promoter must have an ambulance on hand and a plan to help any injured luchadors if he runs another show. After health insurance, Fantasma’s next goal is working on retirement benefits for the luchadors.
• A long interview with Konnan. A lot of stuff you’ve heard/seen in English restated for a Mexican audience: he doesn’t not like El Hijo Del Santo or Santo’s comments on Konnan and lays out his case for a page and half.  Konnan agrees that AAA has things to fix: luchadors using language on microphones they shouldn’t use in front of families, not dressing up like stars, rudos acting like tecnicos and a general lack of professionalism. Konnan complains that he and Dorian are doing the jobs of five people from WWE & TNA, the lack of merchandising, people who’ve been around for two years and still don’t know the luchadors or the feuds, and the lack of information on the website. Both Dorian and Konnan are very high on social media, teases the international announcement and feels there needs to be new faces on the top of the card – ‘if you see a poster for four years ago, it looks a lot like today’. Some luchadors need to understand they don’t have to leave, but they do have to move down to make room for new people. In answering criticism about the style of lucha libre, Konnan says people need to stop paying attention to internet people who don’t really know anything. Konnan ends with a long speech about how the economy is growing again and he hopes lucha libre grows with it.

SuperLuchas #500 (cover date 02/24/2013)

• Congrats on #500! It’s a low key celebration; a lot of the columns talk about it being the 500th edition, but it’s also more of a regular issue than a special edition. There is a nice feature on other lucha magazines which reached 500 and what they were writing about that time.

• Rush goes third person in an interview, which is so great. He doesn’t have much to say: Rush is never satisfied! Rush thanks his father for teaching him humility! Rush is the best rudo and will continue to give 1000%.
• Dark Angel, often featured in the magazine, talks about her career interlinked with Monterrey. Her first time on the cover was back when she lost her mask to Princesa Sugheit. Dark Angel feels 2013 will be full of changes, one of which is Angel herself heading to Japan in March to work for Stardom again for 3 months, including a 04/29 show at Sumo Hall. She mentions learning from the people she met in TNA and learning to take herself less seriously, and how she’d like an opportunity in WWE.

Links

• Perra del Mal talks to Faby Apache, Mary Apache, Lolita and Sexy Lady about tomorrow’s Reina de Reinas tournament.
• Cronicas Y Leyendas explains the reason behind the Televicentro 50s lucha promotion – they wanted something to popularize the network, and it was cheaper/easier to do wrestling in a studio than go to remote locations for soccer.
• Neat new lucha libre handmade figures, going on sale tomorrow.
• Phil @ Segunda Caida reviews more IWRG.
• AAA talks about Dinastia’s great first year.
• Hype for Fiebre Amarilla vs Stuka & Fuego.
• CMLL promo for Dos Leyendas.
• Psycho Clown papertoy.
• El Hijo del Santo talks about voice dubbing.