Namajague unmasked, Amapola & Okumura shaved

CMLL (FRI) 03/15/2013 Arena Mexico [CMLL]
***Dos Leyendas 2013: Salvador Lutteroth & Rayo de Jalisco***
1) Felino, Puma, Tiger b Delta, Guerrero Maya Jr., Tritón
Rudos took falls 2/3, via Tiger backracer and Puma powerbomb
2) Averno, Ephesto, Mephisto b La Máscara, Máscara Dorada, Valiente
Rudos take falls 1/3, Averno getting the pin for his win.
3) Estrellita b Amapola [hair]
Seconds were La Mascara (for Estrellita – Puma storyline dropped or ignored since Puma’s a rudo) and Ephesto (for Amapola.) Estrellita took the first with a casita, Amapola won a quick second, and Estrllita took the long third fall with an arm submission.
4) Rayo de Jalisco Jr., Rush, Shocker DQ Mr. Niebla, Terrible, Universo 2000
Rayo and Universo returns as part of the celebration for Rayo Sr. Atlantis, Rayo Jr. and Mascara Dorada took part in that ceremony before the match. Rush was introduced separately (after Rayo Sr. had left), and the rudos ran in thru the crowd to attack. Rudos took the first, lost in the second when Universo screwed up and Rayo took advantage, and Universo fouled Rayo in the third for the DQ.
5) La Sombra & Volador Jr. b Atlantis & Último Guerrero [natl pi, final]
Sombra & Volador took the first, Atlantis & Ultimo Guerrero the second with a double Atlantida, and Ultimo & Atlantis had problems in the third leading to the young guys winning. Atlantis challenged UG to a no-ref singles match next week.
6) Rey Cometa & Stuka Jr. b Namajague & Shigeo Okumura [mask, hair]
Stuka & Namajague put up their masks, Cometa & Okumura put up their hair. Namajague & Okumura won the first, Stuka & Cometa took the second. Stuka beat Okumura, Namajague beat Stuka and Cometa beat Namajague for the win. Namajague was unmasked as Kyōsuke Mikami, 29, 5 years a wrestler, from Japan.

Opening two matches are said to be good. Amapola’s getting credit for having a good match with Estrellita, and even this  more casual crowd was rooting for her before and after the match. Rayo Sr. got a standing ovation. Rayo Jr. and Universo were said to look their age and physical condition. Main event is said to be iffy at the start but picked up in the third fall. Both teams had great matching gear (Stuka with a half Cometa, half Stuka mask and Namajague with new red hair), and they even did a tease of Cometa & Stuka having problems to put some doubt in the match. It was a bit of surprise that Cometa got to be winning tecnico. It allowed for one more tornillo spot, but it suggests Cometa wasn’t simply here because they needed an unmasked tecnico and CMLL sees his talent.

This video of Ultimo and Atlantis’ challenges has a good shot of the crowd. It’s was as full as it’s been as in some time, possibly since the Mascara vs Averno match. Jokerman, who was there, said it looked 90% full. This would’ve been a success with 10,000 people, and it seems like they’ve easily beaten that number. It’ll be interesting to see which lessons are taken from this – longer builds? more important matches on one card? bringing back more stars of past eras? – on future CMLL cards.

Tonight’s the Villano V retirement show. There’s no official live results, but it does sound like a lot of the usual DF based lucha Twitter people are going. Show starts at 7 local (which is 8 here in the US Central Time Zone), so the losers of the mask/hair tournament should be revealed around 10 local (11 US).

52MX is back to airing the normal episodes.

AAA previews the Reina de Reinas match.

LuchaWorld has their latest podcast.

Lineups

CMLL (FRI) 03/22/2013 Arena Mexico
1) Bengala & Sensei vs Akuma & Taurus
2) Estrellita, Goya Kong, Marcela vs Amapola, Princesa Blanca, Princesa Sugheit
3) Misterioso Jr., Namajague, Shigeo Okumura vs Ángel de Oro, Rey Cometa, Stuka Jr.
4) Diamante Azul, La Máscara, Shocker vs Mr. Águila, Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas
5) La Sombra, Rush, Thunder vs Averno, Mephisto, Terrible
6) Atlantis vs Último Guerrero

Not super libre main event. Never a super libre main event.

CMLL had announced Thunder for 03/29. March 22nd is also a day.

The four main eventers return to their tercera spot, and the women are back to the second.