Ultimo Guerrero and Atlantis agreed to a mask match today at a CMLL press conference. They both signed a contract, but no date for the match was announced. Signing a contract in CMLL is the message that the match is official and this match should take place at September’s Anniversary show (most likely 09/20.) They set it by having both discuss their loss in the incredible pairs tournament, with Ultimo Guerrero explaining his evil plan was to advance to the final of the tournament and then lose, just so his malo amigo Atlantis would have to suffer. That’s the hard way of doing it. Atlantis later was brought back to announce a 30th Anniversary show in his honor on Friday May 3rd. Ultimo Guerrero interrupted with a contract this segment to demand Atlantis put words to paper and agree to the mask match both have teased. Atlantis hesitated, but signed the paper.
It’s very unusual for CMLL to announce a mask match without a date attached to it. It’s absolutely going to end up being the Anniversary show main event, but they may want to tease out the date at least thru their usual June main show. The announcement of Ultimo Guerrero vs Atlantis steals a bit of attention from Sunday’s announcement of Cibernetico vs Perro Aguayo Jr. taking place at TripleMania (and maybe CMLL will be dragging out the date to continue that distraction; something where they tease the match as happening in a relevos suicidas in June only to really do in September is even possible.) Both are hugely significant matches for each promotion and should mean huge business for each show. Neither has a clear favorite. I’d guess Atlantis & Perro Aguayo Jr. winning their matches, but I wouldn’t bet on the outcome of either. I don’t think either show is going to really harm each other – they’re 3 months apart, and last weekend indicated fans will show up if they believe it’s an important show.
This was a busy CMLL press conference even beyond the mask match. The most immediate news is the national welterweight champions has been declared vacant. Titan has been out of action since February 5th due to a hernia injury, and said he’d be out three weeks at the time. It’s been six weeks, Titan’s not back, and CMLL stripping Titan of the title suggests it’s going to be a even longer absence. I’m disappointing Titan doesn’t get to hold on to his title thru his injury, like CMLL has typically done with veterans, but I’m more concerned about Titan than his title. There is no specific mention of a title tournament, though CMLL usually has one planned when they declare titles vacant.
The 04/07 70th Anniversary of Arena Coliseo show will have a Legends Return theme. This was leaked last night on Twitter.) The main event will feature Rayo de Jalisco, Atlantis and Diamante Azul vs Universo 2000, Mascara Ano 2000 and the un-retired Ray Mendoza Jr. Mendoza is claiming he lost $480,000 Mexican Pesos – $38,700 USD – running his own retirement show, and that’s public justification for him coming back out of retirement. That show was not well attended, seemingly under a 1,000 people, but it’s hard to figure how he would’ve made money even if he had sold out the building. One night in Arena Coliseo is not going to put much of a dent in that debt.
The 04/07 show will also have a semimain of Blue Panther, Averno, and Shocker versus Negro Navarro, Villano IV (who’s worked for all companies in a short time) and Black Terry, and a cibernetico with Marcela, Estrellita, Goya Kong, Dalys and Silueta versus Amapola, Princesa Blanca, Princesa Sughiet, Tiffany and Zeuxis. This is the usual Terra live cast, and it’s also the same night as WrestleMania. CMLL also sent out an article about Arena Coliseo’s debut show last night as a tease for this announcement.
Edit: full card for the show, via MT
CMLL (SUN) 04/07/2013 Arena Coliseo
***Arena Coliseo 70th Anniversary Show***
1) Oro Jr. & Soberano Jr. vs Espanto Jr. & Guerrero Negro Jr.
2) Marcela vs Estrellita, Goya Kong, Dalis la Caribeña, Silueta, Amapola, Princesa Sugheit, Princesa Blanca, Zeuxis, Tiffany [cibernetico]
3) Black Terry, Negro Navarro, Villano IV vs Averno, Blue Panther, Shocker
4) Máscara Año 2000, Ray Mendoza Jr., Universo 2000 vs Atlantis, Diamante Azul, Rayo de Jalisco Jr.
The annual Gran Alternativa tournament will kick off on April 12, about the same time as last year. CMLL’s current booking committee seems to be committed to running the annual tournaments in the same place every year now, instead of moving them around the calender as in past regimes, which may be useful in guessing future events. This was a 16 novato/team field last year and appears to be the same this year, as the final will not be until April 26. Oro Jr., Hombre Bala Jr., Stigma, Sensei, Taurus, Herodes Jr., Bobby Zavala, Guerrero Negro Jr., Espanto Jr., Disturbio, and Camaleon were the 11 announced at the press conference. Last year’s Gran Alternativa field was nearly the same as last year’s Sangre Nueva field, so maybe five of Akuma, Cholo, Super Halcon Jr., Robin, Inquisidor and Genesis will round out the field.
CMLL additionally announced the return of the En Busca de un Idolo tournament. It’s less ‘new’ wrestlers and more third/fourth match wrestlers, some higher than that: Valiente, Rey Cometa, Stuka, Delta, Guerrero Maya, Misterioso, Fuego and Vangelis. The tournament is said to run from May 17 to June 12, but I’m thinking the end date is a typo since the 12th is a Wednesday. Maybe the 21st? That would be six weeks, two weeks shorter than last year. There’s also only two rudos in the tournament this year, so it can’t just be all rudos vs all tecnicos for the first round like last year. We really don’t know anything for sure besides the name and dates for this one – there’s no mention of a supplementary TV show or online components like year, but then there’s no mention there won’t be either.
CMLL introduced Thunder, who will be making his Arena Mexico debut tomorrow. They’re nearly treating it like it’s his overall debut, ignoring his matches in Puebla and Guadalajara. The participants in the two apuesta matches from Dos Leynedas were also interviews, with the losers vowing revenge. It appears Namajague will stick with that name, not switching to Mikami. Okumura said he was calling Japan for reinforcements, but no names were mentioned.
Other News
LEGEND (SUN) 03/17/2013 Arena Lopez Mateos [SL503]
***El Signo farewell show***
1) Cachorro b Piel Roja, Hacha Dorada, Black Silver, Spider Boy, Olimpicus, Cyber Punk,Militar [Copa El Signo]
2) Gallego, Rocky Santana, Romano Garcia b Danny Boy, Dragon Chino I, Dragon Chino II
Danny Boy replaced Falcon.
3) Cuchillo, Kahoz, Rambo b Black Shadow Jr., Huracan Jr., Impala
18:52, Triangulo de la Muerte took falls 2/3.
4) El Fantasma, Kendo, Villano III b Blue Panther, Scorpio Jr., Zeus
15:36, tecnicos took 1/3.
5) Black Power II, el Signo, Hijo del Signo, Negro Navarro b Brazo de Oro, Brazo de Platino, La Máscara, Super Brazo
8:19, one foul, Signo sneaking in a foul on Brazo de Platno. Super Brazo replaced Brazo de Plata. Hijo del Signo & La Mascara were added to the match.
Unlike Villano V, Signo is retiring because his body is breaking down. A back operation caused more problems than it solved, and it’s left him in such a shape where a eight man match with eight people is probably the most he can do.
Hijo del Santo also held a press conference today. Oliver John was there, but the recap seems to say put the emphasis on the important of the WBC championship and a belt that hasn’t been defended in two years, to a fanbase that seems to yawn at most championship matches. Not only is this match now going to be the start of a new era of good times again for lucha libre, but WBC head Jose Sulaiman believes this show will be a turning point for amateur lucha libre. I would be concerned about how this one is going to do if that was a thing I’d concern myself with.
Last night’s Tercera Caida is up, with lots of Rey de Reyes footage. This week’s Fusion show – with the DTU opener and the Rockers/Circus main event – should be up on YouTube soon. El Hijo del Santo was on the show to promote this weekend’s TxT show. He used his Record column to hype Oliver John. He’s won four titles, he must be good.
Ana Gutierrez writes about Tuesday’s Guadalajara show, and explains the transport delay – teachers marching in Mexico City (and elsewhere in Mexico) about school reforms causing roads to be closed and blocked.
AAA announced Blue Demon Jr. will be on next Thursday’s AAA TV taping in Arena Naucalpan. The lineup will be in the next post. IWRG hasn’t announced a card for this Sunday either.
Silvie Silver, a wrestler (of only a few matches)/fitness model from Finland (by way of Canada) is training with Tony Salazar in CMLL. It unclear if this is just a visit or a longer tryout. Silver mentioned a few days ago that Thea Trindad, the former Rosita of TNA, was also going to train with CMLL. Trindad visited Mexico last year with her TNA partner Dark Angel and mentioned she’d like to continue their team in CMLL but was not able to because of TNA’s deal with AAA. She’s since been let go by TNA, so she’d be free to try out.
Kcidis finds a use for those Arena Coliseo Tag Team belts. Those four guys are in Arena Aficion tonight for a rematch.
Daga defends his Cruiserweight title in a four way next Sunday in Arena Solidaridad.
Arena Xalapa’s Vengador Radioactivo says he’s moving to Mexico City to train with Tony Salazar (though the article writes it as Tony Rivera.)
An interview of Lolita from Arena Xalapa.
Sadica talks about her match with Ayako Hamada.
Lineups
CMLL (TUE) 03/26/2013 Arena Mexico
1) Molotov & Oro Jr. vs Espanto Jr. & Zayco
2) Hombre Bala Jr., Stigma, Super Halcón Jr. vs Bobby Zavala, Disturbio, Hijo del Signo
3) Guerrero Maya Jr., Hijo del Fantasma, Sagrado vs Namajague, Puma, Shigeo Okumura
4) Delta vs Ephesto [lightning]
5) Atlantis, Blue Panther, Diamante Azul vs Felino, Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas
6) Ángel de Oro, Shocker, Valiente vs Kráneo, Mr. Águila, Psicosis
Looks like a Shocker vs Mr. Aguila singles match coming up here, of all the things.
2/3 look a lot of fun.
CMLL (TUE) 03/26/2013 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Leo & Virgo vs Demonio Maya & Évola
2) Astral, Pequeño Halcón, Stukita vs Mercurio, Pequeño Olímpico, Pequeño Violencia
3) Goya Kong, Marcela, Silueta vs Princesa Blanca, Princesa Sugheit, Zeuxis
4) La Sombra, Máscara Dorada, Máximo vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Pólvora, Rey Escorpión
5) Rayo de Jalisco Jr. vs Universo 2000
and that’s why they did a foul last week (they could’ve just as much not, you don’t need to heat up Rayo vs Universo.)
CHILANGAMASK (SAT) 04/20/2013 Arena GALLI, Villa Park, IL
1) Pentagono Del Infierno vs Ripper
2) Negrotistico vs GPA, Emperador Azteca, Acid Jazz, Mason Conrad, Ovirload, Jason Gory [Tercera Caida International Cup]
3) Latin Dragon & Noriega vs Facade & Jake Shining
4) Kaientai vs Zema Ion, Extreme Tiger, Samuray del Sol
Poster here. It is at Arena GALLI after all. This should be a good show.
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Atlantis vs Ultimo Guerrero! That’s, certainly a huge news. Finally… From Yours opinion, Thecubsfan, it’s gonna be Atlantis (winner)? Hmmm… :(
Cubs. Do you think there is any chance CMLL throws competition directly against Triplemania and runs the same time and day with Atlantis vs. Ultimo Guerrero?
@Groden: I am not sure about this at all, and it’s probably at least a part reflex to more people assuming Ultimo Guerrero is going to win.
@LLL: No, not unless it’s a fake out relevos suicidas like suggested. CMLL screws with AAA when they come in DF, but they don’t screw with themselves. They don’t have anything they’d be willing to do for the Anniversary show besides Atlantis/UG (Volador/Sombra not happening), and they’re already treating the *80*th anniversary as a huge deal, they need a huge match to go with it.
that would certainly qualify as a huge deal – biggest Apuesta match in a long time, bigger than Villano V or Blue Panther losing his mask.
Biggest since… good question since Atlantis/Villano III?
Really excited for En Busca redux. Lots of potentially really fun matchups, many of which would’ve only been plausible in a parejas increíbles scenario. Sure, CMLL could mess it up and probably won’t carry it out optimally, but we should get at least some impressive técnico showcases out of this.
Just to correct a detail about Titán… I don’t think he ever gave a date for his return (his Facebook post after surgery just mentioned “lo más pronto posible”), but the recovery does seem to be going significantly slower than planned, for whatever reason. Maybe he initially tried to get back into daily activities too soon or something.
I really can’t see Atlantis without his mask. UG maybe, but not the Idolo de los Ninos. If Atlantis does lose, he’s still number one in my book.
Súper Libre (a weekly radio program from 2-4pm Sundays local time out of GDL, worth listening at http://www.canal58.com.mx/ if you don’t) just interviewed Titán. He estimated being 3-4 weeks away from returning to action. He gave a pretty generic reason for vacating the title (it deserves to be defended, etc.), but I kind of suspected that would happen.