Month: July 2013

TxT (SAT) 07/27/2013 Gimnasio Juan De La Barrera [Black Terry Jr. (flickr), Kaiser Sports (top matches), Kasier Sports (rest), MedioTiempo, Terra (video), Yahoo! Deportes]
1) Imposible b Centvrión
2) Lady Apache b Rossy Moreno and Esther Moreno
Moved down to the second match. Rossy beat Esther, Lady Apache beat Rossy. The women appealed for TxT to make their hair match for the 09/21 show.
3) El Hijo del Medico Asesino b Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr.
Medico obviously fouled Wagner, got the pinfall anyway.
4) Brian Cage, Heddi Karaoui, Oliver John, Zumbi b Angel Blanco Jr., Blue Demon Jr., El Hijo del Solitario, Rayman
World team won when John brainbustered Solitario for the win. John & Cage challenged Demon for a tag shot (against Demon & Santo.) Demon accepted.
5) Canek, LA Park, Rayo de Jalisco Jr. DQ Cien Caras Jr., Máscara Año 2000, Universo 2000
Universo pulled Rayo’s mask for the DQ. Both men look wildly out of shape.

Signo, As Charro, Babe Richard, Rambo and Hijo del Santo had a presentation to honor the 71st anniversary of Santo’s debut.

Attendance did not look good – maybe 40%, give or take 10% – but this was one of the weaker TxT lineups so far. TxT suggested they would take the promotion on tour next month, and they’ve already announced the Veracruz date. Very strange they moved the women down a match if they’re supposedly running a hair match with them, but then I supposed it doesn’t matter.

The mythical Santo vs Park vs Wagner mask match was moved back to 09/21; that was the original date and the one that makes more sense given the holiday weekend. Santo plans on it being a free show and drawing 100K people. The only way I can see this happening is if they’ve somehow convinced a governmental official to spend major money on a show (or just to divert major money that would’ve gone to other public entertainment.) Santo’s name value goes even farther with those sorts of people and they don’t have to be concerned with making a profit on a show, but it’s still a very big stretch.

Horuz was also presented at the show as an independent luchador and is apparently coming in. He was again thankful to CMLL, but complained they did not innovate and gave better positions to family dynasties. Please understand me: you can definitely complain about nepotism in CMLL, but you can’t then go to TxT and act like everything is decided on merit there. (Especially since Horuz’s likely to get a push based on being Angel Blanco’s grandson.) On the plus side, Horuz definitely had a plan when he left CMLL. That’s better than most. There’s not many spaces in TXT for luchadors who weren’t stars in other promotions, but Horuz seems more likely to end up at Rayman level rather than relegated to opening match singles.

In an interview about El Santo (you’ve read it before), El Hijo del Santo says he believes Tempestad/El Nieto del Santo will be debut in 2014.

CMLL (SUN) 07/28/2013 Arena Coliseo [CMLL]
1) Bengala & Robin b Akuma & Inquisidor
Tecnicos took 2/3.
2) Camorra, Nitro, Nosferatu b Metálico, Sensei, Soberano Jr.
Rudos took 1/3. Feed went out in the third fall, came back just in time for the finish. Metalico was very unhappy about something. Fans chanted for Sensei to turn rudo and he said he’d do it if the fans wanted it.
3) Guerrero Maya Jr., Rey Cometa, Tritón b Cancerbero, Raziel, Virus
Tecnicos took 1/3 in a good match.
4) Ángel de Oro TLDRAW Puma [lightning]
Angel de Oro had Puma in the mecedora as time ran out. Both men challenged each other to a rematch next week.
5) La Sombra, Shocker, Titán b Euforia, Niebla Roja, Taichi
Sombra hurt an ankle at the end of the first fall on a leapfrog over Taichi. He was strechered out immediately. Rudos won in straight falls in an obviously improvised finish.
6) Averno, Ephesto, Mephisto b Máscara Dorada, Mistico, Valiente
Rudos took 1/3 and demanded the Estates hand over the title belts. Dorada offered a title shot, but the rudos took the tecnicos masks anyway.

You can see Sombra’s video here, right at the start and the end of the clip. This is 2013, so Sombra was posting on Twitter from the ambulance and the hospital. He seems to be in good spirits, and I’m choosing to believe that’s a positive sign. Taichi was angry with people angry with him, saying it’s wrestling and accidents happen. Early reports said Sombra would be out three, but Sombra says he’ll be out two weeks with an ankle sprain, but hopes to come back sooner. Take your time!

Main event implied the trios title match is next week. Not sure if that’s right. They did not make an announcement about being in Arena Mexico next week; that seems to be on 08/10, which would make more sense for a title match.

Show was good though not great. The video dropping out didn’t help – we missed about five minutes in the second match, and about as much in the lightning match. Sombra getting hurt really didn’t help; live crowd still seemed to get into the main event but us on the internet were vastly distracted.

CMLL (SUN) 07/28/2013 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [@acogdl]
1) Capitan (Guadalajara) & Índigo b El Tapatío & Samael (Guadalajara)
Captain & Indigo took 1/3.
2) Acertijo & Jocker b Brillante & El Ídolo
Rudos took 1/3, sneaking in fouls in the third fall.
3) El Hippie, Leo, Tony Escobedo DQ Demonio Rojo, Exterminador, Maléfico
Hippie is Martin Escobedo, Tony’s brother. Tony’s dressing like a Hippie now too and the PBP refers to them as “Los Hippies.” Tecnicos took the first, rudos the second, and Acertijo and Jocker ran in for the DQ in the third.
4) Super Porky b Kráneo
Rematch from 06/25. Porky won again, taking falls 2/3.
5) La Máscara, Rush, Súper Popular b Ráfaga, Rey Bucanero, Terrible
Tecnicos took 1/3. Super Popular pinned Rey Bucanero in the third.

They announced a tag team tournament for next week

• Barbaro Cavernario & Sadico
• Demonio Rojo & Malefico
• Leo & Halcon de Plata
• Black Metal & Gallo

Tag team titles are vacant (or Texano and Terrible are still reigning); perhaps this will lead to new champions?

Lucha Libre in Japan

07/27 NOAH: 6) Ricky Marvin & Super Crazy [O] b Gaston Mateo & Kaiser [X] [GHC JR tournament]
Mexitosos eliminated team South America

07/28 NOAH: 5) Taiji Ishimori & Atsushi Kotoge [O] b Super Crazy & Ricky Marvin [X] [GHC JR tournament]
essentially the block final. Kotoge & Ishimori went on to lose to Jushin Liger & Tiger Mask IV, who are the new GHC Junior Tag Team Champions

07/28 JWP: Arisa Nakajima b Command Bolshoi [CMLL-REINA INTL] – new champion. This was title for title, so maybe this title is just going away.

Links

• SuperLuchas #506 has Sombra vs Nakamura on the cover.
• The Traumas and Virus & Valiente will rematch on the next ChilangaMask show after the indecisive finish on the last show.
• Cibernetico will be interviewed on AAA’s video chat Monday night. Ask about Amadeus! Ask about Emo Extreme!
• Los Mirreyes are looking forward to their debut in Mexico City.
• Porra Fresa previews Stigma vs Espiritu Maligno.
• AAA posted the third part of their interview with Jack Evans.
• CMLL posted the second Chica Vuelta, Vuelta dance interlude from Infierno en el Ring.

CMLL (FRI) 07/26/2013 Arena Mexico [CMLL, Yahoo! Deportes]
1) Hombre Bala Jr. & Súper Halcón Jr. b Artillero & Súper Comando
2) Diamante, Pegasso, Tritón b Arkángel de la Muerte, Hooligan, Skándalo
Tecnicos took 1/3 with the Tuareg making mistakes.
3) Blue Panther, La Máscara, Shocker DQ Averno, Ephesto, Mephisto
Tecnicos took 2/3. Averno fouled Panther. They continue to feud.
4) Fuego, Hijo del Fantasma, Negro Casas, Stuka Jr., Valiente b Misterioso Jr., Sangre Azteca, Tiger, Vangellys, Virus [cibernetico]
Order of elimination went Sangre Azteca, Tiger, Fuego, Stuka, Hijo del Fantasma, Misterioso, Vangellys (fouled by Negro Casas), Valiente (fouled by a loitering Vangellys), Virus, giving Negro Casas the win.
5) Máscara Dorada, Mistico, Titán b Pólvora, Rey Bucanero, Rey Escorpión
Tecnicos took 1/3 in quick opening falls.
6) Taichi, Terrible, Volador Jr. b La Sombra, Máximo, Rush
Straight falls. Volador snuck in a foul on Sombra to win. Mask/mask challenges followed.

They strongly teased Sombra versus Volador in an apuesta match, which seems like a bad idea this near the Anniversario show if they’re not planning on actually doing it. Blue Panther versus Averno and Rush versus Everyone (but mostly Shocker and Negro Casas) continue to be teased as well. Atlantis versus Ultimo Guerrero is a once in a decade kind of main event but CMLL’s high Anniversary prices suggest they’ll need a very strong second main event to fill up the arena. It’s possible one of those matches are added to the card, but that still leads two feuds which aren’t going anywhere.

Tickets for the Anniversary show go on sale Monday August 12. CMLL must be announcing (confirming) the Atlantis versus Ultimo Guerrero main event by then. It’s unlikely they’ll announce the full card, but it would help sell tickets if they also announced whatever second attraction they have on the card. We may just be waiting for a press conference on or around August 8th to clear this up.

Horuz says he’s left CMLL. He posted a message on his Facebook (first found by Luchaworld) saying he enjoyed his time but was going elsewhere. Horuz was going nowhere in CMLL and did not appear to have a chance to advance, so his decision is understandable even if the independent promotions are probably not going to be much better. Horuz debuted in CMLL as part of Generacion del 75 (Anniversary) with Metalik (Mascara Dorada), Tiger Kid, Puma King, Hijo del Fantasma, Flash (Fuego), Skandalo and others and actually seemed to be among the strongest promoted at first. Injuries and personal issues derailed his initial push. Something that was never made public, though implied to be those personal issues, led to El Faraon taking away the character (they’re not actually related) and Horuz has never really been pushed since that time.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update.

Rob has highlights from 12/21 & 12/28/12 CMLL.

Faby Apache says she’ll prove she’s worthy of holding two belts, while Taya disagrees in a video promo.

Porra Fresa previews Monday’s Puebla card.

Bushi had some Bushi/Titan combo masks made. That has some interesting possibilities (or is just a cool mask.)

Lineups

CMLL (FRI) 08/02/2013 Arena Mexico
1) Molotov & Oro Jr. vs Akuma & Inquisidor
2) Dark Angel, Estrellita, Goya Kong vs Amapola, La Comandante, La Seductora
3) Máscara Dorada, Super Porky, Titán vs Rey Bucanero, Rey Escorpión, Taichi
4) Rey Cometa vs Ephesto [lightning]
5) Atlantis, Shocker, Thunder vs Gran Guerrero, Terrible, Último Guerrero
6) Diamante Azul, La Máscara, La Sombra vs Averno, Mephisto, Volador Jr.

Nothing major to run against AAA. It looks like another Sombra/Volador match (which seems too soon); maybe on the Blue Panther Anniversary show in two weeks?

Lightning match should be good.

IWRG (THU) 07/25/2013 Arena Naucalpan [Black Terry Jr. (flickr), IWRG]
1) Seiya b Fulgore II
One fall.
2) Alan Extreme, Diosa Maya, Fulgor I b Astro Rey Jr., Cristal, Freelance
Straight falls, with Fulgor (replacing Saruman) challenging Astro Rey to a title match
3) Bugambilia, Diva Salvaje, Miss Gaviota b Centvrión, Chico Che, Golden Magic
Gaviota beat Centviron and Buga on Golden.
4) Emo Extreme, Heddi Karaoui, Oficial 911 b Dinamic Black, Dr. Cerebro, Veneno
Straight fall. 911 wants another shot at Dinamic Black’s titles and/or mask.
5) Eterno, Máscara Año 2000 Jr., Súper Nova b Toscano, Trauma I, Trauma II
Super Nova snuck in a foul on Trauma II. Challenges followed.

Familia de Tijuana are invincible of late. If Super Nova was el Angel, I’d think they were setting up a mask match here.

Astro Rey would be the saddest man ever to lose his title.

Tonight’s CMLL main event is comprised of two former apuesta matches and one teased apuesta match. Rush, Sombra and Maximo face Terrible, Volador and the returning Taichi. (CMLL Gaceta should probably get a more recent photo.) AAA returns to Mexico City with a show in Gimnasio Juan de la Barrera, and CMLL’s expected to have something a little extra as part of Friday night’s card. There’s a few possibilities from those main event feuds, and some of the other matches on the card. The En Busca de un Idolo tournament returns for one last match, including all the participants and the coaches, and that might also set up something with the winner Vangelis. It does not appear this match will air on Terra; the usual Sunday show is the next lucha event listed.

Our friends over at Genickbruch have realized Arena Coliseo Guadalajara doesn’t really have as many ‘new’ luchadors as it seems. Jocker/Joker is the unmasked In Memoriam and, likewise, Tony Escobedo is the unmasked Azteca de Oro (who gave his name as Antonio Escobedo.)

Links

• A show in Puebla this weekend has CMLL’s Virus & Pegasso in the same match as AAA’s Lucky Boy & Rey Celestial.
• AAA has the second part of their YouTube interview with Jack Evans.
• Will next week’s RCH show be the last time Villano IV fights with a mask? (No. Not even if he loses.)
• Hijo de Climax discusses “la tecnica de la no resistencia.”
• Violento Jack will participate in Freedoms (Japan)’s death match tournament in August.
• There will be an Expo Mascaras next weekend.
• Rompe Huesos has the first part of a look at Atlantis’ mask wins.
• Dr. Morales thinks AAA should try regular shows in Mexico City.
• Excelsior has a bio of Macho (I). He had an interesting career, but I want to hear more about Macho II – this article says he was a luchador/secret agent who died in the line of duty.