Black Terry versus Tony Rivera, overlooked mini luchadors

IWRG (THU) 09/19/2013 Arena Naucalpan [Black Terry Jr. (flickr), IWRG]
1) Araña de Plata & Fulgore II b Alfa & Sky Ángel
Was supposed to be the debut of young team Alfa & Omega, but Sky Angel replaced Omega.
2) Alan Extreme & Fresero Jr. b Chico Che & Látigo
Latigo replaced Aliado.
3) Dragón Celestial, Emperador Azteca, Fulgor I b Ciclón Black, Guerrero Mixtico, Karate Kid
IWRG FILL vs Neza Rivera. Rudos won the first by DQ when Celestial ripped off Black’s mask, and Black got the sweep by defeating Celestial with a Samoa Clutch. They have their mask match next week.
4) Hijo de Máscara Año 2000 & Oficial 911 b Trauma I & Trauma II
Rudos took 1/3, cleanly winning the third.
5) Black Terry, Relámpago (Coahuila), Toscano DQ Eterno, Tony Rivera, X-Fly
Relampago was hurt recently in a car accident and thought to be missing this show, but did wrestle for the first time here this year. He was clearly not 100% and had a rough match. Terry and Tony feuded, Terry faking a foul to get a DQ win.

Terry and Tony made hair match challenges again.

This week’s SuperLuchas has a brief interview with IWRG, who mention they’re currently “on hold” with TVC Deportes and are negotiating with a new network in addition to TVC Deportes.

Today’s CMLL show is a very ordinary show following last year’s Anniversary show. The main event has the six most important guys from that show – Atlantis, Sombra and Blue Panther versus Ultimo Guerrero, Averno and Volador Jr. – but the rest of the card doesn’t carry anything over or really have very important matches. The turnout is going to be way down (and would’ve been way down regardless of last week’s result), but the most interesting part is going to be the reaction of those who still come to the show. The show may be streamed on Terra – CMLL.com says yes, Terra has no mention of it – but it doesn’t feel like one to go out of your way to see.

One story we tried to figure out in Mexico was the status of Pierrothito. Pierrothito was National Lightweight Champion and one of the backstage leaders of the CMLL Pequeno Estrellas division before vanishing from lineups and oddly turning up in New York. CMLL stripped him of his title with no explanation and we really couldn’t find a good one. The unconfirmed story we finally ended up with was it was just a case of personal family issues and Pierrothito may be back later.

There still is something bigger going on with the CMLL minis. There’s just not been as many minis matches lately; from June 30 to September 22 (thru the Furor Arena Naucalpan show), there’s only been 14 in 11 weeks. There has been 31 women’s matches in the same time, including 6 female singles matches to 0 minis singles matches. There’s  a group of minis – Pequeno Violencia, Pequeno Warrior, Shockercito, Aereo, Pequeno Halcon, Fantasy, Pequeno Universo – who were not been booked since August 14. (Demus still hasn’t return from injury. Stukita is confirmed to be gone from CMLL though no one knew why.) Again, Pierrothito was one of the guys in charge of the minis – perhaps these were the guys in the division who were with him and aren’t getting booked without Pierrothito being around any more?

Except – Pierrothito supposedly returned Wednesday night in Queretaro. (I saw supposedly only because both recaps list him but no one has a picture of the minis match.) Shockercito and Warrior are listed back in Puebla this Monday, taking them off the missing list. Maybe it means the rest of the guys start to return, but it doesn’t explain why they’re being booked half as often as the women. This is not a strong moment for the minis, but isn’t one for the women either, and there’s not a merit based argument to give the minis half as much work as the women. The one thing we did learn in Mexico City (but did kind of know already) is many lucha libre decisions are not made by merit.

AAA will be collecting food and supplies for those damaged by recent flooding at Sunday’s TV taping. Any parent who brings a donation will be able to get a free children’s ticket.

Fenix and Taiji Ishimori held a press conference for Sunday’s title match. Very respectful tone, with Fenix noting he was a fan of Misawa. Fenix mentioned on Twitter that he did at least part of the interview in English.

This week’s TerceraCaida is up.

Highlights of Centviron & Seiya vs Impluso & Ares from RCH.

Estrellas del Ring interviews Pesadilla about his three month tour in Japan.

A lucha libre restaurant in Vancouver.

Porra Fresa previews Monday’s card.