FantasticaMania will be on iPPV after all. NJPW announced yesterday two of the shows will be available thru uStream for $15 USD live and on demand. They’ll air the tour opening 01/14 show and the penultimate show on 01/18 with Nakamura/Rush and Mephisto/Mistico. Both shows start at 3:30 AM central time. NJPW lists both their channels as Japanese commentary. Roberto Lopez Olivera from C3/Fox took part in Spanish language commentary for NJPW’s last iPPV but they don’t appear to be offering it this time. If that is something that might interest you, I’d suggest waiting until the day of the show to buy them. It’s still strange they didn’t even hint towards iPPVs for these shows when the shows were announced, and it suggests they’re still figuring this out.
My plan is to do live coverage of both shows. That Tuesday 01/14 show is going to be a bit rough and is obviously the show to skip if you’re only going to get one. It’s also the one to skip if you just don’t want to be up at an absurd hour during the work week. (You can always watch these later, they’ll be available legally on demand for a couple weeks.) As usual, I won’t be posting iPPV videos here, though they’ll obviously turn up on the internet.
It would’ve been nice to get the tour ending 01/19 show as well, but two is a lot better than zero. I’m glad Nakamura/Rush is available; it’s the one big NJPW vs CMLL match on the tour, and it’s the match I’ve got the most hope for.
You may have seen Negro Casas win a plaque declaring him winner of this edition of Leyenda de Plata. CMLL Gaceta’s preview of tonight’s show says Negro Casas versus Volador Jr. will determine the winner of this edition of Leyenda de Plata. I give up. Estetas del Aire versus the Invasors is the billed Terra main event. This is the last show for eight luchadors before they start that very lucrative FantasticaMania tour and it’s possible some of those participants might be looking past this show.
CMLL Gaceta also notes Negro Casas is pretty much feuding with everyone. As usual! He’s got the issue with the Panthers, he’s got to deal with Volador again tonight, and there’s still the undated hair matches with Rush & Shocker to resolve.
An article in La Otra Plana bemoans the level of lucha libre in Arena Olimpico Laguna of Gomez Palacio as a way to promote the opening of a new building in area, Arena Coliseo Corona. The article talks says that arena is being run by Ultimo Guerrero with a more serious place that could open doors to CMLL. (The irony is Ultimo Guerrero worked in Arena Olimpico Laguna this past Christmas; whatever rivalries there are between the different local arenas seem to be dropped when the national guys come home for the holidays.)
CMLL removed the Facebook page it created a few days ago and the one they’ve had for years – they now have one Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/cmll.oficial.
Last night’s Tercera Caida has Hijo de Dos Caras on as guest. He’s also part of the after the cameras segment.
LuchaWorld takes a look at SuperLuchas #100’s list of a top 100 luchadors from 1933 to 1993.
Vampiro will help train the Tlalnepantla police department. The article doesn’t specifically say he’s teaching them Krav Maga, but that’s what it sounds like. (It’s also a press conference by the head of police trying to show off how much he’s doing to fight crime, so famous luchador helps with that..)
Psycho Clown was happy with what he achieved in 2013, and hopes for more in 2014.
Texano video promo about being champion for 400 days.
Disturbio is angry crazy bald man. In a different interview with Fuego en el Ring, Disturbio gives his opponents credits for the wins, explains he liked facing different people than usual, and wants to go after Leo’s title for revenge.
Atlantis talked about the new CMLL mural to the Mas de Mas show. The show airs on Canal 40 (Proyecto) at 4pm this Saturday.
El Hijo del Santo talks about his mask versus hair match with Brazo de Oro.
Press conference for the WMC show next Saturday.
There’s a Güero del Cielo fanclub page on Facebook, which gives me a chance to remember how to correctly type Güero del Cielo.