Tonight is CMLL’s second most important show of the year, Homenaje a Dos Leyendas. CMLL will hold two hair versus hair matches tonight, along with the finals of a multiweek tournament. They’ll also be honoring those two legends: rudo legend Cien Caras and CMLL founder Salvador Lutteroth. Today would’ve been Lutteroth’s 114th birthday, which is the primary reason this show is held around this date every year.
There’s still absolutely no word from Terra on what matches from Dos Leyendas will air tonight, or even any official confirmation anything will air at all.There’s still not much reason to be concern they won’t be airing – they’ve not advertised shows previously, we all got concerned, then they just aired them like normal – but there’s not much reason to believe they’re airing the full show either. The Terra feed should start at 8:30pm local, which remains 9:30pm Central DAYLIGHT Time in the US and other regions which already in Daylight Savings Time.
It’s worth noting that the current CMLL TV package means one or two of the heavily pushed matches will not be aired on television, and those that do will likely be edited for time. Even beyond the matches, they’ll have a tribute to Cien Caras which they’ll have to find a way to get in. If you really want to see all of this show, and you can get to Arena Mexico, you need to actually go to Arena Mexico tonight. It’s too bad that those of us who do not really have that option are not being given much of an alternative.
1) Stuka Jr., Super Porky, Titán vs Rey Bucanero, Terrible, Vangellys
A match! To start the show off happy! For at least a while until TRT wins anyway. Hopefully more Titan versus Terrible.
2) Blue Panther, La Sombra, Volador Jr. vs Ephesto, Mephisto, Negro Casas
I know Blue Panther likes fightning Negro Casas, but he should consider sending one of his sons or something, because his partners are just going to turn on each other and cost him the match. Since they don’t seem to be going anywhere with this story, this match is kind of pointless. (By the way, it would be easier to believe Negro Casas was not up fighting in a hair match if he actually appeared to be hurt in any way.)
3) Atlantis & Euforia vs Máximo & Rey Escorpión [natl pi, final]
Finally, we’re on to matches which matter. Kind of. The idea appeared to have two teams who would at least tease two apuesta matches. Maybe happen, mayben ot – they’ve been down that road with atlantis mask matches (and Niebla’s had his own near misses in his past.) If CMLL really plans on going down the route of Maximo & Rey Escorpion facing off this summer, they probably should win to be come off as a bigger deals. That’s not the way it always goes, btu I’m guessng it goes that way this year.
4) Marcela vs Dalys [hair]
It’s kind of amazing this is a reasonable match. Marcela is very good, but Dalys has been far more acceptable as a ruda and is still improving. The last dry run for this, the lightning match from a few weeks ago, was much better than their title match last year. That could’ve been a fluke, but it gives a lot of hope for this match really surprising. Marcela is the better luchadora, and Marcela has never lost a hair match. That loss seems like something that should be saved for a day where it might mean something to a luchadora on the rise. Dalys is probably going ot be in the same spot regardless of what happens here. Just getting her is Dalys victory. Marcela will get the one in the record book.
5) Máscara Dorada, Mistico, Valiente vs Gran Guerrero, Niebla Roja, Último Guerrero
This should be a title match, unless they’re just doing the title match next week instead. It’s not a title match, so the Guerreros should win to keep challening the tecnicos. Maybe Euforia gets added back to the team by then? This is Gran Guerrero’s highest pressure match yet, which doesn’t sound like a good thing, but the Estetas will make it interesting themselves.
6) Rush vs Shocker [hair]
Rush is going to win. This is not about the outcome. This is the moment for Rush prove something to the crowd. If Rush is ever going to turn the Arena Mexico crowd around on him, it’s going to come thru a match like this. Rush just gaining the respect of the crowd, even if he can’t get the cheers, by surviving every thing Shocker can throw at him. (In this case, surviving means winning without using the Rush Driver, or any other finish that can be seen as Rush getting away with something due to favoritism.) This is the night for Shocker to pull out every single trick possible, do anything they can to convince people Rush might be in serious trouble here. I don’t know if CMLL will ever use blood in matches, but this would be the night for it. I’m not even sure if that’s the way they’ll go. They could get an equally strong but totally different idea by destroying Shocker. I’m not as sure Shocker is down with that. I just hope whatever they’re doing, they’ve got a plan of where they want to get to by the end of this match and going forward.
The first two matches are not set up to be good matches and probably won’t get the time. The last four matches all have chances to be good or great, but none are completely safe bets.
I should be around to do live results tonight, but something has come up at the last minute which might cause me to miss the early portion of the show. I’ll figure it out later.
The early, very subject to change, schedule for For Sports 1 in Mexico next Saturday lists the usual CMLL show as a 1 hour show. They expanded it to two hours for the Anniversary show and it would be a good idea here again, or even just an extra half hour to make sure the three most important matches fit in. CMLL is not loading up the show to air some of them on TV Azteca, because CMLL’s Miguel Reducindo says there are no imminent plans for a CMLL show on TV Azteca. He didn’t rule it out from ever happening, but is quoted in the Furia de Titanes article saying rumors on social media are false, it may be some confusion over the Azteca America show, and all the CMLL luchadors/personalities showing up on TV Azteca programming is just a coincidence. I find the last part of that explanation hard to believe and it’s possible there’s a deal being worked on that hasn’t been told to press department, but don’t hold your breath for it right now.
Terra has interviews for tonight’s show. There’s a promo with Rush, one with Shocker and with the women. There’s also a quick Rush bio with a familiar info box. Dalys told Fuego en el Ring that she hopes Princesa Blanca is her second. There hasn’t been much mention of seconds, but I’d guess Mistico or Dragon Lee would be Rush’s second and Negro Casas really should be Shocker’s second.
This Sunday is ChilangaMask’s first anniversary show. MedioTiempo has a complete preview of the card, while Tercera Caida posted a video about Belial and Impulso making it to the main event. That match is the Titan & Belial versus Rey Cometa & Impulso vs the Young Bucks. That should actually have a chance to be the main event this time – none of the CMLL luchadors are booked in Coliseo this week, so there might not be the usual card reshuffling. (However, Rey Cometa is listed on a show in Scottsdale, Arizona of all places on Sunday; my hunch is a booking in the US is more likely to be missed than one near Mexico City. Pirata Morgan is also double booked in Nuevo Laredo and is more likely to be off this show.) LuchaMania Monterrey says 15 fans are coming down from their city for this show.
This week’s Tercera Caida had Rush & Marclea on to promote tonight’s show. There’s after the show interviews with Marcela and Rush as well.
Dragon Rojo Jr. says he got good news from the doctor and will be back in the ring soon. I didn’t even know he was hurt, but he did get pulled from the first block of the incredible pairs tournament and hasn’t been in a match since the title match with La Sombra.
Rey Escorpion, in a radio interview, says he’s rooting for Dalys and Shocker in the apuesta matches. There’s a picture of Black Escorpion, Rey’s brother who’s said to be coming to CMLL.
LuchaMania Monterrey notes the AAA Latin American Championship did not make it from Blue Demon Jr. to Monterrey, so Chessman didn’t actually get anything when he won the title. AAA does list Chessman as the current champion.
Pro Wrestling Revolution will debut a Mini Mariachi on April 27 – and it’s actually the original Octagoncito, using a new name.
DJ Spectro looks back at Grupo Cibernetico.
Ohtani’s Jacket reviews Silver Star vs Charles Lucero.
