Guerreros vs Atlantida, En Busca de un Idolo, Averno, AAA in Celaya

Lucha Fan Fest (SAT) 05/17/2014 Arena Lopez Mateos [MeditoTiempo, SuperLuchas]
1) Zoom Driver b Carisma
Done in the style of the 30s.
2) Mochiano II, Mohicano I, Mohicano Jr., Piel Roja b Argus, Aztlán, Black Thunder, Skayde
exact participants unconfirmed
3) India Mazahua, Mayu Iwatani, Princesa Mohicana, Xena NC Estrella Negra, Kairi Hojo, Krazy Star, Mystique
Mystique turned on her partners, everyone turned on her, Vanelly made the save for Mystique.
4) Matt Striker & Super Crazy b Bryant Starr & X-Fly
5) Impulso b Belial and Astro Rey Jr.
Listed as the Best Of Chilanga Mask
6) Io Shirai b Star Fire [STARDOM WORLD]
Io retained her title.
7) Canek, El Fantasma, Mil Mascaras b Astro Rey Sr., Máscara Año 2000, Villano IV

The “30s style” match was done first on the WMC show the previous week and seems to be liked by the crowd as a novelty.

CMLL (MON) 05/19/2014 Arena Puebla [Periodico Enfoque, Periodico Enfoque (fotos)]
1) Águila Egipcia & Metatrón b Ares & Guerrero Espacial
Tecnicos took 1/3.
2) Pequeño Nitro, Pequeño Violencia, Pequeño Warrior b Asturiano, Meyer, Tigre Rojo Jr.
Rudo minis beat tecnicos took 1/3.
3) Fuego, Rey Cometa, Sagrado b Cancerbero, Kamaitachi, Raziel
Tecnicos took 2/3.
4) Felino, Mephisto, Negro Casas b Delta, Guerrero Maya Jr., Máximo
Mephisto replaced Mr. Niebla a few hours before the show. Rudos took 1/3, Maximo getting distracted by Negro Casas and beat in the process by Mephsito. Delta & Maya were not happy wiht Maximo.
5) Gran Guerrero, Niebla Roja, Último Guerrero DQ Máscara Dorada, Valiente, Volador Jr.
Guerreros jumped the tecnicos and took the first, then were DQed in the second. UG tossed his mask to Volador Jr. to draw the DQ in the third.

The Guerreros follow up that win with a bigger match tonight. Ultimo, Roja and Euforia defend the world trios championship versus Reyes del Atlantida in Arena Mexico. This is the Guerreros first defense and it’s unlikely they’ll lose, but it’s not out of the question with the ongoing Atlantis/Ultimo Guerrero rivalry. Delta, Atlantis and Guerrero Maya Jr. had a really great run of matches as national trios champions two years ago, and the hope is this match calls back to some of those.

Metalico makes his debut on the rudo side in the undercard, continuing his feud with Oro Jr.

Tonight wraps up the first round of the En Busca de un Idolo tournament. It’s essentially a three person race for the last two spots:

+00 Cachorro
-59 Dragon Lee
------------------
-65 Star Jr.

Those gaps look big but will quickly vanish. Lee & Star Jr. will get 25 to 35 points from judges no matter what happens tonight. That might be enough for Dragon Lee, who’s currently well ahead of the other two in the poll, enough that he might pick up another 30 points even without a win. Star Jr. doesn’t have that big fan poll edge and more definitely needs that 20 points for winning over Guerrero Negro Jr. and as many judging points as he can get.

There’s very little drama left if Dragon Lee defeats Hechicero and Star Jr. loses to Guerrero Negro Jr. The fan poll will decide any other outcome, and the fan poll may close by noon Wednesday.

The safest bet tonight is Mr. Niebla won’t be part of the judging panel. He was pulled from both last night’s Puebla show and from this upcoming Friday’s main event. There’s no official word – there’s never official word – but Mr. Niebla appeared to be increasingly drunk in his en Busca de un Idolo appearances and that likely caused him to be suspended. Note that Mr. Niebla was appearing on the En Busca de un Idolo panel while already secretly suspended for the crowd brawl on 04/25 – he got suspended while already suspended! That’s hall of fame level disciplinary issues.

It’s also not a big surprise Mr. Niebla would end up getting in trouble before the end of this tournament. CMLL put him on that panel knowing (and probably hoping) he would say crazy drunk-ish things, because that’s his entire personality. Mr. Niebla did exactly that, and did it so well he got himself in trouble for it. The judging panel, including absences and behavior, has gone exactly the way everyone knew it would go from the moment it was announced. Niebla should be professional, but they knew that was unlikely to happen. (It’s exactly the same as the Mr. Aguila thing. You know what’s he’s going to do, and it’s sad he keeps doing it, but maybe stop putting him in those bad positions.)

CMLL’s immediate issue is restoring some momentum to the main issues on the Friday night shows. They’ve spent the last two weeks spinning their wheels due to the prior suspension delaying the tag team title match) and probably would have to wait two more weeks for Niebla to be eligible to return. That’s a full month of the promotion getting colder (and no new idea coming up to replace it.) Shocker is listed as replacing Niebla on Friday, and maybe he and Casas take the tag team title match instead just to get things moving? Not that Shocker is that much more reliable.

One more thing to look for late tonight: there’s a half decent chance CMLL will announce a tournament for Mistico’s CMLL Welterweight championship next Tuesday. They’ll have more room for it with En Busca de un Idolo wrapped up on Tuesdays.

Averno, referred both by that name and his real name, says he’s come to AAA to prove he’s better than the best they have. Averno believes that mysterious man in white might just be a man he was looking for, and he wants to settle things with him as well. It feels bizarre to be doing this bit where no one knows who this man in white exactly is while Sin Cara is constantly working spots shows with Averno & the rest of the AAA roster. I think they assume no one pays attention to non-local spot shows and they’re probably right.

AAA’s TV announced  a 06/04 taping in Celaya. That’s got to air three days later, on the following Saturday and it’s in a bit of lame duck location. It may not be the most meaningful show, but they can sneak in some good matches.

AAA also has a promo video for Ring & Rock StAAArs #2, the Hard Rock show/resort vacation package they did back in December. There’s no date listed in the promo, but it’s taking place in the next couple months.

In “that’s weird” news, local newspaper reports Saturday’s AAA Cruiserweight title match as Aerostar, Axel, Daga, Steve Pain, Eterno and “luchador sorpresa”. Luchador sorpresa is/was Bengala’s spot. Bengala wasn’t on last Saturday’s card and it’s possible he was supposed to – hope he’s not an endangered animal already. It’s a random newspaper report, far from the most reliable thing, so it may just be nothing.

Maybe related, maybe not: Konnan said more luchador surprises are coming on Saturday.

Jose Manuel & Bernardo did an hour long Google hangout last night, answering fan questions, on their new +LuchaTV channel.

LuchaTV also has videos of X-Fly attacking Eterno and Villano IV challenging everyone under the sun to a mask match.

Rob has highlights of 02/21/14 CMLL.

LuchaWorld has this week’s PosterMania.

R de Rudo looks at recent CMLL jumps to AAA.

Lineup

CMLL (MON) 05/26/2014 Arena Puebla
1) Black Tiger, Leono, Star Jr. vs Fuerza Chicana, King Jaguar, Toro Bill Jr.
2) Águila Egipcia, Asturiano, Paris vs Mercurio, Pequeño Olímpico, Pequeño Warrior
3) Rey Cometa, Stigma, Stuka Jr. vs Kamaitachi, Puma, Shigeo Okumura
4) La Sombra, Marco Corleone, Rush vs Felino, Mephisto, Negro Casas
5) Volador Jr. vs Último Guerrero

Volador has Rush on Sunday, so that’s back to back singles matches for him (again) and three in seven days starting tonight with Rey Escorpion in Guadalajara. Minis versus Puebla continues, and maybe continues all the way thru a cage match in a couple months.

Marco’s doooooomed.