Month: January 2015

CMLL (MON) 01/05/2015 Arena Puebla [Periodico Enfoque, Periodico Enfoque (fotos)]
1) Artillero, Policeman, Súper Comando b Black Tiger, Robin, Tigre Rojo Jr.
Tigre Rojo Jr. and Policeman continue to feud.
2) Astral, Astro, Asturiano b Demus 3:16, Espíritu Maligno, Saurón
Astro is probably the former Astro Aéreo Jr.
3) Amapola, Tiffany, Zeuxis b Estrellita, Marcela, Princesa Sugehit
Princesa Sugehit replaced Dark Angel on Saturday. Estrellita returned from neck injury, but lost.
4) Máximo, Valiente, Volador Jr. b Ephesto, Mephisto, Pólvora
Maximo kissed Mephisto for the win.
5) Atlantis b Mr. Niebla
Atlantis won. Niebla challenged for a mask match sometime this year, and Atlantis accepted.

The newspaper writer felt Niebla and Atlantis were pretty definite about doing the mask match (as a potential Anniversary mask match), but it still seems unlikely they’d trust Niebla in that spot.

Today’s Arena Mexico card is more interesting than most of FanatasticaMania. The Pequenos Reyes del Aire is reliably entertaining, and the two other big matches could go either way.

Star Jr. & Soberano Jr. versus Cholo & Ramstein for all the masks is simply the biggest match in all four guy’s careers. The Principe Azuls, Star & Soberano, would have been the runaway rookies of the years in any normal year and they’re more advanced than Super Halcon Jr. & Hombre Bala Jr. were in this spot a few years ago. This should continue them to bigger matches down the road, if they can find a way to move up in a very crowded CMLL roster. Ramstein was a similarly well regarded early match luchador who had the bad luck to come along at a period where CMLL was far less interested in moving young guys up cards. As Fugaz, Ramstein traveled to Japan and worked as a regular Ricky Marvin opponent. Laster on, Ramstein, Sangre Azteca and Hooligan were briefly together as a trio called La Alianza, three talented guys who complained about getting no respect. Sangre & Hooligan eventually got some respect, but Ramstein never did. He’s been stuck in the early matches, and fewer and fewer of the last few years. The Rayo Tapatios and Tigre Blanco were clearly finishing up when they were in this same spot the last few years. It’s not as clear if this would be it for Ramstein, but it’s clearly his last chance to be remembered.

Meanwhile, Cholo is a goofball with glasses on his mask who went multiple years without wins and deserves credit for sticking on the roster despite getting less than 10 matches a year frequently. Cholo’s biggest impact on CMLL so far has been tearing his knee up catching a dive, both putting himself out of action and causing CMLL to (mostly) restrict luchadors from using dives in the first couple of matches. This is also likely as good as it gets for Cholo, though it’s hard to see him ever disappearing and an unmasked look might work just as well for his character.

They’re not the only two aging veterans who could benefit from a good performance tonight. A couple months ago, I linked to an interview with a doctor who spoke about helping luchadors with different techniques to length their career. Rey Bucanero was quoted about how he believed his career would’ve ended two years ago if not for help from this doctor. Bucanero has been wrestling for the last two years, but he’s also been a shadow of the guy who preceded it. Age, injuries, and a style around taking big falls will catch up to you. Bucanero and Volador have teases a hair vs hair match during this feud, which would sort of justify Bucanero winning the cage match. Today’s singles match with them might justify the hair match actually happening. Shocker’s another guy who’s had life catch up to him and isn’t close to the week to week luchador he was a decade ago, but found a way to make it work for a great match last year with Rush. Could Bucanero do the same today and will CMLL continue the hair match either way?

Guadalaraja’s show is pretty much a show. Atlantis, Maximo, Valiente vs Mr. Niebla, Barbaro Cavernario, Felino is the main, plus an odd ball cibernetico. It’d be the first time Dragon Lee meets Pierroth; they’re secretly son and father.

Silver King says Monterrey lucha libre needs to be cleaned up. This is the Silver King who is wearing a mask he lost. I don’t even. (This is all angle to build up the Wagners/Ninjas match they’re doing.) Llaves y Candados has launched a new site, focusing on this show.

Talking to Kasier Sports, Santo Jr. (the son) says school is his priority in 2015. He is training wrestling with Dandy and Dr. Cerebro and has also worked out with Ultimo Guerrero and Bestia Negra, but he knows this will be a long process and the expectations will be high when he debuts, so he’s not going to do so until he’s ready. Santo Jr. working out with Ultimo Guerrero is interesting – Hijo del Santo has spoken highly of his old rival – but then the wrestlers usually don’t hold the same grudges that the promoters do.

LuchaWorld has Alfredo’s picks for the top 10 stories of the 2014, which may just be an excuse to use that Averno picture again.

Segunda Caida approves of Solar vs Negro Navarro (10/01/2014 version) and Freelance, Arez, Segura vs the AULL Ninja Turtles.

Fuego en el Ring radio had Ringo Mendoza as guest.

Super Libre interviews Gallo and Al Carillo.

SuperLuchas writes about the debut of El Enmascarado de Chicago 79 years ago.

Gato Fantasama took Desafio’s hair in Monterrey.

Arena Coliseo Guadalajara recaps 2014 in the arena.

Tony Rivera was so sad about losing to the Ninja Turtles. Eterno & Canis Lupus also challenged the Oficials, and +LuchaTV somehow has highlights from Arena Kalaka.

Eslabon Perdido beat X-Fly to win Copa La Guera in Arena Xalapa.

Apolo Dantes is back to promoting in Jocotepec.

In Arena Aficion, there was a fourway for the vacant Hidalgo heavyweight title – which ended in a draw, so the title’s still vacant.

Kcidis has a Luchoroscopos for Acuario.

Lucha Libre in Japan

Syuri will make her first defense of the CMLL Women’s Championship against Shu Shibutani on 01/12. Goya Kona & Muneca de Plata face Kana and a mystery partner in the semimain.

Lineup

UWE (SAT) 01/31/2015 Arena Lopez Mateos
1) ? vs ??
2) ? vs ??
3) Gallego, Rocky Santana, Romano Garcia © vs Dante, Euro, Filder [AULL TRIOS]
Diabolicos second defense?
4) Hijo De Dos Caras & Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. vs Trauma I & Trauma II and Hijo de Pirata Morgan & Rey Bucanero [UWE TRIOS]
title listed as vacant
5) Chucho el Roto vs Herejía [mask]
6) Atlantis & Último Guerrero vs Dr. Wagner Jr. & LA Park

Main event will be good if you want to see mask pull, fouls, and empty challenges.

Just posted on NJPW. 

CMLL (TUE) 01/13/2015 Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, Osaka, Japan
1) Rey Cometa & Tritón vs Bárbaro Cavernario & Mr. Niebla
2) Ángel de Oro vs Okumura [lightning]
Okumura 20th Anniversary/10 Years in CMLL match
3) Jushin Liger & Mistico vs Gedo & Pólvora
4) Stigma, Stuka Jr., Tiger Mask vs Mephisto, Shinsuke Nakamura, YOSHI-HASHI
5) Captian New Japan, Kushida, Máscara Dorada vs La Sombra, Ryusuke Taguchi, Tetsuya Naito
6) Atlantis, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Volador Jr. vs Gran Guerrero, Kazuchika Okada, Último Guerrero

Tercera is Mistico’s first match since his car accident. He hasn’t wrestled since May 1st, so it’s a 257 day break. There’s no telling how he’s going to do here, but it would be difficult for anyone to have good matches in this situation.

Taped for SamuraiTV, not on NJPW World. Not sure who was asking for an Okumura match but that one sets up a later one. CMLL pretty much flew Niebla over to work random tags, it’s odd.

TNA tag partners Volador and Tanahashi are reunited, good to see.

CMLL (WED) 01/14/2015 Takamatsu-city General Gymnasium, Kagawa, Japan
1) Ángel de Oro & Kushida vs Okumura & YOSHI-HASHI
2) Jushin Liger & Stuka Jr. vs Gedo & Mephisto
3) Rey Cometa & Stigma vs Bárbaro Cavernario & Mr. Niebla
4) Mistico & Tritón vs Kazuchika Okada & Pólvora
5) Atlantis, Captain New Japan, Volador Jr. vs Gran Guerrero, Shinsuke Nakamura, Último Guerrero
6) Hiroshi Tanahashi, Máscara Dorada, Tiger Mask vs La Sombra, Ryusuke Taguchi, Tetsuya Naito

Only show listed as not being aired anywhere. That’s generally fine, pictures of the oddness of the fourth match should suffice.

Maybe Tiger Mask’s only NJPW main event of the year?

CMLL (THU) 01/15/2015 KBS Hall, Kyoto, Japan
1) Kushida & Rey Cometa vs Bárbaro Cavernario & YOSHI-HASHI
2) Ángel de Oro & Stigma vs Mr. Niebla & Okumura
3) Mistico & Tiger Mask vs Gedo & Pólvora
4) Captain New Japan & Stuka Jr. vs Kazuchika Okada & Mephisto
5) Jushin Liger, Máscara Dorada, Tritón vs La Sombra, Ryusuke Taguchi, Tetsuya Naito
6) Atlantis, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Volador Jr. vs Gran Guerrero, Shinsuke Nakamura, Último Guerrero

Taped for SamuraiTV, not NJPWWorld. Still in the random tag matches portion of the tour. Stuka and Captain New Japan figure to get along well, lose terribly.

I could not have more conflicted feelings about the Cavernario/Yoshi-Hashi team.

CMLL (SAT) 01/17/2015 Shin-Kiba 1st Ring, Tokyo, Japan
1) Rey Cometa & Stuka Jr. vs Bárbaro Cavernario & Mr. Niebla [quarterfinal]
2) Stigma & Volador Jr. vs Gran Guerrero & Último Guerrero [quarterfinal]
3) Mistico & Tritón vs Mephisto & Pólvora [quarterfinal]
4) Atlantis & Máscara Dorada vs La Sombra & Tetsuya Naito [quarterfinal]
5) ? & ?? vs ??? & ???? [semifinal]
6) ? & ?? vs ??? & ???? [semifinal]
7) Ángel de Oro © vs Okumura [CMLL LH]
Angel de Oro first defense.
8) ? & ?? vs ??? & ???? [final]

Taped for SamuraiTV, not NJPWWorld.

It’s the Okumura/Angel de Oro match you never wanted to see, plus an authentic bad one night lucha libre tournament. There are some amusing teams and it looks like Sombra & Naito in the final (maybe Guerreros, maybe Peste Negra), but this not a card I’d be that interesting in seeing if held in Mexico. Maybe it’ll be better in Japan.

CMLL (SUN) 01/18/2015 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
1) Ángel de Oro, Jushin Liger, Tiger Mask vs Gedo, Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI
2) Kushida, Rey Cometa, Tritón vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Mr. Niebla, Okumura
3) Captain New Japan, Mascara Don, Máscara Dorada vs La Sombra, Ryusuke Taguchi, Tetsuya Naito
4) Volador Jr. © vs Gran Guerrero [NWA WELTER]
Volador Jr.’s first defense.
5) Stuka Jr. vs Mephisto © [MEX LH]
Mephisto’s 11th defense
6) Hiroshi Tanahashi, Mistico, Stigma vs Kazuchika Okada, Pólvora, Shinsuke Nakamura
annual Black Tiger tribute match.
7) Atlantis vs Último Guerrero

Live on NJPWWorld, 3:30 AM Mexico City time on Sunday morning.

Atlantis & UG can do the main event in their sleep, may try.

Stigma gets in his uncle’s tribute match; Tanahashi is going to have his hands full in that one.

Mephisto/Stuka feels like a match which has to have happened sometime before, but it’s a first time ever.

Gran Guerrero’s probably not up to the demands of a Volador exhibition match; Cavernario would’ve been so much better in that spot.

Mascara Don is Nakanishi in a mask doing wacky things (and probably giving Dorada & Sombra a night off before the finish.)

Assuming Jado’s back to being retired and that’s why Ishii is wrestling on these. Though Ishii could probably also use the rest; there has to be a better solution.

CMLL (MON) 01/19/2015 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
1) Jushin Liger, Kushida, Stuka Jr., Tiger Mask vs Gedo, Okumura, Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI
2) Captain New Japan & Tritón vs Ryusuke Taguchi & Tetsuya Naito
3) Ángel de Oro & Stigma vs Gran Guerrero & Mephisto
4) Rey Cometa vs Bárbaro Cavernario
5) Mistico vs Pólvora
6) Atlantis, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Volador Jr. vs Kazuchika Okada, Mr. Niebla, Shinsuke Nakamura, Último Guerrero
7) Máscara Dorada vs La Sombra

Live on NJPWWorld, 3:30 AM Mexico City time on Monday morning.

Mascara Dorada versus La Sombra, another first ever is super intriguing. It’s CMLL’s top NJPW heavyweight vs CMLL’s top NJPW junior heavyweight, which usually means the junior heavyweight is doing down, but also usually means they don’t do this match to avoid being anyone.

Mr. Niebla in the semifinal is his one significant match on the tour, assuming Peste Negra doesn’t advance

No Welterweight title match; fifth one might have been if they didn’t take it away last week, and I’m less sure why they bothered to do that. Polvora’s going to have a busy day.

I’d be thinking Triton might be the guy to surprise people, do well on the tour, and get brought back a couple times later, like Fuego last year and Titan the year prior. It looks like it lines up a lot better for Cavernario to be in that spot, especially since he gets Cometa on the 19th.

The plan is for live coverage of both shows, though I’m not exactly sure how I’m going to pull that off for the second one. We’ll see.

IWRG (SUN) 01/04/2015 Arena Naucalpan [The Gladiatores]
1) Anubis Black & Araña de Plata b Alfa & Black Niko
straight falls
2) Dragón Celestial & Metaleón b Dowki & Hip Hop Man
very good match.
3) Leo, Mike, Rafy, Teelo b Ciclon Black, Dr. Killer, Roller Boy, Tony Rivera
Ninja Turtles beat Neza Boys. Rafy pinned Tony, who alleged he was only down for two and demanded the referee reverse the finish. The referee declined. IWRG debuts for Killer and Roller Boy
4) Canis Lupus, Oficial 911, Oficial AK47 b Emperador Azteca, Pantera I, Veneno
Oficials weren’t happy with Canis Lupus but the rudos got along in the end. Rudos went after Pantera I, ripping his mask. AK-47 beat Pantera with a powerbomb
5) Hijo De Dos Caras, Relámpago, Súper Nova DQ Chicano, Danny Casas, Hijo de Máscara Año 2000
Eterno was watching the show from the crowd. Tecnicos took fall 1, after Danny accidentally hit Eterno after a dive. After a series of dives, Chicano was left alone in the ring (refs went to check out people), and Eterno decided to run in and give Danny Casas a martinete. Eterno fled the scene of the crime, Mascara & Chicano returned to the ring and were baffled as to what happened to Danny Casas. Danny was stretchered out, and the tecnicos took advantage to tie the match. Mascara fouled Dos in the third.

This is why you have to move when people are diving, otherwise you end up feuding with Danny Casas.

LuchaWorld has this week’s Poster-Mania and KrisZ’s news update.

Segunda Caida looks back at Rey Hechicero vs Valiente.

+LuchaTV has Fenix raving about Flamita and saying he should be in AAA’s Reyes del Aire. They were all friends after the match. Flamita says this is his time.

Ohtani’s Jacket looks back at Fuerza Guerrera vs Misterioso from ’91.