Promoter Carlos Maynes passed away yesterday from a heart attack yesterday. He was 71. Maynes was one of the people who ran the Lucha Libre Independente/UWA promotion, probably the most attended promotion in the world at the time of it’s peak. He took over as lead promoter when his uncle Francisco Flores passed away thru the end of the promotion. He’d been running Arena Queretaro since 2005; Tercera Caida interviewed him there last year.
AAA returns to taping TV for the first time tonight in Tapachula, Chiapas. It’s their first TV taping in 27 days. It may not be by design, but AAA’s mimicing the taping patterns of Lucha Underground: they’ll tape a month’s worth of shows over the course of the weekend, and then disperse again for a few weeks. Tonight is also AAA’s first taping that’s simoly a taping in nearly 2 months. They’ve had the Rey de Reyes disaster and the two tapings which became partly Perros Aguayo tribute shows.
Maybe that’s where the interesting things on this taping start: Pentagon Jr. & Joe Lider, tag team champions and members of Perros del Mal, will team in the semimain tonight. It’s probably most likely they’ll just stay wearing the Perros del Mal gear until something else comes along, but we might have a better idea of what’s next for them after this show. They face Myzeziz and Drago, who seems to be doing OK after having his wrestling career come to an end last night. The other 2v2 match on the show is Angelico & Jack Evans vs Cuervo & Scoria, the first in what looks to be a summer long series between those two teams.
The most meaningful matches on tonight’s show are likely to be the two triangle matches. Fenix, Electroshock, and Hijo del Fantasma face off for one spot on the second Mexican team in the World Cup, while La Parka, Texano and Cibernetico face off against another. Both matches have current rivials (Fenix/Fantamsa + Parka/Cibernetico) likely to cost each other the match, leaving the third wheels (Texano, Electroshock) as the favorites.
The main event is El Patron vs Cage, and the one thing we’re sure about is it won’t be the last time they face. The ticket page for Verano de Escandalo says Alberto el Patron will face Brian Cage, which is exactly what you’d expected on this cycle of TV. The title is not mentioned, but presumably would be on the line. The preview also says the rest of the card will be announced in two weeks. Tickets are running 180 to 1680 pesos ($12 USD to $109 USD).
CMLL’s press conference turned out to do very little to do with the in-ring product, but instead focused on some promotional tie-ups. The one that was talked about later is a children’s short story contest called “A 2 de 3 cuartillas”, partnering with the national council for the arts and the national institute of indigenous languages. The contest open to kids from 7 to 12 (split in half for two different age groups), with the deadline until the end of July and the winners announced in September. The stories have to be link to CMLL luchadors in some way. The winner gets a tablet, four passes to any show, an autographed masks, and more gifts and books, with various runner up prizes. The winning stories will be put together and illustrated for a book in 2016 and the authors will be honored at the Anniversary show. Everyone who sends in a story will get a CMLL luchador photo sent back as thanks.
Guerrero Maya, Delta, Blue Panther, Brazo de Plata and Monito were the luchadors involved in the promotion, but maybe the most interesting name was “Directora de Relaciones Culturales del CMLL” Gala Lutteroth. I didn’t know CMLL had a director of cultural relations, but it would explain some of the things they’ve done in the last year (the Dia del Muertes shows for example). I do know it’s rare to see a Lutteroth actually in a public role with CMLL, the owners of the company included.
There’s also a Mistico commercial promoting it, which will probably be a staple on TV for the next couple months.
There’s a ticket giveway for Cara Lucha’s show on Saturday. There’s also an Atlantis promo.
The press release for the AAA/Santo/Victoria press conference mentions there will be some sort of ticket giveaway to the Lucha World Cup. The method and amount of tickets is not said. The World Cup page is posting photos of all the announced participants, starting with Myzteziz, Alberto el Patron and Rey Mysterio Jr. I like how Rey’s team lists his hair wins against Rocco Valente, Vulcano, Tony Arce and CM Punk, because it lets me imagine CM Punk as part of the Destructores. Lucha World Cup also announced Lucha Underground referee Marty Elias will be part of the show.
LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update.
RobViper has a music video of 01/02/15 CMLL
ChilangaMask added Ciber Punk & Garrobo Punk vs Arez & Belial vs Iron Kid & Aramis to their 05/17 Coacalco show.
SuperLuchas looks back at Gory Guerrero winning the NWA Welterweight Championship,a fter it seemed he had already won it three weeks prior.
Tercera Caida has highlights of Mr. Jack vs Rey Hechicero, Lokillo vs Drastick Boy vs Pesadilla, Canek, Octagon, Heavy Metal vs Mascara 2000, Fuerza Guerrera and Fuerza Negra, Mil Mascaras, Dos Caras, Rayo de Jalisco Jr. vs Hijo del Solitario, Scorpio Jr., and Cien Caras Jr., and Miedo Extremo vs Paranoiko vs Crazy Boy vs Halloween and interviews with Hechicero, Canek, Crazy Boy, Guerrero Maya Jr., Blue Panther and Aeroboy challenging Rey Horuz to a match on the Guadalajara Chilanga Mask shows.
Segunda Caida watched more early 2015 CMLL highlgihts.
LV has reviews of this week’s AAA and CMLL on Fox
Voices of Wrestling reviews this week’s Lucha Underground.