Month: April 2015

IWRG (SUN) 04/05/2015 Arena Naucalpan [Black Terry Jr., Estrellas del Ring, IWRG]
1) Hip Hop Man b Dragón Celestial © [AIWA ARGENTINA CRUISER]
Hip Hop Man wins the (his) title back. Zero known successful defenses for Dragon Celestial.
2) Leo, Mike, Rafy, Teelo b Apolo Estrada Jr., Avisman, El Hijo del Diablo, Electro Boy
3) Ricky Cruz b Spartan, Tony Rivera, Oficial 911, Pantera I, Rayan, Liderk, Oficial AK47, Hijo del Alebrije, Cerebro Negro, Emperador Azteca, Astro Rey Jr., Hijo de Máscara Año 2000,Yakuza, Danny Casas, Black Terry, Rafy, Hijo de Mascara Sagrada, Golden Magic, Hijo del Fishman, Universo 2000 Jr., Relámpago, Metaleón, Chicano, Apolo Estrada Jr., Máscara Sagrada,X-Fly, Eterno, Hijo De Dos Caras, Veneno [IWRG Rey del Ring]
Wrestlers entered every 3 minutes, so this was a 90 minute match. Astro Rey, Spartan, Yakuza and Ricky Cruz returned. Other Ninja Turtles were in the group photo of participants but didn’t actually get int he match. Oficials and Comandos feuded, with AK-47 unmasking Rayan multiple times. Spartan (listed as Spector on EdR) and Tony Rivera started, and Pantera & Tony were the first ones out. Veneno was #30. Final four were Eterno, X-Fly, Hijo de Dos Caras and the returning Ricky Cruz, with the sort of FdT duo being eliminated first. Dos & Cruz agreed to wrestle cleanly. Cruz had Dos pinned, with one referee (Rosas) saying Dos was down for three and the other referee (Sonrisas) saying Dos got a shoulder up at two. Cruz asked for the match to continue to settle it, and eventually submitted Dos for the win. Cruz is a two time winner, having won this back in 2009.

Cruz winning makes sense if he’s returned, though it doesn’t really explain why he’s returned. It’s IWRG, it doesn’t matter. This will likely air on AYM tonight, AYM doesn’t post produce their shows at all, so they’re probably going to air a 100 minute segment without a commercial break.

Tonight’s Puebla show has a Sky Team/Guerreros main event, and the first of two Syuri/Marcela’s lightning match. Syuri’s undefeated this time, but Marcela figures to put an end to that before their title match on Friday. CMLL is doing a good job with Syuri which kind of totally exposes how bad a job they do with everyone who actually works for them. It’s so out of character, even with how CMLL normally books foreigners, that it causes one to believe something unusual is going on here. Crazy theory that’s not as crazy as I’d like: is REINA compensating CMLL to book Syuri exactly the way they’d like them? Is CMLL some sort of fantasy camp nowadays? I have zero proof of this and am just speculating, but there is definitely an effort being made here wholly different with how CMLL handles everyone else – it’s not like even this Mistico was winning every single match when he returned. CMLL has to be getting something out of this, they always appear to be looking to make money from CMLL by selling it off in many different ways (besides running a successful week to week promotion), it’s just a different form of advertising revenue.

I don’t have any problem with Syuri being used this way, none at all, it’s simply jarring for to CMLL show they’re capable of doing such things when they’re doing virtually nothing with their own wrestlers. I’m not sure CMLL is doing an En Busca de un Idolo this year – JCR interviewing Tony Salazar on Informa with neither of them even bringing up the idea was a bad sign – but CMLL not bothering to run a Gran Alterntiva or Sangre Nueva tournament feels like a specific effort to do to a little as possible at the moment. Maybe even making it about critical popular things is missing the point: the Dia de Muertos weekend didn’t make any one’s lists of best shows of the year, but they seemed to be successful in bringing people in and that sort of dramatic staging would be something logical to try again in another way but there’s no sign of it and it probably won’t unless the calendar just happens to work out.

A few new US trademarks have popped up for Lucha Underground. Unlike some of the previous ones reported, these are all characters who will appear later this season. The trademarks look to be filed a few days after their first appearances were taped. Hopefully mentioning the existence of characters is not a spoiler:

• Delavar Daivari, the Golden Warrior – if that last name rings a bell, he’s the older brother.
• trio the Disciples of Death (aka DOD): Trece, El Sinestro de la Muerte and Barrio Negro.

They also grabbed Mil Muertes ‘real name’ of Pascual Mendoza and the season ending title of Ultimalucha (one word.)

Ohtani’s Jacket reviews Negro Casas vs La Fiera.

Segunda Caida reviews the recent Marco/Rush vs Casas/Shocker tag title match.

SuperLuchas has a new logo.

CMLL (SAT) 04/04/2015 Arena Coliseo [CMLL]
Arena Coliseo 72nd Anniversary
1) Súper Comando b Bengala
2) Canelo Casas b Flyer
3) Súper Halcón Jr. b Nitro
4) Syuri b Dalys
Syuri has now won all 5 matches she’s been in on this tour.
5) Delta & Guerrero Maya Jr. b Pólvora & Vangellys
Tecnicos took 2/3.
6) Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero b Stuka Jr., Titán, Valiente
Guerreros took 1/3.
7) Mistico b Ripper
Mistico won the first with a huracanrana, Ripper the second with a tapatia, Mistico the third with La Mistica.

Attendance seemed slightly up, but the Sabado Retros format (and general programming malaise) meant it wasn’t going to be nearly as big as show as it had been in years prior. CMLL online said they treated it like a festive show, but Porra Fresa was unimpressed, feeling CMLL did nothing to celebrate the anniversary outside of mentioning in on the poster. SuperLuchas notes that on the same day, 39 years ago, the Arena Coliseo anniversary show had a title match and a hair match.

Battle-news has the usual detailed review of Syuri’s ever move in her match. The articles notes Negro Casas congratulated Syuri on her great performance against his wife.

CMLL (SUN) 04/05/2015 Arena México [CMLL, NotiMex]
1) Magnus & Molotov b Akuma & Espanto Jr.
Espanto Jr. left the match hurt after taking a move from Mangus.
2) Eléctrico, Mercurio, Pequeño Olímpico b Acero, Astral, Shockercito
Electrico worked rudo as an emergency sub for Pequeno Nitro and got the win.
3) Dark Angel, Skadi, Syuri b Dalys, La Seductora, Tiffany
Sixth straight win for Syuri.
4) Ángel de Oro, Stuka Jr., Valiente b Kamaitachi, Pólvora, Rey Escorpión
5) Dragon Lee b Virus © [CMLL SL]
Seconds were Star Jr. (otherwise not on the show) and Pequeno Olimpico. Dragon Lee won the first fall with two straight german suplexes. Virus defeated him in the second (which involved referee Terror Chino messing up yet again) and Dragon Lee took the win and the championship with a hanging double stomp. Virus falls in his ninth defense after 1387 day reign. Money thrown in.
6) Felino, Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas b Máximo, Titán, Volador Jr.
Mr. Niebla’s lastest return, winning clean with the splash.

Dragon Lee getting this title shot so soon after unmasked Kamaitachi telegraphed the title change. Virus’ title reign was one of the best things CMLL had going, a likely match of the year every time he defended the championship and actually getting to defend it fairly often (compared to normal for CMLL.) Dragon Lee will have his own type of exciting matches – there should definitely be a rematch with Kamaitachi, and Barbaro Cavernario would make sense as a challenger as well – but it’d be a shame if Virus just gets sucked back into midcard stasis. They’ve got to keep using him.

Lucha Azteca (USA) is currently not listed in some guide listings for next week Saturday. It could show up later in the week, but it’s worth keeping an eye on.

+LuchaTV has highlights of Rayo Star’s dive onto Skyman, plus highlights of the Traumas & Pirata Morgan Jr. vs Puma, Tiger and Stigma from Lucha Libre Boom. Puma seems fairly sure he and his brother are better than the Traumas.

LuchaWorld has Saturday’s KrisZ’s news update.

Rob has a music video of AAA 11/30/14 and CMLL 12/02/14.

Super Libre had Black Terry, Blue Panther, Volador Jr. in taped interviews

Fuego en el Ring had Cuatrero and Sanson in studio.

Epydimus won the LyC Cruiserweight championship today.

The preliminary lineup for ChilangaMask on 05/16 Guadalajara includes Caifan, Rey Horus, and Latin Dragon as the non-regulars.

Rayo de Plata wants the government to sponsor a lucha libre museum in San Luis Potosi.

Lucha Libre in Japan

04/05 NJPW: Kenny Omega (c) b Mascara Dorada [IWGP JH]
Sad. This was a good match. Even better is I didn’t stay up for it and avoided the feed going down.

Lineups

CMLL (SAT) 04/11/2015 Arena Coliseo
1) Angelito vs Pequeño Olímpico
2) Sensei vs Nitro
3) La Vaquerita vs La Seductora
4) Stigma vs Arkángel de la Muerte
5) Tritón vs Sangre Azteca
6) Blue Panther Jr. & Dragon Lee vs Kamaitachi & Virus
7) Guerrero Maya Jr., Máximo, Rush vs Ephesto, Rey Bucanero, Shocker

first appearances for Rush & Sombra here under Sabado Retros format.

CMLL (SUN) 04/12/2015 Arena México
1) Bengala & Molotov vs Apocalipsis & Cholo
2) Acero, Aéreo, Shockercito vs Demus 3:16, Pequeño Nitro, Pierrothito
3) Delta vs Pólvora [lightning]
4) Blue Panther Jr., Starman, The Panther vs Okumura, Pierroth, Sagrado
5) Fuego, La Máscara, Super Porky vs Euforia, Niebla Roja, Vangellys
6) Atlantis, Mistico, Titán vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas

More Niebla. Maybe Niebla’s just been cleared to work Sundays. Segunda looks good, not sure about the rest.

CMLL (FRI) 04/03/2015 Arena México [@naoki909 , CMLL]
1) Eléctrico & Último Dragoncito b Demus 3:16 & Pierrothito
Tecnicos took 1/3
2) Marcela, Princesa Sugehit, Syuri b Dalys, La Comandante, La Seductora
dropped to the second match. Tecnicas took 2/3.
3) Blue Panther Jr., Fuego, The Panther b Cancerbero, Raziel, Virus
moved up to tercera. Tecnicos took 2/3.
4) Rey Escorpión b Valiente [lightning]
Escorpion won via Aguijon Mortal
5) Rey Bucanero, Shocker, Terrible b Atlantis, Marco Corleone, Máximo
Rudos are now Terriblemente Guapos y un Rey and were wearing TGR shirts. Rudos took 1/3 and beat up KeMonito after the match.
6) La Sombra, Negro Casas, Rush DQ Euforia, Último Guerrero, Volador Jr. [Relevos Increíbles]
Euforia replaced Thunder. Team Sombra took 1/3, the last with Sombra tossing his mask to Volador JR.

Thunder doesn’t show, so CMLL goes to it’s consent bailout move: more Volador/Sombra.

Not really sure what giving new t-shirts is going to do for Terrible, Bucanero and Shocker that the last few months of pushing has not. CMLL needs new people in the top mix but are clearly uninterested. Because this is we are in 2015, the first thing I did was search to see if there’s some supplement named “TGR”. (Not as far as I could find.) In an interview with Estadio Deportes, TGR declared they were against everyone, tecnico or rudos, making them exactly like the Ingobernables, the Electroshock trio, the Hellbrothers and every single other rudo faction to form in the last couple of years.

CMLL already has highlights of the show up.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update from Friday.

SuperLuchas looks back at a past April 4th Arena Mexico show with two big title matches and a a tag hair match.

Llaves Y Candados shows of it’s new Cruiserweight championship belt.

Alfonso Morales sticks up for Leo Riano and rips Rey Bucanero in his column.

Lucha Libre In Japan

04/01 Wrestle-1: Hijo del Pantera beat Andu Wu to advance to the semifinals of the W-1 Crusierweight Championship. Pantera moves on to face Minoru Tanaka, where he’ll be a significant underdog.

Lineups

CMLL (FRI) 04/10/2015 Arena México
1) Astral, Eléctrico, Fantasy vs Mercurio, Pequeño Olímpico, Pequeño Universo 2000
2) Fuego, Pegasso, Tritón vs Boby Zavala, Puma, Tiger
3) Syuri © vs Marcela [CMLL WOMEN]
Syuri’s 3rd defense
4) Ángel de Oro, Atlantis, Super Porky vs Gran Guerrero, Rey Escorpión, Último Guerrero
5) Marco Corleone, Máximo, Rush vs Rey Bucanero, Shocker, Terrible
6) Volador Jr. vs La Sombra

CMLL video preview.

La Sombra vs Volador Jr. singles matches by year (in any venue)

2: 2010
1: 2011
3: 2012
8: 2013
4: 2014
1: 2015

This’ll be #20. It’s only the 12th in Arena Mexico. (Sombra leads 6-4-1)

This is the first CMLL Women’s title match in Mexico since 2013. There’s been four title matches in Japan in that time. Usual practice is Marcela wins the title back here, though that feels even more underwhelming than usual.