En Busca de un Idolo cibernetico announced, Lucha Underground

CMLL (TUE) 05/19/2015 Arena México [CMLL]
1) Bengala & Molotov b Espanto Jr. & Inquisidor
Bengala replaced Metatron.
2) La Vaquerita & Marcela DQ Reyna Isis & Tiffany
Marcela replaced Skadi. Isis pulled Vaquerita’s mask for the DQ.
3) Puma, Raziel, Sangre Azteca b Hombre Bala Jr., Soberano Jr., Súper Halcón Jr.
4) Virus b Guerrero Maya Jr. [lightning]
Virus won in 8:06.
5) Ángel de Oro, Fuego, Stuka Jr. b Boby Zavala, Ephesto, Hechicero
Straight falls
6) La Sombra, Máximo, Mistico b Felino, Terrible, Vangellys
Felino replaced Shocker on Monday. Sombra didn’t get along with his parnters, as always.

A filler show.

Rush did end up working last night in Guadalajara. Since he worked in Puebla too, could it be he’s just prevented from wrestling in Mexico City from the time being? Or maybe they just let him work thru that show? At this point, he’s not listed anywhere next week.

CMLL’s card for next week announced a cibernetico to determine the 8 luchadors in En Busca de un Idolo. Last year’s version of this tournament was the best tournament I’d ever seen in Mexico. This year’s field is underwhelming simply by normal standards, and harsh following last year. There are some good wrestlers, though fewer in number. There’s no one as new and exciting as the top four finishers from last year (Barbaro Cavernario, Hechicero, Dragon Lee and the Panther.) Star Jr. & Soberano Jr. would be ahead of most of this field as well.

The 16 wrestlers eligible for this new stars tournament fit into a few different buckets.

definitely not new, and have been treated as non stars for all that time: Pegasso, Raziel, Cancerbero

already stars and definitely not new: Delta, Guerrero Maya Jr., Sagrado

new, not yet stars, but not very good: Blue Panther Jr., Gallo, Canelo Casas, Akuma

too new to be ready for these matches: Flyer

new stars who actually belong in this tournament: Stigma, Esfinge, Boby Zavala, Disturbio

who even knows: Joker

Even putting Stigma & Esfinge in the belong category is a reach. The decision not to repeat luchadors from previous tournaments narrows the choices, but there’s still exciting guys (Hombre Bala, Rebelde, Magnus, not-Stigma Puebla luchadors) who were passed over for people who don’t belong or who aren’t going to be much good. The volume of good matches themselves are unlucky to hold a candle to last year’s show; there should still be some good ones (especially if Maya or Raziel advance), but it looks like a couple months of a blah matchups.

Since the only mention of this tournament was listing on the poster for next week, there remains all the questions about how this is going to work (the extended format from last year?) and how or if it’ll be transmitted. The cibernetico will probably air on CadenaTres. The tournament matches themselves have aired on Fox Sports 2 and Terra, neither of which broadcast CMLL matches currently.

This all may be discussed on CMLL Informa today, or they’ll mention it for about 15 seconds after interviewing two people who are having a meaningless match on Saturday for eight minutes.

Lucha Underground’s episode tonight is the 28th, titled “Shoots and Ladders”. Matches scheduled

• Marty the Moth Martinez vs Prince Puma
• DelAvar Daivari vs Texano – actually happening this time.
• Angelico, Ivelisse, Son of Havoc vs Bael, Mr. Cisco, Cortez Castro in a ladder match for the Lucha Underground Trios Championship.

Only three matches leaves plenty of time for talking, so we might learn more about Johnny Mundo’s actions at the end of last week’s show, Puma’s upcoming title match with Hernandez, and the return of Mil Muertes. There’s no video teasers this week, which is strange. Live results mentioned something didn’t go right with the main event finish; given LU’s editing, you probably won’t notice it. Tonight’s Lucha Underground goes up against a NXT special, and so might end up being the least discussed Lucha Underground show on Twitter in a while.

Luchadors in the tournament are already heading into Mexico: Masusme and Tiger Mask III were traveling in early today, Drew Galloway mentioned he’s coming Thursday. Maybe the idea is to get most everyone there in time for the matchup selection press conference on Friday? Given AAA’s recent poor luck in getting foreigners there in time for big shows (and ACH’s own run of bad luck in making flights), people coming early seems like a wonderful idea.

MLW Radio is doing a series of podcasts to hype the Lucha World Cup. Dorian Roldan was interviewed on Tuesday’s edition, talking about the competition. He again said they just started working on this in February, so it really seems like they had no outside teams locked in when they held that press conference and pulled it all together about 2.5 months. (That’s a remarkable achievement.) On Lucha Underground, Dorian said those involved recently had a very improtant set of meetings and will have more soon. He can’t announce anything right now, but was very positive on the chances of a second season, and hopeful they’d have something to announce in about two weeks, maybe June.

Also, AAA current wrestler count: 92.

Dorian Roldan also gave a presentation at a sports innovation conference in Mexico, talking about AAA & Lucha Underground. Among those things shown was an early character model sheet for some Lucha Underground characters. Early enough that the names were changed. They figured out how the characters should look (in and out of the ring) not just for the TV show, but for graphic novels and other media forms. Those haven’t shown up yet, but hopefully would be part of any second season announcement. There are seven characters shown in that picture; there were fourteen when I saw those pictures last year…

Hijo del Fantasma/King Cuerno is on Wrestling Observer Live today, probably to talk Lucha Underground and the Lucha World Cup. He’s probably also on MLW Radio this week.

+LuchaTV has highlights of the Bestario I quarterfinals –  Wasson vs Heredero, Puma Galactico vs Principe Aereo, Centella Atomica vs Pegasus and Rey Fenix vs Aramis – including the judging.

Hechicero says he’s still looking for a name for his new hold (you need to tell it to him on Facebook) and credits Alexis for coming up with the idea.

Black Terry Jr. has highlights of Rey Horus vs Aeroboy.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update.

Toro Bill Jr. & Rey Apocalipsis want to face all the CMLL DF guys to prove Puebla luchadors are better. Also, it was Fuerza Chicana who wrestled on Monday, not Furia.

SegundaCaida reviews Cavernario, Euforia, Mr. Niebla vs Maximo, Titan and Valiente.

SuperLuchas looks back to Canek vs Blue Blazer, with GIFs!

Lineups

IWRG (SUN) 05/24/2015 Arena Naucalpan
1) Aeroman & Alas de Acero vs Magnum 44 & Power Bull
2) Metaleón, Mr. Leo, Yakuza vs Araña de Plata, Dowki, Hip Hop Man
3) Dragón Celestial, Leo, Mike, Teelo vs Avisman, El Hijo del Diablo, Electro Boy, Imposible [super libre]
4) Black Terry, Cerebro Negro, Dr. Cerebro vs Diva Salvaje, Estrella Divina, Miss Gaviota
5) Máscara Sagrada, Pantera, Veneno vs Cien Caras Jr., Hijo de Máscara Año 2000, Negro Navarro

Terrible Cerebros are back together. There’s a combined Lucha Libre Boom & DTU show on June 17.