Lucha Underground interview, IWRG FILL show, Guadalajara

CMLL (TUE) 07/07/2015 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [CMLL]
1) Évola & Exterminador b El Tapatío & Metatrón
2) Arkángel de la Muerte, Disturbio, Maléfico b Gallo, Magnus, Starman
Gallo replaced Vaquero Jr. Arkangel beat Starman.
3) Amapola, Dalys, Zeuxis b Dark Angel, Estrellita, Lluvia
Zeuxis replaced Comandante (still in Japan.) Amapola beat Estrellita.
4) Guerrero Maya Jr., Titán, Tritón b Ephesto, Hechicero, Luciferno
Titan & Maya beat Hechiceor & Luciferno in the third fall.
5) Rey Bucanero, Rey Escorpión, Terrible b Atlantis, La Máscara,Máximo
Escorpion beat Maximo clean, demanded a title shot.

So much for Vaquero Jr.’s debut. Wish we got to see the semimain.

IWRG FILL (WED) 07/08/2015 Arena Naucalpan [+LuchaTV, Black Terry Jr. (flickr), IWRG]
1) Demonio Imperial, La Teniente, Skanda b Blue Metal, Canario, Vardeus
2) Guerrero 2000, Magnum 44, Troll b Blue Monsther, Hijo del Alebrije, Voltar
3) Apolo Estrada Jr., Electro Boy, Picudo Jr. b Dragon Fly, Kanon, Super Jack
Apolo Estrada Jr. replaced Arana de Plata.
4) Alas de Acero, Aramis, Atomic Star b Aeroman, Matrix Jr., Power Bull
One of Eterno’s team (Aramis, Alas de Acero & Atomic Star) was hurt, so Black Terry asked Matrix Jr. to sit out to make it 2vs2
5) Atomic Fly, Espada De Plata, Flyer Star, Kesier Dragon, Skiller, Toxin Boy, Wason, Yoruba b Brazo Cibernetico, Caballero De Plata, Dr. Letal, Maquiavélico, Meteoro, Solaris, Sonic, Voraz[Copa High Power]
Gym Zeuz (Toxin Boy) vs Gym Hip Hop (Voraz). Match came down to Toxin Boy & Voraz. 911 fouled Voraze to set up the win, though the recap notes Hip Hop Man had interfered earlier.

Lucha Underground show runner Erik Van Wagenen appeared on Steve Austin’s podcast today. Van Wagenen also ran the Tough Enough with Steve Austin, so that’s the connection. There’s so much good Lucha Underground stuff on this show that you really should listen to it yourself. He’s asked about season 2 and I transcribed the answer. It boils down to still waiting for that phone call telling him the money they need has been approved. They do have a deal in place with El Rey for 40 episodes, even a provisional return date in October, but there’s a gap between the money they’ve got currently and what they need to do the next 40 episodes like they’ve done the last 39. Details of note: El Rey is probably only chipping in a little bit but that bit is approved, it’s sounds possible they could do the show with what they currently have but it would have to be scaled back (to the point of not feeling like Lucha Underground season 1), and it’s United Artist Media, many levels above the show, who’s probably negotiating the deals for the show on their behalf. My read of the situation, completely biased by what I’ve heard elsewhere, is they’re thinking getting on Televisa in Mexico would bridge that funding gap. (He mentions a potential audience of 10-20 million if they could get the show into Latin America.) At the same time, Van Wagenen says any and all options are on the table.

I’ve got pages of notes on this, and don’t want to just list of everything that’s said. There was an answer about the goals of the promotion – which paints the show as something not intended to go on tour, but to get to the people in other media ways. There’s a discussion about merchandise, and the lack there off. Van Wagenen sounds as frustrated about this as much as everyone on this side of the screen, and tries to explain it by the small staff (only 5 people working on the show right now) and a system not used to selling merchandise and not really expecting the demand. I’ve guessed before that the merchandise has been slow out because they want to sell those rights to help fund the production; that doesn’t seem to be an issue here, but he did mention merchandising as something they were trying to bridge the gap.

Some of the best stories surrounded those first tapings. If you were following it then, there was a lot of drama about the contracts, with indie wrestlers concerned they’d be bound to a promotion that would never get off the ground. (Early on, Van Wagenen notes that building trust was the hardest part of the job.) One of the reasons the ex-Tough Enough crew – Marty the Moth, Son of Havoc and Ivelisse – ended up aboard is Van Wagenen had that relationship with them from the previous show and called them up to recruit them personally. It took some work even with that, where Havoc wasn’t thrilled with how his time on that show ended (and more so when his early role was losing to everyone) and Ivelisse voiced objections when she didn’t like her character’s storyline. Fenix, Drago and Pentagon getting stopped at the border 24 hours before the show threw everything into chaos. They had six scripts completed, and had to throw them out. Prince Puma versus Johnny Mundo, which made the first episode work, was thrown together and Mundo signed his contract only 30 minutes before he walked to the ring. Wrestlers and staff argued about why they were doing different things a lot early on (a lot of trust issues) but, when the first episode finally got on air, everyone got what they were doing and how it worked together and it’s been much smoother.

ChilangaMask announced the first match for it’s 08/16 Naucalpan show: Guerrero Maya Jr. vs Guerrero Maya Sr.! I think neither man will be wearing much of their mask by the end of that match.

Konnan Big’s injuries include an internal hematoma, a concussion, 10 stitches around his right eye, and other injuries to his spine and knee.

CMLL has a quick interview with Star Jr., listing the injury which had kept him out for three months as a fracture of the right hand middle finger.

Blue Panther will replace Ultimo Guerrero on Friday’s Arena Queretaro show, since Ultimo Guerrero has since been booked in the Arena Mexico main event. The main event is currently listed as Carlito, Mistico and Volador Jr. versus Sheltong Benjamin, Mr. Niebla and Silver King, but Volador is also booked in Arena Mexico.

+LuchaTV interviews Marcela, Vaquerita and Princesa Sugehit. CMLL Informa had Marcela, Dark Angel, Amapola and Tiffany, also to promote the women’s cibernetico.

Felino talks up his match with Guerrero Mixitico on the 07/11 CaraLucha show.

Days after Crazy Boy confirms he’s an independent, Crazy Boy turns up on an official AAA lineup on their website. He’s there as a local guy, I guess, but it’s still hilarious.

AULL will have LA Park & Volador vs Pagano & Sombra on 08/01. Pagano is inescapable.

Reyes del Atlantida want to defend the national trios titles against all the teams.

A gossip magazine asks Jhonny Gonzalez is he actually has seen Sexy Star’s face, or if she’s in fact been masked the entire time of the relationship. There’s a cute wedding photo with the article.

Diamante, as that name, is back in Coliseo Coacalco this Sunday, so he’s back in Mexico City to look for work. I still can not grasp Diamante was As Charro (and As Jr.), and I keep waiting for someone to explain how I’ve got it wrong.

The Santo/Cassandro London lucha libre shows started today. The Independent talks to the promoter.

RobViper has a music video of 03/06/15 CMLL.

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update.

Winter Palace Podcast talked to Dr. Lucha about San Diego and En Busca de un Idolo 2015. One is more promising than the other.

Estadio Deportes looks back at the history of women’s wrestling in Mexico.

Lineups

IWRG (SUN) 07/12/2015 Arena Naucalpan
1) Diosa Atenea & Lady Drago vs Cristal & El Teniente
2) Black Terry, Cerebro Negro, Dr. Cerebro © vs Leo, Rafy, Teelo [EdM Trios]
first defense
3) Hijo del Pantera, Pantera, Skayde vs Eterno, Halloween Jr., Hip Hop Man
4) Golden Magic, Hijo del Solar, Solar I vs Negro Navarro, Trauma I, Trauma II
5) Danny Casas, Súper Nova, Veneno vs Canis Lupus, Coloso Chris, Príncipe Orión

The Crazy Americans (and Canis) in the main event once again. Semimain has Navarros versus Solar. Ninja Turtles going for the gold should be a good time.