CMLL (TUE) 05/31/2016 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Martes de Glamour]
1) Mágico & Magnum b Kempo Dragón & Príncipe Kisho
Tecnicos took 1/3.
2) Oro Jr., Robin, Vaquero Jr. b Akuma, Espanto Jr., Joker
Tencicos took 2/3.
3) Eléctrico, Fantasy, Último Dragóncito b Pequeño Nitro, Pequeño Universo 2000, Pierrothito
Tecnicos took 2/3.
4) Ángel de Oro, Esfinge, Valiente b Cavernario, Furia Roja, Sagrado
Tecnicos took 2/3, Angel de Oro beating Cavernario.
5) La Máscara, Shocker, Terrible b Máscara Dorada, Rush, Titán
Rudos took 1/3, Mascara sneaking in a foul on Rush.
The easy guess is Furia Roja is booked higher to feud with Esfinge – they’re booked against each other next week too – but it doesn’t appear they’re feuding so far. They don’t seem to be working especially against each other in the pictures.
IWRG (WED) 06/01/2016 Arena Naucalpan [The Gladiatores]
1) Orión b Atomic Star
New Orion? Old Orion? No idea.
2) Ángel Guerrera & Aramis b Adrenalina & Lilith Dark
Debuts of luchadoras Angel Guerrera & Lilith Dark.
3) Anubis, Imposible, Peligro b Dragón Fly, Emperador Azteca, Hijo del Alebrije
New Anubis and Peligro’s? They have Fuerza Guerrera looking masks and are going by Los Bravos.
4) Black Terry, Cerebro Negro, Dr. Cerebro b Freelance, Hijo de Máscara Sagrada, Zatura
5) Apolo Estrada, Canis Lupus, Demon Clown, Eterno b Factor, Rayan, Spartan, Spector
Demon Clown is the surprise new Insoportable. Straight falls.
Elite returns to action tonight in Arena Mexico. The two Liga Elite matches are as different as can be: Carstico versus Mascara Dorada is a battle of equally matched flyers, while Xtreme Tiger versus Bobby Lashley are two very different guys, something they’re billing along the lines of David versus Goliath. The middle tag match is another reunion of Atlantis & Octagon vs Fuerza Guerrera & Ultimo Guerrero. Octagon’s first return to Arena Mexico and team up with Atlantis seemed to be a big deal one year ago, but they’ve done quite a few times now. (It will be the first time they’ve done it on TV though.)
Angel de Oro, Golden Magic, and a new tecnico Ultimo Ninja take on Argos, Magnus and Rey Escorpion in the really good tercera which might only air in highlights. The expectation is the matches will still air this Friday night, but we won’t know for sure until it the advertising. We also don’t know if they’re going back weekly, now that I think about it.
Octagon and Hijo del Octagon were doing interviews promoting the show, which seems to confirm Hijo del Octagon is the mystery guy in the segunda tonight (teaming with Hombre Bala Jr. and Jinzo against a trio of evil doctors.) I’d think they’d promote that if they believed it was a big deal, but maybe they’re keeping it quiet as to avoid negative attention. The latest story is Hijo del Octagon retired from his criminology career because Octagon convinced him wrestling in Arena Mexico is more important. Octagon says the biggest advice he’d give to his son is to have humility and he hopes they can team together next week.
Today’s Media Day for the international people who are part of the Lucha World Cup. I haven’t seen photos of Rey yet, but pretty much everyone else. There will probably be a lot of interviews coming out before tomorrow’s show. MedioTiempo posted a Taya interview from last week, who’s proud to be representing her company.
I did a preview of the Lucha World Cup over for Voices of Wrestling. There’s a lot in there. Since I wrote that, it seems like AAA’s changed a few things. A very nice looking belt with all the participating logos on. They’re saying the winner gets the belt, which doesn’t quite make sense if there are men’s and women’s winning trios – maybe it goes to the person who is declared best luchador? Also, Pentagon Jr., in an interview with Televsia, said the matches are one fall with no time limit this year, instead of the overtime bit from last year.
El Economista, which seems to be frequently covering the business of AAA, says the Lucha World Cup drew 16K last year, and hopes to draw 25K between both shows. (The WON mentioned tickets for Friday night show in Puebla are going slow.) If they hit 25K, it’d be around a 18.2 million MXP gate (close to $1 million USD, a target number for AAA since CMLL beat them to that.)
There’s some talk about plans for 2017. Victoria continues to be interested in taking it to Japan, while Dorian Roldan says he’d prefer to US. (Mexico is fall back if neither works out.) My hunch is they’d be able to better make sponsorship deals in the US, but AAA and the other promotions involved have such low visibility that they’d need to do an amazing marketing campaign to draw even close to the same fans they’d get in Mexico. Japan fans seem more likely to give the shows a shot. Wherever they end up, the local country will end up with more teams (presumably the Mexico Legend team gets replaced by another home team.)
AAA’s big plan for the future is South America, starting with a return to Colombia in 2017. They say they’re about 40% along.
Apolo Valdes gives his thoughts on the Lucha World Cup lineup. It’s pointed out there – and it’s something Mary Apache emphasized in her interview – that the general fan’s belief is the Japanese women are always true fighters and the Canadian and Americans are just beautiful people who aren’t skilled.
SuperLuchas says Volador & Rush were recommended to WWE by Sombra as possible signings and WWE has interest in them. That’s not a surprise: it’s Sombra’s greatest rival and his greatest teammate who are both big stars in the prime of their career at a time where WWE is aggressively looking at bringing people in. It’d be a bigger news story if WWE was NOT looking at those guys (and probably others), but this lends some credibility to the story, and MLW mentions WWE had a talent scout in Mexico recently.
The SuperLuchas theorizes Volador could lose his hair to Rush at the Anniversary show and head off to WWE from there. That’s still possible, but it seems CMLL’s moved far away from that match in the last five months. Rush vs La Mascara seems an unlikely write off for Rush too; maybe only be concerned if Atlantis starts feuding with someone.
The interesting part of the article, to me, was Sombra and Volador were considered for the Matadors gimmick at one point. It’s unclear how close it got, though it would explain why two Puerto Ricians were doing a Mexican matador gimmick. That was a long time ago and Sombra seems set up better for his debut.
LA Park will replace Volador Jr. on June 19th in Merida. That’s the same day as NJPW’s next PPV, where Volador would appear if he won the BOSJ (still possible!) but he’s still listed on North American other shows before that date. Those would have to start changing too.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter says Ring of Honor is trying to bring in “a major CMLL star” for their 07/16 show in Philadelphia.
Expo Mascaras is going to Zapopan for two shows on June 18 & June 19th, including an AAA spot show on that Saturday.
LG Promotions/Lucha Memes in Arena Xalapa on 07/10
1: Black Terry vs Poseidon
2: Marcela vs Keira
3: Maximo vs Demasiado
4: 10 person locals match with mystery people
Eric and Voices of Wrestling have reviews of last night’s Lucha Underground.
Barbaro Cavernario talks about his match with Black Terry on the next CaraLucha show.
LuchaWorld has the latest Lucha Report and the latest top 10 rankings.
Flamita promo for his appearance in Cleveland’s AIW on June 17th.
Short video interview with Hechicero.
Lineup
IWRG (SUN) 06/05/2016 Arena Naucalpan
Festival de Mascaras, 2016
1) Dragón Fly & Geo vs Atomic Star & Enigma
2) Leo, Mike, Rafy, Teelo vs ?, Diablo Jr., Imposible, Panterita
3) Mega, Omega, Súper Mega vs Oficial 911, Oficial AK47, Oficial Fierro
4) Danny Casas, Hijo del Alebrije, Veneno vs Golden Magic, Negro Navarro, Trauma II
5) Trauma I vs Danny Casas, Mr. Águila, Canis Lupus [cage, semifinal]
6) Máscara Año 2000 Jr. vs Mr. Electro, Hijo De Dos Caras, Toscano [cage, semifinal]
7) ? vs ?? [cage, mask, hair, ? CHAMP]
The annual Festival of Mascaras show is usually filled with old wrestlers who come back wearing their masks for one time. (In that vein, Ultraman will appear but not is not listed as wrestling.) There’s some of that on the undercard with the 2nd/3rd matches, but the main bit is all the heavyweights who’ve been feuded in separate cage match. It’s loser loses hair, mask or title, which usually means someone’s (Mascara 2000 Jr.) is losing their title.
No idea why Danny Casas is listed twice. Maybe Demon Clown is in the cage after all.
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