Day: July 1, 2016

Gran Prix, Elite announcement tonight, Karaoui, Fiero

thecubsfan
tonight
tonight

IWRG (WED) 06/29/2016 Arena Naucalpan [The Gladiatores]
1) Águila Oriental & Osisis b Pumita & Salchichita
2) Adrenalina & Voltar b Geo & Magic Dragón
3) Araña de Plata, Galaxy, Skanda b Fireman, Keiser Drago, Omega
4) Aramis, Dragón Fly, Zatura b Camaleón I, Camaleón II, Fight Panther Jr.
Promocion del Norte team was scheduled to be Angel Dorado I & Ares I & Ares II
5) Black Terry & Shadow Boy b Apolo Estrada Jr. & the Tiger (Tamaulipas)
Team IWRG took falls 2/3. The Tiger tried pulling off Shadow Boy’s mask, but Shadow Boy cradled him anyway for the win.

Tonight’s the Gran Prix show. The main event is a cibernetico of the same name, an 8 vs 8 elimination match. Team Mexico is Ultimo Guerrero, Rush, Volador Jr., Maximo, Rey Escorpion, La Mascara, Diamante Azul and Shocker. Team Rest of the World are Michael Elgin, Kushida, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, Marco Corleone, Okumura, Sam Adonis and Johnny Idol. Ciberneticos are reliably good in CMLL, and the nationalism behind this match should make for a great atmosphere. The expectation is Mexico will win, perhaps setting up Volador versus Kushida for next Friday.

The semimain is a rematch, Rey Cometa trying to take Barbaro Cavernario’s hair once again. Cavernario took his hair two years ago (and is the favorite to do it again.) My expectations for this match are sky high; anything less than a match of the year candidate will be a bit of a disappointment.

I’ve got a longer preview up on Voices of Wrestling. (And I got it done late, so thanks to them for still posting it.) It’s not a critical storyline show, but every match (all four of ’em) should at least be good. My feeling is CMLL’s done a strong job of promoting this event, and might get a really good turnout out of this show.

The show will air at 8:30pm CT on Cleeng for $17.55, including fees. If you use the code JKGbxe, they’ll take about $5 off to $12.69. You can also watch it on the Playstation Live Viewer; it’s listed as $10, but I’m not sure what fees they may add on. The show is only available live – there’s no VOD option.

Ultimo Guerrero says his plan is to figure out who the best guy is on the Gran Prix team and try to beat him to demoralize the whole team, though he says he’ll have to be careful with Michael Elgin. He’s also concerned his team may fall apart and fight each other, and with good reason given the lineup.

El Grafico writes about the Rest of the World’s trip to the Zocalo and all the pictures they took with fans.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: something’s up with Elite. One of their announcers says they have an important announcement on tonight’s TV show. That could literally mean anything with this promotion, but it seemed like something had to be changed after the International tournament bombed. The rest of that tournament will air tonight. Cibernetico, in the first public comment I’ve seen him make since not showing up in Puebla, dismissed a Facebook post saying Elite promotion was in trouble.

Letra Roja has a column trying to figure out why the Elite International tournament was such a failure, and theorizes the 8 Mexico vs 8 foreigners format tonight will sell better.

Heddi Karaoui says he’s done wrestling in Mexico due to politics. As noted by LigerFever, Karaoui seems to have been scheduled for both the International Elite tournament and tonight’s Gran Prix, but ended up excluded from both. I’m not sure what the politics are – Karoui works for other non-NJPW promotions in Japan, so maybe they didn’t want him in their matches? Karoui says he’s looking elsewhere, which I guess means he’s not defending the IWRG Middleweight Championship any time soon.

Oaxaca Mira has a brief interview with Fiero, who debuts this Sunday in Arena Mexico. Fiero was born in Oaxaca and comes from a family of luchadors. He trained with local Furia Poblana before moving to Mexico City to learn under Black Terry, Arkangel and Virus. Fiero debuted as a wrestler at age 14; I have him on Oaxaca lineups back in 2013 and he worked his first Toryumon show at 15. He’s looked talented when he’s turned up on indie shows, and CMLL might have wanted to wait for him to turn 18 (which he now is) before debuting him.

AAA’s posted the full English language version of this Lucha World Cup final.

Chilanga Mask announced an 08/21 show in Coacalco
1: Black Terry vs Wotan
2: Caifan 3 vs Solar

Mas Lucha posted highlights of Alex Daniels vs DJ Z vs Flamita. Flamita’s family is selling Flamita Dragon Gate shirts, which is surely an amazing coincidence with a mystery man showing up in Dragon Gate in a few hours.

LuchaWorld has the latest news report and Kurt writing about a well researched piece on Charro Aguayo.

LigerFever has the second part of the interview transcript with Mascara Dorada. Dorada directly says he’d take an NXT deal if it’s offered.

CMLL luchadors cut the ribbon on a Arena Mexico photo gallery in a Celaya mall.

Lineup

IWRG (SUN) 07/03/2016 Arena Naucalpan
1) Fireman vs Atomic Star
2) Dragón Fly, Hijo del Alebrije, the Tiger (Tamaulipas) vs Diablo Jr., El Hijo del Diablo, Imposible
3) Emperador Azteca, Freelance, Zatura vs Apolo Estrada Jr., Dr. Cerebro, Relámpago
4) Black Terry, Chicano, Súper Nova vs Eterno, Negro Navarro, Toscano
5) Hijo De Dos Caras & Mr. Electro vs Canis Lupus & Máscara Año 2000 Jr.

It’s a show. Weird Tiger is a tecnico here, but not weird for IWRG. Chicano’s back?

WS (SUN) 08/07/2016 Teatro Caupolican, Santiago, Chile
1) Chavo Guerrero Jr. vs Mr. Anderson
2) Alex Hero vs Twiggy [CHILE CHAMP]
3) Drago (AAA) vs Mr. 450 [WS Submission, #1 Contenders]
4) Cage vs León Apolo
5) Santana Garrett © vs Ivelisse [WS WOMEN]
6) Ricochet vs Pentagón Jr. [WS Submission, submission]
7) Jeff Hardy & Matt Hardy vs Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson

Hugo did an interview talking about bringing the Hardys to Chile, which is where I first saw the YouTube video promoting this very weird card. Does Ricochet have a submission hold? I seem to know Pentagon has one.

07/29 AAA TV Lineup (Toluca)

thecubsfan
AAA
AAA

AAA TV (FRI) 07/29/2016 Gimnasio Agustín Millán, Toluca, Estado de México
1) Dinastía, Mini Drago, Octagoncito vs Lanzeloth, Mini Abismo Negro, Mini Histeria
2) El Elegido, Faby Apache, Mary Apache vs Hijo de Pirata Morgan, La Hiedra, Súper Fly
3) Angélico & Jack Evans vs ? & ??
4) Argenis, Bengala, La Parka vs Averno, Chessman, Ricky Marvin
5) Aerostar, Drago, Texano Jr. vs Daga, Joe Lider, Pentagón Jr.
6) Psycho Clown vs Pagano [bull terrier]

Air Date: 08/20 & 08/27 – these dates are right, but everything else is wrong because they aired the Lucha World Cup. The TV chart has the correct info.

KrisZ found this one. He also found the unreleased Oaxaca card, so now we’re two tapings ahead of what’s officially been released. This is also essentially the last taping which will take place before TripleMania; there’s a spacer/lame duck TV taping scheduled for early August, but it won’t air until after the PPV.

The location of that last taping and TripleMania’s date were supposed to be released last week, but I didn’t see it unless I missed on the TV show. Perhaps this weekend instead, or maybe they’re holding it back for the Mexico City taping next Friday. TripleMania’s seems a solid bet for August 28, which means this show finishes airing a day before the PPV.

We can pair this bull terrier main event with Leo Riano’s column from Wednesday (also first found by KrisZ), where he mentions Psycho Clown versus Pagano in a mask vs hair match is likely taking place at TripleMania. Pagano has generally been a bald luchador, but has been growing out a red mohawk since he’s started with AAA. Pagano’s been completely protected in booking, beating Psycho Clown and Pentagon Jr. repeatedly in singles matches since March, which starts to make sense if a big loss was the destination all along. It’s also hard to argue Pagano’s not important enough to be in a big TripleMania, when Mascara 2000 Jr. just lost his mask in one not too many years ago. AAA seems to want to recreate the history of it’s Antonio Pena years, and Psycho getting a second big apuesta win in three years helps move him towards the tecnico fan friendly hero of AAA spot La Parka’s held for many years.

The issue is I really don’t like Pagano matches. I haven’t liked them in AAA. I haven’t liked them before he wasn’t in AAA. I haven’t liked them on video, I haven’t liked them when I saw him live. The highest he’s risen is “that’s not as bad as I thought it would be, but still.” I don’t like the style of matches he wrestles, but I also don’t think he’s all that good at the style of matches either. I know there are a group of people who love those style of matches, and I think the car crash stunt show should do OK in front of a TripleMania crowd, but it’s personally a turnoff for me (and I think it’s for other people too, or I wouldn’t be saying this – my happiness isn’t really important here.) It’s not for a lack of effort – the three way for Pachuca had guys working hard to throw themselves thru many pieces of furniture, but I was barely interested enough to keep my eyes on the screen. I don’t see Psycho/Pagano as something really entertaining, or something where I’m happy Psycho gets a win, but something I’m going to have to endure for a half hour. It’s the same way those CMLL Tuesday openers must be endured, only this match is going to be on one of the biggest shows of the year, instead of something else that might get that spotlight.

The positive way to look at this is it’s only going to be 1 of 6 or 7 or 8 matches at TripleMania, and it’s still probably going to be better than the worse match at last year’s TripleMania. And, if I don’t like it as much as I think I’m not going to like it, I could instead spend time on my true favorite pasttime: posting stupid things on Twitter. (Except if I go live, because the internet in Arena Ciudad de Mexico is so awful during a show.)

But what about the rest of the card? I don’t know. I do know that semimain seems really strange. It’s strange to see Texano teaming with Aerostar & Drago, but he’s slowly been moving to the tecnico side. It’s still strange to see him against the Perros del Mal – he’s been again the foreigners, and the Perros have otherwise been busy. Perhaps it’s just something to use up the bodies on the card, but it’s a little bit suspicious that Pentagon Jr. seems to be exiting the Pagano feud for a moment. AAA’s slower than we’d like with Pentagon, but they know enough to make sure he’s got something to do. Dr. Wagner Jr. is due a heavyweight title shot, but maybe this is Pentagon’s path to one of his own as well.

The rest of the card is a bit mysterious. There’s either angles coming on the tapings lead up to this, or they’ve just shuffled people around to not do much before TripleMania. Averno & Chessman are on the same card as Faby & Mary Apache, which probably should be trouble. The champs have to get by another title match first, but the Apaches challenging for the tag titles feels like it can be penclied into TripleMania given how much attention they’ve given to that feud. (I do wonder if the DF commission is going to be OK with that; the Pentagon/Hamada match seemed to be billed as an exhibition to get around those rules.) There’s no hints as to who Jack & Angelico face (if it’s not the Apaches themselves.)

Lanzeloth is bouncing back and forth between tecnico and rudo side, but it’s nice to have him around however we can get him. A minis title defense seems unlikely for TripleMania, but it’d be great to get one on the lame duck taping; that’s the best best way to use those.

Thunder (1981-2016)

thecubsfan 4 Comments
Thunder's cradle suplex, from one of his last TV matches.
Thunder’s cradle suplex, from one of his last TV matches.

Thunder passed away on Thursday. His real name was Luke Fordward and he was 34*. He passed away after a battle from stomach cancer back in his home country of Australia.

Fordward started on local indies under both his real name and “Taipan”. He spent some time in Super Delfin’s Okinawa Pro wrestling in 2010 and 2011, usually facing “Kijimuna” – a friend from Australia who now wrestlers under the name Ryukyu-Dog Dingo. The two had been partners in Australia as the Croc Masters. Taipan returned to Australia and perhaps might have never left that area of the world for wrestling if not for a chance meeting. He met a vacationing Mexican named Daniela, they became romantically involved, and she convinced him to move back to Mexico with her and to train lucha libre under her father. Daniela’s father is the legendary Satanico – Daniela herself was an edecan for a time – and there are few better people to teach someone lucha libre.

Fordward debuted in CMLL at the start of 2013. He was first billed as Thunderbird, though quickly shortened to Thunder (perhaps because someone else had the name.) The masked Thunder was introduced in a series of vignettes, which was doubly strange at the time – CMLL never did vignettes and never brought in foreigners. It only started to make sense some months later when his relationship leaked out. Thunder began as a tecnico, and made sense as an idol on paper. He had uncommon height for Mexico, a bodybuilder’s physique and some surprising athleticism – his dive looked great, when they had enough people to safely catch him. It just never clicked for Thunder in the ring, as he looked slow and had trouble grasping the lucha libre style.

CMLL tried very hard with Thunder for about three years. They pushed him strong while protecting him from being exposed in singles matches. When he didn’t catch on as a tecnico, they took him out of the ring for a while and brought him back as a menacing rudo teamed with Ultimo Guerrero.  When that didn’t work, they had him feud with Ultimo Guerrero. When that didn’t work, CMLL seemed ready to cut their loses and get a mask match out of him, but even that didn’t work out. Thunder likely would’ve lost his mask at last year’s Anniversary show had Sombra not decided he was going to WWE. Thunder was announced to be defending (and likely losing) his mask this past Christmas, but the match was replaced by others.

Thunder publicly vented after having the mask match pulled for (at least) the second time, complaining about CMLL on Facebook. He disappeared for a short time, but returned and was wrestling as recently February. Thunder’s final match was teaming with Dragon Rojo & Polvora against Mr. Niebla, Niebla Roja and Euforia. It came after an odd week where Thunder had two singles matches – a win over Euforia and his first ever loss (by DQ) to Rush – which were as many as he had the rest of his CMLL career.

Thunder’s career was marked by periods where he’d just be inexplicably missing from lineups, and it’d be later explained that he had some sort of injury, usually with his knee. This was assumed to be the same situation, and he’d occasionally be mentioned on CMLL Informa as out with an injury or having had surgery. It’s being reported now that Thunder quit CMLL at that time. (My guess is he was told the mask match wasn’t happening at Dos Leyendas either and walked out, but I’m not sure.) Satanico also appears to have broken off ties with CMLL at some point over the last few months, as indicated by his appearance at the Lucha World Cup.

Thunder returned to Satanico & Daniela’s hometown of Guadalajara, and then eventually his own home in Australia as the cancer got worse. It’s unclear when he was diagnosed. Medical sites say stomach cancer is both a relatively rare cancer and one that’s tough to detect until it’s far along. News reports say the cancer developed in less than a year. It’s a possible it may have been something he may have been deal with for a while, back as far as when started wearing a strange black padding or belt around his stomach area that was never explained. Still, he seemed in normal condition as recently as five month ago and it’s incredible how much things have changed.

Word started to go around the Australian wrestling community of Taipan being in bad shape in the last month. No one from the Mexican side had worked out his previous identity, so it wasn’t until the last few days where it was the dots got connected and it was revealed how dire the situation was.

I mean no disrespect, by my favorite memory of Thunder is the time Rob trolled him into swearing at him at last year’s Anniversary. That’s really what I wanted out of that moment, and Thunder delivered. To us, on this side of the curtain, Thunder was an obstacle to the kind and quality of wrestling matches we were hoping to see. On the other side of curtain, his fellow luchadors remember just as a friend. Magnus recalled a moment where he was knocked out, and the only guy try to keep him awake was Thunder. Alexis remembered how nervous Thunder was when they were shooting those first vignettes and revealed Thunder was originally planned to be in this Gran Prix. Marco and Dark Angel and Shocker and Rush and Dragon Rojo and many others expressed their sadness at this sudden news. It’s a shock when someone this young dies from illness, especially when they seemed perfectly fine such a short time ago.

Thunder will be remembered at tonight’s show with a moment of applause.

(* – I had 35, but his birthday isn’t until October.)