What happened: Cavernario & Volador Jr. won the Parejas Increible final. After the show, Volador again asked for a hair match. Accounting major Cavernario suggested it should take place on the Anniversary show.
Diamante Azul and Pierroth feuded heavily. After it appeared over, Rush hit Atlantis with a plastic carton. It may be a tease of them having a match, it may be Rush just being a jerk, and it’s possible it’s both.
What was good: So much. The main event is one you need to go out of your way to watch, and the first three matches were all good. The lightning match would’ve stood out more on another show. The Azul/Pierroth didn’t completely stuck.
CMLL’s Torneo Incredible tournament is the worst of the year. The silver lining is the final is often pretty good. Last year’s Mistico & Mephisto versus Cibernetico & Carsitico match exceeded expectations, La Sombra & Volador vs Atlantis & UG was pretty good, as were the two finals won by Mascara Dorada & Atlantis. These matches can work, and tend to work better when there’s no near term match coming soon. I recall Bucanero/Volador vs Maximo/Terrible being fine, but sidetracked because the priorty there was to build up the Homenaje a Dos Leyendas main event rather than this match. We know now, a bit unfortunately, that Volador & Cavernario aren’t going to be in the H2L main event, and neither will Ultimo Guerrero & Valiente. Maybe they might get a match down the line, but this match isn’t built around seeing one or two teams blow up. It’s built around four of the better luchadors in Mexico, trying to have a really good match. Crazy concept but I think it might work.
Volador & Cavernario look like the crowd favorites. Ultimo Guerrero & Valiente are the betting odds favorites, because this is a thing UG hasn’t won yet and CMLL seems to be building Valiente up. I think UG wins, but the outcome still feels in question.
The rest of the show is not all that much. Diamante Azul & Pierroth meet in the semimain, and we’re due for a few more weeks of that before the H2L main event. Atlantis, Marco, Rush & Yoshitatsu round out the match. Angel de Oro and Dragon Rojo in a lightning match will probably be the second best match on the night. Terrible, Rey Bucanero, Vangellys versus Stuka, Drone and Guerrero Maya feels like a match CMLL must’ve run many times but hasn’t actually ever done in exactly that configuration. Soberano, Triton and Esfinge face Okumura, Sagrado and Misterioso, which is not quite as samey but not far off. Robin & Star Jr. face Raziel & Cancerbero to lead off the show.
Apolo mentioned CMLL has a press conference today at 5:30pm, three hours before show. CMLL doesn’t usually have press conferences on Fridays, though I vaguely recall one previously that was focused on sponsors. That’s the most likely news. I really don’t think it has anything to do with Diamante Azul/Pierroth. I have other ideas, but there’s really nothing to go on here.
Lucha Underground will be on Netflix. What day will be on Netflix? I though I knew this morning, now I’m less sure. CNET listed the show as part of the March release schedule, on March 15th. That would be great! However, threeothersites I checked, all seemingly working off the same press release, don’t have Lucha Underground listed at all. I suspect CNET was working off the same Twitter news as everyone else. Krudemmon of R de Rudo did have March 15th way back when, so I’m not ruling it out, but don’t make plans for that date or start putting it out there yet. The GLOW series drops at the end of the month, so it’d be great for everyone if LU was on Netflix by then, but we don’t know at this point.
AAA’s (as both AAA & LU as one entity) has been sending cease and desist notices to some promoters to threaten them not to use Fenix or Pentagon. This is not new, but what is new is California’s PCW actually shared the cease and desist and their response to it. (They’re going to keep booking those guys.) What jumped out to me is AAA/LLFMV is not just trying to block those guys over using the names, but over using their (Lucha Underground supplied) visas. AAA may say it’s a name issue, but there’s no name that would make them happy, they’re just trying to block these guys from working in the US at all. The C&D strategy hasn’t seemed to worked much – maybe that’s happened with Penta missing What Culture? – but it’s why everyone’s been quick to adopt the new names. PCW’s documentation makes it clear they believe Penta and Rey Fenix will get the rights to their new names.
This tactic of C&D would seem to harm AAA’s chances of getting their own talent booked in the US. Many of the promotions who are getting legal letters now worked thru AAA to get Pentagon and Fenix on their shows in the first place last year, and now are being threatened by the same company. Some people might just want to book those guys now, and this behavior is going to convince them to stay away from anyone related to AAA, even those currently on good terms. To pick a random name, who’d want to start bringing in AAA’s Dizzy for a few appearances if Dizzy might leave AAA halfway thru? Trying to drag other people in to it is just going to convince them to stay far away. AAA’s trying to convince people to stop using Fenix & Pentagon, but likely at the cost of convincing people to stay far away from AAA. Even if they’re “successful” in costing Fenix & Pentagon US bookings, they’re also probably costing guys like Drago, Fantasma, Aerostar and Psycho Clown US bookings, and costing themselves the money they get for booking those guys out.
+LuchaTV has an interview with the Indystrongibles about their apuesta match on Sunday. LigerFever has translated it. They mention AAA had an idea to bring them in – they had TV tryout matches in 2015 – but then AAA would’ve controlled them and they didn’t like that. I think they probably would’ve had to start at the lowest (Atomic Boy, Lanzeloth) level too, which might mean it’s years before they get to do things like they were doing on the indies (and maybe making the money they were in the indies.) The indie credits don’t seem to transfer over to AAA (or CMLL, for that matter), and the guys near the top of the indie scene would be sacrificing quite a bit just to get some TV time. The WON mentions the idea of the La Llave a la Gloria winners getting big pushes to make people forget those who left but, to me, that would require a big shift in AAA’s mindset in how they handle new wrestlers. The interview is really more about the trio than the AAA digression I just made, so there’s more there worth reading or watching.
That Llave a la Gloria contest starts tomorrow morning, before I’ll bother to do a new post. There still will be plenty of people who show up – even if AAA ticked off 99% of luchadors in Mexico, which they haven’t, there’s so many luchadors that 1% of people showing up would look like a big turnout. Quality is more interesting than quantity.
1) Esqueletor Alcala & Nacho Libre vs El Rudo & El Solovino
2) Alfa 3000, Alfa Azteca, Furia Azteka vs Bochido, Delirio, Poseidón
3) Espartako, Euforia, Nitro vs Heroes Jr., Memo Valles, Trauma I
4) Valiente vs Alberto Dos Rios
5) Blue Panther & Satánico vs Black Terry & Negro Navarro
6) Atlantis & Mistico II vs Gran Guerrero & Último Guerrero
Unlikely to air anywhere, but notable because it’s the Arena Coliseo Monterrey show going up against AAA TV. In past years, we’ve seen the CMLL guys in Arena Jose Sulaiman and the AAA guys in this building or the bull ring, and it’s all turned around this time. Also turned around is Alberto Dos Rios, who retired back on January 22nd and already seems to be back.
What happened: Volador kept his title over Ephesto, to the surprise of no one. Princes Sugehit defeated Zeuxis again before their title match on Saturday, and Cavernario pulled off Mistico’s mask before their own match on Sunday.
What was good: The fourth match is one of those matches that make going thru all these CMLL b-shows worthwhile. The main event wasn’t bad.
I remembered no one is forcing me to watch this and I am free to zoom through obvious garbage matches. Good times!
Where can I watch it: It’s on CMLL’s channel.Read More
FWIW: WWC aired at the normal time on the national feed. And Lucha Retro is listed back on Fox Sports Deportes on 2AM CT on Saturday/Sunday. It’s listed as a rerun, it’s probably a rerun, but I’m going to get my hopes up anyway. It’s enough for me to not to cancel the champions for one week.
AAA starts the Cuautitlan taping, even though it says Toluca up there. I changed that three times but didn’t hit refresh any of those times, it’s dumb. Anyway, we have no idea what’s going to air until something shows up on AAA’s YouTube channel. Everything should be about the same anyway.
Elite USA has enough episodes to last thru April 20th, FWIW. It’s not worth much.
Lucha Underground is airing four episodes again next week. I have nothing to say about the shows that are actually on this list.
What happened: Euforia fouled Volador to set up an insta-feud. Absolutely nothing else happened.
What was good: This show so bored me that I gave up on it for about a day. The break I took was good. The matches, not so much. The best stuff was usual CMLL baseline trios matches, nothing standing out.
Where can I watch it: It’s on CMLL’s channel.Read More
IWRG (WED) 02/22/2017Arena Naucalpan [+LuchaTV, The Gladiatores]
1) Fireman b Keiser Drago
2) Shadow Boy b Atomic Star
3) Adrenalina, Araña de Plata, Eterno b Alfa, Black Dragón, Omega Eterno replaced Hip Hop Man and beat Black Dragon. Dragon wants a rematch.
4) Heddi Karaoui b Cerebro Negro Karaoui submits Cerebro.
5) Demasiado, Diva Salvaje, Nigma b Leo, Mike, Rafy [EdM Trios] Title change, Ninja Turtles lose the belts on their fifth defense. Clean match, with the Exoticos offering the Ninja Turtles a rematch.
6) Demonio Infernal, Diablo Jr., Relámpago b Emperador Azteca, Golden Magic, Imposible
Lucha Underground Season 3 has turned up on Amazon, though only the episodes which have aired. Season 2 has been up for a while. These are all for buying individual episodes, like iTunes, not the Amazon streaming service. LU hasn’t promoted these and so we have no idea why Season 1 isn’t up. I wonder if it’s a similar things like with Netflix, where they have to add some things to meet Amazon standards, and that’s more work with Season 1 since it’s in two languages. That’s my guess for all video things now, and I suspect we’ll hear more about it once they have all three seasons up.
Lucha Underground also has a new website. They’ve had one for a while, but never mentioned it much and it seemed like it would only get updated during seasons. The site is now updated with videos at least thru the last episodes which have aired, and has a nicer looking store. There’s also an ad for the shirts being at Hot Topic, in case you’re on the show and you want to know.
Mucha Lucha Facebook reposted an interview with Mr. Niebla in El Grafico, where he talks about his battle with alcoholism. He acknowledges that when he’s not around CMLL shows, it’s probably due to him battling those issues instead, but defends himself from critics by says he keeps getting brought back because he generates money for the promotions.
Misterioso Jr. talked about his career with El Siglo de Torreon. He says he got the name when he was working in LA and the original Misterioso thought so highly of him that he gave him the name for free. Misterioso credits Ultimo Guerrero for getting him into CMLL. His story about getting into lucha libre is still the best: he was riding his bike when he was hit by a car. He wasn’t too hurt, and the driver offered to help him out later to make up for it. The driver was Dr. Wagner Sr.
AAA says they’ve sent out appointment information for La Llave a la Gloria for people with appointments this weekend. They must’ve gotten a good number, because they mention others will be having an appointment in March.
Rey de Reyes is in Monterrey. Rey de Reyes has a mystery woman appearing. Sexy Star is from Monterrey, and posted a dramatic photo of herself with a AAA jacket. I’m 99% sure this is a troll and she’s not actually going back to AAA but figured out a clever way to get people to talk about her. I will be very amused if the other 1% happened, so it’s a win either way.
I mentioned it quickly back on the podcast, but I wanted to write that I really like the AAW show (The Art of War) from last Friday. (There’s a highlight video here.) On the lucha note, Hijo del Fatnasma did well in his debut against Low Ki, with the two having a pretty good match before the intermission. Fantasma did well enough to get brought back, and I was told to mention that both he and Rey Fenix were polite gentleman who were really easy to deal with. Fenix won the main event, setting up a title match on March 4th out in LaSalle. I didn’t expect to be going to so many indie shows, but I’m likely going to that one too if I’m free that day. The ones I’ve gone to have been all pretty good.
The other thing I’m way behind on writing about is Powerbomb.TV, which launched just about two weeks ago now. I’ve signed up to that and liked what I’ve seen, though I haven’t had a chance to spend as much time as I’d like. (There was a moment this morning where I saw a notification on my phone that my card got charged for something this morning, spent 10 minutes trying to figure out what it was, and then only realized it must be the Powerbomb subscription when I was thinking about what I was writing about today.) They offer a 10 day free trial if you want to check it out. As far as lucha libre, these are the shows they have up now (all are full shows unless noted, main events listed, links are to my results for full card)
XMW: 06/21/2014 (Arez/Pentagon), 06/20/2014 (Pagano four way main event, really good tag match), 08/15/2015 (Pagano vs Nicho), 07/31/2016 (Wotan vs Demoledor, good Puma/Tiger vs Centvrion/Latigo tag match)
Kamikazes del Ring: 08/27/2016 (El Bandido vs Mr. Leo vs Latigo), 10/08/2016 (Extreme Tiger & Mr. Leo vs Freelance & Rey Horuz)
IAP: 08/07/2016 (Wotan vs As Charro, Mala Hiebra three way), 09/04/2016 (Canek & Hijo del Fishman vs As Charro & Mascara Sagrada Jr., Ninja Turtle four way)
CaraLucha: 11/06/2016 (The Best tournament first two rounds)
Go! Mask: 12/20/2015 (Argenis & Drago vs Pentagon & Daga)
ILLM: 01/17/2016 (Arez vs Fly Warrior vs Sharlie Rockstar)
Most everything looks like Carxyus videos at this point. Some, but not all, are posted on his Facebook if you dig. This interface is a lot nicer than that and the video quality is really good. Like all these streaming services, it’ll be a better bargin as more footage is added and more features are added – there’s no Chromecast or Roku, but they’ve said they’re working on those things – but there’s hidden gems. Maybe I’ll find time to write about a few those in a bit.
Main event is old old veterans versus slightly less old rivals. IWRG’s not done much with either belt, which means they might want to restart with title changes. Or they might be just fine not doing anything with them. Relampago appears to be alive. Death Rider is a new name to me.
RIOT (SAT) 03/04/2017Arena Femenil, Monterrey, Nuevo León 1) Psicótico vs Muerte Extrema 2) Dulce Kanela vs Larry Miranda 3) Alas de Acero, Aramis (Estado de México), Iron Kid (Estado de México) vs Erick Ortiz, Kamikaze, Kratoz 4) Kaientai & Lord Byron vs ? & Tony Rodríguez 5) Sammy Guevara vs Jack Evans 6) Low Rider vs Séptimo Dragón
Full card for the show next week. Hijo del Santo hasn’t seemed to get back to Tony Rodriguez about being his partner, there’s still time.
