This is after Tlaxcala and after Pachuca, and about six weeks from now. It also doesn’t appear to be an official poster, since the photos of Cuervo & Scoria are still as Xinetez. Maybe we’ll get an update down the line, but AAA probably would’ve preferred to keep this quiet at least until after this Saturday’s taping.
Four matches were already announced – it’s only the tag title tag & singles match which are newly revealed, and those fit where things appear to be going. It does confirm Taya & Mundo aren’t going to be around for a moment. They’ll probably turn up again before TripleMania, but the pacing suggests Fantasma versus Mundo for the titles on that show. (Of course, they did a tease for Jarrett/Fantasma on TV this week, so nothing’s for sure.)
The main event theoretically has a chance to disrupt the one match we know for sure for TripleMania, but no one’s really going to be too worried about. Any of the other four people could lose, but Soul Rocker would make more sense – he’s got an unmasked gimmick, and the Infierno Rockers have otherwise been dropped.
Pagano’s either winning the tag titles or having a violent breakup with Mesias in his hometown. Either way, this is a long way to set up the same match AAA ran on the last major show, with Cuervo & Scoria (so far) not seeming any more over than they were before.
That match, like all others, are subject to change. Mamba/Pimpinela seems most likely, because you’d only know it’s happening based on stuff coming out of Juarez. The feud’s been hinted at TV, but you’d have to know it was there to even think they were going somewhere with it.
AAA hasn’t officially announced a taping past this point on TV, but the Nuevo Laredo promoters are already advertising a date on the 19th.
CMLL (SUN) 04/23/2017Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Domingos Familares]
1) El Destructor b Micro Destructor took 2/3.
2) Demonio Rojo & Thunder Boy b Capitán Cobra & El Yaqui Rudos took 2/3
3) Black Sugar, Fantástico, Mágico b Évola, Gran Kenut, Mr. Apolo Tecnicos took 2/3. Magico & Evola feuded, Magico getting the win.
4) Mr. Trueno & Rey Trueno DQ Nautilius & Star Black Rudos took 2/3, Rey Trueno faking a foul for the DQ.
5) Explosivo, Omar Brunetti, Vaquero Jr. b Espectrúm, Exterminador, Maléfico tecnicos took 2/3
Semifinal sets up Star Black/Rey Trueno this Sunday.
CMLL (TUE) 04/25/2017Arena México [CMLL]
1) Canelo Casas & Espanto Jr. b Flyer & Magnus
2) Oro Jr., Starman, Stigma b Arkángel de la Muerte, Metálico, Sangre Azteca tecnicos took 2/3
3) The Panther b Sagrado [lightning] Panther won in 8:28
4) Rey Bucanero, Terrible, Vangellys b Drone, Esfinge, Guerrero Maya Jr. Rudos took 2/3.
5) Ángel de Oro, Blue Panther, Johnny Idol b Gran Guerrero, Luciferno, Mephisto Angel de Oro was hurt, but Blue Panther rallied to win the match without him.
6) Dragón Lee, Mistico, Valiente b Euforia, Niebla Roja, Último Guerrero tecnicos took 2/3, with Niebla Roja not getting along with his partners. He blamed the loss on him and demanded a singles match with Dragon Lee to prove himself. Dragon Lee offered a mask match, and Niebla Roja wasn’t up for that match.
Main event was the usual mix of Dragon Lee & Niebla Roja looking good and the rudos not getting along. Lightning match is said to be good.
CMLL has an article talking about Mije to hype the Kid’s Day match. The mascot match is officially a Micro Estrellas match, with the suggestion there might be more appearances by these guys outside the Kid’s Day show and framing them as a modern version of the Arturito/Gran Nicolay matches from the 80s. (The previous modern version of those matches are the current Pequeno Estrellas division.)
AAA appears to be taping some special Kid’s Day themed matches to air on Televisa’s La Jugada this Sunday. The relationship between AAA and Televisa seems fairly strong of late, especially with the Zona Ruda show airing every week.
Bust praises the presentation of women on Lucha Underground. I believe the moment they actually passed the Bechdel Test was when Sexy Star and Ivelisse were arguing about who was the biggest bitch in the building (though Son of Havoc might have come up so maybe that didn’t count.) To me, LU’s presentation of women hasn’t usually been as strong or positive as portrayed, but they’re doing enough to get positive write ups like this all the time. Sexy Star winning the title and Ivelisse getting that title shot outshines other issues they might have had.
The Pit has a short interview with Rey Mysterio and Dorian Roldan from C2E2, part of a series of ones they’re doing with people from Lucha Underground. No big revelations but Dorian did know Sexy Star won her debut match the night before.
The Caristico & Discovery vs Ultimo Guerrero & Gran Guerrero match in the Chicago area has been moved to the Eagles Club in Berwyn, same place where ChilangaMask is running a week later. Tickets are expensive for this show, I could go to a full day of a comic/entertainment convention (or AAW’s show in Chicago) for a decent seat.
CMLL (TUE) 05/02/2017Arena México
1) Bengala & Sangre Imperial vs Espanto Jr. & Grako
2) Eléctrico, Shockercito, Stukita vs Mercurio, Pequeño Nitro, Pequeño Violencia
3) Drone, Fuego, Star Jr. vs Canelo Casas, Forastero, Virus
4) Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr., The Panther vs Rey Bucanero, Terrible, Vangellys
5) Dragón Lee vs Niebla Roja
6) Atlantis, Rey Cometa, Valiente vs Cavernario, Felino, Mr. Niebla
We’re getting to see Niebla Roja versu Dragon Lee, and there’s no other Guerrero around to cause problems.
CMLL (TUE) 05/02/2017Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Leono, Magnum, Sensei vs Cancerbero, Difunto, Raziel
2) Flyer, Magnus, Pegasso vs Disturbio, Puma, Tiger
3) El Gallito & Microman vs El Perico Zakarias & Mije
4) Ángel de Oro, Johnny Idol, Titán vs Ephesto, Luciferno, Mephisto
5) Carístico, Máximo Sexy, Mistico vs Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero
Guadalajara TV – where Shocker is announcing while he’s recovering – showed the promo to hype the micro match for Arena Mexico. Maybe they’ll fix it to promote the match actually taking place here.
LLB (FRI) 05/19/2017Arena Naucalpan
1) Macho I, Macho II, Macho III, Ram El Carnero vs Dragón Bane, El Pachucho, Fandango, Kid Jaguar
2) Aguilita Solitaria vs Pinochito, Tritoncito, Pentagoncito, Caramelito, Demus 3:16, Súper Loco, Panterita
3) Ángel o Demonio, Ovett, Vaquero Ibarra vs Mike, Rafy, Teelo
4) Carta Brava Jr. (IWL), Cerebro Negro, Fantasma de la Ópera vs Fresero Jr., Herodes, Maldito Jr.
5) Séptimo Dragón vs Eterno, Suicida, Cíclope, Freelance, Miedo Extremo, Sádico, Emperador Azteca, Atomic Star, Ninja de Fuego, Drastik Boy
6) ? & Dr. Wagner Jr. vs Hijo de LA Park & LA Park [super libre]
Lucha Libre Boom returning to Arena Naucalpan which a normal card for them.
There was a rumor a couple months ago that non-IWRG promotions were no longer going to be able to use Naucalpan because Elite was going to be running the building. Naucalpan getting a lot of indie promotions now, which suggests Elite is planning on a different building or not planning on doing much.
Mascara’s best move is his superkick, so he does it all the time
La Mascara pulled off Dragon Lee’s mask to escape the hanging double stomp, then took advantage of Tirantes being knocked down to fake a foul from Volador for the win. Volador challenged La Mascara to a hair match. Mascara says no. Volador asks again, and Mascara teases coming back to fight, only to turn around and walk out.
A seeding battle set the teams for the Copa Junior. Star Jr. (now with dreadlocks?), Magnus, Esfinge (wearing a heavy hoodie for no good reason) and Forastero face Artillero, Stigma, Sansón and Blue Panther Junior. It goes about three minutes Forastero and Sansón don’t want to fight when they start off together, hugging instead. Sanson later pulls Stigma off of Forastero to save his cousin, who defeats Stigma moments later. That puts Sansón & Blue Panther 2 on 4, but they eventually beat the four on the other side to finish against each other. Along the way, Sansón steals a pin on Star Jr. from Blue Panther when Panther sets up for a moonsault. Sanson later attacked Blue Panther as he is about finish off Esfinge. Forastero does the same to Esfinge as he’s about to beat Sansón. The match turned into a two on one with just Blue Panther Jr. left, which at least made more sense than the usual odd three way at the end of a cibernetico. The Dinamtias grabbed and argued with Tirantes for not counting fast enough, Panther surprised Forastero with a cradle, and Tirantes count really fast (and ignored a kick out, which appeared to be playing off the bit.
around and around
Tiger claimed all the predictions had Luciferno defeating Guerrero Maya. He seemed to be doing a bit.
There’s no opening whistle for the first match because the regular rig announcers are elsewhere (doing a Boing ad?) and the TV announced don’t realize they’re supposed to blow a whistle or don’t have one. It would be embarrassing if anyone cared about such things. Pompin eventually shrugs and tells them to start fighting. Flyer and Robin wore matching outfits, as they occasionally do when they team.
Thoughts:
Stigma Brillo Dorada
The main event was very much on the short side for this situation, but they worked at a super fast pace and everyone gelled. Volador, Dragon Lee and Carístico looked like a well coordinated regular unit, and the rudos worked really hard. Mascara tries a bit harder when he’s in a Friday main event rather than in a random Puebla match with Rush. Carístico & Volador did a bunch of teamwork spots for two guys who weren’t getting along so much a few weeks ago, but it worked out fine.
Diamante Azul attempted to destroy Sam Adonis’ flag before the match, which set of an early brawl.
There wasn’t much to the semimain, mostly just yet another Diamante Azul/Pierroth feuding match with the rest sprinkled in. Mr. Niebla is looking bigger than ever.
Both this week’s Copa Junior and this one are rated about the same, but last week’s was clearly more exciting. This one had more of a story with Forastero & Sansón getting along, which did more to get over their partnership as a concept than it did for this match. Blue Panther Jr. seemed like he was out of gas and never really stood out, just happened to be the técnico who survived until the end and could’ve just as easily been replaced by one of the others. Sansón looked good, Forastero really didn’t get much to do. Magnus & Artillero looked good in the only real important match they might get in CMLL this year, though they were eliminated so early that I’m not sure things like Magnus’ crazy senton to the floor stuck around. Star Jr. also had a nice night.
Star Jr. Asai tornillo
Maya & Luciferno had some good spots but arranged in no particular order. The big dives are two minutes in and then they just kind of trade moves after that part. It’s very forgettable.
The técnicos looked good in the segunda – Fuego & Cometa are among the best CMLL has at pulling in a crowd, especially the casual fans. It just was’nt all that much interesting of the match, and stuff like going for the triple dive and then just pulling up came off awkward. They built the match up in the last few minutes but this is an easy skip.
The opener was about usual for the that level, maybe a little better.. It’s impossible to take an opening match team seriously in CMLL, but the técnicos tried heard to get over the concept and worked well together. Of course they lost. Their opponents didn’t offer all that much. Espanto had Flyer beat after tossing him onto the barricade in the first fall, but drug him back in to do a running powerbomb anyway. He doesn’t seem to have much sense.
