Vangellys/Pierroth, CMLL Gran Prix, TripleMania date not changing, Octagon

CMLL (TUE) 06/27/2017 Arena México [CMLL, NotiMex]
1) Cholo & Templario b Bengala & Sangre Imperial
2) Astral, Magnus, Robin b Artillero, Espanto Jr., Hijo del Signo
an Astral team actually won, taking falls 2/3
3) Raziel, Sagrado, Virus b Johnny Idol, Oro Jr., Stigma
Raziel remains invincible
4) Esfinge b Disturbio [lightning]
nudo egipico in 8:33
5) Ephesto, Luciferno, Mephisto b Fuego, Soberano Jr., Stuka Jr.
6) Diamante Azul, Mistico, Niebla Roja DQ Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero
Gran Guerrero fouled Niebla Roja and then unmasked him after the match.

CMLL’s definitely switched the feud from Niebla Roja versus Ultimo Guerrero to Niebla Roja versus Gran Guerrero. I don’t know what it means for matches down the road, but there’s definitely was a shift.

There’s so much stuff going on that this needs headers today.

CMLL Press Conference

CMLL held what was billed as a Gran Prix focused press conference, which turned out to be at least a little bit of a bait and switch. You can watch the whole thing here if you’d like.

CMLL did announce Team Mexico. It’s Ultimo Guerrero, Mephisto, Euforia, Dragon Lee, Diamante Azul, Valiente, Volador Jr., and Rush. They did not announce a single new person for Team World. They instead said one more person will be announced Informa this week. They didn’t say when the other four would be announced, but I’d suspect we’ll continue to get the slow roll out via Informa for a while. (Lucha Memes was hyped about a unnamed Japanese lucahdor debuting, so that may be the announcement in a few hours.)

It was underwhelming to only get Team Mexico, especially with the absurd of inviting the press for an announcement and then saving more of it for your internet show seen by a few thousand people. They heavily pushed the Rest of the World team would be made up of “mainly ROH & NJPW” talent. They had flags for Tonga, the US, Japan and New Zealand hanging, which seems to indicate there’s reps coming for those last two countries. (Though why bother hanging them if one country wasn’t going to be announced until later and one not at all today?)

The real thing CMLL was pushing with the Vangellys/Pierroth hair match, which was set for July 14. It’s the same night as the Universal final. They had the usual contract signing and face off, though not coming to blows. Vangellys said he’s going after Rush after he gets thru Pierroth. He’s not getting thru Pierroth.

Bobby Bonales talked about the Copa Bobby Bonales, which CMLL already wrote an article about. Daniel Aceves announced the Copa would go both to a man and a woman. Usually, CMLL books the winner on the show so they can get it before the match, but there are not any women booked. Maybe that means neither winner will be wrestling.

A women’s cibernetico will be held on July 21st, called Copa Natalia Vázquez. Vazquez is credited as being the first ever Mexican luchadora, wrestling in the original Arena Mexico in 1935 as past of Mildred Burke’s troupe. Marcela, Princesa Sugehit and Zeuxis were brought onto to talk about the tournament. It’ll be held one week after the Mae Young Classic is taped in WWE (but before it airs, I believe) and seems like it could be the turning point in the the Zeuxis/Sugehit mask match. Those two talked about the possibility of having a mask match at the Anniversary show, and Sugehit’s participation in WWE would be wrapped up well before then.

They brought out the B Block participants in the Universal tournament for the usual promos. It’s weird that they schedule these in a way where they don’t have everyone from the block there. Niebla Roja says his goal is to face Ultimo Guerrero in the block final because UG always ends up there, so he’s paying attention.

AAA Press Conference

The big news from AAA’s press conference came after the cameras stopped rolling. In an interview with MedioTiempo, Dorian Roldan stated TripleMania will not be changing it’s date. They will continue to run August 26, the same night as the Mayweather/McGregor fight. Roldan also revealed the show will take place at 9pm, which means the show will definitely still be going on as that fight is happening. (TripleMania usually starts much earlier, but it also usually runs on a Sunday instead of a Saturday.) AAA’s belief is they would rescheduled if they were holding the event in the US, but believe enough people in Mexico will still care about the show as to not move it.

Roldan went on to say that the Leo Riano story of airing TripleMania on TV is incorrect, and they have “great possibilities” of the usual PPV. They’re also in talks with an unnamed US TV outlet to air TripleMania on a delay. Nothing appears to have been said about internet PPV.

Delayed airing doesn’t sound promising to US AAA fans, but it’s big news if it happens at all. It would be the first time an AAA branded show aired in the US since they were on Galavision in 2011. At that time, the rights to the AAA show were part of a bundle of Televisa programming sold exclusively to Galavision. AAA had no control of where they would air or if they would air, they could only try to convince Galavision to air their program. Eventually the people in charge of Galavision decided they weren’t interested in airing lucha libre. Subsequently, people with Lucha Underground have said they have exclusive TV rights to AAA luchadors, and attempts at airing English versions of AAA’s product in the US have ended up crashing into that wall. (This is why people who get the Fight Network in the US do not get the AAA show at last check.)

If TripleMania airs in some form in the US, that’ll be another thing said not to be allowed under AAA & Lucha Underground’s contract that’s now being done by AAA. Perhaps Dorian Roldan being elevated in the Lucha Underground power structure has allowed him to rewrite those deals or choose which parts to enforce, but the relationship is definitely changing.

(Leo Riano’s not correct a lot, even on AAA stories despite working for AAA. If there were 20 people n the know writing weekly lucha libre columns I’d definitely be skipping his.)

In lesser scandalous news, Dr. Wagner Jr. apologized for hitting Psycho Clown with a car destruction related insult.

They didn’t get it done in time for the press conference, but the Psycho Clown themed plane is now ready.

All Other Press Conferences

Octagon has a press conference today announcing the ANLPI (Association of National Professional Independent Luchadors.) This goes back to last year, when Octagon announced plans to form some sort of group for luchadors to protect their rights following his own issues with AAA.

This happened at the same time as the CMLL press conference and I caught very little of it,  so hopefully more details on it tomorrow.

Octagon did call Fantasma and the Mexico City Lucha Libre commission corrupt, That’s surprising, but I think what Octagon is trying to do would supplant that. There were CDMX logos as part of the press conference, so he may have gotten some governmental support on this. Octagon also claimed he had won his cases over AAA about his name and his other labor issues, which is the first anyone’s said and would be a big deal if true.

DTU had press conferences for their tour, which starts tomorrow in Arena Aficion. Angel o Demonio defected to the X-LAW side, leaving Los Porros for the moment – but he’s still booked with Ovett on matches on this tour.

Lucha Underground, who are having a TV show and not a press conference

Tonight’s Lucha Underground is episode 3×24, “Macho Madness”. It’ll be the third block of the first round of the Cueto Cup

• Vibora vs Paul London
• Veneno vs Mil Muertes
• Jeremiah Crane vs Killshot
• Taya vs Joey Ryan (video)

If we all stick together and stay strong, we’ll be able to survive Taya versus Joey Ryan.

The episode guide preview points at this being a Jeremiah Crane/Mil Muertes/Catrina focused episode. Both of the police officers are on the show as well, so maybe we’ll get something there. This would also be the week to reveal who Son of Havoc is facing in the tournament if they’re going to do it in advance.

I guess this is Lucha Underground too: Josh Mathews says he was offered the Lucha Underground play by play gig. He was not the first pick: Mathews story is LU offered the job to him originally, he was impressed but the (seven season) contracts were too much for him. If you recall, that was a big issue right before the first set of tapings, where a lot of talent were pushing back at the length of contracts being offered and LU was having trouble filling out their cast.

Mathews says LU contacted him again right before the first set of tapings, because the person they were bringing in to call the show from Mexico had visa problems. (Those were the same visa issues that caused Pentagon, Fenix, and Drago to miss the first two episodes and caused everything up to Aztec Warfare to be rewritten; we need an oral history of those first episodes once this is all over.) Josh was willing to just work the shows, but was otherwise busy, and that’s how they ended up calling Matt Striker.

I’m not sure who the Mexican PBP announce would’ve been. Maybe they meant Hugo Savinovich, who ended up doing the Spanish PBP only, but I don’t think he would’ve been in Mexico, he may live in the US and didn’t need a visa. Maybe it would’ve been Jesus Zuniga, which would’ve been a disaster. Maybe it would’ve been someone else? Josh is loathed by fans of Impact and the bickering announcing storyline is death, but he was fine on the World Cup should and probably would’ve been fine on Lucha Underground. More importantly, we probably would’ve been spared Matt Striker’s abysmal TripleMania performances. If it is the Fight Network who ends up with TripleMania, I’d expect we’ll hear Josh on that one.

That same interview has Josh saying he believes something has changed with the Lucha Underground contracts to allow Fantasma and Drago to work their show. It sounds like he may not know much more than us on the details.

Everything Else

Satanico beat Coco Rojo for his hair on June 18, part of a weekend expo lucha libre show in Zapopan. Yuriko, May Flowers, and Pasion Cristal beat Vago, el Brujo and Alex Romano in 3v3 hair on another show.

PWR will have Super Crazy vs Penta 0M on 7/8 (Saturday). Of note, this is a Fite TV PPV for $10, while their recent shows have been on FloSlam (which would now be $30/month.)

LuchaWorld has the latest Lucha Report, which a recap of the latest +LuchaTV podcast.

The latest Winter Palace podcast has Dr. Lucha on as a guest.

Lineups

WMC (SUN) 07/02/2017 Salón Balumcanan, Iztacalco, Distrito Federal
1) Zafiro vs Casandra, Reina Oscura
2) Dowki & Hanaoka vs Demasiado & Yuriko
3) Demoledor & Fly Warrior vs Toxin & Tromba
4) Fandango vs Terremoto, Rayo Star [WMC UNIVERSAL]
5) Fulgor I, Fulgor II, Látigo, Séptimo Rayo vs Disturbio, Príncipe Diamante, Soberano Jr., Súper Comando
6) Metaleón vs Tóxico [WMC XTREME]

WMC is back this weekend with a couple title matches, and an Indy Nation vs CMLL Atomicos.

CMLL (MON) 07/03/2017 Arena Puebla
1) Asturiano, Black Tiger, Meyer vs El Malayo, Fuerza Chicana, King Jaguar
2) Marcela vs Dalys [lightning]
3) Soberano Jr., Stigma, Titán vs Disturbio, Misterioso Jr., Sagrado
4) Espíritu Maligno vs Ares [hair]
5) Atlantis, Diamante Azul, Valiente vs Kráneo, Mephisto, Ripper
6) Pierroth, Rush, Último Guerrero vs Rey Bucanero, Shocker, Terrible

Espiritu Maligno and Ares have been booked against each other for months, but only bothered to build up their feud last week. They had to know they were meant to have a hair match – if I figured it out, so could they – they just didn’t try at all. Ares hasn’t been much good at all, was clearly brought back just to be given a hair match payoff, and this is the most dispiriting type of CMLL booking as fan.

I have no idea what’s meant to be going on in that main event. I suspect they were planning on doing a Dalys/Estrellita title match but Estrellita got hurt and they didn’t want to have Marcela lose another title match.

CMLL (TUE) 07/04/2017 Arena México
1) Fantasy & Stukita vs Mercurio & Pequeño Nitro
2) Flyer, Príncipe Diamante, Sensei vs Arkángel de la Muerte, Metálico, Sangre Azteca
3) Fuego, Johnny Idol, Stigma vs Cancerbero, Raziel, Universo 2000 Jr.
4) Drone vs Puma [lightning]
5) Ángel de Oro, Blue Panther, The Panther vs Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón
6) Diamante Azul, Marco Corleone, Volador Jr. vs Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Negro Casas

A completely random show, but at least Drone/Puma is different and the semimain could be good. Raziel is facing slightly tougher competition than usual, his win streak will be tested.

CMLL (TUE) 07/04/2017 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Metatrón & Neutrón vs Maléfico & Thunder Boy
2) Astral, Magnum, Robin vs Akuma, Canelo Casas, Rey Trueno
3) Esfinge, Oro Jr., Star Jr. vs Disturbio, Tiger, Virus
4) Guerrero Maya Jr., Stuka Jr., Titán vs Felino, Hechicero, Ripper
5) Carístico, Dragón Lee, Mistico vs Cavernario, Mephisto, Último Guerrero

Based on last night’s lineup, it looks like Dragon Lee versus Cavernario or Carsitico vs Cavernario is coming up here.

LyP Klandestino (SUN) 07/16/2017 Arena Lopez Mateos
1) Pegazus, Súper Astro Jr., Yakuza vs Alas de Acero, Aramis, Iron Kid
2) Lokillo, Sádico, Toxin vs Arez, Belial, Impulso
3) Imposible & Súper Mega vs Emperador Azteca & Eterno
4) Daga & Zorro vs Cien Caras Jr. & Rey Escorpión
5) The King vs Marty Scurll
6) Penta 0M vs La Máscara [super libre]

Lucha y Pasion is running a second show, but combining with the other super indie themed shows here. (I can’t figure out if Kalndestino is a separate promotion or a just another way of branding AULL shows but run by them too.) I saw Fenix/Marty Scurll in AAW two years ago and it was really good, so hopefully it’ll be the same here.

AAA TV (SUN) 07/16/2017 Arena Jose Sulaiman, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon
1) Big Mami, Lady Shani, Pimpinela Escarlata vs Goya Kong, La Hiedra, Mamba
2) Bengala & El Elegido vs Australian Suicide & Marty The Moth and Monsther Clown & Murder Clown
3) Kevin Kross vs Máscara de Bronce
winner gets the title shot briefcase
4) Aerostar, Drago, Raptor vs Carta Brava Jr., Mocho Cota Jr., Soul Rocker [AAA TRIOS]
5) Hijo del Fantasma & Texano Jr. vs Dark Cuervo & Dark Scoria
6) Argenis, La Parka, Pagano vs Averno, Chessman, El Mesías
7) Psycho Clown vs Dr. Wagner Jr.

This is a card that makes sense or at least fits with current patterns by having enemies team up, and would seem totally likely if AAA was a normal promotion. The way AAA is run right now, we’re better off assuming that these are the matches which will NOT be happening on this taping. I want to get excited for a Suicide & Marty team but they’re not letting me.