CMLL (TUE) 07/18/2017 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Martes de Glamour]
1) Exterminador & Guerrero de la Muerte b Mágico & Micro
rudos took 2/3
2) Cancerbero, Difunto, Raziel b Astral, Explosivo, Star Jr.
Rudos took 1/3
3) Drone, Esfinge, Guerrero Maya Jr. b Misterioso Jr., Sagrado, Virus
Tecnicos took 1/3.
4) Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr., The Panther b Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón and Felino, Puma, Tiger
billed as a rare three way trios match (though, in reality, it appears to be the Panthers beating the Felinos and a second match with NGD beating the Panthers.) The NGD were given a trios title shot for their win.
5) Diamante Azul, Marco Corleone, Volador Jr. b Pierroth, Ripper, Rush
tecnicos took 2/3.
That three way is how CMLL does three way matches and how almost no one else does three way matches.
Today’s a seemingly normal Friday that may turn out to big day for lucha libre news
What’ll happen with AAA’s Triple Championship?
AAA spot shows are rarely mentioned because here. Results are hard to come by, nothing really important happens, and the matches are usually said not to be good, with the luchadors saving themselves for TV shows. Today’s EMW show actually looks worse than usual, because even though the matches look better than usual, the promotion is also creating champions with no purpose. The pattern is, if you’re suddenly adding a lot of titles, you probably haven’t spent much time trying to figure out what works and are going to have problems in others ideas.
However, EMW going all in on title matches on this show meant they happened to have Johnny Mundo working his only AAA spot show of the year to defend the triple championship. It’s an incredible fortunate break for AAA, who might be able to get themselves out of the mess they got themselves into. Or, it could be a sign of something has been worked out. I don’t know what exactly will happen tonight, but it does sound like Johnny Mundo and AAA are working something out.
Afterbuzz TV talked to both Johnny and Taya at San Diego Comic Con. You should watch the whole thing for context, and to see how excited they both still are for Lucha Underground – even while being upset about the AAA situation, this week’s LU show convinced them they still wanted to be part of that. The interviewer did ask the important question:
Interviewer: So, are you guys done, is this done? Are you 110% done with AAA?
Mundo: Never say never in wrestling.
Taya: He still has three of their championship belts!
Mundo: I still have the AAA titles, we still have business to take care of. We’re working things out, with several different companies, and, um, we’re dealing with a firestorm with the comments that have been flying back and forth on Twitter because of the situation, so I don’t know what’s going to happen, but –
Taya: -but we’re just taking it as it goes, and, honestly, I’m blown away by how many people are supporting us, supporting me, have been sending messages and their regards and how they’ve been supportive of the whole thing. And honestly, it’s awesome. I’m so proud how I’ve had so many fans reach out to me both in Mexico and the States.
What I’ve found when discussing this situation with other people is other people have different definitions for the words “work” and “shoot” than I know them to me. So, let’s change the discussion slightly: are they still willing to do business with AAA? Johnny definitely appear to be willing to do business with AAA. Maybe only not to damage his relationships with other promotions (LU, GFW?), and maybe he’s only doing it if AAA does certain things to for him, but he’s also willing to play it up as mystery to make it bigger story for everyone if/when he does turn up. My guess is that means AAA risks they can work things out and doesn’t do a house show title change tonight. It’s still a big risk, and it’s not like Johnny’s changed his message on other things:
Mundo: Vampiro is a yes men. Vampiro just says yes to everyone, and he’s got his nose way up Dorian’s turd cutter and it all it does it tell people what they want they want to hear. And ultimately it sucks because he tells us what we want to hear, and he tells someone else what they want to hear, and ultimately he’s just lying to everyone.
It’s interesting the AAA TripleMania press conference got moved from today to Tuesday. My guess was availability issues – if all these guys need to be in Tijuana for a show, it’s tough to have them in Mexico City to hype the next show – but it may simply be AAA wasn’t sure they’d have the card worked out by this afternoon.
CMLL Decides Future Big Matches Tonight?
CMLL has said the Anniversario show is on 09/16. I believe there’s another show on 08/04. There are a lot of possible matches for both those dates, but we do not yet know what goes where. Tonight would be a good day to find out. CMLL needs to set something up for 08/04 on this show, which may reveal the 09/16 matches by elimination.
Today’s CMLL show – on Claro at 8:30, CultIcon has a full preview – includes both the Sam Adonis/Blue Panther feud (in a lightning match) and the Sugehit/Zeuxis feud (in the Copa Natalia Vazquez), and those seem like the focuses for the near term. Niebla Roja vs the Guerreros is in the main event, but that feud has been less focused (wavering back between UG & GG) and less close to an ending. It could still be an Anniversario match, but not one in two weeks. Soberano/Misterioso is still out there, but not on this card, which means it’s also probably not happening in two weeks. That leaves the USA/Mexico feud and the women who’ve been feuding all year.
In the big picture, there’s a spot for one of those matches on 08/04 (probably semimain), and a spot for the other one on 09/16 (likely fourth). CMLL has tended to go with men’s matches on the Anniversary show, but I think the more advantageous positioning has Adonis & Panther on their own show. It’s the feud the crowd reacts to the most, and figures to be more of a draw than Sugehit/Zeuxis. (Women’s apuesta matches don’t have a strong track record of drawing, though they usually aren’t getting strong dates either.) We also know already know Adonis is going to Japan for a while in August, and will be in the Gran Prix match on 09/01. Panther isn’t on the Mexico team, so CMLL won’t be able to match those two up regularly leading to 09/16.
(There’s also a Zeuxis interview today specifically saying she wants Princesa Sugehit at the Anniversary show – but that’s what everyone says.)
My guess on this one is Adonis & Panther agree to a hair match tonight, with a press conference to make it official next Wednesday. And Sugehit & Zeuxis maybe have one more thing – Zeuxis pins Sugehit tonight to set up one more title match? – to get them to 09/16.
Even beyond the intrigue, tonight’s CMLL show looks good. Puma/Tiger vs Panthers is always good. Adonis/Panther should be good. The main event should be really good. The luchadoras are going to want their match to overachieve (and, with only five matches on the show, they’re going to get plenty of time to try.) The relevos increibles will at least produces some GIFs. This should be an entertaining show.
Ovaciones has an interview with Dalys about being in this cibernetico.
Other Stuff
CMLL added a Stuka/Felino lightning match to Saturday for no obvious reason. Maybe someone was short on dates. Not sure they’re getting a big payoff out of a Saturday Coliseo show.
Ring of Honor announced Titan challenging KUSHIDA for the Ring of Honor TV title (if Kushida is still champ) on August 18th in London as part of their UK tour. Titan & KUSHIDA have never had a match against each other, but have been on the same time three times on FantasticaMania shows. They lost all three!
LuchaWorld has the latest news update.
This week’s Fuego en el Ring was up.
Mas Por Mas talks to Octagon about his career. And one with Canek. And one with Ciudad Victoria’s Jhonny el Pulpo, which I don’t think is the famous one.
Lineups
RIOT (SAT) 07/29/2017 Arena Femenil, Monterrey, Nuevo León
1) Hell Raider vs Black Raider
2) Sayrus vs Low Rider
3) Psicótico vs Muerte Extreme [hardcore]
4) Erick Ortiz vs Black Terry
5) Fly Warrior vs Shane Strickland [POWERBOMB.TV CHAMP, quarterfinal]
6) Arez vs Kratoz, Darlion, Sammy Guevara, Fuego Del Sol
Full card for the show next Saturday. Since there’s a Powerbomb.TV tournament match, I suspect this one will show up on that service quicker.