CMLL (FRI) 07/21/2017 Arena México [Claro, CMLL, CultIcon, Notimex, Ovaciones, thecubsfan]
1) Puma & Tiger b Blue Panther Jr. & The Panther 
12:19. 1/3.
2) Blue Panther TLDRAW Sam Adonis [lightning]
Panther & Adonis earlier agreed to a hair match on 08/04. Brawl on the outside led to the draw (though it probably should’ve been a countout). They fought again after the match.
3) Carístico, Diamante Azul, Marco Corleone DQ Kráneo, Pierroth, Rush [Relevos Increíbles]
11:00. 2/3. Rush fouled Caristico.
4) Princesa Sugehit b Marcela, Dalys, Estrellita, Amapola, Silueta, Zeuxis, La Vaquerita, La Comandante, Sanely, Metálica, Skadi, La Seductora, Lady Maravilla [Copa Natalia Vazquez]
34:34 (plus a 6 minute battle royal to pick sides.) CMLL debut for Lady Maravilla. Order of elimination: Skadi (Comandante), Metalica (Vaquerita), Seductora (Lady Maravilla), Comandante (Dalys), Vaquerita (Sanely), Maravilla (Silueta), Sanely (Marcela), Silueta (Estrelita), double pin with Marcela & Estrellita, Amapola (Sugehit), Dalys (Zeuxis), Zeuxis (Sugehit). Sugehit is the first ever winner of this competition.
5) Dragón Lee, Niebla Roja, Volador Jr. DQ Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero
9:16. 2/3. Gran Guerrero fouled and unmasked Niebla Roja after the two had feuded all match.
Matches were all good. If you’re into the CMLL women, you’ll like the cibernetico but it’s a really long watch if you don’t care as much. After I wrote yesterday’s post, I realized picking Zeuxis to win the cibernetico was quite dumb. It’s the Copa Natalia Vazquez, a tournament celebrating the designated first ever Mexican luchadora, a Mexican luchadora kinda had to win it. This still seems headed in the direction of Zeuxis/Sugehit, but they didn’t do anything to push it closer.
Same thing really with Gran Guerrero & Niebla Roja, which didn’t really advance. And Caristico/Rush appears to be a thing based on them being matched up next week. I don’t think CMLL can or wants to do that match straight up, but SovietShooter’s suggestion of a Relevos Suicidas with those two feuds as the teams makes a bit of sense. (It also might led to Niebla Roja getting rejected for winning, but I think they’re on that path anyway.)
Dragon Lee keeps mentioning he’s shooting scenes for a documentary. Maybe something coming on NJPW World?
AAA EMW (FRI) 07/21/2017 Auditorio de Tijuana, Tijuana, Baja California
1) Maquiavélico, Pánico, Psycho b ?, Fantasik, Tahúr Jr.
maybe 2 v 3?
2) Drago b Mamba ©, Estrella Divina [EMW MIDDLE]
Mamba falls in first defense. Drago is second champion.
3) Dave The Clown, Monsther Clown, Murder Clown b Argenis, El Hijo del Medico Asesino, La Parka
Medico betrayed his partners.
4) Sexy Star © b Faby Apache, Lady Shani [Reina De Reinas]
first defense for Sexy. Originally first defense for Taya, but new champ Sexy replaced her two days out. Shani beat Faby, then Sexy Star beat Shani on a fast count. Thunder Rosa showed up to challenge Sexy Star post match.
5) Mil Muertes b Pagano [EMW HEAVY]
Mil won the new championship with a flat liner.
6) Johnny Mundo © b Hijo del Fantasma, Texano Jr. [AAA HEAVY]
Second defense. Texano & Fantasma worked together early, but betrayed each other and Mundo retained with a foul on Texano. Post match, Mundo threw the titles down at Vampiro’s feet. Vampiro praised Taya & Mundo but told Mundo he was disrespecting the belts and lucha libre by throwing the titles down, and shoved them back into Mundo’s hands. Mundo repeated his Twitter comments, threw the belts down again, and said he’d come to Aguascalientes if they paid him what he was owed. Vampiro picked up the belts and started to leave while Mundo was talking, and Mundo threw the mic at him. Vampiro came back to tease a fight, and Mundo walked out.
Whatever the situation was before, the situation now appears that Mundo and AAA are still working together. Mundo showed up here, AAA had him win, and they threw out the possibility of him showing up for Aguascalientes TV taping on Thursday. The live reports seemed to not exactly match up with what Mundo said – you can watch the bit here sideways – and I don’t think anyone’s completely clear if Mundo is meant to still be the AAA champion or not at this point. Guess we’ll find out Tuesday.
It is clear that, however bad they’re making it out to seem on social media, it’s not as a bad relationship in real life. (Thunder Rosa showing up is another clue; she seems to be close friend of Taya & Mundo and so would be unlikely to be showing up here to lose to Sexy Star next month if the schism between AAA & the non-AAA LU wrestlers was that big.) They made the emotions feel real in that segment, and Vampiro babyfacing him to the crowd as the defender of Mexican wrestling was amusingly real, but the segment doesn’t even if they’re really that mad at each other. My guess is Mundo works thru whenever his end date – which seemed all along to be TripleMania or the vacation show after – and maybe Mascara de Bronce winning the title from Mundo is pushed even more as Vampiro getting his revenge to wrap things up.
I’m highly skeptical an angle like this is going to move the needle much for AAA’s super casual audience. I don’t think it’s putting together any matches English speaking fans are really going to want to see, but I’m sure we’re in for another month of this.
Vampiro announced he will not be participating on the 08/20 Toro Road tryout, where people were going to be chosen to get chances to appear on LU, AAA and WWC. Vampiro explained he would be too busy with the final week of prep for TripleMania. TripleMania is six days later, but was announced as the date before this tryout was announced – perhaps Vampiro just found out AAA is going to want him in Mexico at that time, or maybe something else was going on. Toro Road’s website is still up at the moment, but their Twitter and Facebook have been deleted. They had promoted the tryout hard around April, disappeared for a while, popped back up again at the end of June tweeting like mad and setting a deadline of 07/31 to sign up. This was a $200 fee, and I hope people get that money back but this seems like a situation where that’s not going to happen. About two weeks ago, Vamp tweeted at them to get in touch – maybe he knew then he couldn’t make that date and was seeing if it could get changed, or maybe there were other reasons.
(I would strongly advise against taking this as meaning anything for Lucha Underground Season 4 – it always felt like LU had nothing to do with it, but were oddly not shutting ti down.)
Tonight’s CMLL show has Negro Navarro & Black Terry defending the Arena Coliseo Tag Team Championships against Sanson & Cuatrero. I’d be surprised if the titles stay with the maestros; I think the only way it happens is if CMLL believes NGD have already surpassed these titles. Negro Navarro refers to he and Terry has a lot of respect from “el publico de internet”, which is hilarious and true and sad because the only el public de internet is seeing this match is if Black Terry Jr. goes with his father to the show. Every CMLL title match should be filmed and offered in full in one fashion or another and it’s amazing this is something that isn’t being done in 2017.
It’s otherwise a quiet weekend for shows. Gimnasio Hercules has a benefit show today. Sunday’s big show is IWRG’s Prison Fatal, where Trauma II & Caristico will risk their masks but actually Mr. Electro or Black Warrior will lose their hair. CMLL’s shows in Arena Mexico and Arena Coliseo Guadalajara don’t have much notable.
Stardom announced Mary Apache’s daughter Natsumi will be training with them to debut in the spring. Mary and her children have moved to Japan for the time being, which is why she’s disappeared from AAA. It’s surprising Natsumi is training; just about a year ago, Mary mentioned (in an interview translated by Micromanfever) her children had no interest in wrestling and Natsumi (then 13) would fall asleep at wrestling matches. Mary Apache starts with the promotion this weekend.
Microman translates the latest Podcast Boom with Konnan, which you can see here.
Lucha Underground has a PJ Black promo for his match with Rey Mysterio.
ROH announced Mistico, Jushin Liger & Delirious vs Dalton Castle & the Boys for their 08/18 show in London.
Los Nómadas (Violento Jack, Miedo Extremo & Ciclope) are hosting a tequila and tacos party in Japan today.
Lineups
IWRG FILL (WED) 07/26/2017 Arena Naucalpan
1) Fireman & Puma King vs Guerrero 2000 & Matrix Jr.
2) Celestial Boy & Fly Star vs Power Bull & Tentáculo
3) Blue Monsther, Picudo Jr., Vórtize vs Acero, Atomic Star, Lunatik Xtreme
4) Ángel Oriental, Kanon, Shadow Boy vs Kempo Jr., Monaguillo, Skanda
5) Gallo Frances, Hijo del Alebrije, Mike vs Marduk, Taylor Wolf, Warrior Jr.
6) Alas de Acero, Aramis, Black Dragón, Demonio Infernal, Diablo Jr., Dinamic Black, Emperador Azteca, Eterno vs Centvrión, Fly Star, Fly Warrior, Fulgor I, Fulgor II, Glenn Calavera, Látigo, Séptimo Dragón [Copa Higher Power]
IWRG (Black Terry) vs Indy Nation (Arez)
Really hoping that main event turns up because the Indy Nation guys are likely to go nuts for a big match in Naucalpan. I think +Lucha said Latigo was out of Indy Nation but it appears he’s still fufilling his booking.
CMLL (FRI) 07/28/2017 Arena México
1) Eléctrico & Stukita vs Mercurio & Pequeño Nitro
2) Esfinge, Fuego, Pegasso vs Puma, Raziel, Tiger
3) Drone, Soberano Jr., Titán vs Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón
4) Stuka Jr. vs Hechicero [lightning]
5) Blue Panther, Diamante Azul, Valiente vs Pierroth, Rush, Sam Adonis
6) Carístico, Mistico, Niebla Roja vs Gran Guerrero, Mephisto, Último Guerrero
Lots of good matches on this card, with Niebla Roja versus the Guerreros continuing. Rush & Pierroth have finally found a partner more hated then them.
