You have two chances to see Rush/UG this week, but you probably already know that.
AAA starts with the Juarez taping. They split the taping directly in half with the last taping, which would make Dave/Parka the main event this week.
I still have IWRG on there despite having no idea how if I’ll get it. Eh.
Recapped: 11/20/17
Matches:
Lestat, Rey Samuray, Tigre Rojo Jr. beat Fuerza Chicana, Perverso, Policeman
(16:06 [7:08, 5:14, 3:44], 1/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
La Comandante, Reyna Isis, Tiffany beat La Vaquerita, Lady Maravilla, Sanely
(13:39 [5:59, 4:08, 3:32], 2/3, n/r, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
El Malayo, Olímpico, Virus beat Drone, Johnny Idol, Stigma
(14:56 [7:12, 2:44, 5:00], 1/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Negro Casas beat Volador Jr. in a lightning match
(6:19, casita, good, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Kráneo, Rey Bucanero, Terrible beat Mistico, Niebla Roja, Valiente
(10:34 [2:10, 2:38, 5:46], 1/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
What happened:
Negro Casas beating Volador set up a title match the following week.
Thoughts:
The main was nothing much. A highlight of the first fall was Kraneo covering Valiente for about 10 seconds before Tirantes could be bothered to count. Kraneo inviting himself to Niebla Roja’s pose off at least made Niebla Roja interesting. Roja did more in the Sunday match and that wasn’t a lot. Mistico and Valiente weren’t much in, the rudos bumbled a bit, but this really wasn’t much by main event standards.
In CMLL, you really only can get your finisher once. Negro Casas plays by slightly different rules: you can really only escape the casita once, but he’s going to beat you with it gets another chance. The lightning match was not very long and didn’t have a lot big moves, but it was well worked while it lasted. It’s fun to see Negro Casas in this way, but it’s nothing huge.
Not much to stay about the tercera. The finish of the first fall was built around Drone’s finishing move taking way too long and Johnny Idol not being good, so points for accuracy. Drone using the over the top ramp splash was good. Malayo didn’t stick out in his big opportunity.
The opener went very long, enough for the técnicos to try to have big moments but not enough for them to actually pull them off. Perverso is now looking the best of this rudo batch. Samuray’s springboard fail was sad. The triple finish was a neat idea.
IWRG FILL (WED) 11/29/2017 Arena Naucalpan [The Gladiatores]
1) Dinámico, Dranzer, Pumita b Craken, Dragón, Sumed
Craken replaced (?) Crimen.
2) Celestial Boy, Fly Tiger, Voltar b Black Puma, Chicanito, Guerrero 2000
3) Adrenalina, Keshin Black, Power Bull b Dragón Orus, Haziel, Orión
4) Hijo Del Bombero, Kanon, Súper Brazo Jr. b Atomic Star, Dragón Infernal, Leroy
Dragon Infernal replaced Toxin. Atomic Star was hurt.
5) Mike, Rafy, Teelo, Toto b Eterno, Fireman, Ovett, Skanda
Toto replaced Teelo. Fireman replaced Lunatik Extreme.
6) Ángel Drago, Atomic Fly, Cadilac, Cremosito, Death Metal, Marduk, Mr. Snake, Taurino b Alas de Acero, Ángel Oriental, Aramis, Avisman, Black Dragón, Diablo Jr., Lunatik Extreme, Shadow Boy [Copa High Power]
FILL (Black Terry) vs Gym Zeus (Oficial 911). Lunatik Extreme replaced Demonio Infernal. Gym Zeus won via foul but the referee might have seen it and ignored it.
The video feed I was using for IWRG seems to be dead for good. I can pay for something that’ll allow me to at least watch AYM, but I’m not sure if it’ll let me to record or if I want to be paying for IWRG. I might get bored and try to figure it out.
Good video of Flamita/Rey Fenix match from last night’s The Crash show in San Luis Potosi is up on YouTube. La Park/Daga/Penta beat Los Ingobernables in the main event. Please thank the guy who uploaded if you watch it. I think The Crash has a more entertaining product than AAA and AAA’s TV hasn’t been good, but any TV on Televisa is better than no TV at all. Weak AAA turnouts are still out performing more loaded Crash shows.
The Crash is in Arena Aficion tonight, a DTU co-promoted show. The main event is a four way with Penta, Rush, Garza and La Mascara, with Daga & Fenix vs Black Terry & Solar.
There’s also a show in Arena Coliseo, a benefit show for Universo 2000. He suffered heart problems a few months ago, is doing better, but still needs expensive surgery and this show is to help pay for that. The main event will be his brothers Mascara 2000 & Cien Caras teaming with Satanico against Rayo de Jalisco, Canek and Blue Panther.
CMLL made another couple changes today. Johnny Idol is back on Tuesday after all to follow up on his rudo turn, replacing Negro Casas in the semimain. That puts Idol across from Valiente, who was somehow booked in Mexico and Guadalajara at the same time. Caristico’s heading to Guadalajara now and Mr. Niebla joins him, replacing Rush.
ROH announced Dragon Lee & Titan will team with Flip Gordon to challenge the Young Bucks & Adam Page for ROH six man titles on their 12/15 (Friday) PPV. That match should be pretty good. CMLL’s confirmed Dragon Lee & Titan will be on the TV taping the next day as well, which is being held on the former ECW Arena.
Lucha Memes year end show is 12/25 in Coliseo Coacalco. First match announced
They also posted a video of Gato de Ecatepec Jr., which would lead you to believe he’s coming soon.
Torreon’s Arena La Rosita is closed until March. The promoter says they don’t draw well because it’s too cold (and it’s an outdoor arena.)
CultIcon has a running diary of the CMLL bodybuilding contest. Astral won 10,000 pesos (over $500 USD) for winning Mr. CMLL.
DJ Spectro says Tijuana luchador Indio Toro has passed away.
Guatemalan luchador La Arana passed away a few days ago.
Hijo del Vikingo was the guest on Zona Ruda.
UNAM will have a Santo film festival 12/06 to 12/10.
Maxilar in Tijuana has Alberto el Patron (& Dos Caras & Hijo del Do Caras) vs Dr. Wagner Jr. (& Hijo del Dr. Wagner & Tinieblas) on 12/15.
Segunda Caida reviews Lucha Underground 3×22.
The new episode of Lucha Talk is up.
Lucha de Barrio sent out an interview with Pakal, building up his match with Black Taurus on this most recent episode.
The people behind 126F are doing their own podcast now too. It seems only available on YouTube and isn’t on it’s own playlist, which I do not like, but it seems only 30 minutes long, which I very much like.
Black Terry talks about a dangerous time in lucha in Laredo.
Recapped: 11/20/2017
The CMLL Sunday Arena Mexico is usually not aired, but they make an annual exception for the Dia de los Muertos show.
Matches:
Oro Jr. & Príncipe Diamante beat Akuma & Espíritu Negro
(10:06 [4:35, 2:07, 3:24], 1/2, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
La Jarochita, Princesa Sugehit, Sanely beat Amapola, Reyna Isis, Tiffany
(12:09 [5:14, 3:40, 3:15], 1/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Blue Panther Jr., Johnny Idol, The Panther vs Misterioso Jr., Pólvora, Sagrado
(10:55 [4:38, 1:58, 4:19], 1/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Ángel de Oro, Diamante Azul, Niebla Roja beat Dragón Rojo Jr., Hechicero, Luciferno
(8:39 [2:39, 1:56, 4:04], 2/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
Carístico, Marco Corleone, Soberano Jr. beat Ephesto, Kráneo, Mephisto
(13:42 [4:22, 5:19, 4:01], 1/3, ok, via VideosOficialesCMLL)
What Happened: Matches 3 on are played with Dia de Los Muertos rules.
Espíritu and Oro went to a double pin (so a double pin on back to back shows after none for months.)
Thoughts:
How many different ways can I say “an average match”?
The main event was rote – if you’ve seen Mephisto & Marco do the height gags, you’ve seen a lot of this – but the only match to really feel like it got a decent amount of time. Soberano & Carístico used it to showoff a bit, and it kind of turned into the best match of the night. Not that means much, this was a match of short fights taking a big backseat to the pageantry, and absolutely none of this is worthwhile seeing after the fact. This main event at least did get the crowd going better than the rest of the card.
The semimain looked like the most promising match on paper but never really got to an interesting level. The Chavez brothers didn’t do much special, the rudos control didn’t last long, and it ended quick. Short matches were the order of the day, and this one didn’t crack 10 minutes.
Panther matches have a way of just continuing to keep going and eventually getting good for it. This match was a whole bag of nothing for 2.5 falls, and then it got a little bit better for the last few minutes. In no way should this encourage you to watch this show, and it’s just about what you’re going to get with these guys all the time and is pretty much a waste of time, but it didn’t annoy me.
The women’s match fits in the category of matches with few errors but also few moments of actual excitement. They ran thru the usual offense for the usual amount of time and it was alright, I guess. There’s no evolution to these matches, just varying level of performances. It’s a small pool of women, and it sometimes sticks out that they’ve never try any team work spots except for two people doing the same move at the same time. Jarochita and Isis are bad together, though it did lead to Jarochita hitting Isis really hard by accident twice in the last ten seconds. She’s got to get a lot better at the moonsault or has to get rid of the moonsault; no one’s impressed by a crummy looking moonsault in 2017.
The opener was short, but better for it. They had to keep moving. The técnicos got in a few high spots, the rudos didn’t waste too much time, and it didn’t overstay it’s time while still not offering a whole. Oro is usually a level ahead of these guys and didn’t really show much more than the other three, which is not exactly a great thing.
