Caristico (finally) beats Volador, Christmas full of lucha

CMLL (FRI) 12/22/2017 Arena México [CMLL, thecubsfan]
1) Fiero & Oro Jr. DQ Raziel & Templario 
5:48. straight falls, rudos intentionally ripping off the tecnicos’ masks in the second fall rather than take the pinfall win. Lots of mask ripping.
2) Puma, Tiger, Virus b Drone, Guerrero Maya Jr., Soberano Jr. 
13:31. Soberano replaced Rey Cometa. Rudos took 2/3.
3) Ángel de Oro, Mistico, Niebla Roja DQ Cavernario, Cuatrero, Negro Casas 
14:46. Tecnicos took 2/3, the last when Cuatrero unmasked Angel de Oro.
4) Rush b Mr. Niebla, Último Guerrero, Terrible, Shocker, Sansón, Kráneo, Euforia, Máscara Año 2000, Rey Bucanero, Gran Guerrero, Forastero, Pierroth, Hechicero, Misterioso Jr., Vangellys [Leyenda de Azul] 
28:40. Cuatrero & Mephisto were originally announced, with Kraneo and Mascara 2000 replacing them. Sides were determined by battle royal (2:00). Team A: Euforia, Sanson, Terrible, Rush, Vangellys, Mr. Niebla, Forastero, and Mascara Ano 2000. Team B: Último Guerrero, Shocker, Kráneo, Rey Bucanero, Gran Guerrero, Pierroth, Hechicero, and Misterioso. Order of elimination: Misterioso (by Sanson), Vangellys (Hechicero), Mascara 2000 (Pierroth), Shocker (Euforia), Forastero (Rey Bucanero), Rey Bucanero (Mr. Niebla), Mr. Niebla/Gran Guerrero double elimination, Hechicero (Rush), Sanson (Kraneo), Kraneo (Terrible), Terrible (Ultimo Guerrero), Ultimo Guerrero (Rush with outside help from Pierroth), Pierroth (Euforia), Euforia (Rush via Martillo Negro) leaving Rush as the winner. Rush disrespected the trophy before accepting the belt.
5) Carístico b Volador Jr. 
15:26. Caristico took falls 2/3 after crashing and burning on a dive in the first fall. This was Caristico’s first singles win over Volador on a CMLL show in Arena Mexico (previously beat him on an Elite show), though that wasn’t played up. Caristico asked for a NWA WELTER shot next week and Volador grudgingly accepted.

I enjoyed this show except for the really long cibernetico in the middle. Caristico/Volador is the only one I’d say to go out of your way to watch, but you could also just wait 7 days to watch it. Attendance seemed up a little, though maybe not as much as I was hyped about it last week. We’ll see about next week, but now I’m thinking that maybe four notable shows in ten days may be too much.

ELITE put up a statement saying no one’s ever mentioned having a problem with ELITE paying them and so the one person who did (Garza Jr.) won’t be allowed to ruin their good name. Garza mentioned on Twitter that ELITE paid him some but not all of the money he’s owed. It’s unusual for Garza to complain publicly, it’s more common for luchadors to keep working for a promotion for a while in hopes they promotion will make it good down the line. WON’s site is posting old issues covering a week from 2000 where top ECW wrestlers hadn’t gotten paid in six weeks, had maxed out credit cards to survive, but still wouldn’t commit to quit the company out of belief they’d be giving up any hope of getting that missing money if they left or sued. Not all problems are talked about publicly. If other ELITE wrestlers really didn’t get paid, they still might work Monday’s show just because seeing the promoters in person might be their best way to get any money out of them.

this weekend in lucha libre

Saturday

• Caristico & Volador are back to teaming up in Arena Coliseo. Valiente is the third wheel on a bad date, facing Cavernario, Gran Guerrero and Mephisto. They’re building to Panther Jr./Hechicero here, probably for 12/30.
• There’s a not-quite-The Crash show in Arena San Juan, headlined by Flamita, Tiago & Torito Negro vs Guerrero Mixtico, Tom Mix Jr. and Toxin.

Sunday

• can’t find a single lucha event in all of Mexico on Christmas Eve

Monday – I’ve found 31 Christmas Day shows in Mexico (and 1 in Guatemala), and I’m sure there will be plenty more.

• CMLL has Sin Salida, a show featuring a 10 man cage match with luchadors usually booked in the opening matches, where the last man left in the cage loses their mask. The rest of the card is usual B-show filler.

  Of the ten men in the cage match, Templario, Fiero, and Star Jr. are too new to mean anything as a loser. The “Oro” image means a lot to people in CMLL and I’d be surprised if one was allowed to lose their mask in the promotion. That leaves Starman, Nitro, Pegasso, Raziel, Cancerbero, and Hijo del Signo as those in danger. This started with Starman & Signo, Starman’s the older one of the two (though not very old for CMLL – 43, he’s just been in the spot forever), so it hints he’s the one losing. I’m leading towards it being Nitro, who probably isn’t in condition to do a singles mask match at this point.

  As best we can tell, this show will air as a normal stream for free on YouTube at an early start time of 5pm CT. CMLL said they might do otherwise when the show was first announced, but hasn’t said any more.

• Arena Puebla still runs – Asturiano will likely take Espiritu Maligno’s hair – but probably won’t be streamed or air on VOD.
• AAA has live events in Arena Lopez Mateos and Arena Naucalpan
• Arena Neza has Penta/Fenix vs Mascara/Maximo & Los Traumas vs Skayde/Caifan among other matches. I think this is the card I’d want to be at.
• Lucha Memes has an interesting card too, with Daga vs Caifan as the main event, Ricky Marvin & Trauma II, and a superb Alas de Acero, Aramis, Bandido vs Arez, Flamita, Super Crazy trios. Maybe I could make both of these shows; this is a 2:30 start.
• Rey Fenix takes on Penta for the first time in singles match, out in Salon Citalli. I think they’re making all these shows, but they may be starting later than listed.
• Elite runs in Deportivo Morelos with Cibernetico, Sharly Rockystar vs Mr. Electro, Zorro. The Traumas are booked here too.
• IWL resurfaces for a one off show in Mexico State.

ESPN has an interview with Rey Mysterio Jr.; the phrases “Arolucha” and “The Crash” never appear so I’m not as interested as I could be. He says he’d be willing to do some dates for Lucha Underground Season 4 but hasn’t heard from them, which is a slightly different story than has been told elsewhere. (I’d guess, if they’re cutting to 22 episodes, they probably can’t afford Rey Mysterio.) The actual point of the article is Yes, Rey Mysterio Would Go Back To WWE but only if they offer him a part time schedule but WWE obviously haven’t offered him a deal he’d like because he hasn’t gone back.

Pro Wrestling Revolution announced Dragon Lee & Titan for their 02/24 show in San Jose. They’re replacing Penta & Fenix, who are on Lucha Underground duty.

The Gladiatores has an interview with Negro Navarro and words from Black Dragon and Spector after their mask match.

Princesa Sugehit would be open to wrestling in a WWE women’s Royal Rumble if WWE called.

Arena 23 de Junio posted their year end awards, in the form of a photo of a monitor of a table. Whatever gets it done.

Lineups

CMLL (FRI) 12/29/2017 Arena México
1) Magia Blanca & Robin vs Arkángel de la Muerte & Metálico
2) Blue Panther Jr., Star Jr., The Panther vs Puma, Sagrado, Tiger
3) Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Titán vs Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón
4) Cavernario, Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas vs Johnny Idol, Okumura, Sam Adonis
5) Marco Corleone, Mistico, Valiente vs Gran Guerrero, Shocker, Último Guerrero
6) Volador Jr. © vs Carístico [NWA WELTER]
17th defense!

Volador is probably going to get his win back, that’s usually the way of back to back singles match. One notable exception is when Volador beat then Mistico back to back singles weeks, winning the Mexican Light Heavyweight championship in the second match.

The NWA Welterweight Championship is the closest thing CMLL has to a real main title, but really only because Volador has been the top guy for most of the time he’s held that title: all the way back to 2014, all the way back to 2013 outside of Sombra winning it for a couple months. Caristico won a tournament, but has not won any titles since returning to CMLL. Winning this title, over this opponent would be a big deal. It’s CMLL, so don’t get too excited, the status quo is more likely.

The rest of the Sky Team is in the semimain match, but they didn’t get involved last night. Casas & Adonis meet in trios two days before their hair match. 2/3 are the usual “this could be great if they go all out but who knows if they can/will” matches.