FantasticaMania 2018, Caristico, Atlantis

CMLL NJPW (FRI) 01/12/2018 Aichi Congress Center Event Hall, Nagoya, Japan [NJPW, Strong Style Story]
Attendance: 1554
1) Drone b Disturbio
6:53. Drone used his new-ish twisting headscissors submission.
2) Okumura & Puma b Fuego & Star Jr.
9:44. Puma casita on Star Jr.
3) Cuatrero, Rocky Romero, SHO, YOH b Ángel de Oro, Jushin Liger, Ryusuke Taguchi, Tiger Mask
9:41. Cuatrero crucifix powerbomb on Angel de Oro. Rocky Romero wore a Black Tiger mask to the match.
4) Niebla Roja, Soberano Jr., Volador Jr. b Bárbaro Cavernario, Gran Guerrero, Sansón
9:26. Soberano tornillo on Sanson.
5) Bushi, Hiromu Takahashi, Rush, Tetsuya Naito b Dragón Lee, Hirai Kawato, Kushida, Satoshi Kojima
12:45. BUSHI beat Kawato with a crab.
6) Atlantis, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Mistico b Gedo, Kazuchika Okada, Último Guerrero
10:57. Mistica on Guerrero.

This will air on SamuraiTV on Thursday and likely will be uploaded to the RealHero archive sometime after. The tour has a day off, then holds an event in Kyoto (early) Sunday.

Meanwhile, Arena Mexico holds a CMLL show without all of those people. There’s no ongoing rivalries, and the show kind of looks more like an off night show than a big Friday night one. It’s a very odd show where the most notable match might be the opener.

Yesterday, CMLL had a special announcement on Facebook: an interview with Electrico to reveal he’d be the mini luchador moving up to the main division. His last mini match is tonight (teaming with Stukita against Mercurio & Pequeno Nitro), he’ll be off for two weeks, and then debut as a main roster guy on the 26th. He will be taking the Mexican Lightweight championship to the main division with him. I’m not sure the minis division needed two singles championships, but the main division needs a twelfth singles championship even less.

Titan versus Rey Cometa is the latest same side lightning match. Their match kicking off the 2011 Forjando un Idolo tournament really put that concept and then-Palacio Negro on the map in Arena Mexico, and this is their first rematch seven years later.

The main event is Caristico, Diamante Azul and Marco Corleone versus Kraneo, Shocker and Terrible. Shocker did miss Tuesday’s show in Arena Coliseo Guadalajara, so he’s a bit of a question mark. Sam Adonis and Blue Panther meet again in trios, with Stuka, Valiente, Mephisto and Ephesto around. Flyer, Pegaso, Stigma take on Cancerbero, Raziel and Universo 2000 Jr. in the second match.

CultIcon also previews this show. The show will air ClaroSports and their Facebook page.

Dragon Rojo says he’ll be guest commentator. He hasn’t been seen in the ring he was hurt on 11/24 and I’m not sure there’s been a recovery name.

Caristico says he’s the pebble in everyone’s shoe; everyone keeps talking about how he’s not that big of a deal but they can’t stop thinking about him. Meanwhile, Carisitco is a humble man who just comes to work and does his job, filling the arena. Caristico takes a shot at Volador, saying Volador never filled an arena until he wrestled Caristico. (That is true though it’s not like Volador was given a shot against other top guys until then.) Caristico’s thinking about apuesta matches with Rush, Volador, Mistico, Ultimo Guerrero and Mephisto and would love to main event the 85th Anniversario with one of those guys.

Caristico also confirmed he’ll be working Alberto’s 01/20 earthquake charity benefit show. Caristico (as “Myzteziz”, his AAA name) was listed on the poster but it always seemed a little doubtful. The name thing was weird, AAA’s Dr. Wagner is on the card, and Alberto and Caristico have had serious personal issues in both AAA & WWE. Caristico says he talked to Alberto and was very happy to accept, because he likes doing these sorts of charity events.

Atlantis said recovering from his knee injury was “the most difficult and strange time in his life.” It was the first time he needed surgery to repair an injury in his career, so he considers himself very lucky to never had to go thru that before. Atlantis says the people of Japan treat him like a super hero and he was thrilled to be drawn in an anime. Atlantis says retirement is “still very distant”, and his son may debut this year but needs more polish and work.

Tirantes talks about getting back into the promoting in Xalapa.

The Los Gemelos Panteras who were recently in CMLL visited Reynosa. They’ve been in wrestling five years, but it’s only the last two years that the identical brothers have been teaming up.

Brian Cage debuted on Impact’s tapings yesterday. Some people are still under the impression that showing up in Impact or another promotion means they won’t be in Lucha Underground. It definitely used to be that way, but it’s also changed over the last year, and Cage said he’s still planning on being on LU. Neither show really runs that often, so it’s not going to be hard to be on both in 2018.

Rey Mysterio hasn’t shown up on those tapings as of yet. There’s nothing specifically pointing towards him appearing. Hijo del Fantasma is the only AAA regular to be brought to Impact this time around, but he at least gets into an important match early on.

MexaWrestling added Lady Flammer vs Keyra to it’s 01/27 show.

IWRG referee Reyes Rosas talks about the recently deceased Grillo.