CMLL Tuesday results, ELITE TV show exists?, Gladiador from AAA to Crash, Fenix/Flamita off

CMLL (TUE) 02/27/2018 Arena México [CMLL, Culticon]
1) Acero & Aéreo b Pequeño Olímpico & Pequeño Universo 2000 
2) Astral, Oro Jr., Príncipe Diamante b Akuma, El Coyote, Príncipe Odín Jr. 
tecnicos took 2/3
3) Cancerbero, Raziel, Templario b Pegasso, Star Jr., Stigma 
Rudos took 1/3.
4) Guerrero Maya Jr. b Flyer [lightning] 
Flyer replaced Rey Cometa
5) Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Stuka Jr. b Kawato San, Luciferno, Pólvora 
tecnicos took 1/3.
6) Gran Guerrero, Marco Corleone, Máscara Año 2000 DQ Kráneo, Pierroth, Rush [Relevos Increíbles] 
straight falls. Pierroth fouled Mascara 2000 in the second.

I have seen zero seconds of this show so far. It might have been OK? CMLL is now posting quick post match promos from shows, with Kraneo, Templario, Guerrero Maya, and Angel de Oro & Niebla Roja.

CMLL (TUE) 02/27/2018 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Guerrero de la Muerte & Mr. Apolo b El Alteño & Micro
Rudos took 2/3.
2) Difunto, Espanto Jr., Metálico b Magnum, Retro, Sangre Imperial
rudos took 2/3.
3) Amapola, Dalys, La Seductora b Lady Maravilla, Marcela, Princesa Sugehit
Rudos took 2/3.
4) Furia Roja, Rey Bucanero, Terrible b Diamante Azul, Titán, Tritón
Rudos took 1/3, with Furia Roja surprisingly beating Diamante Azul cleanly.
5) Cavernario, Ephesto, Mephisto b Atlantis, Dragón Lee, Volador Jr.
Rudos took 1/3, Cavernario hassling Atlantis, beating him, and challenging him for a title match.

An all rudo show. The CMLL recap notes the tecnicos were baffled by Furia Roja winning. That has to be going somewhere.

Azteca’s A+ is promoting a 03/11 start for “Arena Azteca”, which seems to be a new name for the Elite TV show. That would mean TV would start be taped on 03/04. There was an ELITE lineup for 03/04, but now it looks like:

CMLL (SUN) 03/04/2018 Arena México
1) Magia Blanca & Robin vs Grako & Inquisidor
2) Astral, Oro Jr., Star Jr. vs Cancerbero, Raziel, Sangre Azteca
3) Audaz, Guerrero Maya Jr., Titán vs Kawato San, Okumura, Universo 2000 Jr.
4) Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Stuka Jr. vs Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón
5) Dragón Lee vs Cavernario
6) Pierroth, Rush, Terrible vs Diamante Azul, Último Guerrero, Volador Jr.

A normal CMLL show. So either Arena Azteca starts with the 02/11 show or the start date is wrong. ELITE start dates don’t have a great track record.

This would be the second time in a month CMLL’s run Dragon Lee versus Cavernario on a Sunday show, the only Arena Mexico show that’s not normally taped. It’s possible the first one may air, if Lucha Azteca continues airing Sunday shows. This is the 10th Cavernario/Dragon Lee match overall:

2 lightning style matches in En Busca de un Idolo (one & two)
1 Arena Coliseo match, never televised
1 Guadalajara match, only televised locally, before their internet stream
1 Guadalajara match, on TV and captured via stream
1 Korakuen Hall match, only aired on NJPW World
3 Sunday Arena Mexico matches, only highlights shown of 1 (with the wrong title) so far
1 Friday Arena Mexico lightning match.

Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated is reporting Rey Mysterio is “finalizing his return to WWE, which includes a match at WrestleMania 34.” Both Wrestling Observer and PWInsider have denied this story. Rey did visit a WWE house show over the weekend, but hasn’t said anything about this story. Barrasso’s track record is shaky, so I’m actually skipping out a chance to speculate on something until there’s something more said.

On his Facebook, Ultimo Gladiador announced he was leaving AAA. (SuperLuchas noted this first.) Gladiador started in AAA as a member of Familia de Tijuana and later became a Silver King ally (where he suddenly became masked after wrestling unmasked.) Gladiador was added to the Infierno Rockers in 2014, then took over the Parka Negra gimmick in 2015. AAA focused on a narrower amount of wrestlers in 2017, and Parka Negra didn’t make the cut, working mostly off TV. His last appearance on AAA TV would’ve been the December earthquake benefit show which aired in later January.

The Parka Negra who appeared a few weeks ago was Angel Mortal Jr., who was still wearing his Angel Mortal Jr. gear with a Parka Negra mask and Perros del Mal shirt. The Parka Negra character (probably played by Gladiador) had been added as a Perros del Mal member on house shows only, and it might have been intended as a one night TV solution for Mr. Aguila not making the show. I don’t know if it affected Gladiador’s decision, because he was already working a fair bit of indie shows, but seeing his character on TV without him might have been a sign that it was time to move on.

The Crash today announced Ultimo Gladaidor as appearing on their 03/17 show. That lineup is already announced, with no surprise wrestlers, which suggests this was a sudden decision.

Bengala, Hahastary, Lady Shani and Australian Suicide are representing AAA on upcoming reality show Reto 4 Elementos. They’ve been talking about it for a while, and I keep waiting for an AAA press release to talk about it. MedioTiempo helps out by interviewing those luchadors about the show. The show doesn’t appear to have an air date, but it’s said to be airing on Mexico on Televisa and in the US on Unimas.

Krudemon of R de Rudo says AAA will introduce a new luchador on Tuesday. Guessing that’s a press conference and the new person will actually debut on Rey de Reyes. There’s plenty of space for someone.

Sociedad 3.0 has a recap of this weekend’s Arena Xalapa show. (This recap is posted the same on three different sites, and I can’t tell which one is the original.) What caught my eye was the “Marcela, new champion” headline, since she was supposed to be challenging Dalys for the women’s title. That match did happen, but it turns out it was a for a women’s continental championship that may have only existed for that day and not the CMLL one Dalys holds. Tirantes wrestled on the show under his original gimmick of Mr. Peligro.

Reina Isis & La Jarochita made it to Japan.

AroLucha posted Mr. 450/Mecha Wolf versus Willie Mack from their first TV taping for free on YouTube.

+LuchaTV has an interview with Blue Demon on their podcast.

MDA on 03/11 has LA Park vs Dr. Wagner vs Zorro.

Baja Stars USA has changed it’s 03/17 main event from Extreme Tiger & Misterioso Jr. vs Mecha Wolf & Bestia 666 to Soberano Jr. vs Mecha Wolf vs Barbaro Cavernario., saying Bestia & Tiger became unavailable.

The Crash on 04/06 at WrestleCon

• Penta el Zero M vs Austin Aries
• Fenix vs Flamita  Fenix vs Flamita vs Rich Swann – NEW
• Rey Hours vs Flip Gordon vs Laredo Kid
• Rebelion Amarilla (Bestia 666, Mr. 450, Garza Jr.) versus LWO (LA Park, Damian 666, Nicho)
• Also appearing: Daga, Brian Cage, Black Danger & Black Boy

Adding Rich Swann to the singles match has generally received negative reactions on Twitter. People really wanted to see that singles match, and people bought tickets specifically to see that match. Some people aren’t very enthused to see Swann in general, and Swann could’ve been easily added to the Penta/Aries or Horus/Flip/Laredo matches.

Someone will be booking Fenix vs Flamtia soon enough. The Crash is just missing on the chance. It’s Penta vs Fenix all over again.

(On Facebook, there’s on person who thought Fenix/Flamita was boring and two people who want to know how they can see this show. The Crash home fans are stuck in the same struggle with this promotion that everyone else is when they run in Tijuana. That’s also instructive – this show isn’t the same fanbase as The Crash usually performs in front of and will have different expectations.)

Chilanga Mask returns on 05/20 in Coliseo Coacalco

• Black Terry vs Difunto I
• Makabre & Hijo del Espectro Jr. vs Los Traumas
• Facade, Draztick Boy, and Ultimo NInja vs Cobre, ?, ??

Lucha Report has this latest news update.

Segunda Caida reviews Fuerza Guerrera vs Demus.

Lineups

AAA (SUN) 03/04/2018 Acropolis Puebla, Puebla, Puebla
Rey de Reyes, 2018
1) Angelikal vs Dave The Clown, Pimpinela Escarlata, ? [Rey de Reyes, semifinal]
2) Bengala vs Dark Scoria, Máscara de Bronce, ? [Rey de Reyes, semifinal]
3) Hijo Del Vikingo vs Ángel Mortal Jr., Dark Cuervo, ? [Rey de Reyes, semifinal]
4) La Parka vs Dinastía, Venum, ? [Rey de Reyes, semifinal]
5) Averno, Chessman, Súper Fly vs Carta Brava Jr., Mocho Cota Jr., Tito Santana [TLC]
6) ? vs ??, ???, ???? [Rey de Reyes, final]
7) Dr. Wagner Jr., La Máscara, Máximo, Psycho Clown vs Hernandez, Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr., Monsther Clown, Murder Clown
8) Hijo del Fantasma vs Texano Jr. [mask, hair]

The full Rey de Reyes card. There’s really no match added that we didn’t know already, since the undercard is completely the tournament. The biggest change is Monster & Murder being added to the semimain. Perhaps they were meant to be there all along and they didn’t want to give away the outcome of their qualifying match.

OGT vs Poder del Norte is listed just as a TLC match on the poster, though the Twitch preview says the trios titles are on the line. AAA is fully capable of running a ladder match with nothing to grab, and OGT winning the trios feud and not winning the trios titles is about how titles are normally booked here so I’m willing to believe anyway.

The Rey de Reyes has been used to set up title contenders in past years. Last year’s Rey de Reyes winner went on to, uh, not participate on this year’s Rey de Reyes even though he’s healthy now? Maybe he’ll show up in some other way. It’s hard to predict who would win this one with so many mystery spots, outside of the usual “LOL, La Parka wins” finish. It would be terrible – let me repeat, terrible – to see Dave the Clown win two matches and this tournament, but there’s a tiny bit of logic in it if AAA’s planning on doing a mask match between him and Parka. Everyone else are people not pushed strong (or usually at at all) and a win by them would probably end up the same fate as Argenis’ win: they get a sword but no follow up. The matches themselves look like they may suffer a bit with all the rudos tied up elsewhere. This is a scheduled off day for Lucha Underground people, so it would be possible one or two people who normally only work with that crew might end up here to fill those spots.

The poster says 5:30 but AAA is insistent to Twitch people that it starts at 6pm. Maybe that’s the new deal: AAA will start doing the giveaways and the pre-show flag parts at 5:30 but also say when they plan to start running the actual matches.

There’s no sign of those Puebla guys who won a chance to be on the show. I would like to see former DTU Nerd Tony Iron as a mystery wrestler but I suspect that’s not what is happening here.

CMLL (MON) 03/05/2018 Arena Puebla
1) Black Tiger & Meyer vs Fuerza Chicana & King Jaguar
2) Rey Samuray & Tigre Rojo Jr. vs Akuma & Espanto Jr.
3) Audaz, Stigma, Tritón vs El Malayo, Puma, Tiger
4) Hechicero, Kráneo, Stuka Jr. vs Johnny Idol, Sam Adonis, Titán  [Relevos Increíbles]
5) Mistico, Pierroth, Rush vs Diamante Azul, Euforia, Mr. Niebla [Relevos Increíbles]
6) Volador Jr. vs Cavernario

Three straight singles matches with Cavernario is not great planning. Neither is two relevos increibles. I think they might really be doing the Kraneo/Idol feud? I think the tercera might be good until the finish involves Stigma?

DTU (SAT) 03/17/2018 Autolavado VM, Tulancingo, Hidalgo
1) Mini Flash vs Irvin, Murdo-K, Ángel Negro
2) Anarquía & Kevin Nerd vs Alfa & Fly Danger and Devitt Rodríguez & Hard Boy
3) Adrenalina vs Máscara Aerea, Jimmy, Camuflaje, Exotico
4) Billy Gamer & Toto Gamer vs Drolux & Moria
5) Jimmy Lloyd vs Draztick Boy
6) Eric Ryan & G-Raver vs Cíclope & Miedo Extremo and Crazy King & Ovett
7) Violento Jack © vs Kenji Fukimoto [FREEDOM HEAVY]

Violento Jack defends a Japanese championship in his home town.