The Crash
The Crash (SAT) 03/17/2018 Auditorio de Tijuana, Tijuana, Baja California [+LuchaTV, 126F, TJ Sports, Zona Ruda]
1) Búfalo Ayala & Último Maldito b Súper Caló Jr. & Xperia
2) Astrolux b Tiago, Látigo, Rayo Star, Torito Negro [The Crash JUNIOR]
Black Boy did not defend his title, explained as an issue with the commission. Championship was declared vacant. Astrolux defeated Latigo.
3) El Bandido & Flamita b Dezmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz and Aeroboy & Séptimo Dragón [The Crash TAG] 
Vacant titles (last held by the Hardys). Bandido & Flamita became the new champions.
4) Arkángel Divino b Shane Taylor, Mr. 450
moved down a spot. Intended to be the debut of Shane Taylor (with 450) and Rich Swann (with Divino) but Swann pulled out, saying he was retiring him. The Crash just changed it to a 3 way and moved it down a spot. Mr. 450 got the win.
5) Damián 666, Nicho el Millionario, Último Gladiador DQ Black Danger, Black Taurus, Garza Jr.
Ultimo Gladiador replaced Extreme Tiger. Sinn Bodhi debuted as a member of Rebelion Amarilla to interfere for the DQ. Flamita, Bandido and others made the save.
6) Carístico DQ Bestia 666
Caristico was the surprise replacement for Rey Mysterio Jr. (bicep injury) and the scheduled title match was announced as delayed for another day. Rebelion Amarilla watched from ringside and interfered for the DQ when Caristico got La Caristica.
The Crash posted a video from Rey at the show, apologizing for missing the show and saying they’d have his match with Bestia later. Just like with Ricochet & the Hardy Boys, there’s a sincere intention to do that but it won’t happen if WWE scoops him up first. Even with Rey being off the show, they said they still sold out.
Sinn Bodhi fits with Masada as an extreme wrestler who’s worked on some of the same shows as The Crash wrestlers and still is a unexpected inclusion to be in a top Mexico faction.
The next Tijuana show is 04/14 with Rey Fenix vs LA Park.
AAA
AAA TV (SAT) 03/17/2018 Unidad Deportiva Miraval, Cuernavaca, Morelos [AAA, La Union, Morelos Habla]
1) Dinastía, Dragón Solar, Pardux b Bronco González Jr., Fetiche, Mini Histeria 
6:59. Dinastia beat Mini Histeria
2) Mamba & Pimpinela Escarlata b Ashley & Estrella Divina
8:25. Mamba beat Ashley. Ashley was more a straightforward ruda, but Estrella still being mean to her at times to take over Faby’s role.
3) Histeria & Psicosis b Monsther Clown & Murder Clown
4:25. Psicosis used his snake to turn around the match, and beat Monster with a senton
4) Dark Cuervo & Dark Scoria © b Joe Lider & Mr. Águila [AAA TAG]
8:30. Cuervo beat Aguila with a Stinner. 3rd defense (2nd on TV)
5) La Máscara, Máximo, Psycho Clown b Averno, Chessman, Súper Fly and Carta Brava Jr., Mocho Cota Jr., Tito Santana
15:58. Originally 2v2v2, but the two rudo trios partners (Super Fly, Tito) came out, the Alvarados wanted to fight everyone, and Psycho Clown added himself to even the match. Maximo pinned Carta after Averno fouled Carta and Maximo kissed Averno.
6) La Parka & Pagano b Dave The Clown & Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr.
29:54. Tirantes helped the rudos and counted the pin anyway. Rey Escorpion got involved after about 25 minutes, but Hijo del Vikingo came out to even the odds.
Morelos Habla called the main event “an excellent bout“. That was not the reaction I was seeing on Twitter. This was really a house show that happened to be taped for TV. Nothing of importance happened, most of the matches were not any good, and the main event was really not any good. The opener is worth checking out if you can. Otherwise, you can ignore this show existed by the time Wednesday’s taping comes around.
AAA’s new Guadalajara arena had three days of Elegido & Gronda vs Chicano & Tigger Boy. Vampiro’s claim AAA’s going to go from 200 to 800 show was usual exaggeration, but they are going to be running a lot more shows if they’re sending luchadors to work this theme park arena every weekend. On the other hand, counting shows with guys who are never on TV like those four as AAA shows feels quite a stretch. Maybe it’ll be better after Lucha Underground wraps up.
Mary Apache is back in Mexico, at least for the weekend, working the highly attended Arena Neza show on Saturday.
CMLL
CMLL (SAT) 03/17/2018 Arena Coliseo [+LuchaTV, CMLL]
1) Retro & Sangre Imperial b El Coyote & Yago
2) Pequeño Nitro, Pequeño Olímpico, Pequeño Universo 2000 b Mercurio, Shockercito, Último Dragóncito
Mercurio replaced Stukita
3) Arkángel de la Muerte b Grako [lightning]
Grako replaced Sangre Azteca
4) Drone, Guerrero Maya Jr., Stigma b Disturbio, Kawato San, Universo 2000 Jr.
Tecnicos took 2/3.
5) Ephesto, Luciferno, Mephisto b Niebla Roja, Rey Cometa, Soberano Jr.
6) Ángel de Oro, Matt Taven, Mistico b Cuatrero, Gran Guerrero, Mr. Niebla
Oro beat Cuatrero won night too late.
A CMLL person who wins loses their mask has about a 100% winning record on any match the following day.
CMLL (SUN) 03/18/2018 Arena México [CMLL]
1) Disturbio & Grako b Bengala & Sensei
Disturbio replaced Apocalipsis. Rudos took 1/3.
2) Hijo del Signo, Sangre Azteca, Universo 2000 Jr. b Eléctrico, Pegasso, Stigma
Rudos took 1/3.
3) Fuego, Guerrero Maya Jr., Rey Cometa b Johnny Idol, Sagrado, Tiger
Sagrado replaced Kawato. Tecnicos took 1/3.
4) Ángel de Oro, Soberano Jr., Stuka Jr. b Cuatrero, Dragón Rojo Jr., Pólvora
Dragon Rojo’s first match in three months. Tecnicos took 2/3.
5) Diamante Azul, Marco Corleone, Matt Taven DQ Cavernario, Ephesto, Mephisto
Tecnicos took 1/3, Cavernario DQ for illegal foul on Matt Taven.
6) Volador Jr. DQ Rush
Rush was DQed in the first fall, took the second, and Volador faked a foul in the third.
Cavernario challenged Matt Taven to a singles match, as part of his seeming quest to lose singles feuds to every one in the world. Rush was upset about the main event. Dragon Rojo was happy to be back. Angel de Oro doesn’t have as nice hair as Niebla Roja. Diamante Azul is still angry about Furia Roja ‘robbing’ him of his title.
CMLL’s Homenaje a Dos Leyendas broadcast ended with Julio Cesar Rivera saying the Arena Coliseo & Arena Mexico Anniversary shows will be the next big events for CMLL. We’ll hear about them for the first time on Wednesday, when CMLL will hold a press conference talking about those and whatever else they have coming up for April.
Next Friday’s show:
CMLL (FRI) 03/23/2018 Arena México
1) Shockercito & Stukita vs Mercurio & Pequeño Nitro
2) Magia Blanca, Pegasso, Star Jr. vs Sagrado, Templario, Virus
3) Blue Panther Jr. vs Drone [lightning]
4) Audaz, Fuego, Guerrero Maya Jr. vs Misterioso Jr., Puma, Tiger
5) Ángel de Oro, Matt Taven, Niebla Roja vs Cuatrero, Sansón, Volador Jr. [Relevos Increíbles]
6) Diamante Azul, Marco Corleone, Último Guerrero vs Kráneo, Rush, Terrible [Relevos Increíbles]
Original lineup had Ultimo Guerrero on both sides and also Cavernario in the match. That main event could be syncing up the Kraneo tecnico turn which appears to be happening in Puebla.
Semimain suggests Volador versus Matt Taven on 03/30, there’s no real reason to book that match otherwise.
Tercera is Drone’s first Friday match here since FantasticaMania. Magia Blanca is making a less dramatic return, not having been seen on streams in 6 weeks (and working a lot of Guadalajara when I’m having trouble recording Guadalajara.)
AroLucha launching crowdfunding investment
Arolucha announced they’re selling shares of their company on crowd investing platform We Funder. People who invest will own part of the company, up to a total of 1/9th if their funding maxed out. Investors will get discounted merchandise, be allowed to participate in polls on the creative decisions and get to see the pilot. The funding campaign kicked off with AroLucha’s CEO Jason Brown selling the idea in an article Tennesssean, who’s been covering this promotion since the December TV taping. Brown pitches it as a chance for the fans finally to be heard and that Rey Mysterio is part of the ownership group.
AroLucha’s timeline says Mysterio became part of the ownership group in November, the month before the first TV taping. I think that might mean Mysterio did not buy into the company, but perhaps instead was given stock or stock options as part of his deal for working that taping. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said Rey’s involvement in AroLucha was overblown in the article, and that it would have no effect on his possible return to WWE.
If you check out Wefunder’s FAQs, the first couple of answers tell you not to invest to make money, and only to invest if you can afford to lose every single dollar you invest. That applies to all start up companies, not just AroLucha. Even a completely sound investment of a start up is likely to fail. This is a start up entering into a competitive market, which they’re trying to pitch as completely open to make it attractive and instead appearing as if they don’t understand what they’re doing. This is a group planning on doing TV tapings in May or June which doesn’t have a TV partner, and who’s plan of running 10 house shows this year ended with 4.
If you want to buy into a wrestling company for the novelty of saying you own part of a wrestling company and can afford to the $100 minimum investment, please do not let me stop you. I would no sooner stop the person who wants to spend that much or more on a replica championship title. I will simply advise you that your stock in AroLucha will probably end up being just as real as the replica championship belt, and lot less shiny.
AroLucha needs to get at least $50K to get anything funded. They’ll need a heavy campaign to reach even that minimum. The Tennessean article did not actually mention the funding site, which hurts. The $100 minimum to fund is a lot higher than traditional funding sites like Kickstarter, which erases a lot of people kicking in in small amounts of money they’d wouldn’t mind losing on a project like this. Years ago, Masked Republic tried something similar with a TV show pilot, promoted it a lot, and did not come close to hitting their number. Jeff Katz’s Wrestling Retribution Project, a 2011 Kickstarter wrestling show, did get funded but never delivered it’s content. That show is the boogeyman in the room, the one scares people away from wanting to invest in projects like this. You can get into the weeds on that one – there’s a theory few fans were actually affected because it was actually a small amount of private investors who funded the thing and they were just using Kickstarter as a way to get buzz – but it’s still the example of what can happen with these sorts of projects.
That buzz might actually be AroLucha’s buzz here. They need a TV deal, and they need a TV company to take them seriously. They’d like the money, the money will keep them going longer, but they’re selling themselves on social media impressions and the amount of people who they can claim will be tuning in once a network picks them up. Having a whole bunch of people who want to invest in their company is part of that TV pitch. Being able to promote Rey Mysterio as owner is another part of that plan.
The big obstacle for AroLucha are the Harris Brothers. AroLucha is hyping how reactive they are to the fans, and they’re aware of Vince Russo’s perception to not mention him at all in their sales pitch. There are people with the promotion obviously paying attention to every time the word “AroLucha” is mentioned, which means they’ve seen “AroLucha Nazis” quite a few times by now. The Harris Brothers infamously had SS tattoos on their arms, and one wore an SS t-shirt on a TNA show, which are commonly associated with Nazis. Whenever that image is posted, you’ll also find people claiming those logos are also part of biker culture, and they had them covered up, and they became born again Christians and are definitely not Nazis. That may be true – I’d like it to be true, we could use less Nazis – but that’s something they probably need to say themselves. I’d guess they think only a few people on the internet know or care about this accusation and they don’t want to give it more attention by acknowledging it, but the only type of people who are going to invest money in this project are the type of people to very much know this accusation.
I’m skeptical they’re getting the money either way, so maybe it’s not worth the hassle. But saying you’re not a Nazi should not be a hassle.
They’re up to $1,590 in funding at least check, which is more than I got for my book, so I guess I have to respect that.
Other Things I’ve Had The Time To Work On
On his Mexico press tour, Andrade Almas mentioned that many times he wanted to leave NXT and return to Mexico, but he really wanted to make it in WWE more. He acknowledged Alberto el Patron was a person he talked to when he thinking about leaving WWE, something Alberto has said previously. Alberto told Almas to stand up for himself more and fight for what he wanted. Almas mentioned Rush, Volador Jr. & Dragon Lee as people who would do well in WWE. Almas seemed to get a lot of press attention and his autograph signing was packed.
04/22 Lucha Memes vs CaraLucha in Coliseo Coacalco
CGTN has a What is Lucha Libre video piece focusing on Mexico State luchador Tezca.
Lucha Sorpresa has some recent match reviews.
Segunda Caida dares to watches Mascara 2000 vs La Bestia del Ring.
