Caristico vs Mistico, Lady Maravilla leaves CMLL, RIOT

RIOT (SAT) 05/26/2018 Arena Femenil, Monterrey, Nuevo León[LuchaMania Monterrey]
1) Erick Ortiz b Mr. Iguana
Show was delayed due to local power outage about 90 minutes before the show. Ortiz & Iguana volunteered to go wrestle in the dark to keep the fans interest, and did so with cell phone flashlights on the ring for most of the match. Light was restored near the end of the match.
2) Byron & Kaientai b Príncipe Legendario & Psicótico and Azrael & Muerte Extrema
Psicotico & Alberto Dos Rios and Azrael & Muerte Extreme were both surprise teams for the Unamericans, who still won and have a winning steak.
3) Low Rider b Furor
Furor replaced Caifan II (injury)
4) Lady Flammer b Chik Tormenta
5) Aaron Solow & Ricky Starks b Kratoz & Prometeo
Debut of Extra Talente-ed. Prometeo is the former Kamikaze. Kratoz landed a 630 on Solow which seemed to be a three count, but was only counted two. Solow and Starks came back to win.
6) Último Ninja b Bandido (Indie)
good match

The RIOT show was delayed around an hour due to the power outage. They offered refunds to anyone who didn’t want to stick around until someone was able to fix the power issue. I’m told only two people on a date asked for a refund. It was a sell out, the biggest turnout they’ve had. There were a couple people hanging around outside who hadn’t been able to get tickets, and they bought those two tickets as soon as they were refunded.

Sounds like the last two matches were the best two and people appreciated Ortiz/Iguana wrestling in almost no light.

CMLL (TUE) 05/29/2018 Arena México [CMLL, Lucha Central]
1) Pequeño Olímpico & Pequeño Violencia b Acero & Aéreo 
2) Akuma, Hijo del Signo, Nitro b Dick Riviere, Star Jr., Starman 
Dick Riviere (France) and Nitro (his trainer in France) replaced Pegasso & Espanto Jr. Rudos took 1/3.
3) Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr., The Panther b Dragón Rojo Jr., Kawato San, Pólvora 
Panthers took 2/3. Dragon Rojo suffered an injury on the final dropkick.
4) Fuego b Virus [lightning] 
5) Ephesto, Felino, Luciferno b Stuka Jr., Titán, Tritón 
6) Atlantis, Valiente, Volador Jr. b Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Negro Casas 
Tecnicos took 1/3.

CMLL’s video update says Dragon Rojo suffered a concussion on The Panther’s dropkick and will be evaluated. Promos: Pequeno Olimpico & Pequeno Violencia, Fuego, and Ephesto (who says his son is starting training soon.)

Sure seems like it’s a lot easier to get your friends booked in CMLL than usual. It also seems like CMLL is less concerned with good B-shows than ever. These two things might be related.

CMLL (TUE) 05/29/2018 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [CMLL]
1) Gemelo Pantera I, Gemelo Pantera II, Pantera Blanca Jr. ?? Carlo Roggi, Maléfico, Mr. Apolo
match skipped in results.
2) Marcela, Mystique, Princesa Sugehit vs Amapola, Dalys, La Metálica
Mystique replaced Estrellita. Rudas took 2/3.
3) Audaz, Star Black, Stigma b Cancerbero, Difunto, Raziel
tecnicas took 2/3.
4) Furia Roja, Mephisto, Okumura b Esfinge, Niebla Roja, Soberano Jr.
Niebla Roja replaced Diamante Azul. Rudos took 2/3. Furia Roja snuck in a foul on Niebla Roja for the win. Niebla Roja challenged for a hair match.
5) Carístico, Kráneo, Último Guerrero DDQ Mistico, Mr. Niebla, Rush [Relevos Increíbles]
Team Mistico took fall 1, team Caristico took fall 2, and Caristico & Mistico unmasked each other for the double DQ. Caristico worked as the tecnico.

There was a press conference here to hype an upcoming month of shows. That’s probably why those Sundays shows are suddenly including CMLL DF wrestlers. It might also explain the bits on this show: Caristico vs Mistico seems like it’s coming to Guadalajara soon, and Niebla Roja and Furia Roja in an all Roja hair match seems a definite possibility.

Mystique made an impression on Dalys, or at least on her right eye socket.

On Facebook, Lady Maravilla announced she was leaving CMLL and going independent. (Her statement is set to friend only but has been reposted plenty elsewhere; here’s the copy on her fan club’s page.) Maravilla never mentions AAA by name, but alludes to working for other promotions for dates only, not signing a full time contract.

Lady Maravilla’s name appeared on the Verano de Escandalo lineup on May 12th. Maravilla sent word to friends that it wasn’t true. (That fanclub went strongly with the idea that listing was false and now is just going with this story.) She then worked her already announced matches in Coliseo & Puebla and hasn’t been on a CMLL card since. I’d guess there was some other CMLL show we didn’t hear about that she was waiting to work before announcing this move. CMLL hasn’t acknowledged her leaving like they did with Zeuxis.

Lady Maravilla was in CMLL only ten months, which is maybe a reason they’re not making as much deal with it. She debuted last year in the Copa Natalia Vazquez. Her spot was said to be based in part on a Lucha Memes recommendation, and believed to be first offered to Keyra. She passed on to stay indie, and that seems like the right decision. Maravilla’s best match was her only singles match in that time, a lightning match with Zeuxis. Maravilla was getting about one CMLL booking a week, never a feud, and didn’t seem likely to get anything to do for a while. Like Zeuxis, Maravilla seemed like someone CMLL should be treating as a star in this moment, but would’ve instead had to wait years for the older women to finally decide to leave to get that chance. This is the third departure this year in CMLL’s women division for similar reasons- Silueta seems to have quietly left CMLL with her career also going nowhere. I’d suspect CMLL will not be particularly alarmed, seeing these women as replacement roster filler which can easily be replaced by trainee graduation (Mystique & Guerrera) or bringing back people (Lluvia). The CMLL matches aren’t going to be much good, though.

Women’s matches elsewhere could be good. Keyra, Zeuxis and Maravilla are about three of the four best women’s wrestlers in Mexico right now. (I’d put Faby on the list too.) Keyra & Maravilla are already a team, just find Zeuxis a partner and there’s a match they can take to every indie.

El Grafico has an interview with La Guerrera & Mystique (still with the Mistik spelling.) They’re billed as Arturo Beristain students and say Ultimo Guerrero congratulated them after their first match.

Segunda Caida puts the Gauntlet match from Ultima Lucha 3 on the 2016 MOTYC list. That match was better in person that it came off on TV.

Lost in Lucha watches Texano Jr. vs Ultimo Guerrero from 2009.