Month: July 2018

CMLL (MON) 07/02/2018 Arena Puebla [CMLL, Lucha Central]
1) Black Tiger, Hijo de Centella Roja, Meyer b Ares, Guerrero Espacial, King Rocker 
tecnicos take 1/3.
2) Espíritu Maligno, Príncipe Odín Jr., Rey Apocalipsis b Oro Jr., Rey Samuray, Tigre Rojo Jr. 
Rudos took 2/3.
3) Princesa Sugehit b Amapola [MEX WOMEN] 
Sugehit took falls 2/3 for her fifth defense.
4) El Malayo, Okumura, Olímpico b Drone, Lestat, Stigma 
Rudos took 1/3
5) Ángel de Oro, Mistico, Niebla Roja DQ Cuatrero, Mr. Niebla, Sansón 
tecnicos took 2/3, the last by DQ (which set up a rematch for next week)
6) Volador Jr. b Último Guerrero 
Volador took 1/3.

Princesa Sugehit thanked the fans for their support. Show was said to be just OK, with Tirantes imposing himself in the main event like usual.

Today’s Arena Mexico match is listed as a NGD vs Angel de Oro, Niebla Roja and Diamante Azul main event. The preview CMLL sent to media outlets lists Kraneo in Diamante Azul‘s spot. CMLL seems to have no idea when exactly Azul is coming or going, consistenly listing him as being on shows he will not be on. I guess there’s also the possibility that he’s going to ELITE instead but CMLL would likely stop mentioning him instead of continuing to promote him on Twitter.

There’s no story to the matches today, just matches for the sake of matches. Hijos del Infierno face the Panther kids & Stuka, who assumes Kraneo’s spot. Audaz and Universo 2000 Jr. will attempt to have a lightning match with each other; I think Universo has gotten better this year, but this figures to be a challenge. Drone, Fuego and Pegasso will get at least one surprise pin over Misterioso, Sagrado and Sangre Azteca. There are two more matches with the ex-minis and the actual mini.

Lucha Central previews this show. It’ll air at 7:30pm on CMLL’s YouTube channel.

Puerto Rico’s CWA posted a video from Negro Casas, explaining the situation that led to him being stopped when entering the US and missing their show. (SuperLuchas picked up on this first.) Casas says his work visa had expired a few days before he came to US. Immigration officials held him from 4:30pm that Friday until sending him back home on a plane 6AM that Saturday. He’s been back in Mexico since that time.

When AAA announced an increased amount of TV tapings for July and August on their Televisa show a few weeks back, it seemed to indicate the promotion running both AAA & ELITE shows, and getting a second TV outlet for ELITE. AAA & ELITE notable did not announce a TV partner for their combined show on July 21st at their press conference and have not said anything since. The poster has a generic “taped for TV” logo, and not the Televisa logo usually on AAA’s poster. Maybe an announcement is still coming, or maybe plans have changed again. The next AAA taping that appeared to be actually an ELITE show would’ve been the 08/04 taping in Morelos. However, a lot of people who would be expected to work on an ELITE taping – LA Park & Golden Magic among them – are instead listed as working on a 08/04 Arena Lopez Mateos show. There’s still might be enough ELITE people to run another AAA vs ELITE show, only today AAA listed Psycho Clown, Rey Escorpion, Maximo and others as working in Sinaloa on that day instead. I think the 08/04 taping may have been canceled, and that’d make the 08/18 Mexico State taping a question mark too.

A TV deal and events being canceled is pretty business as usual for ELITE. The bigger issue is AAA’s expanded its roster seemingly with the idea that they’d need to fill out two different promotions. If ELITE is only going to exist for the July 21st show, then it’s going to be a tricky situation to manage all of those people.

Other stuff from the recently updated list of spots shows: Hijo del Dr. Wagner is still listed as working these shows, the AAA Alebrije is back on lineups and the people of are Huajupaan de Leon getting the most C-level AAA show possible.

Pagano was honored as a sports star in Ciudad Juarez as part of campaign to keep children from addictions and promote sports as an alternative. Because there’s definitely not addictions in sports.

Men’s Journal has an article about how to go to lucha libre in Mexico. It’s mostly good, though you probably don’t need to stay at a five-star hotel. They mention CMLL’s training as if you might want to take a class while in Mexico City, nothing you have to pay for a month at a time but they do offer private classes for groups of people. I’ve never heard that before.

RIOT’s next show is July 28th, called “Inedito.” That’s a reference MDA calling all their matches as “Inedito”, rendering it a nonsense word.

Puma & Barby spend a day at Arena Puebla.

Princesa Azul won LLF’s annual Copa Juvenil.

The Crash posted a highlight video to hype Daga vs Matt Riddle.

+LuchaTV has an interview with Ciclope & Miedo Extremo and the new episode fo their podcast.

Segunda Caida reviews LA Park, Hijo de LA Park and Volador Jr. vs Rush, Terrible and Bestia del Ring.

LuchaWorld has the latest Poster-Mania.

Lineups

CMLL (SUN) 07/08/2018 Arena México
1) Leono & Sangre Imperial vs Camorra & Grako
2) Magnus, Oro Jr., Star Jr. vs Cancerbero, Espanto Jr., Yago
3) Audaz, Blue Panther, Rey Cometa vs Hechicero, Okumura, Templario
4) Pólvora vs Sagrado [lightning]
5) Dragón Lee, Stuka Jr., Titán vs Felino, Rey Bucanero, Shocker
6) Atlantis, Valiente, Volador Jr. vs La Bestia Del Ring, Rush, Terrible [Relevos Increíbles]

Match 3 could be good but otherwise this is probably not a show anyone will be sad about missing. When I say every CMLL title match should be made accessible to people who aren’t in the building, that’s really just an increase of 1-3 matches per month. It shouldn’t be hard. It apparently is very difficult.

Raziel still appears to be in CMLL jail.

IWRG (SUN) 07/08/2018 Arena Naucalpan
1) Chicanito vs Shadow Boy
2) Arquero & Mexica vs Atomic Star & Death Metal
3) Aramis, Freelance, Relámpago vs Hijo Del Mosco X-Fly, Lunatic Xtreme, Psycho Kid
4) Leo, Mike, Rafy vs Demonio Infernal, Diablo Jr., Tortuga Teelo
5) Danny Casas, Hijo del Alebrije, Toscano vs Eterno, Máscara Año 2000 Jr., Pitbull
6) Emperador Azteca, Imposible, Ovett vs Cerebro Negro, El Hijo del Medico Asesino, X-Fly

IWRG built up a lot of matches this past Sunday and will be following up on only the Ovett/X-Fly one.

CMLL (SAT) 07/14/2018 Arena Lopez Mateos
1) ? vs ??
2) Alas de Acero, Príncipe Diamante, Star Jr. vs Aramis, Audaz, Eléctrico
3) Ángel de Oro, Drone, Niebla Roja vs Esfinge, Stuka Jr., Vangellys
4) Dragón Lee, Flyer, Soberano Jr. vs Rey Cometa, Titán, Tritón
5) La Bestia Del Ring, Rush, Terrible vs Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón

This seems to be a Munoz focused show, and probably a bigger deal than the Coliseo show running the same day. Vangellys continues to work spot shows while presumably trying to get approved to return to CMLL.

Revolucha (SUN) 07/22/2018 Gimnasio Nuevo León
1) Azarel & Muerte Extrema vs Dranzer & Scravos
2) Lady Flammer vs Star Fire, Princesa Azul
3) Hijo De Dos Caras & Hijo De Octagon vs Epydemius & Hijo del Volador
4) Dos Caras Sr. & Octagón vs Damián 666 & La Bestia Del Ring
5) Dragón Lee vs Último Ninja
6) Carístico, El Patrón Alberto, Rush vs Bestia 666, Garza Jr., Mr. 450

Sort of make-up show for the canceled baseball stadium (in that they probably had to still use most of these people somehow.) Garza Jr. & Ultimo Ninja still booked into July, so I think Meltzer was mistaken about Garza being in NXT already. I still think they’re going, and this might be one of the last chances to see them in Monterrey.

MDA (SUN) 07/29/2018 Arena Coliseo Monterrey
1) Karateka Jr. vs Azteca Warrior
2) Babe Fox vs Komander
3) Demus vs Príncipe Legendario
4) The King vs Laredo Kid
5) Daga vs El Divo
6) Hijo de LA Park & The Tiger vs Emperador Azteca (IWRG) & Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr.
7) Rey Wagner vs Penta Zero M
8) LA Park vs Blue Demon Jr.

MDA’s 3rd-anniversary show with a lot of singles matches. Odds of clean finishes in the top two matches are low.

IWRG (SUN) 07/01/2018 Arena Naucalpan [+LuchaTV, Black Terry Jr., The Gladiatores]
1) Atomic Star b Chicanito
2) Chico Che, Mexica, Shadow Boy b Antar, Demonio Infernal, Kronoz
3) Leo, Mike, Rafy b Diva Salvaje, Nigma, Pasion Kristal [lumberjack]
Nigma replaced Demasiado. After the match, Teelo and two new evil Tortugas (Shilka & Rashatta) attacked the tecnico Ninja Turtles.
4) Cerebro Negro, El Hijo del Medico Asesino, Eterno, Savage b Hijo de Canis Lupus, Hijo del Alebrije, Relámpago, Veneno
moved down a spot, with Hijo del Medico Asesino and Veneno added to set up a feud with them. Relampago & Cerbero Negro also feuded.
5) Aramis © b Freelance [IWRG Rey del Aire]
First defense of a title Aramis won back on New Year’s Day.
6) X-Fly b Ovett [super libre]
Toto tried to help his father Ovett but got beat up. X-Fly used a foul to win.
7) El Mesías, Emperador Azteca, Imposible b Penta 0M, Trauma I, Trauma II
Team Imposible took 1/3, the last when Imposible beat Penta with an off the middle rope Canadian Destroyer. Penta seemed to kick out at 3. Penta/Imposible and Mesias/Trauma I teased matches.

+LuchaTV live surprise streamed this show (and I’m not sure if IWRG was fully aware that was happening.) They aired 3/4 on IWRG’s channel, then switched over to their own channel for the fifth match but joined it in progress, then the stream had to be restarted for the last two matches. It was not streaming well for me, but I’ve had plenty of internet problems this weekend so it could’ve just been me. +Lucha has been doing livestreams for its podcast of late and said they’d be doing more shows live as well, so maybe the presentation will get smoother with more chances at it.

The show drew pretty well by IWRG standards but not a sell out even with Mesias & Penta. Penta feels like a much bigger deal in the US than Mexico right now. The crowd IWRG drew here would still have been bigger than most US indies, though most US indies are charging more than IWRG was charging here ($250MXP ringside/15 USD).

No one’s going to spell “Shilka” and “Rahsatta” with any sort of consistency but the looks are good. I did a very brief search and couldn’t find anything suggesting they’re Ninja Turtles characters. I am not fully versed in the Ninja Turtle canon so feel free to educate me in the comments.

Volador & Ultimo Guerrero have been relegated to support players on Friday nights of late. They’ll get a bigger chance on a stream tonight. Following up on yesterday’s trios title change, Volador & Ultimo Guerrero have another singles match tonight in Arena Puebla. It’s their 15th overall, and 10th since 2014. UG leads 8-6, but Volador has won the last three matches and UG’s most recent two wins were both by DQ. UG hasn’t actually pinned Volador in a third fall in while. Their matches don’t have much variance in moves, though they’ll probably not do nearly as much on Monday night as a Universal final.

Princesa Sugehit defends the Mexican Women’s championship against Amapola. They’ve met three times in lightning matches and Amapola has won every time. I don’t expect that to continue. The matches in the way past were pretty good, and I don’t really expect that to continue.

Angel de Oro, Niebla Roja and Mistico take on Cuatrero, Sanson and Mr. Niebla in the semimain. Malayo and Lestat are up in the fourth match again, teamaing with Drone, Stigma, Malayo and Olimpico. There are two mostly locals matches as well, neither looking great.

The show will air at 9pm on CMLL’s YouTube page.

Ultimo Guerrero’s match in ROH against Matt Taven will air on Fite.TV starting at 6pm today.

MLW announced Pentagon Jr. & Rey Fenix vs Drago & Aerostar for the MLW Tag Team Titles on their 07/19 New York City show. This will air as a TV special a little over a week later. Penta and Fenix will also challenge for the tag team titles on 08/17 in APW.

Ricky Marvin & Hijo del Pantera will be a team in NOAH’s Junior Tag League starting on July 7th. Pantera is already in Japan working for Wrestle-1.

Lineups

CMLL (SAT) 07/07/2018 Arena Coliseo
1) Bengala & Retro vs El Coyote & Grako
2) Estrellita, La Vaquerita, Lluvia vs Amapola, La Seductora, Reyna Isis
3) Gallito, MicroÁngel, Microman vs Chamuel, Mije, Perico Zakarías
4) Blue Panther, Stuka Jr., Titán vs Felino, Hechicero, Shocker
5) Carístico, Mistico, Rush vs Ephesto, Mephisto, Rey Bucanero

Mistico & Rush are probably not Carisitco’s friends. Microman has wrestled 7 times in Arena Coliseo and 4 times in Arena Mexico this year, slightly odd when CMLL runs Arena Mexico 3 times as often.

CMLL (SAT) 06/30/2018 Arena Coliseo [CMLL]
1) Pequeño Nitro & Pequeño Violencia b Acero & Aéreo
2) Cancerbero, Metálico, Sangre Azteca b Robin, Star Jr., Starman
Rudos took 1/3. Metalico was almost immediately DQed in the second fall for hitting Starman with the fall card.
3) Blue Panther, Drone, Stuka Jr. b Dragón Rojo Jr., Pólvora, Universo 2000 Jr.
tecnicos took 1/3.
4) Dragón Lee © b Luciferno [CMLL SL]
Dragon Lee took 1/3 to defeat Luciferno. 6th defense, first in over a year..
5) Forastero, Rey Bucanero, Último Guerrero b Kráneo, Valiente, Volador Jr.

Dragon Lee said this was a good defense in the only video promo from this show.

CMLL (SUN) 07/01/2018 Arena México [CMLL]
1) Arkalis & Leono DQ Espíritu Negro & Grako
Tecnicos took 2/3, the last when Grako was DQed for a kick the referee ruled was a foul (but may have not been intended to be.)
2) Lluvia, Maligna, Princesa Sugehit b La Seductora, Metálica, Tiffany
Metalica replaced Comandante. Tecnicas took 1/3.
3) Black Panther, Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr. b Felino, Puma, Tiger
Panthers took 2/3.
4) Carístico, Dragón Lee, Kráneo b Cavernario, Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas
Kraneo replaced Diamante Azul. Tecnicos took 2/3, but Caristico and Dragon Lee fought post-match.
5) Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero b Mistico, Valiente, Volador Jr. © [CMLL TRIOS]
Guerreros took 2/3 to win the titles. Champs fall on their 11th defense, 5th versus some combination of the Guerreros, first in Arena Mexico in 16 months. Guerreros are the 28th champions, UG holds this belt for the 3rd time, Euforia is the 2nd time, Gran Guerrero for the 1st.

Promos: Lluvia, Panthers (against the Felinos), and Los Guerreros Laguneros (proud of this title victory). The post-match promos include footage from the show. It was recorded and produced as usual, but it’s not posted online because who knows.

This puts CMLL at 18 champions, two over the amount for the Universal tournament. CMLL can make up the rules as they go along and they’ve skipped champions from their tournament of champions before, but title changes this time year are usually done with that magic number of 16 in mind. It may not be actually 18 at the moment – Marco Corleone doesn’t seem to coming back to CMLL soon, if ever – but they’ll still be two over their number unless someone who’s already champion picks up that title. The other solution is just not running a single elimination tournament where all your champions but one lose when the non-tournament stuff you’ve been doing has proven to be far more popular. A company recording title changes and not showing more than 10 seconds of them probably isn’t that forward thinking.

The oddity here is the Sky Team was expected to fall apart multiple times, with Volador not always getting along well with Mistico, and they may finally be going their separate ways now that it doesn’t seem as important. (It’d be a mistake if they didn’t do a round of rematches, of course.) Los Guerreros getting the trios titles and facing Klan Kaoz on Friday is suddenly suspicious. The feud for King Phoenix started the second week he was in, and it could be the same here.

The debut of Tovar Promotions in Arena Lopez Mateos was also possibly the last show for the promotion. They had Caristico & Argos vs Sanson & Cuatrero on top, but didn’t get to see it – the promoters left before the show was over and without having paid anyone. Not many other people saw it, because the show drew poorly for an indie show in that venue.

Dish Network & SlingTV have dropped all Univision networks, including El Rey for the moment. It’s the usual disagreement about how much Univision can get from Dish for their networks, and those stations will be back as soon as they can agree on the number. It might not happen in time for Wednesday’s Lucha Underground show. Fubo.TV is also offering El Rey and still has a 7 day free trial, if you’re looking for temporary options. The shows are still on iTunes and Amazon the next day

70’s/80s luchador Chicano Power passed away on Saturday.

Dragon Lee versus Ryusuke Taguchi is a first round match in Friday’s King of Indies tournament. I saw it mentioned this show would air on Fite.TV but I don’t see it listed on their site. Maybe it’ll be on PWR’s Twitch channel?

Lucha Underground posted a Johnny Mundo promo, hyping the feud with the Reptile Tribe.

LuchaWorld has the latest Lucha Report, including summaries of Friday’s post-match promos.