Titánbeat Flyerin a lightning match (7:46, modified Titanics, good, VideosOficialesCMLL)
Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Stuka Jr. vs Felino, Hechicero, Universo 2000 Jr. (11:23 [4:25, 2:49, 4:09], 1/3, n/r, VideosOficialesCMLL)
Cavernario, La Bestia Del Ring, Terrible beat Kráneo, Soberano Jr., Valiente (14:36 [4:58, 3:13, 6:25], 1/3, n/r, VideosOficialesCMLL)
What happened:
Nothing of importance happened.
Thoughts:
Coyote buster
Titan/Flyer was the best Flyer performance in forever. Titan gave Flyer chances to do things, Flyer wisely did something other than clone Volador, and Titan sold big for him before beating him. Flyer was willing to get out his comfort zone and also willing to take a big tope to the back. This felt more like a Titan match in the big spots and the drama, but Flyer still gained from looking competitive in it.
The opener was good. I’m as shocked as you. Grako & Coyote were more steady in this match than recent Fridays while still keeping the match at a good pace. Robin & Principe Diamante often appear to be wrestler who want to do more than they’re allowed in this early matches and finally found people who will do it with them. The end of the third fall was a bit shaky but this was still fun.
Main event looked very bloody with mask ripping. A zero defense title run is rare, even for strange IWRG, so maybe something else is happening. The finish of the fifth match does not read well but I suppose it’s a way to to get another big match out of those four without any one of them having to put a mask or Freelance’s limited hair on the line. (That’s sort of what titles are supposed to be for, but titles don’t mean that this week.)
Big show for me being right about IWRG titles though.
Nothing much happening in Arena Puebla after a big show last week. The Hijos del Infierno team up to take on Caristico, Volador, and Valiente. CMLL’s ignored the Volador/Caristico issues of late. Angel de Oro, Niebla Roja, and Soberano face the less than great trio of Terrible, Bestia del RIng and Dark Magic, though that sort of match went better than expected on Friday. Flyer, Kraneo, and Volcano take on Felino, Tiger, and Tyson la Bestia, who continues to exist for whatever reason. Black Tiger is a rudo with no turn, teaming with Malayo & Hijo del Signo against Arkalis, Super Astro and Tiger Rojo. The opener is about the same, with Astro, Centella Roja and Meyer taking on Espiritu Maligno, King Jaguar and Rey Apocalipsis.
The show will stream at 9 pm on CMLL’s YouTube.
Ovaciones has a story on the CMLL bodybuilding contest. It’s the first real public mention of the contest. The bodybuilding contest has been a big deal to CMLL internally for most of the last 14 years it has been held and been treated like a crowd spectacle in recent years. This year, CMLL has not hyped it or mentioned it nearly as much (if at all), and the only mentions of the contest were by those training to participate. I’m not sure if that’s a meaningful change or just a shift in priority to the shows they’re actually selling tickets for (since the bodybuilding contest has usually been free.) Either way, if CMLL does not start bringing it up during tonight’s show, then it probably isn’t streaming on Wednesday.
The Ovaciones article mentions the patron of the contest is Victor Flores Morales, who is the leader of the same train union that Marcela & Tyson La Bestia promoter on their gear. Arturo Beristain students are scheduled to do the tumbling exhibition before the show.
CMLL (SUN) 12/02/2018Arena México
1) Kaligua & Stukita vs Pequeño Olímpico & Pequeño Violencia
2) Hijo del Signo, Nitro, Yago vs Akuma, Camorra, Espanto Jr.
3) Súper Astro Jr. vs Espíritu Negro [lightning]
4) Esfinge, Guerrero Maya Jr., Tritón vs Misterioso Jr., Sagrado, Universo 2000 Jr.
5) Kráneo, Valiente, Volcano vs Ephesto, Luciferno, Vangellys
6) Ángel de Oro, Diamante Azul, Niebla Roja vs Mephisto, Rey Bucanero, Shocker
Espiritu Negro has been in CMLL since 2014 and this would be his first singles match.
When this show happens, it’ll be 44 days since CMLL announced Stukita would be wrestling as Halcon Suriano Jr. going forward. He has not wrestled as that name in CMLL.
CMLL was never going to keep running the same exact tag match until Christmas or New Years or Three King’s Day or whenever this apuesta match is happening. Still, Nitro being added sticks out. It would be darkly entertaining for the leader of a union to end up being the one losing his mask in all of this.
This was a sponsored show for the Emperador cookies. The show took place from a fairly full Gimnasio Olímpico Juan de la Barrera. Jesus Zuniga and Leo Riano were the announcers.
The usual music was replaced by generic music for reasons not explained. Also, “OGT” was never called by that name and did not wear that merchandise, which seemed like a sponsor request.
Matches:
Hijo Del Vikingo & Máscara de Bronce beat Australian Suicide & Dave The Clown
(14:01, Vikingo & Bronce 450 splash Suicide & Dave, good, Lucha Libre AAA (Twitch))
Gif: 4058/4243/4341/4443
Dinastía & Máscarita Sagrada beat Mini Histeria & Mini Psycho Clown
(8:18, Máscarita Sagrada small package Mini Psycho Clown, ok, Lucha Libre AAA (Twitch)
Guardián Emperador I, Guardián Emperador II, Psycho Clown beat Averno, Chessman, Súper Fly
(14:01, Guardian II legdrop Chessman, ok, Lucha Libre AAA (Twitch))
What happened:
welcome back Mascara de Bronce
The Guardian Emperadors are masked wrestled representing the sponsor. The smaller Guardian (I) did a lot of cool springboards and revealed himself to be Golden Magic on twitter. The bigger Guardian did not do as much. The rudos have control about 12 minutes in when Máscarita Sagrada runs in, which appears to be totally legal. He helps them win and gets a Guardian mask post-match.
Chessman, with Averno & Super Fly, taunted Máscarita Sagrada after the match. Chessman teased press slamming Sagrada out of the ring, mimicking the commercial campaign that set up this show. This time, he ended up slapping and stomping Sagrada down.
Thoughts:
This was a different show than usual for AAA. The main event was a bit more comedy and playing to the crowd for reactions than they’d do on a normal TV show, which there’s already a lot of. The match worked for the live crowd but a little bit dragged for me. The rudos were kind of taking it easy, which was the same for most people. Golden Emperador was the standout, and didn’t seem affected by his outfit.
Aerostar tries to pull off the CMLL apron headscissors, it doesn’t end well
Poder del Norte versus three técnicos was about what you’d expect, a decent amount of lying though nothing extraordinary. Angelikal stood out less than usual, with Aerostar doing the majority of the interesting spots for his side. The rudos were solid too, though it felt a little bit down effort-wise than usual from a normal TV taping. This was still interesting enough, though maybe not far away from the thrice-weekly CMLL midcard trios matches that I get bored with.
Like the other Máscarita Sagrada matches, this was one where he needed someone to help him out by carrying most of the action. Dinastia did so, making it better than some of the Lucha Capital matches but not really something worth watching. The rudos did what they could but he just can’t do much. I assume Sagrada is here because the sponsors specifically asked for him. It doesn’t make much sense otherwise.
They got more time for the opener they would for this on a regular show and it helped a bit. It gave the técnicos more of a chance to show off early. It was Was funny to see Suicide work the opening exchange with Bronce, Dave get in one knee to send Bronce, then tag out himself so Suicide could carry the load against Vikingo too. It was for the best. Dave wasn’t at his worst, but Suicide was definitely better. The rudos did offense and comedy when they were in control, and it built back up nicely for thee end. Mascara de Bronce looked as good as any of the guys who usually work openers in his first appearance in five months. I feel like there has to be a story behind him getting so completely shuffled out of the mix in the new regime, but maybe things will change again and he’ll be back part of it next year.
