CMLL (FRI) 03/08/2019 Arena México [CMLL, ESTO, Lucha Central, Marca, Ovaciones, Record, The Gladiatores, thecubsfan]
1) Nitro & Sangre Azteca b Oro Jr. & Stigma 
12:30. Rudos took 1/3.
2) Kawato San, Tiger, Virus b Fuego, Rey Cometa, Star Jr.
12:25. Tecnicos took 2/3.
3) Esfinge, Titán, Tritón b Rey Bucanero, Shocker, Vangellys
10:27. Tecnicos took 2/3.
4) Atlantis, Dragón Lee, Valiente b Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón
13:13. Tecnicos took 2/3.
5) Diamante Azul b Gilbert el Boricua
13:12. Azul took 2/3, the last by DQ when Gilbert unmasked him.
6) Ángel de Oro, Carístico, Niebla Roja DQ La Bestia Del Ring, Rush, Terrible
8:52. Straight falls, the last when Bestia was eliminated but came back into attack Niebla Roja.
CMLL promos: Titan & Esfinge, Diamante Azul, Gilbert, Angel de Oro & Niebla Roja, and Terrible & La Bestia del RIng.
Press room: Niebla Roja & Angel de Oro (Box y Lucha, The Gladiatores), Los Ingobernables, Diamante Azul, and Gilbert.
This show wasn’t any good. Next week’s main event was set up in a logical way but the heat just isn’t there right now. Gilbert/Diamante was about as good as expected and only works if you’re really impressed by big men moving slowly. The undercard had less life than usual. It was one of the weaker CMLL cards of the year – of any day of the week – and an unfortunate choice to be CMLL’s first show back on Televisa.
That Televisa broadcast starts today at 4 pm. It is not with the usual CMLL announcers. There was a separate Televisa broadcast position at the arena with their own announce crew: Leonardo Riano, Fernando Jesus Torres, Gaby Fernandez de Lara, and Hechicero. Riano was part of the CMLL crew when they were last on Televisa. Both he and Torres worked on AAA broadcasts last year. Hechicero has done CMLL broadcasts, though making him a full-time Friday announcer would rob CMLL of one of their good rudos at a time where they don’t have many. Fernandez is a woman so, by apparent television sports law, she’s the sideline interviewer.
There was no mention of the Televisa show during the Marca broadcast and there was little actual visual change. Maybe the lights were a little brighter and there were more spotlights, but it was nothing dramatic. Cometa’s new gear was the only sign someone thought this was a big deal.
This announcing change follows the airing change – a different time slot, airing the show the day after instead of a week later – also made after the original announcement. This is total speculation, but my guess is the people at the top of Televisa originally pushed the sports department to offer whatever it took to make a deal with CMLL. Then, as soon as those people at the top were satisfied enough to stop paying attention, the Televisa Deportes department modified the deal to match up with how they like to do business like having control of the announcing. But that’s just a guess.
LA Park told a fan he will return to Arena Puebla on 03/18, a week from Monday. LA Park hasn’t been in CMLL since last November.
Amapola & La Comandante talked about their struggles against sexism to get into lucha libre. In honor of International Women’s Day, CMLL had no women besides the edecanes on their show. Women were on AAA’s broadcast on Azteca, but the main role was Lady Maravilla seducing Nino Hamburguesa into a loss.
Dr. Wagner Jr. told Record that he will have to consider retiring should he lose to Blue Demon at TripleMania. This reads more like hype to sell the importance of the match rather than a real outcome.
Black Taurus says he’s going to try to do the impossible, retire Mil Mascaras, this Sunday. Taurus & Negro Navarro are scheduled to face Mil Mascaras & Mascara Sagrada, though Mil missed his match last week.
Criterio Hidalgo interviews ex-DTU wrestler Devitt Rodriguez.
Lineups
CMLL (FRI) 03/15/2019 Arena México
Homenaje a Dos Leyendas 2019 (Salvador Lutteroth & Blue Demon)
1) Audaz, Esfinge, Tritón vs Hijo del Villano III, Pólvora, Vangellys
Audaz replaced Titan (moved up) on 02/27.
2) Átomo, El Gallito, Microman vs Chamuel, Mije, Zacarias el Perico
3) Diamante Azul, Soberano Jr., Titán vs Ephesto, Mephisto, Templario
Diamante Azul & Titan replaced Caristico & Dragon Lee (moved up) on 2/27
4) Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Gilbert el Boricua, Negro Casas
5) Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero © vs Carístico, Dragón Lee, Volador Jr. [CMLL TRIOS]
2nd defense. King Phoenix & Penta were pulled from the show on 02/27, replaced by Dragon Lee & Caristico.
6) Ángel de Oro & Niebla Roja vs La Bestia Del Ring & Terrible [hair]
Nothing changed since last time. Outside the trios titles, it’s a card full of matches which would be promising if not for one guy.
There’s no word on this streaming as normal or airing on iPPV. They waited until late to announce it last time and I would expect no difference. It’d be a hard show to recommend for a significant price, and harder still when the last show was a streaming disaster that went unaddressed by anyone involved.
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Attendance at Arena Mexico looked good, especially considering the lineup. Gotta wonder if Televisa did something locally to hype the show or just get out word that it’s the first taping but it was a good crowd.
All this talk about gender and women reminds me that I expect the CMLL edecanes to eventually be phased out like Grid Girls, NFL cheerleaders(see them on tv much?), and other efforts to advance the feminist agenda about not using “women as sex objects”. One day the edecanes will be gone and I think it’s something we all see coming.
I’m still betting on CMLL airing on Galavision on Saturday’s at 7p on a several hour delay. That’s what they were doing before Televisa and CMLL parted ways. I think the tweet Luchablog retweeted was accurate in that a Univision station will air CMLL, but it won’t be Deportes but Galavision instead and they’re just working out some minor details. The timing is perfect because it’s Galavision’s 40 year anniversary and Lucha Libre was a big part of their identity for years.
I don’t think the edecanes are going anywhere because they aren’t edecanes any more. They are referred to as “dancers” and the person who handles them is a female. We’re long gone from the days of the edecanes being girls you could meet after the show to do business with or just being random hot women employees would find and give the gigs to in exchange for favors. Most of the current edecanes are professional models & dancers who just take dates from CMLL like any independent contractor would. In fact, CMLL won’t bring in any who have no professional dancing experience & have phased out 90% of the ex-edecanes who didn’t fit that type.
I hope they get rid of the dancers. I hate having them there.
Do you know that many CMLL ring girls have done interviews saying how much they love their job? I’ve spoken to at least two who are very proud of their work & don’t view themselves as sex objects at all. They love being dancers/models & are happy they can make a living doing what they love.
Have you ever tried contacting any of them on social media or in person? They are approachable & most will happily explain why they love what they do.
Or are you just an anonymous (male) standing up for women worldwide by telling women what they shouldn’t be doing? Male feminists are the best.
…I didn’t say anything about them other than the fact that I don’t like having to see them. Its something that keeps me from watching more CMLL and showing CMLL matches to other fans.
And nah, I’m not going to be reaching out to any of them, that would be creepy.
lol just look away from the screen or something hahaha how is this even a problem for a grown adult
It’s creepy to reach out and talk to them? Why? They’re human beings.
You seem to be projecting quite a bit of your own issues on these poor ladies who have done nothing wrong.
I respect everyone’s opinion, but for me right now there is plenty far more embarrassing or worse that I wouldn’t want to show fans that goes on in CMLL. The edecanes are probably the only thing worth watching on most of these shows nowadays. Besides, they might be the most well-organized part of the show. CMLL’s programming department could learn how to be organized and a little more about preparation from Erika.