Tonight’s the second block of the Gran Alternativa. The Gran Alternativa is designed to make one thing about the promising future of CMLL. I, being a terribly negative person, think about the problems we can not escape. Or at least the problem wrestlers.
Most Gran Alternativa rookie appearance
- 5: Sangre Azteca (1999/2, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005)
- 5: Astro Rey Jr./Mephsito (1994, 1995, 1996, 1996/2, 1999)
- 5: Drone/Hombre Bala Jr. (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017)
- 5: Espanto Jr. (2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019)
- 5: Akuma (2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019)
(We’re missing most of the 1998 tournament, which might make Azteca & Rey the #1.)
Akuma started in CMLL very young, so there’s some reason for him to be still participating as a rookie in this tournament. It’s getting up there. Espanto Jr. is 33. He’s never been good and has gotten worse. He appears to have CMLL spot for the next decade regardless. The CMLL party line whenever someone leaves the company is the promotion has a dozen guys in their training school just as good to take their place. That’s hard to believe is true when it comes to a Dragon Lee or a Rush. It seems true when it comes to an Espanto Junior. Yet here he remains, for a long time to come.
If CMLL’s already in the business of making policies that anger luchadors, they should add another rule to weed out people. If you can’t make it to the Friday third match level by about your fourth full year, it should be time for both sides to move on. Just putting in that (very arbitrary) goal would put pressure on the luchadors to keep improving after they’ve become regulars. There would be some late bloomers who CMLL would miss out on. They seem to miss out on far more trainees who never get a shot on CMLL shows and go on elsewhere to do good work.
(You could also just make it simpler and just cut guys who are always not good, like Signo & Espanto right now, but the drama of a deadline is more interesting)
Espanto Jr. is still in this tournament. He & Cavernario are probably not advancing past the first round. It is tougher to figure out who will. Wrestlers like Sonic, Star Jr., Yago, Magia Blanca, and Akuma have some promise, but all would be good bets to not advance in this tournament against bigger name competition. There’s just not a bigger name in this half of the bracket. Super Astro Jr. would be a popular pick, but we already know Titan is in Japan by next week, so there’s no chance of them advancing to the final. Star Jr. has done well recently but has no history of winning anything and may not be a great fit against Mistico & Fugaz. Furia Roja is a complete wildcard, a larger rudo who might fit as an opponent for Fugaz, though it’d be strange to see an unknown from Guadalajara advance to the final for the second straight week. There is no favorite here. It would be hard to see a few people win it, but there’s a lot of people on the same level.
Once again, the Gran Alternativa is not the main vent. Caristico, Mistico and Volador team up against Cuatraro, Sanson and Ultimo Guerrero. They might cut that one a little shorter than last week’s title match if everything else runs long. The non-tournament matches are all in the “maybe good” range. Papa Atlantis & Atlantis Jr. team up with Audaz against Hechicero, Villano III and Mr. Niebla. Hopefully, we get some Audaz vs Hechicero. Rey Cometa meets Felino in a lightning match. Somehow, that’s the first time they’ve had a singles match. The Micros are back in trios with the usual crew. Electrico & Principe Diamante face Espiritu Negro & Grako in the opener.
CMLL airs at 8:30 pm on Claro’s YouTube. I’ll stream it on mine as well.
Lucha Central has a preview of the show.
Fenix & Penta are scheduled to face Golden Magic & Laredo Kid tonight in Aguascalientes. Who knows what that match will actually be. They’re not in the main event; AAA may see the Lucha Brothers as bigger stars in their return, but they’re always semi-main when not paired with those they believe are their actual top guys. In this case, it’s Hijo de LA Park & LA Park against Rey Escorpion & Blue Demon.
Ring of Honor announced Dragon Lee for a bunch of November shows: 11/02 in Pittsburgh, 11/03 in Columbus, 11/09 in Dallas and 11/10 in San Antonio. This makes sense for ROH where it might have not for NJPW. ROH already has Rush as champion, they’re going to keep using him, so they might as well use Dragon Lee as well. (This also helps fill Bandido’s spot, if he’s not back from injury.) Dragon Lee has dates to fill up and he’s a guy who can help get buzz for Ring of Honor.
ROH also mentioned a CMLL wrestler will return to the promotion on the 11/02 & 11/03 shows. No name was specified. There’s also usually a couple of CMLL wrestlers on the ROH Texas shows. That would obviously be a good sign for the Munoz/CMLL relationship if it happens.
NJPW has Dragon Lee coin purses to sell on the next tour. I presume the order was already in.
AAA will have a video on this season of Lucha Capital today at 4 pm. AAA on Azteca starts at 3 pm today (one week only), so there will be dueling AAA shows. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter says the tournament will be a trios tournament with the winning team facing off against each other. A trios tournament would require more people for each show and make it more likely for the tournament to stop making sense when one team member is no longer available (though it can be assumed it won’t make sense.) There will be a male and female tournament. Doesn’t seem like there are enough women for a women’s tournament unless new or rarely seen people are involved. Willie Mack & Rich Swann are scheduled to be part of the tournament. The show will last to 11/27, so seven episodes.
Vampiro mentions coming to AAA for “a week, maybe a week in a half” in his latest video. I expect he’ll be announcing the first two episodes of Lucha Capital. He mentions wrestling twice, so he’s on the Heroes Inmortales card as assumed. It’s AAA, so they’ll probably repeat the Konnan/Vampiro fight in Copa Antonio Pena.
Chik Tormenta is taking a break from lucha libre, because she’s pregnant. Tormenta mentions she and the child are “not in good condition”. She’s giving up her three championships (NWG/Guadalajara, AULL, and Muchas Luchas/Guadalajara?) as she doesn’t know when she’ll be back.
LuchaWorld has the latest Lucha Report.
Fobes Mexico has a video story on lucha libre. They got interviews with both CMLL & AAA people, which seems rare.
ELITE sent out a preview of Saturday’s show, a good reminder they’re actually running on Saturday.
Lector 24 interviews Mexico State luchador Papillon.
A non-profile lucha libre school in Tula, Hidalgo.
Lineups
CMLL (MON) 10/14/2019 Arena Puebla
1) Hijo de Centella Roja, King Jaguar, Millenium vs Espíritu Maligno, Rencor, Sombra Diabólika
2) Arkalis, Rey Samuray, Robin vs Black Tiger, Rey Apocalipsis, Toro Bill Jr.
3) Esfinge, Fuego, Stigma vs Misterioso Jr., Okumura, Sagrado
4) Stuka Jr. vs Templario [lightning]
5) Carístico, Soberano Jr., Valiente vs Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón
6) Niebla Roja © vs Gran Guerrero [CMLL LH]
6th defense
This title match is two years delayed. It was scheduled for a Puebla show in September 2017. It was canceled due to the earthquake. They’ve faced off elsewhere but Gran Guerrero hasn’t gotten a title shot since that canceled match.
A lightning match is an odd inclusion for a show with a title match, and for a Puebla show in general, but not going to turn down Stuka/Templario.
CMLL (TUE) 10/15/2019 Arena México
1) Acero & Aéreo vs Pequeño Olímpico & Pequeño Violencia
2) Metatrón, Príncipe Diamante, Súper Astro Jr. vs Espanto Jr., Grako, Hijo del Signo
3) Drone, Esfinge, Magia Blanca vs Dark Magic, Pólvora, Universo 2000 Jr.
4) Fuego vs Disturbio [lightning]
5) Blue Panther, Flyer, Guerrero Maya Jr. vs Ephesto, Luciferno, Templario
6) Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Stuka Jr. vs Mephisto, Negro Casas, Terrible
Very much just a show. Poor Super Astro. Poor us for the return of Metatron.
The Crash (FRI) 11/01/2019 Auditorio de Tijuana, Tijuana, Baja California
The Crash 8th Anniversary
1) Ovett Jr. vs Terror Azteca, Baby Xtreme, Soldado Del Invierno [TLC, THE CRASH JUNIOR]
vacant title
2) Jonathan Gresham © vs Black Danger, Oráculo, Dinámico [THE CRASH CRUISER]
3) Rey Horus © vs CIMA, Jeff Cobb [THE CRASH HEAVY]
4) Christina Von Eerie vs Lady Flammer © [THE CRASH WOMEN]
5) Solar I vs Negro Navarro
6) Bestia 666 & Mecha Wolf © vs Trauma I & Trauma II [The Crash TAG]
7) Animal, Demencia, Silver Star vs Arandú, Star Boy, Zarco [hair, mask]
8) Dragón Lee (Munoz) & Rush vs Penta 0M & Rey Fénix
The card order isn’t probably correct, but that’s all the matches. The title matches are the new additions. I suspect Gresham is losing the title to someone who might be here a bit more regular.
Tiago was the Crash Junior championship and seems to be working with EMW now. The former Mini Charly Manson is a possibility to return to AAA as a mini for Heroes Inmortales.
They should tape this show, they probably won’t tape this show.