CMLL (MON) 12/09/2019 Arena Puebla [CMLL, Lucha Central]
1) Black Tiger, Centella Roja, Espíritu Maligno b Asturiano, King Jaguar, Meyer 
Rudos took 2/3, but were attacked by the rudos in the next match.
2) Akuma, Espanto Jr., Espíritu Negro b Perverso, Policeman, Rey Apocalipsis Espiritu Maligno
Akuma, Espanto Jr., and Espiritu are La Ola Negra and won a quick match.
3) Máscara Año 2000, Universo 2000 Jr., Virus b Audaz, Black Panther, Drone
rudos took 1/3.
4) Felino, Hechicero, Negro Casas b Atlantis Jr., Soberano Jr., Stuka Jr.
rudos took 1/3.
5) Cuatrero, Ephesto, Forastero b Carístico, Star Jr., Titán
rudos took 1/3, the last when Forastero pulled Caristico’s mask again to set up a singles match between them.
Not a good show. The Ola Negra was an idea those rudos pushed for on a past CMLL Informa match. It came off as the start of an angle here, though always possible they were just doing it on their own because no pays attention to Puebla.
Today’s CMLL Mexico City show continues the Copa Junior. Guerrero Maya Jr. won last time around in a slight surprise. Almost anyone in this group would be a surprise because it’s a group of 10 who aren’t really pushed. Esfinge won this before but seems to have already peaked on the CMLL roster. Universo 2000 Jr. has a big name and size, but has never been used in a big way or shown he deserves more. Black Panther looked as promising as Hechicero, Dragon Lee and Cavernario at one point, and has been up and down since without really getting much spotlight. Panther advancing to face Guerrero Maya Jr. is the best-looking match among those suspects. The rest would be shocking finalists. Stigma doesn’t get to do much outside of Puebla. Magnus, Robin, Halcon Suriano Jr., and Bengala don’t do much anywhere in CMLL, though none of them are bad. There’s also Espanto Jr. & Principe Odin Jr.
The main event has Caristico teaming for a second straight night with Star Jr. & Titan, this time against Euforia, Terrible and the returning Shocker. This will be Shocker’s first streamed match since May, though he has turned up in Guadalajararecently. It is hard to expect much from him at this point. It is hard to expect much from the rest of this card. The tercera is a women’s match, notable for Marcela listed as making her first appearance since her ankle injury. CMLL’s listed her before and she hasn’t been back, but perhaps maybe this time. Estrellita also makes her first streaming appearance since May. Princesa Sugehit rounds out the team against Tiffany, Amapola and Dalys, who will surely win. The opening two matches are a not-great trios match and a minis match with normal names. This will stream at 7:30 pm on CML’s YouTube channel.
Guadalajara includes the Chavez Brothers teaming with Ultimo Guerrero against Cuatrero, Forastero, and Valiente. There’s no set up to this mixed match, which may just exist to do something different with Sanson out.
NJPW announced their January schedule for their NJPW World service. The 01/10 (Osaka) and 01/16-20 (Tokyo) FantasticaMania shows will stream live on the service, which is consistent with usual policy. The Tokyo shows will have English commentary. All shows start at 3:30 AM CT. NJPW has waited to announce the FantasticaMania lineups until a few days after their Tokyo Dome shows. That could mean no matches known as late as two days before the first show this year.
Halcon Suriano Jr. says, since joining the main division, he’s been learning from guys like Los Cancerberos, Hijo del Signo and Espanto Junior. That’s a very respectful thing to say which I hope isn’t actually true. He’d like a singles match with Virus.
The end of the week is busy with lucha libre shows and vaguely related items. CMLL’s winter press conference in Wednesday, where multiple apuesta matches should be set up and other announcements may be made. (No point in posting anything until after it happens tomorrow.) Friday has the usual CMLL show. There’s also the Ring of Honor Final Battle show, with Rush defending against PCO, Dragon Lee challenging Shane Taylor, and Mexablood against Villain Enterprises. Warrior Wrestling is also running an iPPV that night, with Aero Star vs Rey Horus vs Taurus vs Drago vs Gringo Loco, plus Templario in another match. I’m trying to make it to that show. Saturday is AAA’s Guerra de Titanes, which appeared to be the last new AAA matches of the year. That’s true for Twitch, though the remaining matches of TripleMania Regia will not air until Sunday. Sunday also is Ring of Honor’s final TV taping of the year, which (mostly) streams live on their streaming service. Rey Horus makes his debut in the promotion on that show, and many people who have shown up in Ring of Honor have ended up being signed to deals of late. Mexablood & Hermanos Munoz are both conspicuously missing from the lineup. I assume they’ll be there and not necessarily against each other.
Rush going Mexico City->Baltimore->Ciudad Madero->Philadelphia is going to make for a very long weekend. Not a lot of direct flights to and from Ciudad Madero too. That might be a reason for ROH to hold off announcing anything for him on Sunday yet.
+LuchaTV has a new episode of En+carados. There’s a lot of talk about MexaWrestling getting a pass for not shaving Sadik Maiden’s hair when other groups would get raked over the coals for a similar fraud. Jose Manuel Guillen also mentions the plan is for Lucha Capital to return sooner than people would expect, and be doubled in length to 16 weeks. There were similar rumors about a quick return of Lucha Capital and it didn’t quite happen that way, so maybe don’t clear your Wednesday nights until you hear more.
IWRG had their holiday party last night.
Hidalgo luchador Centinela passed away.
Lineups
CMLL (SUN) 12/15/2019 Arena México
1) Acero & Kaligua vs Mercurio & Pierrothito
2) Apocalipsis, Arkalis, Eléctrico vs Cholo, Halcón Suriano Jr., Leono [Relevos Increíbles]
3) Drone, Fuego, Oro Jr. vs Misterioso, Okumura, Sagrado
4) Rey Cometa vs Templario [lightning]
5) Kráneo, Soberano Jr., Titán vs Hijo del Villano III, Luciferno, Mephisto
6) Carístico, Diamante Azul, Volador Jr. vs Negro Casas, Shocker, Terrible
Will Mercurio actually appear? Does the Relevos Increibles here suggest there’s a new prelim feud and Espiritu/Diamante is off? Is there any chance I will watch the main event? (No.)