Bandido PWG champ, CMLL Friday results, AAA awards

CMLL (FRI) 12/20/2019 Arena México [CMLL, Lucha Central, Marca, The Gladiatores, thecubsfan]
1) Mercurio & Pierrothito b Shockercito & Último Dragóncito 
9:56. Tecnicos took 1/3.
2) Drone, Fuego, Stigma b Cancerbero, Raziel, Virus 
11:25. Straight falls.
3) Hechicero, Pólvora, Vangellys b Esfinge, Guerrero Maya Jr., Rey Cometa 
13:08. Rudo took 1/3.
4) Templario b Audaz [lightning] 
8:56. Templario beat Audaz.
5) Cuatrero, Felino, Forastero b Ángel de Oro, Titán, Valiente 
14:26. Rudos took 1/3 as Oro & Fellino lightly feuded. Cuatrero & Forastero moved down to replace Negro Casas (moved up) and Cavernario (honeymoon) on monday
6) Carístico, Diamante Azul, Volador Jr. b Gilbert el Boricua, Negro Casas, Último Guerrero 
11:38. Tecnicos took 2/3. Diamante Azul replaced Bandido, Ultimo Guerrero & Negro Casas (moved up) repalced Forastero & Cuatrero.

CMLL promos: Virus, Raziel and Cancerberos, Templario, Carisitco, and Negro Casas.

Pressroom interviews: Templario (Box Y Lucha), Audaz (Box Y Lucha), Caristico (Box Y Lucha), Gilbert el Boricua (Box Y Lucha), Felino (Box Y Lucha),

This show was a little bit better than last week, with Audaz/Templario worth watching in particular. Still, even that showed how much farther Templario has progressed from Audaz this past year. Audaz stands out with his bigger spots but his creativity has been toned down in favor of concentrating on the mastering the same few spots. That seems to be what CMLL is looking for in their flyers, so it may not even be a failing on his part, but it remains disappointing.

There wasn’t much happening on this show, which fits the rest of the weekend. There’s no AAA taping this weekend. There are some shows, but most anything special (especially in the Mexico City area) is being saved for Christmas Day. Electrico’s lightweight title defense against Halcon Suriano Jr. might be the most interesting match. IWRG’s trainee show might turn up on +LuchaTV.

Bandido become the 31st PWG World Champion last night, defeating Jeff Cobb. He is the first Mexican wrestler to win that championship. That’s a remarkable achievement for Bandido. It also suggests Bandido (and PWG) do not expect him to sign with WWE in 2020 and he’ll be available for defenses. ROH currently allows its wrestlers to work for PWG. That’s an exception to ROH’s policy against letting their wrestlers work in US promotions while under contract carved out when the Young Bucks were still with ROH. The Bucks are with AEW, the theory has been the same exception may apply there. (Excalibur did handle the announcing.)

Aramis & Rey Horus defeated the PWG tag team champions, Dezmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz, in a non-title match. Aramis worked in a Rey Horus mask and generic gear, as his didn’t make it to the venue. Also not making it to the venue was Rey Fenix, the one AEW wrestler who would’ve been booked last night. I’m told it was a legitimate travel issue, not Fenix bailing on the show. (A Fenix Instagram story, which may have expired by now, hints at airplane delays.) PWG didn’t announce Rey Fenix was off the show until mid-show, as they were still holding out hope he’d be able to make it as the show began.

AAA’s Azteca show had the first part of the 2019 awards on Friday. Winners:

• Rudo: Dave the Clown (over Lady Maravilla & Villano III Jr.)
• Tag Team: Lucha Brothers (Los Mercenarios)
• Mixed Tag Team: Villano III Jr. & Lady Maravilla (over Big Mami & Nino Hamburguesa and Vanilla & Australian Suicide)
• Trio: Poder del Norte (over Jinetes del Aire and OGT)
• Newcomer: Mr. Iguana (over Demus and Abismo Negro Jr.)

These winners were determined by fan voting on Azteca’s website. Dave the Clown winning the best rudo of the year hurts the credibility. It was a strange choice of three people for rudo and it’s a fan vote poll. Weird results were inevitable. Best match, tecnico, dive are to be revealed next week.

GALLI’s pushing next Sunday’s Flamita appearance as his final independent appearance in Chicago. ROH hasn’t announced the signing yet. They’re also advertising Puma King, Drago, Aerostar and Huracan Ramirez for 01/12.

Bandido is headed to Vancouver’s ECCW on 01/17 to face Artemis Spencer for their title. Now that Bandido’s PWG champion, he’s a rare person to be champion of promotions in Mexico (Crash) and the US at the same time. Ultimo Dragon might be the only one to do US, Mexico and Canada – and even then, it was more Mexican belts being used as part of a Japanese promotional idea.

01/18 The Crash

• Dinamico vs Baby Extreme
• Mecha Wolf, Bestia 666, Damian 666 vs Negro Navarro, Trauma I, Trauma II
• Torito Negro vs The Tiger – new
• Los Haraganes (Animal, Demencia, Silver Star) vs Black Danger, D-Luxe, TBA – new
• announced as appearing: Lady Flammer, Oraculo, T-Hawk, CIMA, Lindaman, Mesias, Angelico, Dragon Lee, Bandido, and “more”

Danger and D-Luxe had teased a new trio with a third man from Tijuana Juarez on the last show.

In a promo on +LuchaTV, Rush said this his alliance with LA Park only is for AAA. In other words, indie promoters can feel free to book them against each other.

Lineups

CMLL (FRI) 12/27/2019 Arena México
1) Angelito & Shockercito vs Mercurio & Pierrothito
2) Estrellita, La Magnifica, Lluvia vs Amapola, La Comandante, Reyna Isis
3) Guerrero Maya Jr. vs Okumura [lightning]
4) El Audaz, Flyer, Star Jr. vs Hijo del Villano III, Pólvora, Templario
5) Ángel de Oro, Titán, Valiente vs Cavernario, Felino, Negro Casas
6) Carístico, El Bandido, Volador Jr. vs Cuatrero, Forastero, Gilbert el Boricua

The third (?) time is the charm, Bandido should be around for this show – just in time for both Ultimo Guerrero and Sanson to be unavailable. So it goes. I don’t include the posters on the blog, though this one does visually stick out. CMLL’s been using Bandido’s promo picture from his original CMLL (& ELITE) run. They’ve updated here, which happens to include Bandido wearing a Mexablood shirt. CMLL’s not usually clever about teasing things, but perhaps this is going to kick off another round of “Flamita going to CMLL too” speculation. Flamita’s been pretty sure he’s not going to CMLL.

Nothing much going on the rest. Angel de Oro & Felino continue. Cavernario may or may not be back. Guerrero Maya losing to Okumura will be very sad. That match also serves to note the impending arrival of FantasticaMania. There’s not much time between the CMLL holiday shows and that NJPW tour, just one more Friday show after this one. There’s the odd chance the lightning match exists to set up something for those shows.