CMLL (WED) 01/01/2020 Arena México [CMLL, EL Universal, Furia de Titanes, Heraldo de Mexico, Marca, NJPW, Ovaciones, R de Rudo, SuperLuchas, The Gladiatores]
CMLL Sin Piedad, 2020
Attendance: 16800
1) Black Panther, Drone, Guerrero Maya Jr. b Sagrado, Tiger, Universo 2000 Jr. 
tecnicos took 2/3
2) Felino, Hechicero, Mephisto b Audaz, Rey Cometa, Star Jr.
Rudos took 1/3
3) Bárbaro Cavernario, Hijo del Villano III, Negro Casas b Atlantis Jr., Kráneo, Soberano Jr.
Rudos took 1/3
4) Príncipe Diamante b Espíritu Negro [mask]
Principe Diamante took 2/3 to win the mask. Espiritu Negro is Juan Manuel Gonzalez Olade, 38 years old, 20 years a wrestler.
5) Carístico & Místico © b Cuatrero & Forastero [CMLL TAG]
Caristico & Mistico took 1/3. First defense
6) Dulce Gardenia b Kawato San [hair]
Dulce took 2/3.
CMLL promos: Hijo del Villano III (completed his first year), Atlantis Jr. (same), Espiritu Negro (unmasked), Principe Diamante (kept his mask), Mistico & Caristico (happy with tag defense), Dulce Gardenia (kept his hair) and Kawato San (did not keep his hair.)
Post-match interviews: Espiritu Negro (Box Y Lucha, +LuchaTV, The Gladiatores), Principe Diamante (Box Y Lucha, +LuchaTV, The Gladiatores), Caristico & Mistico (Box y Lucha, +LuchaTV, The Gladiatores), Dulce Gardenia (Box Y Lucha, +LuchaTV, The Gladiatores), Kawato San (Box Y Lucha, +LuchaTV, The Gladiatores)
The reviews on this one aren’t strong, with no must-see match and Diamante/Espiritu being a bit weak. The stipulations and the holiday date meant this was still a sell-out anyway.
Kawato San specifically said this was not his last match and he plans on getting his revenge on Dulce Gardenia after Gardenia returns for FantasticaMania. Kawato continues to be listed on upcoming lineups. It’s always possible everyone’s just doing a bit but, if we believe what CMLL & Kawato are saying, he’s not finishing up in Mexico any time soon.
Espiritu Negro said that other people in CMLL nicknamed him Machete, because his looks remind them of Danny Trejo, and perhaps he’ll change his name. It’d be helpful to not get Espiritu Negro & Espiritu Maligno confused.
CMLL’s used the first Friday of the year as a Best Of Last Year show in recent years. That’s tougher with certain people (Dragon Lee, Rush) no longer being around and Sanson being out hurt. They’re calling this card Viernes Espectacular VIP instead, “with the most featured people of 2019.” It’s not quite the same. Or accurate.
The spotlight match tonight is Bandido versus Cuatrero. They’re not quite the featured CMLL people of 2019. Bandido’s just barely made it into CMLL late in the year. Cuatrero was featured, but not really as a singles wrestler. They’re also under some pressure here. Either they have a great match or it’s going to be a disappointment. Either their singles match draws well or that’ll also be a strike against Bandido for some CMLL loyalists. CMLL has been up a lot late, though it seems mostly due to the holidays. If they’re up or down tonight depends more on if this is still a vacation week than the drawing power of Bandido & NGD, but it may not be perceived that way.
The rest of the card is sort of killing time before the NJPW tour starts up next week. Carsticio, Angel de Oro and Niebla Roja take on Los Guerreros Laguneros in the main event, which should at least get a reaction. Volador, Titan and Soberano versus Cavernario, Templario, and Forastero are in the fourth match, all lower than usual due to Bandido/Cuatrero match. Rey Cometa, Atlantis Jr., Esfinge versus Polvora, Misterioso and Vangellys don’t seem to fit on a show of “the most featured people of 2019” but it’s CMLL. Marcela & Dalys rematch in the women’s trios, with Estrellita, La Jarochita, La Metalica and Amapola rounding out the match. Dalys & Jarochita’s own matches in Japan aren’t for a couple of weeks but it’s possible Dalys may just go with Negro Casas early and be off Friday nights for a while. Super Astro & Sonic open against Coyote & Grako. The show airs at 8:30 pm and I’ll stream it on YouTube.
CMLL will run a tribute show to Mr. Niebla on 01/24. That’s the Friday after everyone returns from FantasticaMania. CMLL has not previously run shows honoring luchadors who’ve recently passed away; Mr. Niebla’s passing has hit everyone hard.
El Siglo de Torreon has a near-annual interview with Ultimo Guerrero, though there wasn’t much insight in this one. He does confirm the Fantastica Mania crew is leaving directly after next Tuesday’s Arena Mexico show, as Caristico also notes in an interview with Marca.
Segunda Caida writes about Mr. Niebla’s matches.
CMLL posted a video recapping January to April and May to August. They did not post a video recapping the rest of the year. That is perfectly CMLL. It is interesting that whoever did these was using footage off of TV than the video CMLL theoretically has in the house (and so doesn’t have access to Guadalajara footage.) Rush & Dragon Lee were not mentioned in the videos which did go up, though Rush can at least be seen in the second video.
There’s no lineup out for Monday yet, but there is the Tuesday Arena Mexico show
CMLL (TUE) 01/07/2020 Arena México
1) Arkalis & Robin vs El Coyote & Grako
2) Audaz, Drone, Guerrero Maya Jr. vs Kawato San, Tiger, Virus
3) Dulce Gardenia vs Okumura [lightning]
4) Atlantis Jr., Flyer, Titán vs Hijo del Villano III, Luciferno, Pólvora
5) Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Stuka Jr. vs Euforia, Mephisto, Último Guerrero
6) Carístico, Místico, Soberano Jr. vs Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón
Cavernario, Negro Casas, and Fuego appear to be only three people booked for FantasticaMania who aren’t on this card. It’s one last match before everyone gets on the plan for FantasticaMania. It is likely we will not know a match for FantasticaMania until this day.
Sanson is just making it back in the ring just in time for the tour. Hope that’s a good thing.
Other New Year’s Day Results Of Note
IWRG (WED) 01/01/2020 Arena Naucalpan [+LuchaTV, The Gladiatores]
1) Ketzal L Marado, Auzter, Dinámico, Torito Negro, Legendario, Dick Angelo 3G, Spider Fly [cage, mask] 
Legendario took Ketzal/Quetzal’s mask. He’s Ismael Castillo, 21 years old, 5 years a wrestler.
2) Rocket L Ángel Tormenta, Ángel Estrella Jr., Noicy Boy, Chicanito, Águila Oriental, Canival [mask, hair, cage]
Rocket lost his hair to Chicanito. Neza Kidd (Jr.?) didn’t make this match.
3) Death Metal L Hijo de Canis Lupus, Trauma I, Capo del Norte, Diva Salvaje, Big Chico Che, Black Dragón, Fly Warrior, Jessy Ventura, Big Ovett, Oficial Fierro, Oficial AK47 [mask, hair, cage]
Black Dragon took Death Metal’s mask. Death Metal is Martin Maurilio Moreno Angel, 22 years old, 4 years a wrestler. He’s the son of Jeque.
4) Toxin b Lunatik Xtreme, Dragón Bane, Trauma II, Relámpago, Puma de Oro [cage, Ladder, IWRG MEXICO]
title originally intended to be handed out on 2019-06-19 when a tournament final between Aramis & Metaleon had no finish due to Metaleon injury (and Aramis rejecting the win that way.) Returned here for no apparent reason.
5) Demonio Infernal b Fuerza Guerrera Next Generation, Pasion Cristal, Ave Rex, Emperador Azteca, Hijo del Alebrije [cage, briefcase, IWRG IC MIDDLE]
Earlier, the former Imposible (Fuerza Guerrera Nueva Generacion) announced he was vacating the middleweight championship by order of the commission. That title and an underexplained briefcase was on the line here with Demonio Infernal winning both.
This show was exactly as good as you’d expect with all cage matches and people you’ve never heard of losing their hair or mask. (Too bad Death Metal couldn’t get a bigger spotlight for his loss though.)
Imposible talked about his name change. The idea was he and IWRG were ok with him keeping the title while changing his gimmick but for the commission got involved. This doesn’t seem like something the commission is helping anyone by getting involved.
AAA (WED) 01/01/2020 Arena Neza [+LuchaTV]
1) Estrellas De Oro, Máscara Virtual, Sky Man b Canibal Jr., Montana, Punker Bizarro 
2) Faby Apache, Lady Shani, Vanilla Vargas b Keyra, La Hechicera, Lady Maravilla
3) Dinastía, Eclipse, Niño Hamburguesa b Comando Negro Jr., John Tito, Neza Kid Jr.
4) Aerostar, Drago, Octagón Jr. b Abismo Negro Jr., Súper Fly, Tito Santana
5) Súper Nova b Neza Kid [mask]
Neza Kid’s is Freelance, which was known to all.
6) Joe Lider L Pagano, Texano Jr., Mr. Águila, Máximo, Mocho Cota Jr., Chessman, Carta Brava, Averno [cage, hair]
Joe Lider lost his hair to Chessman.
No one reported Freelance’s age and experience, just that he’s been Neza Kid for 10 years. The dual identity has never been a secret; he wrestled his first match under the mask in a shirt with no sleeves, showing off all his tattoos. Everyone pointed it out and he’s been wearing long sleeve shirts since even though it was a bit too late. He’s expected to still be masked as Laredo Boy, the Neza Kid was a mask he didn’t need any more.
Vanguardia (WED) 01/01/2020 Autolavado VM, Tulancingo, Hidalgo [+LuchaTV, Funcion Estelar]
1) Amo de la Noche b Munra, Jeff Killer, Lobo Blanco Jr.
2) Zuzu Divine b Símbolo Azteca, Mr. Chivo [VANGUARDIA 4×4]
3) Caballero De Atena, Dragón Boy, Falcón Fire, Jitsu, Rey Dragón b Cíclope, Lobo Blanco Jr., Miedo Extremo
the full Odaiba Squad (Rey Dragon, Caballero de Atenea, Falcon Fire, Jitsu, Dragon Boy) interfered and kidnapped Miedo Extremo.
4) Cobre & Shun Skywalker b Draztick Boy & Gasparin Jr.
good match
5) Aeroboy © b Jimmy [Rockstar PRO CHAMP]
Vanguardia announced Jimmy would be a full time roster member going forward. Very good match.
Looked like this one was taped. My only problem with this promotion is the results assume I can remember who is the Odaiba Squad and that is not happening yet. It is good they’re trying to run storylines here; the results read as if this promotion is doing a lot to help the local guys develop into bigger names. (It is a distant cousin of AEW’s strategy.) This is a lot of thought about a promotion I barely watch.
Lucha Memes (WED) 01/01/2020 Coliseo Coacalco, Coacalco, Estado de México [+LuchaTV, Box Y Lucha]
1) Black Out & Perro de Guerra b Instenso & Kaito
2) Dr. Cerebro b Toxin
3) Multy & Prayer b Jeque & Judas el Traidor
4) Manchas b Rugido
5) Demus b Neptuno (Hidalgo)
6) Aramis & Iron Kid b Alas de Acero & Arez
Solar & Los Ministeriales were all missing (blocked?) so this was the main event instead. Said to be very good.
Lucha Memes seems to have relaxed their “no video, shows are only for the fans in attendance” policy. Box Y Lucha’s Facebook has brief clips of Toxin/Cerebro and highlights of other action. Both Box Y Lucha & +LuchaTV had results. The show looks like a shockingly low turnout for a Memes show, which may have caused the promotion opening back up to media again. Recent Lucha Memes seems like they’ve drawn better, so it may just be a function of having not having a strong enough lineup and Memes having reduced interest on a tough day to run an indie show.
Over in Mexicali, Principe Negro Jr. took Mr. Tempest’s mask in a triangle match also including Estudiante Jr. Mr. Tempest is Manuel Gonzalez, 45 years old, 28 years a wrestler, from Tijuana.
In Queretaro, Halcon Negro Jr. saved his mask and took Hijo de Picudo’s hair. Zarpa de Tigre Jr. saved his hair and Traidor lost his mask. Traidor is Rafael Lopez Garcia, 13 years a wrestler.
In Puebla, Tiger Fly took Baby Rock’s hair.
AAA Notes
On Konnan’s podcast, he mentioned there are plans for an MLW/AAA show in Tijuana in March. That would fully replace what MLW was doing with The Crash and probably be a TV taping just for the US promotion. Konnan would like to bring in MLW wrestlers but there are few open spots at the moment. Rey Horus was mentioned as being back in AAA in February and Konnan seems him as the last big-name indie guy who hasn’t been with either major promotion yet.
Octagon posted a video on YouTube saying that he won the exclusive rights to the name “Octagon” via Mexico’s IMPI trademark service. This seems like the third or fourth time where Octagon has stated he has definitely won the name and it hasn’t changed AAA’s usage. The AAA trademarks for Octagon still appear on the IMPI’s website but Octagon shows off official-looking paperwork from IMPI, so your guess is as good as mine. Octagon says anyone besides those approved to use the name (Hijo del Octagon, Octagoncito/Mini Rey Mysterio) will be jailed. I’m not sure if that’s how trademarks work.
Dorian Roldan responded this morning, saying Octagon and derivations of that name are 100% still owned by Lucha Libre AAA. Octagon’s threats of fines or jail probably have made the local promoters a little bit leery of using Octagon Jr. and getting caught in the middle of something. Octagon’s gone back at Dorian Roldan on Twitter, which is almost certainly just playing to his fans since I’m sure Octagon’s blocked Roldan long ago (and maybe likewise the other way.) Octagon may be in the right and have the legal paper to prove it, but this also barely seems worth paying attention to until either AAA stops using the name or Octagon does something to prevent Octagon Jr. or AAA’s Octagoncito from wrestling. Octagon Jr. is scheduled on the 01/25 AAA Mexico City taping, so maybe that’s the date to watch. Impact did use Octagon Jr. (then as Golden Magic) on their last set of Mexico City tapings and it’s possible he could work there, though that might also be an instance where Impact just wants to say out of this fight.
AAA talked a bit about their eSports team with La Vanguardia (reposted from Reforma?) They partnered with Arena GG to find the talent. There’s currently two Super Smash Brothers players and two Street Fight players signed with AAA. The promotion is happy with the growth in interest and has plans to expand in 2020.
Other Notes
There’s another Satanico/Hechicero match this Sunday in Guadalajara.
Lucha Memes vs MexaWrestling 02/03 @ Coacalco
This is another concept show of promotion against promotion (where most of the guys aren’t strongly connected with one wrestler or the other.
A Rossy Moreno tribute show will take place on 02/14 in Arena Naucalpan. +LuchaTV’s podcast mentioned Moreno suffered an injury in December which may have ended her career.
+LuchaTV has a video recapping every mask and hair match loss in 2019.
