Month: March 2020

Mexa Wrestling (SAT) 03/14/2020 Arena San Juan Pantitlan, Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, Estado de México [+LuchaTV, The Gladiatores]
1) Dick Angelo 3G, Legendario, Shere-Khan, Zika b Águila Oriental, Dinámico, Noicy Boy, Spider Fly
2) Atomic Star & Baby Star b Black Warrior Jr. & Hijo de Mano Negra and Canival & Teelo
3) Hahastary b Perla Lagunera, Sucii Love
No Hija De Gatubela (injury – out two months), so this became a three way.
4) Centvrión & Metaleón b Trauma I & Trauma II
5) Negro Casas DQ Fulgor I
6) Dragón Bane, Hijo de Canis Lupus, Séptimo Dragón b Arcángel Divino, Baby Xtreme, Último Maldito
Dragon Bane beat Baby Xtreme
7) Fly Star, Lunatik Xtreme, Sobredosis b Fly Warrior, Príncipe Aéreo, Puma de Oro [super libre]
Fly Star beat Principe Aereo. Baby Star, Shere Khan, Zika, Atomic Star and Fulgor attacked everyone except Fly Warrior. Those six formed Indy Nation 2.0, with Metaleon, Centvrion, Canival and Teelo making the save.

I like the big Indy Nation 2.0 angle if mostly because it gives these shows a direction they’ve been missing for a while – really since the last big mask match. The first Indy Nation was a good idea that didn’t do anywhere though.

The semi-main and the fourth match seemed to get the strongest reviews.

BMLL (SAT) 03/14/2020 Arena Coliseo Acapulco, Acapulco, Guerrero [+LuchaTV]
1) Black Joe b Toxico, Optimus, Golden Jet, Piloto Jr., Gasparín, Símbolo Azteca (Hidalgo) [battle royal]
2) Crazy Thengu, Guerrero Jr., Rey Muerte b Jeff Killer, Josh Sniper, Mr. Chivo
3) Stephanie Vaquer b Zuzu Divine
4) Hijo De Mosco X-Fly & X-Fly b Enigma & Sauron 
5) Demonio Chino Jr. b Fresero Jr. ©, Terremoto [BMLL SUPREMO] 
Demonio Chino is new champion.
6) Draztick Boy © b Príncipe Cóndor, Kid Silver, Chica Ye-Ye [BMLL CRUISER] 
7) Ricky Marvin b Aeroboy, Shun Skywalker, Makabre 
8) Demasiado & Diva Salvaje © L Cíclope (Indie) & Miedo Extremo and Joe Lider & Mr. Águila [BMLL TAG] 

+LuchaTV posted results of most of the show but not the main event. I watched the finish and I’m not entirely sure who’s meant to be tag team champions.

Vanguardia (SUN) 03/15/2020 Deportivo 11 de Julio, Pachuca, Hidalgo [+LuchaTV, Funcion Estelar]
1) Kunay b Dragón Boy, Poseidón Jr.
Poseidon Jr. was added to the match. Odaiba Squad asked Kunay to join the group; he gave new effort.
2) Falcón Fire b Kulikitaka, Mortal Power Jr.
3) Santy Hernández DQ Tarasco
Colmillo Blanco ran in for the DQ
4) Pantera Jr. b Lobo Blanco, Blaze, Símbolo Azteca
5) Hijo De Payaso Pura Santa, Payaso Pura Santa, Payaso Pura Santa Jr. DCOR Caballero De Atenea, Jitsu, Rey Dragón
neither team was happy with the result
6) Manchas & Rugido © b Hip Hop Man & Zumbi and Draztick Boy & Gasparín [BARRIO BRAVO TAG]
Odiaba Squad and Payasos Pura Santa got involved post-match, setting up a four-way tag title match

The knockoff off Welcome to My Barrio being featured on +LuchaTV is their top wrestlers seem to be featured in other promotions +LuchaTV also covers. This was promoted as Vanguardia versus WTMB show, which is also happening today in IWRG. I’m not sure if this is good or bad as far as drawing fans, though it seems unlikely many of the WTMB would be high on the list to be working these shows otherwise.

I don’t have Zona 23 results as of now, but the show did go on as scheduled. Carxyus, who I believe has been filming these shows for Independent Wrestling TV, was cut in the wrist by glass during the show. (I was shown the video of the wound, it doesn’t look good.) He’s going to need surgery to save mobility in his right hand. Fly Star is auctioning off a mask to raise money for Carxyus’ medical funds. There’s also a bank account to donate.

I’ve talked to Carxyus (or stood nearby while people with better Spanish skills actually talked to Carxyus) at Arena San Juan Pantitlan a couple of times. He’s was filming shows there for a while, like doing it, but ran into a frustration point; few fans were interested in buying DVDs and it wasn’t really possible to make ends meet by putting them on Facebook or YouTube. It was a nice surprise when I realized he’d been the guy doing the Zona 23 shows; he finally had a project that was embraced by an audience. It sucks it’s ended up this way and I’ll pass on anything else I can find out if there are other ways to support him.

IWRG’s Monday afternoon holiday (3:45 local CT, adjust for daylight time) was still on as of last check. The main event has Diva Salvaje, Jessy Ventura and Pasion Kristal against Heroes Jr., Hijo de Pirata Morgan, Shun Skywalker. The Dr. Wagner headlined show in CAR The Crash is also still on.

The NWA Crocket Cup is suspended. Rey Horus & Flamita were announced as being in the tag team tournament. I know there was also an idea to bring in a CMLL team, though I’m unsure if that had been confirmed. There was a lucha show in Atlanta scheduled with AAA wrestlers that I never got a poster for, but it also is not happening.

All sports events in Guadalajara are canceled, including lucha libre promotion Arena Guatemala Mexico. They use Mexican wrestlers at times and Heddi Karoui was announced for next week’s show.

Kenny Omega mentioned on Being the Elite that his finger issue was going to keep him out 2-4 weeks. Being the Elite is a comedy program and that was a comedy skit, so that may not be totally accurate. It would’ve meant Omega would be unavailable for Rey de Reyes as currently scheduled.

El Planchitas says AAA ran their shows at the Vive Latino not because they wanted to, but because they had no real way to get out of doing them that wouldn’t have economic consequences and cost them from coming back in futures.

Lineups

AAA (FRI) 04/24/2020 Auditorio PSF, Mexicali, Baja California
1) Black Destiny, Mirage, Mr. Iguana vs Bengala, Fantastik, Rayo Star and Parka Negra, TJ Boy, Último Maldito
2) Monsther Clown & Murder Clown vs Kamikaze & Skalibur and Jonathan & Mortiz
3) Lady Shani vs La Hiedra, Miranda Alize, Lady Lee
4) Xtreme Tiger vs Laredo Kid ©, Taurus, Genio del Aire [AAA CRUISER]
5) ? & Rey Horus vs Hijo Del Vikingo & Puma King [AAA TAG, #1 Contenders]
6) Drago, Fénix, Pentagón Jr. vs Chessman, Nicho el Millionario, Rey Escorpión

This is the night before a Tijuana taping (which was listed as Friday though the day is actually Saturday.) #1 contenders matches on spots shows have a low chance of paying off.

I like to do the CMLL results in this Sunday update and save the rest of the indies for tomorrow. No CMLL stuff today. CMLL announced the end of all shows for the time being at 3:49 pm Mexico City time on Saturday. The Homenaje a Dos Leyendas card is technically suspended, with the idea they’ll be doing that celebration sometime later, while the others are canceled. Arena Revolucion, a small group in Mexico City, says their show for 03/22 is also canceled. They say Fantasma told them to cancel it, which implies Fantasma has declared no more lucha libre events will take place in Mexico City for now. Mexico State is a different regulation body and everything seems to have gone on there as normal this weekend.

AAA’s 03/28 taping in Torreon has not been canceled as of yet; that area has not banned gatherings. Indie shows generally went on in Mexico this weekend, including the latest Zona 23 junkyard show.

MLW did run on Friday:

AAA , EMW , MLW (FRI) 03/13/2020 Auditorio de Tijuana, Tijuana, Baja California [TJ Sports]
1) Carta Brava Jr., Mocho Cota Jr., Tito Santana b Black Destiny, Fantastik, Rayo Star
Viva Van was seconding the local team.
2) Filthy Tom Lawlor & Garrini b Puma King & Xtreme Tiger
3) Richard Holiday © b Chessman [CARIBBEAN HEAVY]
4) Mortiz & Pagano b Mance Warner & Savio Vega
5) Averno b Douglas James
6) Alex Hammerstone © b Laredo Kid [MLW OPENWEIGHT]
7) Brian Pillman Jr. & Davey Boy Smith Jr. b Rey Escorpión & Texano Jr.
8) Hijo Del Vikingo, Myzteziz Jr., Octagón Jr. © b Jordan Oliver, Kotto Brazil, Myron Reed [AAA TRIOS]
2nd defense
9) Hijo de LA Park, LA Park, LA Park Jr. b Nicho el Millionario, Niño Hamburguesa, Psycho Clown 
Pagano tried to attack LA Park, got Nicho instead, challenged Park to a match after.

As mentioned before, it looked pretty full though not a sell out (at least for people in the seats.) Lots of AAA people losing to MLW people, which doesn’t hurt AAA as much on TV (since very few people in Mexico are going to be seeing it), but doesn’t help them with the Tijuana crowd. AAA is planning on running TV here in April, though everything’s a question mark.

Brian Pillman Jr. reported flu-like symptoms on Sunday, though he doesn’t believe it is COVID-19. A few hours later, MLW announced they were postponing all tapings for 45 days. They wouldn’t have been able to run in the US anyway.

AAA’s show at the Vive Latino shows on Saturday and Sunday went on. The shows were not as well attended as normal but still had lots of people. Dinastia retained the minis championship in a cage match on Saturday. Dave the Clown won the Vive Latino championship on Sunday.

Pagano took Super Fly’s hair in Saltillo on Saturday. This was a 5,000 seat building that seemed pretty full, with LA Park among those on the card.

AAA also put up a TV vignette teasing a La Hiedra & Lady Maravilla team. It doesn’t seem like it’s worthwhile to be a team when there’s only a singles women’s championship in AAA but perhaps there’s a bigger plan.

Alberto told a TV show he was talking to WWE and believed he’d return to WWE in mid-2020. (MedioTiempo found this clip first.) I’m not skeptical of things Alberto says, and Fightful points out Alberto did this same song and dance a year ago. He’s also advertised on an AAA show on 09/26 in Saltillo so he may just be trying to get himself attention.

Arturo Beristan talks about his career as a wrestler and trainer, and names Kushida, Hijo del Fantasma, Dark Angel, Rush, and NGD as some of his students. The first three are all in WWE now, what a coincidence he thought to bring them up. The former Hijo del Gladiador has not wrestled regularly since the early 2000s, hasn’t appeared on a legend’s show since 2014, but still wants to have a retirement match.

04/05 Lucha Memes @ Coliseo Coacalco

• Real Under (Gremlin & Garrobo) vs Las Divine (Diosa Quetzal, Hahastary)
• Perro de Guerra Jr. vs Black Terry – new

Lucha Memes said they believe this show cancelations will be done in two weeks (and so this show is still on.) That’d be nice.

CMLL (FRI) 03/13/2020 Arena México [+LuchaTV, Marca, Ovaciones, R de Rudo, TUDN]
1) Diamond & Principe Daniel b Cholo & Difunto 
12:59. Tecnicos took 1/3.
2) Princesa Sugehit, Silueta, Stephanie Vaquer b Amapola, La Infernal, La Metálica 
14:42. Tecnicos took 1/3.
3) Hechicero, Luciferno, Rey Bucanero b Audaz, Rey Cometa, Soberano Jr. 
14:59. Rudos took 2/3.
4) Titán b Pólvora [lightning] 
9:46. Titan won via springboard double stomp
5) Atlantis Jr. & Flyer b Hijo del Villano III & Templario [MEX TAG, final] 
23:19. Tecnicos took 1/3, to win the vacant title
6) Felino, Negro Casas, Volador Jr. b Carístico, Cavernario, Diamante Azul [Relevos Increíbles] 
9:08. Staright falls, Felino pinning Cavernario in both falls.

CMLL promos: Titan, Flyer & Atlantis Jr., Barbaro Cavernario, Felino & Zacarias.

Pressroom interviews: Barbaro Cavernario, Felino, and Atlantis Jr. & Flyer.

Titan/Polvora was the best match, while the main event was hurried by action-filled. The tag title match showed those guys weren’t really ready for that spot.

CMLL put in place recommended health policy for attendees, including checking the temperature of people coming into the building and giving everyone hand sanitizer. It’s unclear to me if CMLL was checking everyone’s temperature; the media was all showing the same side entrance from the garage. That’s used by wrestlers and staff, but only a small amount of the fans. I could not tell if the temperature was being taken anywhere. Arena Coliseo has one entrance for everyone, so that’ll be easier to check.

I don’t have MLW in Tijuana results; the usual people who might do results do not appear to have gone. MLW said on social media that it was sell out. It might have actually been one, but there are empty seats visible on the same social media account. Mortiz went through a table on fire. EMW announced their next show would be an AAA taping on April 25th. That’d be a Friday taping.

AAA Rey de Reyes is officially postponed. No scheduled date was announced. (No re-scheduled date of anything should be taken too seriously right now.) AAA had no choice after Merida banned all mass gatherings. CMLL events will go on until the same happens in each city. Guadalajara has banned those events, so Arena Coliseo Guadalajara is closed for the time being. Some events in Puebla and Mexico City are canceled but those CMLL shows remain on as I write this. Over the last week in the US, we’ve seen entertainment businesses trying to stay open by adjusting their rules, then trying to run with no fans, then shutting down. CMLL may skip the middle step – there’s no point in running unless Televisa’s TV money covers the costs – but it’s hard to believe they’ll be running for much longer. They may make it through this weekend but even that seems a stretch.

AAA’s next taping is 03/28 in Torreon. Many events in the city have been canceled but there is not yet a widespread ban. Things are changing rapidly.

Vampiro said he would be making tonight’s AAA show in Saltillo, on fear he wouldn’t be able to make it back to the US for work next week.

Costa Rica’s CWE has canceled its show on 03/21. Flip Gordon and Star Jr. were announced. Gordon’s announced for Homenaje a Dos Leyendas but that seems unlikely.

Sunday’s Arena Jalisco show is canceled. A show in Durango is also canceled. It is unclear if some of the smaller indie shows are going to be underneath the radar enough to continue running. Arena Jalisco is a decent size building. The Arena Roberto Paz show in the same city is still running and offering discounts on Coronas.

ROH kept their wrestlers in Las Vegas to tape material. It will probably air as part of their TV show in upcoming weeks.

Cinta de Oro/Sin Cara announced he was free of his WWE deal as of this morning. He had not shown up on any cards since Guerra de Titanes.

Big Mami spoke to inmates a women’s prison in Cancun about achieving their dreams.

04/05 Lucha Memes @ Coliseo Coacalco

• Real Under (Gremlin & Garrobo) vs Las Divine (Diosa Quetzal, Hahastary)

Segunda Caida reviews some random lucha.

Lineups

CMLL (FRI) 03/20/2020 Arena México
1) Átomo, Gallito, Microman vs Chamuel, Guapito, Perico Zacarías
2) Diamante Azul, Stuka Jr., Titán vs Mephisto, Negro Casas, Terrible
3) Ángel de Oro, Flip Gordon, Niebla Roja vs Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón
4) Dalys © vs Princesa Sugehit [CMLL JAPAN WOMEN]
5) Carístico, Valiente, Volador Jr. vs Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero © [CMLL TRIOS]
fourth defense
6) Bárbaro Cavernario vs Felino [hair]

I was really struggling with figuring out how I’d preview this. Don’t think that’s going to be an issue. This looms as the new 1985 CMLL Anniversary card, where El Dorado and El Supremo were scheduled to have a mask match. It was never made up after it was canceled.

CMLL continues tonight with the final show pre-Homenaje a Dos Leyendas. The biggest match tonight actually has nothing to do with the big show next week. Atlantis Jr. & Flyer face Templario & Hijo del Villano in the finals of the Mexican National Tag Team Championship tournament. It’s the first match for this championship in Arena Mexico since Misterioso & Volador defeating Tony Arce & Vulcano for the belts in March 8, 1992. (Their rematches took place in AAA.) Flyer & Atlantis are the likely champions – CMLL seems to be redoing the Angel Azteca & Atlantis duo from 1988. The big question is how they’ll perform. Templario is great in every big match, he’s not a concern. This is Atlantis Jr. & Hijo del Villano III’s biggest matches yet in their career. Atlantis has looked good but hasn’t been in this situation. Both Hijo del Villano III and Flyer (who has a Gran Alternativa final) were underwhelming in earlier blocks. They’re probably going to get pushed regardless, but it’d be nice if something clicked for them here.

Titan & Polvora meet in a lightning match tonight. They’ve got a history of good singles matches, though Polvora hasn’t seemed as motivated the last couple of years. Carsticio, Cavernario and Diamante Azul versus Felino, Negro Casas and Volador is a straight build-up for next week’s hair match. Audaz, Rey Cometa, and Soberano Jr. against Hechicero, Luciferno and Rey Bucanero could be good the more Hechicero wrestles.

Stephanie Vaquer & Silueta make rare Friday night appearances in the second match. Those women team with Princesa Sugehit against Amapola, La Infernal and La Metalica. It’s surprising how non-existent the build for Sugehit & Dalys’ match has been. I don’t know that anything CMLL has done has increased interest in any of their matches for H2L, but they’ve didn’t even try with that one. Principe Daniel & Difunto from Guadalajara also get Friday night work, teaming with Diamond and Cholo.

The CMLL series of Homenaje a Dos Leyendas interview continues to Felino talking about his mask loss to La Sombra. This is the 2010 show and it seems like they’ve taken the match footage from a YouTube upload (it has the TV bug on it), which may something about their access to Televisa-era video.

Valiente says his team is 99% of the way to winning the trios titles, and they just need that last 1%.

The MLW show tonight in Tijuana is still on. EMW was pushing tickets this morning. I assume they expected some US fans to cross the border for this and that won’t be happening now. It’s an eight-match card as listed, though MLW would be wise to go as long as they can and tape as much as they can. No idea when they’ll get another chance. Matches of note include the Jinetes del Aire versus Jordan Oliver, Kotto Brazil and Myron Reed for the AAA Trios Championship, Laredo Kid versus Alex Hammerstone and Puma King & Xtreme Tiger versus Tom Lawler & Dominic Garrini. The Park Family takes on Psycho Clown, Nino Hamburguesa, and Nicho el Millionario.

It’s hard to keep track of the cancelations. Not everything has been canceled in the US, but most events for this weekend have been. Of lucha libre related, the two Ring of Honor shows (Friday/Saturday) are canceled and the 03/28 PWG show is postponed for a date to be announced.

The AAW show on 03/20 is still on at last check, though Taurus may not be able to enter the US to work on that show as best I understand the current travel restrictions. (I’m not confident I understand that restriction.) There’s also Illinois local restrictions on larger gatherings. Any event over 250 is being encouraged to cancel/postpone. It’s not a requirement yet and they may continue to run unless it becomes one.

Most of the WrestleMania weekend shows remain technically on but it’s a safe bet they’ll be postponed or canceled. It’s going to massively wound the US indie business.

Shu el Guerrero, Jose Feliciano, Negro Navarro, Judas el Traiador, El Tropikal, Estrella 2000, and Kaoz will be eight of the ten judges for the upcoming Mexico State licensing exam. It is unclear why they need ten judges for an exam, though I’d guess most of those are also trainers of people who will be attempting to be licensed.

Reading, Pennsylvania’s Reading Fightins team will have alternate Lucahdor uniforms.

Lineups

CMLL (TUE) 03/17/2020 Arena México
1) Angelito & Fantasy vs Pequeño Olímpico & Pequeño Violencia
2) Eléctrico, Halcón Suriano Jr., Súper Astro Jr. vs Akuma, Espanto Jr., Nitro
3) Black Panther, Blue Panther Jr., Drone vs Misterioso II, Okumura, Sagrado
4) Audaz, Esfinge, Rey Cometa vs Pólvora, Tiger, Vangellys
5) Atlantis Jr., Soberano Jr., Star Jr. vs Hechicero, Hijo del Villano III, Templario
6) Valiente vs Gran Guerrero

Valiente and Gran Guerrero have their singles match. The semi-main has more relative Nuevo Valores than usual for a CMLL Tuesday show.

CMLL (TUE) 03/17/2020 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Baron Blanco, El Divino, Leono vs Cholo, Demonio Maya, Demonio Rojo
2) Explosivo, Magia Blanca, Starman vs El Coyote, Hijo del Signo, Rey Trueno
3) Fuego, Pegasso, Stigma vs Cancerbero, Raziel, Virus
4) Diamante Azul, Kráneo, Volcano vs Ephesto, Mephisto, Terrible
5) Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Titán vs Cavernario, Euforia, Último Guerrero

Last Tuesday was the singles match, so this is just a show to have a show.