Wednesday’s CMLL Informa announced the potential challengers for the seven championships on the line for their Aniversario show, taking place on September 25th. You can vote here.
- Mexican Women’s Championship (La Metalica champion)
- Lluvia
- Reyna Isis
- La Jarochita
- Estrellita
- CMLL Women’s Championship (Marcela)
- Princesa Sugehit
- Amapola
- Dalys
- CMLL Micro Estrellas Championship (Chamuel)
- Microman
- El Guapito
- Gallito
- Mexican National Trios Championship (NGD)
- Negro Casas, Felino, Tiger
- Valiente, Guerrero Maya, Esfinge
- Blue Panther, Black Panther, Blue Panther Jr.
- Virus, Raziel, Cancerbero
- CMLL Trios Championship (Los Guerreros)
- Mephisto, Luciferno, Ephesto
- Titan, Audaz, Star Jr.
- Barbaro Cavernario, Hechicero, Terrible
- CMLL Tag Championship (Mistico & Caristico)
- Angel de Oro & Niebla Roja
- Diamante Azul & Stuka Jr.
- Flyer & Atlantis Jr.
- Rey Cometa & Espiritu Negro
- NWA Welterweight Championship (Volador Jr.)
- Soberano Jr.
- Templario
- Bandido
There’s no word about how long the polling will be open; I’d guess at least until next week’s Informa, maybe longer. The polling is being done on the website itself; the polling software records IP addresses to prevent duplicate voting. It’s unclear why some categories for four options and others three. I count 74 luchadors and luchadoras who were regular parts of CMLL who are not going a candidate in any category. Dulce Gardenia, Dark Magic, Drone, Fuego, Kraneo, Misterioso, Okumura, Polvora, Sanely, Sagrado, Shocker, Stigma, Rey Bucanero, Vangellys, and Volcano are the more prominent wrestlers. (It’s strange CMLL thought enough of Okumura & Vangellys to put them on the special show earlier this month but didn’t find a way to wedge them into a team for the Aniversario.) It does not appear most wrestlers were told if and how they’d be included, with CMLL keeping it secret it until it aired on Informa. It likely led to some upset feelings and awkwardness.
A Marcela interview conducted before the announcement but published after has her specifically saying she’d prefer to face a Lluvia, Jarochita or Sanely, not the those who’ve had those chances before. Those people are getting those chances again. Marcela also says the long layoff has given her a chance to reflect and she’s now thinking of retiring in one or two years. Likewise, Metalica said she really wants to face Sanely in the title match, and Sanely is not an option. (Metalica’s dream is to reach Ring of Honor.)
A lot of these title choices allow for about the same quality of match no matter who wins. The Mexican National Trios titles have four challenging teams who should all be good no matter who is picked. I lean towards picking people who are unlikely to get this opportunity outside of the freak occurrences which have led towards a fan-driven poll. CMLL allows Espiritu Negro & Rey Cometa to do interviews talking about how they want to earn a tag team championship, but they’ve been already slotted at a level far below that tag titles and the last decade of booking has shown that it’s nearly impossible to escape your slot. Los Cancerberos could work very hard for the next ten years and they’ll likely never get a trios championship opportunity outside of this poll. Might as well give it to them. I favor Bandido in the main event because Volador/Templario has already happened and Volador/Soberano will happen if they stick around in CMLL long enough, but there’s no guarantee when if/when we’ll see Bandido in CMLL again.
I think everyone understands Microman is going to win his poll, though it seems a little bit of a waste. Microman versus Chamuel is probably the only title match on this card which would be a draw under normal circumstances. Maybe Volador versus Bandido, but the belt doesn’t make a big difference there. Microman and Chamuel is the eternal feud of the division and Microman hasn’t got his title win yet, so the title means something. All the other matches may be part of a good show, but don’t mean as a match cold. It’s hard to believe CMLL would give away Microman’s win in front of no fans, but maybe they’ll rate the importance of creating a moment on the Aniversario show higher. (CMLL deciding not to include Zacarias, who is popular enough that he might’ve upset Microman, suggest they’re ok with Microman winning.)
CMLL also announced the first of the three lead up cards:
CMLL (FRI) 09/04/2020 Arena México
1) Diamond vs El Coyote
2) Audaz & Guerrero Maya Jr. vs Espíritu Negro & Rey Cometa
3) Marcela & Princesa Sugehit vs Dalys & Reyna Isis
4) Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero vs Flyer, Star Jr., Volador Jr.
5) Bárbaro Cavernario vs Felino
not a hair match
The idea is this is a special card because the Homenaje a Dos Leyendas main event is (kinda) happening. I don’t know that it’s strong enough to move anyone who was on the fence. Not sure anything can do that. The people who are going to watch all the CMLL shows have already bought in and there aren’t really many matches CMLL has that are going to pull people who weren’t happy with these shows back when they were free.
CMLL did deliver on their promises singles match, though that seems like a way of marketing less people getting work. This show has 18 luchadors on it, where a normal CMLL card is around 28. I would assume it’ll continue that way at least until CMLL can open it Arena Mexico for 30% capacity.
CMLL’s current prices (97 pesos for the smaller shows, 259 for the Aniversario, 483 for the complete package) expire next Thursday. CMLL’s posted an English promo with FantasticaMania commentator Mavs Gills to promote the show.
CMLL also announced they’ll start to issue refunds for Homenaje a Dos Leyendas on September 1st. It’s not a blanked deal; you’ll need to come to the Arena Mexico ticket office to exchange the tickets for cash (or show ID if you need a credit card refund.) The Homenaje a Dos Leyendas show has been listed as postponed on Ticketmaster’s website for some time and now is no longer listed. The joke when the pandemic started was maybe Barbaro Cavernario versus Felino would instead become the Aniversario main event. There’s a decent chance it might be held off until 2021’s Homenaje a Dos Leyendas if CMLL can’t fill most of the building until then.
Luchadors from Ciudad Juarez say they’re working a 09/16 Invasion Indy show in Arena Neza. No show has been announced yet (though they’re surely correct.) The Arena Neza Facebook account also took issue with the Mas Lucha graphic stating their capacity is 2,100, saying its instead only 1,000. I know Mas Lucha asked promoters about capacity because it came up with the Arena San Juan (which is obviously too high but they went with the promoter’s number anyway), so I’m guessing someone who runs Arena Neza gave them the 2,100 number too.
Mexa Wrestling announced they’ll be returning on 09/19 with a 30% capacity show. The show will also be an iPPV with Mas Lucha. No details yet on cost or if the show will be live.
El Sol de Hidalgo talked to Crazy Boy about what DTU was doing for their shows during the pandemic. They’re telling people to stay home if they feel even a little sick, they’re sanitizing the wrestlers and their luggage as they arrive, and they’re making face masks mandatory except during matches. They don’t appear to be COVID testing.
I watched part of the Deporte Puebla interview with Arena Puebla luchadors. Benjamin Mar again said they’ve got a card ready and waiting with CMLL’s Mexico City office for approval and would like to return with 30%. It sounds like they’re going to need permission from local Puebla officials (in the department for mass gatherings) before they can open up.
Former CMLL wrestler Guerrero Negro Jr. says he’s signed with Texas’s Team Wrestling Association. That appears to be the promotion behind this Facebook page (an indie group who probably are signing but likely did invite him to come in for a show.).
100 luchadors in Tijuana received care packages to help them out during COVID.
Hot Topic is now selling a lot of Masked Republic Legends of Lucha Libre shirts online. Most are Fenix and Penta shirts, and there’s a Solar and Psicosis design mixed in.
Critica has a longer obit for Panama luchador Joe Panther.
Lineups
IWRG (SUN) 08/30/2020 Arena Naucalpan
1) Shadow Boy vs Rey Halcón Jr.
2) Toxin vs Puma de Oro
3) Yoshioka vs Dragón Bane
4) Demonio Infernal & Fresero Jr. vs Trauma I & Trauma II
5) Shun Skywalker vs Hijo de Canis Lupus [IWRG Rey del Ring]
winner faces last year’s winner Demonio del Aire next week
It’s both Golepadors versus both Dragon Gate exports. I’d think Yoshioka has to win because Shun is not and they’re better of splitting them, but I’m not certain of it. These cards remain stripped down, especially with no 15 man match. (It’d probably a good thing if more cards were more stripped down and there was a higher bar to get booked, but it won’t stay this way.)