Amapola & Metalica advance in women’s tag tournament, AAA Autoluchas begins (streaming Sunday)

CMLL (FRI) 10/02/2020 Arena México [CMLL, Mas Lucha, Metro World News, R de Rudo, thecubsfan]
1) Mercurio b Último Dragóncito 
11:28. Mercurio took 1/3.
2) Diamond b Espanto Jr. 
7:26. Diamond took 2/3.
3) Diamante Azul & Místico b Templario & Terrible 
17:26. Tecnicos took 2/3.
4) Skadi b Metálica, La Magnifica, Reyna Isis, La Seductora [MEX WOMEN TAG, seeding battle royal]
Eliminations went Seductora (2:28), Skadi (3:05), Magnifica (3:33) and Metalica (6:09), leaving Reyna Isis & Magnifica. The final two were required to go to a pinfall/submission finish. Isis & Tiffany advanced to the group final with this victory.
5) Amapola & Metálica b La Magnifica & Silueta [MEX WOMEN TAG, 8F]
7:12
6) Marcela & Skadi b La Comandante & La Seductora [MEX WOMEN TAG, 8F]
7:07.
7) Amapola & Metálica b Marcela & Skadi [MEX WOMEN TAG, quarterfinal]
5:13.
8) Amapola & Metálica b Reyna Isis & Tiffany [MEX WOMEN TAG, semifinal] 
10:00. Amapola & Metalico advance to the final on 10/16.
9) Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón DQ Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Negro Casas 
17:50. NGD took 1/3, the last via DQ when Euforia unmasked Forastero after stopping repeated attempts at a foul. Those two agreed to a singles match next week.

This lived up to expectations. Or lived down to them, depending on how you’re looking at the glass. A lot of matches with Tuesday show effort. They were trying in the women’s tournament, but only the Amapola/Metalica vs Marcela/Skadi match approached good. It’s a situation where the effort might be counterproductive; they often are going longer than they need to for their best possible match. Forastero/Euforia is not an especially compelling match, though it may be better than Euforia against either of the other Dinamitas at the moment. The luchadors aren’t making a great effort to make these shows worth paying for; there’s no compelling reason to tune in until at least Dia del Muertos or the Bandido/Volador makeup match.

Furia de Titanes talked to Irma Aguilar about CMLL bringing back the Mexican National Women’s Tag Team championships. Aguilar & her mother Irma Gonzalez were the first national women’s tag champs, and were probably already the most famous women’s tag team even before that win. Aguilar is happy to see the titles back, feeling it’s a sign of CMLL paying more attention to luchadoras, and is rooting for the mother/daughter team of Marcela & Skadi.

AAA begins their Autolucha shows this weekend. They’ll be well into show two on Saturday by the time you read this. Only the Sunday night show will be streamed, and only on Facebook.

AAA TV , 2000 (SUN) 10/04/2020 Autodromo Hermano Rodriguez, Magdalena Mixiuhca, Distrito Federal
1) Dinastía vs La Parka Negra
2) Faby Apache vs Hades
3) Máximo & Mr. Iguana vs Carta Brava Jr. & Mocho Cota Jr.
4) Laredo Kid vs Myzteziz Jr.
5) Drago vs Octagón Jr.
6) Chessman & Texano Jr. vs Pagano & Psycho Clown  .

It’s a good look card but I would strongly caution people not to expect too much out of these matches. We’ve seen in CMLL that many luchadors aren’t in normal ring condition. That’s an even bigger issue here because many people are working twice or more each day. Faby Apache, Octagon Jr., and Myzteziz Jr. will be on every show the run and others will be working nearly as much. This will be the last show of a busy weekend; it’s going to be impossible for them to be at their best.

Psycho Clown, Pentagon, and Chessman only working one show a day is no surprise given their status, but there are Mexico City-based wrestlers who are completely missing. Hijo del Vikingo absence might have slipped under the radar had it not come up as a talking point, because people like Lady Maravilla, Villano III Jr., and Australian Suicide are local and not being used. La Hiedra & Lady Shani were part of media presentations on Thursday, so them not appearing in any match is suspicious. Mamba and Maximo are around for just one match on Sunday and not otherwise. Maybe it’ll make a little more sense when we get next week’s shows too.

Laredo Kid’s early match on Saturday was made a title match. I don’t think the Cruiserweight Title changed hands, so there’s a chance Laredo/Myzteziz might be a title match too

AAA ran a preview show for media on Friday night, posting some video on YouTube as a trailer. It was taped for TV, the same as every show this weekend. That should give AAA about enough TV for the rest of the year, if they just want to do AutoLuchas show. I suspect they’ll be trying to be run more shows and conversational tapings to also use as TV and the hope is they won’t have to use all of this, but it’s a better option than the Best Of shows they’ve been doing.

AS.com has a story about the internationalization of AAA, focusing on the 2015 show at Royal Albert Hall, the 2016 Star Battle show, and the reach of their social media video. The MSG Theatre show doesn’t come up directly, just as part of mentions of traveling to the US. Lucha Underground is shown in a photo but also surprisingly is no longer mentioned. (Immigration/visa issues and delays are said to be the biggest issues.) AAA seems to have pretty solid plans to go back to Colombia, but all plans for 2021 are said to be dependent on the pandemic. Dorian Roldan also teases “surprisingly new alliances” to be announced soon; that reads more like business partners than wrestling promotions. AAA’s biggest digital international markets are listed as India, the US, Indonesia, Japan, Argentina, the Philippines, Colombia, Peru, and Thailand. India viewership of digital wrestling media is famously high (and near impossible to monetize) but those southeast Asia companies are ones I’m not used to seeing. The article emphasizes the importance of bringing authentic Mexican culture with AAA when they go oversees. Blue Demon has special value in that way. AAA Marketing Director Alejandro Montes says they try to have at least 50% of the show be masked wrestlers for that reason.

Kevin & Kaleth advanced in DTU’s Alto Impacto #1 contenders tournament in a show airing last night (but obviously taped in advance.) The Wagner family won the main event thee way tag match.

shows of note this weekend

• Saturday REX debuts with a show taped for Mas Lucha Premium
• EMW also has its own drive-in show tonight in Tijuana.
• Sunday Lucha Memes has its Battle of Coacalco show.
  • that’s listed as an IWTV show, but so was the last one and it hasn’t turned up yet
• IWRG has their Festival of Mascaras show, maybe live for Mas Lucha Premium

10/17 MexaWrestling “Mexa War II” at Arena San Juan

• Fly Star, Lunatik Extreme, Sobredosis vs Joe Lider, Ciclope, Miedo Extremo
• Leon Dorado Jr. & Centvrion vs Rey Apocalipsis & Toro Bill Jr.
• Brazo de Oro & Redimido vs Hijo del Imposter & El Dragon vs Puma de Oro & Principe Aereo – new

Vanguardia’s next show will be on 10/25.

A memorial service was held for Ultimo Cholo at Arena Coliseo Monclova.

LuchaWorld has a new podcast episode covering the Anniversary show.