Month: March 2021

Andrade (La Sombra) received his release from WWE late Sunday night, after asking for it a week prior. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter says Sombra is not under any “no-compete” limitation; he’s able to start working for any other promotion immediately if he should choose. This is unusual behavior by WWE; it could mean a bigger story behind the scenes, or it could mean WWE holds him in so low esteem that they don’t believe it’ll hurt them to go elsewhere. WWE wrestlers do not seem to feel the same; he’s wished well by many publically on social media. Andrade thanked William Regal, Paul Heyman, and Triple H by name.

La Sombra’s next appearance may not be immediately immediate. Among possible destinations: ROH has just completed their next block of TV, AAA’s probably not taping TV again until early May, and going to NJPW would require a two-week quarantine if it could even be approved this quick. (He’d just miss their next big show unless he’s already flown to Japan.) CMLL’s live on Friday so Andrade could show up there, though that would still be a surprise. AEW Dynamite is also live this week.

That’s all this week’s stuff, it’ll work out smoother in the bigger picture. My guess remains that Andrade will eventually make NJPW his home and work at other places around that. I’ve been skeptical that he’d show back up in CMLL again at all, but others believe he’ll at least make an appearance there as a return home. It still seems a waste for La Sombra to show up anywhere in Mexico before fans are allowed at shows.

WWE absolutely didn’t use Andrade to his fullest. They seemingly gave up on him multiple times during his stint with WWE, not just the one at the end. On the main roster, they seemed to have little trust in using him except against other luchadors, something that’s been a constant limitation for Mexican wrestlers in WWE. It’s still worth noting that all the excitement about where La Sombra might appear next didn’t exist when he was a CMLL wrestler in 2015. No one outside of NJPW (and US lucha promotions like UIPW) were bringing in La Sombra, even as obviously talented he was. There were far more independently available wrestlers for promotions to pick from, perhaps Sombra wanted more than people were offering, but La Sombra was still an intensely talented wrestler who was mostly ignored outside of Mexico. There was a glass ceiling for Mexican wrestlers; no matter how talented you are or what big shows you headline, US wrestling promoters treat it like none of it matters until you do it there. And that still exists. Whatever credit you want to give WWE for improving him as a wrestler, they deserve many more times than for raising his profile as an international star. And if WWE missed on understanding what La Sombra could offer to the table, so did everyone internationally beyond NJPW.

Angel Garza posted a “create your own destiny” statement on Twitter, which was interrupted as related to this. On Facebook, he explained more in-depth it was about Mexican wrestlers letting Mexican promoters take advantage of them and the need for them to stand up for themselves, in reaction to the march on Friday.

AAA had their first of three nights of AutoLuchas on Saturday. They’re off this week and then back for the next two Fridays. I don’t have full results, but people were effusive in praise for the Laredo Kid/Arez title match on the second show. Those shows were taped for TV, should early on Space in May and on YouTube in late May/early June.

La Jornada has a video story on the shows. The photos of the late-night show appear to be a “full house”, whatever that means for cars. Didn’t see as many photos of the earlier show.

AAA’s TV show aired the second week of tapings from Valle de Bravo. The matches weren’t much to talk about, though the main event was notable. The Marvel Lucha Libre characters made their first appearance since TripleMania, in what was scheduled to be Leyenda Americana (Capitan America) against Terror Purpura (Thanos.) Estrella Cosmica (Capitan Marvel) interfered to help Leyenda Americana, and it essentially turned into a 2v1 handicap match. When the tecnicos had Purprua beat and pinned, Purpura used his superpowers to teleport away from the ring and stand a distance away. (The camera pulled back slowly, which accidentally revealed the platform he was standing on to seem taller.) The match just ended there with no obvious finish. This presentation came off as b-movie stuff, though maybe the kids will like it.

Leyenda Americana and Terror Purpura were played by Daga & Brian Cage at TripleMania. They were clearly not the people in the outfits this time around. Texano was Terror Purpura and I believe Octagon Jr. was under the Leyenda Americana mask. (Estrella Cosmica was Lady Maravilla previously and still appeared to be the same person.)

Record has an article talking mentioning all wrestlers and staff were given COVID tests in Mexico City before these tapings, which again seems like AAA making a point of demonstrating their COVID protocols after they were called into question earlier. No one tested positive. I believe they were also tested before the AutoLuchas shows this week.

Tiger made his re-debut as Felino Jr. on this week’s CMLL on Televisa show. This is the show which will go up on CMLL’s YouTube next Sunday. Felino Jr. was originally supposed to debut on Copa Junior when that was scheduled to take place on Christmas. It was still a surprise he showed up as the character before the rescheduled date. It was a surprise to him as well; on Instagram, Tiger mentioned he expected to wrestle Mistico as Tiger but was told by CMLL officials one hour before the match to go home and get his Felino Jr. gear to use instead. Felino Jr. lost that debut match to Mistico. That’s survivable if he does well in Copa Junior on Friday. If he doesn’t and he’s just in the same spot, it’s kind of sad but not surprising.

CMLL’s YouTube of last week’s Televisa does air promos for this Friday’s PPV. That’s an improvement from the quick graphics they were doing before, though the ads simply say “go to CMLL.com” for more info, without talking about Ticketmaster. Perhaps there’s a restriction on Televisa (though they could easily put up different versions on YouTube, and put in a link to tickets in the description.) Those ads weren’t airing on the AMX show.

Dragon Rojo, in a media tour to promote his return, says the first doctor he visited told him he had knees of a 70-year-old. Dragon Rojo worked through a lot of injuries, which he believes caused him to fall down the card and wasn’t the right move.

CMLL’s show on AMX included a Dark Magic & Okumura versus Flyer & Soberano Jr. match. Late in the match, Flyer & Okumura went to the top rope for a spot. Flyer lost his balance, grabbed onto Okumura, and both tumbled backward out of the ring. Okumura landed hard on his side. It could’ve been much worse, given his long recovery from neck surgery a couple of years ago. Flyer’s become a danger to himself and others – his tag team title match (taped last year, aired a few weeks ago) had him injuring Los Cancerberos. Okumura probably shouldn’t be taking top rope moves at this point in his injury history. They really had no business attempting that spot.

RIOT held COVIDIOTAS on Sunday night in an undisclosed location not in Monterrey

RIOT (SUN) 03/21/2021 Nuevo Leon [Lucha Central]
1) Madness b Kaientai, Hooligan Byron, El Catrin, Mad Dog, Muerte Extrema, Madness, Lord Byron [Benny Rumble] 
2) Iron Kid (Estado de México) b Aramis (Indie) 
3) Kratoz & Prometeo b Kill Korton & Willy Banderas 
4) Látigo b Erick Ortiz [RIOT CHAMP, #1 Contenders] 
5) Arez b Hijo Del Vikingo [RIOT CHAMP] 

First the annoying: the internet streaming quality was not good. The opening rumble was unwatchable at times because of the low frame rate (though it may not have been a great idea to watch even at 60 fps.) It was a bit better the rest of the show, though not what you’d expect if you’re used to watching Mas Lucha and some people may have not stuck through it. There was also a ringside camera that seemed to be broadcasting in a different aspect ratio or picture quality the rest of the show, and they missed some dives on the hard camera side. It was RIOT’s first attempt at broadcasting a show live and it definitely felt that way. Brian Villa also missed a RIOT show for the third time and I’m starting to disbelieve Bryan Villa is an actual person. The show was also delayed nearly an hour, but that’s what you expect with indie lucha libre.

If you can survive the bumpy feed, this is a show absolutely worth watching. The wrestling quality was there, as good as any RIOT show. Arez/Vikingo had high expectations given who was involved, and somehow exceeded them. There are the usual inventiveness and athletic impossibility, but they’re also some smart planning and building – just small stuff like Arez moving out of Vikingo’s dive range repeatedly early on helped make it mean more when Vikingo finally got him with one. Vikingo’s gotten some more attention from AAA in the first few 2021 runs, but this felt like they could be doing even more with him; at the very least, AAA should just be ripping off RIOT and running this match back next time they get a chance to be in front of cameras. Arez is going to do so well on those GCW shows in a couple of weeks if he’s given half a chance. This is the best singles match I’ve seen this year.

The matches in the middle were really strong as well. Latigo/Ortiz was a submission hold battle, as Ortiz matches tend to be, but Ortiz also did a dive because everyone flies against Latigo. The tag match was wild spots with not much in between them, though the wild spots were indeed wild. (I will pay Kill Korton to stop trying to do dives though.) Iron Kid versus Aramis was more normal Mexican indie style, with a nice surprise finish. I also thought the commentary – Kaientai & Lord Byron after they got through with the rumble – was entertaining and added to the show. I hope they’re used again in that role.

This show will be up for a couple of days on YouTube. RIOT says they’ll post a better version on Pivotshare soon after. RIOT’s Donadora remains open for a few more days as well; they’re at 56% of their funding. The buzz from the show helped push that number up a lot, though it’d be a surprise if they got to 100.

IWRG (SUN) 03/21/2021 Arena Naucalpan [Mas Lucha, Mas Lucha (Video), ArenaW730]
1) Cheff Benito, Chicanito, Halcón Galáctico, Legendario, Mexica b Carrillo, El Manchas, Internacional Mara, Jorge El Salvaje, Pistoler [cage, hair]
Benito defeated Carillo, who lost his hair
2) Baby Xtreme b Baby Star, Relámpago, Aster Boy, Puma de Oro, Sobredosis [cage, #1 Contenders, IWRG REY DEL AIRE]
Baby Xtreme gets a title match with Dragon Bane
3) Death Metal, Dick Angelo 3G, Súper Nova, Veneno b Hombre Rojo I, Hombre Rojo II, Hombre Rojo III, Hombre Rojo IV [cage, hair]
One of the mystery men in red loss, revealing himself as Apolo Estrada Jr. He unmasked and lost his hair, with Veneno getting the win credit.
4) Eterno & Hijo del Espectro b Demonio Infernal & Fresero Jr. [hair, mask, IWRG IC HEAVY, IWRG Rey del Ring]
Eterno pinned Demonio Infernal, winning the IWRG Rey del Ring championship.
5) Pasion Kristal b Big Chico Che [hair, cage]
Chico Che lost his hair. Fresero & Demonio attacked Kristal & Jessy Ventura after the match.

This was a Mas Lucha premium show, and not enough people are watching them for the rest of us to know. The show did draw well. They did more hair match losses than seemed to be indicated on the poster, so that’s a nice bonus. The second match had the usual dive off the top of the cage. Galactus, a young IWRG wrestler who passed away in December, was remembered with a moment of applause.

MexiSquad (Bandido, Flamita, and Rey Horus)’s rematch with Shane Taylor Enterprises (Shane Taylor, Kaun, Moses) for the ROH Six-Man Titles will be part of the free hour of the ROH PPV on Friday. It’ll take place between 7 and 8 CT, airing on YouTube and Facebook and elsewhere. The ROH episode currently up on its website for free has the LFI versus the Foundation and Rey Horus vs Eli Isom. A MexiSquad match will also air Tuesday at noon on ROH’s YouTube page.

Alberto el Patron and Blue Demon Jr. are listed as wrestling on a show in McAllen, Texas on Sunday. This is Alberto’s first match in at least a year and since his latest round of legal issues. On Konnan’s Keepin It 100, Konnan mentioned he heard Alberto is involved with the impending Nacion Lucha Libre relaunch, though Alberto expects to be working behind the scenes and not in the ring.

Kriminal Lucha Libre announced their Prohibido tournament will conclude place on April 3rd. That’s the final two rounds; the rest of the tournament took place in January and I’ve half-forgotten about it.

04/18 Lucha Memes at Coliseo Coacalco (4th Anniversary Part 1)

• Astrolux & Black Metal vs Mike & Voltrex vs Noicy Boy & Super Cometa vs Blue Monsther & Taurino

The big idea is this show is a normal Memes show with an international wrestler to be announced, and Part 2 on 04/25 will be a more bloody show.

The Gladiatores held a video discussion with Rey Mysterio, Penta, Damian 666, and others sharing their memories of Perro Aguayo six years after his death.

Texas Highways Magazine has a long story about lucha libre in Juarez, profiling Flama Roja, Cassandro and Eddie Guerrero.

Queretaro’s Halcon Negro Jr. is accusing a reality show producer of sexually harassing him.

Hijo del Dr. Wagner says he believes he’ll become the top Mexican star in the world.

Reporte Indigo has a profile of Hija de Gatubela.

NVI Noticas has an profile of Oaxaca’s Pirata Negro Jr.

Paraoniko was able to reopen his lucha libre school for children in Tulancingo.

Segunda Caida has a review of the April 30, 1995 AAA show recently posted by Roy Lucier. I’m looking

COVID & Luchador protest

Mexico City will remain at the orange health code for the sixth straight week. Cases continue to slowly recede, but there’s no timeline of when they might lower enough to reach yellow.

About 50 luchadors held a protest march in Mexico City on Thursday, asking for the city government to ease restrictions on lucha libre and allow shows with up to 30% capacity similar to Estado de Mexico. El Fantasma, in his role as head of the Mexico City Lucha Libre commission, led the protest. SuperLuchas says Fantasma ultimately delivered a message to a Mexico City government sub secretary, Efrain Morales Lopez. Fantasma then announced to the press he was told lucha libre may reopen in two weeks.

The head of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum, was asked about the protest in her weekly COVID update on Friday. She doesn’t seem to be too informed about the situation: she said Mexico City may start allowing Arena Mexico shows with no fans to be aired on public station channel 21. Another set of matches airing in an empty arena won’t help much and won’t help the indie wrestlers who were part of that march. Her statement came off as if she was unaware CMLL was already taping matches and believed the arena itself had shut down, as had been the case last July. Sheinbaum mentioned the possibility of holding meetings to discuss other ideas. Her comments don’t sound like they’re two weeks away from getting fans back in buildings.

Mexico City’s current health policies only allow fans at lucha libre shows when the health color goes to Yellow, but that’s been ignored in neighboring Mexico State. Various other restrictions for entertainment have been amended and downgraded as well; I’m not sure if opening up is a good idea, but there’s an argument for some sort of consistency. It doesn’t seem likely based on that press conference.

A side note was the presence of CMLL luchadors at the protest march. Valiente and Ephesto are quoted in one of the wire stories. Mije is in another, saying he’s currently selling snacks and sweets to make ends meet. Volcano and Guerrero Maya were among others visible in the photos. CMLL publically from the protest, acknowledging their wrestlers were part of it but the promotion itself did not lead it. CMLL says they continue to support the government’s actions and will wait until they’re given the OK to have fans.

AAA this weekend

The AutoLuchas complete lineups for Saturday

AAA , 1800 (SAT) 03/20/2021 Autocinema Aire Libre Coyoacán, Coyoacán, Distrito Federal
1) Big Mami & Myzteziz Jr. vs Argenis & Flammer
2) Dinastía © vs La Parkita, Drago Kid [AAA MINI]
3) Máximo & Octagón Jr. vs Abismo Negro Jr. & Texano Jr.
4) Faby Apache, Laredo Kid, Niño Hamburguesa vs Carta Brava Jr., Mocho Cota Jr., Tito Santana

AAA TV , 2030 (SAT) 03/20/2021 Autocinema Aire Libre Coyoacán, Coyoacán, Distrito Federal
1) Hades & Octagoncito vs Dave The Clown & Parkita Negra
2) Laredo Kid vs Arez
3) Aramis & Faby Apache vs Flammer & Látigo
4) Hijo Del Vikingo & Psycho Clown vs Chessman & La Parka Negra

I presume only the second of these shows will be streamed, as was done last time, but AAA hasn’t attempted to make it clear. I expect they’ll stream the show on Facebook but, again, it’s Friday and I don’t know. You’d need a VPN to see them if you’re not in Mexico.

AAA on Space this Saturday (Google Drive later) from Valle de Bravo

• Aramis, Pimpinela vs Mamba, Abismo Negro
• Flammer, Hiedra, Maravilla vs Big Mami, Hades, Lady Shani
• Leyenda Americana vs Terror Purpura

Leyenda Americana was Daga back at TripleMania and still appears to be. I’m not as sure Terror Purpura is still Cage, but the video only has some brief glimpses.

AAA on YouTube late Sunday from Tlaxcala

• Arez & Látigo vs Mr. Iguana & Niño Hamburguesa
• Abismo Negro Jr. & Taurus vs Murder Clown & Octagón Jr.
• Carta Brava Jr., Mocho Cota Jr., Tito Santana vs Hijo Del Vikingo, Laredo Kid, Pagano

Chessman showed up on the February TV tapings with hair extensions, an intentional ploy to get heat after losing his hair back at TripleMania. It was played up on social media a bit, mostly by Pagano, but it didn’t seem to be an on-screen storyline. Pagano, Hugo Savinovich, and Lady Shani worked together to cut the extensions off during last week’s TV tapings, while went up as a video Thursday.

CMLL TV

CMLL announced their next PPV will be on April 24th. That’s the first PPV they’ve run on a Saturday. It’ll celebrate the 65th Anniversary of Arena Mexico opening as well as serving as the annual Kid’s Day show. CMLL mentioned the show at the end of Informa with no details on what to expect for the show.

This is the first time CMLL’s announced the next PPV before the last one takes place. It may be a Ticketmaster-driven decision; the virtual tickets for this next show went live today for the same 170 pesos (150 to CMLL to 20 to Ticketmaster) as for the current show originally; it’ll go up as it gets closer. My read is this is a sign CMLL doesn’t expect to be running with fans in April. They wouldn’t combine two events together into one show if they thought they could have multiple live events, and they wouldn’t be running Arena Mexico on a Saturday if they thought they could have people in on Fridays. April 24th is still a while away and things could change.

A quick reminder: the price is probably going up for the 03/26 CMLL PPV in the next few days, so don’t wait until the last moment if you’ve decided you’re getting it anyway. It appears Bandido escaped the ROH bubble in one piece, so there’s one less roadblock to Volador/Bandido finally happening.

TV Schedule

03/19 CMLL on AMX (Google Drive later)

• Magia Blanco vs Espanto Jr.
• Soberano Jr. & Flyer vs Okumura & Dark Magic
• Diamante Azul, Titan, Star Jr. vs Ultimo Guerrero, Euforia, Gran Guerrero

03/20 CMLL on AMX (Google Drive later)

• Robin vs Oro Jr.
• Stigma & Starman vs el Coyote & Disturbio
• Valiente vs Euforia

03/20 CMLL on Televisa (YouTube next week)

• Diamond vs Disturbio
• Caristico, Volador Jr., Atlantis Jr. vs Ultimo Guerrero, Euforia, Negro Casas
• Espiritu Negro & Audaz vs Raziel & Cancerbero
• Felino Jr. vs Mistico Jr.

03/21 CMLL on YouTube

• Súper Astro Jr. vs Inquisidor
• Mystique & Princesa Sugehit vs Amapola & Dalys
• Audaz & Místico vs Negro Casas & Tiger
• Diamante Azul, Star Jr., Volador Jr. vs Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Terrible

These are all new matches. CMLL seems to be onto 2021 tapings, which means the Titan/Templario match will likely never be seen. It may mean CMLL will stop repeats matches from one TV show to another if they do the slightest bit of planning, but that’s unlikely.

Satanico appeared on CMLL Informa to talk about the reopening of Arena Coliseo Guadalajara; he’s in charge of the school there. The Guadalajara Tuesday shows had aired on TV before the pandemic and will now air on local station QuieroTV Saturday nights at 9 pm local. It’s a two-hour show, about the same length as the internet streams the building had been doing as empty arena shows (and an hour longer than the old TV show.) QuieroTV has a freely available internet stream; I’ll try to record the show if possible on Saturday, though I may be juggling three streams at once and that can’t possibly go well.

That Tuesday Guadalajara show saw Cuatrero & Sanson cheated Mistico & Fugaz to get the win; they’ll rematch this coming Tuesday. That’s the normal way CMLL builds programs but it seems awkward to just give the same three guys extra bookings while others are out marching in the street about not getting enough work.

Atlantis Jr. is wrestling near Chicago this weekend for Lucha Libre Total. Capacity capped at 50 people for that one. I don’t think anyone knows that’s happening outside of the people who follow that promotion.

Other News

03/21 RIOT “COVIDIOTAS” (streaming live for free at 6 pm CDT in the US, 7 pm CST)

• Latigo vs Erik Ortiz (winner gets a title shot)
• Hijo del Vikingo vs Arez
• Aramis vs. Jimmy Iron Kid
• Willy Banderas & Brian Villa vs Kamikaze & Prometo
• El Benny Rumble (a royal rumble with other Riot regulars, most surprises)

The show will stream on YouTube. This is the first time RIOT is streaming and from a different venue than they usually run, so it’s a bit “cross your fingers and hope it works.” The stream will remain up for a couple of days (not a definite amount) before going on pivotshare.  RIOT has added an option to their Donadora page where $25USD will enter a raffle to win one of two signed Humberto Carillo action figures. Only two people have donated to that their so the odds of winning seem pretty good.

Colorado’s IWC is running an iPPV on Sunday night, with Hijo del Santo versus Rocky Romero in the main event. The show costs $15 and starts at 5 pm. I’m guessing it’s live only.

Caristico, Blue Demon, and Tinieblas were announced as Redes Sociales Progresistas’s mayoral candidates for sections of Mexico City with large publicity. Caristico and Blue Demon were quietly removed from the final list of RSP candidates, submitted earlier this week. Tinieblas remains and will be on the ballot for the mayor position Venustiano Carranza. The party explained the changes – which also included one other candidate of the 16 selected – followed an internal selection procedure and Demon & Caristico are still part of the party. That seems suspicious; the luchadors were introduced as if they were specifically the candidates running for those offices, not that there were one of many possible selections. It’s possible the uncertainty around real names needing to be on the ballot may have caused Caristico & Blue Demon to change their minds, or maybe the recent accusations towards Blue Demon made him no longer viable. Neither had acknowledged they’re no longer running for office. (None of these candidates are likely to win.)

Andrade confirmed he asked for his WWE release. Those who have been denied in the past have ended up serving out almost all of their contract, though they’ve served it out away from the ring. We still don’t know how long that is for Andrade.

04/09 GCW Spring Break has Gringo Loco, Black Taurus, Arez vs Laredo Kid, Dragon Bane, Aramis. About half of those wrestlers were in a very memorable trios match about a year and a half ago, and this seems an intentional call back. The show is a $20 iPPV, and that might be enough to get me to buy.

Shuffle Online has an interview with the directors of the Luchadoras documentary.

Arena Coliseo Guadalajara did not end up streaming Tuesday’s return-to-fans show. Not sure why, and also no results posted; there may have been more people there but we know less about the event than in past weeks. The building said they were allowing 300 people. I’m not confident about the “7,200” figure we have for that building on the luchawiki – that seems too big – but 300 is a small percentage number whatever capacity. There are photos of the show. It looks like they got all 300. I’m not sure about the idea that of roping off seats to the left and right of a group if someone’s still sitting directly behind them, but I’m not a doctor.

AAA held a virtual press conference (video via the Gladiatores) to talk about the AutoLucha shows, which start this Saturday. They’re two shows a day, at 6 pm and at 8:30 pm. The 6 pm show will have Poder del Norte versus Nino Hamburguesa, Laredo Kid, and Faby Apache in a main event and will also have a minis title match. The late show gets Chessman & Parka Negra vs Hijo del Vikingo & Psycho Clown. Each show will have four matches. Full cards for these shows usually came out a day or so prior, and that may be the same here. Tickets are 900 for cars, 1000 vans, and 1800 for special VIP seating, and bus tickets are 680 pesos for adults and 450 for kids.

A press release announcing tourist bus service for the shows (on the top section of an open-air bus) previously announced additional shows on Fridays April 2nd and April 9th, which Dorian Roldan confirmed. The March 20th show – this Saturday – will be taped for TV and at least one will stream on AAA’s social media (but for Mexico only.) The press conference notes suggest the April shows are being taped; I believe that’s a misunderstanding.

On Mas Lucha’s podcast, Jose Manuel Guillen mentioned AAA’s on the road to a Rey de Reyes show, but they’re not sure exactly when it’ll be.

Mas Lucha posted a video labeled “Important message from Blue Demon.” That important message is he’s’s doing an autograph signing. The comments are full of people who thought Demon was going to address his charges of death threats. Blue Demon’s strategy appears to be to pretend no one said anything. Maybe someone will ask at the autograph signing.

Demus and Akuma did a YouTube interview talking about Demus’ time and departure from CMLL. MicromanFever has a recap. It’s interesting. It is not the Demus thing people are about. Facebook page Motivacion Lucha Libre has a post of Whatsapp screenshots alleged to be Arena Rey Bucanero trainer Demus repeatedly hitting female his students going as far as accusing Demus of sexual assault. There are muddy issues here; it’s a Whatsapp conversation with no verification it’s actually Demus, there are different conversations and gossip between people who aren’t Demus thrown in, Rey Bucanero shows up to say Demus is not a trainer at his school and hasn’t been there for some time (he’s at CAR The Crash now), Motivacion Lucha Libre is a Facebook page which was pretty much dormant before this came out and wasn’t posting anything like this, and the person behind the page has reframed it as a “gossip people are talking about” rather than an accusation. On the other hand, there are always muddy issues with these things, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not true. If you want to experience the actual worst in internet discourse, travel into the comment section of that post and read the various debates on if the consensual or non-consensual nature of Demus’ Whatsapp conversation. Demus posted a video on his Facebook page (with a man with a distractingly failing face mask) denying the charges; that comment section is also a quagmire.

If this is true about Demus and he’s really hitting on his students, then that’s creepy and terrible. I don’t know for a fact that it’s true – even beyond the gossip and rumor, it’s also people talking in slang in a language I barely speak. This is also coming into a larger context of “how men treat/respect women” being the biggest political story in Mexico at the moment, and that’s transparently guiding some of the responses towards this situation. I feel highly unqualified to write about any of this, but it also feels impossible to not write about it. There’s enough there that I’d discourage a female friend from training with Demus to be on the safe side, though not enough that I solidly understand to be verifiable that he needs to go away. (And I’d probably always discourage any female friends from getting into wrestling on that level anyway because there are plenty of others who are like that and nothing is particularly done to drive them out, as much in Mexico as anywhere else. Which sucks.)

“Luchadoras”, a documentary about four female Mexican wrestlers from Ciudad Juarez, premiered at the SXSW Online Film Festival on Tuesday. It’ll likely appear at other film festivals, such as they can be held this year. Cine-Vue has a highly positive review of the movie, which deals with their struggles in a city with a high rate of violence towards women in general. Screen Anarchy talks to the directors, who hope viewers take some inspiration from the luchadoras fighting past the rough conditions. Arena Kalaka – the arena associated with Pagano – gets noted for being especially helping women.

CMLL Informa will have Felino Jr. (Tiger), Gran Guerrero, Amapola, and Oro Jr. as guests.

MLW tonight

• Los Parks (c) vs Injustice for the MLW Tag Team Championship
• Mil Muertes vs Parrow

I expect The Parks are retaining but I was dead wrong about a screw finish last week. They’re also teasing more information on their fake-LU “Azteca Underground” storyline.

AEW tonight

• Penta vs Cody Rhodes
  • this will open the show
• Rey Fenix vs Angelico

Rey Fenix versus Angelico as a singles match is a first-time-ever in this hemisphere. It happened in England, but never in AAA, Lucha Underground, or The Crash.

It appeared Angelico had some issue that prevented him from making it to Jacksonville for the PPV but turned up on Dark. (Where his interference was ineffective, Jack still lost, Jack busted open 10 badly, the match had obvious problems before that, and now the entire episode is missing from AEW’s YouTube channel. Not a good night for TH2.)

03/21 RIOT “COVIDIOTAS” (streaming live for free)

• Latigo vs Erik Ortiz (winner gets a title shot)
• Hijo del Vikingo vs Arez
• Aramis vs. Jimmy Iron Kid
• Willy Banderas & Brian Villa vs Kamikaze & Prometo

Jimmy is off due after picking up an injury on Sunday; RIOT says Jimmy wanted to work through it but they told him not to take the risk. Still, no word on the severity, just that it’s still hurting him.

There’s one more match left to announce, but those are the key matches. The show will stream on the LuchaMania Monterrey YouTube channel. My understanding is the show will only be available live; it’ll go on the promotion’s Pivotshare later. The show will stream at 7 pm CT local (8 pm if you’ve changed your clocks; so starting against the second hour of the WWE PPV.)

Tamaulipas will now allow lucha libre events (& circuses) to run with 35% capacity. There’s been a scattered few no-fans shows in the state, but it’s largely been shut down for a year.

Lucha Time announced they’ll be running a show with fans on April 9th. They’ve had shows with fans already, this is just streaming live. Shows with fans are currently illegal in Monterrey, but Lucha Time has seemed to exist outside of those rules for months.

Lucha Memes announced 4th Anniversary shows for 04/18 and 04/25.

Mexico City luchador/local promoter Ice Killer & his wife Martha Valero are hospitalized due to COVID-19 complications. Axel is leading a fundraising drive.

DTU announced Hialdgo based luchador Aguila Misteriosa (38) passed away on Tuesday. Box Y Lucha notes he also wrestled as Super Mega Junior. He wrestled for DTU in their earliest years, showing up on cards from 2008 to 2014.

Puebla indie luchador Specimen (Jorge Eduardo Resendiz Palacios) passed away Sunday. Periodico Central says Specimen was riding on his motorcycle when he was by a car and died because of the accident. The car driver was taken into custody and released; Specimen’s daughter put a message on Facebook asking for more information and justice.

Luchador Gorilita Flores Jr. (68) passed away Sunday according to Box y Lucha.  He was a Torreon luchador who was part of the Pavillon Azteca group in the 80s, credited with innovating on the tope.

The head of the Salamanca Box y Lucha commission, former luchador Sergio Gonzalez Castro (Acuario II), talked to the local paper about getting his COVID-19 vaccine. He had been infected by COVID earlier, though it wasn’t a serious case.

Lineups

IWRG (SUN) 03/21/2021 Arena Naucalpan
1) Cheff Benito, Chicanito, Halcón Galáctico, Legendario, Mexica vs Carrillo, El Manchas, Internacional Mara, Jorge El Salvaje, Pistoler [cage]
2) Baby Xtreme vs Baby Star, Relámpago, Aster Boy, Puma de Oro, Sobredosis [cage, #1 Contenders, IWRG REY DEL AIRE]
first who escapes gets the title match
3) Death Metal, Dick Angelo 3G, Súper Nova, Veneno vs Hombre Rojo I, Hombre Rojo II, Hombre Rojo III, Hombre Rojo IV [cage]
4) Eterno & Hijo del Espectro vs Demonio Infernal & Fresero Jr. [hair, mask, IWRG IC HEAVY, IWRG Rey del Ring]
5) Pasion Kristal vs Big Chico Che [hair, cage]

This doesn’t follow the card of last week. It instead appears to be the show originally planned for December with some slight adjustments. (The original main event was probably Pasion Kristal & Jessy Ventura versus Chico Che & Ovett.) The mystery men in red was an angle from late last year that didn’t seem to progress beyond “there are some mystery men in red attacking people”, but now they’ll have a match.

The poster for the semimain says the last person or last team will be the loser; I’m not sure how a team can lose, but maybe something weird will happen. It is strange to have Eterno put up his hair when Abismo Negro Jr. exists.

Vanguardia (SUN) 03/28/2021 Pachuca, Hidalgo
1) Devitt Rodríguez & Edward Guiterrez vs Dayami & El Mago
2) Amnesias, Cíclope, Gallo Extreme, Rey Furia, Slapier vs Billy, Dragón Boy, Falcón Fire, Jeff Killer, Lobo Blanco
3) Drolux & Moria © vs Gasparín & Simolo Azteca [BMLL TAG]
4) Jimmy vs Rey Dragón
15 minute time limit
5) Aeroboy & Calibus vs Ciclón Infernal & Jitsu
6) Crazy King & Miedo Extremo © vs ? & ?? [VANGUARDIA TAG]

Semimain is Vanguarida vs IAW. Second match is the Tijuana crew versus the Hidalgo guys. No hint on the main event team.

IWRG (SUN) 03/14/2021 Arena Naucalpan [+LuchaTV]
1) Chicanito b Guerrero Olímpico 
2) Mexica & Rey Halcón b Atomic Star & Kenji 
3) Legendario & Lunatik Fly b Especie Maligna & Halcón Mágico 
IWRG feed went out for most of this match
4) Caballero de Plata, Gravity, Puma de Oro b Dick Angelo 3G, Fulgor, Sobredosis 
Puma de Oro surprised Fulgor for the pin.
5) Black Terry & Karaoui b Toxin & Veneno 
Tryout judges beat Tryout coaches, though with some blood.
6) Aster Boy, Jessy Ventura, Pasion Kristal b Demonio Infernal, Fresero Jr., Tonalli 
Aster Boy’s starts his five-year contract with a W

They’re back to normal here. matches and crowd size. IWRG will have their twice-delayed Guerreros de Acero cage match show next week and a lot of the results on this show seem designed to set those matches out. That show will be a Mas Lucha Premium show.

Estado de Mexico lucha libre commission Antonio Álvarez passed away on Sunday. No cause of death has been mentioned. If you saw any commission bit in the history of IWRG – a match being restarted due to a rudo act, a fourth fall being ordered – it was probably Álvarez involved. Álvarez had been a commissioner for 38 years, going back to the days of UWA. He represented the commission at other venues, like Arena Lopez Mateos or Coliseo Coacalco. It’s Arena Naucalpan where he’s best remembered, always sitting in the same seat and very occasionally getting into angles. He made a couple of appearances on AAA TV in that role in recent years as well. IWRG honored him with a moment of applause during Sunday’s show.

I don’t have results from the Lucha Memes show, but I do know the Jimmy/Aramis match ended early due to a Jimmy knee injury. No word on the severity yet. The show was taped for IWTV; those usually turn up in 2-3 weeks.

AAA taped their second show this weekend Saturday night in Tonatico, Estado de Mexico. They wrapped up airing the Tlaxco shows on Space this past week, so the matches taped in Valle de Bravo this past Thursday will start airing next weekend. That’ll take AAA through March and most of April; notable because it means there won’t be a Rey de Reyes in March for the second straight year. Rey de Reyes itself still has a good chance of happening – if AAA can run at least two big shows, that’ll be the first one – but it just won’t be happening in the usual space on the calendar.

CMLL Guadalajara announced their return card

CMLL (TUE) 03/16/2021 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Capitán Cobra, Cosmos, Tigre Blanco vs Destructor, Jabalí, Relámpago Azul
2) Avispón Negro Jr., Guerrero Vikingo, Quka vs Bestia Negra, Demonio Maya, Infierno
3) Javier Cruz Jr., Leo, Omar Brunetti vs Bobby Black, Carlo Roggi, Mr. Apolo
4) Fantástico, Flash, Principe Daniel vs Chris Skin, Difunto, Ráfaga
5) Carístico & Fugaz vs Cuatrero & Sansón

It’s basically what they’ve been doing with only 3 CMLL DF guys; I would’ve guessed more. Maybe attendance restrictions are going to cause restrictions on how many people are going to come in from Mexico City (though they’ve not announced specific attendance restrictions and there’s no telling if they’ll actually be enforced.)

People Not Going Anywhere Right Now section

Andrade’s request for his release from WWE was denied, unsurprisingly. Andrade was already not being used on WWE TV and asking for a release means it’s likely to stay that way until near the end of his contract. I do not know when his contract ends and I’m not aware of any report that information, though I’d guess it’ll come out in due course.

A brief interview with El Hijo del Santo got headlines when as a Santo retirement tease. There’s no actual news to it; Santo says he’s been doing this for a long time, all athletes have to retire, and gives no specific date. The interviewer strangely asks if Santo will have an apuesta match with Dr. Wagner (no obvious reason why that name), but Santo talks about doing it with Hijo del Solitario instead. That’s the big leftover mask match from the Todo x el Todo promotion, something both sides have likely already agreed upon, and figures to be Santo’s final big Mexico City match whenever he’s ready for it. He’s taken more bookings this year so it may not be that soon.

The body of this TUDN interview with Negro Casas has Casas saying stuff like he’s going to stay in lucha libre as long as he can have good matches, he can’t imagine what life will be without lucha libre, he doesn’t think about retirement. The headline is “Negro Casas could retire in two years.” Even in the article, two years is speak for “a while longer”; he doesn’t literally mean two years.

Other News

03/26 ROH 19th Anniversary show

• Rush (c) vs Jay Lethal for the ROH World Title
• Dragon Lee (c) vs Tracy Williams for the ROH TV Title
• Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor & Moses & Kaun) (c) vs Mexisquad (Bandido, Flamita, Rey Horus) for the ROH Six-Man Titles

other upcoming ROH matches

• the Flamita/Flip Gordon match from this week’s TV is now available on ROH’s website
• 03/20 ROH TV: Rey Horus vs Eli Isom
• 03/20 ROH TV: Facion Ingobernables vs the Foundation
• 03/23 ROH YouTube: MexiSquad vs Primal Fear

ROH taped their next batch of shows this past weekend, which may include that PPV.

03/28 Vanguardia “La Confrontacion”

• David Rodriguez & Edward Guiterrez vs El Mago & Dayami

Stronghearts appeared at a press conference in Japan to talk about joining the GLEAT promotion. That’s not specifically important here, but you may recall CIMA, T-Hawk, and Lindaman appearing in AAA last January before disappearing entirely. In talking about joining the new promotion, CIMA mentioned the original StrongHearts plans for 2020 were to be based in Mexico starting July. (Voices of Wrestling’s Open the Voice Gate has broadly talked about those plans prior.) In a normal year, they would’ve wrestled for AAA while cutting down their mileage for AAA trips. The GLEAT press conference floated the idea of AAA wrestlers coming in through that connection, though they noted nothing there was nothing official. GLEAT appears to be a Nacion Lucha Libre-like situation with a lot of money, so an AAA visit is not of the question after travel restrictions ease and if the FMV lawsuit doesn’t get in the way.

Box y Lucha 3464 has a lot of interviews.

Furia de Titanes reports Rayo de Jalisco Jr. was inducted into the Jalisco Sports Hall of Fame.

The Gladiatores has the third part of their interview with Laredo Kid. The Lio Rush match comes up, but more about Laredo thinking they could have a better match in a different situation (not having to do 3-4 matches that day) and less about the title.

Segunda Caida reviews some 1996 AAA.