COVID
The biggest story today appears to be the COVID situation in Mexico City, like so many Fridays in the last year and a half. Mexico City says they’ll remain at yellow health code for the next two weeks. Cases have raised greatly among 18-39. Those in their thirties have just started to become eligible for the first dose of vaccination in the last week, those younger are probably still waiting. (Even most of the 40s are still waiting for their second dose in Mexico City.) The new COVID cases are generally in unvaccinated people and Mexico City won’t be able to vaccinate everyone who wants one for a while. Media outlets have talked about a possible third wave in August or September, but it looks like it’s there now.
AS.com reported Thursday night three of the four major Mexico City soccer teams will go back to having no fans at shows. (The fourth is waiting to August 1st to decide.) This led to Facebook posts claiming all lucha libre events would be canceled, which does not appear to be the case at the moment. There’s obviously a case to shut down indoor events if outdoor events are an issue, but it’s more about the willingness of the government to make those (unpopular) decisions. Today’s Mexico City press conference focused on speeding up the rate of vaccinations and doesn’t seem to have talked about shutting things back down at all. The football team’s decisions are being made with discussion from the government, but it doesn’t seem like the government is imposing those rules on them.
TripleMania is four weeks and one day away. Mexico City’s government reluctance to close activities down now suggests it still has a decent chance of happening with limited attendance. That could change at any moment. Postponing would make sense and this is about the time where last year’s show was first postponed. Except the lesson from last year is there’s no knowing a month or few months from now will be a lot better. Cases should eventually level off and reduce, it’s just hard to be certain to know when.
This situation is the perfect escape bit for the Robles Patron Promotions. They could blame COVID for the Mexico City show not happening, despite never putting tickets on sale, and COVID very much existing when they announced the show.
Acapulco indie group NOBA, who’ve been running shows at their training school, say they’re going back on hiatus due to the local COVID situation. Another group (Lucha Libre Acapulco) runs shows at a local restaurant with one or two national names on Wednesday and those shows still seem to be on.
CMLL
Tonight’s CMLL card, which is on Ticketmaster as usual. They opened up the Freedom Bar & Restaurant a couple of days earlier than previously listed.
CMLL (FRI) 07/16/2021 Arena México
1) Angelito vs Pequeño Violencia
2) La Guerrera, La Jarochita, Lluvia vs Amapola, Dark Silueta, Reyna Isis
3) Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr., Dark Panther vs Fugaz, Panterita del Ring, Panterita del Ring Jr.
4) Ángel de Oro, Cavernario, Terrible vs Euforia, Felino, Felino Jr. [Relevos Increíbles]
5) Volador Jr. vs Templario, Místico, Mephisto, Star Jr., Dragón Rojo Jr., Espíritu Negro, Raziel [Leyenda de Plata, semifinal]
Tercera may be good, though the real focus here is the Felino/Cavernario issue and the start of Leyenda de Plata. Blue Panther Jr. replaced Cachorro earlier Friday and the relevos increibles stipulation was forced onto the semifinal. That is very important to someone.
Both Leyenda de Plata blocks were revealed on CMLL Informa
- 07/16: Volador Jr., Mistico, Star Jr., Espiritu Negro, Templario, Mephisto, Dragon Rojo Jr., Raziel
- 07/23: Caristico, Titan, Rey Cometa, Fugaz, Negro Casas, Virus, Polvora, Felino Jr.
Volador Jr. versus the top rudo in Block B is normally the chalk pick. I’m not sure if CMLL is going to put Negro Casas in a tournament final at this point. Volador/Virus is more possible than it’s been ever prior Virus’ recent success. Volador/Titan fits with the idea of this being the action tournament. Caristico/Templario as the reverse pick seems a decent dark horse pick; Templario would obviously be the rudo pick if he was in the opposite block. Titan/Templario and Cometa/Templario would be exciting matches.
Mistico did an interview saying Mistico/Caristico is the final the whole world wants to see; he may be right, but the edge there has been dulled by the teaming so much. I don’t know if that match is ever going to be what people want it to be. They really ought to build it up strong before they run it (if they ever do), because I don’t feel confident they’ll leave people excited for a rematch.
In another interview, or maybe just a recap of different parts of the same interview, Mistico mentioned he working through an ankle injury and doctors did not want him to wrestle last Friday.
Sunday’s lineup
CMLL (SUN) 07/18/2021 Arena México
1) Bengala & Sonic vs Leono & Sangre Imperial
2) Diamond, Drone, Eléctrico vs Akuma, Espanto Jr., Magnus [Relevos Increíbles]
3) Pegasso, Stigma, Volcano vs Dark Magic, Okumura, Vangellys
4) Cancerbero, Raziel, Virus © vs El Audaz, Esfinge, Star Jr. [MEX TRIOS]
first defense
5) Atlantis & Atlantis Jr. vs Gran Guerrero & Último Guerrero
The Atlantis series continues in the main event. Trios title change seems unlikely but it should be a good match.
Magnus makes his first appearance since fans are back; he’s popped up in a few empty arena matches, though they may have been taped in 2020. Magnus been wrestling in El Paso for the last couple of months. He’s talked about becoming rudo over the years – there was a running plot about it in El Luchador a decade ago now – and he’s slowed down enough that he’d probably fit better over in that side. It’s likely just more about the people available than any angle.
The Guerreros working here means they won’t be making their scheduled DTU booking. DTU’s announced Demonic Flamita & Puma King as replacements and blamed the issue on CMLL.
CMLL also announced the Pequeno Estrellas anniversary match on July 25th will be a Torneo Cibernetico Suicida, loser leaving a mask or hair. This will be the first apuesta match since the start of the pandemic in Arena Mexico; the most recent apuesta matches were Principe Diamante/Espiritu Negro and Dulce Gardenia/Kawato Son on New Year’s Day 2020. CMLL’s stayed away from doing apuesta matches during the pandemic, presumably because of the limited amount of ticket revenue. I’m not sure that the attendance limit will change by July 25th, but they must’ve got someone to agree to lose for what they can offer now. It’s likely someone’s hair. Pequeno Pierrothito, Shockercito, Pequeno Violencia and Ultimo Dragoncito have been announced. There will be 12 people total. The other minis to wrestle since fans returned are Angelito, Mercurio, Pequeno Olimpico, Acero, Aereo, and Fantasy, which still leaves two. Kaligula worked a no-fans match airing in May, but also got hurt in that match. Pequeno Universo 2000 hasn’t been seen since prior to the pandemic but would normally be in it. This would be a good time to sneak in micro or a new name, though starting off a new name in a “loser loses mask or hair” match isn’t usually a good look.
IWRG
IWRG (THU) 07/15/2021 Arena Naucalpan [IWRG, Mas Lucha]
1) Diosa Atenea & Satania b Sussi Love & Theirus 
Diosa Atenea replaced Lilith Dark
2) Puma de Oro b Baby Star Jr., Sobredosis, Noicy Boy, Mr. Puma, Lunatic Xtreme, Redimido, Aster Boy [IWRG IC Light] 
vacant title (Baby Xtreme quit)
3) Toxin © b Tonalli [IWRG MEXICO]
third defense (first this year)
4) Villano III Jr. © b Dr. Cerebro [AULL WELTER]
First defense. Win via foul.
5) Hijo del Alebrije b Hijo del Espectro Jr. © [IWRG JUNIORS]
Espectro falls on his second defense.
Tonalli/Toxin was said to be worth watching.
IWRG addressed their COVID situation by posting the video of the arena being clean the arena and asking fans to wear facemasks. It’s great to clean the arena, but most of the transmission is from the air, from people being close to each other. Better proof might be some larger locker room space so luchadors aren’t breathing all over each other.
La Mascara and others representing Robles Patron Promotions ran in and teased a promotional battle. Fernando Robles was in the crowd for this how, so they did it on this show, and they might not get around to doing more of it when he’s not there.
Other News
AAA hasn’t released a preview of their TV show yet. This should be the second taping in Queretaro; rain may have affected that show as well.
ROH TV this week includes a Fred Yehi vs Rey Horus match. ROH also has a special interview with Bandido talking about his title win.
Impact has their Slammiversary PPV this Sunday. Black Taurus isn’t booked, which seems increasingly commonplace there. Deonna Purrazzo is defending the Impact championship against a mystery opponent. Typically, the long time champion is going to lose to the newcomer in that situation, though Purrazzo losing her title here would affect the scheduled match at TripleMania. (It’s also AAA, so those things can change.)
BolaVIP profiles Rossy Moreno as one of the best luchadoras ever prior to her retirement show on July 25th. She was told by doctors she had spinal damage and was risking paralysis or death to continue wrestling. She had surgery and has been in therapy to help her accept her career is over, but it sounds like she’s still not completely over it.
Blue Demon held a press conference for a tribute show on Saturday in Arena Lopez Mateos. He wrestles twice on that show, against many of his former enemies, and noted that could make for a really bad anniversary for him. He’s wrestling someone named El Fuhrer in one of those matches, and that’s bad for everyone.
Dr. Wagner Jr. mentioned he suffered a knee injury in last week’s match in Monterrey and uses the situation to campaign for better health insurance for all wrestlers.
Samuray del Sol did interviews with Lucha Libre Online (Spanish) and Chris Van Vleet in the last couple of days. I listened to the Lucha Libre Online one and Samuray del Sol seemed like he had a lot of interest in lucha libre themed businesses and marketing outside of wrestling, but not entirely that much interest in wrestling frequently at the moment. He will wrestle, but he seems like a guy who will take a few well-paying gigs and may make guest appearances in big promotions. His goal seems to be to increase his fame, not be an ensemble piece in a TV promotion. He did strongly want a match with Pentagon Jr. at a TripleMania, playing off Samuray del Sol being the original Octagon Jr. that Pentagon Jr. was created to face. It did not immediately seem like Samuray was aware Penta is on this year’s TripleMania; don’t pencil him in as the mystery guy in that match.
GCW is touring Mexico this weekend
- Friday in Monterrey with NGX
- Saturday in Mexico State with Zona 23
- Sunday in Pachuca with Vanguardia
Aeroboy mentioned he believes he’s now having a 1v1 match with Jimmy Lloyd on Friday, because Baby Xtreme won’t be there. That Monterrey show is at Lucha Time’s arena. Most of the Baby Xtreme public contractual issues have been surrounding IWRG & PALL, but the issue extends to Lucha Time (who works with IWRG.) Friday’s show is not an official Lucha Time show but it’s possible he’s not welcome there or wants to be there right now.