CMLL
CMLL (FRI) 07/30/2021 Arena México [CMLL, Kaiser Sports, Mas Lucha, R de Rudo, Refering, The Gladiatores]
1) Guerrero Maya Jr., Pegasso, Stigma b Dark Magic, El Coyote, Okumura 
18:16, no obvious reason for the length.
2) La Jarochita & Lluvia © b Amapola & Dark Silueta [MEX WOMEN TAG] 
13:08. One fall, third defense
3) Blue Panther, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero b Atlantis, Atlantis Jr., Negro Casas [Relevos Increíbles]
13:11. Guerreros team took 1/3.
4) Vangellys & Volador Jr. b Euforia & Forastero [Relevos Increíbles]
10:54, tecnicos took 2/3. match (and show) was sponsored by mobile game Contra Returns, with Vangellys & Volador dressing up as the characters (and Vangellys working as a tecnico).
5) Titán b Templario [Leyenda de Plata, final]
22:39, Titan taking 1/3 to win the tournament.
Titan & Templario looked like it was going off the rails when Templario’s Sasuke Special ended with him colliding hard into the barricade. He received medical attention for a moment, returned to the ring to beat a 20 count, and Titan visibility communicated with Templario a lot between moves for the next minute or so. It got better as they got going and the action was strong through-out. Titan’s double stomp to the floor would be a forever memorable spot in a hotter promotion. It was a really good closing moment in this one. It was a great match, and easily the best match on the show. The tercera was a professional trios match, the women tried in the second match, but you can just watch the one match and not miss much.
Vangellys ended up in the main event because he and his blond flattop most resembled one of the protagonists in the Contra Returns video game. Volador Jr. had some hideous-looking hair to somewhat resemble the other character, and they both were costumed like the video game characters. They wrestled a normal match – well, Vangellys as a tecnico isn’t normal, but they weren’t doing spots out of the video game or anything. Ads for the Contra Returns video game played during the show and appeared on the video boards during matches. This project, including the Booyah stream, was likely a one-off to help launch the game. CMLL’s done these sort of in-match sponsorships before and will do it again.
The Booyah presentation was great in that it was free and otherwise not great. The show aired in a frame so they could also show the announcers, two video game casters, and Hechicero. (It was also in a frame so the Contra ad would stay on screen all show.) Hechicero was the only one on the broadcast who was seemed familiar with lucha libre or knew any of the wrestlers besides meme star KeMonito. The broadcast worked fine when Hechicero explained things in detail and otherwise just talked non-stop, while the other two hosts yelled loudly to react to the big spots. This was the usual bit of trying to appeal to non-wrestling fans by having non-wrestling stuff on a wrestling show, and it never seems to work. CMLL quickly put their own version of the show on Friday “due to fan request”, which seemed like a shot at the Booyah presentation but probably was the plan all along.
The Booyah stream seemed to hang around the 1,300 viewer count for most of the show, not getting much higher than that for the main event. A normal CMLL show in the before-times on YouTube would get 2000-4000 range and probably higher for a Leyenda de Plata final. Still, CMLL probably made much more off the sponsorship deal than they would’ve on their own for YouTube.
CMLL (SUN) 08/01/2021 Arena México [CMLL, Kasier Sports]
1) Oro Jr. & Sangre Imperial b Cholo & Inquisidor
2) Sagrado & Universo 2000 Jr. b Robin & Starman
Starman returned and got hurt during the match.
3) Flyer, Kráneo, Volcano b Felino Jr., Hijo del Villano III, Pólvora
4) Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Virus b Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa, Stuka Jr.
5) Felino, Negro Casas, Volador Jr. DQ Cavernario, Cuatrero, Sansón [Relevos Increíbles]
Team Casas took 2/3. Cavernario fouled Felino.
In a normal year, CMLL’s probably announced the Aniversario date by now. Maybe the main event, maybe that’s still a few weeks off. Felino/Cavernario still looks like the main event, though that still may be dependent on how many tickets they can sell.
Lineups for Tuesday:
CMLL (TUE) 08/03/2021 Arena México
1) Retro & Sangre Imperial vs Apocalipsis & Cholo
2) Diamond, Robin, Sonic vs El Coyote, Grako, Hijo del Signo
3) Flyer, Magia Blanca, Panterita del Ring Jr. vs Hijo del Villano III, Sagrado, Universo 2000 Jr.
4) Fugaz, Star Jr., Stuka Jr. vs Cancerbero, Raziel, Virus
5) Místico, Valiente, Volador Jr. vs Euforia, Felino, Terrible
Nothing too notable here. Note that Panterita del Ring Jr. is a little bit lower when not teaming with his father, though a normal rookie his size would probably be in match two or even one,
CMLL (TUE) 08/03/2021 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Mr. Ángel, Temerario, Último Ángel vs Destructor, Micro, Relámpago Azul
2) El Divino, Mágico, Reycko vs Paymon, Persa, Quka
3) Adrenalina, Estrella Oriental, Minotauro vs Bobby Black, Carlo Roggi, Fúnebre
4) Crixus, Leo, Luminoso, Príncipe vs Black Warrior Jr., Difunto, Joker, Vaquero Jr.
5) Furia Roja, Guerrero de la Muerte, Ráfaga vs Dark Magic, Okumura, Zandokan Jr.
6) Carístico, Magnus, Titán vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Demonio Maya, Principe Daniel
The original plan for the main event was Barbaro Cavernario and his two brothers (Maya & Daniel) against the three Misticios. One, two and Magnus, who was pushed as a Mistico-like character for a few weeks after Caristico left town. It didn’t work, there was no chance it was ever going to work, and it was the most unfair assignment anyone could’ve been given. Mistico II got replaced by Titan on Sunday.
Black Warrior Jr. is back here again. Miguel Reduindo’s column mentions Warrior Jr. (like recent Guadalajara luchador Rugido) is currently training under Volador Jr. Warrior Jr. didn’t have a great rep prior to the pandemic, maybe he’s gotten better.
Arena Puebla will return next week. CMLL hasn’t announced the lineup, but multiple media outlets noticed the poster was already up on the building over the weekend and the building held a press conference on Monday.
CMLL (MON) 08/09/2021 Arena Puebla [Diario Cambio]
1) MicroÁtomo & Microman vs Chamuel & Perico Zacarías
2) Pegasso & Stigma vs Rey Apocalipsis & Toro Bill Jr.
3) La Jarochita & Lluvia vs Reyna Isis & Stephanie Vaquer
4) Atlantis Jr., Star Jr., Titán vs Euforia, Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II
5) Carístico, Místico, Volador Jr. vs Gran Guerrero, Templario, Último Guerrero
This is about the same as the July 5th lineup with some subs, most notably Ultimo Guerrero in for Negro Casas. This is CMLL believing they’re re-opening with a big show, though there’s nothing here I’d be sad about missing.
AAA
Cain Velasquez, on In This Corner with Cyrus Fees, mentioned he’d be returning to AAA in December. The video currently has 86 views; I’m surprised the word got out! WrestlingNews was the first place I saw who had it. Velasquez has not wrestled since getting cut from WWE (and only wrestled once there.)
December sounds like TripleMania Regia, the baseball stadium show in Monterrey will be coming back. They ran it in 2019 and didn’t in 2020 due to the pandemic. AAA hasn’t talked about it happening in 2021; maybe that’s an announcement saved for the TripleMania broadcast itself.
Velasquez appearing might count as another reason Kenny Omega is unlikely to keep the Mega title at TripleMania. AAA’s already set up a Psycho Clown/Andrade match that’d make sense for that show, and they probably don’t need all three of Andrade, Omega and Velasquez on the same show. (It also may not be something they can take the risk on in the current economic/health climate.) The Psycho Clown/Andrade match was also already teased as a title match. It’s not a definite Omega is losing at TripleMania – AAA could hold another Mega title match in between to move the title, AAA could just use champion Omega in December, maybe business will be so good it’s no issue to bring in all those guys – but it’s another reason to suspect that’s the outcome.
Super Fly posted a goodbye message on Twitter Saturday night. There’s no context to his comment. I don’t know if it’s AAA-related; he didn’t make a surprise appearance elsewhere, but he’s been on the fringes of AAA and that can’t be paying great right now. Super Fly was on AAA TV this past week (in a match taped about a month ago), unusually wearing his father’s Seminarista’s mask. I hope the goodbye isn’t connected to his father.
IWRG
IWRG (SUN) 08/01/2021 Arena Naucalpan [IWRG, Mas Lucha]
1) Baby Star & Rey Halcón b Kenji & Sol
2) Black Dragón & Death Metal b Ra-Zhata & Shil-Ka 
3) Dick Angelo 3G, Fly Warrior, Legendario b Alas de Oro, Alas De Plata, Eragón
4) Diosa Quetzal DCOR Diosa Atenea
5) Aster Boy, Estrella Divina, Hijo del Alebrije b Galeno del Mal, Tonalli, Toxin
Alebrije wants a title shot from Toxin
6) El Mesías & Hijo del Espectro b Hijo De Wagner & Tyson Maddux
Prior to the show, IWRG announced next Sunday’s event will decide the vacant IWRG Heavyweight Championship. Fresero Jr. was the champion until he was no longer in IWRG. It’ll be Absimo Negro Jr., Hijo de Fishman, Hijo de Dos Caras, Hijo del Picudo, Hijo del Espectro Jr., Murder Clown, Heddi Karaoui, and Estrella Divina in a one-night tournament. That doesn’t sound like a tournament of good matches. The week after that is the Guerra del Golfo three stage cage match show.
Friday, in Monterrey’s Lucha Time promotion, Hijo del Espectro announced he was going to NOAH through IWRG. This is the same deal as Hijo del Alebrije, with no time line announced. It was a couple of months from when Dragon Bane & Hijo de Canis Lupus were announced as going and when they actually did, and that wasn’t during a pandemic.
Other Notes
Andrade won the main event of Saturday’s Robles Patron Promotions show in Hidalgo, Texas over Alberto & Carlito. At least I think he did, the participants were arguing over who actually won in Twitter comments the next day. Alberto and Andrade were arguing, at least, Carlito seemed to care as much as I do. In the undercard, Averno won Gran Apolo’s hair in a five-way with Toscano, Blue Demon, and Hijo del Espectro. (It’s no surprise Apolo lost his hair, a mild one that Averno was the one who won it.) Estrellita also beat Wendy in a hair match, which either hadn’t been advertised as one or hadn’t been advertised well. Psycho Clown did a tribute to Brazo de Plata on the show.
I’d guess under 2000 people in the building for this show based on photos; they did a “buy an adult ticket, get a kid’s ticket free” promotion to get that much. The promotion avoided showing photos of the crowd on the social media, so they were under no delusion it went well. Tickets aren’t moving much better in Mexico City for 08/26. It’s still weird they’re running on a Thursday night.
PWG’s Mystery Vortex show ended with Bandido defeated Black Taurus to retain the PWG World Championship, a new group of Demonic Flamita, Bandido, and the returning Super Dragon being revealed in the aftermath, and finally Malakai Black (Tommy End/Aleister Black) appeared to make the save. It appears Bandido will defend against Super Dragon in the main event of their September show, while Flamita & Taurus are likely to face Black & Brody King. Rey Horus & Aramis won again as a team in the undercard; they appear the favorites to be the next PWG tag team champions once that’s sorted out. Arez debuted on the card losing to Demonic Flamita; reviews were mixed. Arez wasn’t wildly known by the PWG audience, considered one of the most knowledgable US fanbases. (I don’t consider that a flaw with PWG as much as a statement where AAA and lucha libre are in the English-speaking wrestling mindspace at the moment.) Similarly, Black Taurus has been a regular in PWG the last year and those at the show recognized he would have a great match with Bandido, but I got the sense that non-PWG fans following the results online were surprised a guy who they primarily know as a bit player in Impact in such a big role. Even the fans at PWG probably would’ve been disappointed with the surprises on the show if the Dragon/Black angle didn’t happen at the end – fans had talked themselves into believing PWG would be bringing in top AEW guys and had gotten something that was similar to the shows they had been running in 2019. They really needed that angle and that angle did very well.
There’s no word when this show would be available; it’s usually a long time after the shows happen. SoCal Uncensored hinted that time may soon be reduced but the shows will still not air live.
I followed along with PWG Twitter replies last night on Twitter. It quickly got annoying. Don’t do that. I usually have a Tweetdeck Twitter column with some AAA search terms to see if anything interesting pops up. Last night’s experience was a good reminder to turn that one off on TripleMania day.
Black Taurus’ match against Josh Alexander in Impact Saturday was said to be great.
Box y Lucha 3483 has Brazo de Plata and Titan on the cover.
FanByte has a remembrance of Brazo de Plata.
There’s a new Cassandro mural in El Paso.
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