Dinastia Munoz
Rush and the rest of the Munoz family held a press conference on Thursday afternoon. The reason for the press conference was to talk about Rush’s health, though it was obviously also going to be to reintroduce Mistico under his new Dralistico name.
Friendly news outlets had circulated photos and stories of Rush being rushed to the hospital for mystery reasons earlier in the week, one with the idea Rush was in ‘grave’ condition. It appeared to be content concocted by Rush and his family to build interest for this press conference. Rush has a YouTube channel, which streamed the press conference exclusively, and is prone to doing the YouTube vlogger bit of teasing major events in video thumbnails that turn out to be not serious.
LuchaWorld has a good recap of the press conference.
Rush’s wife, Mariah, hosted the press conference and Dragon Lee originally said Rush wouldn’t appear. Rush soon dramatically appeared on crutches. He thanked the fans for the support and apologized for letting them down by getting hurt. Rush said the knee injury had been bugging him for a while but he wanted to keep wrestling while he was ROH champion, and it was the reason he hadn’t wrestled much in Mexico.
Rush said he’d be out between eight months and twelve months recovering from a full knee reconstruction. A day earlier, ROH had said Rush would be out through the end of 2021 without mentioning an injury. Today’s WON says Rush was telling friends he expected to be back in February or March. I’m not a doctor, but Rush appearing on crutches with no obvious brace or leg pain suggested either Rush was working very hard to diminish the effect of the injury, or Rush’s surgery may not have been as severe as full knee reconstruction suggests.
Rush’s injury status means he’s wrestled his last match under his contract ROH contract. He seemed positive about working with Ring of Honor in the future but wasn’t pressed too much on his future and seemed open to working elsewhere. Rush mentioned plans to work on his English (and that YouTube channel) during his injury break.
Dralistico, the former Mistico II, was saved for the end of the press conference. He showed off his new mask, which borrows heavily from the Mistico and Dragon Lee designs. Dralistico was thankful to CMLL but said they put limitations on where he could work and what he could do and was disappointed CMLL never did the mask versus mask match with Caristico. He was looking forward to being his own promoter and wrestling around the world. Dralistico mentioned bringing back some martial arts spots he had done as Dragon Lee. Dralistico also officially joined La Faccion Ingobernable.
Dragon Lee and Dralistico were excited about teaming again; Dralistico’s first match will be on 09/16 in Queretaro teaming with his brother. You’ll probably see Dralistico wherever you see Dragon Lee in Mexico for the rest of the year; the Munoz family are going to use their relationships to get Dralistico going because it’s unclear there’s main event interest for Dralistico on his own.
Rush took a moment to once again claim he had nothing to do with Federacion Wrestling – he says it was also promoter who turned into a ghost who was responsible – but he’d have many surprises to come. Dragon Lee & Bestia del Ring also introduced Dementor as an associate to the family. Dementor previously teamed with Bestia and La Mascara on a Big Lucha show and seems to be a new name that often will end up booked as a way to get Rush or Dragon Lee. Dragon Lee, in the post-press conference scum, said there are more people who want to leave CMLL but lack the courage to make the move.
It didn’t really hit me until this press conference, but Mistico II was “Mistico” for around nine years, longer than Caristico was “Mistico” (seven years.) The original Mistico was so much of a bigger star that I think that’s going to remind a weird unknown trivia bit.
Rush and LFI take on Shane Taylor Promotions in a previously taped match.
CMLL
Today’s CMLL show is not a PPV. It should turn up on YouTube on 09/19.
CMLL (FRI) 09/03/2021 Arena México
1) Sagrado & Universo 2000 Jr. vs Akuma & Espanto Jr.
2) Blue Panther Jr., Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa vs Enfermero Jr., Felino Jr., Pólvora
Blue Panther Jr. replaced Stuka (moved up) on Friday
3) Atlantis, Atlantis Jr., Stuka Jr. vs Gran Guerrero, Hijo del Villano III, Negro Casas
Stuka Jr. replaced Titan on Friday.
4) Volador Jr. vs Místico, Valiente, Star Jr., El Audaz, Guerrero Maya Jr., Último Guerrero, Mephisto, Hechicero, Dragón Rojo Jr., Cancerbero, Gemelo Diablo I [Copa Independencia, semifinal]
Mephisto replaced Templario on Thursday.
I spent a lot of time thinking about what the cibernetico might mean, and maybe not enough thinking about how good that cibernetico might be. It was a really strong lineup with Templario in it and still good with Mephisto in it. I’m not as excited for the rest of the card with Titan gone.
CMLL (SUN) 09/05/2021 Arena México
1) Acero & Aéreo vs Mercurio & Pierrothito
2) Retro & Sangre Imperial vs Disturbio & Nitro
3) Eléctrico © vs Inquisidor [MEX LIGHT]
7th defense, first since December 2019.
4) Blue Panther Jr., Kráneo, Volcano vs Felino Jr., Luciferno, Raziel
Felino Jr. replaced Virus (moved up)
5) Stuka Jr., Valiente, Volador Jr. vs Cavernario, Euforia, Virus
Valiente and Virus replaced Titan and Templario on Friday
Euforia’s back after apparently testing COVID positive.
Neither Titan nor Templario have mentioned any injury on their Facebook or Instagram. They both figure to be part of the 09/26 card; they still have time to recover if this is a COVID positive test situation, but there’s no certainty it is.
CMLL (MON) 09/06/2021 Arena Puebla
1) Black Tiger & Siki Osama vs Rey Apocalipsis & Toro Bill Jr.
2) Último Dragóncito vs Joker [lightning]
3) Kráneo, Stigma, Volcano vs Dark Magic, Enfermero Jr., Okumura
4) Stuka Jr. © vs Ángel de Oro [NWA LH]
5th defense
5) Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Místico vs Atlantis Jr., Cavernario, Último Guerrero [Relevos Increíbles]
The only info we get here are the lineups. The main event is a rematch from last week. Stuka & Angel de Oro have been feuding for one week, maybe two if Angel de Oro replaced Felino on 08/23. Dragoncito & Joker is also spilling out of last week’s card.
CMLL Informa included a video from Naoki Sugabayashi, congratulating CMLL on their 88th Aniversario. He also said there would be no interchange of talent between CMLL & NJPW this year due to COVID but hoped that interchange and hoped FantasticaMania would return next year. I don’t think anyone expected NJPW talent this year, not after trainee Tsuji ended up in Europe instead of Mexico, but that seems to formally end any chance of a Best of the Super Juniors appearance for a CMLL luchador.
I hope there’s a 2022 FantasticaMania but – as Hechicero himself noted on Informa – it seems very unlikely for one to be possible in January. That event seems to take months for logistics. The process usually starts this time of year with NJPW officials visiting Mexico, which obviously isn’t happening if they’re sending video statements into Informa instead. It’s always possible the tour could take place at a different time in 2022 if it makes sense, but it’s not something I’m putting a lot of stock in happening in 2022. No FantasticaMania for two straight years will make it harder for CMLL to hold onto their top talent.
CMLL media interviews included La Jarochita wanting to start a trio, Atlantis Jr. talking about the possibility of being a rudo, and Satanico talking about the possibility of various men and women’s Infernales groups. These can be filled with the dozens of other ideas thrown out in CMLL media interviews, without any of them happening. Gotta start pitching tournaments. Likewise, Mistico wants apuesta matches with Mephisto and Ultimo Guerrero.
Other News
AAA posted the open of this week’s TV show, though they just show the same matches as last week so that’s probably an error.
IWRG (THU) 09/02/2021 Arena Naucalpan
1) Sol b Fussion, Spider Fly, Shalom, Kenji 
Sol, replacing Noicy Boy, got the win.
2) Baronessa & Mary Caporal b Amazónika & Therius 
Debut of Baronessa. Mary Caporal replaced Siarelli. Amazónika replaced Satania.
3) Mafioso, Medico Brujo, Sick Boy b Billy Jones, Chris Stone Jr., Mexica
Billy Jones ended up bloody.
4) Jessy Ventura b Toxin 
medical stoppage after Toxin was unable to continue
5) Gianni Valletta, Hijo del Fishman, Hijo del Pirata Morgan b Hijo del Alebrije, Texano Jr., Veneno
Valletta Mexico debut.
Toxin did a running dive over the barricade and collided ribs first with a table. Toxin was selling his ribs for quite a while before it, so it looked like an angle.
The Opener sounds like it was worth checking out, as long as you’re ready for a spotty match. Shalom is Cerebro Negro’s son and they’ve both been in or out of IWRG at the same time so maybe Cerebro Negro is on his way back.
IWRG (SUN) 09/05/2021 Arena Naucalpan
1) Noicy Boy vs Rey Halcón
2) Baronessa, Bengalee, Diosa Quetzal vs Diosa Atenea, Lolita, Satania
3) Aster Boy & Tortuga Leo vs Tortuga Negra I & Tortuga Negra II
4) Dick Angelo 3G, Puma de Oro, Tonalli vs As Charro NG, Fuerza Guerrera NG, Súper Nova
5) Big Boy, Big Chicoche, Big Mike vs Fly Warrior, Medico Brujo, Sick Boy
6) Toxin © vs Jessy Ventura [IWRG MEXICO]
7) Gianni Valletta vs Hijo del Espectro, Diva Salvaje, Karaoui, Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr., Galeno del Mal, Estrella Divina, Veneno, Mafioso, Villano V Jr., Black Taurus (Indie) [IWRG IC HEAVY, battle royal]
vacant title (Fresero Jr. quit)
This is the Mas Lucha subscriber-only show, I guess with the idea of two title matches and a longer card making it appealing.
GCW/BLP has Juventud Guerrera & Super Crazy vs Gringo Loco & Arez vs Laredo Kid & ASF vs Dragon Bane & Hijo de Canis Lupus tonight outside of Chicago. It’s a late-night show, 11 pm local, and airing on Fite, as are all the shows in this paragraph. GCW on Saturday has Super Crazy versus Juventud Guerrera and Black Label Pro has Super Crazy vs Drago vs Tre Lamar vs Nick Wayne and Laredo Kid vs Lee Moriaty. GALLI has Arez, Laredo Kid, and Drago on Saturday and says they’re on FITE TV, but there’s no mention on FITE and the matches haven’t been announced. I guess that would be concerning for a non-lucha libre promotion but I’m sure it’s fine.
Laredo Kid/Arez last night at AAW was really good. I thought the AAA match was slightly better but that’s a high bar and this match got over with that crowd. Laredo Kid’s run of AAW appearances has gotten him surprisingly over – the match happened late in the show and I was surprised how excited they were to still see it – and maybe it’s to the point where Laredo should get figured into bigger things.
Welcome to Mi Barrio announced they’re going to start running every other week. They’d been doing occasional bulk tapings during the pandemic. They’re formally starting a women’s division lead by Luna Magica and did an angle where WWS champion Hera interrupted the press conference.
RIOT announced their next show, the 09/18 Secret Lucha Society, will be invitational only. They say they’re only allowed a limited amount of people due to current COVID regulations.
Mas Lucha announced Laredo Kid as the first person in their October Mas Lucha Supremo tournament. Laredo Kid is a good start.
The Crash briefly announced Komander & Baby Xtreme versus Black Danger & Dinamico before being informed Komander was hurt last week. El Dragon from Juarez replaced Komander. Today’s WON confirms this is no longer an Aztec Underground taping.
Adrian Mendoza pointed my attention to the fact Baby Xtreme has never teamed up with El Negocio Traumado after originally quitting IWRG/Lucha Time to join them. Baby Xtreme also wasn’t part of the group run-in on the Robles Patron Promociones show last week.