CMLL restart lineups, new AAA TV starts to air this week, Konnan, MLW

CMLL

CMLL started to roll out their restart lineups on Thursday. Most are adjustments of the prior announcements lineups, which happens to highlight those people who are no longer booked:

• Apocalipsis
• Disturbio
• Dulce Gardenia
• Felino
• Gallito
• Hechicero
• Hombre Bala Jr.
• La Jarochita
• Panterita del Ring
• Perico Zacarias
• Retro
• Stephanie Vaquer
• Suicida

These are unlikely to be all COVID absences – Dulce Gardenia is wrestling in Torreon this weekend and did so last week, for example. Gallito may be staying in Guadalajara for the moment and CMLL could’ve pulled Zacarias to even the sides. There also are probably other people dealing with COVID who weren’t booked to start. No sign of Polovra, who is the only person CMLL’s confirmed as positive themselves. Vaquer is healthy enough that she was doing remote media interviews. I haven’t heard off a serious COVID case in CMLL, even just in gossip. I’m crossing my fingers that none happens.

It’s worth taking a moment to remember this was a CMLL pause and restart. What happened with AAA in Merida and other shows have been government-declared postponements/cancelations, and CMLL hasn’t escaped those yet. Mexico City tried to avoid giving a direct answer on their current COVID traffic light status at a midday press conference, while Mexico State announced they’d be switching to yellow starting Monday. Mexico City will probably also be yellow starting Monday when the country-wide map is released this evening, which could mean anything between smaller attendance caps to no fans shows. CMLL wants to run these shows listed but we’re not sure if they’ll be allowed to run them as they’d like. Any show in Mexico between now and March should be considered tentative. I’m going to try not to say that when mentioning every show to avoid being repetitive, but you should keep “if it happens” in mind next to any date.

CMLL (FRI) 01/21/2022 Arena México
1) Halcón Suriano Jr. vs Eléctrico
Halcon Suriano replaced Panterita del Ring on 01/20
2) Dalys, Lluvia, Princesa Sugehit vs Dark Silueta, Marcela, Reyna Isis [Relevos Increíbles]
Princesa Sugehit replaced Jarochita, Reyna Isis replaced Stephanie Vaquer on 01/20
3) Soberano Jr. vs Bárbaro Cavernario
Barbaro Cavernario replaced Hechicero on 01/20
4) Atlantis Jr. vs Terrible
5) Místico, Titán, Volador Jr. vs Gran Guerrero, Templario, Último Guerrero

This is what’s left of the Best of 2021 show; I can’t imagine they’ll do that still, since it’s still close enough to count. Soberano/Cavernario should be interesting. Halcon Suriano will be as energetic as always.

This is a Ticketmaster Live show for $5 as originally scheduled. CMLL also had a big show + PPV planned for 01/28 and it’s unclear if that’s still on.

CMLL (SAT) 01/22/2022 Arena Coliseo
1) Leono vs Cholo
Retro & Apocalipsis removed on 01/20
2) Micro Gemelo Diablo I & Micro Gemelo Diablo II vs Chamuel & Micro Ángel [Relevos Increíbles]
Gallito & Zacarais removed on 01/20
3) Diamond, Magnus, Stigma vs Eléctrico, Halcón Suriano Jr., Oro Jr.
Magnus & Oro Jr. added to the match to replace Panterita del Ring & Suicida on 01/20 (and names shifted around)
4) El Coyote & Sangre Imperial vs Robin & Rugido [Relevos Increíbles]
Rugido replaced Hombre Bala Jr.
5) Místico, Templario, Titán vs Atlantis, Cavernario, Último Guerrero [Relevos Increíbles]
Templario replaced Felino on 01/20.

The semi-main was supposed to be the Gran Alternativa finalists versus the Gran Oportunidad finalists. Rugido wasn’t in the tournament, not that it matters now.

CMLL (SUN) 01/23/2022 Arena México
1) Fantasy vs Pequeño Violencia
2) Halcón Suriano Jr. & Pegasso vs Grako & Inquisidor
3) El Audaz, Esfinge, Guerrero Maya Jr. vs Dark Magic, Okumura, Rey Bucanero
4) Cavernario, Euforia, Mephisto vs Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Sagrado
5) Titán & Volador Jr. © vs Ángel de Oro & Niebla Roja [CMLL TAG]
1st defense (won titles in September)

This was the lineup not announced before the pause, so we don’t know if the tag team title match was planned in advance. Titan & Volador’s tag title reign seemed like something CMLL backed into after Mistico left and the fans didn’t vote for the Guerreros, and Angel de Oro & Niebla Roja are equally as sensible tag champions if Niebla Roja is going to be around much.

This is a rare CMLL card without tecnicos and rudos teaming.

CMLL (MON) 01/24/2022 Arena Puebla
1) Dreyko & Meyer vs Black Tiger & Siki Ozama
2) Diamond, Magia Blanca, Rugido vs Perverso, Prayer, Toro Bill Jr.
3) Pegasso vs Halcón Suriano Jr.
originally Dulce Gardenia/Disturbio
4) Gran Guerrero, Negro Casas, Templario vs Cavernario, Euforia, Mephisto
Templario replaced Hechicero (and sides changed) on 01/20
5) Volador Jr. vs Soberano Jr.

This main event was originally Mistico/Soberano, but Mistico’s working the other shows so maybe it’s a date conflict or a workload issue. It’d be a big match if aired elsewhere. Soberano has been working rudo leading into the singles match.

The Arena Coliseo Guadalajara Facebook page hasn’t explained why they’re not running, just wrote a statement urging people to stay safe if they want shows soon. I wonder if they’re still getting too many positive COVID tests to run at this point.

CMLL TV has a few unaired matches mixed with repeats from different channels. This Friday night show should air on Televisa next week, while it may take an additional week for new material to air on the other channels. No idea if the MarcaClaro Tuesday night streaming will return.

AAA

Dr. Landru & the Wrestling Observer reported Konnan underwent heart surgery in the past week and is now back home. It’s said his previous COVID, about a year ago, damaged his heart requiring the operation. Konnan also needs a second kidney replacement; WOR mentions he’s got a donor lined up. Konnan remains the creative lead at AAA and an important connective person in their aspirations to run internationally, a very significant role who’s proven to be hard to replace in the past.

Wrestling Observer Radio also mentioned Fenix may be back by “mid-February.” It came off as if Konnan had told Dave Meltzer that Fenix may still wrestle at Rey de Reyes (February 17) when the two were talking about Konnan’s health situation. I suggest viewing that as the best-case scenario rather than anything locked in.

AAA airs matches from December’s Mexico City TV taping starting this Saturday at 6:30 pm. They haven’t announced which matches will air this week as of post time. These matches took place, three to air each week:

• La Parkita & Octagoncito vs La Parkita Negra & Mini Gronda
• Big Mami & Faby Apache vs Keyra & Lady Maravilla vs Goya Kong & Pimpinela Escarlata
• Myzteziz Jr. vs Argenis
• Dave The Clown & Murder Clown vs DMT Azul & Puma King
• Aramis & Laredo Kid vs Arez & Látigo
• Carta Brava Jr., Mocho Cota Jr., Tito Santana vs Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón

The idea was for the Merida shows to start airing after. I guess AAA will return to repeat material.

Dorian Roldan will appear on Yo Tambien Soy Mexicano Saturday night on adn40. The video makes this appear to be a response to the “is lucha libre really something Mexico should represent on airplanes and airport bathrooms?” twitter arguments a couple of weeks back. The show airs against the end of AAA.

MLW matches for next Thursday

• Aramis versus Hijo del Vikingo for the AAA Megachampionship
• Octagon Jr. versus Hammerstone for the MLW Championships

These MLW shows were taped in December so it’s hard to remember, but this would be Vikingo defending the AAA mega championship for the first time the day before he actually won the title. And you thought MLW funny business with AAA titles was over.

MLW tapes tonight in Dallas. Pagano challenges Alex Hammerstone for the MLW Heavyweight Championships in a falls count anywhere. The excitement isn’t for the outcome, Pagano is incredibly unlikely to win, but for what he’ll attempt to do in the process of the match. Also announced is Arez, Gino Medina, and Mini Abismo Negro Jr. face El Dragon, Aramis, and a mystery man believed to be the debuting Micro Man. LA Park and his family will be returning; they skipped the Tijuana tapings at the last moment. I’m under the impression another lucha libre name will also be debuting at the taping. These matches will likely start airing on 02/03.

When The Crash announced Hijo del Vikingo versus Flip Gordon for their 01/28 show, we all wondered why it wasn’t a Vikingo title defense. The Crash must’ve eventually thought the same because it’s now for The Crash Heavyweight Championship. It’s only the second time the belt has been defended in a singles match; Rey Horus beat Hammerstrong back in 2019.

Other News

GCW has The WRLD on Sunday night, airing both on FITE and regular PPV.

• Gringo Loco, Arez, Demonic Flamita vs Bandido, Laredo Kid, ASF
• Psycho Clown is announced but doesn’t have a match; he may be on the (free on YouTube) pre-show battle royal

This show is setting up to be a Very Big Deal. It’d be nice for the lucha guys to have a great match and I’m fairly sure they will, but also it’ll still be hard overshadowed on this one. GCW is likely to throw everything at the wall for this one.

Jonathan Gresham versus Bandido to determine an undisputed ROH champion will take place on ROH’s show on Friday 04/01. That seemed the likely outcome once ROH announced they were indeed going to run that weekend. Ian Riccaboni, ROH’s unofficial director of “making sure it makes sense”, explained if Gresham loses his version of the ROH title before 04/01 the new champion will replace him. Bandido is not defending his ROH title outside of ROH.

Rey Mysterio Jr. will be on the cover WWE 2K22, which I thought was announced a while back but was given a bigger run this past Thursday as part of the big rollout due to a March release. The WWE 2K series has been notoriously poorly received for bad gameplay in recent years. Rey’s not pushed much in WWE nowadays but he’s still one of the most well-liked wrestlers, so he’s being used in a high-profile way to change people’s perceptions of the game. Hopefully it’s good this time, wouldn’t bet on it.

Coliseo Morelos, which got attention for running shows approved by the local authorities but not by the lucha libre commission for health reasons, has announced they’ll go on pause due to the rise in cases.

Hijo del Espectro is raffling off a mask to make some money as he recovers from an injury on 12/25.

There’s a Puebla lucha libre bodybuilding contest on 02/19 being run by Centella de Oro.

LuchaWorld has this week’s Lucha Report.