CMLL
CMLL (TUE) 06/07/2022 Arena México [CMLL, Estrellas del Ring, Kaiser Sports, The Gladiatores]
1) Pequeño Olímpico, Pequeño Violencia, Pierrothito b Angelito, Shockercito, Último Dragóncito 
2) Enfermero Jr., Nitro, Raider b Astral, Cachorro, Leono
Leono replaced Electrico (leg injury) Tuesday morning.
3) Dark Silueta & Reyna Isis b La Jarochita & Lluvia
Rudas want a tag title shot
4) Dark Panther, Guerrero Maya Jr., Star Jr. b Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Terrible
Guerrero Maya & Start Jr. asked for a tag title shot, which seemed agreed to for next week.
5) El Coyote, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero b Averno, Dragón Rojo Jr., Mephisto
Coyote replaced Rey Bucanero on Monday. Team Guerrero took 2/3. UG used the ropes to beat Averno, challenged Averno to a hair match agian.
CMLL only pushed the men’s tag title match as happening. The women’s one seemed less definite. I’m a little concerned about UG continuing to challenge Averno for a hair match for cage match reasons.
Electrico posted a photo with his right leg totally wrapped. He appeared to suffer a serious injury on Friday. There’s not yet an indication of the injury or how long he’ll be out.
CMLL (TUE) 06/07/2022 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Arena Coliseo Guadalajara, Fuego en el Ring]
1) El Divino, Jhonny Dinamo, Mágico b Gran Kenut, Jabalí, Tigre Blanco
2) Bestia Negra, Furia Roja, Guerrero de la Muerte b Javier Cruz Jr., Mr. Trueno, Rey Trueno
3) Demonio Maya, Difunto, Principe Daniel b Adrenalina, Explosivo, Fantástico
4) Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Sagrado b Cris Skin, Crixus, Joker
Sagrado punched a fan in the face after the match ended, triggering a brief brawl.
5) Dulce Gardenia, Rugido, Volador Jr. b Bárbaro Cavernario, Dark Magic, Okumura
Cavernario betrayed his teammates. Principe Daniel & Demonio Maya ran out to back him up, while Zandokan Jr. allied with Magic & Okumura (so probably a trios title match coming up)
It’s really unclear why Sagrado punched the fan. They definitely had words before the punch, but it’s also Sagrado going out of his way to confront the fan as soon as the match ends. Myself and others looked for some prior incident between them and haven’t found one. This normally means about a three-month suspension from that building, but it also may depend on how viral the clip goes and how much CMLL seem it as an embarrassment. It was already being passed around this morning so it may be a thing.
Both Fuego en el Ring (which works for CMLL) and Mas Lucha covered the show. Neither mentioned the fight.
CMLL (FRI) 06/10/2022 Arena México
1) Oro Jr., Sangre Imperial, Valiente Jr. vs Disturbio, Grako, Inquisidor
2) El Audaz, Suicida, Volcano vs Cancerbero, Hijo del Villano III, Luciferno
3) Cavernario, Stuka Jr., Titán vs Fugaz, Negro Casas, Terrible [Relevos Increíbles]
4) Atlantis & Atlantis Jr. vs Flyer & Volador Jr. and Euforia & Soberano Jr. and Espíritu Negro & Rey Cometa [Copa Dinastia, battle royal]
5) ? & ?? vs ??? & ???? [Copa Dinastia, semifinal]
6) ? & ?? vs ??? & ???? [Copa Dinastia, semifinal]
7) ? & ?? vs ??? & ???? [Copa Dinastia, final]
The first two matches are a lot of people you may have forgotten exist if you only watch Friday shows. Tercera is Titan’s return to Mexico. The best part of the card is there are only 7 matches, so those tournament matches should get a decent amount of time. I’d like to see Euforia/Soberano vs Atrapsuenos to see what that’s like. Team Atlantis seems the favorite.
Someone in CMLL did realize “a four-person over-the-top seeding battle royal” doesn’t make sense. That’s great. The less great part is CMLL changed it to a pinfall/submission elimination seeding match last time they had one. I still believe they’d be better off announcing matches ahead of time; just pick some balls out of a bag.
This show will stream on TicketMaster Live
CMLL (SAT) 06/11/2022 Arena Coliseo
1) Bengala & Cholo vs Apocalipsis & Leono [Relevos Increíbles]
2) Fantasy, Kaligua, Pequeño Magía vs Full Metal, Minos, Pequeño Polvora
3) La Magnifica, Marcela, Skadi vs Dalys, La Seductora, Tiffany
4) Arkalis, Guerrero Maya Jr., Stigma vs Akuma, Dark Magic, Espanto Jr.
5) Atlantis, Stuka Jr., Titán vs Felino, Fuerza Guerrera, Gran Guerrero
Fuerza Guerrera working a Saturday show (and also Monday in Puebla) suggests he’s going to be around regularly. The chances of Guerrera putting his mask on the line – or some 2013-like scenario where two apuesta matches compete to see which one happens this year – greatly increase if he’s a regular.
The opener being a relevos increibles seems like something to appeal only to the most diehard of CMLL people possible.
CMLL (MON) 06/13/2022 Arena Puebla
1) Millennium & Rey Samuray vs Espíritu Maligno & Fuerza Chicana
2) Astral & Valiente Jr. vs Rey Apocalipsis & Siki Osama
3) La Jarochita & Lluvia vs Metálica & Reyna Isis
4) Negro Casas, Stigma, Volador Jr. vs Cavernario, Dragón Rojo Jr., Fuerza Guerrera
5) Gran Guerrero, Terrible, Último Guerrero vs Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Sagrado
Sagrado bookings are all subject to change, obviously.
CMLL Informa has Titan (BOSJ), Guerreros & Gemelos Diablos (Copa Dinastia) and Guerrero Maya, Stigma and Arkalis (more team Puebla?) scheduled today. Sagrado is often with the Gemelo Diablos but they’re hyping up the tag tournament; that’s not a reaction to last night’s events.
Los Depredadores appeared together at Wednesday’s media event, so the official lineup is for the moment is Volador, Magia Blanca, Rugido, Magnus, Diamond, Dark Silueta, and Mercurio. Diamond’s the one we haven’t been sure about.
A CMLL show outside near Monterrey on Saturday has a main event of Atlantis, Audaz, Star Jr. vs Dragon Rojo Jr., Nitro and Fuego. It’s CMLL Fuego who’s pictured. He’s not appeared in CMLL since March 2020. Julio Cesar Rivera mentioned in 2021 that Fuego would be back after the pandemic, but it seemed unlikely the longer it went. (Fuego complaining about his push and seemingly being punished in booking also suggested he might have wanted out.) There’s no other indication Fuego is back.
Daniel Aceves held a press event with CMLL luchadors (Mephisto, Guerrero Maya Jr., Atlantis, Atlantis Jr. and Negro Casas) to thank the promotion for participating the international day of sport and to promise to send two lucha libre proposals to Mexican senate. They are the two most brought up proposals: a national lucha libre commission and a pension for luchadors. I’ve read about luchadors and people around lucha libre asking for a national commission in magazines as early as the 1960s, and it’d probably go back earlier if I had access to 50s and 40s news sources. I’m no longer sure if it’s a good idea or bad idea, just that it’s an idea forever being proposed and never being acted on. Daniel Aceves, as an Olympic medalist, can get attention for these press conferences and it was covered in many outlets. Aceves has a better chance than most in getting movement on his but it still seems unlikely.
Coloso, the group that brought CMLL wrestlers to Tijuana, said they’ll be back again on July 29th.
AAA
In a shocking development, AAA released a bracket for the men’s Showcenter tournament on Tuesday. The general concept is a 24 person tournament
- 12 singles matches for the first round
- 4 triangle matches as the quarterfinals
- 2 singles matches as the semifinals
- 1 single match final
The graphic lists this as a “Winners Bracket”; there’s no obvious place where a loser’s bracket winner would come in, so that may be an outdated concept. This tournament has definitely gone through a lot of ideas and names before this form. ASF, mentioned in the WON a few days ago as being in this tournament, is not in the current tournament field. It’s fair to expect this as a starting point that’ll be changed as things occur from now through December.
The remaining men’s first round matches
- Dragon Lee vs Jack Cartwheel (06/26)
- Villano III Jr. vs Komander (scheduled for 06/26 but had not been listed as a tournament match)
- Fenix vs Flip Gordon
- Dralistico vs Baby Extreme
- Dinamico vs Latigo
- Bandido vs Christopher Daniels of AEW
- Abismo Negro Jr. vs Arez
- Laredo Kid vs Puma King
Daniels works some independent dates but also is part of AEW (& ROH’s ?) talent relationship departments. Those two roles seem to overlap at times. Daniels wrestling well known free agent Bandido should be a good match but is obviously interesting for those other reasons. Arez/Abismo is the Viper explosion. Every time I post about Flip Gordon on Twitter people chime in to let me know they hate Flip Gordon but AAA still loves him. I dunno about Dralistico/Babe Extreme.
Sketching the rest of this schedule
- two first round matches one the June, July, August, and September shows
- two quarterfinals in October and November
- semifinals and finals on the December show
The women’s tournament is still unknown. If it’s going to be 24 women as well, it’s no surprise they’re reaching out to people who haven’t been in AAA to find enough names to fill it. There’s only one women’s match on the next show so it may be something like a 16 person tournament instead.
AAA posted an hour preview special of TripleMania Tijuana. This show was aimed at new fans and people with a very low awareness of AAA; it’s probably a lot of stuff you already know if you’re into lucha libre enough to be reading this blog. The challenge is to get people who aren’t already interested in AAA to watch an hour long video about AAA; if they get the fans to watch, it’ll work, they just have to get the fans there. This special is being reaired on FITE over the weekend and that’s where the fans who need to see it while find it. Denise Salcedo also posted a half hour interview with Konnan on Tuesday and that one might reach a more broader fanbase.
They did mention the five-way match and Konnan repeated that both the Latin America championship and Cruiserweight championship were on the line. (Dorian Roldan had said the same, then the poster listed without the title match.) The way it was explained here, Laredo and Taurus could become double champions while the other had a chance just to win one title. That might mean you have to pin a champion to get their title or it might have been just a very=bal typo, it’s always hard to know. The titles and the rules are entirely unimportant, the concept is “we’ll throw all the good guys we have in a match to go for a big star rating.”
I’m very late on this one. Marty Elias appeared on the May 18th Chris Jericho podcast, and mentioned that he started with AAA on May 1st. Elias was the lead referee for Lucha Underground and had been out of wrestling. He said he’d be working TV and PPVs for AAA and started on May 1st, though it sounded like he expected to be watching and learning at first. AAA’s been using Hijo del Tirantes and Piero as their primary referees, with the older Tirantes also pitching in time from time. (Former AAA referee Copetes Salazar left early this year and seems to be working for Robles among other places. A local referee worked the opener of the most recent Showcenter card.) AAA refereeing has never been great – the quality has been purposefully bad for much of AAA’s run as a way to get heat – but I’ve already written a lot about the increased problems this year. An English-speaking referee and better equipped to be a part of the faster action matches AAA’s running seems like the best idea to fix those quality issues. Elias being hired the day after Hijo del Tirantes struggled with the finish of the Vikingo/Fenix versus Young Bucks match is amazing timing, though I’d guess this had been in the works for a while prior.
IWRG
IWRG (THU) 06/09/2022 Arena Naucalpan
1) Baby Daddy & Sol vs Garra Mortal & X-Devil
2) Artemiz & Therius vs Casandra & Satania
3) Freelance vs Puma de Oro
4) Aster Boy, Luka, Noisy Boy vs Fly Warrior, Fulgor, Mike
5) Gran Pandemónium, Hijo de Pandemónium, Pandemónium Jr. vs Diva Salvaje, Jessy Ventura, Mamba
rematch from 05/29
The previous match seemed to set up a title match, but nothing’s on the line Thursday. Likewise, Freelance & Puma de Oro have been making lots of challenges lately.
Other News
LuchaWorld has the latest Lucha Report and this week’s Poster-Mania.
Expo Lucha returns this weekend, this time at Philadelphia’s 2300 (ex-ECW) Arena. They’re running shows on Saturday and Sunday in addition to the meet and greets and such. The Saturday show is planned to be on FITE, though no link is up yet.
Expo Lucha (SAT) 06/11/2022 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1) Mach 10, Razerwyng, Último Ant vs Azriael, Decimus, Smiley
2) ASF vs Gringo Loco (Indie), Súper Astro Jr. ©, Aeroboy [PWR JH]
3) Lady Maravilla & Sam Adonis vs Keyra & Mr. Iguana and Papadon & Reina Dorada
4) Arez & Black Taurus (Indie) vs Fightmare & Lince Dorado
5) Astrolux & Psicosis I vs Damián 666 & Demus
6) Laredo Kid vs Dragón Lee
7) Súper Crazy vs Último Dragón
That’s a good show. If it does stream, I’m probably not going to stream AAA live this week – I’d rather just watch this.
Retired Puebla luchador Danger (Gabriel Mendoza) passed away on June 6th, according to SuperLuchas. This Danger wrestled in the 70s and 80s as a heavyweight. SuperLuchas has him retiring in 1986 due to a leg injury; someone using that name was still active for a couple years later. He shows up mostly in Arena Puebla, but started to get Mexico City work at Arena Coliseo and Arena Neza in 1985 and 86.
The story of missing Acapulco luchador Sexy Lola has gotten some wider attention because the original story said he was an AAA luchador and everyone else has run with that idea. Sexy Lola wrestled on AAA spot shows in Acapulco a handful times, usually teaming with whatever AAA exoticos were booked, but doesn’t appear to have ever been employed by AAA. (That’s led to articles like this “facts about the missing Sexy Lola” quick article for cheap clicks, where most of the facts are just wrong.) There’s no update about Lola’s disappearance or why hir friends and family were so concerned to take the streets after a day.
The full Hijo del Santo vs Demogorgon commercial for Stranger Things 4 is now up on YouTube.
MLW announced Bandido challenging Alexander Hammerstone for the MLW title on their June 23rd show in New York. MLW also recently canceled a July 16th Chicago taping date. They currently have nothing announced past this date, though they’ve hinted at running Florida soon.
Monterrey’s Lucha Libre Femenil announced a show in Saltillo, Coahuila, it’s first of the year. They’ve rarely run shows away from Monterrey, and are apparently choosing to do so to get away from the current commission.
Centro, Tabasco restarted their boxing and wrestling commission, with retired luchador Torbellino in charge of both.
Vanguardia announced their 3rd Anniversary show for 07/02. Pirata Morgan, Octagon and Electro Shock are on the poster.