CMLL
Former CMLL referee Tigre Hispano (Ventura Lahoz, 85) passed away today. He was a referee for the promotion from 1987 to 2014, usually wearing a tiger-stripped arm sleeve and occasionally working as a slightly rudo referee. Tigre Hispano was originally from Spain, which inspired the name. Like many Mexican referees, he started his career as lighter weight wrestler. The 60s and 70s magazines always singled him out as a star of Arena Lopez Mateos, to the point where he was the only thing mentioned from those show. That building was not affiliated with EMLL and he was a lightweight, so there wasn’t room to grow. He did make at least one appearance as a wrestler in Toreo de Cuatro Caminos in 1978 and worked some non-Mexico City EMLL shows. Tigre Hispano also married Lupita Blancarte, the first winner of an annual “queen of lucha libre” competition, a huge thing at the time that feels impossible to explain now. Tiger Hispano stopped wrestling in the late 80s, started referee and also was part of the CMLL programming team for a period around 1993, though I’m not sure how long that last part lasted. Tigre Hispano is best remembered by recent fans for being the oldest and slowest of the CMLL old slow referees. His last decade was infamously poor. CMLL’s reputation is for holding grudges against people for a long time, but they’re equally as loyal to people, and they were extremely loyal to Tigre Hispano in continuing to give him work as a referee eons longer than any other wrestling promotion would’ve kept him around. It was only after Tigre Hispano was too injured to continue working as a referee after a freak collision with Angel de Oro that CMLL stopped using him. (Tigre Hispano said CMLL paid for knee surgery and kept him employed as a referee for another year even though they weren’t using him, before he took a retirement offer.)
CMLL is back on TicketMaster Live tonight. The main event is Averno, Templario, Volador Jr. vs Gran Guerrero, Soberano Jr. and Ultimo Guerrero, which should end in apuesta challenges. Princesa Sugehit defends the CMLL World Women’s championship against Dark Silueta, who’s attempting to win a fourth concurrent title. (She seems unlikely to get it tonight.) Next week’s the start of the Leyenda de Plata, so probably nothing much else being set up.
Blue Panther is off tomorrow’s Arena Coliseo show, replaced by Star Jr. That Saturday show has Panterita defending the Mexican Lightweight Championship against Inquisidor, Sunday has Angel de Oro doing the same with the Light Heavyweight Championship against Dark Panther. Both champions are strongly favored to retain; the Sunday title change is maybe slightly more likely to see a title change, but everyone would still be surprised.
CMLL announced the second Leyenda de Plata block. Both of them, on more time
07/15
- Titan (CMLL WELTER)
- Hijo del Villano III
- Panterita del Ring Jr. (MEX LIGHT)
- Magia Blanca (MEX WELTER)
- Rey Cometa
- Negro Casas
- Dragon Rojo Jr. (CMLL MIDDLE)
- Soberano Jr.
07/22
- Dulce Gardenia
- Fugaz
- Audaz
- Star Jr.
- Volador Jr. (NWA WELTER)
- Templario (MEX MIDDLE)
- Coyote
- Stigma (CMLL SL)
The gimmick is lightweights, welterweights, and middleweights. Mistico is the only champion of one of those divisions not appearing. It may be officially due to injury, though it appeared he was told he didn’t need to rush back to be a part of this tournament. Barbaro Cavernario, the 2018 winner, is a notable missing name. Not sure if he’s meant to be a middleweight or light heavyweight, CMLL weight divisions are very fuzzy ideas. This group of people should mean some good matches if they get enough time.
recent winners
2021: Titan (over Templario)
2018: Cavernario (over King Phoenix)
2017: Volador Jr. (over Caristico)
2016: La Mascara (over Negro Casas)
2015: Negro Casas (over Dragon Lee)
2014: Negro Casas (over Titan)
2011: Volador Jr. (over Jushin Lyger)
CMLL (SAT) 07/23/2022 Arena Coliseo
1) Diamond, Magia Blanca, Magnus vs Bestia Negra (Jalisco), Difunto, Zandokan Jr.
2) Hera, La Jarochita, Lluvia, Olympia vs Dark Silueta, Nautica (Jalisco), Sexy Sol, Valkiria (Jalisco)
3) Akuma, Dark Magic, Espanto Jr. vs Adrenalina, Explosivo (Jalisco), Fantástico
4) Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa vs Furia Roja (Jalisco), Guerrero De La Muerte, Joker
5) Soberano Jr., Star Black, Star Jr. vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Demonio Maya, Principe Daniel
CMLL is running “Mexico City” versus “Guadalajara” shows in Arena Coliseo (Mexico City) on the 23trd and Arena Coliseo Guadalajara (on the 26th.) Saturday is an odd day to do it, but I’d guess it makes travel easier for the Guadalajara people who are probably working full-time jobs back home. These aren’t the shows for this week, or even next week, but the week after that announced much earlier than CMLL usually announces things. For the sake of the bit, Barbaro Cavernario is a Guadalajara wrestler and Star Black is a Mexico City one.
This will be Mexico City/main roster debuts for Bestia Negra, Explosivo, Valkiria and Guerrero de la Muerte. Joker actually popped up way back in the 2015 En Busca de un Idolo qualifying cibernetico. Fantastico was part of the Super Lightweight tournament back in March. A different wrestler used the name Guerrero de la Muerte in CMLL in the 90s; I haven’t seen it confirmed this is the son of that wrestler, but the ages fit. “Valkyira” is sometimes spelled “Valkiria.” Nautica and Sexy Sol were in a tag team tournament last year you’ve already forgotten.
CMLL (TUE) 07/26/2022 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Ángel Rebelde, Halcón Negro Jr., Optimus, Trono vs Flash, Omar Brunetti, Ráfaga, Vaquero Jr.
2) Adrenalina, Explosivo, Fantástico vs Diamond, Magia Blanca, Magnus
3) Dalys, Lluvia, Sexy Sol vs Dark Silueta, Náutica, Valkiria
4) Akuma, Dark Magic, Espanto Jr. vs Bestia Negra, Difunto, Zandokan Jr.
5) Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa vs Furia Roja, Guerrero de la Muerte, Joker
6) Atlantis Jr., Soberano Jr., Star Black vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Demonio Maya, Principe Daniel
The GDL version of the show, though not with the same crew.
Dandy Garcia, who we have as Stuka Jr.’s brother, is organizing a travel package from Gomez Palacio to the CMLL Aniversario show with a big picture of Stuka Jr. to promote it. Maybe he knows something we don’t.
AAA
Space lists Saturday’s episode as “Domo Madero Part 1” and AAA indeed put out a preview for that show
- Draztick Boy, Dulce Kanela, Mamba vs Aramis, Drago Kid, Komander
- Charly Manson, Heavy Metal, Zorro vs Abismo Negro Jr., Cibernético, Látigo
- Pagano, Pentagón Jr., Psycho Clown vs Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón
I guess Puebla Part 2 will be turning up random day. Space is at the normal 6:30 pm start time and I’ll be back streaming it if nothing comes up.
AAA also announced the July Showcenter lineup:
AAA TV (SUN) 07/24/2022 Showcenter Complex, San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo Leon
1) La Hiedra vs Natalia Marakova
2) Baby Extreme, Komander, Lady Shani vs Diva Salvaje, Dulce Canela, Jessy Ventura
3) Aramis & Jack Cartwheel vs Flamita & Parka Negra
4) Dralistico vs Látigo [Showcenter Tournament, torneo]
5) Laredo Kid & Myzteziz Jr. vs Abismo Negro Jr. & Antifaz
6) Hijo Del Vikingo, Mr. Iguana, Niño Hamburguesa vs Chessman, Puma King, Toscano
The tournament bracket‘s goofed up after four shows, and only two after announcing the bracket. Seems about right. Dralistico was scheduled to face Baby Extreme and Latigo to face Dinamico. Maybe they got byes, but then Taurus should’ve been included in the second-round match. Maybe AAA will release an updated bracket, maybe I’ll retroactively figure out what the tournament was, and maybe it just won’t ever make sense. It’s very possible no one cares about this beyond me because the only people who bother to think deeply about AAA are the people who decide to write about it; everyone else takes for granted its silliness. The “why” is more important; skipping ahead in a tournament is something you’d do if it suddenly needs to take place over fewer shows. But it’s AAA, so it could be for some other reason.
Marakova was supposed to be on show #2 and missed it due to reported travel issues. I presume that’s a women’s tournament match even if it’s listed as one. Still no bracket for those, and it would be surprising if we got one.
There are matches on this show that look really good if we’re going to see it and I think there’s a good chance this one might show up on TV. There are four weeks of blank TV bracketing the Aguascalientes shows, so either AAA is going to air some repeats or this show and the next can slide in before and after. It’s really tough to know with AAA TV this year though; I thought it was going to get easier when we weren’t dealing with no fan shows and it’s not really been that way.
AAA announced four matches for Verano de Escandalo and then just stopped announcing matches. The local promotion has a press conference scheduled for noon on Monday, so we’ll probably get a full lineup there if not prior.
IWRG
The IWRG versus Big Lucha cibernetico from last Saturday is getting attention for out of control it was; the IWRG guys appeared to be upset the Big Lucha guys have the buzz right now and decided to hit Big Lucha guys unexpectedly hard to prove they’re the ‘real’ luchadors. Rob was among those who called it unprofessional. Both Legendario and Eterno are pushing the idea that the Big Lucha guys were disrespectful to the IWRG prior to the match and the IWRG taught them a lesson but pushed back on the idea they were unprofessional. Eterno goes as far as to say the Big Lucha guys are only trained in flips and don’t know how to really wrestle like the IWRG guys. Sometimes, it’s the wrestlers who believe it’s real more than the fans.
IWRG (THU) 07/07/2022 Arena Naucalpan [IWRG, Mas Lucha]
1) Sol & X-Devil b Garra Mortal Jr. & Rey Halcón Jr. 
2) Limbo & Tamilian Vaneesh b Phoenix Kidd & Spider Fly
3) Danno Burns, Legendario, Paymon b Junta, La Estrella, Takuma
4) Tonalli b Cerebro Negro [IWRG IC MIDDLE]
1st defense. Cerebro Negro challenged him to a hair match.
5) Dick Angelo 3G & Puma de Oro Legendario DQ Abismo Negro Jr. & Toxin 
super libre challenges followed
A lot of random foreigners for a Thursday show. Burns is an Irish wrestler, Phoenix Kidd from Indiana and Vaneesh from New York. Instagram has them training Gym Hercules and hanging around Mexico for the month. Phoenix Kidd wrestled on the GHC hardcore show in Guadalajara over the weekend.
IWRG (SUN) 07/10/2022 Arena Naucalpan
1) Spider Fly vs Rey Aztaroth
2) Baby Star & Brillante vs D Andrew & Limbo
3) Aster Boy, Caballero de Plata, Legendario vs Fly Warrior, Fulgor, Hell Boy
4) Cerebro Negro, Cerebro Negro Jr., Dr. Cerebro vs Dick Angelo 3G, Shaun Moore, Tonallli
5) Diva Salvaje, Jessy Ventura, Paymon vs Óscar El Hermoso, Yuriko, Zoy Raymunda
More exoticos in as Jaula de las Locas gets closer.
Other News
LuchaWorld has the latest Lucha Report.
Big Lucha announced they will be introducing a world championship over their next three shows. There will be eight wrestler qualifying tournaments on July 29th and August 26th, and those two winners will join an unspecified number of other wrestlers for a tournament final on September 16th. They showed off the belt but no names were announced. Big Lucha pushed the idea wrestlers from outside of Big Lucha and outside of Mexico (Japan, England, and the US) would compete for the title. My impression is that’s more an aspirational goal than an indication of names that have been locked in. Flamita & Bandido are the favorites, though I think a final would be best as one of those two wrestlers against a big outside name.
I mentioned previously WWE running Mexico City on 10/30 was strange because it’s coming just two weeks after TripleMania and on a weekend where CMLL usually draws well. What I totally forgot about is October 30th is also the LigaMX final this fall. It’s six weeks earlier than usual due to a strange World Cup schedule. That’s going to be a tough day to draw just with nothing special going on, and an impossible one if any of the Mexico City teams make that final. Credit to the El Rompehuesos column for pointing that out. The expectation is WWE will do well because it’s their first show in Mexico City in years, but they couldn’t have picked a more challenging day to make that return.