Soberano & Stigma win on Arena Puebla anniversary show, Gran Prix announcements this afternoon, Mistico/NJPW Strong

CMLL

CMLL (MON) 07/18/2022 Arena Puebla [Contacto DeportivoTelediario]
Arena Puebla 69th Anniversary
1) Dr. Karonte I, Dr. Karonte II, Enfermero Jr. b El Malayo, Rey Apocalipsis, Siki Osama
2) Arkalis, Guerrero Maya Jr., Pegasso b Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa
Fuerza Poblana asked for a MEX TRIOS title match
3) Stigma © b Diamond [CMLL SLFacebook video (posted by )
3rd defense
4) Fuerza Guerrera, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero DQ Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Terrible
5) Soberano Jr. b Volador Jr. Facebook video (posted by ) Volador Jr. VS Soberano Jr. | 69 Aniversario de la Arena Puebla (posted by )
Soberano won with the fire driver

I’ve stopped paying much attention to the Arena Puebla Facebook videos because it’s usually only the last few minutes of a match posted. A fan posted the complete Soberano/Volador match and it’s worth watching. It’s not a MOTYC or anything, but it’s great crowd interaction, rudo Volador feuding with two Soberano fans in the front row with other people also involved.

CMLL (TUE) 07/19/2022 Arena México [Box y Lucha, CMLL, Cronista del RingKaiser SportsMarca]
1) Átomo & Chamuel b Micro Ángel & Micro Gemelo Diablo I Chamuel y Átomo Vs Micro Gemelo Diablo II y Micro Ángel en el CMLL (posted by La Tijera Lucha Libre)
One of the Micro Gemelos was replaced by Micro Angel; The Gladiatores says it was Gemelo I who wrestled, La Tijera says it was Gemelo II.
2) Dr. Karonte I, Grako, Nitro b Cachorro, Leono, Suicida Nitro, Grako y Hermano Karonte I Vs Cachorro, Suicida y Leono en el CMLL (posted by La Tijera Lucha Libre)
Dr. Karonte I replaced Cholo. Rudos took 2/3.
3) Amapola, Reyna Isis, Tiffany DQ La Guerrera, La Jarochita, Princesa Sugehit Reina Isis, Amapola y Tiffany Vs Jarochita, Princesa Sugehit y La Guerrera en el CMLL (posted by La Tijera Lucha Libre)
straight falls. Jarochita unmasked Isis in the second.
4) Blue Panther, Dark Panther, Panterita del Ring b Hijo del Villano III, Pólvora, Rey Bucanero Blue Panther, Panterita del Ring y Dark Panther Vs Rey Bucanero, Hijo del Villano III y Pólvora (posted by La Tijera Lucha Libre)
tecnicos took 2/3
5) Soberano Jr., Stuka Jr., Volador Jr. b Atlantis Jr., Dragón Rojo Jr., Terrible Soberano Jr, Volador Jr y Stuka Jr Vs Atlantis Jr, Terrible y Dragón Rojo Jr en la Arena México (posted by La Tijera Lucha Libre)
tecnicos took 2/3. Stuka & Atlantis feuded but did not figure into the third fall finish.

The sound and video weren’t sycned on this show and I haven’t had a chance to fix it yet; maybe it’ll go up on the drive tonight. It doesn’t seem like it’s something that needs to be watched soon.

CMLL (TUE) 07/19/2022 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Arena Coliseo Guadalajara, De Golpes y Caidas, Fuego en el RIng]
1) Huitzil, Jhonny Dinamo, Temerario b Obelisk, Persa, Raven
Team Huitzil took 1/3
2) Crixus, Omar Brunetti, Vaquero Jr. b Bobby Black, Destructor, Quka
Team Crxus took 2/3.
3) Demonio Maya, Omega, Principe Daniel b Cris Skin, El Divino, Joker
Team Daniel took 1/3.
4) Dalys, Metálica, Sexy Sol b Dark Silueta, Náutica, Vaklyria
Dalys beat Silueta, asked for a MEX WOMEN title match.
5) Fuerza Guerrera & Satánico b Felino & Negro Casas
challenges followed
6) Esfinge & Fugaz © b Averno & Zandokan Jr. [MEX TAG]
2nd defense

Dalys had an announced match in Japan for the last week of July so next week probably has to be it for her for now. She already has the CMLL Japan title so she doesn’t necessarily need to win the Mexican women’s championship.

CMLL (FRI) 07/22/2022 Arena México
1) Oro Jr., Sangre Imperial, Valiente Jr. vs Disturbio, Enfermero Jr., Inquisidor
2) La Vaquerita, Marcela, Skadi vs Dalys, Dark Silueta, Stephanie Vaquer
3) Cavernario, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero vs Euforia, Hechicero, Mephisto
4) Volador Jr. vs TemplarioStar Jr.El CoyoteFugazEl AudazStigmaDulce Gardenia [Leyenda de Plata, semifinal]

Not really much going on here outside of the Leyenda de Plata, and that’s not a very deep group. Coyote won the Gran Alternativa at the right time; he wouldn’t have been considered for this tournament prior and he could make it a long way just by the lack of other rudos. Anyone beyond Templario or Volador is a big surprise.

CMLL announced Mistico will appear on NJPW Strong/USA’s 09/11 Autumn Attack show in Las Vegas. The biggest story here is NJPW has decided autumn starts two weeks early and they need to be stopped. These shows do not air live, but cycle Mistico follows Negro Casas appearing on the recent Los Angeles tapings and Mascara Dorada technically being a CMLL-affiliated wrestler appearing regularly with NJPW Strong.

NJPW’s Misterioso challenged Mistico to a match. It’d make sense for Mistico to work with someone with lucha libre experience on that show; if you’re bringing him in as a special attraction, you’d want to make him look as good as possible. This Misterioso has also previously implied CMLL’s blocked him from going to NJPW because they have their own Misterioso, so that might be a politically tough match. Or maybe not, since CMLL Misterioso doesn’t appear to be around CMLL right now.

NJPW’s evolution to their current Strong sub-promotion took place during the early pandemic, so there hasn’t been a lot of opportunity for wrestlers to travel between that group and CMLL much so far. It’d make sense if the Gran Prix was the start of some NJPW Strong wrestlers heading to Arena Mexico, but I have no idea if they’ll be announced today.

CMLL did mention Microman beating Chamuel in their daily apuesta match countdown, so not mentioning Zeuxis in Princesa Sugehit’s mask situation seems like a situation specific to Zeuxis.

Those Gran Prix names will be announced later today on CMLL Informa. I have no idea what to expect, outside of one minor NJPW name that has been talked about for weeks as coming in. The Informa preview is mostly the CMLL tecnico minis to hype up their match on Sunday. Volador Jr. & Soberano Jr. are on and probably on the CMLL team, thocouldey could also talk about Leyenda de Plata.

The CMLL names most suggested for this match in the limited replies I got on Twitter:

  • Templario
  • Hechicero
  • Volador Jr.
  • Soberano Jr.
  • Barbaro Cavernario
  • Angel de Oro
  • Mistico
  • (Titan is already announced)

It seems unlikely one Chavez brother will appear without the other, though I’m not sure who gets bumped off. I’d like to see at least one fresh name – a Panterita del Ring Jr. or a Coyote or someone unexpected – just to give each year a different feel. Still, it’s been three years since CMLL had one of these Gran Prixs, just doing it is going to feel new.

AAA

AAA (SAT) 08/06/2022 Explanada Malltertainment, Puebla, Puebla
1) La Parkita & Octagoncito vs Mini Gronda & Parkita Negra
2) Aramis, Drago Kid, Komander vs Diva Salvaje, Dulce Canela, Jessy Ventura
3) Reina Dorada & Sussy Love vs Chik Tormenta & Flammer
4) Aerostar & Drago vs Dave The Clown & La Parka Negra
5) Arez & Myzteziz Jr. vs Carta Brava Jr. & Chessman
6) Hijo Del Vikingo, Mr. Iguana, Niño Hamburguesa vs Estrellita, Puma King, Sam Adonis

AAA posted this on Friday and I should’ve had this in the post on Monday. This is the same local AAA taped back in May. It appears to be something similar to the Showcenter monthly events as an periodic attraction for a venue. There’s no “TV” logo on it, and my presumption is these aren’t being taped. They are calling it Campeonato Explanada, so it’s possible another one-off belt comes out of this as they keep running shows.

Cibernetico will be honored on Verano de Escandalo as part of AAA honoring a different wrestler on each big show.

Dralistico’s “@CMLL_Mistico” account seems to be suspended, so he’s now on Twitter as @Dralistico_LFI. The former Mistico never had the blue verified check so there was nothing stopping from just changing his name earlier, he just never got around to it until something forced him. No idea what got the account suspended, though I’m sure CMLL likes that no one’s able to accidentally reference the wrong Mistico. Dralisico is more of a Instagram user.

IWRG 

IWRG (THU) 07/21/2022 Arena Naucalpan
1) Legado & Rey Minos vs Rey Astaroth & Súper Boy
2) Baby Star & X-Devil vs La Estrella & Takuma
3) Caballero de Plata, Noisy Boy, Vértigo vs Hell Boy, Limbo, Yorvak
4) Aster Boy, Diva Salvaje, Imposible vs Paymon, Puma de Oro, Tonalli
5) Dick Angelo 3G vs Abismo Negro Jr. [IWRG JUNIORS]
first defense

The title match was set up last week. Caballero de Plata/Hell Boy goes on.

ESTO has an interview with La Pandemia, who said they did a backyard wrestling match with lighttubes recorded by their aunt when they were younger.

Other Notes

LuchaWorld has this week’s Poster-Mania and the latest Lucha Report.

Angel put together a YouTube Playlist of the best matches he’s recorded in Torreon this year.

Big Lucha World tonight has Bendito vs Elemental and Extasis vs Viajero in the semifinals on of their qualifier tournament.

Laredo Kid faces Johnny Swinger on Impact’s BTI tomorrow. The live report on that match was not positive.

Andrade & Ric Flair will wrestle Jay Lethal & Jeff Jarrett in the main event of the 07/31 Ric Flair final match show.

El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. will wrestle in NOAH’s N1 tournament from August 11 to September 3. He’s a long shot at winning but a good sign for him that he remains important enough to make the field.

AAW announced Laredo Kid & Gringo Loco for their 09/01 show, which is the same weekend as AEW’s All Out.

MLW will run in Norcross, Georga on 09/18 in partnership with Mucha Lucha Atlanta, according to Lucha Libre Online. That follows an August show partnering with 915-656 in El Paso. I wonder if a) is MLW going like AAA and partnering with a local promotion for their tapings? and b) MLW says hit pause until a new TV deal came through and, if that’s true, maybe it could be a Spanish language one.

Rayman & El Gallo held a contract signing for a 10/01 mask match. I still struggle to believe the long-time Guadalajara rivals are actually going through with this (and going through with it at a growing but small local area), but they treated it seriously like it was definitely happening.

Identitida Puebla visits Puebla’s Arena Coliseo San Ramon.

Zeta Tijauna interviews la Familia de Tijuana.

An interview with Orizaba’s Billytronik, who retired as an in-ring wrestler in 2021 but currently works as a masked chef.

Box y Lucha 3510D+ writes about CMLL and Lourdes Grobet. “D+” means it’s a second straight digital-only issue, which they’ve done in the past.