Volador & Angel de Oro both advance in Copa Independencia, AAA Hard Rock, IWRG apuesta matches

CMLL

CMLL (FRI) 09/09/2022 Arena México [CMLL, Estrellas del Ring, Kaiser Sports, Publimetro, R de Rudo, The Gladiatores, The Gladiatores (videos), thecubsfan]
1) Astral, Panterita del Ring Jr., Suicida b Dark Magic, Inquisidor, Raider  
19:55.
2) La Jarochita, La Vaquerita, Lluvia b Amapola, Reyna Isis, Tiffany    
14:26. Tecnicas took 2/3. isis & Jarochita feuded.
3) Atlantis, Atlantis Jr., Dragón Rojo Jr., Último Guerrero DQ Averno, Fuerza Guerrera, Soberano Jr., Stuka Jr. [Relevos Increíbles]    
14:34. Straight falls. Fuerza unmasked Atlantis, and the rest of his team unmasked the rest of the other team after.
4) Ángel de Oro & Volador Jr. b Cavernario, Gran Guerrero, Fugaz, Esfinge, Gemelo Diablo I, Sagrado [Copa Independencia, semifinal]    
33:01. Elimination order: Fugaz (via Esfinge, 5:08), Cavernario (Gemelo Diablo II, 7:02), Esfinge (Sagrado, 10:50), Sagrado (Volador Jr., 12:15), Cavernario (Gran Guerrero, 14:57), Gran Guerrero (Angel de Oro, 21:07) and then Angel de Oro & Volador collapsed on the ramp following back and forth Canadian Destroyers and were both counted out. CMLL ruled both advanced to face Mistico next week.

That double countout in a tournament block final may have never happened before; no one could come up with a previous occurrence. It doesn’t make a lot of sense for one reason (Mistico should get the win, Volador and Angel de Oro are losers), but it’s also just not something CMLL would consider doing before this different 2022. The crowd and I lost interest when they got to the final three of this match and teammates Volador and Gran Guerrero inexplicably started fighting and pinning each other. Angel de Oro and Volador worked long and hard enough to win enough of the crowd back. Last week was still the easily superior block. Volador won the Gran Prix, Mistico won the Universal tournament, perhaps Copa Independencia will be Angel de Oro’s time to shine.

The middle matches were the usual build-up matches a week out. Panterita del Ring Jr./Raider is quickly becoming a must-see match-up. This is really Raider’s rookie year, and he should be in rookie of the year consideration.

CMLL (SAT) 09/10/2022 Arena Coliseo [CMLL]
1) Kaligua, Shockercito, Último Dragóncito b Full Metal, Mercurio, Pierrothito
tecnicos took 2/3
2) Cachorro, Oro Jr., Valiente Jr. b Dr. Karonte I, Dr. Karonte II, Enfermero Jr.
tecnicos took 1/3
3) Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa b El Coyote, Felino, Okumura
tecnicos took 1/3
4) Hombre Bala Jr. & Robin b Cholo & Disturbio [Arena Coliseo TAG]   
3rd defense (1st on a normal CMLL show)
5) Euforia, Hechicero, Mephisto b Negro Casas, Titán, Volador Jr.

Disturbio being in a title match means you can see the full match on Distubrio’s wife’s YouTube channel. (You can see all his matches there.)

CMLL (SUN) 09/11/2022 Arena México [CMLL]
1) Fantasy & Pequeño Magía b Pequeño Polvora & Pequeño Violencia
2) Grako, Inquisidor, Nitro b Leono, Retro, Sangre Imperial
3) Hijo del Villano III, Kráneo, Rey Bucanero b Audaz, Flyer, Volcano
4) Mephisto, Niebla Roja, Terrible b Dark Panther, Guerrero Maya Jr., Star Jr.
5) Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero, Volador Jr. b Euforia, Soberano Jr., Titán

A normal Sunday show.

Today’s Puebla show features the Puebla versus Guadalajara matches. It is not stream, at least not any more than usual. I asked and was told on Twitter it was a COVID limitation. (If you’re optimistic, maybe you can hope Puebla streams will return one day after those COVID restrictions have been lifted.) The Puebla team has been wearing the same blue and white color scheme as the local soccer team and Guerrero Maya was encouraging Arena Puebla fans to show up in blue tonight to support them.

CMLL (TUE) 09/13/2022 Arena México
1) Oro Jr., Sangre Imperial, Valiente Jr. vs Dr. Karonte I, Dr. Karonte II, Enfermero Jr.
2) Angelito, Shockercito, Último Dragóncito vs Full Metal, Minos, Pierrothito
3) La Guerrera, Marcela, Princesa Sugehit vs Amapola, Dark Silueta, La Metálica
4) Diamond, Magia Blanca, Rugido vs Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Sagrado
5) Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Terrible vs Cavernario, Dragón Rojo Jr., Gran Guerrero

It’s unusual for Angel de Oro and Dragon Rojo to work a Tuesday before the Aniversario. Maybe this card was put together a month ago and they weren’t working the Aniversario there, or maybe they’re just being random.

CMLL hasn’t published the official poster for the Aniversario, but we know the lineup now:

CMLL (FRI) 09/16/2022 Arena México
1) Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa © vs Arkalis, Guerrero Maya Jr., Stigma [MEX TRIOS]
third defense
2) Negro Casas, Star Jr., Titán vs Euforia, Hechicero, Mephisto
3) Místico vs Ángel de Oro vs Volador Jr. [COPA INDEPENDENCIA]
winner of 09/02 block (Mistico) vs winner of 09/09 (Angel de Oro & Volador tied)
4) La Jarochita vs Reyna Isis [mask]
5) Atlantis & Fuerza Guerrera vs Averno & Último Guerrero and Atlantis Jr. & Stuka Jr. and Dragón Rojo Jr. & Soberano Jr.
Dragon Rojo replaced Templario on 08/30 (shoulder injury)
6) ? & ?? vs ??? & ???? [relevos suicidas, semifinal]
7) ? & ?? vs ??? & ???? [relevos suicidas, semifinal]
8) ? & ?? vs ??? & ???? [relevos suicidas, final]
9) ? vs ?? [mask]

It’s officially Aniversario week, which means some time around Thursday people who don’t follow lucha may realize there’s a big show this week. CMLL’s Gran Prix was a lot of fun and this looks like an easy winner. There’s not an on-paper match of the year, but crowd reactions like that Gran Prix may make a huge difference. I’m still picking Atlantis Jr. over Stuka but I don’t feel absolutely certain about it.

A few floor seats have popped up for Aniversariso show, so CMLL must’ve decided to sell some they were planning on giving away. The grandstands remain open and it’s impossible to tell how many have been sold. I’ve additionally seen people trying to flip tickets on Twitter, which I can not recall seeing prior for a CMLL show but does fit with the sense a lot of tickets were quickly purchased in hopes of resale. If you found yourself in Arena Mexico Friday night, I think there’s still a good chance you’ll be able to find a ticket if you’re willing to pay enough for it.

The Copa Independencia match is likely to be the “pick a ball of the bag to decide a singles match” rule CMLL did earlier this year, not three people in the ring. (Perhaps Informa will clarify this.) This is a 5 pm start. I’m going to keep repeating that all week so I don’t forget. Obviously, a 5 pm start is going to make it tough to watch live for people who live in some times zones (and maybe easier in others.)

Fuerza Guerrera, in an interview promoting the Aniversario, says Octagon will die alone with nothing but his request for 15 million pesos for a mask match. They seem like great friends.

ESTO continues their Aniverasrio interviews with Dragon Rojo, Stuka, and Averno. Rojo said one of his disappointments when he was out of wrestling was never having main evented an Aniversario show. He was a guy who absolutely was being positioned to do so early on and just never got to that level. Averno mentions the one thing about lucha libre that’s bothers him is about how it’s taken away from many moments with his family.

Mascara Dorada would like to face Mistico in a mask vs mask match at the 90th Aniversario. That’s probably not happening. Can’t hurt to ask.

AAA

AAA on Space this week was the first half of Torreon. The main thing you’d come away from it is Flamita versus Bandido is a big deal feud. That match is currently happening in Big Lucha in a couple of weeks, not AAA, but maybe it’ll be both. The two fought at the start of the show, the middle of the show, and then Flamita popped up in the main event to cost Bandido a chance to win the match. That match (Komander, Bandido, Laredo vs NGD) was the best match on a generally good show. Abismo Negro Jr. & Flamita vs Dragon Lee & Dralistico got good by the end though it took a while to get there. Dralistico’s strange instance of being a tag wrestler is the primary reason he and Dragon Lee have had a fun inconsquential run as a tag team. AAA probably could do more with Dragon Lee on his own, probably couldn’t with Dralistico, and they probably need to book both to get either so this good usage. SB Kento, Brazo de Oro Jr., Dinamico and Emperador Azteca has a typically chaotic fourway and did well with it. It was a strange positioning for the visitor from Dragongate – AAA even used the photo of the wrong Kento in his graphic – but he stood out in the match as more polished than his younger and less traveled opponents. He took the pin, which likely upsets Dragongate fans but means almost nothing here. Those TV taping openers are just holding pens until/unless an idea comes up. The announcers pushed the idea that SB Kento was now working with Crazy Boy, so that’s an idea, just one that got no explanation until it was already ongoing.

Psycho Clown noted the debut of Brazo de Oro Jr. in his Record column this week, and called him his “sobrino.” That’s nephew. The AAA announcers were also making a point of calling Brazo de Oro Jr. a fourth-generation wrestler. I’ve always though he was a third generation wrestler – his name is Brazo de Oro Jr. after all – but Psycho Clown and the AAA announcers obviously know better. Luchawiki has him as the grandson of Brazo de Oro so this must’ve come up before and I’m just drawing a blank.

AAA TV (SAT) 09/10/2022 Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya, Puerto Aventuras, Quintana Roo [En Directo QROO]
1) Guardián, Kaotico, Príncipe Cometa b Blackie El Guerrero, Corsario Jr., Tizoc 
2) Aramis & Arez b Komander & Látigo
3) Flammer, La Hiedra, Maravilla b Lady Shani, Reina Dorada, Sexy Star
4) Mr. Iguana, Niño Hamburguesa, Willie Mack b Dave The Clown, Dinámico, Emperador Azteca
Microman was with the tecnicos. Hiedra got involved with the match and kissed Iguana.
5) Laredo Kid & Taya b Christi Jaynes & Johnny Caballero
Las Toxicas attacked Taya after the match
6) Dragón Lee & Dralistico b Hijo Del Vikingo & Myzteziz Jr.
Myzteziz Jr. replaced Octagon and took the pin from Dragon Lee.
7) Pagano, Pentagón Jr., Psycho Clown b Parka Negra, Taurus, Villano III Jr.
Villano IV unmasked Penta after the match.

Every AAA taping is the one I’m sure I’m going to get results for and then then they turn up anyway. Toxicas attacking Taya is hope for Flammer getting that title shot (except for TV rarely setting up anything at TripleMania.) V4 was on the trip to as part of the plane/travel package promotion so AAA did an angle with him. The show seemed to draw well, though it’s a smaller capacity and a whole different financial setup than usual for a show like this. These episodes will air on September 24 and October 1st, likely with a lot of footage of hanging out around the resort.

No sign of the press conference for TripleMania Mexico City yet. AAA usually announces cards a month in advance, but maybe doing it off the resort weekend is too much. There are no announced tapings between now and TripleMania (though there is a Showcenter card on 09/25.)

All AAA TV episodes in 2021 are available on video streaming site Canela.TV. Canela appears based in the US; I presume anyone can see the shows but I haven’t checked. AAA is listed as “3 seasons” but it’s just the 2021 shows split into 20 episode chunks. Those episodes on had already been switched to private on AAA’s YouTube channel, so this deal might have happened some time ago. I don’t recall AAA ever announcing it; I only noticed it because Canela’ Twitter account promoted it on Saturday.

TripleMania Tijuana aired on EstrellaTV affiliates on Friday. EstrellaTV had announced that date for that show way back when the Monterrey show aired, but it hadn’t been mentioned again. Neither AAA or EstrellaTV mentioned TripleMania was going to air until the show had already been on for an hour long. (It wasn’t even listed as “TripleMania” in my cable listings.) Like with the Canela deal, you hope the goal was “AAA gets a nice check for content they’ve already produced” rather than “AAA hopes to expand their footprint”, because these outlets don’t appear to be large enough to capture many new viewers. TripleMania Mexico City will air on Estrella TV on 11/11; I’ve set myself up a reminder to remind you then.

There’s a local advertisement for a TV taping on 12/17 in Tampico. They taped there back in March and June; it’s unusual for AAA to run the same venue for TV three times in a year. A 12/17 taping date typically means it’ll be the first taping to air in January. We’re already discussing 2023 plans, kinda frightening.

IWRG

IWRG (SUN) 09/11/2022 Arena Naucalpan [IWRG, Mas Lucha]
1) Rey Aztaroth b Águila Oriental 
2) Baby Star & Jhon Tito b Kenji & Rey Halcón  
3) Feroz, Paymon, Vértigo b Estrella de Oro, Genex, Spider Fly  
Spider Fly replaced Junta
4) Dick Angelo 3G & Puma de Oro b Bugambilia & Máximo and Asterboy & Tonalli and Nishikawa & Shun Skywalker  
Skywalker and Nishikawa (Dragongate rookie having his first matches in Japan) were added to make this a four-way elimination match. Jaucan and Tonalli/Aster Boy continue to fued.
5) Caballero de Plata & Hijo del Alebrije b Hell Boy & Hijo del Pirata Morgan  
Alebrije pinned Morgan, will challenge Morgan for the IWRG Rey del Ring along side Hijo del Fishman on 09/16
6) Cerebro Negro, Cerebro Negro Jr., Dr. Cerebro b Oficial 911, Oficial AK47, Oficial Fierro [super libre]  
Cerebro Negro & Cerbero Negro Jr. and Oficial AK47 & Fierro agreed to a hair/mask vs hair/hair match for 09/18

Lots being set up for a short time span: a hair match on 09/16, a double apuesta match on 09/18, and and promos all night long for the Mas Lucha show on 09/22. I presume no Thursday night show this week because of the show on Friday night (and almost no one anywhere runs shows on 09/15; that’s a family party night.)

My understanding is Shun Skywalker happened to come to Mexico anyway yesterday and then just went to Naucalapan to see if he could pick up a booking. That also may be why he was in such an incidental role; being Dragongate champion doesn’t travel well to Mexico but Skywalker was used well in IWRG last time around. There was a moment in that fourway where Skywalker looked like he got dropped on his head and and referee Reyes was super concerned. Skywalker was laughing with a fan a minute later. This was greatly entertaining since no one got hurt. Nishikawa looked green even by IWRG standards, throwing him in a four-way in a foreign language may have been a bit too much for him at this point. Hijo del Alebrije looked good in his return match and I assume “Hijo del Alebrije suddenly returns to IWRG” and “Hijo del Alebrije suddenly gets a title match” are related factoids.

Other News

Seemingly new Polling service Mexico Elige published a bunch of Facebook-driven polls in time for Mexico’s Independence Day. The very last question they appear to have asked was on lucha libre. About 50% of the respondents said they’d gone to a lucha libre show. 28% of the respondents said they liked lucha libre, compared to 56% who said they didn’t. (13% were in the middle, the rest had no opinion. The text in tweet has the result reversed.) That 28% isn’t far off from past polls asking people their favorite sports, it’s just usually not displayed with 56% against it.

Dragon Lee & Dralistico won the vacant The Crash tag team titles on Friday in Tijuana. I’m sure it doesn’t matter but I still wonder if they’ll bring those belts to AAA. Dr. Wagner Jr., wrestling in his mask but unmasking after, won the main event by DQ over LA Park & DMT Azul. Pierroth was scheduled but didn’t appear. The promotion didn’t explain anything. Both TJ Sports and Zona Ruda’s recaps speculate that Pierroth working that one AAA show made him off limits to The Crash, even though The Crash booking was announced well before the AAA booking. Dragon Lee & Dralistico would seem to have too much leverage to be prevented from working where they want, at least for now. An undercard tag match (Toto, Lunatik Extreme vs Proximo, Alas de Oro Jr.) didn’t happen due to suspensions. TJ Sports says Toto & Extreme were suspended. Zona Ruda mentions heavy rains shut down a highway and prevented Proximo from making the show. Turnout was said to be good.

Blue Demon Jr. declared the Blue Demon TV show was “99.9% fake.” This was also evident to anyone who watched the Blue Demon TV show, which came off as a period drama where one of the main characters was a luchador and was just using Blue Demon and his wife’s names to make it feel important. (At the time, Hijo del Santo had said he was offered the same show and turned it down. Santo also said he he was working on more authentic version of his father’s history and that’s never gone anywhere.) In other interviews, Demon Jr. has claimed he owns the rights to “Blue Demon Jr.” and his non-wrestling brother owns the right to “Blue Demon” and it was that side of the family who made the TV deal.

Mas Lucha announced both the 09/17 Arena Lopes Mateos show and 09/22 Arena Naucalpan show (no lineup yet) will be Mas Lucha Premium broadcasts, along with the 10/06 Torneo Supremo a few weeks later. There hasn’t been many non-Naucalpan shows as part of the subscriber package. The main event for that Arena Lopez Mateos is Blue Demon Jr. & DMT Azul vs LA Park & Pagano, all four names though guys who work a lot in Mexico City (though not as much with Pagano.) Maybe the draw there is more than it’s live show and those are a little bit more rare than they used to be. Anyway, if you’re going to subscribe, you can get three shows if you do it on Saturday.

Fredo reposted lucha libre-related content from his retro site over on LuchaWorld this weekend. The recap of a lucha libre focused Contrapunto episode  – the famous show where Santo shows his face days before he’d pass away – is definitely worth a read.

Segunda Caida praises Rayo de Jalisco Jr. vs Blue Demon Jr.

New Star unmasked Psicotico Xtreme on a show in Tampico Saturday. Psicotico Xtreme is Oscar Iraim Chavez, 25, 19 years a wrstler, from Tampico.