CMLL
CMLL (FRI) 12/23/2022 Arena México [CMLL, Estrellas del Ring, Kaiser Sports, R de Rudo, The Gladiatores, The Gladiatores (video), thecubsfan]
1) Full Metal b Pequeño Magía [lightning] 
6:19.
2) Valiente Jr. DQ Oro Jr., Neón, Bengala, Retro, Milenium (Puebla), Zandokan Jr., Apocalipsis, Difunto, Nitro, Inquisidor, Príncipe Odín Jr. [cibernetico] 
26:56. Order of elimination: Odin (via Milenium), Retro (Zandokan), Inquisidor (Valiente; Inquisidor appeared to suffer a shoulder injury on the finish), Bengala (Difunto), Milenium (Nitro), Apocalipsis (Oro Jr.), Difunto (Neon), Neon (Nitro), Nitro (Valiente), Oro Jr. (Zandokan) and Zandoakn was DQed for removing Valiente Jr.’s mask.
3) Dalys, Faby, Princesa Sugehit DQ Marcela, Reyna Isis, Stephanie Vaquer [Relevos Increíbles]
14:31. Straight falls, the second when Marcela was DQed for accidentally missile dropkicking referee Edgar (and got a visual pin while Edgar was down.) Marcela asked for a rematch, Faby suggested instead a singles match on 01/01. Marcela accepted
4) Negro Casas, Soberano Jr., Titán b Averno, Templario, Yota
17:47. Negro Casas replaced Mistico (moved up) on Friday
5) Místico & Panterita del Ring Jr. b Gran Guerrero & Raider [Gran Alternativa, final]
19:29. Mistico replaced Volador (COVID) on Friday; Panterita del Ring Jr. becomes first Gran Alternativa winner to have two different partners.
Panterita del Ring and Raider did great in the main event. Panterita seemed like he got slightly hurt early on, decided that wasn’t going to stop him from doing pretty much everything, and pulled it off. Raider helped save Panterita a couple of times. Mistico and Gran Guerrero worked hard and deferred to their younger partners at the right time. It came off exactly as CMLL must’ve hoped to win; a success at making someone a new star.
Panterita (and Mistico) made a point that the win was also for Volador for helping him get there.
This was a strong night for the future of CMLL. The promotion is still not hot and isn’t drawing big crowd – maybe around 5,000 people for this show – but there are encouraging signs. CMLL’s big problem in recent years was lack of depth (made worse by Munoz and NGD departure) and lack of fresh matchups. The big 2022 project was moving Atlantis Jr. up. You can see more people coming. Zandokan looks very promising, so much in that he should win the cage match to lend it extra credibility if they’re going to keep running it every New Year’s Day. Difunto and Neon looked great, the guys in the main event looked great. (I’d put Stephanie Vaquer in that list too, but I’m certain she’s going to get picked up by someone in the US or Japan before CMLL is ready to push her.) CMLL still lacks that one great feud or popular act to take get hot again, and that’s probably what 2023 will be about. If they can find it, 2022 will go down as a success in setting it up.
No Saturday show this week.
CMLL (SUN) 12/25/2022 Arena México [CMLL, Kaiser Sports]
1) Mercurio, Minos, Pierrothito vs Angelito, Shockercito, Último Dragóncito
2) Micro Gemelo Diablo I, Micro Gemelo Diablo II, Micro Sagrado b Átomo, Chamuel, Periquito Sacaryas
debut of Micro Sagrado. Los Micro Malditos took 2/3.
3) Hijo del Villano III, Sagrado, Yota b Esfinge, Fugaz, Star Black
rudos took 1/3
4) Cavernario, Gran Guerrero, Templario b Atlantis, Hijo de Octagón, Octagón
Rudos took 2/3, Gran Guerrero unmasking and cradling Atlantis in the third.
5) Atlantis Jr., Místico, Volador Jr. b Euforia, Hechicero, Mephisto
Tecnicos took 2/3
I’m still assuming Micro Sagrado is the former Micro Angel. I don’t have that confirmed so I haven’t put in the database yet, but there’s almost no one else it can be – they don’t have more Micros.
CMLL (TUE) 12/27/2022 Arena México
1) Acero, Aéreo, Shockercito vs Full Metal, Pequeño Olímpico, Pequeño Violencia
2) Flyer, Fuego, Volcano vs Enfermero Jr., Kráneo, Okumura
3) Magia Blanca, Magnus, Rugido vs Akuma, Dark Magic, Raider
4) Guerrero Maya Jr., Pegasso, Stigma vs Felino, Felino Jr., Rey Bucanero
5) Euforia, Místico, Soberano Jr. vs Hechicero, Templario, Valiente [Relevos Increíbles]
Raider does get moved up after his Gran Alternativa semifinal, though there’s a lot of people in the second match who usually go a little bit higher. Flyer is back in Mexico City after a month in the penalty box. Enfermero Jr. is also back for the first time in about 4 weeks; he continues to disappear for random stretches.
CMLL (FRI) 12/30/2022 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Estrella de Jalisco I, Estrella de Jalisco II, Obelisk, Último Ángel vs Persa, Ponzoña Jr., Raven, Temerario
2) Micro Gemelo Diablo I, Micro Gemelo Diablo II, Micro Sagrado vs Átomo, Chamuel, Perico Zakarías
3) La Magnifica, Náutica, Princesa Tiger, Sexy Sol vs Maligna, Nexy, Stephanie Vaquer, Valkiria
4) Ángel Rebelde, Draego, Optimus, Trono vs Cris Skin, Furia Roja, Guerrero de la Muerte, Ráfaga
5) Barboza, Bestia Negra, Difunto, JKR vs Leo, Omar Brunetti, Omega, Vaquero Jr.
6) Dark Panther, Dulce Gardenia, Místico vs Averno, Felino Jr., Zandokan Jr.
A random Guadalajara show.
CMLL (FRI) 12/30/2022 Arena México
1) Angelito, Kaligua, Último Dragóncito vs Mercurio, Minos, Pierrothito
2) La Jarochita, La Vaquerita, Princesa Sugehit vs Dalys, Hera, Reyna Isis
3) Esfinge, Fugaz, Star Black vs El Coyote, Hijo del Villano III, Pólvora
4) Atlantis, Negro Casas, Soberano Jr. vs Hechicero, Mephisto, Yota
5) Ángel de Oro & Niebla Roja © vs Titán & Volador Jr. [CMLL TAG]
7th defense
It’s strange to advertise Volador as appearing while he’s being pulled off other shows. Soberano replaces Volador tonight in Puebla, so maybe he’s the standby tag challenger. Either way, that could be on one of the best matches of the year on the last CMLL show of the year.
The previous Chavez vs Volador/Titan match in January won the match of the month voting. CMLL announced they would repeat it on 01/06 with Guerrero Maya in Volador’s spot (because Volador was unavailable). Now I wonder if this is meant to be that rematch and if something else will go on 01/06.
CMLL clearly thinks Yota is Good by the way they position him, though it’d be nice if they gave him at least one spotlight match while he’s still around. He’s listed as wrestling in Germany next month, so it may not be much of a longer stay.
Many odds and ends for a Friday night card, with some familiar names not around. Panterita Jr. is back in Torreon for the week, so no follow-up there.
AAA
Tay Melo and Sammy Guevara are likely off Wednesday’s Noche de Campeones show; she’s announced for a match on Dynamite and has made it clear on Twitter thats’ the show she’s working. Melo had previously said they missed the Ciudad Madero show due to visa issues but would definitely appear on 12/28. The second half of that story appears now false, and it’s hard to believe the first part either. AAA’s fully aware the AAA Mixed Team Champions will not be appearing on their show but has not acknowledged the issue. AEW had proceeded as if nothing is strange is going on. I tend to believe eit’s an AAA issue, because it always ends up being an AAA issue.
It would probably be best if Guevara & Melo just handed those tag belts over to someone to take back to AAA for them. I do not expect them to return to AAA any time soon. The counter is I don’t think AAA cares about these mixed tag team belts anyway; they seem to exist as just a way to squeeze more people onto the show in an early match. The titles are only useful in that the wrestlers themselves seem to care about it, but the mixed titles could go the way of the Minis championship (quietly shelved) and it wouldn’t make much of a difference.
AAA aired Best of 2022 material this week and next. I had trouble recording the show anyway, but there wasn’t anything that people needed to see before Wednesday’s show.
IWRG
IWRG (SUN) 12/25/2022 Arena Naucalpan [Mas Lucha]
1) Baby Star & Kenji b Jhon Tito & Rey Minos 
2) Cerebro Negro b Hell Boy
hair match challenges followed
3) Puma de Oro b Spider Fly
bonus match
4) Tonalli b Jessy Ventura © [IWRG IC WELTER]
4th defense. Title change. Tonalli had previous said he was finished up with IWRG.
5) Paymon L Gran Pandemónium, Pandemónium Jr., Cerebro Negro Jr., Rocky Casas, Vaquero Fantasma, Yorvak, Cerebro Negro, Spider Fly, Jhon Tito, Hell Boy, Black Fury, Lolita, Hijo de Pandemónium, Rey León, Hijo del Alebrije, Hijo De Canis Lupis, Puma de Oro, Oficial AK47, Oficial 911 [ruleta de la muerte, mask, hair]
Wrestlers sorted into four groups, set into an order, and groups were selected randomly selected to send a wrestler in once one got a win for 1v1 matches (including group members facing each other.) Cerebro Negro replaced Diva Salvaje, Jhon Tito replaced Keyra, Hell Boy replaced Mamba. Order of escape: Gran Pandemonium (beat Pandemonium Jr., who insisted on being pinned), Pandemonium Jr. (Rocky Casas), Cerebro Negro Jr. (Rocky Casas), Rocky Casas (Vaquero Fantasma), Vaquero Fantasma (Spider Fly), Yorvak (Spider Fly), Cerbero Negro (Spider Fly), Spider Fly (Jhon Tito), Jhon Tito (Black Fury), Hell Boy (Black Fury), Black Fury (Lolita, who clearly kicked out early), Rey Leon (Lolita), Hijo del Pandemonium (Rey Leon), Rey Leon (Hijo del Alebrije), Hijo del Alebrije (Hijo de Canis Lupus), Hijo de Canis Lupus (Puma de Oro), Puma de Oro (Paymon), Oficial 911 (faked a foul from Paymon), Oficial AK-47 (Paymon) leaving Paymon as the loser
I watched the whole Ruleta de la Muerte. You do not need to watch the Ruleta de la Muerte unless you too are looking to figure out the results. (And the substitutions; you can tell it’s back to normal because there were subs all over the place when people couldn’t make their second or third bookings of the night.) It was a 40 minute match but it was really mostly a series of under 3 minute matches, feeling like the section of a cibernetico where everyone takes turns beating the last person. There was no obvious advantage to the format outside of getting to do a light show to show who was coming in next. The Oficials have only turned up in IWRG the last few years to lose (or to run their own angles) so it was a genuine surprise AK-47 beat Paymon. It still didn’t get much of a reaction.
If you’re confused about Tonalli, so I am. He still is promising big news in 2023.
IWRG , RGR (SUN) 02/05/2023 Arena Naucalpan
1) Noisy Boy & Spider Fly vs Jhon Tito & Rey Halcón
2) Big Mami & Diosa Quetzal vs Goya Kong & Keyra [Copa Femenil RGR]
3) Coronel Vip & Galeno del Mal vs Hijo De Canis Lupus & Rey León
4) Jessy Ventura vs Diva Salvaje, Mamba, Máximo, Paymon, Pimpinela Escarlata, Bugambilia, Zoy Raymunda [RGR EXOTICO]
5) Hijo del Pirata Morgan, Pirata Morgan, Pirata Morgan Jr., Rey Bucanero vs Pig Decapitador, Pig Destroyer, Pig Destructor, Pig Pool
6) Hijo de LA Park, LA Park, LA Park Jr. vs Diamante Azul (Indie), Hijo del Fishman, Rey Espectro
This is far into the future but RGR seems excited about it; it’s their second-anniversary show. Rey Espectro is back here for the first time after vacating his heavyweight title in a situation that never made complete sense. Rey Bucanero’s match here would be his first since 2006, because CMLL wrestlers generally aren’t allowed to wrestle on Arena Naucalpan shows. This is listed as a Mas Lucha premium show.
Big Lucha
AAA , Big Lucha (SUN) 12/25/2022 Centro Civico Nueva Aragon, Ecatepec, Estado de México [Big Lucha, Mas Lucha]
1) Metal Shadow & Night Fury b Diamante Rojo & Uzumaki
2) Carito, Sexy Star, Sussy Love b Goya Kong, Nix, Reina Dorada
3) Cometa Maya, Éxtasis, Radioactivo b Action Jackson, Black Skayde, Forneo
4) Argenis, Carta Brava Jr., Iku, Vengador b Elipse, Niño Hamburguesa, Orbita, Panic Clown
Ditto betrayed the AAA wrestlers costing them the match. Elipse and Orbita appear to be part of Los Locos Evans now.
5) Gravity, Pagano, Rey Horus b Bendito, Elemental, Emperador and Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón
6) Bandido © b Hijo Del Vikingo [Big Lucha CHAMP]
said to be a great match. 3rd defense.
This didn’t stream live. It was (probably) taped but it may be a while before anyone sees it. They usually don’t do much meaningful on these outside shows, so Orbita & Elipse joining a faction is surprising
Other News
Box y Lucha 3533 has Panterita del Ring Jr. and Scott Steiner. They’re not publishing again until 01/16.
A wrestling tattoo competition was won by a tattoo of El Hijo del Perro Aguayo. A KeMonito tattoo came in second.