CMLL
CMLL released Saturday’s Arena Coliseo show on Monday night. They did not reach the 5,000 likes they were requesting before releasing it. I hope to watch this later this week.
CMLL (MON) 04/03/2023 Arena Puebla [El Sol de Puebla, Porra Fresa]
1) Astro & Meyer b Dark Soul & Dreyco
2) Rey Apocalipsis & Siky Ozama b El Asturiano & Novato
3) Millenium, Pegasso, Rey Samuray b Disturbio, Inquisidor, Raider
4) Okumura b Magnus [lightning]
5) Felino Jr., Guerrero Maya Jr., Stigma b Capitán Suicida, Dark Panther, El Hijo del Villano III [Relevos Increíbles]
6) Bárbaro Cavernario, Rocky Romero, Templario DQ Místico, Soberano Jr., Volador Jr.
Templario unmasked Soberano for the DQ.
That’s the second straight week for that finish, so expect a Templario/Soberano singles match next week. It still seems like CMLL is taping the occasional Arena Puebla and not airing it anywhere so we may not see it then. We probably will see it later; Soberano/Templario is running away with the (belated) January match of the month poll. Astral/Suicida is surprisingly doing the same with the February one. CMLL will likely run those matches back next January. I haven’t dug into the numbers but I suspect these polls aren’t getting a lot of votes (they don’t get a lot of attention) and it wouldn’t take much to push them in a specific direction.
Members of Porra Fresa (Stigma, Pegasso, Guerrero Maya, Rey Samuray) signed autographs before the show, which is part of a month long promotion that’ll come to Guadalajara. (This happens in Mexico City too; it’s free in Puebla and Guadalajara.) Members of the Puebla FC soccer team also appeared at the end of the autograph signing, giving Stigma a personalized jersey. Attendance looked open, which could be related to the autograph signing.
Samuray’s 450 is officially known as Giro Samuray.
CMLL (TUE) 04/04/2023 Arena México [CMLL, thecubsfan]
1) Full Metal b Galaxy [lightning]
2) La Magnifica, La Vaquerita, Skadi b Metálica, Olympia, Tiffany
Tecnicas took 2/3.
3) Akuma, Dark Magic, Espanto Jr. b Flyer, Fuego, Hombre Bala Jr.
4) Rugido b El Audaz [lightning]
5) Capitán Suicida, Esfinge, Star Black b Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Sagrado
Capitan Suicida replaced Fugaz late on Tuesday.
6) Atlantis, Valiente, Volador Jr. b Rocky Romero, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero
I was going to catch up on last Friday’s show but then I passed out my couch for a few hours. That caused me to stay up to 1 AM catching on things, then I’ll be tired tomorrow and be behind again. It’s not a great cycle. I watched this while I worked; this also wasn’t a great show. I liked the opener the best because both guys took nutty bumps. Olympia needs to rethink handsprings. Malditos are working on group submissions. Capitan Suicida is strangely now one of the more charismatic guys on the roster; how did that happen?
CMLL (TUE) 04/04/2023 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Astro Oriental, Avispón Negro Jr., Bello Antuan b Canalla, Demonio Maya, Thunder Boy
2) Exterminador, Javier Cruz Jr., Maléfico b Black Boy, Mortiz, Ponzoña Jr.
3) Barboza, Draego, Persa b Atilius, Maximus, Rey Urano
4) Arlequín, Brillante Jr., Gallero b Furia Roja, Guerrero de la Muerte, Ráfaga
5) Dulce Gardenia & La Fashion b Bestia Negra & Cris Skin
challenges followed
6) Euforia & Soberano Jr. b Panterita del Ring & Panterita del Ring Jr.
Guadalajara seems like it drew well. I skimmed through this just to get the results and was confused by Soberano Jr. winning the main event with a frogsplash.
CMLL (SAT) 04/08/2023 Arena Coliseo
1) Angelito, Kaligua, Pequeño Magía vs Pequeño Olímpico, Pequeño Violencia, Pierrothito
2) Neón, Robin, Sangre Imperial vs Grako, Nitro, Raider
3) Lluvia vs Reyna Isis [lightning]
4) Guerrero Maya Jr., Valiente Jr., Volcano vs Difunto, Furia Roja (Jalisco), Zandokan Jr.
5) Dragón Rojo Jr., Euforia, Mephisto vs Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr., Yota
6) Panterita del Ring Jr., Titán, Volador Jr. vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Rocky Romero, Último Guerrero
Nothing is happening so there’s nothing to write about here. Women’s lightning matches are rare.
CMLL (SUN) 04/09/2023 Arena México
1) Micro Gemelo Diablo I, Micro Gemelo Diablo II, Micro Sagrado vs Micro Ángel, Mije, Periquito Sacaryas
2) Valiente Jr. vs Neón [lightning]
3) Crixus, Magia Blanca, Magnus vs Akuma, Dark Magic, Espanto Jr.
4) Cancerbero, Felino Jr., Virus vs El Coyote, Okumura, Pólvora
5) Atlantis, Panterita del Ring, Valiente vs Felino, Rey Bucanero, Yota
6) Atlantis Jr., Místico, Titán vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Rocky Romero, Stuka Jr.
Crixus is with Los Depredadores, which seems possibly as a full time thing.
Rocky Romero suggested the idea of a “Azucarmania” show in Mexico this year, featuring wrestlers from CMLL, NJPW, AEW, Impact and the indies. General sentiment seems to be that people would like to see it, but the Mexican fans don’t believe it’s actually possible. There’s also some skepticism if it happened, because previous shows featuring big outside names haven’t drawn well in Mexico, and a belief the CMLL fans will have no idea about people outside of CMLL. I would like to see it anyway. This sound a bit like the All Star Junior festival in the US idea floated earlier, and maybe those two things are related.
Rocky Romero will be on CMLL Informa today, so we might know how much of this is a Rocky Romero idea and how much of it is a CMLL one. Informa also has Mistico, Atlantis Jr. (CMLL Universal block Friday), Zandokan, Difunto, Rey Samuray, Valiente Jr. and Neon scheduled.
AAA
I got very little of Saturday’s show, not enough to really talk about. They’ll have a repeat next week, and I’ll try to get it then. AAA’s airing the Lucha World Cup the next 2-3 weeks, which will be new to most but not to people like me who paid for it on FITE, and that’ll be a good chance to catch up.
The usual 2×1 ticket deal for the next big AAA show has begun. As always, it’s for the cheaper seats.
Lady Shani talked about her upcoming lucha libre/freestyle rap show to ESTO. The article doesn’t seem to mention the date of the show (April 15th, in Mexico City.)
Komander faces Sammy Guevara tonight on AEW Dynamite. The only other time they two have been in a match was last year’s TripleMania Monterrey, where Guevara was in the match technically but not really (for medical reasons.) Komander isn’t yet booked on TripleMania. Hijo del Vikingo also still doesn’t have an opponent. I don’t think AAA’s doing the rematch but I can’t say I know what AAA is doing. AAA does have Vikingo merch now so that’s good.
IWRG
IWRG (SUN) 04/09/2023 Arena Naucalpan
1) Águila Roja vs Rey Astaroth
2) Danessa & Sagitarius vs Dehyna & Satania
3) Brazo Celestial, Brazo Cibernetico, Brazo De Oro Jr. vs Gran Pandemónium, Hijo de Pandemónium, Pandemónium Jr.
4) Puma de Oro © vs Gannicus [IWRG REY DEL AIRE]
first defense
5) Asterboy, Hell Boy, Hijo de Canis Lupus, John Tito, Maniacop 360, Tonalli vs Daisuke Sasaki, Gianna Valetta, Hip Hop Man, Karaoui, Kodai Nosaki, Shocko [Copa High Power]
I haven’t been following DDT so I don’t know why Daisue Sasaki is hanging around Mexico this week (he’s working Lucha Memes as well) but he is here part of a main even Mexico vs the World match. Kosai Nosaki (who actually spells his name with a Z) was traveling around Europe last month and somehow ended up in Mexico; he says he’s expecting to wrestle about 10 times this month. He’s from small Japanese promotion Kyushu Pro Wrestling.
Puma de Oro no-showed his last IWRG title match and IWRG pretended like he didn’t exist, so I don’t know how this title defense is going to go. Brazos/Pandemonium could be promising.
The IWRG Guerra de Golfo show is 04/16, and it’ll be a Mas Lucha premium show.
IWRG , RGR (THU) 04/20/2023 Arena Naucalpan
1) Noisy Boy & Spider Fly vs Kenji & Rey Halcón
2) Faby Apache & Hades (Indie) vs Keira & Lolita
3) Diva Salvaje, Jessy Ventura, Mamba vs Bugambilia, Karaoui, Shocko
4) Coronel Vip vs Hijo de Canis Lupus [RGR HEAVY]
5) Hijo del Pirata Morgan, Pirata Morgan, Pirata Morgan Jr. vs Rokambole Jr., Villano IV, Villano V Jr.
6) ?, Forastero, Hijo de Máscara Año 2000, Sansón vs Pig Decapitador, Pig Destroyer, Pig Destructor, Pig Pool
California RGR running another bigger budget Naucalpan show. I presume the main event was supposed to include Cuatrero, who’s court case is expected to keep him in prison at least into May. Sanson was asked about the situation over the weekend and just said it’s in the hands of God and the laywers. Mascara 2000 Jr. is joining the replacing him in the trio going forward.
Other News
Emperador Azteca will defend the Big Lucha Championship on the 04/16 GLEAT show in Tokyo. Soma Watanbe will challenge.
Record has an interview with Arena CM’s Cristero.
There’s a new book about the lucha libre in Guadajaara. I know nothing about it beyond that photo but I sure would like to get it.