CMLL
CMLL (FRI) 04/14/2023 Arena México
1) Angelito vs Pierrothito [lightning]
2) La Jarochita, Lluvia, Sanely vs La Catalina, Stephanie Vaquer, Zeuxis
3) Guerrero Maya Jr. vs Rugido [lightning]
4) Místico, Titán, Volador Jr. vs Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero
5) Ángel de Oro vs Templario, Panterita del Ring Jr., Sagrado, Fugaz, Esfinge, Magia Blanca, Dulce Gardenia, Rey Cometa, Espíritu Negro [CMLL Universal, semifinal]
I somehow saved over changes I made in this post-Thursday night, so you can pretend I had lots of witty things to say that are now lost to time.
This looks like another good show, if one last in a lot of surprised. Angel de Oro and Templario seem like the only two with a chance of coming out of the national champions block. Anyone else is big news. The semi-main has no stake but a bunch of pieces that should work together. Guerrero Maya is an interesting test for Rugido. The woman’s match is probably setting up something for next week.
CMLL (SUN) 04/16/2023 Arena México
1) Kaligua & Pequeño Magía vs Full Metal & Mercurio
2) Tiffany vs Metálica [lightning]
3) Capitán Suicida, Pegasso, Stigma vs Ángel Rebelde, Crixus, Vaquero Jr.
4) Audaz vs Luciferno [lightning]
5) Esfinge, Panterita del Ring, Star Black vs Gemelo Diablo II, Mephisto, Yota
6) Atlantis, Titán, Valiente vs Ángel de Oro, Bárbaro Cavernario, Niebla Roja
Gemelo Diablo II booked on his own two days in a row, guess something’s up with Gemelo Diablo I. Or CMLL’s gotten them confused.
CMLL (MON) 04/17/2023 Arena Puebla
1) Black Tiger, Brave Star, Rayo Metálico vs Dark Soul, El Hijo Del Perverso, Sombra Diabólika
2) Astral, Eléctrico, Neón vs Espíritu Maligno, Nitro, Prayer
3) Stigma vs Zandokan Jr. [lightning]
4) Atlantis Jr., Titán, Valiente vs Ángel de Oro, Bárbaro Cavernario, Niebla Roja
5) Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero vs Averno, Euforia, Hechicero
Rudos/Rudos main event. I think I’m confused on the Perversos at this point; the one that was here as “Perverso” was the “Hijo del Perverso” prior.
CMLL has a special tournament for the 04/30 Arnea Mexico show, the usual Kid’s Day show. Fans (meant to be kids but could be anyone) can vote for one of three wrestlers in six categories, the winners will be entered in the main event cibernetico and the winner of that takes home El Campeonato de El Embajador de los Ninos. The categories:
- The Most Spectacular: Neon, Capitan Suicida, Panterita del Ring
- The Most Gigantic: Euforia, Volcano, Kraneo
- The Most Rudo: Espanto Jr., Disturbio, Akuma
- The Most Dark: Difunto, Mephisto, Raider
- The Forever Idol: Felino, Panterita del Ring, Satanico
- The International Idol: Atlantis Jr., Titan, Volador Jr.
Voting is open until April 24th. Atlantis Jr. has the most on the line here – he’s got his father’s legacy of the hero of the children to uphold.
Retired CMLL luchadora La Seductora says she was inspired by the Irmas and El Dandy to become a wrestler. She trained in secret, and her parents didn’t like it – they thought lucha libre was only for men. She took a job at a grocery store and the owner helped her out when she was training.
Former San Francisco Giant Hunter Pence visited CMLL.
Arena Coliseo Guadalajara’s Facebook streamed Thursday’s Arena Colsieo Tony Arellano show, because of the Guadlajara wrestlers on it. (It’s also on Angel’s channel.) Maybe we could get Puebla shows airing again if enough Guadalajara wrestlers got booked.
AAA
TripleMania Monterrey is Sunday. You can watch it on FITE; you’re better off buying all three shows if you’re a person who is going to buy them all individually anyway. The show starts at 6 pm CDT (and looks like it’s correct this time around.) It will go up on YouTube eventually, but AAA’s got three or four episodes still left to go up this week and might not put one up this week; you may have to wait to June to see this one for free.
I wrote the usual preview over on Voices of Wrestling (though it’s possible it may not go up for a while.) The shorter version is maybe too obvious: Vikingo match is good (but could’ve been set up better), Marcelo/Chessman is an interesting fiasco, and Laredo Kid/Antifaz could be good if that’s what happens. The rest of the card might be fine but it’s not really interesting. Last year TripleMania Monterrey had four singles matches that were notable because they had tournament stakes involved but not much anticipation for the individual matches themselves. That’s cut down to two matches this year, but they don’t feel much more exciting. The tournament will get bigger in Tijuana, when what’s on the line comes much closer, but right now it’s two cold matches on a show that could use more hot ones.
The more time I’ve sat with it, the more time I’ve thought AAA should’ve just announced whatever apuesta match they’re doing instead of having this cage match to set it up (or done the cage match at a TV show), because that match itself would’ve been a bigger draw than the randomness leading into it. It could just be AAA’s to doing any of the teased matches, and that won’t go well.
On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said Adrian Marcelo will not be at TripleMania – no match, no angle – or in AAA entirely until his sexual assault legal situation gets resolved. Meltzer heard it AAA not wanting to use it, I’d heard Marcelo didn’t want to do it. It doesn’t matter which: he won’t be there and most people won’t realize he won’t be there. AAA’s not outright stating it and I’m not sure they can get people to trust them on that story, regardless.
Likewise, most people (and media) seem to think Babo is wrestling in the Copa Triplemania. I’m sure the plan was him to get involved from the outside, but who knows now – the commission might be on alert for everything.
Konnan said Kenny Omega told him he couldn’t come to TripleMania because he was weighing offers between WWE and AEW. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said Omega’s contract ends in November after being extended for injury. There’s two ways of looking at that conflict: either Omega’s going to be tied up with contract talks well past the last TripleMania of the year, or the story about Omega not being able to work this particular because of an impending contract wasn’t exactly true. Either Omega isn’t able or isn’t interested in AAA, and AAA hasn’t accepted it yet. The best thing Omega can do for AAA is wrestle this match. The second best thing Omega can do is give AAA a direct and blunt ‘no’, and force them to move on. It’s fine, AAA fans will get over it, and it’s better than this hamster wheel.
Space has no AAA show airing on Saturday this week, probably because they’re airing (most of) TripleMania on Sunday. Clarosports will also be picking up some part of the live broadcast, and it’ll turn up on Azteca and Multimedios later on.
Hijo del Vikingo appeared on ROH’s tapings (late) Wednesday night in Milwaukee. My information is Vikingo is expected to be available for AEW/ROH shows going forward. Not sure if he’ll end up as part of the show every week, but expect to see him often.
Laredo Kid and (Black) Taurus reappeared on Impact yesterday. I didn’t see their match advertised ahead of time but it was said to be pretty good. Both of those guys are going to be in AAA when Impact has their PPV this weekend, so it makes some sense Impact didn’t do much with them this time around. I hope there’s a plan and better dates for everyone next time around.
IWRG
IWRG (THU) 04/13/2023 Arena Naucalpan [IWRG, Mas Lucha]
1) Baby Star Jr. & Golden Power b Kenji & Rey Eclipse 
2) Águila Roja & Spider Fly b Rey Aztaroth & Rey Halcón
Aguila Roja challenged Spider Fly to a IWRG LIGHT title match.
3) Aster Boy, Hijo de Canis Lupus, Hijo del Alebrije b Gianni Valleta, Rocky Casas, Shocko
Hip Hop Man helped Shocko beat Canis Lupus
4) Cerebro Negro & Hip Hop Man b Cerebro Negro Jr. & Hell Boy
Cerebro Negro Jr. was Hell Boy’s surprise partner, but betrayed Hell Boy.
5) Pig Destroyer, Pig Destructor, Pig Pool DCOR Gran Pandemónium, Hijo de Pandemónium, Pandemónium Jr.
first time ever match ends with no winner
Not the smartest move by Hell Boy.
IWRG (SUN) 04/16/2023 Arena Naucalpan
1) Baby Star vs Fussion
2) Centurion & Dhanessa vs Arandú (Baja California) & Lady Lee
3) Caballero de Plata, Jhon Tito, Spider Fly vs Mr. Leo, Mr. Mike, Rey Halcón
4) Hell Boy © vs Hip Hop Man [IWRG MEXICO]
first defense
5) Tonalli © vs Brazo De Oro Jr. [IWRG IC WELTER]
first defense
6) Gianni Valetta vs Heavy Metal, Hijo del Alebrije, Heavy Metal, Hijo del Alebrije, Hijo del Pirata Morgan, Rocky Casas, Shocko [Guerra de Golfo, semifinal]
7) Hijo de Canis Lupus vs Puma de Oro, Yorvak, León Dorado, Cerebro Negro, Aster Boy, Manaicop 360, Luka [Guerra de Golfo, semifinal]
8) ? vs ?? [Guerra de Golfo, mask, hair, cage]
This is a Mas Lucha subscriber show; it’s a hard Sunday for that. Brazo de Oro Jr. vs Tonalli should be really good again, though I guess I’ll wait to hear how it goes first.
Other News
Big Lucha returns on April 29th.
Big Lucha (SAT) 04/29/2023 Arena Big Lucha, Iztapalapa, Distrito Federal
1) Súper Boy vs Metal Shadow
2) Aero Queen vs La Brava vs Diosa Nix
3) Elipse & Iku vs Steel Dragón & Vórtice
4) Forneo vs Black Skayde
5) Orbita vs Viajero vs Mr. Win vs Tirano
6) Limbo, Sol, Torito Negro vs Cometa Maya, Ekko, Radioactivo
7) Bendito, El Bandido, El Potro de Oro, Emperador Azteca, Galeno del Mal vs Atomic Star, Demonio Infernal, Fresero Jr., Trauma I, Trauma II
The poster again lists the show as Arena Big Lucha and not Bandido’s Gym, though it’s the same building. Black Generation and Golden Guns are teaming against Negocio Traumado, which disguises some changes in those teams. Extasis is out of Big Lucha (and presumably Delta Force), Cometa Maya & Radioactivo team with Ekko instead. I’m not sure who Ekko is. The buzz for this promotion has fallen off a cliff this year, hope they can find something here.
Demonio Infernal has been out with injury but returned on the New Exotic card last weekend.
LuchaWorld has this week’s Poster-Mania.
Fenix will return to AAW on 05/06.
An interview with San Luis Potosi luchador/mask maker Bogar.