CMLL
CMLL (FRI) 06/09/2023 Arena México [AS, CMLL, FDDE, Kaiser Sports, MedioTiempo, R de Rudo, Record, The Gladiatores, thecubsfan]
1) Raider b Diamond [lightning]
7:48.
2) Difunto, Furia Roja (Jalisco), Zandokan Jr. b Guerrero Maya Jr., Rey Samuray, Stigma
13:11.
3) La Jarochita, Lluvia, Sanely DQ La Catalina, Stephanie Vaquer, Zeuxis
7:22. Zeuxis unmasked Jarochita, setting up a singles match between the two
4) Atlantis, Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr. b Euforia, Soberano Jr., Valiente [Relevos Increíbles]
11:20. Atlantis submitted Soberano Jr., then Gran Guerrero & Stuka attacked him.
5) Hechicero DQ Mephisto
11:17. Straight falls. Euforia interfered to break up a Hechicero submission, allying himself with Mephisto in the split. Hechicero declared he was done with the Infernales name in a post match interview.
6) Dragón Rojo Jr., Místico, Último Guerrero DQ Templario, Titán, Volador Jr. [Relevos Increíbles]
16:36. Mistico’s mask came off on a springboard plancha, which got Titan DQed and set up a singles match. (The idea might have been for Titan to unmask Mistico, but it didn’t come off that way.) Templario/Dragon Rojo feuded but only mildly and in the background.
The main event being focused on Titan working heel against Mistico, and not at all about the feud that seems like it’s main eventing this building in three months, was an odd feeling. The finish didn’t come off well, but next week should be fun.
I suspect CMLL’s heading to a new Los Infernales team being announced as part of the 06/30 Satanico/Fantastica Mania show, but no idea where this is leaving Hechicero. The crowd has no idea what they were supposed to think about the match and didn’t get into it at all. There were angles in four matches on this show, which is a tremendously busy card for CMLL. The matches themselves weren’t great.
CMLL (SAT) 06/10/2023 Arena Coliseo [CMLL]
1) Retro b Bengala [lightning]
2) Amapola, Hera, Olympia b La Guerrera, La Vaquerita, Maligna
3) Futuro b Nitro [lightning]
4) Akuma, Dark Magic, Espanto Jr. b Audaz, Fuego, Hombre Bala Jr.
5) Cancerbero, Luciferno, Rey Bucanero, Virus b Dark Panther, Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa
6) Blue Panther, Octagón, Titán b Ángel de Oro, Dragón Rojo Jr., Niebla Roja
Nothing notable here.
CMLL (SUN) 06/11/2023 Arena México [CMLL]
1) Leono b Inquisidor [lightning]
2) Cachorro, Capitán Suicida, Valiente Jr. b Oro Jr., Robin, Sangre Imperial
3) El Coyote, Okumura, Pólvora b Adrenalina, Explosivo, Fantástico
4) Misterioso Jr. b Flyer [lightning]
5) Dragón Rojo Jr., Star Jr., Titán DQ Hechicero, Soberano Jr., Templario [Relevos Increíbles]
Templario unmasked Dragon Rojo for the DQ
6) Atlantis & Atlantis Jr. b Felino & Felino Jr. [Copa Dinastia, quarterfinal]
7) Dr. Karonte I & Místico b Panterita del Ring & Panterita del Ring Jr. [Copa Dinastia, quarterfinal]
8) Dr. Karonte I & Místico b Atlantis & Atlantis Jr. [Copa Dinastia, semifinal]
The Karonte family faces the Stuka family next week.
Maybe Mistico was chill about not getting the Aniversario main event because he knew this was coming? The only way Dr. Karonte I making the final is a good idea is to keep Mistico happy. They’re surely beating the Stukas next week.
CMLL (TUE) 06/13/2023 Arena México
1) Micro Gemelo Diablo I, Micro Gemelo Diablo II, Micro Sagrado vs Átomo, Chamuel, Mije
2) La Guerrera & La Vaquerita vs Amapola & Tiffany
3) Magia Blanca vs Pegasso [lightning]
4) Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa vs Akuma, Dark Magic, Espanto Jr.
5) Blue Panther, Dark Panther, Panterita del Ring vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Kráneo, Rey Bucanero
6) Panterita del Ring Jr., Titán, Valiente vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Euforia, Mephisto
The stats say Akuma & Rey Cometa have wrestled 7 times in Arena Mexico this year but it feels like so much more. Match 3 could set up a title match. Match two is listed as an incredible partners match (so maybe something changed.)
CMLL (FRI) 06/16/2023 Arena México
1) Galaxy, Shockercito, Último Dragóncito vs Mercurio, Pequeño Polvora, Pierrothito
2) Fuego, Hombre Bala Jr., Volcano vs El Coyote, Okumura, Pólvora
3) La Jarochita vs Zeuxis [lightning]
4) Esfinge, Fugaz, Star Black vs Difunto, Hijo del Villano III, Zandokan Jr.
5) Atlantis Jr., Star Jr., Volador Jr. vs Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Templario
6) Místico vs Titán
Mistico and Titan are 1-1 in singles matches, though this is the first time they’re wrestling outside of a tournament. The fifth matchis the new trios champions together.
Arena Coliseo Guadalajara says their next Sunday show will be June 25th.
Costa Rica’s CWE announced their summer schedule in a Facebook post. (Box y Lucha also reposted it.) NJPW’s KUSHIDA is listed as wrestling in Costa Rica on Saturday, 08/19. That’s the same day as NJPW’s US All Star Junior Festival, a curious date for KUSHIDA to be outside the US. CWE and CMLL seem to work together on dates, so that KUSHIDA CWE date also might indicate the Gran Prix is around that time with KUSHIDA part of it. Middle of August is usually Gran Prix time anyway, though I suppose KUSHIDA’s appearance could be a coincidence.
AAA
Saturday, Rush announced on Facebook that he and his father had left AAA immediately. This means he’s currently off the 07/15 Tijuana show, where his tag match with LA Park against Sam Adonis & Psycho Clown was the most anticipated match for Mexican fans. Most of Rush’s message was declaring to LA Park that he’d do the mask versus hair match as soon as a real promoter gave them a real deal, not a ruleta or other mechanic. Dralistico posted a salute to Rush’s message on his own Facebok page, but did not talk about his own status with AAA. On Sunday, LA Park posted a video urging Rush to put aside whatever issue he has with AAA and work the match in Tijuana for the people. AAA has not acknowledged any of this as of press time.
AAA probably should get out in front of this and at least put out a “we’re working on it” nothing statement, but it may be for the best that they’ve said nothing at all. AAA is surely very upset with Rush, but AAA is also figures to work with Rush again sometime down the road – be it years from now or a few weeks from now. This blow is happening in June, the show isn’t for a month, there is always a decent chance this is just Rush drama that’ll work itself in short order and the match will be back on.
(I guess I should also take a moment to note AAA has done multiple work shoot angles this year to get attention. It doesn’t seem likely, and there’s only downside to telling people one of the biggest stars of your shows will not be there, but I guess I need to note it as a possibility.)
Rush’s reasons for quitting are a mystery. He seems to shift blame towards AAA for not giving him the big match with LA Park, but Rush also had to have known that wasn’t the plan when he agreed to this tournament. Rush looks terrible for bailing on TripleMania Tijuana like this, though that doesn’t seem like something that would bother Rush much. Rush working TripleMania Tijuana is a good payday, and it seems strange he’d pass on it. Rush could’ve tried to pull a power play – demanding his dad or his brother or whomever else get booked – but it also seems like AAA would’ve made some creative sacrifices to keep their most marketable match on the card. AAA needs Rush on this card, so it’s hard to determine what AAA would’ve refused to give him. It would almost have to be something AAA couldn’t give him, but we’re just in wild guess territory at that point.
It is totally in character for Rush to just up and leave in the middle of the program. Given their history, it would’ve seemed appropriate for AAA to ask Rush (and LA Park) to put in writing that they would appear for these shows or face some serious penalties. Rush’s statement – that he can just declare free agency – implies he was just on a handshake deal and under no obligation to appear. But also people say things on the internet that aren’t true, so who knows? Whatever this is, it was part of the bargain of keeping LA Park & Rush in the tournament through Tijuana. Those guys are a bigger draw than DMT Azul & Blue Demon, but they were always likelier to do something strange.
There’s no one obvious fix for replacing Rush if he indeed stays off the show. They could switch it to a three-way match, where the winner escapes, and the losing two wrestlers go to Mexico City. They could plug one of the guys eliminated early (DMT Azul, Blue Demon or Alberto el Patron) in Rush’s spot to keep the name value, maybe even going as far as putting Demon & Azul back in since that’s a more ‘realistic’ mask match than LA Park versus any of the three. Maybe Dr. Wagner gets used as LA Park’s other rival. Or maybe it’s a big foreign name brought in as an attraction. The common theme is outside options – no one in AAA full-time could easily be plugged into that spot, and no one seemed to be getting built to the spot. AAA will want to Rush back as long as they’re running three TripleManias a year, and Rush will want to be with AAA as long as he’s working in Mexico. They’re just costing themselves a Tijuana payday by splitting up here.
AAA TV this week was the first half of Morelia’s show. Dralistico & Gringo Loco versus Hijo del Vikingo & Pentagon Jr. was a brawl to get Gringo over as a serious threat. That worked well. I didn’t like the bit earlier where, in setting up the hair versus hair match, Gringo Loco said he didn’t care about the AAA Megachampionship. Better to just to ignore the belt than bury it like that. Lady Shani versus Chik Tormenta had lots of Toxin and Latigo interference early, then they stood outside and waited to interfere Shani was close to winning, then they took each other out (in a terrible spot), and then Tormenta just won anyway. The bigger issue than the interference for me was Shani getting beat up constantly for the first half of the match. Shani needed to give the fans a little more hope she was trying and fight back a little bit because it just became a flat slog when it’s one person in control all that time. Demus, Latigo, and Toxin looked really good as bases with not great material against Mini Vikingo, Estrellita, and Dulce Kanela, who has had better nights.
The women’s match set up a cage match. Wasn’t definite, but seemed to be Toxin, Latigo, and Chik Tormenta (w/Hijo del Tirantes) against Lady Shani and two TBA (w/Tirantes.) Gringo Loco versus Hijo del Vikingo, hair vs hair, was also set up. One of those things about these AAA tapings being so far behind is you can check the next four sets of tapings and see neither of those matches actually happen. AAA did the Shani/Tirantes match last year at Verano de Escandalo in Aguascalientes, and maybe that’s the destination for the cage match. I still don’t know about Vikingo/Gringo. TripleMania Mexico City feels like a title defense, especially since AAA will have another apuesta match booked. Maybe Verano? Maybe some yet to be announced show after TripleMania Mexico City. (It’s happening so early this year that it’s hard to remember there are probably Heroes Inmortales-level shows still happening later.)
Marisela Pena made a Forbes Mexico list of powerful women, which is a useful marketing tool.
IWRG
IWRG (SUN) 06/11/2023 Arena Naucalpan [IWRG, Mas Lucha]
1) Rey Aztaroth b Fussion
2) Sagitarius b Benga Lee
Satania cost Bengalee the match
3) Black Danger, León Dorado, Mr. Leo b Caballero de Plata, Éxtasis, Jhon Tito
4) Bombero Infernal & Mr. Mike b Cerebro Negro & Cerebro Negro Jr.
sets up an IWRG IC TAG title match
5) Hijo de Canis Lupus & Tonalli b Noisy Boy & Spider Fly [RGR TAG, torneo]
6) Pig Decapitador, Pig Destroyer, Pig Destructor, Pig Pool b Gran Pandemónium, Hijo de Pandemónium, Hijo del Fishman, Pandemónium Jr.
Satania & Bengalee ended up suspended for four days. They’re both going to be in the Jaula de la Loca, a random exotico is going to lose their hair, and that women’s feud will continue existing. Opener was said to be good.
Other News
Latin Lover has been hospitalized since May 22nd. He went in for cervical and spine surgeries. Surgeons found a bacteria infection in the process, and he’s had to endure repeated spine surgeries to clean that up; he indicated he’d be having his sixth (!) spine surgery today. Latin Lover seemed to believe he’d be going home soon.
Mas Lucha aired an angle where Mr. Leo & Dante unmasked Ultimo Legendario & Camaleon, and mask/mask challenges followed. Ultimo Legendario and Dante are already having a singles match on the 07/01 Mas Lucha Ruleta Suicida. Mr. Leo and Camaleon are scheduled to have a no referee match on that show. I’m not 100% what we’re supposed to think is happening – they may explain it clearer on their podcast – but a Facebook video indicates Camaleon/Mr. Leo mask match will happen a Mas Lucha Anniversary show (probably at the end of July.)
Camaleon notably was part of this Ruleta Suicida tournament and was eliminated by fan vote early on. Mr. Leo was not part of that tournament. Camaleon putting up his mask so soon after the tournament for the same promotion has a feel of the promotion expecting the fan vote to go one way and having to do a correction when it went another way. Not sure if that’s actually what happened.
Milenio catches up with former wrestler Psycho Kid, who suffered a serious knee injury on an IAW show, retired from wrestling and now does stand up comedy as Mr. Psycko.