AAA Puebla taping canceled, no word on Rush/TripleMania, CMLL early week results, Mascara Dorada 2.0

CMLL

CMLL (MON) 06/12/2023 Arena Puebla [El Sol del Puebla, Porra Fressa]
1) Centella Roja, Meyer, Rayo Metálico b Espíritu Maligno, King Jaguar, Rencor Facebook video (posted by )
2) La Magnifica, Sanely, Skadi b Hera, Metálica, Olympia Facebook video (posted by )
3) Magia Blanca, Magnus, Rugido b Audaz, Fuego, Hombre Bala Jr.
4) Guerrero Maya Jr., Stigma, Titán DQ Dragón Rojo Jr., Fuerza Guerrera, Hechicero Facebook video (posted by )
Fuerza unmasked Titan for the DQ.
5) Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero b Místico, Panterita del Ring Jr., Volador Jr. Facebook video (posted by ) Facebook video (posted by )
Stuka pinned Mistico after a mask pull, setting up a singles match between the soon.

Stuka & Mistico had a good singles match in Arena Mexico; CMLL probably won’t ‘post more than a minute of tis one.

CMLL (TUE) 06/13/2023 Arena México [CMLL]
1) Átomo, Chamuel, Mije b Micro Gemelo Diablo I, Micro Gemelo Diablo II, Micro Sagrado CONSEJO MUNDIAL DE LUCHA LIBRE PRESENTA FUNCION DE MARTES DE ARENA MEXICO CON STREAMING GRATUITO (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
2) La Guerrera & La Vaquerita b Amapola & Tiffany CONSEJO MUNDIAL DE LUCHA LIBRE PRESENTA FUNCION DE MARTES DE ARENA MEXICO CON STREAMING GRATUITO (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
3) Pegasso b Magia Blanca [lightningCONSEJO MUNDIAL DE LUCHA LIBRE PRESENTA FUNCION DE MARTES DE ARENA MEXICO CON STREAMING GRATUITO (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
4) Akuma, Dark Magic, Espanto Jr. b Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa CONSEJO MUNDIAL DE LUCHA LIBRE PRESENTA FUNCION DE MARTES DE ARENA MEXICO CON STREAMING GRATUITO (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
straight falls, though with a ref bumped in involved. Ola Negra challenged for the trios titles, Cometa wants a hair match with himself and Espiritu against Akuma & Dark Magic
5) Blue Panther, Dark Panther, Panterita del Ring b Bárbaro Cavernario, Kráneo, Rey Bucanero CONSEJO MUNDIAL DE LUCHA LIBRE PRESENTA FUNCION DE MARTES DE ARENA MEXICO CON STREAMING GRATUITO (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)
6) Panterita del Ring Jr., Titán, Valiente b Dragón Rojo Jr., Euforia, Mephisto CONSEJO MUNDIAL DE LUCHA LIBRE PRESENTA FUNCION DE MARTES DE ARENA MEXICO CON STREAMING GRATUITO (posted by VideosOficialesCMLL)

Not a strong show; Panterita missed on the shooting star press in a way I’ve not quite seen prior.

The Ola Negra/Atrapsuenos thing will likely set up a trios title match. (Dark Magic shouldn’t be eligible for a Mexican national title, but CMLL seems like they have a free pass to ignore that now.) I’m less sure about the hair match, though they were unusually definite about it for a Tuesday show.

CMLL referees and ringside personnel worked without facemasks for the first time in this arena since the start of COVID. They were still wearing masks in Arena Mexico on Sunday, which appears to be the quiet end of CMLL’s COVID protocols. We probably won’t hear publically if the COVID testing is ending as well, but it seems a safe bet. Mexico and Mexico City ended their COVID health emergency back in early May. It appeared Mexico City was the only stop on the CMLL circuit that still was doing facemasks (CMLL was the last place doing it), so I wonder if there was some regulation from 2020 still being enforced until this week. Couldn’t find anything. The timing of this policy frees

CMLL (TUE) 06/13/2023 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [thecubsfan]
1) Calavera Jr. I, Calavera Jr. II, Hijo del Calavera b Celeste, Cosmos, Eclipse
2) Exterminador, Javier Cruz Jr., Maléfico b Infierno, Mr. Trueno, Rey Trueno 13 JUNIO 23 (posted by Martes de Glamour Oficial )
Malefico snuck in a foul on Rey Trueno
3) Halcón Negro Jr., Optimus, Trono DQ Misterio Blanco, Misterio Negro, Misterioso Jr. 📍Arena Coliseo GDL 🗓️Arena Coliseo Guadalajara, 13 junio 2023 (posted by Martes de Glamour Oficial )
Crixus attacked Halcon Negro for the DQ.
4) Barboza, Draego, Persa b Ángel Rebelde, Cachorro, Hijo de Stuka Jr. 📍Arena Coliseo GDL 🗓️Arena Coliseo Guadalajara, 13 junio 2023 (posted by Martes de Glamour Oficial )
Persa used the bottom rope to pin Cachorro after Barboza tripped up Cachorro from the outside.
5) Ángel Negro, Brillante Jr., La Fashion b Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Sagrado 📍Arena Coliseo GDL 🗓️Arena Coliseo Guadalajara, 13 junio 2023 (posted by Martes de Glamour Oficial )
6) Atlantis Jr. & Soberano Jr. b Stuka Jr. & Templario
Tecnicos won clean, Atlantis Jr. & Stuka Jr. made challenges post match.

The YouTube feed had issues all during the night; you’re best to go to Facebook if you want to see the main event. Lots of angles and theoretically an anniversary show coming up next week. They’re giving much more hype to the Satanico show the week after so maybe that’s the real anniversary show.

Futuro replaces Hombre Bala on Friday’s Arena Mexico show.

CMLL (SAT) 06/17/2023 Arena Coliseo
1) Acero, Aéreo, Fantasy vs Minos, Pequeño Olímpico, Pequeño Violencia
2) Robin & Sangre Imperial vs Grako & Nitro
3) El Audaz, Flyer, Valiente Jr. vs Disturbio, Felino Jr., Raider
4) Lluvia vs Reyna Isis [lightning]
5) Pegasso, Rey Samuray, Stigma vs Cancerbero, Luciferno, Misterioso Jr.
6) Atlantis Jr., Místico, Valiente vs Gran Guerrero, Rey Bucanero, Último Guerrero

Obviously, this show will get get the most international attention on Saturday night.

Sunday will be the 19th Anniversary of Mistico’s debut in Arena Mexico. They’re going with his debut under that name, he was wrestling as Astro Boy prior. That’s the same day as the Copa Dinastia final, which is probably not a coincidence. Mistico notes he’s been in CMLL so long that he feels like he’s seen three different generations come through: the Hijo del Santo/Rayo de Jalisco era of guys who were there when he started, the Perro Aguayo Jr. era of people who became stars with him, and the newer guys like Sobearno Jr.

CMLL announcer Roberto Olivera Lopez announced on Twitter that today’s CMLL Informa will have the official introduction of Mascara Dorada 2.0. He later deleted the post. I still Mascara Dorada’s Panterita del Ring Jr., but a poster for July has him still wrestling under that name. That’s the first show I’ve seen past the FantaticaMania Mascara Dorada 2.0 debut that lists Panterita wrestling. Dr. Landru mentions Panterita is believed to be wrestling in northern Mexico under that name later that month. It could be a temporary thing or bookings that’ll change once the name gets announced.

The official guest list for Informa is Mistico, Dr. Karonte, Stuka Jr., Hijo de Stuka Jr. (Copa Dinastia), Titan (Friday main event? NJPW?), Atlantis (anniversary) and Dark Silueta (return news? Pekes?)

Volador Jr., who is very clearly not going to main event the 90th Anniversary show, was asked who he’d like to face in the main event of the 90th Anniversary show. He picked Rocky Romero (but only if Romero had to leave Mexico if he lost) or Ultimo Guerrero.

AAA

Monday, AAA announced that “due to recent environmental events,” Sunday’s taping in Puebla was canceled. They offered everyone who bought tickets to the online seller (eticket) for refunds. That ticket seller has the same info, as does as does the local promoter.

I would say everyone outside of AAA is confused by this situation. Maybe even people in AAA: Jose Manuel Guillen mentioned he found out through social media. “Environment events” seems to mean the Popocatépetl volcano, located on the edge of Puebla, Morelos, and Mexico State. The volcano had increased activity at the end of May – you may remember luchador travel issues that day – and Mexico raised the “be ready to go leave it gets worse” alert level. That elevated alert lasted a couple of weeks and has since been downgraded back to its previous state. There was a plume of smoke from the volcano on Monday, though that seems generally normal and the alert level has stayed at level 2. I can’t find any sign of other events that have been canceled. It is going to be very hot in Mexico this weekend, but it’s going to be hot everywhere and no one’s talking about canceling shows. Weather/outside factor cancelations have happened before and will happen again, but typically it’s obvious the show needs to be canceled and the promoters make the call only when they’re left with no other options. That is not the situation here.

The theory is the show wasn’t selling well, and the local promoters pulled the plug. People around Puebla believed tickets weren’t moving, but we have no hard number. Local paper El Sol de Puebla noted low ticket sales and believes there’s no environmental reason to cancel the show. If AAA’s cancelation story is true, they’re having trouble getting people to believe them

It’d be the local promoter, and not AAA, to make the call for a ticket-based cancelation, and that decision would be about how low a number they feel they can survive with. The December Acapulco show drew poorly, and the local promoter stuck with it. The taping that aired from Morelia seemed to draw badly as well – you can barely see the fans who did show up because the lights are turned down so low – but the show also went on. Maybe the local Puebla promoter could not afford to do the same, or maybe something else happened. It is suspicious that the promotion’s Facebook stopped promoting the show on June 4th; promotions do that when they know they’re not running the show and are negotiating for a way out. AAA last posted on Twitter about the show on June 7th.

The Puebla show lineup included QT Marshall’s AAA debut and a mixed tag title match among obvious bits intended to move stories along. It’s possible Pagano would’ve returned in the semi-main to set up his alliance with La Rebelion. Kento & Takuma were scheduled to return to AAA in the second match, which would’ve been the first match in Mexico since reportedly leaving Dragon Gate (and it’s possible Mas Lucha or someone else would’ve been able to wrangle them for an interview on that situation.)

No Puebla TV taping leaves AAA with no new TV for Saturday, July 8th. They’ll be airing the Chihuahua taping up to that point, and the Tijuana TripleMania is the week after. AAA is taping in Orizaba that same July 8th night, but it’s after the Space show ends, and AAA’s not gone live on Space outside of TripleManias this year. AAA has converted spot shows into a TV taping when they were caught short on TV – the mall show in Puebla last October, a Pepsi Center show in December 2021 most recently. There’s no sign of that happening this year. It is possible Space will be fine with a repeat, as happened back in February. That empty week is again the one right before TripleMania Tijuana, so maybe the best use for that hour and half of TV would be to grab a bunch of wrestlers who are booked for that show and have them promote the lineup in between clips of relevant matches. Especially if AAA needs to the concept of a new semi-main over.

(The other AAA TV airings – Azteca, Claro, Multimedios when it’s even on – are farther behind Space and can just catch up a week if need be. Azteca also seems to cut out a lot, which leaves unaired stuff to be added back if need be.)

No taping in Puebla also means AAA will go forty-four days between TV tapings and then have three tapings in thirteen days.

AAA has made no update on the Rush situation. There’s been no additional reporting on it. Saying nothing is deeply annoying to people who’ve paid for this show – either by ticket or PPV – but it’s probably the better sign for something getting resolved. I guess I’m grasping at the straws that AAA hasn’t burned the bridge yet. It does stick out that AAA talked about the Puebla show and not the Tijuana match.

West Coast Pro Wrestling was scheduled to have Black Taurus versus Jeff Cobb on their July 8th show in San Francisco. This past weekend, WCPW announced the match would now be Jeff Cobb vs Alpha Zo. The guess is WCPW was told no to a NJPW/AAA match.

Blue Demon Jr. got the charter airplane paint job treatment on Tuesday. This usually goes with the charter plan being the designated flight for an AAA Hard Rock resort show. Nothing has been mentioned yet and this doesn’t seem to be an AAA deal. Blue Demon did not sound like someone expecting to go back into the AAA apuesta tournament, saying he only wanted to face DMT Azul in a singles match and didn’t have interest in rejoining the tournament format.

Perhaps meaningful: Luchatitlan “full experience” tickets have been marked down from 2300 to 1500 pesos. It’s a limited time offer. AAA tickets to Orizaba are also on a discount offer, but all AAA tickets past the first couple of weeks seem to be eternally on discount.

IWRG

IWRG (THU) 06/15/2023 Arena Naucalpan
1) Histeriosis vs Súper Boy
2) Águila Roja & Rey Aztaroth vs Avisman & Dinamic Black
3) Gannicus, Hijo Del Enigma, Zaekan vs Dick Angelo 3G, Legendario, Shocko
4) Bengalee & Demasiado vs Bizhota & Sagitarius and Bugambilia & Satania
5) León Dorado & Mr. Leo vs Cerebro Negro & Cerebro Negro Jr.
6) Diva Salvaje & Mamba vs Asterboy & Travis Banks [RGR TAG, torneo]

Match 4 is a preview to Sunday’s cage match.

Other News

Laredo Kid & Jack Price face Champagne Singh & Shera on Impact’s BTI Thursday. That airs on YouTube

Ciclon Ramirez is opening a wrestling school in Acapulco.

Box y Lucha 3555 has Mistico & Dr. Karonte on the cover.

The Business of the Business podcast had the executive producers of the Disney show Ultra Violet and Black Scorpion (Leo Chu and Eric Garcia) on talking about the show. You will remember this as that was “Ultra Violet and Blue Demon” until it suddenly wasn’t, and then you may be disappointed to read there are no new details about that situation. It sounds like these men came in after Demon and his people left the project and had to come up with what the show would be based on an outline of what was left. The show only lasted one season; the showrunners point to a trend of Hispanic-focused programming lasting one season or barely more because the networks either struggle at promoting to the Hispanic markets or just don’t do much of it at all.

A wrestler identified as “Lizmark IIII” wrestled in Minatitaln this past weekend. A third generation Lizmark wrestler has popped up a few times over the years – or maybe multiple ones? – and I’m not sure about this one either.

Segunda Caida writes about more Panamaian lucha libre.