I am struggling with some other illness today, so this may even less readable than normal. I had a plan to stream AEW Fight Forever Thursday morning as it launches on PS5, but that seems less likely right now. Just trying to stay upright.
CMLL
CMLL (MON) 06/26/2023 Arena Puebla [El Sol de Puebla, Porra Fresa, SuperLuchas]
***FantasticaMania 2023 (Puebla)***
1) Rey Apocalipsis, Siki Osama, Sombra Diabólika b Centella Roja, El Novato, Hijo de Centella Roja
Rudos took 1/3.
2) Nitro, Perverso, Prayer b Astral, Black Tiger, Oro Jr.
Rudos took 1/3.
3) Cancerbero, Luciferno, Virus b Fugaz, Pegasso, Stigma
Rudos took 1/3.
4) Magia Blanca, Magnus, Rugido, Volador Jr. b Bushi, Naito, Rocky Romero, Titán
Depredadores took 2/3. LIJ weren’t thrilled to team with Rocky. Blanca beat BUSHI and Rugido beat Naito in the deciding fall.
5) Averno, Mephisto, Satánico b Atlantis, El Desperado, Tiger Mask IV
Satanico pulled Atlantis’ mask to win. Satanico was honored for 50 years of wrestling prior to the match.
Seemed like a strong crowd here.
CMLL (TUE) 06/27/2023 Arena México [CMLL, Kaiser Sports, thecubsfan]
1) Minos b Último Dragóncito [lightning]
sudden end
2) Gallero, Vaquero Jr., Vegas b Fuego Leono, Sangre Imperial, Valiente Jr.
3) Astral, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa b Akuma, Dark Magic, Espanto Jr.
Astral replaced Dulce Gardenia. Straight falls, Cometa & Espritu cheating to win. Both them fought after.
4) Virus b Fugaz
Virus took 1/3.
5) Dark Panther, Panterita del Ring, Valiente b Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Sagrado
6) Atlantis, Místico, Panterita del Ring Jr. b Dragón Rojo Jr., Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr.
A Panterita del Ring Jr. highlight video aired before the match, with his father urging him to do well under the new name. He went out with a win.
A good main event, and a lot more energy from the crowd than usual. The Panterita video surely helped.
Roberto Olivera Lopez ended the CMLL broadcast by teasing news about CMLL’s streams soon. I don’t know what that means. I do know fans have been asking for the return of the Puebla stream since they started running that arena again, but I don’t know if that’s it.
CMLL (TUE) 06/27/2023 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Mas Lucha]
***FantasticaMania 2023 (Guadalajara)***
1) Gallo Jr., Ráfaga Jr., Último Ángel b Obek, Rav, Temerario
2) Estrella de Jalisco I (2000s), Flash, Pepe Aguayo DQ Exterminador, Maléfico, Okumura
Estrella & Flash betrayed Pepe Aguayo for the DQ.
3) Barboza, Draego, Persa b Bestia Negra, Cris Skin, Ráfaga
4) Adrenalina, Explosivo, Fantástico b Arlequín, Leo, Omar Brunetti
5) La Catalina, Stephanie Vaquer, Zeuxis b La Jarochita, Lluvia, Maligna
6) El Desperado, Rocky Romero, Tiger Mask IV DQ Blue Panther, Fuerza Guerrera, Satánico
Satanico was honored for 50 years of wrestling before the match. Satanico fouled Tiger Mask
7) Bushi, Naito, Titán b Averno, Rey Bucanero, Último Guerrero
Very strong crowd for Satanico and the NJPW guys. The matches weren’t much but everyone seemed to have fun. The Satanico tribute was well done.
CMLL aired a bunch of tribute videos for Satanico before the show as well. Andrade el Idolo sent one in. It’s best to read that as Mexico City letting Guadalajara act independently and no more. Earlier in the day, CMLL brought in the NJPW wrestlers for an Arena Mexico interview session. Naito and BUSHI were asked about the current version of Los Ingobernables. CMLL’s translation of Naito’s response had him saying he didn’t know who was in the current group and didn’t have an interest in them. Dr. Landru of the Gladaitores was at the press conference and was pretty sure he heard Naito mention Rush and La Sombra a couple of times in his response, and CMLL’s translation left those names out. That’s probably more indicative of the current relationship.
In a bit of a name from the past actually being mentioned, CMLL aired a video from original Tiger Mask Satoru Sayama. He praised Satanico for making it to 50 years and hopes that he can go 60 or 70.
The other bits of note from that press conference was Rocky Romero declaring he and Volador were done after Friday before suggesting he’d defend against Mascara Dorada 2.0 next. Tiger Mask also pushed the idea that NJPW would like these FantasticaMania in Mexico tours to be longer and go more places. CMLL originally promoted these guys as appearing just through Friday, and that appears to be a misdirection:
CMLL (SAT) 07/01/2023 Arena Coliseo
1) Angelito, Kaligua, Pequeño Magía vs Full Metal, Minos, Pequeño Polvora
2) Oro Jr., Retro, Robin vs Apocalipsis, Cholo, Disturbio
3) Crixus vs Hijo del Villano III [lightning]
4) Esfinge, Star Black, Volcano vs Difunto, Douki, Zandokan Jr.
5) Bushi, Naito, Titán vs Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Terrible
6) Máscara Dorada 2.0, Místico, Rocky Romero vs Bárbaro Cavernario, El Desperado, Volador Jr. [Relevos Increíbles]
Over in AEW, Sanada and Jungle Boy Jack Perry did a bit where they talked about not knowing anything about each other before their match and then it was clear they had actually studied each other. I don’t know if it’s the same thing for the two Ingobernables but I’d be interested to see how that goes. The real dream match there is DOUKI versus Volcano though.
Friday’s show is up to buy as a PPV. As expected, it’s the elevated 200 pesos (around 12 USD) price.
Informa has the NJPW crew, Mascara DOrada, La Infernales and Okumura as guests. No sign of the Aniversario celebration, though they could always spring that as a surprise.
AAA
AAA announced the stream start time for TripleMania Tijuana. The FITE show will start at 6:30 pm local; that’s 8:30 pm US Central Time. Space & Claro Sports will pick up the show 90 minutes in. That first hour and half will air the following week on TV.
FITE’s stream currently lists TripleMania Tijuana as starting at 6 pm US Central Time. That’s 2.5 hours early. Let’s see if they can figure it out without help this time.
IWRG
IWRG (TUE) 06/27/2023 Arena Naucalpan [Mas Lucha]
1) Súper Cometa b Adamantium
2) Cosmic & Rosel b Sumed Black & Último Caballero
first match for Rosel here since December.
3) Carnicero, Rey Gato Jr., Skanda b Aqueo, Centella Salazar, Cheff Benito
4) Águila Oriental, Legado, Súper Boy b Arceus, Milagro, Skanda
Results differ on if Skanda (Mas Lucha) or Thunder Storm (IWRG) wrestled here.
5) Blue Win, Chaflan, Charifas, Latino, Perseo, Rey Espartano, Ryu, Shere Khan b Águila Roja, Baby Star, Fussion, Golden Power, Jhon Tito, Kenji, Rey Aztaroth, X-Devil [Copa Higher Power]
Gym Hercules beat Gym FILL with some help from their trainers, the Lion Brothers.
I think it was Thunder Storm, according to the commentary. I didn’t have time to figure this out. Too many shows on a Tuesday night.
IWRG (THU) 06/29/2023 Arena Naucalpan
1) Hijo del Pirata Morgan vs Noisy Boy
2) Hijo de Canis Lupus vs Jhon Tito
3) Dr. Cerebro vs Cerebro Negro Jr.
4) Tonalli vs Fussion
5) Asterboy vs Rey Astaroth
6) Puma de Oro vs Águila Roja
7) Centurion vs Baby Star
An interesting concept: all singles matches, fans rate the matches. Not sure about the order.
Las Toxicas are coming back on July 9th, and July 16th will be the Festival de las Mascaras show.
Other News
Lucha Libre Femenil says they’re returning to Monterrey on June 30th. The standoff between the wrestling community of Monterrey and the lucha libre commission has ended, and it appears the wrestling community won.
Ultimo Legendario talked to ESTO to promote his 07/01 mask match with Dante (airing on Mas Lucha.) Ultimo Legendario, in a conversation about vices that come to a successful luchador, was asked if he was ever offered drugs at a show. Legendario said it happened one time in Tijuana. I would bet large sums of money it’s happened more than one time in Tijuana.
The Cuajimalpa mayor’s office is sponsoring a free show for 07/01, using CMLL wrestlers. They put out a promotional bit on TikTok, which both wrestling and political fans are upset about for being too silly. That is the idea.
07/22 RIOT matches so far
- Laredo Kid vs Erik Ortiz for the RIOT championship
- SB KENTo & Takuma vs Kratoz & Prometo
- Willy Banders vs Core vs Chris Carter
Hijo del Santo wrestles in Martinez Entertainment on 08/12.
Box y Lucha #3557 has a million things on the cover.