Noche de Campeones matches, FantasticaMania talent list, IWRG

CMLL

CMLL (MON) 08/28/2023 Arena Puebla [Porra Fresa]
1) Blue Shark & Meyer b Hijo del Perverso & Rencor
2) Reyna Isis b Zeuxis 
3) El Coyote & Okumura b Pegasso & Rey Samuray
4) Fugaz & Stigma b Magnus & Rugido 
Tecnicos won, setting up a MEX TAG match next week
5) Hechicero DQ Euforia 
Euforia DQed for excessive rudoismo (wouldn’t let go of the hold)
6) Ángel de Oro, Templario, Último Guerrero DQ Averno, Dragón Rojo Jr., Volador Jr. 
Dragon Rojo unmasked Templario, Volador fouled Angel de Oro

I had to wait until Informa to figure out who won the main event: Porra Fresa oddly didn’t list and neither media outlet mentioned it. The brief highlights on Informa served a purpose.

Blue Shark is an unmasked wrestler, and apparently earned his wrestler’s license last year.

CMLL (TUE) 08/29/2023 Arena México [CMLL, Kaiser Sports, The Gladiatores]
1) Micro Gemelo Diablo I & Micro Gemelo Diablo II b Mije & Periquito Sacaryas 
2) Eléctrico, Oro Jr., Valiente Jr. b Dr. Karonte I, Dr. Karonte II, Enfermero Jr. 
3) El Coyote, Okumura, Pólvora b Arkalis, Pegasso, Volcano 
4) Magia Blanca, Magnus, Rugido b Hijo del Villano III, Villano III Jr., Zandokan Jr. 
5) Atlantis DQ Último Guerrero [lightning] 
Ultimo Guerrero pulled off Atlantis’ mask for the DQ in 9:01.
6) Euforia, Soberano Jr., Stuka Jr. b Místico, Templario, Titán [Relevos Increíbles] 
Soberano beat Mistico cleanly after a setup by Euforia, and Mistico pointed out Soberano wouldn’t have his father’s help on Friday.

The main event was a lot of fun. Atlantis looked better in the semimain until he tried to do the Atlantida for the finish, and they had to improvise another finish.

Villano III Jr. did wrestle here, and is doing appearances for CMLL this weekend. No idea why, but he did a dramatic bit where he walked out of Informa last week and that may have not been cleared in advance.

CMLL (TUE) 08/29/2023 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Arena Coliseo Guadalajara, Mas Lucha]
1) Gallo Jr. & Rafaga Jr. b Calavera Jr. I & Calavera Jr. II 
2) Fantasy, Shockercito, Último Dragóncito b Mercurio, Pequeño Violencia, Pierrothito 
3) Esfinge, Fugaz, Star Black DQ Leo, Omar Brunetti, Vaquero Jr. 
Vaquero unmasked Star Black
4) Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Sagrado b Adrenalina, Explosivo, Fantástico 
sets up an OCCIDENTE TRIOS match
5) Reyna Isis © b Valkiria [MEX WOMEN] 
first defense
6) Arlequín, Atlantis Jr., Ráfaga b Bárbaro Cavernario, Demonio Maya, Principe Daniel 

The fourth match almost had a disaster.

CMLL (SAT) 09/02/2023 Arena Coliseo
1) Acero & Aéreo vs Full Metal & Pequeño Polvora
2) Futuro, Grako, Halcón Suriano Jr. vs Cachorro, Diamond, Inquisidor
3) La Jarochita, La Magnifica, Skadi vs La Catalina, Stephanie Vaquer, Zeuxis
4) Blue Panther Jr. & Dark Panther vs Felino & Felino Jr.
5) Star Jr., Titán, Valiente vs Cavernario, Euforia, Stuka Jr.
6) Atlantis Jr., Máscara Dorada, Volador Jr. vs Ángel de Oro, Dragón Rojo Jr., Niebla Roja

This seems more star power than the average Saturday. Not sure why.

CMLL Informa announced Block B on Copa Indepdencia

Copa Independencia Block B (09/08)

• Dark Panther
• Stigma
• Dulce Gardenia
• Hombre Bala Jr.
• Star Black
• Max Star
• Hijo del Villano III
• Rugido
• Akuma
• Zandokan Jr.
• Coyote
• Crixis

CMLL is holding a post-Aniversario after party at Club Los Angeles starting at 8pm. More info is here. CMLL seemed to say they were going to debut a new wrestler at the party. I guess they technically said they were going to debut a “new personage,” so it could be a mascot or something.

Updated 09/23 Fantastica Mania UK talent list

• Atlantis Jr.
• Magia Blanca
• Hechicero
• Okumura
• El Audaz
• Capitan Suicida
• Sangre Imperial
• Zandokan Jr.
• Guerrero Maya Jr. – new
• Titan – new
• Ultimo Guerrero – new

That’s the complete list. It’s some good additions at the end. Okumura and Sangre Imperial don’t thrill me but it’s a strong lineup otherwise. Atlantis Jr. and Hechicero will also appear on 09/24 ReyPro show.

The 09/29 CMLL show will be the Noche de Campeones show. As always, the matches are determined by fan vote and voting will be done on CMLL’s website. (It wasn’t live as I went to post). These six titles are on the line this year:

• the CMLL Women’s Championship, which is vacant. The top two vote gets of Skadi, Zeuxis, Hera, Stephanie Vaquer, Amapola, and La Catalina will meet for the vacant title.
• Mercurio will defend the CMLL Pequeno Estrellas championship against Angelito, Minos or Pierrothito.
• Barbaro Cavernario will defend the CMLL Light Heavyweight championship against Averno, Esfinge or Dark Panther
• Los Atrapasuenos (Rey Cometa, Espiritu Negro and Dulce Gardenia) defend the Mexican National Trios championship against Zandokan, Villano III Jr. and Hijo del Villano III or Apocalipsis, Disturbio and Cholo or Enfermero Jr., Dr. Karonte Jr. I, and Dr. Karonte Jr. II
• Titan will defend the CMLL World Welterweight Championship against Fugaz, Mascara Dorada or Astral
• Mistico will defend the (NWA) World Historic Middleweight Championship against Virus, Dragon Rojo Jr. or Star Jr.

I didn’t have strong feelings about who should win last year. I do feel stronger this year. Mistico versus Virus on a big stage in 2023 would be fascinating. It’s also unlikely; Dragon Rojo coming out of the Aniversario show figures to get a lot of support. Titan defending against Mascara Dorada is the obvious pick there, as is Atrapsuenos versus Zandokan and the Villanos. (That seems like the most likely title change of the defended titles.) Either Averno or Dark Panther would be good Barbaro Cavernario challengers, but CMLL runs big Averno singles matches and they don’t run big Dark Panther ones, so that’s the one I’d prefer here.

The women’s match is fascinating. The women always get a lot of votes in these contests, but the structure of it promotes more voting. About half of these matches are decided on quickly, with one person/team running away with it. There’s less of a motivation to vote. The women’s match is top two, and so that’s going to keep fans voting in it longer and more often than the other categories. (That match will almost certainly main event this show based on having the most votes.) The fan support for the women doesn’t always line up with how they’re pushed in CMLL. I think the default expectation is Zeuxis and Vaquer in the final, but Hera and even Skadi have fanbases, and Catalina has left over WWE fans who she can mobilize if she so chooses. Be prepared for an unusual champion to come out of all of this.

IWRG

IWRG , FILL (TUE) 08/29/2023 Arena Naucalpan [IWRG, Mas Lucha]
1) Cosmic & Rossel b Carnicero & Último Caballero 
2) Danessa & Hatana b Dehyna & Kali 
3) Milagro, Rey Gato, Sumed Black b Adrenalina, Cheff Benito, Súper Cometa 
Cheff Benito and Milagro had issues post match
4) Black Shadow Jr. & Thunder Storm b Arceus & Rey Esparatno 
Advertised as Arceus, Ryu, Tornado vs Black Shadow Jr., Rey Espartano, Thunder Storm
5) Águila Oriental, Águila Roja, Axoltol, Fussion, Ovett Jr., Rey Astaroth, Súper Boy b Belial, Black Killer, Caudillo Jr., Dracula Jr., Leyenda Oscura, Misterio Azul, Vali [Copa High Power] 
FILL vs Gym Explosion (Tehuacan), who wanted revenge after their loss

I have no thought about this show. They’re back on Thursday.

IWRG (THU) 08/31/2023 Arena Naucalpan
1) Blue Win & Tornado vs Águila Roja & Rey Aztaroth (Estado de México)
2) Arkano & Último Legendario vs Mr. Mike & Ovett Jr.
3) Bengalee, Hatana, Sagitarius vs Lolita, Sádika, Satania
4) Hellboy & Shocko vs León Dorado & Mr. Leo and Noisy Boy & Spider Fly
5) Ivan Rokov vs Hijo de Canis Lupus, Hijo del Pirata Morgan [IWRG Rey del Ring]

IWRG’s been building to that main event for a while. I suspect Tornado missing the Tuesday show means he’s not actually on the Thursday one.

RGR will be running an Independence weekend show at Naucalpan.

IWRG , RGR (SUN) 09/17/2023 Arena Naucalpan
1) Noisy Boy & Spider Fly vs León Dorado & Mr. Leo 
2) Legado & Ryu vs Águila Roja & Histeriosys
3) Hijo de Canis Lupus vs Vito Fratelli [IWRG Rey del Ring]
4) Satania & Zyra vs J-Rod & Keyra
5) Diva Salvaje & Mamba vs Hijo del Fishman & Rey Espectro
6) Galeno del Mal vs Coronel VIP, Hell Boy, Cerebro Negro, Tonalli, Dr. Cerebro, Hijo del Pirata Morgan, Jessy Ventura [cage, mask, hair]
7) Diamante Azul (Indie) vs Forastero [RGR SUPREMO]

The Rey del Ring on 09/17 sure seems to telegraph who’s winning Thursday, but it is IWRG.

In other IWRG news, Super Comando, Mocho Cota Jr. and Tito Santana are the IWRG IC Trios champions. They won the titles in Nuevo Laredo from Espartaco, Latino and Tempestad, who I forgot even had the titles until I saw the poster.

Mas Lucha announced they’ll have their annual Torneo Supremo on October 15th.

Other News

10/21 RIOT “Funacion A Beneficio de Tablon”

• Byron & Kaientai vs Simbolo & Bebote

Big Lucha will start putting up their most recent show on Thursday.

The Cassandro movie will open New York’s Latino Film Festival on 09/15. It’s supposed to be in theatres that day as well. That’s a Friday with no CMLL show, and I guess I’m probably going to the movies to see a luchador instead if it’s available near me. No promises to live tweet the results. El Paso will get a screening on the 12th.

Segunda Caida watched Panamian wrestling and gets tied up by a lot of Spider-Man.

Box y Lucha 3566 has a lot of things on the cover. Box y Lucha also released another bunch of 1957 Box y Luchas, though not exactly following along from the last ones. This is the fifth week in a row, so now it’ll be weird if it didn’t have one.

Box y Lucha also tries to explain the history of the Fray Diablo gimmicks. This is what I understood:

• Fray Diablo I (2018) becomes Misericordioso
• Fray Diablo II (2018) becomes Fray Diablo Jr. (2nd) then Humilde Jr.
• Fray Diablo II (2021) becomes Neylux
• Fray Diablo I (2022)
• Porthos becomes Fray Diablo II (2023) then Fray Diablo Jr. (2023)