CMLL Gran Prix Femenil, Blue Panther tribute show, AAA/Impact UltraClash

CMLL

CMLL (MON) 10/02/2023 Arena Puebla [Porra Fresa]
1) Centella Roja & Hijo de Centella Roja b El Malayo & Rencor
2) Amapola, Metálica, Zeuxis b La Vaquerita, Lady Metal, Skadi
3) El Coyote, Kráneo, Pólvora b Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa, Volcano 
4) Star Black, Star Jr., Titán b Hijo del Villano III, Villano III Jr., Zandokan Jr. 
5) Atlantis Jr., Máscara Dorada, Soberano Jr. DQ Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero 
excessive violence DQ beating up Dorada.

Not sure where exactly they’re going with that main event. It seemed as if Gran Guerrero was more the instigator but it was really all three rudos stomping down Dorada by the end.

CMLL (TUE) 10/03/2023 Arena México [CMLL, Kaiser Sports]
1) Pierrothito COR Shockercito [lightning]   
2) La Vaquerita & Lady Shadow b Miss Guerrera & Tiffany   
Arena Mexico debut for Guerrera & Shadow
3) Apocalipsis, Cholo, Disturbio b Astral, Robin, Valiente Jr.   
4) Hera, Lluvia, Zeuxis b Amapola, Sanely, Skadi [Relevos Increíbles]   
Lluvia & Zeuxis wrestled as Las Infernales
5) Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr., Dark Panther b Felino, Felino Jr., Hechicero   
6) Bárbaro Cavernario, Dragón Rojo Jr., Terrible b Atlantis Jr., Star Jr., Volador Jr.   
straight falls, setting up a title match next week. Volador wrestled in a shoulder sling in his return from injury.

The main event rudos are going with a “we’re ugly but we’re a force” idea and are looking for a team name; they’re pretty likely winning the trios titles next week.

Lady Shadow and Miss Guerrera looked like people without a lot of experience but a willingness to do things. The dives looked good, the in-ring portion needed work (and maybe better partners/opponents.) They seemed like they would’ve been better with a year or two more experience before coming to Mexico City, but they’re probably going to be working with higher-level experienced people so maybe it’ll work out.

The opener was a planned count out finish, a rare one for CMLL.

CMLL (TUE) 10/03/2023 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Arena Coliseo Guadalajara, Mas Lucha]
1) Estrella Maldita & Yemaya b Frida & Luna
2) Ponzoña Jr., Relámpago Azul, Rumbero b Avispón Negro Jr., Bello Antuan, Samurai
3) Exterminador, Javier Cruz Jr., Maléfico b Flash, Metatrón, Pepe Aguayo
4) El Gallero, Johnny Dinamo, Minotauro b Astro Oriental, Persa, Temerario
5) Draego, Gallo Jr., Rafaga Jr. b Futuro, Leo, Omar Brunetti
Leo & Omar Brunetti replaced El Elemental & Yutani (who did appear but only did commentary)
6) Bestia Negra, Cris Skin, Ráfaga b Barboza, Difunto, Zandokan Jr.
7) Adrenalina, Explosivo, Fantástico b Esfinge, Fugaz, Star Black

Yutani & Elemental did commentary but did not wrestle. Elemental described it as “small paperwork issue”, was complimentary towards management, and said they’d return. The same thing happened with Persephone, so I wonder if there’s some licensing or union that in affect here.

CMLL (SAT) 10/07/2023 Arena Coliseo
1) Cachorro, Diamond, Eléctrico vs Dr. Karonte I, Enfermero Jr., Inquisidor
2) Lady Metal & Lady Shadow vs Hera & Miss Guerrera
3) Furia Roja & Guerrero de la Muerte © vs Akuma & Espanto Jr. [Arena Coliseo TAG]
4) La Jarochita vs La Catalina [lightning]
5) Fugaz, Star Black, Valiente vs Cancerbero, Kráneo, Luciferno
6) Atlantis, Blue Panther, Octagón vs Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero

Lady Metal makes her CDMX debut; pencil here in for the Universal Block B next week.

Informa had some news, did it ever. First, the lineup for the 10/20 show:

CMLL (FRI) 10/20/2023 Arena México
***Blue Panther 45th Anniversary***
1) Brillante Jr. & Halcón Suriano Jr. vs Misterio Blanco & Misterio Negro
2) Mei Suruga & Sumie Sakai vs ? & ??
TBD after the Universal prelim rounds
3) Espanto Jr., Luciferno, Misterioso Jr. vs Dulce Gardenia, Magia Blanca, Panterita del Ring
4) Ángel de Oro & Niebla Roja vs Euforia & Soberano Jr. [CMLL TAG]
12th defense
5) ? vs ?? [CMLL Universal de Amazonas, final]
6) Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr., Dark Panther, Hijo De Blue Panther vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero

Hijo de Blue Panther is the former Cachorro Lagunero, getting a new name. (Poor Dark Panther just gets skipped over.) The concept is all the men on the show are from the La Laguna metro area of Torreon & Gomez Palacio. (Dulce gets a reprieve because they need bodies.) The women spots will be figured out after the first two rounds of the Universal tournament.

CMLL then went to announce the Gran Prix teams for 10/27. Team Mexico:

• Marcela
• Lluvia
• La Jarochita
• Reyna Isis
• Dark Silueta
• Skadi
• Hera
• Sanely

Marcela will return from knee surgery back in March. Skadi, Hera and Sanely are all making their Gran Prix debuts. (Dalys, Faby Apache and Princesa Sugehit were on last year’s team.)

Team World

• Stephanie Vaquer
• Zeuxis
• La Catalina
• Johnnie Robbie
• Makoto
• Sumie Sakai
• Mei Suruga
• Tessa Blanchard

Johnny Robbie is from NJPW Strong, and was already announced to be teaming with Lluvia against Vaquer & Zeuxis in Las Vegas. (Robbie also apparently appears on the Women of Wrestling show.) Makoto last appeared in CMLL in 2014. Sakai sent along word that she was retiring soon and so these will be her final matches in Mexico. Suruga stood out in last year’s tournament.

Tessa Blanchard’s name was kept as a big surprise at the end of the broadcast. CMLL clearly believes she was a great get, and she checks their boxes: third generational star, has an impressive title history on Wikipedia, and can speak conversational Spanish.

Blanchard was indeed a big deal at one point, looking like a future WWE star at one point and reigning as Impact’s main champion in 2019. Even then, there were whispers are issues with her and she’s essentially been blackballed from respectable wrestling promotions following solid accusations of racism in 2020. Even the non-so-respectable promotions don’t have much to do with Blanchard nowadays, and she’s working in the backwaters when she’s working at all. Blanchard’s hated by most social media fans; there’s a few people who see her as an avatar against the make believe concept of ‘cancel culture’, but it’s mostly negative. Still, there are some people who get negative social media reactions and still get booked. Blanchard doesn’t. Even her fellow wrestlers and promoters don’t seem to want much to do with her. Blanchard was booked in AAA before the accusations and might still be booked there if not for the pandemic and not for an ugly seeming divorce with Daga burning her bridges there. Anyone who suggested CMLL bring in Blanchard would’ve been well aware of all of this and surely is looking at Arena Mexico as a fresh start to rebuild her name (not unlike Marty Scurll’s AAA appearances.) CMLL brought in Ivelisse in past years, who also was been ostracized to the edges of the English speaking wrestling world and checks a lot of CMLL’s boxed. The bet, as always, is that CMLL’s fans won’t carry about that and that the people covering the show aren’t going to push it.

I do believe that most of the people who are upset on social media are people who aren’t ever paying a dime for a CMLL show anyway, and are just looking for a moment to dunk on Blanchard. There are some people who do watch CMLL who going to skip because of her, and there are people who do dip in for the Women’s CMLL Gran Prix who probably will take a pass this year.

For her part, Blanchard called the champion “Stephanie Vaquero”; she’s coming into this more blind than CMLL is. Hope she invests the 8 USD to check out the YouTube channel before coming in.

CMLL also announced their Dia del Muertos schedule:

• 10/31 (Tuesday): Rey del Inframundo cibernetico
• 11/03 (Friday): Stuka Jr. vs the winner of the cibernetico
• 11/04 (Saturday): Leyendas y Cuicas in Arena Coliseo
• 11/05 (Sunday): “Tzompantli de Mascaras”, probably everyone wears the mask again

That’s the first Arena Coliseo version of this event, and the most Dia del Muertos shows CMLL’s run. I would expect Saturday and/or Sunday will be bonus YouTube shows, but they’re not consistent on those.

CMLL and winter league baseball team Naranjeros de Hermosillo seem to be doing cross-promotion. Mascara Dorada’s popped up on the baseball team’s social media.

Tirantes Sr. is a regular character on AAA TV. Tirantes is an occasional wrestling promoter in Xalapa. His next show, on 10/19, has Esfinge & Mistico vs Averno & Mephisto in the main event. A little weird.

AAA

AAA posted a list of when and where their show can be seen now. Azteca+ is on the list. Azteca 7 is no longer on the list. Might just be a omission, but a reality show is now listed in the late night Azteca time slot. I still think that’s a terrible time slot and AAA isn’t hurt much if it’s gone.

AAA TV (SUN) 11/26/2023 Showcenter Complex, San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo Leon
1) La Momia vs Epydemius, Líder
preshow match, other surprises planned
2) Chik Tormenta & Dinámico vs Chris Sabin & Trinity
3) Forastero & Sansón vs Arez & Frankie Kazarian
4) Deonna Purrazzo & Maravilla vs Jordynne Grace & Sexy Star II
5) Eddie Edwards & Látigo vs Myzteziz Jr. & Rich Swann
6) Brian Myers & Taurus vs Laredo Kid & Tommy Dreamer
7) Moose & Toxin vs Josh Alexander & Octagón Jr.
8) Abismo Negro Jr. & Trey Miguel vs Alex Shelley & Hijo Del Vikingo

This is AAA/Impact UltraClash. This was mentioned as airing in both Mexico and the US, and Laredo Kid mentioned FITE TV at the end.

The reason for this being all 2v2 matches is “it’s AAA”. It’s a better AAA card than usual, though I would’ve prefered Laredo & Taurus in a real match. Main event could be great if they want it to be.

(Wrestling Observer) Award Note

If you CMLL’s the best-booked promotion of the year and would like to vote for the person responsible, the name to write down is “Panico”

If you CMLL’s the best-promoted promotion of the year and would like to vote for the person responsible, the name to write down is “Salvador Lutteroth III”

In reality, CMLL booking seems to be more a committee with a handful of people involved. Panico, Jose Luis Felicano, Edgar Noriega and Julio Cesar Rivera have been mentioned as being part of the Programming department in articles. There are also probably other people working in that area without being mentioned. Ultimately, the owner of the promotion is going to have the final say on the biggest decision but my sense is the Lutteroth’s aren’t involved much on that side of the business. (By contrast, it’s clear the Roldans are more involved in the booking of AAA than the Lutteroths in CMLL, and Konnan’s occasionally taking bullets over decisions that weren’t his decisions.)

I personally believe separate “Best Booker”, “Best Promoter,” and “Best Promotion” awards overlap greatly, are treated as about the same by the voter base and should be combined into one award. There are differences in those categories but they’re slight, and they’re not something most people voting spend a lot of thinking about. It’s also not my awards.

I’ve gotten this question a couple of times in a couple of ways so I thought I’d make sure to clear it up here. It probably will not actually clear it up.

IWRG

IWRG , FILL (TUE) 10/03/2023 Arena Naucalpan [IWRG, Mas Lucha]
1) Hijo Del Palenque b Sumed Black, Cosmic, Último Legendario, Azatroth
2) Dehyna, Golden Girl, Kali b Danessa, Lady Wind, Mirvan
Golden Girl Naucalpan debut
3) Adrenalina, Milagro, Mr. Jerry b Arceus, Cheff Benito, Cicloncio
4) Black Shadow Jr., Rey Gato Jr., Thunder Storm b Argus, Gaius, Golden Jr.
5) Ivan Rokov & La Masa b Heddi Karaoui & Hip Hop Man
6) Atómico, El Mariachi, Hijo del Pantera, King Lobo, Nuclear, Reactor, Rey Garfio, Rey Pantera Jr. b Águila Oriental, Águila Roja, Fussion, Príncipe Arkano, Rey Astaroth, Súper Boy, Súper Cometa, Tornado [Copa Higher Power]
Yorvak appeared to help Lucha Libre Radioactivo beat the home FILL team.

Yorvak did an Instagram story angle where he’s now quitting IWRG to join Radioactivo. At least they’re having fun with the quitting angle..

IWRG (THU) 10/05/2023 Arena Naucalpan
1) Ryu & Tornado vs Águila Oriental & Thunder Storm
2) Caballero de Plata, Glamurosa, Último Legendario vs Águila Roja, Rey Astaroth, Satania
3) Hell Boy, Noisy Boy, Spider Fly vs Cerebro Negro, Cerebro Negro Jr., Rey Halcón
4) Sádika vs Sagitarius
5) Mocho Cota Jr., Súper Comando, Tito Santana vs Gran Pandemónium, Hijo de Pandemónium, Pandemónium Jr.

The short recent history of the IWRG Trios Championship

• Dinastia Navarro (Negro Navarro, Trauma I & Trauma II) defeat the Pirata Morgans in 2015 to win the belts.
• Navarros defend them about once a year through 2017.
• Negro Navarro has a health issue in summer 2017, stops wrestling, then returns in early 2018 but never returns full time to IWRG. He appears once more in late 2018 on a sponsored show and nothing past thhat.
• Los Traumas go in and out of IWRG, quitting for good in late 2020.
• IWRG is asked “so, you going to vacate those trios titles?” and basically says nah, they’re going to let it work itself out
• Dinastia Navarro pull the titles out of the closet in 2022, and drop them to Saltillo luchadors Espartaco, Latino and Tempestad. (IWRG does not acknowledge the change.)
• The Saltillo teams defends the title often in their home city; it’s more than the belts usually get defended. For a few months.
• After not defending the titles for seven months, they lose the titles to the new Poder del Norte (Mocho Cota Jr., Tito Santana and Super Comando) in August
• IWRG gets those guys back here, booking their own trios champions for the first time in about six years.

I guess they were right to let it play out. La Pandemia are the Mexico State trios titles, which have been the effective top trios titles in the promotion since the actual ones went on walkabout. Maybe they’re going to combine them next week.

Mas Lucha has their Torneo Supremo show on October 15th

Mas Lucha (SUN) 10/15/2023 Arena Naucalpan
1) Bengalee vs Zuzu Divine, Keyra, Sádika, Lilith Dark, Shamila, Quimera, Dulce Luna
2) Princesa Azul & Reina Dorada vs Jessy Jackson & Mary Caporal
3) Chris Stone Jr., Scorpió Jr., Shocker vs Diva Salvaje, Intocable, Jessy Ventura
4) Súper Crazy vs Zorro, Hell Boy, Mr. Leo, El Elemental, Súper Caló, Súper Fly, Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. [Torneo Supremo, torneo]
5) ? vs ?? [Torneo Supremo, quarterfinal]
6) ? vs ?? [Torneo Supremo, quarterfinal]
7) ? vs ?? [Torneo Supremo, quarterfinal]
8) ? vs ?? [Torneo Supremo, quarterfinal]
9) ? vs ?? [Torneo Supremo, semifinal]
10) ? vs ?? [Torneo Supremo, semifinal]
11) ? vs ?? [Torneo Supremo, final]

I’ve talked myself into signing up for this before and then written unhappily about the tournament. I’m safely not going to do this time. The tournament seems OK but the rest of that card is not good – Los Guapos in 2023? – that I know it’s a waste of both our time for me to watch. It’s not for me. Good luck to them all the same.

luchadb Note

Box y Lucha seems to have ceased offering new 1956/1957 magazines on sale for now, I’ve actually caught up reading them and I added them all to the luchadb. If you’re running a match database and want to add to your database, I’ve put a list of every even added or changed here. Credit to me is nice, crediting Box y Lucha is better. I’ll still be doing a little catch up on my side (and I have to make some luchawiki edits) but that list should be final. This also is a good time to update the Github archive; it’s running in another tab right now.

I hope to post month-by-month recaps on those magazines soon. I should get to updating the big

Other News

Ciclon Orizabeno (Jorge Oropeza Carreon, 89) passed away on Tuesday. He had a hair match victory over Cavernario Galindo in 1968 and was a Veracruz local star in the 60s and 70s.

The Crash has their 12th Anniversary show on November 3rd.

The Crash (FRI) 11/03/2023 Auditorio de Tijuana, Tijuana, Baja California
***The Crash 12th Anniversary***
1) Anubis © vs Rey Furia, Gallo Extreme, Noisy Boy, El Rey [The Crash JUNIOR, Ladder]
2) Dulce Tormenta © vs Zamaya, Keyra, Trish Adroa [The Crash WOMEN]
3) Microman & Toto vs Diva Salvaje & Jessy Ventura and Black Danger & Tony Casanova
4) Aeroboy vs Flamita, Lance Anaoi, Canis Lupus NG [TLC]
5) Bestia 666 & Rey Horus vs Bryan Keith & El Gran León Chavi
6) Destiny © vs Tonalli [The Crash CRUISER]
7) Rey Fénix (Indie) vs Galeno del Mal, Metalik, El Bandido
8) Mamba vs D Luxe [hair]

Not officially taped, bootlegs on YouTube as usual. Bestia 666 is the notable name here; he, Fenix and Las Shotas are done with AAA by their current rules against people working The Crash. The other ones were known previously, Bestia is new and more a part of AAA’s weekly plans.

Flamita might not be working his match. Flamita fractured his nose on Sunday’s Big Lucha, as feared. He’ll be out a  month. I assume this was announced because Flamita has to miss a GLEAT match over it.

RIOT has quietly added the 2022 La Rina tournament to their Patreon. These shows hadn’t been released prior. It’s a $5/month deal.

Chico Che wants to face Nino Hamburgesa in a hair match.

Box y Lucha 3571 has the Night of Champions and the CMLL/MLW news.

An interview with Puebla luchadora Amber.

A luchadora photography exhibit is opening in Spain.