Dralistico out of AAA, CMLL early week shows, WTL

CMLL

CMLL (MON) 12/04/2023 Arena Puebla [Porra Fresa]
1) Dreyko & Rencor b Black Tiger & Rayo Metálico
2) Astro & Xelhua b El Malayo & Hijo del Perverso
3) Perverso, Prayer, Rey Apocalipsis b Halcón Suriano Jr., Meyer, Valiente Jr.
4) Último Dragóncito © b Mercurio [CMLL MINI]
1st defense, title rematch. Mask challenged followed.
5) Magia Blanca, Magnus, Rugido b Guerrero Maya Jr., Stigma, Valiente
Rugido beat Maya after a mask pull
6) Hijo del Villano III, Templario, Villano III Jr. DQ Atlantis, Octagón, Volador Jr.
Villanos unmasked Atlantis & Octaogn’s mask for the DQ.

Porra Fresa notes it was a weaker turnout than usual. I assume they’re heading to a Rugido/Maya title match, maybe something out of the main event as well.

Pegasso told El Sol de Puebla that he’s proud to represent his home city on the FantasticaMania tour.

CMLL (TUE) 12/05/2023 Arena México [CMLL, Kaiser Sports]
1) Micro Gemelo Diablo I & Micro Gemelo Diablo II b Átomo & Chamuel 
2) Galaxy, Minos, Pierrothito DQ Fantasy, Full Metal, Pequeño Olímpico [Relevos Increíbles] 
Pequeno Olimpico’s turn to unmask Pierrothito
3) El Coyote, Okumura, Pólvora b Futuro, Max Star, Neón 
Max Star suffered an injury on a Brillo Dorada attempt at the end of the third fall.
4) Virus b Difunto [lightning] 
7:22
5) Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr., Dark Panther b Felino, Rugido, Sagrado 
Rugido replaced Rey Bucanero just prior to the show
6) Máscara Dorada, Místico, Octagón b Averno, Euforia, Mephisto 

The CMLL stream died during the Tuesday main event; right as Mistico and Mascara Dorada were about to dives. CMLL uploaded the main event later that night, as well as the missing 11/24 show they didn’t go up on its Sunday schedule. CMLL has a very good product this year but their subscription product is still not up to standard. On the other hand, other promotions seem to have staffed departments to handle these sorts of tasks and CMLL seems to have one person doing when they’re not doing four other jobs.

CMLL really needs more variety in their minis finishes to set up this match. I liked Difunto/Virus. Max Star messed up his dive pretty badly and seemed to get out of OK all things considered. That match wasn’t going great. Panthers match was trying to do their usual bit. Main event wasn’t much to talk about it, but it also died in the middle of the second fall comeback.

CMLL (TUE) 12/05/2023 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Mas Lucha]
1) Gallo Jr., Rafaga Jr., Temerario b Avispón Negro Jr., Luminoso, Quka 
2) Ángel Rebelde, El Gallero, Trono b Insólito, Misterio Blanco, Misterio Negro 
3) Astro (Puebla), Blue Shark (Puebla), Fénix SO, Rayo Metálico (Guanajuato) DQ Arlequín, Bestia Negra, Cris Skin, Star Black 
Gallero attacked Star Black, who a was a replacement for Halcon Nero Jr.
4) Barboza, Draego, Persa b Brillante Jr., Felino Jr., Halcón Suriano Jr. 
5) Apocalipsis, Cholo, Disturbio b Leo, Omar Brunetti, Vaquero Jr. 
6) Bárbaro Cavernario, Dragón Rojo Jr., Terrible b Halcón Negro Jr., Niebla Roja, Principe Daniel 
Halcon Negro Jr. replaced Angel de Oro (nose injury against Flip Gordon Saturday.) Principe Daniel had issues with his partners and ended up helping Los Barbaros (and his brother Cavernario.)

Crowd seemed a bit down for this one. Not a strong show and a weak main event story. Maybe the idea was to set up the Chavez/Cavernarios as a match for next week, but I’m still not sure it would’ve worked.

Draego told Mas Lucha that he cried tears of joy when he found out he was going to debut in Arena Mexico on Friday.

There was a private show at Arena Coliseo Tuesday night for the Inter-American Associate of Intellectual Property (ASIPI).

Thursday is the final league night of NJPW’s World Tag League, with Zandokan Jr. & Yota Tsuji versus Soberano Jr. & Atlantis Jr. in a match where neither team has a realistic chance to advance to the final. Zandokan Jr. is still requesting to join LIJ, Soberano and Atlantis are still simmering towards an explosion. Neither story must resolve on Thursday, there’s shows on Friday and Saturday as well, but it seems likely something is going to happen.

Thursday also has Mascara Dorada against Rocky Romero in MLW, for both the (NWA) Historic Welterweight Championship and the MLW Midldeweight Championship. It airs as part of Fite+. That match will certainly be better than the NJPW one, it may be historically more important and yet I’m thinking about getting up around 2 AM to watch the NJPW one and can’t find any interest in the MLW one.

CMLL (MON) 12/11/2023 Arena Puebla
1) Astro & Blue Shark vs Dreyko & El Malayo
2) Meyer & Xelhua vs Dr. Karonte I & Dr. Karonte II
3) Pegasso, Rey Samuray, Valiente vs Perverso, Prayer, Rey Apocalipsis
4) Guerrero Maya Jr., Stigma, Valiente vs Magia Blanca, Magnus, Rugido
5) Ángel de Oro & Rocky Romero vs Flip Gordon & Titán
6) Atlantis, Octagón, Volador Jr. vs Hijo del Villano III, Templario, Villano III Jr.

4/6 are rematches. I’m sure the Villanos will actually be thrilled to main event against Octagon and Atlantis, no matter how bad the match will be. Anyway, this is just a reminder that while “Octagon and El Hijo del Santo” is the team remembered as the big deal from tape traded in the 90s, Atlantis & Octagon seem to be a much more enduring pair in fans’ memories.

There’s the usual list of guests on CMLL Informa, but the thing to watch for is Andrade news. The big CMLL announcements have tended to come on Informa this year. The KeMalito/KeMonito news might also come on that show. No knowing which week, it’ll be a surprise.

The guests officially on the show:

• Templario – ???
• Marcela – return from injury
• Fugaz/Magia Blanca – title match Friday
• Pequeno Estrellas – the usual
• Astral, Akuma, Diamond, Olympica, Hombre Bala Jr. Scorpio Jr. – bodybuilding

Just to make it extra clear, “Scorpio Jr.” is not the guy who was around CMLL in the 90s/00s. I believe this is the one who’s been going as Scorpio NG in Mexico State indies. The graduation rate from the Student group Scorpio Jr. won to the main roster is very low, so this might be his biggest CMLL win.

I’m sure I’ll remember why Templario is being interviewed as soon as I finish this post but nothing comes to mind. Maybe it’s another international booking.

CMLL officially announced they’d be running Arena Mexico on Mondays 12/25 and 01/01, in place of the usual Sunday shows. The moves are as expected – anyone looking at a calendar could’ve figured them out – but formally announcing these shows as happening clears the way for CMLL to announce a match for them. Like a minis cage match.

Puebla’s also running 12/25 and 01/01. A good chance Guadalajara will run as well.

CMLL will have an art sale on Thursday in Mexico City. I actually don’t think I know what’s happening. there.

Mascara Dorada will appear on Prestige Wrestling’s 02/25 show at the Los Angeles Globe Theatre The Vermont Hollywood. It is notable to see him booked out to a English speaking US indie.

Voices of Wrestling looks back at the month of November for CMLL.

On TJ Sports new YouTube wrestling channel, there’s an interview with Tessa Blanchard where she seems to say she’s got a deal with CMLL on a per date basis but has more dates scheduled. There’s notes in the other one. Stephanie Vaquer mentions she’s booked on the January NJPW show (presumably the 01/13 San Jose card.) Titan says his US work visa has actually expired, he’s in progress of getting it renewed, but he’s just working in Mexico and Japan for the moment.

A common thread in the TJ Sports CMLL interviews is the interviewer asking these guys who they’d be interested in wrestling in AEW and Titan, Vaquer and Dorada having no answers to that question. Vaquer focuses on the people she’s faced before (Mayu and Mone), Titan says he’ll go whevever CMLL wants to send them, and Dorada seems to know “Daniel Bryan” only from his WWE work. The AEW stuff is far off the radar of even three of the most internationally facing luchadors.

AAA

Dralistico announced he’d finished up with AAA and was going to take independent bookings on Tuesday. Dralstico’s challenged for the mega championship, lost, and there’s no indication AAA had any plans for him beyond that, so it’s a smart time to check out. His last angle – insisting he was going to be a tecnico unlike the rest of his family – ends up being weird. The title match may have gone better if he just worked rudo. Maybe it says something about when this was all decided but it doesn’t really matter. Dralistico is a known enough names that he can get booked without TV exposure in Mexico, and he’s probably going to be fine just on his AEW deal alone. Dralistico didn’t seem important to AAA’s business and I don’t think they’re going to be hurt by him leaving individually, but it does add to an overall feeling of AAA not being the place to be and being cold.

If AAA knew who was leaving in advance, that Guerra de Titanes was well booked out: both Dralistico and QT Marshall apparently finished putting over tecnicos on their way out. It also fits with the WON story about AAA wanting to get away from using people who have AEW commitments. It’s just so unlike AAA for the right thing to happen on purpose.

Publicly distancing yourself from AAA is often a prelude to working with CMLL wrestlers. My immediate guess with Dralistico is that he took a booking with the Crash, though. They’re also off limits. It may make it easier to book Dralistico on the same show as CMLL wrestlers in AEW, but AEW hasn’t booked any CMLL wrestlers outside of one Mistico booking.

Rush hasn’t worked AAA since the last TripleMania, and his status is unclear. He was on a handshake deal for those, so he’s unlikely to them at all, but he also hasn’t distanced himself from AAA. TripleManias are going to come up again, AAA’s going to need names, and they’re probably going to talk again.

Sunday was the one year anniversary of AAA running the Mullet Arena in Arizona. At the time, AAA told the Wrestling Observer Newsletter the show was successful enough to run in the area again, though they may run in a different Arizona city. There has been no mention of running AAA running in the US at all this year.

Impact has their airing of Ultraclash Thursday on AXS.

IWRG

IWRG (SUN) 12/10/2023 Arena Naucalpan
1) Águila Oriental vs Rey Aztaroth
2) Bengalee & Sagitarius vs Kali & Sádika
3) Diosa Quetzal vs Keyra
4) Hell Boy, León Dorado, Mr. Leo vs Keyra, Lion Dog I, Lion Dog II
5) Hijo del Fishman & Rey Espectro vs Águila Roja & Hijo del Pirata Morgan and Dragón Yuki & Hijo de Canis Lupus
6) Mocho Cota Jr., Súper Comando, Tito Santana © vs Gran Pandemónium, Hijo de Pandemónium, Pandemónium Jr. [IWRG IC TRIOS]
third? defense

Poder del Norte are going to keep having to defend these titles until someone finally beats them.

Dragon Yuki is back from Japan for at least the rest of December. The Lion Dogs are from Leon. They primarily work for a group called “Toffy’s”, which is bringing in La Pandemia later this month. Bobby Lee Jr. may be involved.

IWRG is changing its format to their annual Tryout show; it’s essentially The Voice (or La Voz). The judges sit in swivel chairs, pick teams, turn around when they’ve seen enough, and the match gets stopped if all the judges turn around. These shows always focus heavily on the judges and’ll be even more so in this format.

Other News

The Rey Mysterio cartoon series debuts (in Mexico) on Friday on Cartoon Network and HBO Max. The first season has 10 episodes. Misterio was in Mexico promoting the show with a lot of press, with Crazy Boy, Fight Panther Jr., and Aero Panther helping show kids lucha libre. This is outside the WWE project, so they won’t be mentioning it all, but there seems to be good interest in Mexico about it. A common statement by people who only watch lucha libre when presented in WWE is Rey Mysterio is the best luchador ever. Rey Mysterio himself says he would like to be considered among the top three luchadors ever, granting El Santo, Mil Mascaras and Perro Aguayo also had outstanding careers.

Damian 666 is the new lucha libre commission in Tijuana. Damian also said he might retire from wrestling next year. There was talk about more harmony between the commission and the locker room, which makes me wonder about the recent suspensions.

Box y Lucha 3580 has lots of CMLL photos.

Big Lucha will have a press conference on Friday to discuss their “Culmination” show on December 16.