CMLL
CMLL (MON) 01/08/2024 Arena Puebla [Grada, Mano a Mano, Porra Fesa]
1) Asturiano & Black Tiger b King Jaguar & Rencor 
2) Xelhua b El Perverso [lightning]
8:05
3) Mercurio, Pequeño Olímpico, Pierrothito b Acero, Aéreo, Shockercito
4) Enigmática, Skadi, Stephanie Vaquer b Andrómeda, Lady Amazona, Tessa Blanchard
Andromeda left injured.
5) Hechicero, Hijo de Stuka Jr., Stuka Jr. b Esfinge, Fugaz, Star Black
Stuka beat Esfinge for a second straight week, challenged him to a MX LH title match
6) Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Templario b Atlantis Jr., Máscara Dorada, Star Jr.
Templario replaced Soberano. He unmasked Atlantis, and Angel de Oro cradled him for the win.
Soberano’s still not making matches. I’m sure he’ll want to be good enough to take the NJPW US trip on Saturday but I’d keep expectations in check for a match with Templario on Friday.
Andromeda seemed OK by Tuesday.
CMLL (TUE) 01/09/2024 Arena México [CMLL, Entornio Informativo, Excelsior, Kaiser Sports, thecubsfan, thegladiatores.com]
1) Dr. Karonte I, Dr. Karonte II, Enfermero Jr. b Bengala, Leono, Retro 
9:09
2) Andrómeda, Maligna, Skadi b Hera, Olympia, Persephone
11:03
3) Magnus b Akuma [lightning]
7:45
4) Espíritu Negro & Villano III Jr. b Blue Panther Jr. & Gemelo Diablo II [seeding battle royal]
1:54. Espiritu Negro appeared to accidentally go out early, leading to a shorter than usual battle royal
5) Hijo del Villano III & Villano III Jr. b Espíritu Negro & Rey Cometa [CMLL TAG, semifinal, #1 Contenders]
7:03
6) Blue Panther Jr. & Dark Panther b Gemelo Diablo I & Gemelo Diablo II [CMLL TAG, #1 Contenders, semifinal]
7:26
7) Hijo del Villano III & Villano III Jr. b Blue Panther Jr. & Dark Panther [CMLL TAG, #1 Contenders, semifinal]
15:24. Villanos challenge Chavez next week
8) Místico © b Volador Jr. [NWA MIDDLE]
16:18. 8th defense.
Mistico/Volador was a very version of their Tuesday match, which made it a relief when the title change didn’t happen on that one. The crowd was still into it, but the energy level of the wrestlers was much different in the semi-main. The Villanos and the Panthers have matched up well the last few months, and this was as good as those. I think it was helped a bit because no one really expected it go as long for a tournament final, and they were able to take it up and down to keep it interesting over the extended length. (It’s possible that match is longer than the tag title match it’s setting up next week.) Both teams have good fan support, and the Villanos were their usual crazy/intense types in the post-match promo.
The only other thing worth talking about from this one is it looked like Espiritu Negro went over the top floor and to the floor by accident, and everyone in the ring acted like they knew that wasn’t supposed to happen. It was a four team seeding battle royal, it was easy to fix it on the fly.
One more guess at the FantastiacMania big matches:
- Dorada/Romero
- Soberano/Volador? Soberano/Atlantis?
- Titan/Desperado (he did beat him in BOSJ)
- Templario/Mistico
- Ultimo Guerrero/Hechicero?
CMLL (TUE) 01/09/2024 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Arena Coliseo Guadalajara, Mas Lucha]
1) Hatanna & Katara b Alondra & Lady Shadow [OCCIDENTE WOMEN, torneo] 
2) Lady Amazona & Lady Metal b Centinela & Magia Azul [OCCIDENTE WOMEN, torneo]
3) Gallo Jr. & Rafaga Jr. b Calavera Jr. I & Calavera Jr. II
4) Okumura & Panterita del Ring DQ Exterminador & Satánico
5) Tessa Blanchard b Dark Silueta
6) Adrenalina & Fantástico b Magia Blanca & Rugido
Adrenalina & Fantastico want a tag title shot
7) Atlantis Jr., Explosivo, Máscara Dorada DQ Bárbaro Cavernario, Dragón Rojo Jr., Terrible
Barbaros DQed for unmasking Atlantis (and the other tecnicos eventually)
The opener was all four women trying to do a lot of stuff, and it worked out actually fine. They seemed tentative and weren’t going at the speed of more experienced writers, but it still held together much better than expected. It was not a must see match but it was still a good effort. Some of the other stuff I saw here was not as much effort.
CMLL (SAT) 01/13/2024 Arena Coliseo
1) Fantasy, Galaxy, Último Dragóncito vs Full Metal, Pequeño Violencia, Pierrothito
2) La Guerrera, Lady Metal, Magia Azul vs Lady Amazona, Olympia, Tiffany
3) Diamond, Futuro, Hombre Bala Jr. vs Apocalipsis, Cholo, Disturbio
4) Esfinge, Fugaz, Star Black vs Magia Blanca, Magnus, Rugido
5) Star Jr. vs Zandokan Jr. [lightning]
6) Flip Gordon, Místico, Titán vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Dragón Rojo Jr., Terrible
That’s a higher position for a lightning match than usual. Not sure if it actually means anything.
CMLL (SUN) 01/14/2024 Arena México
1) Bengala & Leono vs Dr. Karonte I & Grako
2) Astral, Eléctrico, Oro Jr. vs Enfermero Jr., Inquisidor, Sangre Imperial
3) Crixus, Difunto, Raider vs El Coyote, Okumura, Pólvora
4) Valiente vs Rey Bucanero [lightning]
5) Atlantis, Flip Gordon, Star Jr. vs Averno, Euforia, Mephisto
6) Máscara Dorada, Titán, Volador Jr. vs Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero
The main event is a rematch, seemed to be heading to Ultimo Guerrero versus Volador Jr.
CMLL (MON) 01/15/2024 Arena Puebla
1) Amnesia & Blue Shark vs Espíritu Maligno & King Jaguar
2) Micro Gemelo Diablo I & Micro Gemelo Diablo II vs Chamuel & Periquito Sacaryas
3) Capitán Suicida & Diamond vs Rey Apocalipsis & Siky Ozama
4) Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Star Black vs Blue Panther Jr., Dark Panther, Zandokan Jr.
5) Esfinge © vs Stuka Jr. [MEX LH]
3rd defense
6) Atlantis Jr., Máscara Dorada, Star Jr. vs Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Templario
Probably no title change in Arena Puebla. It seems weird for Zandokan and the Panthers to be on the same team.
- Soberano Jr. (Friday main event or injury update)
- Tessa Blanchard & Zeuxis (Friday match)
- Stephanie Vaquer (NJPW)
- Los Villanos (tag little shot)
- Star Jr. & Zandokan Jr. (Saturday main event)
- Lady Metal, Magia Azul and Lady Amazona (new CMLL CDMX women?)
It seems like there’s an emphasis on including an Arena Coliseo main event person every week. Stuff like that and Mistico/Volador might exist to generate more interest in the non-Friday shows.
MLW announced Mistico versus Averno for on 02/03 in Philadelphia on their most recent PPV. It hasn’t been promoted elsewhere yet, they may be waiting for CMLL to mention it on Informa.
NVI Noticas, which often covers Oaxacan lucha libre, talked the biggest current star from their state: CMLL’s Fuego. He says he originally moved to Mexico City in 1999, thought he was going to work in physical education, then tried playing soccer for a while, and none of it worked out. He got into wrestling on TV and started training. It was Dr. Cerebro who told then-Flash that he had talent and should keep pushing himself, which got him to try out for CMLL. He trained under Tony Salazar there and got more chances. Fuego confirms CMLL got a legal letter telling them to stop using Flash identity, which actually started with him teaming with a Batman and Spider-Man. (He says it was from “Marvel, who owned the character”, but I assume he means the other one, DC.) CMLL came up with and owns the Fuego gimmick, and the dancing version came about in the 2013 En Busca de Un Idolo tournament.
Okumura talked about Fantastica Mania with the press. He mentions the Tokyo shows are not yet sold out but some other cities are.
AAA
Space’s programming guide lists this week’s TV as “Toluca II”, so it will indeed be the second half of the Bardahl show. The Mexico City taping should air 01/20 and 01/27, and the following Queretaro taping on 02/03 and 02/10.
The tickets for the Queretaro show finally went on sale Tuesday. The local promoter had a show happening on January 6th and perhaps they didn’t want to be selling shows to two events at once. Tickets going on sale for an AAA taping only 11 days ahead of time is still odd. They’re already on sale for the March 16th Mexico City show.
Mini Vikingo announced he had signed an AAA contract. I think he’s either 17 or just turned 18, might be the youngest wrestler to have a contract in North America now. (Sorry Billy Starkz and Nick Wayne.)
IWRG
IWRG (SUN) 01/14/2024 Arena Naucalpan
1) Fussion vs Histeriosis
2) Bengalee & Danessa vs Amazonika & Satania
3) Azuter, Caballero de Plata, Dr. Cerebro Jr., Freelance vs Carnicero, Granejero, Leñador, Minero
4) Hijo del Alebrije, Noisy Boy, Spider Fly vs Águila Roja, Cerebro Negro, Cerebro Negro Jr.
5) Hijo de Canis Lupus vs Hijo del Fishman
6) Hell Boy, Shocko, Tonalli vs Hijo del Pirata Morgan, Ivan Rokov, Rey Espectro
A show. Ivan Rokov sure has stuck around a long time for a random foreigner.
Other Notes
Bulldog Villegas (Asunción Villegas, 90) passed away on Monday, according to SuperLuchas. When wrestling in that area, he got the name El Enfermero de Monterrey, and took on the Bulldog Villegas name after being unmasked. The Bulldog was inspired by the Los Luchadors song. He wrestled in EMLL in the mid 60s, then later lived in Juarez and was credited to help train people like Fishman, El Cobrade, Valente Fernandez, Tony Reyna, Martha la Sarapena among others.
Fenix was doing interviews to promote Marvel/Disney’s+ Echo TV series. (I don’t understand the connection either.) Denise Salcedo posted an interview with him, where Fenix didn’t quite give a detailed 1/explanation of his injury or his timeline, but talked positively and said he’d be back “soon.”
Mas Lucha will stream the 01/20 AULL show as a members only show.
Arena San Juan will reopen on February 2nd with a “The King Phantom” show (which means LA Park and Dr. Wagner.) No shows have been run at the building since June following a fire and a death on the property.
Box y Lucha #3585 has Lyger’s return to Mexico on the cover.