CMLL
CMLL (FRI) 02/16/2024 Arena México [AS, CMLL, Excelsior, FDDE, Kaiser Sports, The Gladiatores, thecubsfan]
1) Hombre Bala Jr. b Felino Jr. [lightning] 
7:27
2) Cancerbero, Luciferno, Virus b Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa
11;19. straight falls, with Virus using the ropes and his partners to illegally beat Rey Cometa. Cometa wanted a rematch and masks versus hair, Virus said he’d save Cometa the embarrassment of being bald again for now.
3) Flip Gordon & Star Jr. b Ángel de Oro & Niebla Roja 
13:45
4) Stephanie Vaquer & Zeuxis © b Lady Frost & Tessa Blanchard [CMLL WOMEN]
9:23. second defense. Thunder Rosa, seated in the front row, was introduced to the crowd before the match. She didn’t get involved in the match.
5) Adrenalina, Barboza (Jalisco), Calavera Jr. I (Jalisco), Calavera Jr. II (Jalisco), Fantástico, Persa (Jalisco) b El Hijo De Centella Roja, El Malayo, El Novato (Puebla), Rayo Metálico (Guanajuato), Rey Apocalipsis, Xelhua [Torneo de Escuelas, semifinal]
37:41. Order of elimination: Malayo (13:32, via Calavera), Persa (15:26, Rayo Metalico), Rey Apocalipsis (17:07, Fantastico), Rayo Metalico (19:42 Barboza), Fantastico (20:09, Xelhua), Novato (22:40, Adrenalina), Hijo de Centella Roja (25:16, Calavera II), Barboza (26:36, Xelhua), Novato (29:37, Calavera I), Calavera II (31:08, Xelhua), Calavera I (37:41, Xelhua) leaving Xelhua and Team Puebla as the winner. Team Guadalajara falls in an attempt at back to back wins.
This Torneo de Escuelas team was built around Xelhua as the protagonist. He faced a tag team on his own, showed off some cool holds, and got the upset win. It was asking a lot, and he came through well. So did the Calaveras. The Arena Mexico crowd got into the closing five minutes, treating each near fall between unknown wrestlers as a big deal. The entire match came across stronger than the previous week.
The women’s match had a couple of good spots and was a mess at other times. Zeuxis failed to catch Tessa Blanchard on her dive and didn’t make much of an effort, and Blanchard was visibly angry at Zeuxis about it. There were a couple of other things in the ring that didn’t go well either. The finish didn’t make any sense – Blanchard and Frost hit their big moves, picked up the champs instead of covering, and the champs immediately reversed it into their finish.
Everyone else sold with, match two best of the bunch.
CMLL (SAT) 02/17/2024 Arena Coliseo [CMLL]
1) Retro b Príncipe Odín Jr. [lightning]
2) Astral, Eléctrico, Leono b Grako, Nitro, Sangre Imperial
Leono replaced Electrico
3) Crixus, Raider, Vegas b El Audaz, Fuego, Panterita del Ring
4) Volcano b Valiente [lightning]
about 8 minutes
5) Lady Frost, Reyna Isis, Tessa Blanchard b Amapola, Metálica, Persephone
6) Esfinge, Fugaz, Star Black b Gran Guerrero, Magia Blanca, Rugido
Fugaz beat Magia Blanca and challenged for a title match again
Fugaz has challenged Magia Blanca and failed twice so far. Hector Garza once lost four straight times against Ultimo Guerrero for the CMLL Heavyweight title before beating him on try five, so there’s hope there.
Volcano beating Valiente caught me by surprise.
CMLL (SUN) 02/18/2024 Arena México [CMLL]
1) Leono b Bengala [lightning]
2) Angelito, Shockercito, Último Dragóncito b Mercurio, Pequeño Violencia, Pierrothito
3) Akuma, Dark Magic, Espanto Jr. b Apocalipsis, Cholo, Disturbio
Ola Negra cheated to beat Los Indestructribles, who wanted a rematch
4) Guerrero Maya Jr., Hijo de Blue Panther, Hijo de Octagón b Felino, Rey Bucanero, Sagrado
5) Hera, Lady Frost, Tessa Blanchard b Andrómeda, Marcela, Skadi
6) Blue Panther, Octagón, Valiente b Averno, Euforia, Mephisto
A lot of the midcard trios cheating the other midcard trios right now.
CMLL (TUE) 02/20/2024 Arena México
1) Fantasy, Galaxy, Shockercito vs Mercurio, Minos, Pequeño Violencia
2) Diamond, Robin, Valiente Jr. vs Dr. Karonte I, Enfermero Jr., Sangre Imperial
3) Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa vs Akuma, Dark Magic, Espanto Jr.
4) Futuro, Max Star, Neón vs Hijo del Villano III, Villano III Jr., Zandokan Jr.
5) Stephanie Vaquer vs La Catalina
6) Esfinge, Flip Gordon, Star Jr. vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Dragón Rojo Jr., Terrible
This looks good, though it is a Tuesday show so it may not always deliver. Match four has people who do crazy things if motivated to do so. Vaquer/Catalina was set up last week. The main event was solid.
CMLL (FRI) 02/23/2024 Arena México
1) Micro Gemelo Diablo I & Micro Gemelo Diablo II vs Mije & Periquito Sacaryas
2) Marcela & Skadi vs Hera & Olympia
3) Bárbaro Cavernario, Dragón Rojo Jr., Terrible vs Averno, Euforia, Mephisto
4) Alom (CDMX), Astro Boy Jr. (CDMX), Dragón de Fuego, Forneo, Hunter (CDMX), Legendario vs El Hijo De Centella Roja, El Malayo, El Novato (Puebla), Rayo Metálico (Guanajuato), Rey Apocalipsis, Xelhua [Torneo de Escuelas, final]
CDMX vs Puebla
5) Ángel de Oro, Atlantis Jr., Brillante Jr. vs Máscara Dorada, Neón, Soberano Jr. [Relevos Increíbles]
FantasticaMania is over, though not as much of the roster are showing up on the first day as might be expected. It’s just three – Atlantis Jr., Mascara Dorada and Soberano. They’re playing off the Gran Alternativa final, though not with Mistico.
Puebla still seems like the underdog to Mexico City. Match 2 is mother/daughter versus sister/sister. The micros make a rare Friday appearance.
CMLL FantasticaMania
CMLL, NJPW (SAT) 02/17/2024 Makuhari Messe International Conference Hall 1, Chiba, Japan [NJPW (English), NJPW (Japanese)]
1) La Jarochita & Lluvia b Ruaka & Starlight Kid
12:37, Jarochita beat Ruaka
2) Kamaitachi, Tetsuya Naito, Yota Tsuji b Difunto, Ryusuke Taguchi, Súper Kokeshi Machine
6:51. Tomoaki Honma as Súper Kokeshi Machine, replaced Satoshi Kojima on 02/08 (knee injury). Yota submitted Difunto with an inverted camapana.
3) Hechicero, Okumura, SHO, Yoshinobu Kanemaru b Atlantis Jr., Dark Panther, Hiroshi Tanahashi, YOH
11:59. Hechicero submitted Dark Panther.
4) Brillante Jr. & Soberano Jr. DQ Douki & Templario [Relevos Increíbles]
8:40. Templario unmasked Soberano for the DQ, then took out some young lions.
5) Francesco Akira, Máscara Dorada, Místico b El Desperado, Rocky Romero, Tiger Mask [Relevos Increíbles]
10:43. Akira beat Tiger Mask
6) Bushi & Titán b Pegasso & Stigma [FACTION, third place]
8:35. Angel Inmortal on Stigma.
7) Stuka Jr. & Último Guerrero b Magnus & Volador Jr. [FACTION, final]
13:07. Guerrero Special on Magnus. Ultimo Guerrero wins this tournament in back to back years, once with Stuka and once with Atlantis Jr.
This was the best of the non-Korakuen Hall shows, though there was nothing you had to see. The tag tournament matches were good, the other matches were fine. The women’s match got a lot of attention because it existed – CMLL women on a NJPW show, Stardom wrestlers showing up – but the match itself was long and not really special.
CMLL, NJPW (SUN) 02/18/2024 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan [CMLL, NJPW (English), NJPW (Japanese)]
Attendance: 1455
1) Hiroshi Tanahashi, Pegasso, Ryusuke Taguchi b Súper Kokeshi Machine, Tiger Mask, YOH
8:03. Tanahashi beat Súper Kokeshi Machine. Ryusuke Taguchi replaced Satoshi Kojima on 02/08 (knee injury)
2) Bushi, Kamaitachi, Tetsuya Naito, Yota Tsuji b Magnus, SHO, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Yujiro Takahashi
8:28. Tsuji submitted Magnus (after HOT left instead of making the save)
3) Titán b Brillante Jr.
7:47. Titan submitted Brillante Jr. to a Llave Inmortal, and motioned for Brillante Jr. to make it back to Korakuen Hall for a rematch.
4) Atlantis Jr., Dark Panther, Musashi b Douki, Hechicero, Okumura
11:55. MUSASHI replaced Master Wato (knee injury) on 01/25.
5) El Desperado, Máscara Dorada, Místico, Stigma b Difunto, Francesco Akira, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero
13:03. Stigma wrestled in Black Cat themed gear, beat Difunto with the Skandalo Driver.
6) Soberano Jr. b Templario
18:40. Soberano won via two Soberano Drivers.
7) Volador Jr. b Rocky Romero
22:34. Volador springboard Canadian Destroyer. Volador introduced his son as the (soon to be) third generation of the Volador name.
Soberano/Templario and Volador/Romero delivered as expected. Soberano and Templario went crazy with big moves from the start and bordered on too much; a Soberano Skandalo Driver on the apron caused both of them fall off the apron and Templario to take a scary additional bump on his head/neck. He seemed fine enough to finish the match. Volador/Romero had a slower build (and really needed to follow the previous match), but had a more focused story on Romero targeting the arm and coming close to finishing Volador off. Volador landed one shot to get the win, but Romero had most of the match.
Titan/Brillante was a good lightning match, but not one where Brillante really made an big positive impression. He’s still got room for improvement. The tag matches were generally better than the previous nights. In related news, Salvador Lutteroth (and his wife) were visible watching the show from ringside. He and the NJPW heads spoke before Sunday shows, thanking the fans and saying they were already planning the 2025 tour.
CMLL, NJPW (MON) 02/19/2024 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan [NJPW (English), NJPW (Japanese)] Attendance: 1455
1) Brillante Jr., Ryusuke Taguchi, YOH b Francesco Akira, Pegasso, Stigma
8:31. Brillante beat Pegasso.
2) Bushi, Kamaitachi, Tetsuya Naito, Titán b Difunto, Magnus, SHO, Yoshinobu Kanamaru
Titan defeated Difunto. HOT tried to attack their parnters post match but were thwarted.
3) Okumura b Dark Panther
9:13.
4) Atlantis Jr. b Hechicero
12:42. Atlantis won after two frog splashes.
5) El Desperado, Musashi, Templario, Volador Jr. b Hiroshi Tanahashi, Rocky Romero, Soberano Jr., Tiger Mask [Relevos Increíbles]
11:53. Desperador beat Tiger Mask. MUSASHI replaced Master Wato (knee injury) on 01/25. Post match, Rocky Romero told Soberano and Templario they should end their rivalry and team with him instead. They agreed to form a new (unnamed) trio.
6) Místico b Último Guerrero
13:34. La Mistica
7) Máscara Dorada b Stuka Jr.
17:13. Shooting star press.
Both big matches delivered. You know pretty much everything Mistico and Ultimo Guerrero did in their match, and maybe even the order they did it, but they had in front of a crowd that was very excited for it. Dorada/Stuka was more dynamic and varied – you don’t see tables getting smashed in Arena Mexico – and both men came through in their big main event chance. Atlantis Jr. & Hechicero was a smartly wrestled match, worked around Hechciero ripping a hole in the knee of his trunks near the end. Hechicero took some unusually big bumps in the match, definitely won by Atlantis in the end.
The big news is the Romero/Soberano/Templario trio. A CMLL promo made it clear they’re going to be coming to Arena Mexico as a unit at some point. Soberano hinted about having a new team after he teamed rudo, so maybe this was in the plans for some time.
RevPro announced FantasticaManiaUK will return on Sunday 05/19 at York Hall in London. That’s a decent size venue, bigger than they ran for the previous show I believe.
AAA
The biggest news from the weekend is El Hijo del Vikingo may be out for some time. He suffered a severe looking right knee injury on Saturday in Arena Lopez Mateos. Vikingo got tossed into a flip, landing on his right leg, and his knee gave out. It’s possible there was something wrong with the ring at that right exact spot, but more likely it was just an accumulation of strain on the knee over time adding up. Vikingo has worked through and rehabbed a lot of injuries over the last couple of years, but sometimes body parts just give out. The ringside doctor believed Vikingo tore or ruptured a ligament.
AULL/Arena Lopez Mateos had doctor, but there didn’t seem to be a stretcher. Demonio Infernal had to carry Hijo del Vikingo to the back himself, a visual that caught more attention later in the weekend. Beyond the lack of medical equipment, there’s been a (increasingly) vocal minority unhappy deciding that Vikingo as heavyweight champion is the actual problem with AAA. The megachampionship isn’t meant to be a strictly heavyweight title, but Vikingo’s reign ending with him getting carried away like a child is a lot of fuel for people who already feel someway. (Likewise, it wasn’t hard to find people triumphantly posting on social media about someone getting hurt, taking is as proof that Vikingo was doing a too risky style, and choosing to ignore that what he got hurt on didn’t have any special risk.)
Knee surgery could keep Hijo del Vikingo out anywhere between four weeks and nine months. Early indications is it’ll be the towards the higher end. Vikingo’s also shown an ability (and maybe a stubborness) to come back quick from serious seeming injury situations; maybe he’ll beat whatever estimate that’s given, or maybe beating those estimates lead to this injury. AAA seemed to continue as normal on Sunday’s TV taping, though they did film a video with cheering to send to Vikingo as a supportive message. The next taping is on March 9th in Saltillo, but the actual next storyline event is supposed to happen in the next few days with a TripleMania Monterrey card announcement. AAA probably would’ve announced plans for Vikingo there, doesn’t really have to now, but may give some indication of a direction forward.
AAA taped at the Showcenter in Monterrey on Sunday night. All I have at the moment are the barebone results from Lo Mejor de Lucha:
AAA TV (SUN) 02/18/2024 Showcenter Complex, San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo Leon [Lo Mejor de Lucha]
1) Bebote Valdez b Ryno, Negus
2) Epydemius Jr., Rey León, Sayrus b Estrellato, Oro Negro, Vazco Jr.
3) Belcegor & Toscano b The Mummy & Ultra
4) Mr. Iguana b Drago, Taurus, Epydemius
debut of the second Taurus (the former Dick Angelo 3G)
5) Lady Shani, Pimpinela Escarlata, Sexy Star b Dulce Kanela, Flammer, La Hiedra
No Maravilla, Dulce Kanela moved to the ruda side and Pimpinela added.
6) Laredo Kid © b Antifaz del Norte [Showcenter Championship]
7) El Patrón Alberto & Mecha Wolf vs Abismo Negro Jr. & Chessman
match changed around (and Abismo Negro added) due to injury to Hijo del Vikingo the night before
No details on any of the matches, so not sure if Laredo/Antifaz set up anything.
Taurus is Dick Angelo 3G, which was the popular guess. Drago hasn’t really gotten over with the new gimmick, and there’s no reason to believe it’ll go better with Bengala or Taurus. Getting over doesn’t seem to be real point, the point is just to keep the IP active. Lady Wind is the other Lucha x El Barrio winner and presumably will be regimmicked soon. AAA still has a match with all of these people in their original gimmick left to air.
The next Showcenter event will be on June 30th. That’s a big gap, but they have a TripleMania in Monterrey between. 06/30 slides in after TripleMania Tijuana, and probably right before Verano de Escandalo and TripleMania Mexico City. If AAA was a show building to things, it would be an important show to build on.
I don’t have results from the AAA/EMW show in Tijuana as of yet. Of note, QT Marshall didn’t appear. Antifaz del Norte moved up to his spot. QT didn’t indicate any issue making the show on Twitter, and earlier replied to a fan to make it clear he was allowed to wrestle for any promotion (except for WWE.) Working for AAA shouldn’t be a problem, though I guess there’s a chance AEW asked him not to wrestle with Marty Scurll. I know others have been advised (or decided themselves) not to do so in the past, I do not know if that’s the specific case here. That EMW show looks to have been another sell out. They’re back there on 04/13, which sounds like the Origenes concept but not a TV taping. Not completely sure.
AAA’s on Space wasn’t much. Both semifinals were done with the remit of “Hijo de Tirantes has to be unfair to explain him getting kicked out later, but Shani/Apache still have to win despite the unfairness, and also the match has to be good.” It’s a difficult challenge to hit all three. They came closer in the second one but neither was memorable. A post match angle set up a Reina Dorada/La Hiedra feud, and a tacked on promo by Dalys pushed a match with Faby Apache. Neither of those match ups were follows on Sunday’s taping and neither is on the Saltillo one, so those stories aren’t going anywhere any time soon.
AAA filled out the time by airing the opener from the 01/06 Mexico City taping, which Latigo & Toxin over Monster Extreme and Epydemius Junior. It was billed as a “Exhibicion”, which that word on screen for most of the match. It otherwise was the same as any other match, which just sort of drew attention to AAA insisted it was an exhibition match. Perhaps the issue was Monster Extreme, who appeared to be 13 or 14. (Jose Manuel Guillen did say the exact age at one point, but Hugo was talking over.) Mexico City doesn’t usually license wrestlers that young, which may have been why it was an exhibition match. Monster Extreme wrestled a lot of like Mini Vikingo; he knows wrestling and knows his highspots, but much of the actual work is done by the people taking the spots. Latigo & Toxin did a great job of that so Monster Extreme looked great.
(They still have a full unaired episode from that 01/06 taping, which might air next week.)
IWRG
IWRG (SUN) 02/18/2024 Arena Naucalpan [IWRG]
1) Ajolotl & Auzter b Histeriosis & Rey Espartano 
2) Heddi Karaoui b Avisman
3) Keyra b Sádika [IWRG IC WOMEN]
second defense
4) Gran Pandemónium, Hijo de Pandemónium, Pandemónium Jr. © b Carnicero, Granjero, Leñador [IWRG IC TRIOS]
5) Noisy Boy b Hijo del Alebrije, Séptimo Dragón, Spider Fly, Aster Boy [IWRG IC MIDDLE]
Puma de Oro scheduled to defend, not mentioned as appearing, so presumably quit again.
6) DMT Azul & Tornado b Rey Halcón & Vangellys and Fussion & Hell Boy and Lendaor & Rey Aztaroth (Estado de México) and Águila Roja & Hijo del Pirata Morgan and Hijo de Canis Lupus & Multifacético Jr. [El Protector]
This one is only over on the IWRG channel; Mas Lucha was streaming an Aereo/Pagano hair match.
Big Lucha
Big Lucha World (FRI) 02/16/2024 Arena Big Lucha, Iztapalapa, Distrito Federal [thecubsfan]
1) Piraña & Zenky b Obelyus & Skayler
10:20
2) Hombre Sin Nombre Big Lucha & Reiyel b Bogdan Klimov & M2R
9:32.
3) Morfosis b Helios, Cósmico
8:27.
4) Brujo, Limbo, Torito Negro b Atómico Jr., Auzter, Black Skayde
13:29
5) El Potro de Oro DCOR Jack Evans, Hijo del Pirata Morgan
6:34. Pirata added himself to the match while saying he called out Flamita to appear and he didn’t. All three battled outside (and the ring announcer announced the draw before the referee got there)
This was a match of good machces, nothing great, nothing bad (except if you really didn’t like the main event finish.) Match four had post match challenges for titles but I couldn’t follow what titles they were talking about. Match 3 had some cool highspots but not a lot connecting it in between. Match 2 had a guy with no name who seems to be targeting M2R for whatever mysterious reason. The guys in match 1 came out to back Hijo del Pirata Morgan in the main event, so they may be doing an INJUVE versus Big Lucha (versus Locos Evans) feud.
Other News
Friday in Saltillo, Promociones AOZA held a press conference to introduce Blue Demon III. He’s slightly taller than the current wrestler and talked about defending the family name. The Demons billed Blue Demon III as the nephew of Blue Demon Jr. Blue Demon III appeared on Saturday’s show with some very visible tattoos.
There’s an obvious history of Mexican wrestlers being passed off as (fake) family members. Billing Blue Demon III as a Blue Demon Jr.’s nephew as a nephew is a red flag. Demon and his sole known brother (Alejandro Munoz) have been on poor terms at times. Munoz’s shown up in CMLL to endorse the Leyenda de Azul, Demon Jr. hasn’t worked with CMLL for years, and Munoz would seem likely to appear if it was his son debuting as a luchador. Perhaps it’s a relative on his Blue Demon Jr’s wife’s side of the family, but the little we’ve heard about that relationship has been negative. Five years ago, when TripleMania set up the Blue Demon Jr/Dr. Wagner Jr. mask versus hair match, a skinny teenager showed up portrayed as Blue Demon Jr.’s son in training. It felt like Demon invented a child that time just for the purpose of the angle (Wagner had his kids with him.) Around that time, Munoz appeared on CMLL Informa and made a point of saying Blue Demon Jr. owned only the “Blue Demon Jr.” name, which makes it unclear how he could create a Blue Demon III without Munoz involved. (IMPI’s copyright database differs on this point.) My roundabout point is it’s possible Blue Demon III is just another unrelated related under a mask – and those tattoos are going to out him quick if that’s the case – but I don’t have any hard proof that’s the case.
On that same AOZA show, Dark Escoria lost his hair to local Hijo del Guerrero Negro Jr. It would be a surprising outcome at any time – national guys don’t lose to local guys – but more so with La Secta back on AAA TV. Normally, the TV company wouldn’t want someone to change their look with a hair loss, or would pay more to get that hair loss on one of their shows. All I can figure is the outcome was agreed upon before Escoria realized he’d be picking up AAA TV bookings again.
Cibernetico missed that show; his father passed away and he sent a video saying he wouldn’t be appearing.
Black Taurus, Latigo and Toxin defeated Lio Rush, Lee Moriarty, and Jacob Fatu on West Coast Pro Wrestling’s show Sunday night. Taurus was a mystery wrestler. The explanation I got is Black Taurus is supposed to start in AEW “soon”, has his new name and mask worked out, but the first place where all of that is going to be introduced is on AEW. An agreement was worked out to allow Black Taurus to keep using that name after all on dates he’d already agreed to until he gets that AEW name. No one was quite sure if he’d debut that new name before this show, so West Coast just listed him as a surprise wrestler.
That trios match was pretty great, as all the Vipers trios matches in West Coast tend to be. Latigo & Toxin got the pin over Lio Rush, which the sort of victory they’d be unlikely to get in AAA any time soon. The downside is that, every time I see a West Coast Pro show from this Los Angeles venue, the crowd seems to be smaller. There may have been 100 people at this show. These shows seem positively reviewed but they’ve not been able to build much of an audience, and I can’t figure how the economics work. It’s not my money, I’m only worried in that I’m not sure how it can keep going.
Mexico State venue Arena CM announce this past Sunday’s show would be their final show at that venue. They held a press conference earlier in the week, explaining they were moving to a new location with 2-3X seating capacity. The last minute nature of the move – they had a show on the 02/24 that’s now changing locations – is a bit strange.
Pagano defeats Aereo in a hair match in Ciudad Juarez on Sunday.
Relampago’s Japan tour starts soon.
Laredo Kid talks about his upcoming action figure.
Segunda Caida watches more 90s Monterrey.
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