Homenaje a Dos Leyendas tonight and almost no other news

I’m really excited for tonight’s CMLL show but I’m shocked they went as far as getting all the calendars to call it “Good Friday.”

CMLL

CMLL Homenaje a Dos Leyendas is tonight:

CMLL (FRI) 03/29/2024 Arena México
***CMLL Homenaje a Dos Leyendas, 2024***
1) Magnus & Rugido © vs Brillante Jr. & Neón [MEX TAG]
4th defense
2) Esfinge © vs Zandokan Jr. [MEX LH]
4th defense
3) Bárbaro Cavernario © vs Averno [CMLL LH]
4th defense (1st in six months)
4) Angelito vs Pierrothito, Acero, Pequeño Olímpico [mask]
four way, winner escape, last person remaining loses their mask
5) Lluvia, Stephanie Vaquer, Zeuxis vs La Catalina, Tessa Blanchard, Willow Nightingale
6) Máscara Dorada & Rocky Romero vs Atlantis Jr. & Soberano Jr. [natl pi, final]
tournament final, teams undecided
7) Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, Jon Moxley, Matt Sydal vs Blue Panther, Místico, Último Guerrero, Volador Jr.
Matt Sydal replaced Wheeler Yuta on 03/25.

I wrote a long preview for Voices of Wrestling. The AEW involvement is a big deal for everyone, the people who watch every week and the people who are only showing up because a bunch of AEW (or ex-WWE) people are involved. The other part of it is there’s no clear Best Match On The Show. The main event has the talent and moment to be the best, but many of the matches which precede it have the chance of surpassing it. The minis are going to be going all out with their mask match, it’ll just be a matter of if the key person (probably Acero) comes through in a memorable way. There’s a lot of talent in the semi-main, and it’s just a matter of what kind of story they want to tell. We’ve seen greatness out of many on this show, and it wouldn’t be a huge upset if the opener or the Averno/Cavernario match stole the night. I think I’ve been stressing about the surrounding factors – the time crunch, the YouTube tier bit – because this will be a superb show if those non-wrestling issues stay out of the way.

The other part is there’s a lot of options on the table for future matches. Again, everyone’s going to be looking to the main event for more, but there’s plenty of stuff on the undercard that could set up big events later this year. The parejas incrieble tournament has produced Aniversario main events in the past. CMLL’s pattern of wrestlers winning a big apuesta match before losing one could crop up if Pierrothito or Pequeno Olimpcio win that minis match. Averno still has weird hair that’s just waiting for someone like Cavernario to shave it. Zandokan and Star Jr. did a great job of building up their short feud, and Zandokan winning a title could push that one farther. That’s just CMLL based stuff too; there’s probably a Forbidden Door story to start, and even something as “surprising” as a Chris Jericho video appearance seems plausible. This is going to be a huge crowd and it’s going to be the perfect time to give those people reasons to keep paying attention to CMLL. What comes next is nearly as important as what happens here.

I hope I don’t need to explain “It’s on CMLL’s YouTube Fan Leyenda” to the type of people who read this blog but there is one more time. If I disappear on Friday, it’s likely because I’ve answered the question too often. I believe CMLL is going to have their highest ever subscription number at that $35 level and it’ll probably be a record for their digital revenue. It’s hard to argue with those likely results, but I believe they probably would have gotten more viewers if there was some 10/15 USD single PPV option out there. (It’s not really possible with the YouTube tiers to do that, it would’ve had to be an other option.) CMLL’s pretty well off if they can retain those 35 USD, but I think I would rather have this show in front more people and a lower price point would’ve helped.

Just to be clear: the main event is specifically a one fall match, not three falls. That was announced back when the match was announced. It’s still captain’s rules, so either a captain or two other people have to get pinned. What this really is a “the CMLL guys are just going to pin Yuta Sydal after all of this (LOL)” side chat. I don’t this finish is just Sydal getting pinned, and it also doesn’t seem likely to happen unless there’s a sudden rule change.

The title matches are all one fall, as always in CMLL. The minis match will have multiple “falls”, if you think of eliminations that way. The women’s trios match is the only traditional three fall match on paper, but it’s possible CMLL just quietly scraps that. The difference between one fall and three fall match lengths are not that much, but they reclaim the 60-90 seconds between falls by just going one fall.

Blue Panther will wrestle masked on this show. He showed off permission from the Mexico City lucha libre commission to wrestle masked, with the idea that was the character Bryan Danielson idolized.

There was no mention of Homenaje a Dos Leyendas on AEW TV on Wednesday night. That is standard AEW practice; it was surprising when AEW had mentioned it earlier in this build. AEW will absolutely mention the match on Saturday’s Collision show. Danielson, Castagnoli and others in their traveling party have to make it back to Canada to wrestle on that show. (By others, I don’t include Tony Khan – I don’t have it confirmed, but circumstantial evidence suggests he’s not attending this CMLL show.)

The AEW crew did a press event on Friday. CMLL previously told the press it wouldn’t happen, but perhaps they meant after the match. It was largely in character and without much news, but it was entertaining enough and good at getting over personalities. Claudio Castagonli and Jon Moxley were in full rudo invaders mode. Bryan Danielson and Matt Sydal were trying to be that way but also too happy to be doing this match to totally commit to the bit. Willow was Willow. They said the things the media/fans wanted to hear (“we would very much like to come back”) while also playing up that they expect to win. AEW’s Bryce Remsburg is in as a referee, and asked by the press if he was there to be a biased referee for Rocky Romero. (He will officiate the tag tournament final.) Bryce said he wouldn’t admit it right there if he was crocked, but went on to say he was there just as part of a referee exchange, same as Edgar going to AEW.

Octava Sports has a sitdown interview with Tony Salazar, Magnus and Alexis Salazar. Magnus notes that when he went to AEW PPV, he and Chris Jericho talked and Jericho realized he was the son of the “Ulises” he had wrestled in Mexico in his time. That was the near the end of Tony Salazar’s time in the ring. Alexis talked about some of his non-photography duties with CMLL; he mentions his role as a community manager and an office administrator. Alexis, in doing the hard sell for H2L at the end of the podcast, mentions that CMLL’s production staff is doing some additional work for this show – “Arena Mexico is going to look completely different.” I don’t know what that means, guess we’re going to find out.

Mistico ran into former La Quinta Estacion singer Natalia Jimenez; Mistico famously appeared in the Me Muero music video.

MLW is taping Star Jr. versus Virus tonight, to air in a couple of weeks on YouTube. My recollection is that was originally announced for tonight’s MLW PPV. At any rate, someone had the good sense to move it at any rate.

CMLL (SUN) 03/31/2024 Arena México
1) Astro Boy Jr. & Novato vs Calavera Jr. I & Calavera Jr. II
2) El Audaz, Hombre Bala Jr., Magia Blanca vs Felino, Felino Jr., Rey Bucanero
3) Andrómeda, Marcela, Skadi vs Persephone, Tessa Blanchard, Willow Nightingale
4) Euforia vs Hechicero [lightning]
5) Atlantis, Titán, Valiente vs Niebla Roja, Stuka Jr., Terrible
6) Máscara Dorada & Místico vs Ángel de Oro & Templario

Nighingale isn’t booked on Monday, so it seems like a weekend swing. The main event could be great. Euforia/Hechicero is the match between the former Infernales; Hechicero has won all those singles matches so far. Attendance may continue to be good on this holiday weekend.

CMLL (MON) 04/01/2024 Arena Puebla
***CMLL Homenaje a Dos Leyendas, 2024***
1) Asturiano, Capitán Suicida, Valiente Jr. vs El Perverso, Multy, Prayer
2) El Malayo, Rey Apocalipsis, Siky Ozama © vs Crixus, Difunto, Raider [OCCIDENTE TRIOS]
first defense
3) Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa vs El Coyote, Okumura, Pólvora
4) Blue Panther Jr., Dark Panther, Titán vs Gran Guerrero, Hijo del Villano III, Villano III Jr.
5) Ángel de Oro & Niebla Roja © vs Akuma & Espanto Jr. [CMLL TAG]
14th defense
6) Volador Jr. vs Rocky Romero

CMLL had been talking about running Homenaje a Dos Leyendas in Puebla and Guadalajara, but this is more than I thought they’d actually put on that show. Volador/Romero is last year’s big feud. Ola Negra and the Chavez set up a title match previous; it seemed like CMLL dropped it but they were just saving it for this show. The Puebla crew won those Guadalajara trios matches last December as part of the city feud. That feud hasn’t had much activity lately, but they are making use of the titles here. It would be unusual for this era of CMLL to record two straight Puebla shows but it’s an elevated card.

There was no mention of that Monday Puebla taped show on CMLL Informa, so who knows if/when it’ll turn up.

CMLL (TUE) 04/02/2024 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Johnny Dinamo, Minotauro, Shezmu vs Black Boy, Thunder Boy, Yaky Boy
2) Astro Oriental, Gallo Jr., Rafaga Jr. vs Calavera Jr. I, Calavera Jr. II, Temerario
3) Dark Magic, Elemental, Yutani vs Furia Roja, Guerrero de la Muerte, Ráfaga
4) Andrómeda, La Catalina, Lluvia vs Dark Silueta, Stephanie Vaquer, Zeuxis
5) Magnus vs Villano III Jr. [lightning]
6) Atlantis & Blue Panther vs Rey Bucanero & Satánico
7) Atlantis Jr., Esfinge, Máscara Dorada vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Euforia, Soberano Jr.

Guadalajara’s Homenaje a Dos Leyendas show has no title matcches. They are running a special legends match, which seems fitting. They also have Magnus and Villano III Jr. in a lightning. Previewing a match on Informa, Magnus said Villano looked more like a cholo than a luchador with all his tattoos. He requested a good referee for the match who would check Villano for any knives.

Arena Coliseo Guadalajara typically doesn’t run lightning matches and almost never does with Mexico City talent, and CMLL Informa doesn’t usually preview matches there. Referee Edgar Noriega, who’s also part of CMLL’s programming department, has been working in Guadalajara the last couple of weeks. He typically does the Arena Mexico shows on Tuesdays. Guadalajara’s  photographer/poster designer seems to have left the promotion about a month ago. The Guadalajara shows have felt like they’ve existed in a parallel universe since the pandemic restart. These may be signs of it being pulled a little closer to the home office, though I’d need to know more to be sure.

La Metalica, who got hurt on a dive at the 03/08 show, says she’s been cleared to return.

CMLL promoted having a merchandise stand for the “Mexico is the Shit” clothing line. Arena Mexico’s a different place than it used to be.

Stephanie Vaquer teams with Starlight Kid and Momo Watanabe against AZM, Saya Kamitani and Camron Branae on Stardom’s 04/04 US show. AZM and Vaquer are probably wrestling for the NJPW Strong match in Chicago though it’s not official yet. It may be official after this match.

Volador Jr. is officially off the 04/05 Joey Janela show. Dralistico will now replace him to wrestle Gringo Loco.

Tr3s Caidas in Tijuana has a Hechicero/Ultimo Guerrero singles match on 04/05.

AAA

AAA posted last Sunday’s Ecatepec spot show on YouTube. This was a Mas Lucha filmed show and went up on their channel at the same time. Mas Lucha has posted some AAA spot show sin the past. I wonder if there’s a new rule that AAA’s got to a copy of those shows as well. It’s mysterious.

You want another mystery? There’s still some lucha libre going on in the old Luchatitlan location. Diagonal Sports posted video of what appears to be local Cancun wrestlers running a show at the venue. They’re even using some of the remaining special effects (or trying to.) Jesus Zuniga is doing the announcing, as he did during nine month AAA run there. The website asks him what’s going on at the end of the video and Zuniga claims they’re just in between “seasons” and Luchatitlan will be back soon. I haven’t seen anyone else who was working there say that, and there’s no explanation for why local wrestlers is there. It comes off like someone trying to see if the concept could work with cheaper wrestlers and a scaled down production, but I’m a bit surprised anyone still has the literal keys to the place. I don’t know what’s going on. There are lucha libre tourist traps at other Mexico beach cities, though typically not at the ticket price that AAA and their partners were asking.

AAA on Space should have the first half of the 03/09 Saltillo taping. The poster was not quite accurate but may help a bit if you’ve forgotten a three week old taping and don’t want to be spoiled.

The Crash’s main event on 04/20 has Rey Horus, Pagano and Mecha Wolf versus Bestia 666, Rey Escorpion and D-Luxe, so whatever that AAA angle was supposed continues. No Taurus in that one. The Crash finished putting up their show on YouTube and didn’t include that AAA angle; they cut away right after the match. They cut away right after every match, so it might have just been a new editor.

TNA aired a sit down interview with Laredo Kid to set up a Digital Media title match with Crazy Steve. This is the sort of stuff I’ve been critical of TNA not doing with Laredo Kid, and I’m glad to see they’re giving him a chance. I believe Laredo’s title match airs next Thursday.

Other News

Arena Naucalpan has the AAA Rosales Vampiro show tonight. That one might disappear into the void. Mas Lucha may not be filming in Naucalpan and I’m not sure how AAA is going to feel about IWRG airing it. Maybe all the YouTube people who get blocked out Arena Mexico may end up there. Sunday is a FILL trainee show.

No Big Lucha show, no mention by Big Lucha on what is going on there.

Mas Lucha has the Psicosis and Damian 666 benefit show on Sunday. I believe that’s a free streaming show but they haven’t made it totally clear.