CMLL
CMLL (MON) 07/01/2024 Arena Puebla [CMLL, El Sol de Puebla, Grada, Mano a Mano, Porra Fresa]
1) El Asturiano & Meyer b Blue Shark & Hijo de Centella Roja
2) Dreyko, Mercurio, Pequeño Olímpico, Pequeño Violencia, Pierrothito b Aéreo, Astro, Fantasy, Shockercito, Último Dragóncito [cibernetico]
Mercurio beat Aereo to win
3) Hijo del Villano III, Stigma, Villano III Jr. b Fugaz, Hijo de Stuka Jr., Stuka Jr. [Relevos Increíbles] 
4) Felino & Felino Jr. b Hijo de Octagón & Octagón
5) Gran Guerrero, Hechicero, Volador Jr. b Akuma, Flip Gordon, Máscara Dorada [Relevos Increíbles]
CMLL has been putting up video clips of all their matches for the last few months. Sometimes they are a little behind live. Monday’s clips didn’t go up until after the show had actually ended. Whoever does them was such a rush that they messed up a little bit, exposing they’re clipping video from CMLL’s YouTube channel. (Beyond the YouTube interface, you can tell because it has the tiny CMLL logo in the bottom right-hand corner that indicates the channel.) What this means is CMLL is streaming all of these shows to their YouTube channel; they’re just not clicking the box that would add them to the membership. I got theories on why they choose to keep those out of the hands of people who’d pay for them, but that’s another day.
a long techy digression about those Sunday shows I had access to for a while
I actually figured CMLL had those shows on YouTube for a while – I knew it was a fact for the Sunday ones. You may recall there was a stretch where I had a lot of info on the Sunday shows; I had found a way to get those unlisted links for those shows. I follow the RSS feed for CMLL’s channel among a dozen other channels so I can quickly add them to the luchadb. YouTube’s RSS is a list & links of publicly available videos – subscription videos aren’t included, and unlinked/private ones aren’t supposed to be either. I started to notice CMLL’s RSS feed would have two links to the Arena Coliseo Guadalajara stream every Tuesday night. One would be the normal show, one would just be “off line”, waiting for a stream to start. What I later realized was that second link was actually the Sunday show, with CMLL just setting it up five days early. It would be unlisted by the time the show started but that didn’t matter since I already had the link to watch. I could never make sense of why the Sunday links were showing up but not the Monday or anything else; my only guess is those streams were listed as public briefly enough to show up in my cache of the RSS feed. I didn’t do anything but use publicly available data; I don’t think many people are using YouTube RSS feeds but they’re there for anyone who wants them.
This process lasted for about six weeks (the ones still in the RSS feed include April 28, May 5, May 12, and May 19 – May 26th didn’t have a link); I quietly archived and occasionally clipped bits of the shows to post on social media. CMLL definitely should’ve seen the videos I was posting from the shows, and myself and Rob debated if CMLL knew and didn’t care or just didn’t put it together. I was sure they just hadn’t realized what I was doing and set out to prove it on the June 2nd show, posting as much content from that show as I would’ve for a freely available event. CMLL flipped their own stream private before the main event – they had seen I was posting stuff and didn’t like it after all. The stream via RSS popped up again on June 9th, the June 16th aired normally for members, and the unlisted streams haven’t turned up again. It’s been a few weeks now so I think that avenue may be closed. It’s very possible I screwed myself by proving a point – not the first time! – but it’s also possible CMLL stopped doing whatever they were doing wrong and are hiding those streams better now.
back to CMLL
CMLL (TUE) 07/02/2024 Arena México [CMLL, thecubsfan]
1) Angelito, Kaligua, Pequeño Magía b Full Metal, Mercurio, Pequeño Polvora
6:55. Mercurio had a knee injury.
2) Metálica & Olympia b La Vaquerita & Náutica
12:17.
3) Futuro, Hombre Bala Jr., Max Star b Apocalipsis, Cholo, Disturbio
11:33. Tecnicos challenged for a MEX TRIOS match and Cholo accepted on behalf of his team.
4) Magia Blanca b Fugaz [lightning]
8:47
5) Flip Gordon, Star Black, Valiente b Akuma, Mephisto, Zandokan Jr.
14:49
6) Esfinge, Máscara Dorada, Místico b Ángel de Oro, Gran Guerrero, Soberano Jr.
14:07. Esfinge replaced Atlantis Jr. earlier in the day.
The main event was the best match but usually Tuesday effort around. The tecnicos are unlikely to win the titles but at least the champs will defend their titles for the first time this year. Mercurio hurt his knee just doing comedy in the opening minutes. Maybe because he was doing comedy, no one seemed to realize he was actually hurt until the end of the match.
Austin Klee Gómez y Roman Guillermo Bravo Young, Mexican representatives to the Olympics in wrestling, were recognized during the show. Gomez is a free style wrestler at 65 kg, Bravo Young at 57 kg – he reads like he has a chance to mdeal.
Roberto Lopez Olivera, who’s been the CMLL announcer most tuned into the international news this year, did mention Mistico teaming with the Lucha Brothers at Forbidden Door during the former’s appearance on Tuesday. It’ll be bigger news if they comes up on Informa
CMLL (TUE) 07/02/2024 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [CMLL]
1) Infierno, Mr. Trueno, Rey Trueno b Exterminador, Javier Cruz Jr., Maléfico 
2) Astro Oriental, Gallo Jr., Rafaga Jr. b Calavera Jr. I, Calavera Jr. II, Prince Drago
3) Adrenalina, Explosivo, Fantástico DQ Bestia Negra, Cris Skin, Halcón Negro Jr.
Halcon Negro Jr. unmasked Fantastico.
4) Brillante Jr. b Arlequín [lightning]
5) Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa b Furia Roja, Guerrero de la Muerte, Ráfaga
6) Felino & Felino Jr. b Blue Panther & Blue Panther Jr.
This Felino tour is Felino facing a familiar rival, defeating them, and then getting cheered from the crowd for doing so. The matches aren’t great but Felino gets treated like a star for a day. The Mistico tour two weeks ago was basically the same thing. It’s simple and it works. It’s a different from what AAA has been doing with Vampiro – he was caught in the La Secta split up in Monterrey, and then lost in Tijuana via foul as part of the Foreign Legion story. It’s too late to fix it but I think CMLL handles these situations would’ve worked better for Vampiro; just let him do enough that he’s part of the match, get the win, and let the fans be happy he got the win one last time in that town. (CMLL’s strategy is much better putting smiles on people’s faces, if that’s how you want to put it.)
Fans are still not used to these shows starting earlier; it was mighty empty for the opener and filled in a lot by the main event.
Felino will be honored today at a ceremony; probably already happened by the time you read this.
CMLL (FRI) 07/05/2024 Arena México
1) Astral & Eléctrico vs Inquisidor & Sangre Imperial
2) Guerrero Maya Jr., Pegasso, Stigma vs Espanto Jr., Okumura, Raider
3) Tessa Blanchard vs Persephone [lightning]
4) Felino & Felino Jr. vs Hijo del Pantera & Pantera
Felino 40th Anniversary match
5) Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero vs Hijo del Villano III, Templario, Villano III Jr.
6) Esfinge, Star Jr., Volador Jr. vs Ángel de Oro, Averno, Euforia
This feels like a lower wattage card, which is not a great sign given that main event may have the Aniversario headlining matches. Esfinge/Euforia and Volador/Averno are set up again, and I don’t think the fans have locked on to those as September main events yet.
Villanos getting a semi-main against Los Guerreros is rare, as is Persephone getting a lightning match. CMLL originally made it sound as if Felino was main eventing all these shows but he’s Felino so we should’ve known better.
CMLL’s policy for the last few months is to no longer release Friday lineups on Saturday, but instead wait until Monday. I do not know the reasons for this move. I do know that releasing the card for the biggest show of the week at 11pm on a Monday night makes no sense; why bother even putting it up that late when most people aren’t going to see it until the next day? (It didn’t go up on the website until 10AM the next day, a more reasonable release schedule.) Hit the little “scheduled post” button and set it to go up at a reasonable hour.
CMLL gambling sponsor NetBet has a blog article promoting their relationship with CMLL. NetBet will have an increased presence in Arena Mexico, and they’ll be giving away CMLL tickets. Their virtual casino will have a lucha libre themed slot machine. The most important part is NetBet says they’ll have a wrestler representative them. CMLL has done sponsored luchadors in the past, mostly recently with Fuego as Pelon Encapuchado last fall. There’s no more info on if/when the NetBet luchador will appear or what he’ll be called. Vegas already kinda of is in the same character space.
Felino’s spoken about how he preferred not to team with his brothers. Dark Panther apparently feels the same way. He’s teaming with them on the upcoming Arena Coliseo versus Arena Coliseo Guadalajara show, but he told Estadio Deportes he’d really prefer to make his own individual identity and even switch to the rudo side. He feels good with his brother but wants to show what he can do on his own. Dark Panther mentions Raider, Akuma and the Villanos as people he’d like to team with. I don’t expect this to happen, but it’s interesting idea. Dark Panther mentions he was a big fan of Bryan Danielson as a kid, and so it meant a lot to see Danielson give his father a standing ovation.
- Mistico (Forbidden Door)
- Felino (40th Anniversary)
- Atlantis Jr. (ROH TV title)
- Flip Gordon (Leyenda de Plata)
- Esfinge (?)
- Gran Guerrero & Terrible (Heavyweight title match)
- Max Star & Futuro (Trios title match)
08/24 RevPro
- Hechicero versus Zack Sabre Jr.
- Stephanie Vaquer versus Dani Luna for the Undisputed British Women’s Championship
- Neon and 5 TBA for the Undisputed Cruiserweight Championship – new
The cruiserweight challengers will be announced later.
Vaquer will also be on RevPro’s trip to Germany on August 30th and 31st. RevPro will also have their British J Cup on 09/28; it seems safe to assume that’ll include a CMLL luchador at this point.
This is nothing but addressing silly arguments that are clouding up my CMLL twitter searches but: Stephanie Vaquer won on Sunday. She didn’t win the title – AEW doing the Mone/Baker feud makes a lot more sense for them – but she won in every way that actually matters. She can pick her next move, and likely name a much higher price. She’s had aspirations of going to WWE before, and she can better act on them if she wants. She can go to AEW if she wants, or stay in CMLL, or do something entirely else. Vaquer has control of her own immediate future; that’s more important any title belt.
(Given the timing of when Mone signed with AEW, I think there’s a really good chance Vaquer knew exactly when and to whom she was losing the NJPW Strong title from the day she won it. Mone seems to have a lot of baggage for people, but Vaquer doesn’t get to where ever she’s going without Mone letting her springboard off her platform – twice, now.)
AAA
Latin Lover talked to Sustaita Jr. while in Reynosa over the weekend. There’s not too many news – he teases the mystery person in Verano de Escandalo cage is the result for AAA pulling some secret maneuvers – but he does respond to criticism over the lack of Latin Lover’s promised changes. Latin says he promised he’d leave if his ideas weren’t being used, he’s still there, and and that’s proof his ideas are being worked on.
Big Lucha
Big Lucha (SAT) 06/29/2024 Arena Big Lucha, Iztapalapa, Distrito Federal [Big Lucha, thecubsfan]
1) Depasyman b Reiyel, Helios, Nordico, Epidemia 
9:03
2) Átomo, Tempo, Uzumaki b La Bomba, Morphosis, Ryu Orochi
12:22
3) Sussy Love b Lady Apache
13:17. Love won via fast count.
4) Elipse, Iku, Monsther Clown, Vengador b El Cobarde, Mexicano, Orbita, Vic Zucaritas
15:47. Win via foul. Prior to the match, Elipse attacked Jack Evans and kicked him out of the (no longer) Locos Evans. No one seemed to know who Vic is and it’s likely not his real name.
5) Cometa Maya & Radioactivo © b Mocho Cota Jr. & Tito Santana [Big Lucha MIXA]
Carta Brava Jr. interferred but Morphosis countered him (I guess; stream died for the finish.)
6) Súper Nova b Texano Jr., Emperador Azteca (Estado de México), Limbo, Big Tao Tao, Jack Evans [TLC, Golden Ticket]
18:32. Emperador Azteca formed the newest version of Black Generation, now with Big Tao Tao and Limbo. They worked together in their first match together and still lost, Super Nova bleeding a lot but still getting the ticket to cash in a title match of his choosing.
Didn’t enjoy this one.
Lady Apache was garbage in her match. She pulled every move of a veteran wrestler who was asked to lose and didn’t want to do it. Apache feuded with the referee to make the match about her and the referee (and not her opponent), she worked ruda but also played to the crowd, she took about 80% of the match and let Sussy Love do nothing flashy, Apache refused to take a bump on her own move at one point. Finish was the referee slow counting Apache and fast counting to give Sussy the win and give Apache something to complain about. She then stood in the ring and pleaded for a microphone for a minute or so – it was clear that wasn’t the plan and so they didn’t have a working one ready for her – and then led the crowd into burying the in-house wrestler as unprofessional and demanding a rematch that’s never going to happen. No one’s going to say anything to or about Lady Apache, because she’s a respected veteran who’s had many great matches over a number of years, but it was an amazingly counterproductive appearance.
The match that followed that had the out of nowhere turn on Jack Evans, a wrestler who no one seemed to know and the announcers may have just made up a name for (Vic), a lot more rudo referee stuff before Monster Clown – here for no known reason – got the win via foul. The heel referee stuff got over, it always does, but there’s also five hundred other places I could see that if I wanted that. Sometimes stuff like an unknown person showing up in a match is charming and I think most people who reacted to me pointing it on Twitter reacted that way. To me, it was just more evidence this promotion is spiraling badly.
What I presume was an angle to form (yet another) new version of Black Generation took place in the building but Big Lucha did not air on the stream. They also failed to air the finish of the tag team title match on the stream and haven’t attempted to fix it later. (They’ve instead posted social media messages encouraging people to go watch the match, so either so few people are watching the stream that Big Lucha hasn’t realized they didn’t air the finish or they just don’t care.) Match 1/2 were good for what they were trying to be. I had no interest in another TLC match after the middle portion of the card and just zoomed to the finish.
Big Lucha next runs on 07/13 – that’s the same night as FantasticaMania USA, FWIW. I will probably watch some of Big Lucha again because they have access to interesting wrestlers and maybe we’ll get lucky enough for them to air a good match without a major technical issue. Delta Force/Mala Fama is that sort of match. I can’t endorse giving any more energy than this.
Other News
Box y Lucha 3610 has Chris Jericho & Atlantis Jr. on the cover, plus a rare AAA sighting.
A previously not uploaded Hijo del Santo versus El Dandy match from Monterrey turned up on YouTube.