FantasticaMania US, Templario tecnico, Valiente rudo?

CMLL

CMLL (FRI) 07/12/2024 Arena México [CMLL, ESTO, FDDE, The Gladiatores, The Gladiatores (videos), thecubsfan]
1) Crixus, Espanto Jr., Vegas b Fuego, Valiente Jr., Xelhua   
8:09
2) Blue Panther Jr., Dark Panther, Hijo de Blue Panther b Akuma, Difunto, Zandokan    
13:34. Panthers took 2/3, fall 2 by DQ.
3) Averno, Euforia, Soberano Jr. b Esfinge, Titán, Valiente   
9:59. Straight falls. Esfinge hit Valiente twice by accident in the second fall, and Vailente fouled Esfinge on purpose to give Esfinge the win. Valiente stormed off without further explaining his actions.
4) Templario DQ Último Guerrero    
14:25. UG unmasked Templario mid powerbomb for the DQ. Templario declared he could no longer stand to team with the rudos and would be a tecnico going forward. He also challenged Guerrero to a mask versus hair match. UG gave no response.
5) Máscara Dorada & Stigma b Ángel de Oro, Brillante Jr., Flip Gordon, Futuro, Villano III Jr., Volador Jr. [seeding battle royal, Leyenda de Plata]  
6) Flip Gordon b Futuro [Leyenda de Plata, 8f]  
3:41
7) Ángel de Oro b Brillante Jr. [Leyenda de Plata, 8f] 
4:44
8) Volador Jr. b Villano III Jr. [Leyenda de Plata, 8f] 
4:35
9) Máscara Dorada b Stigma [Leyenda de Plata, 8f] 
4:36
10) Ángel de Oro b Flip Gordon [Leyenda de Plata, quarterfinal] 
4:08
11) Volador Jr. b Máscara Dorada [Leyenda de Plata, quarterfinal] 
3:13
12) Ángel de Oro b Volador Jr. [Leyenda de Plata, semifinal]    
5:12

There were a lot of things happening on this show – a surprise tecnico turn, a possible rudo turn, Angel de Oro getting a win over his most recent big rival and over the guy who took his hair last September – but they all sort of rammed into each other collectively. Getting Angel de Oro those two wins meant to turning Leyenda de Plata into a single elimination tournament (for only the second time ever), and one that was gasping for more time. Every match was about four minutes and lacked energy, extra disappointing when they’re doing stuff like “the first ever Mascara Dorada/Volador match.” These block nights are often saved by a great match in the block final, but CMLL was rushing so much that didn’t even happen (and neither man seemed that enthused for trying it anyway.) The tournament would’ve been a drag to a better show and took down one that was mostly building to other things.

Templario has been frequently on the tecnico side of relevos increibles matches for months, and worked as a tecnico in previous singles match (the Oku one stands out), so CMLL had been preparing for this turn for quite some time. Templario’s got the style to work as a tencico, and his team with Mascara Dorada on FantasticaMania was a good example of what he could do. It is still a negating of the big angle from FantasticaMania Japan five months ago, where Soberano and Templario put aside their feud to form Los Principes with Rocky Romero. Are those two going to go back fighting again? Whatever’s happened there, CMLL doesn’t seem to want to talk about it.

Both match 2 and 3 featured very long control periods by the rudos to set up a tecnico comeback; they were onesided matches. The Panthers made their big comeback, the best part of their game, but it felt like the match ended abruptly. The tecnicos sort of got their comeback in match 3, but it was also a lot of Esfinge causing his partner Valiente to lose his mind. I doubt CMLL wrestlers (or other personnel) are talking over their match layouts but that’s one where both would’ve been helped by being a bit different.

CMLL (SAT) 07/13/2024 Arena Coliseo
1) Full Metal & Pequeño Violencia b Fantasy & Galaxy
8:14.
2) Pólvora b El Audaz [lightning]
8:31
3) Kira, Skadi, Tessa Blanchard b Hera, Persephone, Reyna Isis
14:48
4) Espíritu Negro, Guerrero Maya Jr., Rey Cometa b Felino, Felino Jr., Rey Bucanero
12:12
5) Flip Gordon, Fugaz, Star Black b Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Magia Blanca
12:23
6) Atlantis, Atlantis Jr., Titán b Ángel de Oro, Soberano Jr., Stuka Jr.
14:11

A good show to have in the background doing other stuff. The most interesting parts of this show where the announcers addressing things not on this show. They reacted to the news of the new women’s champion live, pushing the idea that someone on the CMLL roster would have to fight to bring the title back into the home promotion’s hands. Julio Cesar Rivera also brought up Hijo del Pantera’s performance during the Felino’s match and indicated that he’d be back at some point.

CMLL , NJPW (SAT) 07/13/2024 Mt. Pleasant High School, San Jose, California [FDDE, thecubsfan, NJPW] Attendance: 906
1) The DKC b Adrian Quest, Viento, Cucuy
8:31
2) Okumura & Satoshi Kojima b Magnus & Rugido [MLW TAG]
9:32
3) Willow Nightingale b Lluvia, Viva Van [CMLL WOMEN]
10:13. vacant title (Stephanie Vaquer left)
4) Hechicero & Virus b Bad Dude Tito & Zack Sabre Jr.
13:56
5) Yota Tsuji b Bárbaro Cavernario
14:09
6) Gabe Kidd b Último Guerrero [NJPW STRONG]
12:11. Kidd challenged Lio Rush for his next title match in Washington DC.
7) Douki & Místico b Rocky Romero & Volador Jr. [Relevos Increíbles]
24:38. Mistico challenged DOUKI to an IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship

FantasticaMania was both a hot show in terms of crowd reactions and a hot show in that it appeared scorching in that building. Getting good performances given the conditions was impressive, and there was a lot of good on it. I thought everything on this except for match 2. (Kojima and Okumura didn’t seem like they were keeping up well with their opponents.) The guys in the main event went a lot longer than I thought, going for a an epic match to top a fun evening. Volador and Rocky of course had problems at the end. I’m not too sure how to take the post match challenges because I’m not sure they have a finish there. Mistico’s probably not losing, Mistico’s probably not winning unless NJPW is going crazy hard to build up that multi-promotion WrestleDream show. CMLL did the “Mistico goes to a draw finish with the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion” last year with Takahashi.

Guerrero/Kidd was the hard hitting chop battle style of UG match, the type that he used to do a lot when he was wrestling indie matches. It reminded me of those Caifan matches. Other people got more out of the Cavernario/Tsuji match then I did, though I still thought it was good. Hechicero/Virus vs Tito/ZSJ never hit at the mat work level of Virus/ZSJ’s interactions last year or Hechicero/ZSJ this year, yet it still was a really good back and forth intense match.

It was odd seeing both a fourway scramble and a three way match on a CMLL themed show, but such is the way it turned out. The women’s title match worked well enough and the pro-Mexican crowd was still happy to see Willow Nightingale win. The announcers avoided mentioning Stephanie Vaquer’s name during the title match. Nightingale did mention Vaquer by name in her post-match interview, pointing out she did beat Vaquer back at Homenaje a Dos Leyendas as proof she’s a worthy successor to this title. I hadn’t thought about that finish since it happened, but I suppose there’s a chance CMLL planned to do a Vaquer/Nightingale match later this year. CMLL doesn’t always follow up on those things, but it works out. There’s no hurry for CMLL to get Nightingale back in CMLL to defend or lose the title. CMLL has no urgency around any title being defended. (Vaquer’s final defense of this title was in December 2023 against La Jarochita; neither of those women currently are wrestling in CMLL.) She’ll likely participate in the October run of shows, if not sooner, and it’s fairly likely the new CMLL World Women’s championship defense will instead happen outside of CMLL – either in AEW or a NJPW US show.

I’m less certain what’s next after Willow. I don’t think it’s Lluvia – she stepped to Willow post match as if to set up the match, but that seemed more like her doing a usual lucha bit of trying to get heat back after not winning. (See Mistico in the AEW Casino Gauntlet match; I don’t think we’re getting that match with Ospreay.) The bigger picture question is what the purpose is of the CMLL World Women’s title is now. If Stephanie Vaquer doesn’t go to WWE, I think NJPW US uses that belt just like they were using the Strong title, Vaquer defending against a variety of challengers until she met a really big name. Nightingale could slide into that role, if NJPW US still wants to keep doing that bit and Nightingale is not too busy with AEW. I kept thinking Tessa Blanchard would end up getting the title, but that doesn’t seem to work along a plan to use it in NJPW – they’ve shown no interest in using her for obvious reasons. (It’s also possible CMLL will be hesitant to give Blanchard or Catalina a title bit, concerned that non-Mexicans are more likely to leave if a WWE offer comes up.) If NJPW decides to move in a different direction, would CMLL prefer to try to make a star out of someone the fans haven’t seen at the level, or go back to safe hands? Princesa Sugehit should be back soon, was champion until she needed neck surgery, and would be a safe (if unexciting) champion.

The DKC was said to win a spot on the 2025 FantasticaMania with his win here, which was the first – and only – indication that a 2025 show was definitely planned. Drawing 900 people, even with more on PPV, seems tough for the amount of expense it takes to put a show like this together. Hopefully they can build bigger for next year.

CMLL (SUN) 07/14/2024 Arena México [CMLL]
1) Shockercito & Último Dragóncito b Pequeño Polvora & Pierrothito
2) Astral, Eléctrico, Leono b Dr. Karonte I, Dr. Karonte II, Enfermero Jr.
Astral suffered an injury but finished the match
3) El Audaz, Hombre Bala Jr., Pegasso b Dark Magic, El Coyote, Sagrado
4) Virus b Hijo del Villano III [lightning]
around 9 minutes
5) Atlantis, Blue Panther, Star Jr. b Magnus, Mephisto, Rugido
6) Gran Guerrero, Hechicero, Stuka Jr. DQ Fugaz, Místico, Volador Jr.
Fugaz replaced Volador. Hechicero and Valiente ripped up each other’s masks, Hechicero eventually got Valiente’s off for the DQ.

If we take the Hechicero/Valiente issue here as meaningful, CMLL’s arrived at four “pairs”, eight overall, the same format they used for the 90th Aniversario.

1. Esfinge & Euforia
2. Volador Jr. & Averno
3. Templario & Ultimo Guerrero
4. Hechicero & Valiente

One issue is this was an angle on a Sunday night show, and Aniversario angles tend to be on Friday shows. Hechicero hasn’t been booked on a Friday night show since May. That fact also hints at other issue: CMLL hasn’t really featured Hechicero as an important person. He seemed much more likely to be left off the Aniversario show than be booked into a main event. Valiente too, but Valiente’s action on Friday indicated something is up with him.

The Friday lineup reveal will be a big indicator – if Hechicero’s on that show and across from Valiente, then maybe there’s more into it. And, if more people get involved, this becomes more likely a tag match.

CMLL (TUE) 07/16/2024 Arena México
1) Kaligua & Pequeño Magía vs Pequeño Violencia & Pierrothito
2) La Vaquerita & Maligna vs Metálica & Valkiria
3) Fuego vs Difunto [lightning]
4) Futuro, Hombre Bala Jr., Max Star vs Cancerbero, Crixus, Vegas
5) Atlantis, Brillante Jr., Flip Gordon vs Magia Blanca, Magnus, Rugido
6) Bárbaro Cavernario, Dragón Rojo Jr., Terrible © vs Máscara Dorada, Neón, Star Jr. [CMLL TRIOS]
4th defense

Four defenses is a good number of this Barbaros unit, and Dorada/Neon/Star as the exciting young flippy team could work. Less certain if CMLL will have title changes on a Tuesday two weeks in a row.

CMLL Mexico City (VideosOficialesCMLL) did file a copyright claim against CMLL Guadalajara (Martes de Glamour) on YouTube, as seen on one of the old videos that had been only on Fan Leyenda, so it was the CMLL on CMLL violence it appeared to be. The Guadalajara side is claiming not to know why that happened and the Mexico City isn’t talking.

Guadalajara’s Optimo, who returned to ring last month, says he was out after knee surgery. He had been training with Franco Colombo and then later with Virus and Hechicero.

AAA

AAA on Space aired half of the June Mexico City taping. Things that aired.

• Vipers (Abismo Negro, Fiscal, Taurus) versus Aerostar, Brazo de Oro, Karis La Momia
  • Slight story of Fiscal having problems with Abismo and walking out the team. Fiscal was back with the Vipers showing no issues in multiple segments the rest of the show. Brazo de Oro Jr. continues to look good in his occasional appearance, especially here against Abismo. Karis and Fiscal looked more shaky. Match over well good, and longer than AAA usually gives these matches.
• Los Vipers told Latin Lover they actually did not like him coming back and had problems with him, Konnan, and the traitor Cibernetico. Hijo del Tirantes suggested he was now the sexiest man in wrestling and attempted to prove it via dance.
• Dinamico was distraught over his fellow Las Canchillas being angry with him about leaving them to join La Fraternidad. He appears to still be a rudo.
• Octagon Jr. won a fourway over Galeno del Mal, Dinamico and Drago, pinning Drago with the moonsault powerslam. It was good but also every fourway ever. Drago and Dinamico briefly worked together and then Dinamico betrayed him to try to sneak a win.
• Mesias, Espiritu and Escoria attacked Octagon Jr. after the match. They’re now the Apostoles del Mesias, and Mesias himself beliefs Octagon Jr. is unworthy of holding the Latin American championship.
• Cibernetico and Cuervo came out to make the save, leading right into their match with the Apostoles. (The cameraman filming the promo was caught unaware, and stood in the ring for a half a minute as the match was going on around him.) It was a generic brawl, with Cuervo taking out the underlings with an attempt at a tope through a table and Ciber pinning Mesias. Los Vipers hit the ring to attack and bloody Cibernetico, with the Apostoles looking a little annoyed but deciding not to get involved.
• Octagon Jr., during a post-show interview about Mesias’ attack, got attacked by three people who are part of the Eye group. (The eye symbol also came up briefly during Latin Lover’s in-ring segment.)  Psycho Clown briefly stopped the attack but then also got beat down.

AAA’s been doing attacks by the “Eye” group for seven months now, but this is the first time they’ve actually done one on camera. The general idea is to keep these identities secret until the big reveal, though one of the attackers was wearing a garish NBA 2023 All Star jacket. It looked like something Los Negoicios would wear or maybe Los Macizos, but those are wild guessing. Wearing a jacket like that also makes sense if the real purpose was to hide some tattoos. One of the other people was wearing the AAA track pants with the promotion logo on it. This is  AAA, so it’s unsafe to assume the people who were the attackers in this angle will be the people revealed to be part of it at the end. Last year, the mystery person angle was two people attacking Pagano, and then the big reveal was just one person (Texano, who was booked in a different state at the time of the original angle.) AAA seems like they’re building to a reveal in Mexico City so at least this is almost done. I almost wrote “at least it’s almost over” but I don’t get the sense this angle is over.

The rest of the TV was clearer than the live reports: the Cibernetico/Mesias feud is done for now, Mesias is moving onto Octagon, Cibernetico is moving onto the Vipers. Secta & Vipers are already in the Mexico City cage match, Octagon and Mesias have no announced match.

Unimas aired the women’s match and main event from Juarez, same as the first episode of that taping on Space. There were intra-show ads promoting that TripleMania Tijuana will start airing on Unimas on 07/27. That’s right on their normal schedule, but you’d otherwise have no idea a TripleMania was coming up in the air order based on the TV.

Space started airing promos for Verano de Escandalo. The second half of the show will air live on 08/02 (Friday), as usual for AAA big shows.

Legend put on an AAA Reunion show Saturday in Arena Lopez Mateos. It was more names from the 90s era of the promotion, with a couple of nice touches. El Fiscal worked as “Winners Jr.” in honor of his father’s original character. Marisela Pena came to the show and was honored. The main event featured at least five different Payasos. No idea what relationship those clowns actually had to the real clowns (and some of the other characters on the show were likely portrayed by non-originals.) The idea of this show was to play off the AAA Origenes nostalgia and ticket boom – except this show didn’t sell tickets at all. Arena Lopez Mateos looked much emptier than normal. Some of that was probably the WWE show happening the same time, though the audience for WWE and 90s AAA seems like a small overlap. My guess is fans will buy tickets to see the older wrestlers in big numbers only when they’re presented in the context of a ‘real’ AAA show, and with a few more big names (Cibernetico, Mesias) than this show.

WWE

WWE sold out Arena Ciudad de Mexico show on Saturday, then did about the same in Monterrey on Sunday. Stephanie Vaquer ended up not simply appearing on the shows, but wrestling as well – she defeated Isla Dawn on both cards. (It seemed an indication of what WWE’s management has seen from Vaquer that they had her do the same promo she did on Mercedes Mone in Arena Mexico.)

Vaquer’s headed to NXT next and – if the contract is as good as it’s said – the plan is likely to keep her in NXT for about the same and then to move her up, same as Dragon Lee. It just may be some time before she shows up in NXT and she may have to return back to Chile while awaiting her work visa.

There was no sign of any AAA involvement on either WWE show.

IWRG

IWRG (SUN) 07/14/2024 Arena Naucalpan [IWRG]
1) Histeriosis & Willy Banderas b Calibus & Sacro 
2) Mr. Mike & Rey Aztaroth b Auzter & Iron Kid 
3) Freelance, Luka, Multifacetico Jr. b Abigor, Rey Halcón, Yorvak 
Freelance and Mr. Mike fought post match.
4) Estrella Divina, Veneno, Vudu Max b Diablo Jr., Imposible, Sádika 
5) Hijo de Pandemónium b Vangellys 
sets up a rematch for the IWRG Rey del Ring
6) Látigo & Toxin b Cerebro Negro & Cerebro Negro Jr. © [IWRG IC TAG] 
Cerberos fall on their eighth defense

Other News

A GoFundMe has been set up for Fray Tormenta, who needs money for medical bills. It is linked to on his Facebook page, which is said to be managed by one of his children.

There was the Puebla luchador named Muerte Negra who passed away this past week and an upcoming lucha libre movie named Muerte Negra that (again) got attention, but these are unrelated Muerte Negras.

Segunda Caida has watches a Komanchi Mistico match.