El Patron – Alberto del Rio – made the rounds of morning shows today. He confirmed the basic story around his firing of slapping a WWE employee after a racist comment and mentioned he previously had a confrontation with the employee, but did not even know the man’s name. He didn’t want to get in more details than that for the time being. Del Rio said the terms of his release state he can not wrestle in the US for one year and he is not fighting for any money from WWE since his contract stated he could not hit a WWE employee. (That makes it sound like he’s not getting the money that ties him to WWE for 90 days, but it also just might refer to any severance for the rest of his contract.) Patron was high on AAA’s plans for the US but won’t have a chance to be part of them for now. He also mentioned he’s living in San Antonio (and not Florida.)
Patron claimed there was a 99% chance he would wrestle on TripleMania, with only a legal details to clear up. This still sounds like empty hype to sell a show and turn WWE more heel in Mexico – best of luck to whichever WWE wrestlers get sent out to do press when they run their shows in October – but there is a suggestion that AAA & Patron thought it was possible at least at one point. Last night’s Wrestling Observer radio show mentioned AAA and El Patron believed he would be wrestling on TripleMania on Wednesday, but Patron found out he could not by Thursday. The comment he made about lawyers trying to free him to work might have begun as clever publicity, but an actual honest statement.
He really doesn’t need to wrestle Sunday. AAA is selling tickets based on this story, which is bigger than any match they could throw together on a few days notice. They can save that first match for another show and sell a lot of tickets down the road.
+LuchaTV has full video of Thursday’s press conference. As does the Gladiatores. As does R de Rudo.
The start of CMLL Universal tournament, notionally one of CMLL’s biggest events of the year, is usually the most interesting thing going on that week. That’s not quite the case this week. It (and CMLL in general) has been totally buried by the AAA events of this week. It’s still stands out as something pretty important as to how CMLL might book shows next month. This half of the block has a fair bit of top guys, but top guys with flaws or no momentum where it’s tough to actually believe they’d have a chance here. Shocker wrestling three matches and then another big match in two weeks is asking too much. Terrible is a past champion but has trouble getting a single win now a days, much less three. CMLL seems to run hot and cold with Mephisto, but it’s a cold moment right now. Felino & Euforia are not even treated as well as those guys and seem very likely first round exits.
That leaves Negro Casas, La Sombra and Rey Escorpion as the three guys who have a shot. Negro Casas biggest flaw is his lack of obvious opposition on the other side of the bracket. Rush isn’t a champion. On the other hand, Negro Casas can and has feuded with pretty much anyone and they can go back to it. He hasn’t been facing off against Volador recently, but he did to start the year. Casas hasn’t been facing Ultimo Guerrero, but that’s a nice big match to lead into the Anniversary show. My money would still be on Sombra advancing (it’s easy to figure matches against Volador and against Ultimo Guerrero), but I’d rate it 45% Sombra, 25% Casas, 25% Escorpion and 5% someone else.
The actual main event, on an over packed show, is another Ultimo Guerrero/Atlantis trios match. Matches are going to be short to fit everything in; there will be 13 different matches by the time the show is over, including the pointless battle royal.
Tonight’s show in Tijuana includes a lot of guys brought in from the United States. The main event has been switched around a bit from the original trios thanks to certain people becoming available. It’s now a Familia de Tijuana super atomicos teaming up: Damian 666, Halloween, Nicho and Extreme Tiger versus Chavo Guerrero Jr., Homicide, Hernandez and Luke Hawk. The paper dutiful reports about BLK Jeez yelling during the press conference with the giant mascot.
LuchaWorld has a recap of this week’s Tercera Caida. On the after the show video, Dr. Wagner implied that one of the reason he’s back in AAA is part of a deal to regain the rights to his name. It’s Dr. Wagner, so you never know if it’s actually true, but AAA did grab the trademark of the Dr. Wagner name in the United States. (It’s listed as Lucha Libre FMV, where FMV is Factory Made Ventures.) After Alfredo was done, Tercara Caida snuck in another after the show video with the WWA ladies. LuchaWorld also has KrisZ’s news update.
Daga and Fenix did a face to face interview to promote TripleMania. If AAA knew they were ditching the Fusion title all along, it would’ve been pretty neat if they just built to that singles match and let the other eight guys do other things. That would’ve made someone far more than a ten man match. I kind of want to assume that means some third person is actually winning the match on Sunday to explain it, but it seems much more likely no one had a plan. In another lengthy interview, Daga says his three toughest opponents have been Eterno, Joe Lider and Davey Richards. No one else has that exact list.
IWRG is raising prices for Sunday’s show that goes head to head with TripleMania. Repeat: they are raising prices. Dare to dream.
Dark Angel says she won’t be on the Anniversary show – she won’t be in the country.
A hostel/boarding home for children was taken over last month by the Mexican government and the people in charge arrested after reports of awful living conditions and sexual abuse. Estrellita revealed to a magazine that she and her four brothers lived there for four years and she saw and heard of much the same treatment that’s been reported now.
AAA visited a children’s hospital. This was happening during the El Patron press conference, which made for an odd Twitter mix of a man making announcements about his career and wheelchair races. (Wheelchair races were probably more fun.)
Ohtani’s Jacket reviews more 1993 Negro Casas.
DJ Spectro writes about the debut and short stint of Dart Vader. He didn’t really have the right mask.
Preview of the upcoming DTU show at Arena Aficion.
Segunda Caida reviews Dos Caras Jr., Dr. Wagner Jr., Lizmark Sr. vs Olímpico, Pierroth, Último Guerrero
LV has reviews of CMLL 05/11/14, IWRG 05/11/14 and Puebla 05/12/14.
R de Rudo interviews Rayder Boy.
Abismo Blanco has started a new lucha libre message board.
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