Puma advances in Copa Jr., FantasticaMania notes

CMLL (SUN) 01/03/2016 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Fuego en el Ring]
1) Micro b Destructor
2) Capitan Cobra & Linterna DQ Black Sugar & Quca
rudos beat Capitan Cobra, but fouled Linterna.
3) Avispón Negro Jr., El Alteño, Metatrón b El Gitano, Mr. Apolo, Relampago
Avispon Negro Jr. replaced Neutron.
4) El Divino, León Blanco, Magnum b Furia Roja, Rey Trueno, Sádico
5) Esfinge, Titán, Tritón DQ El Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón
Espectrum made his return by running in and attacking the tecnicos in the third fall. He hadn’t been seen since June, a few days after Esfinge took his mask in the cage match.

Losing your mask and disappearing for six months seems like a pre-existing injury.

CMLL (TUE) 01/05/2016 Arena México [CMLL]
1) Angelito & Fantasy b Pequeño Nitro & Pequeño Universo 2000
2) Flyer, Robin, Star Jr. b Akuma, Artillero, Espanto Jr.
3) Amapola, La Seductora, Zeuxis b Estrellita, La Vaquerita, Princesa Sugehit
4) Guerrero Maya Jr. b Sagrado [lightning]
Maya submitted Sagrado in 8:36.
5) Puma b Blue Panther Jr., Magnus, Skándalo, Hombre Bala Jr., El Cuatrero, Oro Jr., Hijo del Signo [Copa Jr., semifinal]
A battle royal determined sides as Blue Panther Jr., Oro Jr., Magnua and Hombre Bala Jr. vs Puma, Hijo del Signo, Skandalo and Cuatrero. Elimination order went Signo (by Oro Jr.), Magnus (Skandalo), Cuatrero (Hombre Bala), Oro (Puma), Skandalo (Blue Panther Jr.), Hombre Bala Jr. (Puma), Blue Panther Jr. (Puma). Puma advances to face next week’s winner on 01/19.
6) Kráneo, Niebla Roja, Ripper b Marco Corleone, Máximo Sexy, Stuka Jr.
Ripper snuck in a foul on Maximo, setting up a singles match next week.

Ripper apparently doesn’t merit a heavyweight title match, but Maximo continues to be a focus during this period.

A couple clean up things from the FantasticaMania lineups:

If you missed the update, CMLL’s press release on the tour mentioned Komatsu & Tanaka will be starting in Mexico on 01/31 as Fujin and Raijin. They’re probably masked gimmicks, which is kind of defeated by announcing they’d have those names. (Not that we haven’t been able to swiftly figure out who the trainees are every time anyway.)

Kamaitachi is not on any of the cards and suggested he’d be teaming with these guys when they come to Mexico, which would mean he’s around at least one more month. I do not have any idea what the deal is with his status. This could be some sort of fakeout, or he could just be around for a while longer. I do still expect he’ll be back in NJPW some point soon, but can’t tell you when.

Neither the CMLL or NJPW press releases yesterday seem to mention the concept of someone from CMLL going to NJPW for a year as Mascara Dorada did. There has been a rumor Sombra was to get this spot, but this was mentioned back when the FantasticaMania tour was announced and Sombra was finishing up by then. It’s probably worth paying attention to Informa to see if it’s brought up there.

NJPWWorld’s schedule lists only the last three shows of the tour as airing on their service. Start times for all three shows are 18:30 local time, which is a 3:30 AM start time in Mexico on early Friday morning, early Saturday morning, and early Sunday morning. I’m thinking I’ll do live results for Saturday and Sunday, but we’ll see. The entire tour will air on SamuraiTV and there’s a good chance those missing shows will turn up via other means, as they have in recent years.

Only the final three days are sold out so far. Standing room tickets will be offered on the day of the show. (They also seem to be available on the secondary market if you’re looking to go.) Tiers of tickets are sold out on Kochi and Osaka, and tickets are still available at all prices in Kyoto.

Mascara Dorada was happy about being on the Toyko Dome for the third year in a row, and specifically pleased to face King Haku who had only seen in videos previously.

Lucha Underground returns tonight, kind of. They’re running five episode marathons the next three weeks, going thru the last 15 episodes of the season. That means tonight’s run starts with the Trios title tournament final at 7pm CT.

AAA is posting videos honoring the winner of their fan poll awards. First up is Garza Jr. It was no surprise Garza Jr.’s won given his large social media following. They’ll probably air these on TV this week.

Today is the day of the week AAA seems to put together their TV show, so there’s a decent chance they’ll be announcing more Guerra de Titanes details on that show and also being releasing them to the press as well.

Your daily tease of an AAA US show.

Freedom’s SUSUMU will be working DTU’s shows at the end of January. The 01/28 show in Xalapa is now a benefit show; Flyer Boy was hurt this past weekend and will be undergoing surgery.

Atlantis gives his year a 10 of 10.

Segunda Caida reviews Maximo versus Kamaitachi.

Lineups

CMLL (SUN) 01/10/2016 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Avispón Negro Jr. & Micro vs Diplomático & Guerrero de la Muerte
2) Nautilius vs Relampago [OCCIDENTE MIDDLE, tournament]
3) Omar Brunetti vs Carlos Rogi [OCCIDENTE MIDDLE, tournament]
4) Cosmos, León Blanco, Reycko vs Kempo Dragón, Príncipe Kisho, Rey Trueno
5) La Máscara & Máximo Sexy vs Euforia & Niebla Roja

Didn’t I tell them to stop running tournaments for these titles? Oh well. Virgo is the most recent champion and hasn’t been seen since August.

There’s a Cosmos in Xalapa, but it wouldn’t quite make sense for him to be here. (That one is already booked in Xalapa on the same day.) Maybe a new guy.

IWRG (SUN) 01/10/2016 Arena Naucalpan
1) Omega & Shadow Boy vs Adrenalina & Power Bull
2) Fireman & Rocket vs Artillero & Hip Hop Man
3) Black Terry, Cerebro Negro, Dr. Cerebro vs Diablo Jr. 1, El Hijo del Diablo, Imposible
4) Hijo del Pantera, Pantera I, Pantera II vs Negro Navarro, Trauma I, Trauma II
5) Danny Casas, Herodes Jr., Hijo De Dos Caras vs Demon Clown, Máscara Año 2000 Jr., Toscano

Toscano is a rudo now I guess? Middle matches could be good. No idea what Artillero is doing here – I guess it could be a new guy or even the Monterrey Artillero.

The Navarros are the current trios champs (unless they lost them in the defense in Satillo on 01/02) and that semimain seems like a sure set up to a title match.

CMLL (TUE) 01/12/2016 Arena México
1) Robin & Sensei vs Artillero & Cholo
2) Pegasso, Star Jr., Starman vs Disturbio, Nitro, Okumura
3) Delta, Guerrero Maya Jr., Titán vs Boby Z, Hechicero, Virus
4) The Panther vs Tiger, Esfinge, Sansón, Soberano Jr., Canelo Casas, Súper Halcón Jr., Espanto Jr. [Copa Jr., semifinal]
winner faces Puma
5) Máximo Sexy vs Ripper
6) Atlantis, Dragon Lee, Marco Corleone vs Cavernario, Mephisto, Último Guerrero

This the last day of shows for those going to FantasticaMania, which includes just about everyone in the main event. It also rules out The Panther actually advancing in the Copa Junior. Tiger versus Puma would be cool but unlikely (though Puma says he has no problem facing his brother), so this is probably an Esfinge or Soberano spot.

Third match could be very good, though it probably doesn’t have a great chance of making TV.

CMLL (TUE) 01/12/2016 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Capitan Cobra & Vaquero Jr. vs Mr. Trueno & Rey Trueno
2) La Vaquerita, Lluvia, Princesa Sugehit vs Amapola, La Comandante, Tiffany
3) Fuego, Stigma, Tritón vs Pierroth, Sagrado, Skándalo
4) Ángel de Oro, La Máscara, Super Porky vs Ephesto, Kráneo, Luciferno
5) Mistico, Valiente, Volador Jr. © vs Rey Bucanero, Terrible, Vangellys [CMLL TRIOS]
sixth defense

This should be another successful title defense for the Sky Team. 6 defenses in just about a year is a great pace for a CMLL title. They’d be two away from the record if they hold on here.