Dorada returns to Arena Mexico with a win, TDN, Rey outside of AAA, AAA in Cuautitlán

CMLL (FRI) 02/05/2016 Arena México [CMLL, thecubsfan]
1) Astral & Eléctrico b Demus 3:16 & Pequeño Olímpico
14:29. Tecnicos took 1/3.
2) Amapola, Dalys, Zeuxis b Estrellita, Marcela, Princesa Sugehit
11:33. Rudos took 2/3.
3) Boby Z b Stuka Jr. [lightning]
6:29. Zavala won with a kick following a powerbomb.
4) Blue Panther, La Máscara, Titán b Luciferno, Rey Bucanero, Vangellys
13:32. Tecnicos took 2/3.
5) Dragón Lee, Marco Corleone, Máximo Sexy b Kamaitachi, Terrible, Último Guerrero
10:29. Tecnicos took 2/3. Lee beat Kamaitachi as part of the finish, but did not issue a title challenge (yet)
6) Máscara Dorada, Mistico, Volador Jr. b Cavernario, Mephisto, Negro Casas
8:30. Tecnicos took 1/3. Casas faked a foul to draw the DQ in the second, and Volador actually fouled him and got away with it to take the the third. Volador challenged for a hair match again, Casas walked out again.

Not advancement in any feud – Casas & Volador are in a holding pattern and Dragon Lee/Kamaitachi weren’t even that – and no must watch match for me, but an enjoyable Friday night show from top to bottom. CMLL had a bigger than usual crowd and they were very into the show, which helped a bit. It’s not clear why the crowd was up; Dorada’s return was the only notable thing on the show, but the crowd din’t particularly react to him (and there were other people who seemed more over.)

This might have been the first TDN taping, but I’m curious about that whole show now. There are TV listings out now for February 14th, when the show is first supposed to air, and there’s no CMLL show listed. There is a sports magazine show doing a hour on lucha libre. I believe that’s a repeat of something that’s aired before, but maybe it’s not and maybe TDN was just filming footage for that show and not planning on airing a weekly show? That would be a very uninteresting outcome. It could just be the schedule is wrong.

Next Friday’s show is still listed as airing ClaroSports.com. It’s always a week by week thing, but there was no sign it was going away any time soon last night.

AAA has a TV taping tonight in Cuautitlán. It’s an interesting card. The main event is Rey de Reyes qualifier which doesn’t look especially good (Wagner, Demon, Garza and Taurus) but will probably tell us a lot about what that show is going to look like.  There’s a three way tag match where no one’s quite sure what’s on the line, but it should be a good match given the people involved. The three opening matches all have great promise as well.

No one’s really talking about the lineup today! It’s all about the latest drama with AAA. Pro Wrestling Sheet reported Rey Misterio is out of AAA because they haven’t paid him for all the dates he was working for them. It reads like a dispute over which dates Rey is getting for: Rey is saying the contract calls for him to be paid for every day he’s with AAA and not home, and the implication is AAA has decided some of those days don’t count. The WON had been saying for a while that there was a money issue between AAA and Rey, and money issues are never about being paid too much. AAA hasn’t said anything about this.

The Pro Wrestling Sheet leaves it as an open question if Rey will be returning. From watching AAA, it definitely seems like they’re moving on with no expectation of him (and Mundo and others) being brought back any time soon. Rey’s last appearance in AAA was being helped from the ring in Arena Neza in December. It’d be a shame if that was his last appearance in AAA, but it seems like it might be the case unless the issues get fixed.

Lucha Underground is a separate entity and would not be directly affected by Rey’s issues with AAA. However, we know he’s also had problems with them (over being able to do the Combate Americas appearances), there was never any public mention of the length of his contract, and whatever issues he’s having might allow him to get out early similar to Alberto. My hunch is Rey’s going to end up back with the WWE on a part time schedule as soon as he’s legally allowed to make that deal.

Edit: The WON reported Rey Mysterio has a two year contract with Lucha Underground. (Which is strange, given everyone else has been said to have a Season based contract.)

In a possibly related development, Konnan announced on Twitter last night that he’d soon have a press conference, teasing AAA revelations. It’s an easy guess that Konnan’s about just as upset about Rey not getting paid as Rey is, though it’s not clear if it’s about that or something else.

Sexy Star ended up deleting her Twitter message saying she was giving up the AAA Mixed Tag Titles. No idea if that means she’s going thru with the program.

Chessman says Joe Lider & Pentagon must defeat Averno & himself to get a title shot. That match is happening today. I wonder what will happen.

This week’s AAA TV confirmed Rey de Reyes is March 11 in Tampico.

Rossy Moreno says she was surprised to be invited back to Arena Mexico and thought her brought Oriental was playing a joke when he told her Elite wanted to bring her in. She’s proud to be back this Sunday after 20 some years (even she doesn’t seem to know when she last wrestled there) and hopes her entire family will soon be back.

Hijo del Santo annually makes a trip to his father’s grave on the day of his passing, and follows with a few words to the press. It didn’t seem too newsworthy this year, but Hijo del Santo did say he would be open to returning to Arena Mexico if the people wanted. If Hijo del Santo is really going to retire this year, and Elite is going to continue running Sunday shows with whomever they want, it seems like an easy decision. It’s never easy with Hijo del Santo.

Eric Mutter writes about el Santo.

Chairo 3 (03/06, Arena Naucalpan, Chairo Kingdom) card so far
Mascara Dorada vs Extreme Tiger, falls count anywhere
Super Muneco vs Maximo
Atlantis vs Caifan
Hijo del Solar vs Solar – new

ChilangaMask (03/20, Coliseo Coacalco) 3rd Anniversary card so far
Los Caifanes vs Los Traumas
Tigre Universitario vs Jeque
Makabre, Shiryu Dragon vs Wotan, Impulso
Raymond Rowe & Matt Cross will appear
El Sagrado & Sangre Fri & Dorado Jr. vs Aero Boy & Fulgor I & Fulgor II
Hijo del Angel, Fly Warrior, Emperador Azteca, Metaleon, Psycho Kid, Astro, Fly Star, Freelance, Mike Segura in Aerial Assualt – new

LuchaWorld has KrisZ’s news update.

AAA posted the second half of Guerra de Titanes last night. This is the show airing this afternoon.

Segunda Caida wrote about Black Terry, Cerebro Negro, Dr. Cerebro vs Trauma I, Trauma II, Ultramán Jr.

Lineups

IWRG (WED) 02/10/2016 Arena Naucalpan
1) Osiris vs Aramis
2) Fireman & Galaxy vs Acero & Troll
3) Dragón Fly, Freyzer, Kanon vs Adrenalina, Atomic Star, Picudo Jr.
4) Emperador Azteca, Pantera I, Veneno vs Oficial AK47, Violencia Jr., X-Fly
5) Diablo Jr. I, El Hijo del Diablo, Imposible vs Apolo Estrada Jr., Canis Lupus, Eterno

The main feud takes the main event. AK47 back for the first time since November.

CMLL (FRI) 02/12/2016 Arena México
1) Bengala & Robin vs Espiritu Negro & Inquisidor
2) Fuego, The Panther, Tritón vs Puma, Tiger, Virus
3) Dragón Lee, Guerrero Maya Jr., La Máscara vs Boby Z, Hechicero, Kamaitachi
4) Valiente vs Euforia [lightning]
5) Marco Corleone, Rush, Thunder vs Cibernético, Mr. Niebla, Último Guerrero [Relevos Increíbles]
6) Máscara Dorada, Mistico, Volador Jr. vs Cavernario, Mephisto, Negro Casas

Main event is a rematch from last night, keeping Volador/Casas going.

There’s no real reason Rush & Marco should be teaming with Thunder, except CMLL got tired of booking Dragon Rojo & Polvora in that match every week. Cibernetico versus Thunder would be epic lucha libre action, a true treat for fans of mat wrestling.

Second and third matches seem like they could be quite good.