Elite & LU tonight, boring CMLL show last night, Octagon

CMLL (TUE) 04/12/2016 Arena México [thecubsfan]
1) Flyer & Robin b Artillero & Inquisidor
16:19. Tecnicos took 1/3.
2) Arkángel de la Muerte, Canelo Casas, Metálico b Oro Jr., Soberano Jr., Starman
23:51. Rudos took 2/3. Oro Jr. replaced Star. Jr.
3) Disturbio b Stigma [lightning]
6:21.
4) Esfinge, Guerrero Maya Jr., Pegasso DQ Luciferno, Misterioso Jr., Sagrado
9:08. Tecnicos took straight falls, the last when Sagrado unmasked Esfinge for the DQ.
5) Gran Guerrero, Kráneo, Mr. Niebla b La Máscara, Súper Porky, Titán
11:47. Rudos took 1/3.
6) Dragón Lee, Máscara Dorada, Stuka Jr. b Dragón Rojo Jr., Pólvora, Rey Escorpión
8:16. Tecnicos took 1/3.

The lineup didn’t look good, and I had a thought that I should finish the ELITE recap from last week and other things, join the show in progress, and then restart it from the beginning to watch the early matches. I instead made the easier choice of just watching it live as normal. This was a very poor choice. The second match killed my enthusiasm for the show and most of it was a waste of time. The one angle they did (Sagrado unmasking Esfinge) didn’t even register as an angle, since it’s something they do all the time and usually doesn’t go anywhere in undercard matches. The main event was fun, but I encourage you to skip the two hours prior to it

Elite takes over Arena Mexico tonight. The two Liga Elite matches are LA Park versus Cibernetico and Ultimo Guerrero versus Extreme Tiger. Ultimo Guerrero talked about his match with +LuchaTV. Tiger’s the first guy having his second match in this tournament (and Negro Casas will have zero.) Tiger/UG will likely be the better match on the show, but LA Park versus Cibernetico is the more interesting. The two never had a singles match in AAA or anywhere else. If they did, it’d would’ve likely been a lot like the recent Dr. Wagner/Psycho Clown matches: walking around the fans while punching each other, using whatever they can grab as weapons, and possibly some blood. Doing the same in Arena Mexico usually causes you to stop being allowed in Arena Mexico for a while. This seems like as much a test of LA Park’s willingness to play by anyone else’s rules as was handing him a live mic last week. LA Park can either do the match he usually does, or he can stick around Elite.

The semimain on the card is a brothers versus brothers tag, Argos teaming with Carsitico against Mistico & Dragon Lee. Argos & Dragon Lee are slightly feuding, but the big deal is Caristico and Mistico on opposite sides of a match. Mistico is not in Liga Elite, so it’s not something which might be seen again soon.  Rush and Dragon Lee, not Mistico & Dragon Lee. That’s an interesting match, though not the one I wrongly had in my head. The tercera continues Super Crazy versus Dinastia Felino, with Angel de Oro & Golden Magic on the Super Crazy side. That tercera and the two undercard matches will likely air as highlights on TV this Friday, with the top 3 matches being shown in full.

Tonight’s Lucha Underground episode is episode 12 of the season, “Three’s a Crowd”. Announced matches:

• Killshot versus Argenis
• Texano versus Daga (debut)
• Rey Mysterio, Dragon Azteca Jr., Prince Puma vs Johnny Mundo, Cage, Taya in the Lucha Underground Trios tournament

The main event was revealed during a commercial which aired (in some places) during WWE Raw on Monday

The TV preview description indirectly reveals the second match is for an Aztec Medallion. This is the second cycle for this Medallion/Gift of the Gods process. As a reminder, Dario has seven Medallions that he hands out. Once all seven are given on, the people who hold them compete in a match for the Gift of the Gods championship. The Gift of the Gods championship can be exchanged for a Lucha Underground title match, but the belt and the Medallions are given back to Dario at that point to restart the whole thing. The Medallions are usually given out in matches, but not always – Dario just gave one to Big Ryck last year and seemed like he was going to offer the same to Pentagon. There’s half the season left, and it seems reasonable that they’ll get to at least the Gift of the Gods championship match before the end of season 2.

A Rey Mysterio led show will take place in Chile this Sunday. MVP, Johnny Mundo, Carlito, Matt Hardy, Bobby Lashley, Pentagon Jr., Mesias, Ivelisse, Santana Garret, Apolo and The Wolves are also listed.

Shocker’s apparently not back yet; a sign in Guadalajara said he was replaced by Rey Bucanero. (Except, Rey Bucanero was already on the card.)

LA Park replaced Cibernetico on the Tuesday Puebla fair show.

CMLL luchadors were part of the presentation of a bill to make September 21st officially “Dia Nacional de la Lucha Libre y el Dia del Luchador Profesional.” Noted video blogger Ultimo Guerrero posted footage of the presentation. I don’t know the process it takes for something like that to become a law in Mexico (I missed the musical cartoon) but it’s a proposal with a good amount support at this point. Brazo de Oro led the group of luchadors, which may mean it was something pushed by the luchador’s union. Luchadors and lawmakers were pretty much unsuccessful in making any changes after the death of Perro Aguayo Jr., but perhaps something as low cost as giving lucha libre a day will be easier to complete.

Octagon is currently holding a press conference in Mexico City, and has introduced his son as Hijo de Octagon. HIjo de Octagon looks very young, but says he’s 24, has been training since he was 6 years and trained under Octagon, Abismo Negro & Rey Mysterio, and has studied in the US. His training under the last two couldn’t have been any time recently. It’s hard not be sympathetic to Hijo del Octagon, who’s

Octagon has otherwise repeated the same things he’s said elsewhere: he says he didn’t bring armed bodyguards to confront Octagon Jr., he supports young luchadors, and he owns the rights to his name. Screen shots from Mexico Trademark Search were posted around last night showing AAA actually owns the name; Octagon’s countered by posting his own documents claiming they prove he does. They actually appear to be papers requesting the rights to the name from 2015. Dr. Landru noted last night that request was already denied.

04/24 Lucha Memes in Coliseo Coacalco
1: Keira vs Princesa Sugehit
2: Alas de Acero, Iron Kid & Aramis vs Fujin, Raijin, Okumura
3: Oscuro vs Jinzo
4: Demasiado vs Super Mega
5: Fly Star & Toxin vs Ciber Punk & Garrobo Punk
6: Negro Navarro, Trauma I, Trauma II vs Belial, Arez, Impulso

The rest of the card showed up quick, but this card is already not that far away.

04/30 RIOT show
1: Caifan vs Dralion

A new episode of +LuchaTV is up, with highlights from the last month of lucha libre.

Kamaitachi is listed on the Under the Stars V show in Wappingers Falls, New York on August 27th, which leaves open the possibility he’s just sticking in CMLL.

Mascara Dorada still wants to fight KUSHIDA, would be willing to move up to middleweight to challenge Dragon Rojo or Ultimo Guerrero for their titles.

LuchaWorld has the 10 top rankings

RobViper has highlights of 09/22/15 CMLL.

Segunda Caida reviews Sombra versus Volador, regrets it.

Lineups

CMLL (SAT) 04/16/2016 Arena Coliseo
1) Leono vs Apocalipsis
2) Magnus vs Artillero
3) Starman vs Sangre Azteca
4) Pegasso vs Disturbio
5) Fuego & Stigma vs Okumura & Olímpico
6) Dragón Lee, Máscara Dorada, Titán vs Misterioso Jr., Terrible, Virus
7) Máximo Sexy vs Euforia [CMLL HEAVY]
7th defense

Maximo’s beat Euforia twice. I bet he’ll beat him a third time, but CMLL weirdly plays on the idea no one pays attention what happens to the other days they run shows.

Main event is actually not a title match; they set it up but it’s not listed on the program

IWRG (SUN) 04/17/2016 Arena Naucalpan
Guerra del Golfo, 2016
1) Black Dragón & Dragón Fly vs Galaxy & Picudo Jr.
2) El Divo & Freyser vs the Tiger (Tamaulipas) & Violencia Jr.
3) Diva Salvaje, Miss Gaviota, Pasion Kristal vs Factor, Rayan, Spector [super libre]
4) Oficial Fierro vs Máscara Sagrada, Danny Casas, Dr. Cerebro, Hijo De Dos Caras, Canis Lupus, Mike, Leo, Damián 666, Eterno [cage, losers advance]
5) Súper Nova vs Mr. Águila, Veneno, Golden Magic, Bestia 666, El Hijo del Diablo, Oficial AK47, Astro, Rafy, Apolo Estrada [cage, losers advance]
6) ? vs ?? [mask, hair, cage]

The annual “losers of two cage matches face off” show. Would IWRG dare to have another cage match ending involving Golden Magic? That would be amazing. Something along the lines of Dr. Cerbero versus Oficial AK47 seems more likely.

I’m assuming that’s the Nuevo Laredo based The Tiger in the second match, working with Monterrey’s Divo, but no idea. He’s probably going to need a new name.

CMLL (TUE) 04/19/2016 Arena México
1) Leono & Sensei vs Cholo & Inquisidor
2) Magnus, Robin, Star Jr. vs Arkángel de la Muerte, Hijo del Signo, Metálico
3) Blue Panther Jr., Hombre Bala Jr., Súper Halcón Jr. vs Disturbio, Nitro, Sangre Azteca
4) Esfinge vs Sagrado [lightning]
5) Blue Panther, Fuego, Guerrero Maya Jr. vs Hechicero, Morphosis, Terrible
6) Dragón Lee, Máscara Dorada, Stuka Jr. vs Ephesto, Luciferno, Mephisto

Lee, Dorada & Stuka team up again against the Hijos del Infernales, and are a random enough trios team to get a title shot. Esfinge/Sagrado follows on the DQ, which is actually happening on occasion of late. Morphosis hasn’t been around since November.

CMLL (TUE) 04/19/2016 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Capitán Cobra & Mágico vs Mr. Apolo & Rey Trueno
2) El Divino, Flyer, Marvel vs Akuma, Espíritu Negro, Joker
3) Rey Cometa, Starman, Tritón vs Fujin, Okumura, Raijin
4) Ángel de Oro vs Bobby Z
5) Atlantis, Marco Corleone, Volador Jr. vs Rey Bucanero, Terrible, Vangellys

Angel de Oro versus Bobby Z as a standalone match is strange. Seems a decent chance this lineup was planned before they realized Angel de Oro was losing his title.