La Mascara sets up title match with Volador in Puebla, next The Crash lineup

CMLL (MON) 12/26/2016 Arena Puebla [CMLL, Culticon]
1) El Malayo & Espíritu Maligno b Asturiano & París
Rudos took 1/3.
2) Apocalipsis, Disturbio, Policeman b Lestat, Rey Samuray, Robin
Rudos took 1/3. Apocalipsis replaced Espanto Jr. (still injured?)
3) Dalys © b Marcela [CMLL WOMEN]
never listed on CMLL’s website but advertised locally. Dalys took falls 2/3 to retain in a good match. 7th defense.
4) Drone, Pegasso, Stigma b Okumura, Sagrado, Skándalo
Tecnicos took 2/3. Pegasso replaced Fuego.
5) Felino, Gran Guerrero, Negro Casas b Atlantis, Johnny Idol, Stuka Jr.
Rudos took 1/3. Gran Guerrero replaced Mr. Niebla.
6) La Máscara, Marco Corleone, Máximo Sexy b Ephesto, Mephisto, Volador Jr. [Relevos Increíbles]
Team Mascara took falls 1/2, Mascara beating Volador with his own finish cleanly in the second. Mascara demanded a title match next week.

This show was packed. It looked full. There were people seated in the bleachers behind the entrances, which are very rarely even used. It’s most likely the holiday week causing it, but it was still a good night.

CMLL never listed the title match on their website, but it was on the poster the arena sent out that afternoon. It was probably always booked but didn’t make the website due to the oversight. (Though, they updated the website to list Gran Guerrero, but still didn’t put in that match.) It’s hard to figure who will eventually beat Dalys at this point. Maybe Estrellita? Maybe Marcela just gets fails in a lot of challenges before beating her?

Mr. Niebla missed this show and was taken off all cards. Niebla appeared to be quietly suspended almost all of November, made it back for four matches, and has been quietly suspended again. Cavernario will again replace him on Friday, and Bucanero is in his spot on Sunday.

Today’s CMLL show is a show that doesn’t seem to have any purpose to exist. They didn’t run any feuds last week and might not this week. Might have a good match or two. The main event is Atlantis, Maximo and Valiente versus Mephisto, Ephesto, and Gran Guerrero. The semimain is Guerrero Maya, Johnny Idol and Rey Cometa against Bobby Z, Sam Adonis and Vangellys, which looks like the best match on the show. The lightning match was Puma versus The Panther, but is now Puma versus Okumura. It’s unclear why CMLL couldn’t find another tecnico for that spot, but there are less people around than usual. The women return to the tercera spot, with Vaquerita wrestling her first match unmasked. She teams with Estrellita & Marcela against Amapola, Comandante and the woman who unmasked her, Zeuxis. Magia Blanca, Oro Jr., and Stigma fight Arkangel, Inquisidor and Canelo Casas, in his first match here in a couple months. Acero & Fantasy versus Pequeno Nitro & Pequeno Violencia open the show, and that match doesn’t seem any good.

The show will air on CMLL’s YouTube at 7:30pm. CMLL’s own preview is only slightly more exciting than mine.

My schedule is a bit all over the place the next two weeks; posts may be up at weird times or not at all.

Black Terry & Negro Navarro are set to be guests on CMLL Informa tomorrow.

CultIcon starts counting down his top 50 luchadors of the year, with 41-50.

LuchaWorld has this week’s Poster-Mania and this week’s Lucha Report.

Lineups

The Crash (SAT) 01/21/2017 Auditorio de Tijuana, Tijuana, Baja California
1) Black Danger © vs Arkángel Divino [The Crash JUNIOR]
Ultimo Maldito & Mirage are the seconds. Third defense.
2) Ángel Metálico, Black Boy, Oraculo vs Douglas James, Tiago, Tony Casanova
3) Jack Evans & Rey Horus vs Bestia 666 & Mr. 450
4) Flamita © vs AR Fox [The Crash CRUISER]
second defense
5) La Máscara vs Brian Cage vs Willie Mack vs Jeff Cobb
6) Fénix El Rey, Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy vs Juventud Guerrera, Nicho el Millionario, Súper Crazy

Full card for the show after many of the names were teased. These shows have streamed on their website the last couple times out, though there’s no telling if they’ll do it again until the day of the show. Main event should be an easy good match. Jeff Cobb’s been in some weird matches to this point and might stand a better chance in this one. La Mascara being the only CMLL wrestler on the show is surprising. Flamita/AR Fox should be great, as should be the Jack/Horuz vs Bestia/450 match. Opener is a chance for Arkangel to show if he can put together a match when his normal opponent isn’t in the match.