NGD are the Champions of Families, Cometa/Templario tonight, Impact in CDMX

CMLL , NJPW (FRI) 01/17/2020 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan [CMLL, LuchaCentral, NJPW]
Attendance: 1534
1) Fuego & Ryusuke Taguchi b Douki & Luciferno
7:58. Fuego defeated DOUKI
2) Kanemaru, Namajague, Okumura b Flyer, Guerrero Maya Jr., Stuka Jr.
9:41. Okumura defeated Stuka Jr., then asked for tomorrow’s match to be made a title match. Stuka accepted only if it’s also mask vs hair.
3) Bushi, EVIL, Takagi b Dulce Gardenia, El Audaz, Hiroshi Tanahashi
10:44. EVIL defeated Audaz via scorpion deathlock.
4) Titán b Forastero
13:20. Titan won via springboard double stomp.
5) Carístico & Kojima b Bárbaro Cavernario & Último Guerrero
11:45. Kojima pinned Ultimo Guerrero after lariat.
6) Euforia & Soberano Jr. b Negro Casas & Tiger [CMLL FAMILY, 3rd place]
8:41. Soberano beat Tiger via Canadian Destroyer.
7) Cuatrero & Sansón b Ángel de Oro & Niebla Roja [CMLL FAMILY, final]
12:21. Sanson beat Angel de Oro.

A barely standing Titan talks about his win. That sounds like the best match on the show. Soberano & Euforia celebrate third place. Sanson & Cuatrero celebrate their win. This seems to slightly open the door to Angel de Oro, Niebla Roja, and Titan finally breaking down the NGD wall Sunday morning to win the trios titles. It’s still hard to bet against the NGD in big matches.

Tonight is one more CMLL Friday night with a reduced roster. The FantasticaMania crew will be back on the lineups next Friday, and there are a few people in higher places than usual.

The main event is a rematch of last week, Diamante Azul, Mistico, Volador Jr. against Gran Guerrero, Shocker and Terrible. A Mistico/Gran Guerrero match was teased last week. Perhaps it’ll be changed or dropped since CMLL’s already has it set for Puebla. Next Friday is the Mr. Niebla show, which a Mistico/Gran Guerrero match will not be well received. That show might be better suited for a spotlight Shocker match, given his long history as a partner and rival of Mr. Niebla. A 1v1 Shocker match sounds very challenging but CMLL fans were very forgiving of wresters on the legends show and might be again.

Rey Cometa versus Templario in a lightning match sounds like the best match on the show. They met late last year in another lightning match, and it turned into a race to get in spots before they ran out of time. There wasn’t much connecting them, which is something they could do better this time around.

Nothing too important the rest of the way. Atlantis, Valiente, and Kraneo team against Ephesto, Mephisto, and Rey Bucanero. The Panthers get one more Friday night together against Polvora, Vangellys and a higher than usual Espiritu Negro. Avispa Dorada makes a streaming appearance, teaming with Marcela & Princesa Sugehit against Amapola, Tiffany, and Metalica. Metalica and Dorada have been good opponents in the past. Robin  Retro team up against Espanto Jr. & Akuma.

This show will be streamed on Marca and I’ll stream it on my YouTube to get around the block for Japan and US. (I don’t expect many people with CMLL in Japan to be watching this show, but it’d be something if they just tonight realized that wasn’t possible.) I will not be close to my streaming computer for the next two Fridays; even if I do try to stream, it may not go off without a hitch.

Impact starts two nights of tapings in Mexico City tonight. Both Friday and Saturday shows are at Fronton Mexico, with a listed start time at 8:30 pm. Impact taped two episodes of Impact main TV show and a couple of extra matches for their secondary Xplosion shows. Nothing has been specifically announced for these shows as of yet, outside of some AAA names also being present. I don’t sense any particular buzz for these Impact shows but I never really have and they seem to do fine, so it doesn’t seem like a big concern. Impact is scheduled to return to Mexico City in April.

+LuchaTV interviewed Daga & Tessa to preview these tapings. There was no question about the recent controversy over Tessa’s alleged racial remarks. I’d suspect they were told not to ask. I wrote this earlier this week, but it’s still true: Impact lucked out by having these tapings in Mexico City. Impact might tell the press not the ask, but they tend also be disinterested in out of the ring scandals generated elsewhere.

Mr. Iguana says he’s signed a contract with AAA. No terms mentioned. AAA is in the process of signing a lot of the luchadors were working opening matches as freelancers in the past year. It’s impressive in Iguana’s case; his homestate of Sinaloa has a lucha libre scene but is not one that’s paid attention to much. It’s very hard to get from a place that is not a lucha libre hotbed to regular work with a major promotion. Iguana figured out how to market himself – figuring out a character that sticks out and using social media to promote himself to people outside of his area. He should be the template for others.

In an interview from a recent Monterrey show, Baby Extreme (who’s shown up on AAA once or twice) says he’s hoping to go to CMLL this year.

MLW told the press that Hijo de LA Park was off their show in Dallas due to a late visa renewal issues. He, LA Park and LA Park Jr. will be on future shows. MLW also announced AAA wrestlers for the 02/01 show but did not name anyone.

02/09 Ring of Honor (Baltimore, free show)

• Bandido & Flamita vs The Briscoes
• Brody King vs Rey Horus
• Rush & Nick Aldis vs Marty Scurll & PCO

02/15 Warrior Wrestling (Chicago suburbs, streaming on Highspots)

• Aramis vs Black Taurus vs Andrew Everett vs Alex Zayne vs Sam Adonis vs Lance Archer vs Michael Elgin vs Brian Cage (c) for the Warrior Wrestling Men’s championship in a War of Attrition

LuchaWorld has the latest Lucha Report.

Anemix defeated Estrella de Fuego for her mask in Monterrey. Estrella de Fuego is Berenice Abigail Sosa Diaz.

Criterio Hidalgo has an interview with the now retired Dr. Muerte.

Lineups

CMLL (SAT) 01/18/2020 Arena Coliseo
1) Angelito & Fantasy vs Pequeño Olímpico & Pequeño Universo 2000
2) Arkalis, Halcón Suriano Jr., Magia Blanca vs El Coyote, Príncipe Odín Jr., Yago
3) Eléctrico, Oro Jr., Súper Astro Jr. vs Cancerbero, Raziel, Virus
4) Black Panther, Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr. vs Misterioso, Sagrado, Universo 2000 Jr.
5) Atlantis Jr., Místico, Valiente vs Felino, Rey Bucanero, Vangellys
6) Volador Jr. vs Mephisto

I’m behind on posting lineups. This is the 16th Volador/Mephisto singles match all-time. It seems like a lot more than that. Volador has won the last 11.

CMLL (SUN) 01/19/2020 Arena México
1) Sangre Imperial & Sonic vs Apocalipsis & Cholo
2) La Vaquerita, Lluvia, Skadi vs La Comandante, La Infernal, Reyna Isis
3) Drone, Príncipe Diamante, Stigma vs Disturbio, Olímpico, Pólvora
4) Blue Panther, Kráneo, Volcano vs Ephesto, Felino, Rey Bucanero
5) Místico, Valiente, Volador Jr. vs Hechicero, Mephisto, Templario
6) Diamante Azul vs Gran Guerrero

The Sky Team reuniting to face Hechicero and Templario is a better main event idea than most of the actual main events during this stretch.

CMLL (MON) 01/20/2020 Arena Puebla
1) Asturiano, Meyer, Millenium vs Black Tiger, Centella Roja, Rey Apocalipsis
2) Rey Samuray, Súper Astro Jr., Tigre Rojo Jr. vs El Malayo, Fuerza Chicana, Policeman
3) Black Panther, Blue Panther Jr., Stigma vs Kawato San, Perverso, Toro Bill Jr.
4) Kráneo, Valiente, Volador Jr. vs Ephesto, Mephisto, Templario
5) Místico vs Gran Guerrero

Perverso and Toro Bill Jr. make it to the tercera on the last Monday of FantasticaMania (and a reduced amount of CMLL DF guys being sent to Puebla.)

CMLL (TUE) 01/21/2020 Arena México
1) Bengala & Sonic vs Cholo & Príncipe Odín Jr.
2) Magnus, Oro Jr., Robin vs Grako, Hijo del Signo, Nitro
3) Pegasso, Príncipe Diamante, Stigma vs Espíritu Negro, Misterioso, Sagrado
4) Rey Cometa vs Pólvora [lightning]
5) Black Panther, Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr. vs Máscara Año 2000, Templario, Vangellys
6) Atlantis Jr., Diamante Azul, Volador Jr. vs Ephesto, Hechicero, Mephisto

The FantasticaMania crew may be in Mexico City by the time this show starts, but it does appear they’re getting the night off.

AAA , EMW (FRI) 01/31/2020 Auditorio de Tijuana, Tijuana, Baja California
1) Adrian Quest, Drake, Griff vs Éxtasis, Juve Venegas, Romero
2) Keyra © vs Lady Shani, Miranda Alize [EMW WOMEN]
first defense (won title in December 2018)
3) Jonathan, TJ Boy, Tony Casanova vs Carta Brava Jr., Mocho Cota Jr., Tito Santana and Danny Limelight, El Hijo del Medico Asesino, Lady Lee
4) Genio del Aire, Kamik-C, Skalibur vs Black Boy, Fantastick, Rayo Star [hardcore]
5) Pagano & Puma King vs Hijo Del Vikingo & Xtreme Tiger and Gringo Loco & Nicho el Millionario
6) Pentagón Jr., Psycho Clown, Rey Horus vs Daga, Monsther Clown, Rey Escorpión

Full show. The main event looks fun. The fourth match is listed as an extreme match though I think I’d rather see those guys in a normal match.

KAOZ (SUN) 02/23/2020 Arena Coliseo Monterrey
1) Baby Love, Charro Negro, Dulce Kanela vs Komander, Mr. Iguana, Perla Lagunera
2) Dulce Sexy © vs Zeuxis, Miranda Alize, Alex García, ? [KAOZ WOMEN]
3) Dark Cuervo & Dark Scoria © vs Rico Rodríguez & Vazco Jr. and ? & Silver Tiger and Black Raider & Hell Raider [KAOZ TAG]
4) Emperador Azteca (Indie) © vs Trittón, Mr. 450 [KAOZ CRUISER]
5) Hijo de LA Park, Hijo del Volador, LA Park Jr. vs Galeno del Mal, Hijo De Wagner, Silver Jr. [KAOZ TRIOS]
6) Ayako Hamada & El Divo vs Daga & Tessa Blanchard [KAOZ MIXED TAG]
7) Rush © vs Rey Wagner, Rey Escorpión (AAA), Fresero Jr. [KAOZ HEAVY]

This is the first KAOZ show since La Parka’s injury. A lot of meaningless titles as always. NGD were trios champs but aren’t going to be back with this promotion going heavily towards AAA.