Rey de Reyes lineup, Karis/Parka, AAA venue change, CMLL Tuesday results

CMLL (TUE) 02/18/2020 Arena México [CMLL, Lucha Central, R de Rudo, The Gladiatores, thecubsfan]
1) Apocalipsis & Inquisidor b Bengala & Sonic 
11:06. Apocalipsis replaced Yago. Rudos took 1/3.
2) Oro Jr., Retro, Robin b Grako, Hijo del Signo, Nitro 
11:25. Tecnicos took 1/3.
3) Misterioso, Okumura, Sagrado b Diamond, Dulce Gardenia, Stigma 
10:18. Rudos took 2/3.
4) Rey Cometa b Universo 2000 Jr. [lightning] 
Rey Cometa won in 8:30 via senton
5) Kráneo, Stuka Jr., Volcano DQ Hechicero, Luciferno, Vangellys 
12:54. Straight falls, Hechicero using the middle rope to foul Stuka
6) Euforia, Felino, Último Guerrero b Ángel de Oro, Atlantis Jr., Carístico 
11:54. Rudos took 1/3. Caristico replaced Niebla Roja (injury)

CMLL Promos: Rey Cometa, Volcano, Felino & Zacarais (now has firmly picked a side against Cavernario) and Atlantis Jr.

interviews with Box Y Lucha: Retro & Robin, Rey Cometa, and Hechicero.

Nothing really worth seeking out on this show; Cometa/Universo was the best of a quick show. Hechicero & Stuka pushed their feud again, but CMLL didn’t do anything with it last time and it’s tough to believe it’s going anywhere.

CMLL (TUE) 02/18/2020 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [CMLL]
1) Arkalis & Halcón Suriano Jr. b Frenético & Príncipe Odín Jr.
tecnicos took 1/3
2) Principe Daniel, Relámpago Azul, Súper Astro Jr. b Cholo, El Coyote, Joker
Relampago Azul repalced Oro Jr. Tecnicos took 2/3.
3) Dark Magic, Pólvora, Virus b Drone, Esfinge, Pegasso
rudos took 1/3
4) Rey Bucanero, Shocker, Terrible b Black Panther, Blue Panther Jr., El Alteño
Alteno replaced Fugaz (moved up). Rudos took 2/3.
5) Fugaz, Titán, Valiente b Cavernario, Forastero, Negro Casas
Tecnicos took 1/3. Fugaz replaced Volador.

Not really good when the guy dead center in the poster doesn’t show up with no explanation. Also not good when Oro Jr. was listed in two buildings on the same night and no one in CMLL noticed to send a sub.

AAA announced the Rey de Reyes lineup last night:

AAA TV (SAT) 03/21/2020 Poliforum Zamna, Mérida, Yucatán
Rey de Reyes, 2020
1) Drago & Drago Kid vs La Parka Negra & La Parkita Negra
2) Hijo de LA Park, La Parka Jr., Pagano vs Averno, Chessman, Súper Fly and Carta Brava Jr., Mocho Cota Jr., Tito Santana
3) Hijo Del Vikingo, Myzteziz Jr., Octagón Jr. © vs La Hiedra, Rey Escorpión, Texano Jr. [AAA TRIOS]
4) Fénix & Pentagón Jr. © vs Dezmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz [AAA TAG]
5) Kenny Omega © vs Laredo Kid [AAA HEAVY]
3rd defense
6) Blue Demon Jr. vs Aerostar, Michael Nakazawa, Máscarita Sagrada, Mr. Iguana, Niño Hamburguesa, Dave The Clown, Arez, Dinastía, Villano III Jr. [Rey de Reyes]
7) Monsther Clown, Murder Clown, Psycho Clown vs La Bestia Del Ring, LA Park, Rush Toro Blanco

(This is a 6 pm start, not the 8 pm CT ones they’ve done so far.)

This follows Saturday’s show in Guadalajara and the 03/07 show in Cancun, though most of the matches that were going to get any set up have already been set up. The last TV set up the Psycho Circus/Los Ingobernables match and the trios title match had been made a taping prior. Laredo Kid gets the title match against Kenny Omega because he’s very good and no other explanation. Same thing with the Rascalz coming into face the Lucha Brothers. (That’s a rematch from the Gladiatores taping which never actually aired.)

Drago/Drago Kid vs Parka Negra/Parkita Negra is an entertaining match, though it has Drago going from feuding with Blue Demon to working an opener. Demon seems like the overwhelming favorite for the Rey de Reyes, though AAA could add more people and it’s not particuarllly clear what Demon is doing here if he’s not feuding with Drago. (On the other hand, Demon doesn’t have a great need to stick around AAA if he’s getting moved down the card; he may need to win that match to feel relevant.) Arez is still being listed, so whatever issues there were over him not working the MLW shows seems like they’ve blown over.

The Taya/Keyra title challenge seems set for another show and there are no women announce for this show outside of La Hiedra. Taurus seems to be otherwise busy. AAA’s been busy posting videos expanding on Drago/Demon, Argenis/Myzteziz and Vikingo/Suicide feuds which are also not happening quite here.

This is a very good card. The Rey de Reyes match itself seems like the weakest match on the card and even that could be good. (The TripleMania Regia version was not good, the Hereos Inmortles version was good, there’s a lot of variance in those.) It’s a bit disconnected from the regular AAA TV but less so than usual. It’s overly packed with people but that’s just what AAA is right now.

Saturday’s AAA taping is scheduled for Guadalajara. Scheduled, but the AAA curse in Guadalajara remains strong. Last July, AAA planned to run a taping at Auditorio Benito Juarez, only for it to get moved outdoors to Palcco de Zapopan at the last minute due to venue issues. This year, AAA announced is to run Domo San Rafael for the first time. Ring Tapatio, a Facebook page focusing on Guadalajara lucha libre, mentions they’ve heard the show will again be moved to a different location, Domo del Parque Solidaridad in Tonala. They note this is not 100% confirmed and AAA has not said anything, but the updated poster is compelling evidence.

This wouldn’t change anything with Twitch or the announced lineup. Tonala is about a half-hour outside of Guadalajara, so many of the same fans could come and it wouldn’t affect preparation for the show greatly.

Last Thursday’s AAA show in Arena Lopez Mateos included a tribute to La Parka.  As part of the tribute, Karis La Momia Jr. said he’ll be wrestling as La Parka Jr. That’s a big deal, and it hasn’t been acknowledged by AAA outside of that show. Both AAA & Karis had said he’d eventually take the Parka name back at the mass to honor him in January but implied it’d be quite a while before it happened, not a few weeks later. It’s also very strange this would happen with AAA’s approval at an untelevised show on a Thursday night in Arena Lopez Mateos, which makes it seem like maybe it was something just for the moment but not an official switch. (Karis/Parka wrestled in a split mask, a Parka t-shirt and his Karis pants, which also suggests this wasn’t planned much ahead of time.) Karis/Parka is not booked on any upcoming AAA TV shows; his next known booking is 02/29 in Xalapa as Karis.

03/13 AAA/MLW/EMW in Tijuana

• Jinetes del Aire (Octagon Jr., Myzteziz Jr., Hijo del Vikingo) (c) vs Injustice (Myron Reed, Jordan Oliver, Kotto Brazil) for the AAA World Trios Championship
• Xtreme Tiger & Puma King vs Tom Lawlor & Dominic Garrini – new

EMW is posting these matches on their Facebook about 36 hours before MLW announces them, which is good fun. Also good fun is MLW’s press release about the trios title match, which includes calling Octagon Jr. “Golden Magic” (wanting to stay out of the trademark fight?) and using a photo of Caristico as Myzteziz instead of Angelikal as Myzteziz Junior. AAA announcing a trios title match at Rey de Reyes eight days later seems to give away the outcome of this trios title match, but there’s not much doubt in this title match anyway.

ROH announced Flamita & Bandido vs The Havana Pitbulls (Rocky Romero & Ricky Reyes) on their 03/14 PPV. The press release mentions Flamita is expected to be back from his knee injury by that match.

San Luis Potosi luchador Vaquero de Texas Jr., who passed away last month, will be remembered at an event on Friday.

LuchaWorld has the latest Lucha Report.