Gran Prix de Femenil and Mas Lucha Supremo full fields announced, an AAA arena?

CMLL

CMLL (TUE) 09/28/2021 Arena México [CMLL, ESTO, Kaiser Sports, Mas Lucha, The Gladiatores]
1) Acero & Aéreo b Mercurio & Pequeño Violencia
2) Cachorro, Leono, Retro b Enfermero Jr., Grako, Nitro
Leono replaces Sonic, who keeps getting advertised despite not appearing. Tecnicos took 1/3.
3) Amapola & Marcela b La Comandante & Reyna Isis [Relevos Increíbles]
Marcela took 1/3, beat Isis to set up a title match.
4) Cancerbero, Raziel, Virus b Dark Panther, Esfinge, Panterita del Ring
Cancerbrors took 2/3.
5) Cavernario, Stuka Jr., Terrible DQ Atlantis, Felino, Negro Casas [Relevos Increíbles]
Team Cavernario (worked as the rudos) took 2/3. Felino fouled Cavernario

Cavernario/Felino are still feuding. Isis/Amapola for the national women’s title appears set for next week, which means the Japanese women are heading to Guadalajara (and will stream live on Facebook for the people who want to see them) or there will be another ultra-rare CMLL show with two women’s matches.

CMLL (FRI) 10/01/2021 Arena México
1) Eléctrico & Sonic vs Disturbio & Inquisidor
2) Guerrero Maya Jr., Pegasso, Stigma vs Dark Magic, El Coyote, Okumura
3) Amapola, La Jarochita, Marcela vs Momo Kohgo, Tsukasa Fujimoto, Tsukushi
4) Fugaz, Star Jr., Valiente vs El Felino Jr., Felino, Pólvora
5) Atlantis Jr., Místico, Volador Jr. vs Dragón Rojo Jr., Euforia, Hechicero

Los Infernales debut – except Dragon Rojo instead of Mephisto. Volador teams with no Depredadores. Atlantis Jr. is a tecnico this week.

Not streaming as far as we know. It’ll air on TV on 10/09, YouTube on 10/16.

CMLL (MON) 10/04/2021 Arena Puebla
1) Astro vs Joker
2) Cachorro vs Disturbio
3) Dalys, La Jarochita, Lluvia vs Momo Kohgo, Tsukasa Fujimoto, Tsukushi
4) Atlantis Jr., Rugido, Stigma vs Ángel de Oro, Okumura, Templario
5) Espíritu Negro & Rey Cometa © vs Felino Jr. & Pólvora [MEX TAG]
2nd defense

It feels like Felino Jr. has been in every Mexican National Tag Team title match, but I checked and it’s not true. Rugido being a semi-main guy in his debut is true if strange. It may just be because of they don’t have many male wrestlers booked but he’s still ahead of Cachorro.

CMLL (FRI) 10/08/2021 Arena México
1) Diamond, Magia Blanca, Magnus vs Akuma, Espanto Jr., Okumura
2) Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Sagrado vs Cancerbero, Raziel, Virus
3) Místico, Titán, Volador Jr. vs Gran Guerrero, Templario, Último Guerrero
4) Amapola, Dark Silueta, La Jarochita, Lluvia, Marcela, Princesa Sugehit, Reina Isis vs Avispa Dorada, Dalys, Momo Kohgo, Sonya, Stephanie Vaquer, Tsukasa Fujimoto, Tsukushi [Gran Prix de Amazonas]

This is next week’s lineup earlier than usual to market the women’s Gran Prix. CMLL seems to be charging normal prices for that show though.

Avispa Dorada left Mexico in March 2020 seemingly with plans to return, and that break has gone on longer than expected. She hasn’t wrestled in the US as far as I’ve seen, but she’s coming back to Mexico for this. Sonya is the Costa Rican wrestler who appeared in singles matches in 2018 and 2019 and also probably would’ve been back sometime in 2020 had it been possible. She’d been posting CMLL memories recently on social media, which probably should’ve been a clue.

This would be a good show to stream in a normally operating wrestling company. It’s CMLL so who knows. ESTO’s article on the show does say it’ll be streaming, but there’s no sign of that on Ticketmaster.

Momo Kohgo, Tsukasa Fujimoto, and Tsukushi made it to Mexico last night in time to catch part of the CMLL show. They’ll be on Informa. I wonder if everyone’s made enough fun of the Informa host’s behavior towards women, especially foreign ones, that he’ll become self-aware of it today. Probably not.

The next event after Gran Prix de Femenil is de Dia de Muertos shows. CMLL announced they’ll run three of those this year, on November 2 (Tuesday), 5 (Friday), and 7 (Sunday.) CMLL ran one empty arena Dia de Muertos show last year and two in 2019, so this is scaling back up. It felt like the concept was overdone when they ran three shows in 2018, but we probably won’t see the three shows and they’ll probably all draw well with reduced capacity. Maybe the Friday show will stream and others will turn up on TV later.

Last night’s Guadalajara show (video) included Ultimo Guerrero fouling everyone in the main event only for Satanico to confront him. They’re headed to a singles match. Indie luchadora Aradia did a run-in early on the show; I believe she’s the one who used to be an edecan in that arena.

AAA

A 10/10 AAA spot show in Merida has been postponed due to COVID. The 10/11 show in (relatively) nearby Cancun seems to still be on, as does the 10/09 Heroes Inmoratles. Orizaba is far away and under it’s own state’s rules – this shouldn’t concern you beyond the general “any show may be canceled at any time due to COVID” general concerns.

That still exists as a general concern, one impending AAA on running their business. Konnan, on his podcast a couple of weeks ago, disappointingly indicated AAA hoped to be back to normal TV tapings after Heroes Inmoratles and are instead expected to continue taping at cultural locations. Everyone hoped AAA(/Mexico/the world) would be in a better position by now but there’s still no clear idea when events can go back to normal. That’s a problem for a touring promotion who needs to figure out likely locations months in advance. That brings us to Dorian Roldan doing a Twitter poll asking if AAA should buy an arena, which theoretically would fix that location problem. I initially treated that poll with disdain – running a poll to ask if you should buy a building is something I would expect from a group the size of Kriminal Lucha Libre, not the biggest wrestling company in Mexico. (Toxin would do it on Instagram, a vital difference.) The more I’m thinking about it though, the more I think AAA probably does need to get themselves an arena for 2022 to make sure they have actually have a secure place in 2022 to sell tickets. Just not sure if a decision on how you’re fundamentally running your business should be a poll on twitter. Maybe the poll question might be if it’s better to rent an arena for an extended time or buy one outright.

(It’s worth noting that if AAA has the money to buy an arena, I would personally prefer they use it to settle their ongoing litigation so I don’t have to pirate their content. Or maybe pay the wrestlers better. We can’t always get what we want.)

AAA posted a promo of Deonna Purrazzo asking why no one’s challenged for the promotion, She’s new in AAA, she’s doesn’t know that no one ever makes title challenges, there are just random title matches and no one talks about the champions when they’re not already set up for a title match. No one’s brought up Taurus’ title the entire time he’s had it – Villano III Jr. is more interested in getting revenge on Octagon Jr. from the title match than he is about the actual title.

Pluto TV has recently run some apparently newly taped AAA promos. They generally just air older stuff, though Lucha Fighter was on there for a while. It’s hard to figure how AAA can still be on PlutoTV internationally but not YouTube or Facebook; I’d presumed it was just an existing deal that would quietly be wound down, but it’s not winding down if they’re filming new promos.

Australian Suicide mentioned he’s got to wait 7 more months for his marriage visa to arrive, so no Mexico for him until next May maybe.

Other News

Aramis versus Arez airs on MLW today on YouTube. That’ll stay up after show airs at 6 pm CT, at least until they change their content strategy again. Those in attendance who didn’t know those two guys beforehand said they were impressed.

Laredo Kid versus Trey Miguel versus Alex Zayne airs on Impact Thursday. That’s the first part of a tournament to decide a new X-Division champion. I’d be surprised if Laredo made it to the next round.

IWRG (THU) 09/30/2021 Arena Naucalpan
1) Baby Star & Spider Fly vs Limbo & Shalom
2) Benga Lee & Diosa Quetzal vs Kendy Rebel & Satania
3) Rey Halcón & Tortuga Leo vs Noicy Boy & Sol
4) Akabl, Mexica, Toxin vs Hijo Del Pandemónium, Pandemónium, Pandemónium Jr.
5) Big Boy, Big Chico Che, Big Mike vs Halloween Jr., Hijo del Pirata Morgan, Sick Boy

Sick Boy continues his war against the strippers. This is the last normal IWRG show for a bit because the weekend is different.

IWRG , FILL (SAT) 10/02/2021 Arena Naucalpan
1) Desastre & Último Caballero vs Blue Star & X-Boy
2) Perseo, Rey Azaroth, Súper Boy vs Blue Win, Rey Minos, Súper Ometa
3) Baby Star, Halcón Mágico, Spider Fly vs Carnicero, Cyber, Vudu Max
4) Black Dragón, Death Metal, Rey Halcón vs Amnesia Jr., Gallo Extreme, Taliban
5) Golden Fly, Gran Arak, Hannibal, Mercury, Pantera Blanca Jr., Rey Marte vs Aster Boy, Caballero de Plata, Fussion, Sol, Tonalli, X-Devil and Dragón Boy, Falcón, Jeff Killer, Lobo Blanco, Rey Dragón, Símbolo Azteca
Kingdom vs FILL vs Vanguardia

A FILL show for the first since the pandemic, and the first Saturday show since 2018. The rare Saturday shows are usual another promotion coming in and I don’t immediately understand why IWRG is changing their own day on their own. Unless maybe they’re running Saturday as well?

The show after that at Arena Naucalpan is the Mas Lucha Supremo tournament on 10/07. Still no full card, but they’ve announced the eight people in the single-elimination tournament:

• Jessy Ventura
• Laredo Kid
• Bandido
• Emperador Azteca
• Rayman
• Villano III Jr.
• Cuatrero
• Sangre Azteca

None of those 8 were in last year’s 16 person Torneo Mas Supremo; that one was more pulling from the partner Mas Lucha promotions and this one seems an attempt at an all-star bit. I’d be happy with a final four of Laredo, Bandido, Villano, and Cuatrero, though I’m less certain about that as they go along, and sure there will be different names involved. It’s going to be intriguing to see what Cuatrero shows as a single outside of CMLL and if Ventura’s popularity holds up against some bigger outside names. Three Bandido and/or Laredo matches in one night is an easy way to sell a show to me.

The full Crash card for next Friday

The Crash (FRI) 10/08/2021 Auditorio de Tijuana, Tijuana, Baja California
1) Terror Azteca, Torito Negro, Toto vs Kamik-C, Próximo, Skalibur
2) Aramis & Destiny vs Black Danger & Dinámico
3) Faby Apache & Sexy Star 2 vs Christi Jaynes & Deonna Purrazzo
4) Hijo Del Vikingo vs Rey Horus vs Flamita vs Rich Swann
5) Pagano & Psycho Clown vs Bestia 666 & Mecha Wolf and Masada & Moose

Bestia & Mecha were added to the main event like someone forgot to book them. They should keep the match from falling apart. It’s going to be tough for Sexy Star 2 as she gets out there, though tougher here where the fans might actually identify her under her Hija de Gatuebla name.

Sports Illustrated talked to Rush about his current status. Rush explains his doctor told him that “if I didn’t have surgery in a few years, it would make my situation worse and worse over time.” So he got the surgery now. Rush continues to state he’ll be out eight months. Take the under. Rush confirms his contract expires at the end of the year and ROH and he has not talked about a new contract. I think we’re supposed to take away thoughts about Rush’s future locations, but I wonder what position ROH is in to give long-term contracts. Fans read Homicide showing up on AEW last week as some thaw in the relationship with ROH, but I believe the reality is some of the people who appear on ROH TV are not under a contract; a promotion running no shows is probably not in a great position to talk contracts until they figure out what their 2022 will look like.

Andrade hasn’t made it back to Torreon to wrestle yet, so El Siglo de Torreon went to Saltillo two hours away to check him out  at the BARBA show this past Saturday. I know Mas Lucha was recording that show but I hadn’t seen anything about it and was shocked how badly that drew. That promotion filled the building just about the start of the pandemic and the bleachers look very empty this time out. I’m under the impression that promotion is running shows for fun and not money, but that’s got to be disappointing.

Psycho Clown debuts for GCW on their 10/23 show in Los Angeles. No opponent named. AIW’s podcast today mentioned tickets for their November show with only Psycho Clown announced are moving well; I believe those are only available through their Patreon right now.

LuchaWorld has the latest Poster-Mania and the latest Lucha Report.

El Sol de Mexico has the story of a Mexican who ended up moving to Germany and starting a lucha libre styled promotion. Or the story of why “GWF” footage sometimes ends up on lucha libre YouTube channels, I suppose.

There’s a Mexico State lucha libre licensing exam on October 23rd.