08/06 AAA TV Lineup (Puebla), and some thoughts about AAA

AAA TV (FRI) 08/06 Plaza de Toros el Relicario de Puebla
1) Alex Koslov & Christina Von Eerie vs Aerostar & Fabi Apache [AAA MIXED TAG]
2) El Elegido, Laredo Kid, Relampago vs ?, ??, Decnnis
3) Joe Lider & Nicho el Millionario vs Damián 666 & Halloween
4) Cibernético, Monster Clown, Murder Clown, Psycho Clown vs Black Abyss, Hernandez, Psicosis III, Zorro
5) Dr. Wagner Jr., Heavy Metal, La Parka Jr. vs Electroshock, Silver King, Último Gladiador

Credit to KrisZ for tracking this down.

2010 AAA TV Chart
Projected Air Date (#950)
Mexico: 08/15
US: 08/28

Stuff to talk about here, on a few different levels. I’ll start small and zoom out.

This is the usual lame duck taping. It’ll air one day after Verano takes place in Orizaba. It’s utterly bizarre AAA’s doing the first 187 vs FdT match on this show, given how much they seem invested in it, but I guess they prefer to do the trios involving guys who aren’t even feuding or on TV.

This is the return to TV for Black Abyss & Psicosis since the Vipers 2.0 were completely destroyed by the Dark Family, the kind of squash match you never see in lucha libre. The IWRG trios featuring Tinieblas Jr. had more credibility in stopping The Streak then those two.

Title rematch so soon is strange. Again, their very next show is one of their major card. Unlike the other tag match, which is more about spectacle than outcome, running a third title match next week wouldn’t be defensible.

I keep coming back to questions about Verano de Escandalo because it’s a complete mystery. With this lineup, we now know every single taping into their major show of August, and I’m not 100% sure of any match on that card. If I had to bet on one match, my best guess is they’re planning Dr. Wagner Jr. vs Silver King for the title based on their matches, but it could be Electro (or it could be no Dr. Wagner at all.) Everything else is just barely educated guesses.

• The Mesias/187 vs Perro/Halloween/Damian trios match the WON suggested still works, and explains as much as anything why they’re doing the tag match now (though they still could’ve waited until Pena’s show to do it.) It hasn’t been built at all.
• Cibernetico & Hernandez seem to be meeting a lot, so maybe they’ll have a match, except it’d be really bad and neither guy is going to lose, so I guess it has to be a trios.
• Super Crazy’s probably getting a match and so are the Maniacos, so maybe them versus three random tecnicos (Parka, Tiger, Octagon)? Or maybe this is finally the IWRG match?
• Christina seems to be full time in Mexico at the moment, so maybe her and Sexi vs the Apaches?
• maybe Decnnis’ secret partners are the Stones, turning rudo to feud with Elegido and forming the new new new new new Guapos? That makes as much sense as anything
• all the minis in one match, the old stand by. Really reaching now
• and just to get to eight, Dark Family vs Air Force

AAA typically builds every match on it’s major shows. They tend to over do it, more angles than people are willing to keep track of. Maybe vignettes and outcomes on these three tapings will greatly clarify things, but this looks like a CMLL card: maybe two matches that have a build, and a lot of stuff thrown in there. Very out of behavior, strange.

Also strange: the press release AAA sent out (reposted via The Gladiatores)

Promociones Antonio Peña da a conocer que Dr. Wagner Jr. sigue perteneciendo al elenco de Triple A, donde tiene un contrato, cuya renovación está negociándose actualmente con él.

Tanto Wagner, que ostenta el Megacampeonato de AAA, como la empresa Triple A, tienen actualmente la mejor voluntad de continuar trabajando en conjunto, pues los resultados han sido óptimos para ambas partes. Promociones Antonio Peña invita a la opinión pública y a los medios de comunicación a mantenerse al tanto de las versiones oficiales de los hechos, y a no hacer eco a especulaciones y rumores.

Translated (abridged): Promociones Antonio Pena say they have Dr. Wagner Jr. under contract, and are currently renegotiating with him. AAA and Wagner will continue working together, and the relationship has been optimal for both parties. PAP invites the public to keep up with the official facts, and not to pay attention to speculation or rumors.

Rumors are awful! They hurt people. I don’t want to be like people on Twitter, starting rumors and offering baseless speculation, that’s just wrong. We need to deal in facts, that’s the only way to go. Though I guess I’m back to knowing nothing for Verano, since there have been no facts about it.

I have some facts I’d like to share with you.

• Current World Heavyweight Champion Dr. Wagner Junior told the press he was not under contract to PAP PAP says differently. Factually, they’re calling Wagner a liar.
• Dr. Wagner made it clear that he’s now available to anyone who will pay him his price. Four days later, AAA met with Wagner, did not meet that price and sent out a press release admitting as such.
• Current Reina de Reinas champion Sexi Star contacted another promotion to look for work
• Current AAA Cruiserweight Champion Jack Evans is not on the 07/24 AAA TV taping. Or the 07/29 AAA TV taping. Or this AAA TV taping. And his good friend just quit because his pay got slashed.
• Verano de Escandalo was moved from Arena Monterrey to a bull ring in Orizaba. Devastation from Hurricane Alex obviously affected this decision. Factually speaking, Arena Monterrey is one of, if not the, most modern arenas in Mexico and costly to rent. Moving from Arena Monterrey to a bull ring drastically cuts down on costs.
• Native, generally young, luchadors who had been mostly removed from AAA television lineups are flooding recent TV lineups. People who have been on the fringes of the roster are the most visible they’ve been in months, if not years. The current creative team’s trademark of fly-ins from out of the country has been almost totally wiped out.
• Fly-ins, at least until recently, got good guaranteed deals. The natives replacing them are a lot cheaper, even when used in higher positions on the card.

These are the facts. If you want to enter into speculation about a promotion showing the signs of some significant problems going back at least a month, and has been desperate to stop the bleeding, I guess I can’t stop you. I will advise that this might not be only or whole answer (fact: even with no leverage, Los Perros aren’t working for free – there’s a redistribution of wealth going on), but concede the facts paint an interesting picture.