Vampiro talks retirement, Hiromu/Mistico, Cuatrero

Terry Funk was great.

CMLL

I have no time and haven’t watched anything, so this will be brief:

CMLL (MON) 08/21/2023 Arena Puebla [El Sol del Puebla, Grada, Porra Fresa]
1) Amnesia, Black Tiger, Blue Shark b Espíritu Maligno, King Jaguar, Rencor
2) La Magnifica & Sanely b Reyna Isis & Zeuxis
Isis & Zeuxis had (minor) issues
3) Fuego, Pegasso, Rey Samuray DQ El Coyote, Okumura, Pólvora 
DQ for fouls/mask pulls
4) Fugaz, Stigma, Valiente b Magia Blanca, Magnus, Rugido 
Stigma & Fugaz asked for a MEX TAG shot
5) Euforia, Hiromu Takahashi, Soberano Jr., Titán b Bárbaro Cavernario, Hechicero, Místico, Volador Jr. [Relevos Increíbles] 
Euforia beat Hechicero with a mask pull, Hiromu fouled Mistico as well.

Even Porra Fresa didn’t seem to know much about this Blue Shark. Euforia/Hechicero seems to getting more attention now.

CMLL (TUE) 08/22/2023 Arena México [CMLL, Kaiser Sports]
1) Fantasy, Shockercito, Último Dragóncito b Pequeño Olímpico, Pequeño Violencia, Pierrothito
2) Hera & Olympia b Amapola & Tiffany
3) Arkalis, Pegasso, Stigma b Akuma, Dark Magic, Espanto Jr.
4) Virus b Felino [lightning]
5) Blue Panther, Blue Panther Jr., Dark Panther b Gemelo Diablo I, Gemelo Diablo II, Sagrado
6) Ángel de Oro & Niebla Roja © b Star Jr. & Volador Jr. [CMLL TAG]
11th defense

My impression is the title match was pretty good and the minis were watching.

CMLL (TUE) 08/22/2023 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [Mas Lucha]
1) Fúnebre, Infierno, Mortis b Eclipse Jr., Obek, Último Ángel
2) Flash & Pepe Aguayo b Mr. Trueno & Rey Trueno
scheduled as Micro Gemelo Diablo I, Micro Gemelo Diablo II, Micro Sagrado vs Átomo, Chamuel, Periquito Sacaryas
3) Ángel Rebelde, Gallero, Halcón Negro Jr., Optimus, Trono b Crixus, Futuro, Max Star, Neón, Vegas [cibernetico]
Halcon Negro won it for his team.
4) Barboza & Zandokan Jr. b Magia Blanca & Rugido
Zandkoan and Barboza got away with mask pulls and fouls.
5) La Catalina, Maligna, Valkiria b Reyna Isis, Sanely, Zeuxis
Valkiria pinned Reyna Isis, setting up a title match next week.
6) Averno, Hiromu Takahashi, Soberano Jr. b Dulce Gardenia, Místico, Titán
Titan didn’t get along with his partners.

Titan and Hiromu did not understand why they were on different teams. No one outside of the programming department really understood that. Cibernetico sounds like it was good with a mess up finish.

Hiromu Takahashi and Mistico will have a title match Sunday in Arena Mexico. They went back and forth on which Sunday, but it looks like they landed on the one coming up in a few days. I believe Mistico’s title will be the one on the line, even though Mistico was the one who beat Hiromu last week. Hiromu/Misticio will probably stream for members.

CMLL announced the participants for the 09/01 block of the Copa Independencia: Fugaz, Esfinge, Difunto, Magia Blanca, Magnua, Rey Cometa, Villano III Jr., Audaz, Furia Roja, Espanto Jr., Futuro and Blue Panther Jr. I’d say about half of those names are realistic picks to win. There does seem to be a focus 2/3/4 match guys, not the veterans who may have been left off.

CMLL also added Audaz, Capitan Suicida, Sangre Imperial and Zandokan Jr. to the list of wrestlers appearing on the 09/23 FantasticaMania UK show. I suspect we’ll start hearing matches next week.

Metalik appeared on Mas Lucha to further talk about his separation from CMLL. I’m not sure why he did; he talked about YouTubers at one point so I suppose something was said on one of those that upset him, but most of his points didn’t make him look great.

Metalik says CMLL (Salvador Lutteroth Camou) said he wanted to bring in Metalik for July and August, and Metalik says he even took less pay then he makes in the US to make it work, but then was told by CMLL (Jose Luis Feliciano) that they didn’t need him in August after all. Metalik says he asked why, and was only told he was free to go to AAA if he wanted. Metalik basically believed Felicano and the programming department undermined ownership. Metalik also criticized CMLL’s attendance outside the Friday shows and how they gave his family bad seats. Metalik says he’s now open to working anywhere, including against AAA wrestlers in ROH/AEW and on AAA itself.

Metalik is also critical of the style of wrestling in CMLL in 2023, feeling the young people do too many highspots and too risky spots. It certainly felt like he was referring to his succesor, Mascara Dorada 2.0, but he later makes an effort to praise him. Metalik says he’s talked to Dorada, Komander and Hijo del Vikingo about them doing too much, and also had discussions with old friends Titan and Barbaro Cavernario about his style.

A thing Metalik hasn’t realized yet is the indie bookings – and the AEW/ROH ones – are from promoters who saw him in his CMLL days and expect that (at some point) he’ll start to go back to the 1000 moves in a match style he was so great at then. It’s now a style he apparently sees as incorrect, having been taught differently in his time in NJPW and (especially) WWE. Metalik informing the world that this 2023 version of Metalik, one who doesn’t do many highspots and doesn’t do many of the more spectacular ones he did in years past, is going to hurt him more than missing out on CMLL bookings. Making more out of less certainly works for some wrestlers, and there’s absolutely Mexican wrestlers who are doing way too much to be effective with they’re doing. 2023 Metalik seems like he’s turned the dial too far the other way, and only stands out in comparison to what he once was.

I don’t know why CMLL told Metalik they weren’t interested in him any more (and it’s not great to promise someone multiple tours and cut them off after one.) I do know that Metalik didn’t do great in that return stint in CMLL; his big match with Titan was shockingly unover. Metalik returning to CMLL had to happen but another trip really didn’t. I do suppose he’ll be back in CMLL some far day in the future. I also suspect he’ll be in AAA before time runs out on the year, though it may not be a long run.

AAA

Vampiro clarified his retirement tease from Sunday. As he’s said previously, he had big plans of some retirement show he wanted to do with AAA, his contract ended, and AAA did not offer whatever it is Vampiro wanted. Vampiro is retired in Mexico but will continue with the NWA (where he says he has a creative role) and has a contract to wrestle in Japan.

It came off like Vampiro would absolutely wrestle in Mexico again for the price/situation he wanted, he figures only AAA would be willing to offer that, and they have not offered it – yet. It’s AAA, they’re always in search of a pop, they’ll probably come to a deal eventually and Vampiro will be back again. AAA hasn’t acknowledged the Vampiro retirement at all, and it’ll be fascinating if it’s on TV. No one knows anything about this “Japan contract” outside of Vampiro.

Friends of Cuatrero will be supporting him by running a show at the jail where he’s being held on Thursday. This includes many members of the current AAA wrestlers. Cuatrero has been in jail since March, on charges of femicide and domestic violence against (then) girlfriend Stephanie Vaquer. He has not been convicted or put on trial; he’s just been held while the investigation has gone on. (I don’t know the Mexican judicial system well enough to know if this is normal; Charly Manson did seem to spend a long time awaiting trial when he had his legal issues.) NGD had and have a very loyal fanbase, much of whom have stuck with Cuatrero in this – and occasionally posted anti-Vaquer comments, accusing her of making her story up. I’m unsurprised to see people Cuatrero worked with supporting him as well, though running a sport show at the prison he’s held in makes especially weird.

IWRG

Thursday’s Naucalpan show is a Lucha Libre Boom card with Cibernetico & Dr. Wagner Jr. versus DMT Azul & Pirata Morgan. That match will be bad, they’ll have a full house anyway. IWRG will have another FILL show on Tuesday.

Other News 

I was on the Gentleman’s Podcast talking about the lucha libre scene with Jesse Collings. He was great. My internet was crap and then died, and that’s why I’m finishing this blogging at a Panera instead of typing a lot more words. Anyway, you should go listen if you didn’t get enough words today.