CMLL Torneo Increible de Parejas begins, AAA in CDMX, Jarochita out,

CMLL

CMLL (FRI) 03/15/2024 Arena México
1) Halcón Suriano Jr. & Leono vs Emperador Jr. & Platino Kid
2) Guerrero Maya Jr., Pegasso, Stigma vs Cancerbero, Luciferno, Virus
3) Magia Blanca, Magnus, Rugido vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Dragón Rojo Jr., Terrible
4) Atlantis Jr., Hechicero, Volador Jr. vs Averno, Templario, Titán [Relevos Increíbles]
5) Máscara Dorada & Rocky Romero vs Ángel de Oro & Flip Gordon and Euforia & Gran Guerrero and Akuma & Dulce Gardenia [Torneo Increible de Parejas]

There’s almost no drama in this CMLL tournament, though the matches themselves look promising. It looks like Dorada/Romero vs Akuma/Dulce, Angel/Flip vs Euforia/GG, and a final of Dorado/Romero vs Euforia/GG. All those have a chance to be something. So does the semimain, given the names involved. Los Barbaros will probably work as the tecnicos in the tercera, and get good reaction that way. Match 2 is a rare match for Los Cancerberos that isn’t against one of the other three feuding teams. Emprador and Platino are returning from the Comarca Lagunero Torneo de Escuela team.

Reminder that DST is in effect in the US and other places; both the Friday CMLL and Saturday AAA streams are an hour later than they were last week if you changed your clock.

CMLL (SAT) 03/16/2024 Arena Coliseo
1) Diamond, Novato, Rayo Metálico vs Grako, Multy, Sangre Imperial
2) Alom vs Infarto [lightning]
3) Astral, Fuego, Hombre Bala Jr. vs Difunto, Felino Jr., Misterioso Jr.
4) La Catalina & Marcela vs Amapola & Reyna Isis
5) Esfinge, Fugaz, Star Black vs Hijo del Villano III, Magnus, Zandokan Jr.
6) Máscara Dorada & Volador Jr. vs Bárbaro Cavernario & Templario

That’s a fun main event on a Friday show, not sure what will happen here. Puebla’s Multy was not in this year’s Torneo de Escuelas but he’s sneaking in with others from that Puebla group in the opener.

CMLL (viva Barba Promotions) is also part of the Vive Latino Festival on Saturday and Sunday. Amazon Music is a sponsor of the two day concert festival and will be streaming it on their Twitch channel; maybe we’ll get a glimpse of the wrestling.

CMLL (SUN) 03/17/2024 Arena México
1) Astro Boy Jr. & Hunter vs Dragón de Fuego & Forneo
2) Persephone vs Tiffany [lightning]
3) El Audaz, Futuro, Max Star vs Dark Magic, Espanto Jr., Raider
4) Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa vs Gemelo Diablo II, Pólvora, Sagrado
5) Panterita del Ring, Valiente, Volcano vs Felino Jr., Kráneo, Mephisto
6) Flip Gordon, Místico, Star Jr. vs Niebla Roja, Rocky Romero, Stuka Jr.

The Mexico City Torneo de Escuelas squad makes up the opener. That minis feud really has disappeared. That one at least ahs the match; the four way trios feud seems on break this week – maybe they’ll get back to it when Cholo’s cleared to return?

CMLL (TUE) 03/19/2024 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Amenaza Negra Jr., Mandala, Obek vs La Pesadilla, Rav, Shezmu
2) Adira, Dulce Kitty, Náutica vs Diablita Roja, Estrellita Mágica, Lady Metal
3) Astro Oriental, Gallo Jr., Rafaga Jr. vs Calavera Jr. I, Calavera Jr. II, Temerario
4) Furia Roja, Guerrero de la Muerte, Ráfaga vs Crixus, Difunto, Vegas
5) Esfinge, Fugaz, Star Black vs Arlequín, Gallero, Halcón Negro Jr.
6) Atlantis Jr., Flip Gordon, Star Jr. vs Hijo del Villano III, Villano III Jr., Zandokan Jr.

La Escuadra get a main event in Guadalajara, might be good. Arlequin being back here could mean Cholo’s back already.

La Jarochita announced Wednesday that she was leaving CMLL for an undetermined time. She planned to return when she was “100% healthy”, thanked CMLL and their management for their support, and asked that people continue buying her merchandise as she’s out of action. La Jarochita and Lluvia lost the national tag team titles last Friday; Jarochita sold an arm injury at the end of the match. I don’t believe she suffered an arm injury and she’s clear she’s not wrestling anywhere else any time soon. It’s not hard to guess what’s actually happening, but she’s preferring to keep it private.

Stephanie Vaquer is clearly the best full time woman (Amazona) in CMLL. La Jarochita would’ve been my easy pick for the second best wrestler. I’m not sure who the second best woman is, only that there’s a wide gap between Vaquer and #2 now.

The attention on Stephanie Vaquer – and more so the Chilean consulate in Japan’s wardrobe who took a photo with her – turned into a viral story in Chile for a couple of days. Somewhere along the lines, media outlets actually looked into this Stephanie Vaquer lady and found out her Chilean peers think very positively of her wrestling work. For her part, Vaquer was surprised with the attention the title win got outside of Japan & Mexico, especially from the United States.

CMLL Informa revealed the lineup for the 04/06 Arena Coliseo 81st Anniversary show:

CMLL (SAT) 04/06/2024 Arena Coliseo
1) Forneo & Novato vs Calavera Jr. I & Calavera Jr. II
2) Legendario vs Xelhua [lightning]
3) Andrómeda, La Catalina, Skadi vs Dark Silueta, Stephanie Vaquer, Zeuxis
4) Akuma & Espanto Jr. vs Hijo del Villano III & Villano III Jr. [Arena Coliseo TAG]
1st defense
5) Atlantis, Blue Panther, Octagón vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Dragón Rojo Jr., Terrible
6) Máscara Dorada & Místico vs Soberano Jr. & Templario

Los Villanos are challenging for the Arena Coliseo Tag Titles. Similar titles were held by their uncles Villano I & II around 1973. Last year’s Arena Coliseo show featured a cibernetico of Torneo de Escuelas standouts. The tag title match replaces it as the marquee event and the new kids are sprinkled into the early matches instead. This show has gone up on CMLL’s YouTube the last couple of years, so it’ll probably be there again this year even though CMLL didn’t say as much. No idea what tier it’d be under though.

CMLL put up the Guerrero Maya Jr/Difunto match at 2 AM on Friday. I have not watched it yet.

Cronistas del Ring has an interview with Akuma, who mentions he went to an CMLL Aniversario at the age of 13 and it convinced him to become a luchador. That would’ve been the Villano V/Blue Panther year. Akuma seems like the kind of fan who would’ve enjoyed the Dr. Wagner versus LA Park, a match CMLL prohibited from airing on TV and led to CMLL parting ways with both wrestlers. It’s probably a really good thing Jon Moxley’s match is airing live now that I think about it. Akuma is Demus’ half brother and was living in Saltillo with his parents at that point. The situation around Saltillo – lots of drug trafficking and narcos trying to recruit teenagers – that they were OK with young Akuma going to Mexico City even if meant he was living on his own when Demus was booked elsewhere.

Dulce Gardenia, also promoting the tag match tonight, says he’s moved back to Torreon to take care of his ill mother and he feels that’s why his trio hasn’t had the chemistry the same as past years.

AAA

AAA is back in Mexico City Saturday.

AAA TV (SAT) 03/16/2024 Gimnasio Olímpico Juan de la Barrera, Ciudad de México, Distrito Federal
1) ? & ?? vs ??? & ????
2) Faby Apache, La Parkita, Mr. Iguana, Pimpinela Escarlata vs Bengala, Dalys, Jessy Queen, Parkita Negra
3) Myzteziz Jr. & Octagón Jr. vs Aerostar & Laredo Kid
4) Oscar Sevilla & Súper Caló vs Charly Manson & Nygma
5) Pagano vs ? vs Mecha Wolf
6) Dave The Clown, Murder Clown, Panic Clown vs Dark Cuervo, Dark Ozz, Dark Scoria
7) Psycho Clown vs Cibernético vs El Patrón Alberto

Not much of note happened in Saltillo last week, so the same questions remain: What’s Vikingo’s status? How does that affect the Mega championship? How about those trios titles? Is Pagano wrestling? Will anything be announced for TripleMania Monterrey? That show – on April 27th, six weeks away – appears to be the next taping.

AAA on Space should start to air matches from the 02/18 Showcenter taping this week.

AAA’s promoting Vampiro’s retirement tour coming to Arena Queretaro on 04/19. That appears to not be a TV taping. AAA also promoted a last show for 03/24 Vampiro in Ecatepec on social media; they rarely mention non-TV shows, so maybe this is a Vampiro retirement thing.

IWRG

IWRG (THU) 03/14/2024 Arena Naucalpan [IWRG]
1) Shamila b Príncipe Centauro [IWRG Tryout, semifinal] 
Judges said both should advance to the final.
2) Sky Man b Sacro [IWRG Tryout, semifinal] 
Skyman advanced to the final by judges decision. Coaches DMT Azul and Hijo de Canis Lupus argued, DMT Aul hit Sky Man, Hell Boy ran in but allied himself with DMT Azul
3) Kagura b Águila Roja 
setting up a title match
4) Jessy Queen & Mamba b Hijo de Canis Lupus & Pig Destroyer 
5) Sky Man b Shamila, Príncipe Centauro [IWRG Tryout, final] 
Skyman won the match final rankings were Shamila 1, Skyman 2, Principe Centauro 3 – but all earned IWRG contracts.
6) Arez, Látigo, Toxin b Gran Pandemónium, Hijo de Pandemónium, Pandemónium Jr. [IWRG IC TRIOS] 
La Mala Fama won the titles.

The Tryout seems not to have captured the interest of my bubble but IWRG did draw a good turnout for a Thursday show. Shamila seems OK but it’s also weird for her not to win the wrestling portion of the match and then the judges say she’s the best.

Arez, Latigo and Toxin are now going as Mala Fama. Latigo once was part of an a similar indie trio with Centvrion and Fly Warrior as Mala Hiebra; “Bad Fame” is an easier name for gringos to pronounce.

IWRG has a fan code of conduct message now, or at least they had one at the start of their show. I don’t think I’ve see that at a Mexican wrestling show.

IWRG was promoting this airing as “exclusive” which sounds like they had another falling out, but Mas Lucha was still posting IWRG content this morning. Mas Lucha was busy promoting a show from March 2nd as airing live. It seems like the YouTubers have also been staying away or been asked to stay away from Naucalpan lately. (They all seem to have popped up at Big Lucha instead.)

IWRG (SUN) 03/17/2024 Arena Naucalpan
1) Galvánico & Torbellino vs Dracula Ng & Vatopilas
2) Pequeño Centauro, Sacro, Sky Man vs Fussion, Rey Aztaroth, Rey Halcón
3) Keyra & Shamila vs Gema Andrade & Satania
4) Noisy Boy, Spider Fly, Tornado vs Diamante Jr., Puma de Oro, Tarzan Duran
5) Jessy Ventura, Mamba, Multifacetico Jr. vs Águila Roja, Hijo del Pirata Morgan, Vangellys
6) DMT Azul vs Hijo de Canis Lupus, ?

I hit post, then I realized I type this lineup in another tab, so the email subscribers will never know this blah IWRG lineup. They’re mixing in the new Tryout people; hope the regular IWRG people are ready to pick up bookings elsewhere.

Big Lucha

Big Lucha World (SAT) 03/16/2024 Arena Big Lucha, Iztapalapa, Distrito Federal
1) La Bomba & Reiyel vs Depaysmen & M2R
2) Caballero de Plata & El Potro de Oro vs Mr. Win & Tirano
3) Cometa Maya & Morfosis vs Big Tao Tao & Bogdan Klimov
4) Elipse, Iku, Orbita, Vengador vs Atómico Jr., Auzter, Black Skayde, Brujo
5) Flamita & Ricky Marvin vs Bendito & Emperador Azteca

These are now Saturday shows starting at 7 pm local.  Bendito seems to have allied with Azteca in the Black Generation split. Semifinal follows up on the Atomico Jr/Elipse match (which is really just setting up Elipse/Orbita, we all know.) Klimov, another Russian who’s appeared in Mexico somehow, didn’t look impressive in his previous appearance but that’s a good chance for a fun match otherwise. What would really be great is some sort of destination; this is the 10th Big Lucha World show with no sign of a ‘major’ show. Maybe that’s not even the concept any more.

Other News

There’s a GoFundMe fundraiser for Psicosis/Nicho, who fractured his hip in a match.

Lucha Libre Elite has been posting for the last few days talking about a return. It’s nothing but talent announcements or teases of announcements. Dralistico indicated he and his family are involved, as did Metalik. I’m not doing the Lucha Libre Elite reminder/explainer unless they announce a date; they’ve teased returns prior that haven’t happened. Their prior social media posts were teasing a return in 2022 that never happened. There’s also no surer sign that promotion won’t last long than the Munoz being involved – they’ve now got a long track record attaching themselves to promotions that are doomed from the start. This version of Lucha Libre Elite will likely be another entertaining disaster, if it happens. It’s going to be silly when the Mexican press treats this like a real viable thing, but all it takes is Elite to put out a press release to talk about how they’re really doing it that time and it’ll get copied and pasted on news sites.

This Elite potential revival got me to thinking about all the groups that ran that Rush/LA Park singles match, and how most of them are no longer with us:

2016-06-03 Titan: no longer exists
2016-07-14 Elite: stopped promoting multiple times
2016-07-31 MDA: stopped after 2019 (pandemic?)
2017-03-11 BARACAL: ran 3 shows then done
2017-08-06 MDA/Lucha Memes: Memes still exists!
2018-06-22 CMLL: still exists
2018-10-14 RWC: no longer exists
2018-10-14 unnamed Saltillo group: guessing no
2019-06-22 Baja Wrestling: no longer exists
2019-10-13 AKINO: no longer exists
2021-07-17: Sanchez/Invasion Indy: no longer exists

Out of the 11 promoters, only CMLL, Lucha Memes (in a smaller form) and Sanchez/Invasion Indy (the regular Arena Neza promotion) are still with us. There were a lot of people spending some good money to play wrestling promoter in the 2010s, you only hope they got some fun out of it.

Arena Lopez Mateos announced that their AULL on Saturday show in their building is canceled. Dr. Wagner & Rush vs Mesias & LA Park was the scheduled the main event. The same group of luchadors (only Demon in for Mesias) and the same promoter are scheduled to run Sunday in Mexico City’s Sala de Armas. AULL is clear that show is still happening. It’s unclear why they’d cancel the show in their home venue but still run an unusual outside show.

Cinta de Oro talks about his career. He’s been promoting shows in El Paso and plans to do it every two months. His 15 year old son wants to wrestle and he plans to stay in long enough to wrestle with him.

The 36th season premiere of the Amazing Race aired on Wednesday and included a lucha libre challenge. Twenty luchadors would rush to a ring and split up to fight against each other as set pairs in a battle royal, fight for a few minutes, and then rush back out of the ring. The task was to correctly match up five of those pairs. This season was filmed back in summer of 2022 – it’s airing late as a knockoff affect from the writer’s strike. One of the local wrestlers who happened to be prominently included was Zandokan Jr., who would’ve been in his last days in Jalisco before moving to Mexico City full time. Hermano Calavera II, Draego and (Rey) Triton were also among the wrestlers to match up. Half the field was decoys and weren’t shown as closely, but I thought I spotted Rayman and one of the Hermano Muertes among them. The show was in Puerto Vallarta, and most of the wrestlers seemed from four hours away in Guadalajara. There were some I didn’t recognize at all, so maybe those were locals I don’t see as much.

Diario de Queretaro has a profile of Queretaro super fan Luz Daniela Hernandez Bocanegra. Her father was known as reverent fan Pancho Pantera, who’d bring a drum to the shows and wear a trademark ha. He passed away and she’s carrying on his legacy, with the same drum and hat. She’s a ruda fan.

A profile of Toluca’s LLPT promotion.