CMLL

CMLL (FRI) 10/11/2024 Arena México [CMLL, El Grafico, Esquina Caliente, Excelsior, Fuego en el Ring, Kaiser Sports, Telediario, The Gladiatores, thecubsfan]
1) Crixus, Hijo de Stuka Jr., Okumura b El Audaz, Rey Cometa, Volcano  
10:00. Rey Cometa (returning from injury) replaced Hijo del Pantera on Monday night.
2) Dark Magic, Espanto Jr., Raider DQ Barboza, Difunto, Zandokan Jr.  
11:49. Straight falls, pirates getting DQed for excessive violence in the second.
3) Dark Silueta & Zeuxis b La Catalina & Samantha Black   
13:41. Replaces scheduled Toni Storm/La Catalina match. Mexico debut of Costa Rica’s Samantha Black.
4) Volador Jr. b Hechicero   
10:57. Hechicero tried tossing his mask to Volador to draw the DQ again, but Volador avoided the mask (and Edgar caught it), then Volador cradled Hechicero to win.
5) Persephone b Tessa Blanchard, Lluvia, Sanely, Reina Isis, Skadi, Kira, Tabata, Valkiria, Hera [CMLL Universal de Amazonas, semifinal]   
31:03. Order of elimination: Valkyria (via Kira, 12:28), Tabata (Skadi, 14:11), Hera (Isis, 19:12), Kira (Sanely, 20:48), Skadi (Lluvia, 21:46), Sanely (Persephone, 22:30), Isis (Blanchard, 23:16), Blanchard (26:43, Lluvia), Lluvia (31:01, Persephone) leading Persephone as the winner.

The sequence of thought in those last few eliminations

• “nice vote of confidence for Persephone to make it this long”
• “oh, I guess Tessa’s going to beat three people straight to win, they’re really going with her”
• “huh, Tessa’s out, they must be doing Lluvia/Zeuxis, weird that Persephone is still here”
• “wait, Persephone won?!?!”

I never believed Persephone was winning that match until the moment she won it. It’s not a wrong decision; it’s an interesting and good call to go so strong with someone so new. The good/bad portion is just totally overwhelmed by the shocking result. CMLL picking one of Kira, Skadi, Olympia, or Hera to go to the final would’ve been a surprise but fit along with how they’ve been focused on stronger in the last six months. Persephone had a well-received lighting match with Blanchard a couple of months ago and has been a solid part of trios matches, but there was no sense she was going to the final of a tournament any time soon. Persephone is also a ruda, which made it unlikely she’d face fellow ruda Zeuxis in the final by CMLL’s typical booking practices. This match isn’t going to draw but it is a surprising investment in a new name.

Persephone’s teamed a bit with Zeuxis since Stephanie Vaquer’s left, but played down that relationship in a post match promo. Persephone’s big line was that she’s the future of CMLL, and the future is now.

Volador/Hechicero was fun but not their best work. Samantha Black is as green as should be expected from someone who works only a dozen times a year in Costa Rica. They still got the crowd into the end of that match. Match two seemed to be pointing toward a Zandokan/Espanto Jr. feud, but Zandokan’s not on Fridays the next two weeks. It is that point of the calendar where something gets set up for 01/01.

CMLL (SAT) 10/12/2024 Arena Coliseo [CMLL, thecubsfan]
1) Galaxy, Shockercito, Último Dragóncito b Full Metal, Pequeño Polvora, Rostro De Acero
9:12. Galaxy replaced Fantasy
2) El Coyote, Nitro, Pólvora b Diamond, Eléctrico, Robin
16:07.
3) Kira, Skadi, Tabata b Candela, Maligna, Metálica
15:31. Tabata & Kira replaced Dulce Tormenta & Jazmin Allure on Tuesday. Kira left the match early with a shoulder injury (and missed her match the next day.)
4) Guerrero Maya Jr. © b Xelhua [MEX MIDDLE]
14:44. 5th defense. Maya refused to shake hands with Xelhua post match, declared he was joining the rudo side, and that he’d destroy Fuerza Poblana.
5) India Sioux, Princesa Sugehit, Tessa Blanchard b Dark Silueta, Persephone, Zeuxis
14:25
6) Bárbaro Cavernario, Soberano Jr., Terrible b Dragón Rojo Jr., Flip Gordon, Máscara Dorada [Relevos Increíbles]
11:45. Straight falls, Cavernario using the ropes to beat Dragon Rojo – Dragon Rojo wants a singles match.

The Guerrero Maya story is interesting. Maya sees Xelhua as a young guy getting too much hype and appears to be jealous of that attention. Earlier in the week, Xelhua mentioned he’d be interested in joining Fuerza Poblana if offered a spot, and Guerrero Maya Jr. (on Instagram) threatened to leave that group if they brought in someone who didn’t earn it. He said he would consider it a betrayal for Fuerza Poblana to add Xelhua. Pegasso and Stigma both left comments saying the group is a family, they’ve always welcomed any Puebla wrestler with sufficient ability because the strength of the group has been that unity, and that group existed before Maya came aboard. Jumping back to Saturday, Maya refused to shake hands with Xelhua post-match, declared the match showed the difference between someone giving a lot of cheers and someone actually good, and declared he’d now be the #1 rudo. He also vowed to destroy Fuerza Poblana for not standing with him, then attacked Xelhua. Fuerza Poblana members Stigma and Arkalis responded Sunday, saying Maya was the one who wanted to leave, Fuerza Poblana would be stronger together, and they’d welcome Xelhua to the group if he wanted to join. I suspect there’s a lot of energy from the wrestlers themselves into this angle – building an issue up through Instagram posts is novel for CMLL – but new rudo Maya running his way through the Fuerza Poblana guys would be fun.

The match itself was pretty strong, too. They wrestled as a totally technical match, in classic title match fashion. They played off the story in the build-up: Xelhua demonstrated a lot of new holds but couldn’t always get them locked in, and Maya went back to an old standard (la suastica) to defeat him. I think it’s a match that’ll will be interesting even outside the feud.

Roster de Acero is Pequeno Polvora’s brother and that seems to be the main reason he’s in the mini division. He’s taller than all the other minis (and the minis who are no longer minis.) CMLL’s graphics listed Rostro de Acero as “Luchador Profesional”, rather than the normal “Luchador del CMLL.” I guess he’s not meant actually to be on the roster. Looking back, CMLL did the same for the four women in the indie women’s match and continues to do so for Candela.

Nitro did a promo celebrating reaching 40 years of wrestling while insisting he’s got a lot left in him.

CMLL (SUN) 10/13/2024 Arena México [CMLL]
1) Pequeño Olímpico & Pierrothito b Angelito & Pequeño Magía
2) Arkalis & Stigma b Disturbio & Pólvora
3) India Sioux, Náutica, Skadi b Amapola, La Maligna, Olympia
4) Hijo del Villano III, Star Black, Villano III Jr. b Akuma, Fugaz, Magia Blanca [Relevos Increíbles]
5) La Catalina, Princesa Sugehit, Tabata b Dark Silueta, Reyna Isis, Sanely
Tabata replaced Kira (on Sunday), but got hurt during the match
6) Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Soberano Jr. b Flip Gordon, Templario, Volador Jr.

Villanos seemed in full Villano mode on match 4.

Mistico lost to Hiromu Takahashi in NJPW. That was always the most logical outcome – Mistico wins in Mexico, Hiromu wins in Japan – but it was fun to imagine something more. Speaking of having fun imagining something that is not going to happen, Mistico and Hiromu made challenges for a mask versus hair match to the main event of the CMLL Aniversario show. That’s not going to happen.

CMLL (TUE) 10/15/2024 Arena México
1) Angelito & Kaligua vs Pequeño Violencia & Pierrothito
2) Capitán Suicida, El Audaz, Hijo del Pantera vs Disturbio, Hunter, Infarto
3) Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Rey Cometa vs Crixus, El Elemental, Okumura
4) Sanely vs Reyna Isis [lightning]
5) Samantha Black, Tessa Blanchard, Zeuxis vs Dark Silueta, India Sioux, Princesa Sugehit [Relevos Increíbles]
6) Templario, Titán, Volador Jr. vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Hechicero, Terrible

Elemental, a former Big Lucha wrestler who’s wrestled about once a month in Guadalajara this year, makes his Arena Mexico debut. He usually teams with Yutani, who isn’t here (yet?) and either Dark Magic or Okumura. Sanely/Isis is a rematch of the recent title change.

CMLL (FRI) 10/18/2024 Arena México
1) Futuro, Max Star, Pelon Encapuchado vs Dark Magic, Espanto Jr., Raider
2) Amapola, Metálica, Olympia, Sanely vs Alex Windsor, Red Velvet, Samantha Black, Viva Van
3) Lluvia & Tessa Blanchard vs Sayaka Unagi & Sumika Yanagawa © [CMLL WOMEN TAG]
4) Atlantis Jr., Místico, Neón vs Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero
5) Zeuxis vs Persephone [CMLL Universal de Amazonas, final]
6) Toni Storm vs La Catalina

CMLL was unspecific when it came to when the Storm/Catalina match would take place, which makes it a bit of surprise it is just getting pushed back a week. Seems like they would’ve had that figured already. There’s going to be some CMLL fan discontent about the tournament final being semi-main to an AEW wrestler coming in, again. I see it a bit more palatable than the Aniversario decision: Persephone is not as big a star as anyone in that four-way match, and it’s not a mask match. On the other hand, Toni Storm isn’t as big a deal as Chris Jericho; it didn’t seem like she was any special draw when she was advertised last week. This might be one where it can be better explained once we know the result: if Catalina is beating Toni Storm, yea, might as well make it the main event. If Toni Storm is winning, that’s not going to go over great as a main event.

All the Grand Prix participants start with this show, except for Willow Nightingale. The Japanese duo get a tag title match, the rest are in an atomicos. Match four should be a good match for those who aren’t interested in the women.

Octagon says he has no plans to retire; he says everyone thinks he’s older than he actually is. (He’s 62.)

Felino’s asked about the same thing and answers about the same way. He does mention his initial mask was hard to see out of, which must’ve lead to the change.

Los Hermanos Calaveras, Trono, and Optiums made an appearance at Opening Day for the Charros de Jalisco baseball team.

AAA

Last week, I missed AAA because my grey market feed didn’t work. This week, I missed AAA because my gray market TV service expired and I didn’t realize it. I could’ve watched AAA on Unimas, but that show aired 2.5 hours early because Unimas was airing an MLB playoff game. (Some online listings had the change, but my DVR didn’t get it.) I should be able to get the Tuesday repeat on UTDN, and AAA did post the first part of Heroes Inmortales on Sunday night, so I plan to try to catch up through those the next couple of days

Neither AAA nor Unimas publicized the time change of their show. This is unsurprising on AAA’s part, as they do little to promote their TV shows on all their networks outside a generic social media post or two, and I usually pick up on a time change before they do. This inaction makes no sense to me – AAA’s big hope has been to do well enough on Unimas to get promoted to Univision and earn real money, so they should be incentivized to do as much as possible to make that Unimas show successful. AAA, instead, seems to do as little as it can get away with. I don’t know if that means they’ve already given up or they just don’t understand what’s required of them.

The other half of this issue Unimas also does as little as possible to promote AAA or seemingly keep them in the loop. It would’ve been simple for Unimas to give AAA a heads up on a possible time change – “if this series goes five games, you’re going to be moved to a different time” in enough time for AAA to promote the change. Either Unimas didn’t bother, or AAA didn’t pass that message along to their viewers. It’s no different from when Unimas moved the permanent start time up an hour, or when TUDN moved the repeat of the episodes. If you’ve been around long enough, it’s no different from the various time changes and even promotional changes Galavision used to do when it aired CMLL and AAA. The circumstances were the same there: AAA had great hopes of getting on Univision, and the network had treated them like filler programming. It’s not a bad relationship, more a disinterested one – like they’ve got one person behind them to get them on there, but the rest of the network doesn’t care all that much. We still don’t know the number of viewers watching those AAA shows, but this could be another sign – if AAA was doing strong numbers, Unimas would be making a better effort.

To get back to something you can actually use; next Saturday would have at most one MLB playoff game, it’d be a night game, so AAA will (probably) be back on it’s normal time.

AAA put up a video with CIMA talking about wanting to run a TripleMania in Japan. AAA ran TripleMania 8 in Korakuen Hall, at a point in their history where they were struggling to draw in Mexico City and happily took a deal to put the show elsewhere. It drew a reported 1,700 fans, something like 16% of the numbers AAA claims today. AAA’s different now, running multiple TripleManias a year, and they could certainly add a TripleMania Tokyo to the group if GLEAT wants to pay for it. The risk of AAA stretching the name of TripleMania too far and ruining the value has already passed; AAA’s fans already know the only ‘real’ TripleMania is the one in Mexico City.

AAA also put up a promo with JBL

Pagano hypes up an upcoming spot show match with Chessman.

Todo x el Todo

Sunday’s stop in Arena Monterrey looks to be the best drawing show of the run. I know there was a late-minute special discount and other things were probably going on. Still, there were way more people in that building than when CMLL and Alto Voltaje ran that building two weeks prior. The bulk of the show was a tag team tournament, unsurprisingly won by Hijo del Santo and Santo Jr. They defeated the Bobby Lees, Dralistico & Bestia del Ring (by DQ) and Dr. Wagner Jr. and Silver King Jr. to win.

Mas Lucha streamed the 10/06 Leon show on 10/13 for members. I expect they’ll do the same with the Arena Monterrey show, though it may not be for a couple of weeks; the Torneo Suprema takes priority this weekend. The Mexico-based Todo x el Todo tour is off until 11/09 (the Puebla show with no lineup announced); the next Santo show will be the London shows on 11/01 and 11/02.

Other Notes

Medico Asesino Jr. will take over as Tijuana commissioner, with a term running until 2027. I’m uncertain how that’ll affect those recent street fight related suspensions. A Medico Asesino has been working EMW shows.

Violent People has a recap of the best lucha matches of July.

Coloso Colosetti is said to be in a bad health situation.

A story on a teacher using a luchador outfit in school.

Noro writes about Rubi Gardenia.

CMLL

Tonight’s lineup, which changed Thursday:

CMLL (FRI) 10/11/2024 Arena México
1) El Audaz, Rey Cometa, Volcano vs Crixus, Hijo de Stuka Jr., Okumura
Rey Cometa (returning from injury) replaced Hijo del Pantera on Monday night.
2) Dark Magic, Espanto Jr., Raider vs Barboza, Difunto, Zandokan Jr.
3) Dark Silueta & Zeuxis vs La Catalina & Samantha Black
replaces scheduled Toni Storm/La Catalina match
4) Volador Jr. vs Hechicero
5) Tessa Blanchard vs Lluvia, Sanely, Reina Isis, Skadi, Kira, Tabata, Valkiria, Hera, Persephone [CMLL Universal de Amazonas, semifinal]

Toni Storm is off the show. CMLL Informa explained she was in doubt to make the show due to Hurricane Milton. She’d already had multiple flights canceled but would try again on Thursday. Both Tampa and Orlando’s airports remained closed Thursday, so it just wasn’t going to happen. CMLL sent out a press release Thursday afternoon officially confirming Storm off the show, and promising that the match would be rescheduled for a future date. CMLL should get credit for being upfront about this situation with the fans and media.

Samantha Black was already in Mexico – she appeared on Informa – so CMLL will do a Grand Prix preview tag match as a replacement. She’s going to be an interesting one to be on a Friday night following last week’s struggles. Costa Rica Embassay is about a once a month promotion and she’s the least experience person in the tournament.

Volador and Hechicero should be good, though they’ve never really had a great match with each other. Maybe the main event will be better than last week. I still suspect Blanchard is winning.

CMLL (TUE) 10/15/2024 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Eclipse Jr., Shezmu, Temerario vs Fúnebre, Mortis, Ponzoña Jr.
2) Exterminador, Kráneo, Maléfico vs Mr. Trueno, Rey Trueno, Volcano
3) Alondra, Emperatriz, Lady Shadow vs Miss Guerrera, Nexy, Quetzal
4) Kira & Skadi © vs Hera & Olympia [MEX WOMEN TAG]
3rd defense (all against Hera & Olympia)
5) Atlantis & Blue Panther vs Felino & Satánico
6) Gran Guerrero & Último Guerrero vs Averno & Euforia

Kira & Skadi should defend against someone else at some point but this match will probably still be good.

CMLL announced the full lineup for the Gran Prix

CMLL (FRI) 10/25/2024 Arena México
1) Dulce Gardenia vs Difunto [lightning]
2) Ángel de Oro & Niebla Roja vs Magnus & Rugido
non-title match
3) Averno © vs Zandokan Jr. [CMLL LH]
2nd defense
4) Máscara Dorada, Místico, Templario vs Cavernario, Euforia, Soberano Jr.
5) Amapola, Dark Silueta, Hera, Kira, Lluvia, Princesa Sugehit, Reyna Isis, Sanely, Skadi, Zeuxis vs Alex Windsor, La Catalina, Persephone, Red Velvet, Samantha Black, Sumika Yanagawa, Tessa Blanchard, Unagi Sayaki, Viva Van, Willow Nightingale [Grand Prix de Amazonas]

Nothing huge supports the main event, but everything should be fun. Difunto’s on the rise of late. Match #2 is made up of two efficient and well-coordinated teams. March 4 could be great. Averno and Zandokan had a good match back in Coliseo in August, with Averno out rudo-ing fellow rudo Zandokan. That’s sort of what I expect here.

Informa also had Guerrero Maya and Dragon Rojo Jr. on in separate segments. Maya was insistent he wasn’t turning rudo while everything else he said to Xelhua was rudo-tinged. Julio Cesar Rivera asked if Xelhua wanted to join Fuerza Poblana; Guerrero Maya Jr. later declared he’d quit the group if they ever added Xelhua. (Stigma replied on Instagram, pointing out Maya is the one causing problems and Fuerza Poblana existed before he came aboard.) Maya doesn’t think Xelhua has earned what he’s been given so far. Dragon Rojo felt Los Barbaros fell apart after the trios title loss and wasn’t sure if he’d end up being tecnico or rudo.

Amapola said this Grand Prix may be her last or second to last because she feels her retirement is soon. My guess is it’ll probably take some injuries for her to make the field next year. I still think Olympia should be in the match and Marcela probably is in this if she’s healthy (though who knows how that’ll go.) Luchadors aren’t really good at sticking to retirement ideas.

Tessa Blanchard says she wasn’t sure how well she’d be liked turning tecnica and feels the fans have totally embraced her. She says speaks Spanish well enough that she gets mistaken as latina on the street.

Lluvia and Tabata are on the CMLL podcast this week.

Stuka Jr. attacked Neon during a post match promo in Puebla on Monday.

MLW announced Titan vs Mistico vs Averno for the MLW Middleweight Championship for their 11/03 show. It’s more possible there’s a title change if they can do a finish without Mistico getting pinned, though my guess it is more about MLW already running Averno/Mistico twice and wanting to do something else.

Hechicero is among those announced for NJPW Strong’s 12/15 show in Long Beach.

AEW

Fox Sports Mexico announced they’d air AEW, starting with this Saturday’s WrestleDream show airing on Fox Sports Premium. The subsequent PPVs will also air on that added-cost service. Fox Sports Mexico will also air Dynamite, Collision and Rampage at some point. No start dates are listed on the press release, but there’s a graphic floating around that indicates they’ll start on TV on Monday. (An AEW source also indicated they were hoping to start on Monday.) The shows are airing on Fox Sports 2 and Fox Sports 3. Dynamite and Rampage look to be airing live, Collision on a three hour delay. I’m told this deal covers Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Paraguay.

AEW will eventually take WWE’s place on the station. WWE programming in Mexico will move to Netflix starting on January 1st, and Fox Sports Mexico is bringing AEW on board as replacement wrestling content. I was amazed that WWE didn’t have some exclusivity deal on the network; both AEW and WWE programming will air on the network for the next three months. Fox Sports Mexico produces a WWE recap show called Saturday Night Slam, and that’ll flip to being “All Elite Show” with this new deal; that’ll start airing this Monday following WWE RAW. AEW’s been hoping WWE going to Netflix would lead to international channels looking to AEW to fill that gap, and that seems to be exactly what’s happened in this case.

Fox Sports Mexico seems a stronger outlet than Space, which carries AAA and carried AEW for a time. (It’s definitely stronger than VIX, Televisa’s attempt at creating a streaming network that’s never really taken.) Fox Sports Mexico doesn’t have as strong sports content as they did when WWE first came aboard, but they do have some stuff that’ll still draw eyeballs, and Space is 95% reruns of old movies. AAA’s deal with Azteca has downgraded from an afternoon over-the-air slot to a late night over-the-air slot to back being in the afternoon but on a digital subchannel. AAA is also on less visible channels like ClaroTV and Multimedios. AEW and AAA are at least in each other’s neighborhood and I’d need a better understanding of those digital channels to really tell which one more people do watch. CMLL would still have a lot more exposure than both; they remain on a traditional over-the-air next work. Anyone with a TV can watch CMLL’s Televisa show. Anyone with a TV can watch AAA’s show, but it’s on a channel that may take some work to find. Mexican fans still need a cable (or equivalent) subscription to watch AEW.

This seems like slightly good news for CMLL, whose fans may be more interested in and knowledgeable about AEW wrestlers when they come in. It’s also obviously good news for AEW, which gets visibility in Mexico and some more revenue. An AEW show in Mexico is now a possibility.

AAA

AAA announced the lineup for Guerra de Titanes.

AAA (SUN) 11/10/2024 Gimnasio Municipal Josué Neri Santos, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua
***Guerra de Titanes, 2024***
1) ?, ??, ??? vs ????, ?????, ??????
2) ?, ??, ??? vs ????, ?????, ??????
3) El Fiscal & Reina Dorada vs Crazzy Steve & Havok
4) Mecha Wolf, Pagano, Vampiro Canadiense vs Abismo Negro, Psicosis, Taurus
5) Dinámico, Drago, Laredo Kid vs Kento, Nobu San, Takuma
6) Octagón Jr. © vs El Mesías [AAA LA]
7) Hijo Del Vikingo vs El Patrón Alberto [AAA MEGA]

The main event looks like Patron getting past Vikingo on the way to the seemingly inevitable Latin Lover match. (Dorian Roldan and Latin Lover will be the seconds.) A brawl in Monterrey set up Mesias and Octagon. Pagano wrestled in the Vampiro TripleMania “match”, but hasn’t had a real match on TV since August and is still dealing with shoulder injuries. He’s also just never going to miss a big Juarez show. TNA never seemed to acknowledge Havok and Steve winning the AAA titles and neither has worked there since May, but they’re still RT-ing TNA content. I still don’t know the story there.

AAA previously announced a Mexico City TV taping on 10/26. They usually announce tapings in order, so I’m unsure if something’s changed. I’ll figure this back out when I watch the TV.

AAA TV this weekend

• Space will have the preliminary matches from Heroes Inmortales
• Unimas will have part 1 of the Monterrey TV taping, which hasn’t aired in Mexico Yet
• YouTube will have the top matches from Heroes Inmortales

I liked Wednesday’s Hologram/Komander match from AEW’s Dynamite show. An amusing subplot was Jeff Jarrett, on commentary for the week, losing his mind whenever they didn’t go for a pinfall after a big move. Jarrett has a very traditional, back-to-basics approach to pro wrestling, and his brain must explode every time he comes to AAA.

Lady Shani announced she had her son on Monday.

Dave the Clown teased he’d be the new Parka and then chided people for believing he’d be the new Parka.

IWRG

IWRG (THU) 10/10/2024 Arena Naucalpan [IWRG]
1) Águila Oriental & Black Dragón Jr. b Arceus & Legado  
2) Multifacético, Shamila, Tornado b Argus, Datura, Fandango  
3) Vangellys b Príncipe Centauro  
4) Rock Power b Spider Fly, Noisy Boy  
Rock Power is apparently unsuspended three shows early.
5) Águila Roja & Hijo del Pirata Morgan b Hell Boy & Hijo de Canis Lupus  

Misc

The Quien Mato a Shocker documentary premiers this weekend. El Planchitas talked with the film’s director, Alejandro Carper, who described it as a film school project that turned into something more. He was a fan of Shocker growing up, saw him featured in the Lucha Mexico documentary, and Shocker wasn’t very honest about what was really going on with him at first. The original plan was the story was just going to be out his jaw injury – how it happened, getting the surgery to fix it, and betting his hair against Diamante Azul’s mask for revenge. It turned it into a more personal relationship, Carper being on of the last people sticking with Shocker as he sunk deeper and deeper into his addiction. Carper says he tried to keep the truth of the situation in there; he didn’t want it to be the type of the biography where all the bad things are cut out or ignored. Shocker is still in rehab in Culician and Carper feels this documentary isn’t really successful until Shocker gets a chance to see it.

Daniel Aceves has a column in Excelsior asking for a national wrestling commission. He’s got about as much chance of getting it to happen as anyone, but people have been asking for a national commission since the 1950s. Aceves makes the case the regulations already allow for one (and os it just needs to be funded.)

ESTO has a big interview with Fresero Jr.

Tu Plan de Juego has a profile of Veracruz luchador Jack Lee, grandson of Tirantes and nephew of Hijo del Tirantes.

CMLL

CMLL (MON) 10/07/2024 Arena Puebla [CMLL, Grada, Mano a Mano]
1) Astoreth & Centinela b Enigmática & Lady Amazona
2) Pelon Encapuchado b El Coyote [lightning]
Coyote replaced Polvora
3) La Catalina, Lluvia, Tessa Blanchard b Hera, Olympia, Persephone 
Catalina and Hera both looked hurt after the match
4) Futuro, Hombre Bala Jr., Max Star DRAW Pegasso, Rey Samuray, Stigma
Max Star and Stigma went to a double pin (both thought they won.)
5) Esfinge © b Valiente [MEX LH] 
6th defense (rematch from 08/02). Esfinge is using the old Davey Boy Smith running powerslam as a finish now.
6) Atlantis Jr., Máscara Dorada, Neón DQ Gran Guerrero, Stuka Jr., Último Guerrero
Stuka unmasked Neon for the DQ, setting up a singles match

Stuka/Neon is the more immediate match, but I wonder if they’re actually setting up a Stigma title defense with that match 4 finish (and with Max Star being an actual lightweight.)

CMLL (TUE) 10/08/2024 Arena México [CMLL, Estrellas del Ring, Kaiser Sports, thegladiatores.com]
1) Capitán Suicida, Legendario, Valiente Jr. b Grako, Hunter, Infarto  
2) Cancerbero, Luciferno, Virus b Blue Panther Jr., Dark Panther, El Hijo De Blue Panther  
3) Explosivo DQ Barboza [lightning]  
8:23. Barboza unmasked Explosivo
4) Dark Silueta, Valkiria, Zeuxis b India Sioux, Tabata, Tessa Blanchard  
5) Lluvia b Reyna Isis [lightning]  
9:32.
6) Ángel de Oro, Euforia, Niebla Roja b Atlantis Jr., Star Jr., Titán  
Atlantis Jr. was stretched out after taking the Euforia powerbomb.

I haven’t watched this. (This is one of those weeks where I’m keeping up a veneer that everything is normal and, uh.) I’ve heard this was a good Tuesday show.

CMLL (TUE) 10/08/2024 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara [CMLL, Fuego en el Ring]
1) Thunder Boy & Yaky Boy b Astro Oriental & Último Ángel
2) Bengalee, Diosa Roja, Dulce Tormenta, Miss Guerrera b Adira, Náutica, Nexy, Zorah
Moved down a spot, with Zorah moving to the GDL side, replacing Valkiria (Arena Mexico) and Diosa Roja and Miss Guerrera added to outsider side (replacing Mulisha)
3) Alondra, Emperatriz, Lady Shadow b Miss Panther, Mujer Demonio, Queen Panther
Lady Shadow replaced Diosa Roja
4) Magnus, Rugido, Vegas b Adrenalina, Fantástico, Star Black
Star Black replaced Explosivo on Tuesday.
5) Hera & Olympia b Kira & Skadi
sets up another title match between these two teams
6) Hijo del Villano III, Soberano Jr., Villano III Jr. b Brillante Jr., Máscara Dorada, Neón
Soberano wans a title match with Mascara Dorada

I also would like Soberano to have a title match with Mascara Dorada.

That match 2 is all for the independent women on CMLL shows. Mulisha got pulled from that show. Centienla worked Monday but isn’t on the rest of the lineups. Bengalee isn’t listed on any future bookings. Dulce Tormenta and Jazmin Allure were listed for Saturday and Sunday and were both removed in the last day. (Tabata & Kira pick up an extra match on Saturday, and Skadi replaces Tormenta on Sunday.)My hunch is last Saturday’s Arena Coliseo match – both the poor quality and the near-injury – caused CMLL to pull the plug on the entire concept. It’s very thorny issue about paying medical bills for someone who doesn’t work for the promotion, and the reward – people having a match that seemed below usual CMLL standards – doesn’t seem worth it. A fan clip of Bengalee getting stretchered away went viral, but the match itself is behind CMLL’s deepest paywall. Most fans haven’t seen it, but CMLL did, and it seems like they’ve decided no more for now.

Bengalee, in her Facebook channel, said she thought Saturday’s match was good, but she got knocked semiconscious by some kicks. She could’ve stayed down, but she rose up to complete the match anyway, and it turned out well. None of that resembles the match I watched, but, again, very few of her fans would’ve seen that match because it’s only available on the 35 USD CMLL plan. More fans of her probably saw it in person than likely subscribe.

I have no idea how Tormenta and Allure did on Sunday—no one outside Arena Mexico knows, and it hasn’t aired and may never—but it does stink for them if they got pulled off shows because a match they weren’t involved in was very bad.

Brillante Jr. is also off Sunday’s show, with Magia Blanca added, and the match changed a bit. That one might set up another Akuma/Star Black match.

CMLL will do a meet and greet with all 20 women at the Grand Prix on the Thursday before the match. It is 2000 pesos (103.72 USD) for 50 people, about what they were doing with Chris Jericho.

Hiromu Takahashi & Titan wrestle JJ Gale & Callum Newman on the 10/19 RevPro show.

QueMoniito and his lawyer posted a couple of videos saying the Record story about him having to give up the gimmick was false. SuperLuchas has a summary. The most significant points are that no judgment or final resolution has been made, and he is very available to take bookings. QueMoniito’s lawyer sees that Record story as one planted by CMLL to hurt QueMoniito’s case. I’m unsure I agree because the story made CMLL look like bullies. Either way, Record has not addressed their story being refuted as best as I can tell (and it’s still possible they’re partially correct if we find out about a settlement next week.)

La Planchitas’s column on Tuesday went more into complaints about the CMLL production team. The column claims Leobardo Magadan was suspended for some shows after CMLL found out he was announcing a show with ex-AAA wrestlers, that an audio engineer was forced to work three shows without pay, and several people on the technical team were “unjustly fired.” The column points at Armando Padilla, head of CMLL production, as responsible for those changes and backed by Catalina Beltran, who he calls the second in command of CMLL. The other half of the article goes over the La Parka situation, saying the footage shown was archival footage of the previous La Parka, and that no decision has been made about who will be the one wrestler or if even it’ll just be one wrestler.

I believe this is the third straight Record article critical of CMLL, if you count the KeMalito story. Sometimes, that’s just how the news comes, and there’s nothing more to it. Record has had a recent relationship with AAA. The articles they’re writing about CMLL, or the strong defense of bringing back the Parka idea, may have nothing to do with that AAA relationship, but the tradeoff in doing them is that all the other coverage has to be viewed in that context. (In that context, if you’re paying attention, I don’t know that many people are going this deep on it.) The La Planchitas articles are also written in a way meant to be sensational gossip, not hard news. The part I have the most trouble believing is that AAA put a La Parka teaser on screen without deciding who it would be; that’s a stretch even for AAA. Someone was in that suit at TripleMania, and probably for a reason.

Box y Lucha has Zeuxis, next week’s Friday night show, Antonio Pena’s mass and Principe Odin Jr. on the cover.

Add Persephone and Star Jr. to the 11/03 MLW show. They also put up a short Mistico documentary.

GALLI, Promocionez Azteca, and Robin Promotion say they’ll have another CMLL show in the Chicago area on 02/26/2025. They’re also listing dates for June 15 and October 19th, which seems ambitious. Robin Promotion appears to be CMLL’s Robin himself, acting as the contact between the promotion and the local groups.

AAA

The final Showcenter card is out.

AAA TV (SUN) 11/03/2024 Showcenter Complex, San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo Leon
1) Sexy Andre vs La Momia, Brillante
2) Sick Boy vs El Original, King Charro
3) Mr. Iguana & Niño Hamburguesa vs Estrellato & Líder
4) Flammer & Pimpinela Escarlata vs Dulce Kanela & La Fashion
5) Drago & Epydemius Jr. vs Antifaz & Pierroth Jr.
6) Dave The Clown, Murder Clown, Panic Clown vs El Fiscal, Galeno del Mal, Taurus

The poster does not list this as a TV taping, but the TV show itself previously listed this among the TV tapings and there’s a two week gap that probably has to be filled with something. They could air more repeat episodes, I suppose. They could also tape something in Spain – these episodes wouldn’t air until 11/30 so there’s time – but that would require those Spain shows to actually happen.

I’m hoping this is not TV because it’s another time-filler Showcenter card with no intense matches. Maybe match 3 will be the best? Galeno del Mal is showing up here, which is notable. La Fashion also makes his Showcenter debut after showing up in CMLL Guadalajara a bit in 2023. He later explained that didn’t go farther because CMLL wanted control of his dates and it didn’t make sense for him for what they were offering him. I can’t imagine AAA wanting any less from La Fashion, so maybe he just pops up on an occasional Showcenter card.

Some AAA fans have theorized that Monterrey’s La Momia could end up being the new Parka; the comedy bits the La Momia/The Mummy does are obviously inspired by the Parka character. seeing him work an opener here suggests it’s not close to happening – they’d usually hide him away until the new introduction. The one caveat is that while the gimmick of La Momia has a been a regular for Lucha Time and other promotions over the last half decade or so, the person under the mask has changed multiple times. It’s always possible they could make another change, though you could also look at that situation as an example for AAA: they just want someone who can do enough Parka bits to pass him off as a real Parka (or Mummy), but it’s the suit that matters to them and not the guy underneath it.

I caught El Hijo de Vikingo versus Soma Watanabe this morning. It was pretty good, and the most ‘back in from’ Vikingo has looked so far. It is strange to me that Watanabe seems to lose all of his matches but that’s not my problem. (Neither is the not inspiring attendance.) I watched most of the 5v5 tag with Octagon Jr., Jessy Queen, and Sam Adonis – all of them got a spot to show something. I also saw most of MICHIKO/Faby Apache, a new entry in the “Faby Apache doesn’t agree with having to lose this match and will make it clear” file. She’s the best.

Latin Lover is up to teasing a return on Facebook Live, and also promising a big surprise for Alberto at Guerra de Titanes.

AAA’s added Alberto to their Spain shows. They didn’t really announce him as a new addition or anything, he’s just in the center of the poster and I guess you’re supposed to be paying close enough attention to notice the change yourself. Reina Dorada also replaces Sexy Star on the poster.

F1 Driver Sergio Perez was watching Guerra de Titanes as a fan in the front row. He seemed to try to do it discreetly by wearing a mask. The story went viral, so the disguise didn’t quite work. It seems like AAA didn’t know he was until after the story went viral; they didn’t mention it themselves until then. Maybe it came up on the broadcast.

TNA Impact Thursday has Jason Hotch versus Leon Slater vs Laredo Kid for a shot at the X Division Championship on Thursday.

IWRG

IWRG (THU) 10/10/2024 Arena Naucalpan
1) Águila Oriental & Black Dragón Jr. vs Arceus & Legado
2) Multifacético, Shamila, Tornado vs Argus, Datura, Fandango
3) Vangellys vs Príncipe Centauro
4) Spider Fly vs Noisy Boy, Rock Power
5) Hell Boy & Hijo de Canis Lupus vs Águila Roja & Hijo del Pirata Morgan

By my count, that is the seventh show since Rock Power was suspended for 10 shows.

Other

Latigo, Toxin and Hyan wrestle Princesa Azul, Leon Slater and BYP on Friday in West Coast Pro Wrestling. The Beast Mortos and the Vipers wrestle Rey Horus, Jack Carthweel and Laredo Kid on 10/25 for WCPW. Those shows tend to stream for free on YouTube.

The Crash’s Aniversario show is 11/08.

KAOZ says they’re running on 12/08.

Los Negociantes Traumado posted a video apologizing to everyone for the street fight in Tijuana and would change to a clean style, setting a reversal at the end where they revealed they weren’t changing after all.

Stephanie Vaquer debuted Tuesday on NXT. That means it took about three months from her signing with WWE to get a work visa, which is a pretty fast turnaround. WWE figures to be better at that than anyone else.

CMLL

CMLL (FRI) 10/04/2024 Arena México [CMLL, El Grafico, ESTO, Excelsior, thecubsfan]
1) Angelito, Kaligua, Pequeño Magía b Mercurio, Pequeño Olímpico, Pequeño Violencia   
9:36. Pequeno Olimpico was hurt on the finish.
2) Magia Blanca b Virus [lightning]   
7:35. Edgar held up after the 2 count, though Virus didn’t kick out at 3. Edgar then called the match off.
3) Kira, Lluvia, Tessa Blanchard b Hera, Persephone, Sanely   
15:19.
4) Bárbaro Cavernario, Hechicero, Templario DQ Magnus, Rugido, Volador Jr. [Relevos Increíbles]   
9:11. Straight falls. Hechicero tossed his mask to Volador to draw the DQ, setting up a singles match next week.
5) Zeuxis b Princesa Sugehit, La Catalina, Amapola, Náutica, India Sioux, Maligna, Olympia, Dark Silueta, Metálica [CMLL Universal de Amazonas, semifinal]   
Order of elimination: Maligna (via Amapola, 9:41), Nautica (India Sioux, 12:37), Amapola (Dark Silueta, 16:54), Metalica (Olympia, 16:54 – pins at same time), Olympia (Catalina, 18:53), India Sioux (Zeuxis, 19:28), Dark Silueta (Princesa Sugehit 22:14), Princesa Sugehit (24:36, Catalina), Catalina (Zeuxis, 27:46), leeaving Zeuxis as the block winner.

The Universal semifinal was weak. Part of the issue is CMLL’s women division does not have strong depth. The men’s equivalent of Nautica, Metalica, Amapola, and Maligna aren’t getting in big matches like this because CMLL has many more good male wrestlers. (The men’s equivalents are barely on the roster.) The actual ‘good’ wrestlers didn’t come up strong in this one. Catalina & Zeuxis in the final two, playing off last year’s tournament final, were good if not extraordinary. Dark Silueta & Princesa Sugehit contributed very little. The two women in the middle were the bright spots in this match. India Sioux doesn’t do some technical things well, but she had great enthusiasm and was the one most treated this match like a huge opportunity. Olympia didn’t get a much time but did well in what she did. I think next Friday’s match has a better group of luchadoras, but this week was a great illustration of the weakness of this month.

Zeuxis is probably not winning both the CMLL Women’s Championship and the Universal tournament. That means whoever wins the next block will likely win, and it’ll probably be a tecnica. The important tecnicas in that match are Tessa Blanchard, Lluvia, Kira and Skadi. The last two would be fun but seem unlikely. Team World is probably losing the Gran Prix this month, which means Blanchard probably has to win the Universal tournament if she’s going to win anything. I think that’s the outcome.

Maligna appears to be a ruda going forward. She’s also barely booked, so it will be hard to tell.

The rest of the show was not much. The semi-main had Cavernario and Templario working very hard, but it was just a set-up for next week’s singles match. The women’s trios was OK. Magia Blanca/Virus had a messed up finish following nothing special action. Pequeno Sky Team have had had better nights.

CMLL (SAT) 10/05/2024 Arena Coliseo [CMLL, Fuego en el Ring, thecubsfan]
1) Pequeño Polvora b Aéreo 
13:43
2) Candela & Mulisha b Bengalee & Centinela 
9:43. Women’s match featuring independent wrestlers announced on Wednesday. Bengalee was stretchered out.
3) El Coyote, Kráneo, Okumura b Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Volcano 
17:30
4) Felino, Felino Jr., Rey Bucanero b Guerrero Maya Jr., Stigma, Xelhua 
13:30. Straight falls. Maya didn’t help his partners and actively sabotaged Xelhua at times. Xelhua challenged him to a MEX MIDDLE title match, Maya seemed unconcerned.
5) Kira, La Catalina, Skadi b Hera, Olympia, Sanely 
13:32. Sanely replaced Reyna Isis on Saturday.
6) Atlantis Jr., Flip Gordon, Titán b Averno, Euforia, Mephisto 
17:08.

This had better matches than Friday. And Also far worse matches. Aereo and Pequeno Polvora took advantage of their unusual opportunity, going all out in the unusual opening singles match. They worked very hard and this was far better than the minis championship match on Noche de Campeones. I would’ve liked to see more of a battle for victory, it turned into a CMLL match where the first real attempt at winning ended it, but it was better than even a normal lightning match.

The women’s match that followed it was among the worst CMLL matches of the year. Bengalee was bad, though bad at the level of bad regular CMLL wrestlers. Centinela too. Mulisha was so unprepared that it was hard to understand why CMLL thought she was ready to be in a real match. It was hard to believe she had trained for eleven months. She was out of position, slow, and occasionally a danger to her opponents. She wasn’t the cause of the significant injury in the match. Candela definitely has something as a luchadora but needs to think better about the limitations of her opponent. It’s also a match that should’ve had close oversight by CMLL management, given those involved. Candela’s regular finish is an electric chair suplex, that’s a tough bump to take for a bad wrestler, she should’ve switched to something safer. She did the move anyway, Bengalee leaned too far back and landed badly on her head and neck. CMLL tried to hide her being stretchered out. A non-CMLL wrestler getting hurt on a CMLL show and CMLL having to pay medical expenses will end this concept quickly.

There’s no update on Bengalee’s health; she posted a video from a forest path on Sunday so I assume her head is still attached to her body. She’s not booked next weekend’s on CMLL shows, but neither are Mulisha or Centienla. (They all are still listed in Guadalajara for Tuesday.)

CMLL (SUN) 10/06/2024 Arena México [CMLL]
1) Full Metal b Fantasy [lightning]
match stopped due to Fantasy injury (knee?)
2) Amapola, Candela, Metálica b Dulce Tormenta, Jazmin Allure, Tabata
women’s match featuring independent wrestlers announced on Wednesday, debuts of Tormenta and Allure.
3) Blue Panther Jr., Dark Panther, Pelon Encapuchado b Cancerbero, Luciferno, Virus
4) India Sioux & La Catalina b Persephone & Sanely
5) Dragón Rojo Jr., Esfinge, Neón DQ Bárbaro Cavernario, Gran Guerrero, Terrible [Relevos Increíbles]
straight falls. Cavrenario and Terrible destroyed Dragon Rojo to the point of needing a stretcher; he’s officially out of Los Barbaros.
6) Ángel de Oro, Soberano Jr., Valiente b Máscara Dorada, Titán, Volador Jr.

Cavernario and Terrible went after Dragon Rojo’s right arm, so that might be an injury angle to write him out. Cavernario and Terrible’s promo includes as “You asked why the Barbaros and not the Dragons!”; I don’t think Dragon Rojo’s said that publicly, though it might really explain this breakup.

I went to the GALLI show with CMLL wrestlers on Sunday night. The first three matches with CMLL talent all had some bad moments. Blue Panther was the star of his match, teaming with Felino and Polvora to defeat Akuma, Difunto, and Zandokan. Esfinge and Star Jr. versus Hechicero & Ultimo Guerrero was the best of the night, with the rudo fans getting into Ultimo Guerrero so loudly that Esfinge gave up and started working as the rudo in the third fall. That match put forth the best total effort between everyone, and they pulled off everything the cleanest. Attendance seemed up a small bit from when Mistico came in last year – the parking lot was full when I showed up, which didn’t happen last time.

CMLL (TUE) 10/08/2024 Arena México
1) Capitán Suicida, Legendario, Valiente Jr. vs Grako, Hunter, Infarto
2) Blue Panther Jr., Dark Panther, El Hijo De Blue Panther vs Cancerbero, Luciferno, Virus
3) Explosivo vs Barboza [lightning]
4) India Sioux, Tabata, Tessa Blanchard vs Dark Silueta, Valkiria, Zeuxis
5) Lluvia vs Reyna Isis [lightning]
6) Atlantis Jr., Star Jr., Titán vs Ángel de Oro, Euforia, Niebla Roja

Two lighting matches on one show is atypical. It’ll mean a short show or longer matches elsewhere.

CMLL (FRI) 10/11/2024 Arena México
1) El Audaz, Hijo del Pantera, Volcano vs Crixus, Hijo de Stuka Jr., Okumura
2) Dark Magic, Espanto Jr., Raider vs Barboza, Difunto, Zandokan Jr.
3) Volador Jr. vs Hechicero
4) Tessa Blanchard vs Lluvia, Sanely, Reina Isis, Skadi, Kira, Tabata, Valkiria, Hera, Persephone [CMLL Universal de Amazonas, semifinal]
5) Toni Storm vs La Catalina

La Catalina and Toni Storm were always going to main event even after Volador/Hechicero was added. CMLL commits to their theme completely, and there was no way they’d main event a show with anything but a women’s match this month.

Valkiria gets the last spot in the Universal tournament, which I probably should’ve worked out. She’s probably the least impressive wrestler in the bunch, depending on how much you rate Tabata this point.

Match 2 is Ola Negra against Barco Pirata. Hijo del Pantera and Hijo del Stuka matching up is good to see after their fun lightning match.

CMLL (SAT) 10/12/2024 Arena Coliseo
1) Fantasy, Shockercito, Último Dragóncito vs Full Metal, Pequeño Polvora, Rostro De Acero
2) Diamond, Eléctrico, Robin vs El Coyote, Nitro, Pólvora
3) Dulce Tormenta, Jazmin Allure, Skadi vs Candela, Maligna, Metálica
4) Guerrero Maya Jr. © vs Xelhua [MEX MIDDLE]
5th defense
5) India Sioux, Princesa Sugehit, Tessa Blanchard vs Dark Silueta, Persephone, Zeuxis
6) Dragón Rojo Jr., Flip Gordon, Máscara Dorada vs Bárbaro Cavernario, Soberano Jr., Terrible [Relevos Increíbles]

Perhaps Dragon Rojo ends up tecnico and Guerrero Maya Jr. ends up tecnico? The Maya/Xelhua bit has built in a way where it’d probably unfair to expect the deeply technical match they could have, but there’s other ways they could make that match pretty interesting. There’s no telling if Tormenta & Allure’s Sundays match will make AMX but at least that match 3 will turn on YouTube.

Rostro de Acero looks like a trainee getting to debut; someone by that name has wrestled around Mexico City for the last couple of years, and most recently popped up on the April Arena Rey Bucanero show in a match with a bunch of regular CMLL Pequeno Estrellas. CMLL needed someone to even out the numbers for the upcoming minis cibernetico – it’s a 16 person division normally but Minos is out with a leg injury. They may need one more replacement if Fantasy’s injury is serious.

CMLL (SUN) 10/13/2024 Arena México
1) Angelito & Pequeño Magía vs Pequeño Olímpico & Pierrothito
2) Arkalis & Stigma vs Disturbio & Pólvora
3) Dulce Tormenta, India Sioux, Náutica vs Amapola, La Maligna, Olympia
4) Brillante Jr., Fugaz, Star Black vs Akuma, Hijo del Villano III, Villano III Jr.
5) Kira, La Catalina, Princesa Sugehit vs Dark Silueta, Reyna Isis, Sanely
6) Flip Gordon, Templario, Volador Jr. vs Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Soberano Jr.

Nothing unusual for a Sunday.

Principe Odin Jr. announced on Instagram that he has left CMLL. Odin’s last match in CMLL was March 9th, and CMLL generally had booked him less frequently in recent years. (He had 3 TV appearances in all of 2023.) Odin’s name popped up on a lucha show my way in a couple of weeks with Elegido, which seemed to indicate he was leaving CMLL. It was more wondering if there would be a formal announcement.

Principe Odin Jr. is better remembered as Artillero, as part of the forever opening match tag team with his brother Super Comando as El Peloton del Terror. It reads like he plans to reunite that unit. Artillero and Super Comando were small good working rudos who CMLL appeared to see as too small to do anything serious with; the most they had them do is work with the young guys as they were starting out. CMLL still doesn’t do a lot with lightweights today, but it’s easy to imagine them ending up in a Noche de Campeones poll if they came around a decade later and got the same sort of chance Los Indestrucitbles got. They probably would’ve done better with it, too.

Mistico is in Japan for his NJPW tour from 10/08 to 10/14. Only the last show will stream.

Mascara Dorada will wrestle Lio Rush on the 10/19 RevPro Global Wars show. Titan’s match for that show is still TBA. NJPW’s Royal Road show is the following day. It’s possible both could appear on that show, but neither had been announced (and it’s likely the full lineup won’t be announced until after that 10/14 NJPW show.)

I caught the CMLL podcast interview with Reyna Isis. I didn’t like it as much as the other ones I’ve listened to. It’s more kayfabe, both with in the ring and out of it, than the other recent ones.

• Isis believes her mask match with La Jarochita was so great and got such a strong reaction that it spurred CMLL to focus much more on the women. Alexis calls it one of the five best apuesta matches in the last ten years. Isis said she was depressed after losing the mask and it took about a year for her to feel fully back.
  • Isis notes this mask match got a “Esto es Lucha” chant, and is sure that had to be the first one ever in Arena Mexico. An luchadora who came from the independent scene told both Isis and Jarochita that the chant happens in the Indies all the time, it doesn’t mean anything. Jarochita & Isis were gravely offended and told that unnamed woman to get that chant herself in Arena Mexico if it was so easy. Isis happily points out that person has not gotten that chant to this day.
• Isis doesn’t come from a wrestling family, got interested in wrestling as a teenager by seeing CMLL TV – she knew there were women wrestlers in WWE but didn’t ralize they existed in Mexico (though she thought most of them looked heavy and unfeminine, and she wanted to be different.) She snuck off to wrestling classes until her mom found out and shut that down. (Her father was not around much because of his job and passed away about 15 years ago.) Many years later, after Isis graduated high school, she got new neighbors who had a bunch of odd clothes and assumed they worked for a circus. She later talked with them and found out they were Angel de Oro and Niebla Roja, professional wrestlers. (Former CMLL luchadora Medussa also gets name-checked as someone who helped her.) She got interested in wrestling again and started training at Arena Mexico with Hijo del Gladiador. Her mom found out again, but this time Isis was an adult, and she could decide for herself – her mom could only strongly disapprove, and continued to do so until Isis’ first trip to Japan convinced her mom this was a reasonable profession.
• The other trainees hated her, called her a skinny girl who should go be a model instead of a wrestler. She does admit to knowing nothing, thinking she’d start training and be on TV as a star in a few weeks. Isis was also working as an exercise instructor, leading spin classes, and not eating much, so she was super skinny. She got hurt training wrestling a lot, but she kept coming back, until the bullying got to her so much that she quit for a few months. She returned but switched to Arkangel de la Muerte’s class, who helped build up her confidence. It was Arkangel who came up with the idea to make her the valet of the Rebeldes Tuareg and who came up with the name of Reyna Isis. (Isis makes a face as if she didn’t like that name initially but lied to Arkangel that she loved it.)
• The other women hated her; she was someone with maybe a year of training put out there for matches and green, and the people in charge of the women’s division didn’t like her and didn’t want to give her a chance. Isis feels she was the last woman who got it to where the existing women were openly hostile to her. They would sabotage her in training classes, pretend to shake hands, and then pull it away. They left her in tears a lot. Isis didn’t like the experience, feels stronger for having gone through it, and has made a point to treat those who’ve come after her better. It’s important to be tough, but some extremes shouldn’t happen.
• There’s a long story about the 2011, 2012 and 2013 CMLL Bodybuilding contests.
  • In 2011, Isis was still training with Arturo Beristan, found out about the bodybuilding contest through Dark Angel, and asked if she could participate. She didn’t think she would win, she just wanted to get noticed. (Isis had thought it would be a quick path to stardom and saw the bodybuild contest as a way to get noticed by the people in charge.) Beristan wasn’t sure, no woman trainee had asked to that point, but promised he’d find out. Dark Angel helped Isis get ready for the competition and Beristan got her in. Not-yet-Isis won third place in the luchadora, but only for a moment. Another woman in the contest protested loudly to the people in charge that Isis should not have been allowed in, she wasn’t a luchadora. That argument won, and that luchadora got third place instead.
    • Princesa Sugehit is listed as the luchadora third-place winner in 2011. Isis avoids mentioning Sugehit by name the entire podcast; there are still some very obvious and strong bad feelings between them.
  • By 2012, Isis had switched to training with Arkangel and was doing shows as a valet. Isis wasn’t going to do the bodybuilding contest again after getting pushed out last year, but Arkangel said that being on a show as a valet counted as being a luchadora and so she was eligible. Isis won third place and got to keep it that time.
  • In 2013, Isis still had not had matches but was dieting hard and working with a coach to get in the best possible shape for the competition – and then Arkangel told her that a new rule had been passed that a woman had to be an active in-ring luchadora to compete for the women’s title, so Isis was out. Arkangel told her that Isis that they’d like her pose on her own in an exhibition group. Isis wasn’t high on the idea, but Arkangel reminded her that her original reason to be in the contest was to get noticed, and she could still do that posing on her own.
  • She ended up wrestling and placing 2nd in 2015 after becoming a wrestler. There’s a whole chat about her participating in the Mr. Mexico contest recently and the (CMLL enforced) importance of looking the part of a wrestler in addition to having wrestling matches.
  • Reina Isis (like Soberano) seems to have really struggled with money during the pandemic shutdown. She thanks her mother and an unnamed luchadora for helping her out and talks about finding secretly opened gyms to keep training.
    •  a common thread between this and the Soberano interview is CMLL was either unable or unwilling to do much to support the wrestlers when the shows shut down; they were on their own, and weren’t really ready for it.

I’m sure the other CMLL woman had (or have) problems with Reina Isis because she was skinny delusional girl who thought she was going to skip the line and go right to the top, as she brings up in the podcast. It was also surely not the only or biggest reason the other CMLL women had an issue with her, but telling that part of the story might reflect poorly on Isis or CMLL. It’s not an easy thing to bring up, and even I’m dancing around it here out of possibly undeserved politeness here mostly because I can’t remember if I’ve specifically written about this before. There’s always a bit of fiction in these types of interviews, it’s a thorny real story to tell and I think Isis was trying to use “they thought of me as too skinny” as a softer stand in. It didn’t work for me.

Long time CMLL Guadalajara rudo Asesino Negro (Jose Paz Sanchez Guillen) passed away Sunday night.

CMLL’s Guadalajara page put up a note ‘reminding’ people that their shows remain free and on a two day delay. It’s been that way for months, but – in Mexican wrestling fashion – it was something that just happened with no explanation or acknowledgment.

The Arizona Cardinals posted a video about CMLL in honor of Hispanic Hertiage month. I think this might be content from their visit to CMLL last year.

AAA

AAA TV (SUN) 10/06/2024 Auditorio Benito Juárez, Zapopan, Jalisco [AAA]
1) Chik Tormenta b Mini Vikingo, Belcegor, Lady Maravilla, Pierroth Jr., Dalys, Brazo De Oro Jr., Panic Clown [Copa Antonio Pena]
full list of participants unknown
2) Crazzy Steve & Havok b Abismo Negro & Flammer © [AAA MIXED TAG]
Crazzy Steve & Havok are the 19th champions. Abismo Negro and Flammer fall on their 4th defense. Psicosis and el Fiscal attacked Abismo Negro after the match.
3) Kento, Nobu San, Takuma b Dinámico, Myzteziz Jr., Niño Hamburguesa
Epydemius Jr. replaced Myzteziz Jr.
4) Matt Riddle © b El Fiscal [AAA CRUISER]
first defense. Fiscal lost, got fire blown in his face by Abismo Negro, and then additionally got beat up by Alberto. This lead to a bit with Alberto, Dorian, Konnan, JBL, Latin Lover (who said he still has an AAA contract until the end of the year), Vampiro (who suggested he might not retire and stay to help Latin Lover) and others.
5) Mecha Wolf, Negro Casas, Vampiro Canadiense b El Mesías, Forastero, Sansón
Rayo de Jalisco hit Sanson with a guitar to set up the finish.
6) El Patrón Alberto © b Laredo Kid [AAA MEGA]
first defense. Latin Lover and Konnan will be seconds

This show drew the expected huge crowd (for free tickets.)

I tried to record this show three ways, all of which failed. I would like to give AAA money to watch their shows, but that’s not an option. They’ll put it up late next Sunday, so I’ll get to it then. I’d like to have more context on some of this stuff – like I think it’s safe to assume Vampiro was just saying stuff to stay stuff about not retiring, and no one should take that seriously. I think Latin Lover’s “I still have a contract to the end of the year” line is supposed to explain why he still has power. That makes Dorian, Konnan and Alberto are really dumb for giving him a contract that lasted past the point they knew they were going to betray him.

I do have results because AAA (and Mas Lucha) were back to reporting on AAA shows after dropping it for months. I don’t know if that’s a one-time thing. The next taping is 10/26 in Mexico City, where the results are likely to come out regardless.

AAA aired a vignette for a new La Parka. It wasn’t explicitly said it was a new La Parka, but it’s obviously the idea from the video. The viral coffin bit in the Vampiro match with a Parka showing up was intended as a tease for this new character. This tease is really the only thing that made news from this show outside of AAA press.

AAA making a new La Parka was inevitable for a while. It would’ve happened sooner if the wrestler formerly known as Karis la Momia Jr. had been willing to take on his father’s gimmick. He’s since mentioned he rejected the idea a few times, and AAA let him go sometime in the last month. He belatedly found out AAA  owning the “Karis La Momia Jr.” name meant AAA would repossess his social media accounts once he was out of the company. (The final post on the Karis Instagram post is AAA wishing him a happy birthday. He started an account under his real name.) I think the average fan believes he is this new La Parka, and some of the super diehards believe this is all some sort of angle where he ends up in the mask or feuding with the guy who gets the mask. (That’s exactly the Abismo/Fiscal storyline right now.) I believe this kid is out of AAA – at least for now – and will have no involvement with the new character.

I understand the business reasons why AAA feels it needs a new Parka character, and I know AAA was previously able to successfully get over a new person in the character after LA Park. I also know that was a much different AAA with Antonio Pena in charge. Konnan was gone and was part of the reason AAA needed a new Parka. Dorian Roldan wasn’t part of the business at that level. Latin Lover was involved but as a wrestler. This group’s track record of getting over new versions of old characters has not been strong. I believe AAA will end up trying a lot harder than they’ve done for other characters – that they’re running preview vignettes instead of just throwing him cold on TV puts him ahead of Abismo Negro, Sexy Star, Taurus, and Bengala to pick for – but it’s still an immense challenge to get him over. AAA can still put La Parka on all their merch and sponsorship without him being around as an over-character – they’ve done it for the last few years – but it’ll diminish the value if the new guy doesn’t get over.

Chik Tormenta won Copa Antonio Pena because Latin Lover implied many AAA women were out of shape and Tormenta fired back on him on Instagram, AAA is trying to pivot that embarrassing situation into a storyline with Latin Lover and Chik Tormenta confronting each other in the ring after the match. Tormenta brought the issue up in her promo. It’s a very babyface reaction for her. Latin Lover is supposed to be the lead tecnico of the promotion and is the rudo in this story.

That Guerra de Titanes poster did spoil Crazzy Steve & Havok winning. They’ll be back for that show.

AAA in 10/06 GLEAT results via Post Wrestling

• Kazma Sakamoto, Quit Storm, Nico Inveradi & Mirko Mori defeated JD Lee, Issei Onitsuka, Jessy Queen and Junjie
• El Lindaman, Faby Apache, Octagon Jr. defeat Chris Ridgeway, Sam Adonis & MICHIKO
• Ricochet & CIMA defeated Hijo del Vikingo & Sota Watanabe
• Hayato Tamura defeated Parker Boudreaux

The Vikingo match was good. I wanted more Vikingo/Ricochet, but the story was ultimately about Watanable being an unhappy loser and looking for a match with Ricochet. Watanabe is scheduled to face Vikingo on 10/09. GLEAT hyped a talent exchange between the two promotions (which is already happening.) AAA is churning out a lot of content on their trip on social media.

TNA’s tapings took place this past Wednesday and Thursday. During those tapings, TNA announced a Hijo del Vikingo versus Mike Bailey match for TNA’s Bound for Glory show on Saturday, October 26th. That would presumably be for Bailey’s X-Division championship. It was a great match a year ago at GCW’s Spring Break. It’s also a match AAA could’ve booked for last year’s TripleMania Mexico City, but they decided to also include Daga and Jack Cartwheel in their usual “more is better” strategy. (It did not turn out better.) AAA seems to be pushing Vikingo towards TNA and no longer AEW. TNA hasn’t had much use for Lucha Libre wrestlers since the Lucha Brothers finished up there five years ago, but they have always seemed to be higher on Vikingo than anyone else from AAA.

AAA’s TV schedule is incredibly weird

I write a lot about this. No one cares about it right now. Later on, a few people will ask me why a match hasn’t been posted to YouTube, as matches taped after it have gone up, and I will explain to them AAA’s TV schedule is incredibly weird:

Taped Order	Air Order On Space
Monterrey Part 1	GDL Part 2
Monterrey Part 2	GDL Part 1
GDL Part 1	Monterrey Part 1
GDL Part 2	Monterrey Part 2
October CDMX Part 1	October CDMX Part 1
October CDMX Part 2	Juarez Part 2
Showcenter Part 1	Juarez Part 1
Showcenter Part 2	October CDMX Part 2
Juarez Part 1	Showcenter Part 1
Juarez Part 2	Showcenter Part 2
December CDMX Part 1	December CDMX Part 1
December CDMX Part 2	December CDMX Part 2

There’s a stretch of 10 weeks in there where only 1 episode of TV will air in the same order it was taped. Some of it is the chronic issues of Space only airing the back half of the big shows, some of it is just strange AAA scheduling decisions.

The Crash

The Crash (FRI) 10/04/2024 Auditorio de Tijuana, Tijuana, Baja California [The Crash, Zona Ruda]
1) Anubis & Gallo Extreme b Águila Roja & Auzter
2) Hellboy (Estado de México), Hijo de Canis Lupus, Tonalli b Australian Suicide, Destiny, Valentino
3) Sidney Akeem b Flamita
4) Demonio Infernal (Indie), Fresero Jr., Trauma I, Trauma II NF D Luxe, Oráculo, Pierroth Jr., Rey Escorpión (Indie)
the two teams brawled out of the ring and out into the street. Commission stopped the ‘match’ and had previously suspended others for doing the same bit last year and it appeared Damian 666 immediately suspended this eight for doing the same. Pierroth was either hurt or played up an injury angle.
5) Mecha Wolf b Bestia 666 [falls count anywhere]
the two finally agreed to a hair match for the The Crash Anniversary show.
6) Alberto el Patrón b DMT Azul, Shelton Benjamin

The commission fined The Crash about 100,000 pesos (5,000 USD) for that fight outside, saying they endangered the fans and obstructed traffic. There’s no mention of suspensions in that release. The Tijuana Commission suspended Hijo del Fishman, DMT Azul, Halloween Jr., and Hereje last September for doing the same bit; that was a big story then. These eight guys are either goofs or figured the suspension would be worth the viral attention of the stunt. Perhaps both. The story about the fine to The Crash has gotten a lot of attention, but the wrestlers are less so. The Crash is so unconcerned about this issue that they posted a video of the brawl. Other stories tried to play up that Pierroth Jr. was gravely injured in the fight; he wrestled the next day in AAA.

The lead of the commission in Tijuana is now Damian 666, his son is involved in this promotion, and so all of this can be interrupted as an angle. Some commissions do participate in angles – the Rock Power suspension in IWRG (and that he keeps showing up despite being suspended) is an obvious case of a local commission participating in an angle. The Tijuana Commission has generally stayed out of angles and tried to portray themselves as a serious organization to the local government, so my belief is this is a real fine.

Attendance was better than the last show, though they’re still down from where they were pre-TripleMania. It should be up for the Aniversario show. Beyond Mecha/Bestia, they’ve also announced a four-way hair match in a cage with Mr. Aguila, Juventud Guerrera, Super Crazy and Heavy Metal. There’s no build or reason to that one, none of them work in this promotion much. It definitely suggests The Crash sees the Bestia/Mecha bit as a disappointment because they shouldn’t need another hair match if that one between long-time Tijuana wrestlers was drawing people in. The Crash either didn’t give a date for that Anniversary show, or they haven’t done much to promote it.

Todo x el Todo

It appears Mas Lucha will be putting many or all of these up as part of their membership plan. They streamed Friday’s show on Sunday (and pretended it was happening live, as always.)

TXT (FRI) 10/04/2024 Arena Arteaga, Querétaro, Querétaro [Mas Lucha]
1) Hija de Fuerza Guerrera & Ludark Shaitan b Lady Apache & Vanilla Vargas
Vanilla Vargas replaced Therius, Ludark replaced Keyra on Wednesday
2) Canek Jr. & Heddi Karaoui b Bobby Lee Jr. & Hijo del Solar
Super Nova & Alebrije moved up, Verdugo dropped, Heddi Karaoui added on Wednesday, then Bobby Lee NG replaced Ultraman Jr. by the time the show happened.
3) Ciclón Ramírez Jr., Cinta de Oro, Hijo del Alebrije b Bobby Lee Jr., Súper Nova, Texano Jr.
Hijo del Alebrije and Super Nova were added on Wednesday. Bobby Lee got in a foul on Cinta de Oro to win.
4) El Hijo Del Santo, LA Park, Santo Jr. vs Dr. Wagner Jr., Fuerza Guerrera, Hijo del Fishman
Santo Jr. and Hijo de Fishman added on Wednesday

Mas Lucha put up 8 tweets plugging the main event but did not mention the result of the main event. I have partial results Leon on Sunday night; the newspaper indicates there were some changes with the card but doesn’t spell them all out.

Herodes Jr. was scheduled for this tour and is apparently off. He wrote Sunday that he was ghosted; he found out he wasn’t booked when the lineup changes happened, and no one would respond to his messages when he tried to find out what happened. Herodes is upset about losing that booking, but also that no one told him he was off the show so he could find replacement work.

IWRG

IWRG (SUN) 10/06/2024 Arena Naucalpan [IWRG]
1) Fauno & Sulivan b Águila Oriental & Drakula Ng 
2) Felino Boy & Vudu Max b Príncipe Centauro & Rey Aztaroth 
3) Caballero de Plata & Tornado b Puma de Oro & Rey Halcón 
4) Estrella Divina & Shamila b Diva Salvaje & Keyra 
5) Águila Roja, Hijo del Pirata Morgan, Spider Fly b Hell Boy, Hijo de Canis Lupus, Noisy Boy 
Spider Fly beat Noisy Boy. The suspended Rock Power attacked Spider Fly after the match.
6) Gran Pandemónium, Hijo de Pandemónium, Pandemónium, Pandemónium Jr. b Pig Decapitador, Pig Destroyer, Pig Destructor, Pig Pool [bull terrier]

Other

Many, many Mexican news sites ran with the (single sourced) Record story that KeMonito was going to have to give his gimmick and retire in two weeks. QueMonitto said that story is false. That has not been repeated all over the place.

Flamita is headed back to Dragon Gate for their King of Gate tournament. I presume that means he’ll be in Japan until the end of the year.

A promoter in Tepic bitterly complained there are no more stars in wrestling and said local fans don’t come to shows because they know how to distinguish between a lump and a professional wrestler.

A visit to a lucha libre store in Mexico City.