I find this a much tougher field to handicap than last time around. Dragon Lee and Euforia were ringers in their own ways. On the other hand, I remember thinking it was a sure bet Polvora would be protected into the final four and he fell on his face instead. This one is a contest of eight guys about at the same level with (mostly) no particular programming attention, so they all feel like the same. I’d be unsurprised with any four in and any four out. Still, need something written down to be mocked later.
OUT
Sangre Azteca – enjoy France!
Vangellys – actually best chance for someone totally changing how people look at him, because he’s a guy who has gotten much better (including in ways CMLL over-rewards) in the last few years, but being the unknown may hurt him in getting credit.
Tiger – Puma & Tiger never do well in these. I have no idea why but it’s a good straw to grasp when you need to cut four.
Fuego – first, I almost put Misterioso here before realizing all four rudos would be out. It came down to Fuego or Fantasma, two guys who are very dedicated to having the same match each time out, and Fantasma is a tiny bith flashier.
IN
Hijo del Fantasma – biggest danger: Mephisto being added to judging panel. second biggest danger: using the Phantom Attack in every match, causing the judges to turn on him badly by match 3.
Stuka Jr. – will remain excitable, should have extra popularity and confident from H2L
Misterioso Jr. – will give Stuka Jr. a Rosa Driver at least once.
Valiente – the best. Closest thing to a favorite – not just a win, but to get Sangre Azteca to have a good match.
CMLL (MON) 09/24/2012Arena Puebla [Porra Fresa]
1) Blue Center & Tigre Rojo Jr. b Centauro de Fuego & Espiritu Maligno Tecnicos took 1/3.
2) Bobby Zavala, Disturbio, Inquisidor b Camaleón, Robin, Stigma Rudos took 1/3. Zavala and Stigma faced off, but they didn’t play the feud up this week.
3) Demus 3:16, Pequeño Olímpico, Pierrothito b Astral, Pequeño Halcón, Último Dragoncito Rudos took 1/3, Demus dropping Astral with a double underhook piledriver.
4) Hijo del Fantasma b Ephesto [lightning] phantom lariat
5) Delta, Fuego, Guerrero Maya Jr. b Misterioso Jr., Pólvora, Virus Tecnicos took 2/3, Fuego submitted Virus for the win and challenged for a title match.
6) Prince Devitt, Super Porky, Titán b Euforia, Mr. Niebla, Niebla Roja tecnicos took 2/3.
Akuma, in a ring! photo by CMLL
CMLL (TUE) 09/25/2012Arena Mexico [CMLL, Kaiser Sports]
1) Genesis & Höruz b Akuma & Guerrero Negro Jr.
2) Arkángel de la Muerte, Hijo del Signo, Hooligan b Hombre Bala Jr., Pegasso, Super Halcon Jr. rudos took 2/3.
3) Estrellita, Goya Kong, Marcela b Princesa Blanca, Princesa Sugheit, Zeuxis Tecnicas took 1/3, Estrellita submitting Princesa Blanca.
4) Tiger b Triton [lightning] Tiger won in 6:45 via sit down powerbomb.
5) Felino, Mr. Niebla, Negro Casas b La Máscara, Sagrado, Stuka Jr. Sagrado was subbed in to Fuego on Sunday. Peste Negra took 1/3. Sagrado pinned Negro Casas, but Niebla was the captain and defeated captain La Mascara for the win.
6) Mephisto b Titán Mephsito took 1/3, sneaking in a foul while Titan was handwalking.
No full show results have surfaced, but Volador did beat Prince Devitt in Guadalajara last night. Cheating was involved.
IWRG FILL (TUE) 09/25/2012Arena Naucalpan [Black Terry Jr. (flickr), The Gladiatores] 1) Mercenario & Príncipe Infernal b Caballero Kid & Rider 2) Adrenalina & Gran Cesar b Antheuz & Cáncer 3) Blue Monster, Moria, Radical b Alas de Acero, Extreme Boy, Skull Metal 4) Guizmo, Impulso, Volaris b Atomic Star, Oscuro, Power Bull Atomic Star replaced Super Black. 5) Infierno Kid Jr., Kid Medrano, Matrix Jr. b Araña de Plata Jr., Divino Montana, Ojo de Tigre Jr. Atomic Star replaced Divino Montana during the match when Montana suffered a fractured forearm. 6) Alan Extreme, Centvrión, Comando Negro, Dinamic Black, Eterno, Golden Magic, Imposible, Saruman b Chicano, Dragón Celestial, Eita, Electro Boy, La Cobra, Serpiente de Oro, Sky Ángel, Violencia Jr. [Copa High Power] FILL 1st Generation vs FILL 2nd Generation. Alan Extreme won for FILL Gen1. Eterno and Chicano feuded.
Fantasy vs Mercurio for the masks has been signed for two Sundays from now, October 14th, in Arena Mexico. Announcing a non-main event apuesta match this far in advance is unusual for CMLL.
CMLL announced the En Busca de un Idolo tournament, the tournament won by Titan back in June, would start airing on TV this weekend. It started way back in April, so this old footage, but it’s footage which was only uploaded to CMLL’s website and not a single video was viewed by more than 3,000 people. Not many people would’ve seen it, though CMLL’s mentioned Titan as winner plenty of times. The original En Busca de un Idolo press conference mentioned there would be an accompanying show on Cadena3, and the teaser videos for the tournament teased outside the ring interviews. Neither actually happened, but perhaps it’ll be worked into the presentation of this tournament now.
CMLL.com has the wrong TV information on their show. They say Fox Sports, but it’s actually the secondary channel Fox Sports Plus (+) on Saturday at 10pm . If you watch Fox Sports, you’ll get a news show. Show is on 10 pm on Saturday and is only a half hour long, so either one match and some talking or two edited matches.
Prince Devitt talked to Fuego en el Ring about his trip to Mexico, which will wrap up after Friday’s title match with Dragon Rojo. Devitt says Dragon Rojo and Volador (who doesn’t feel bad about losing to in Guadalajara because he’s Volador) are two very different wrestlers with different strengths and weaknesses, and his job is to expose their weaknesses. Insert joke about Dragon Rojo weaknesses right here. Devitt says he hopes to challenge the winner of Ibushi/Low Ki for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight championship in November, December or whenever the promotion wants to do it.
Argenis & Argos discuss how they’re unlikely to actually get along in their Karonte Family vs Foreigner match on the LEGEND show this weekend. (And I’ve finally fixed the lineup; the Karonte team replaces the AAA guys taping the new show instead.) They team with Magnus & Dr. Karonte vs Zumbi (Brazil), Heddi Karoui (France), Dowki (Japan) and Maya Balam (who turns out to be from Guatemala!)
Voxxi has an interview with the director/producer of Tales of Masked Man, the lucha libre documentary airing on PBS stations this Friday.
Ricky Marvin says he’s coming back to Mexico in October (for MXW, not AAA), and it reads like he’s coming back full time in 2013. That would be surprising, he seems to have a pretty solid place in NOAH.
IWRG (SUN) 09/30/2012Arena Naucalpan
1) Dragón Celestial & Serpiente de Oro vs Imposible & Infierno Kid Jr.
2) Centvrión, Dinamic Black, Saruman vs Alan Extreme, Black Terry, Temerario Infernal
3) Carta Brava Jr. (IWL), Oficial 911, Oficial Fierro vs Carta Brava Jr. (IWRG), Rayan, Spartan
4) Dr. Cerebro, el Ángel, Hijo de LA Park vs Comando Negro, Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr., Oficial AK47
5) Hijo de Pirata Morgan, Máscara Sagrada, Veneno vs Cien Caras Jr., Factor, Hijo de Máscara Año 2000
Second match looks a lot of fun. May have the Carta Bravas on the right side – the one with the original Oficials is listed as “Carta Brava” and the opposite is Carta Brava Jr.
CMLL (TUE) 10/02/2012Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
1) Virgo vs Magnum
2) Esfinge & Metatrón vs Bárbaro Cavernario & Ráfaga
3) Astral, Fantasy, Último Dragoncito vs Demus 3:16, Mercurio, Pierrothito
4) Delta, Guerrero Maya Jr., Valiente vs Kráneo, Mr. Águila, Olímpico
5) Atlantis, Mistico, Titán vs Averno, Pólvora, Último Guerrero
Someone doesn’t belong in that main event: Averno! That’s his first time facing Mistico. They meet again in Tijuana at the end of the month, so someone’s finally decided to let the mostly highly pushed tecnico in the promotion work with the best rudo in promotion.
Polvora can only be there because they’re either setting up a match with Titan or setting something up with the Invasors.
