Viva La Raza! Lucha Weekly
January 1, 2010
By: Josh Boutwell of WrestleView.com
Happy New Year’s to everyone!
Blue Demon Jr. & El Hijo del Santo Sign Mask vs. Mask Showdown!
Typically I start off ever column with some CMLL or AAA news but we got some huge news that couldn?t wait this week. Early this week Blue Demon Jr. and El Hijo del Santo officially signed the contract for the long rumored Mask vs. Mask Match between the two legends! The huge Mask vs. Mask showdown will take place on September 17, 2010 as part of the Bicentennial of the Independence of Mexico. The NWA will help promote the event and many other big name stars are rumored to be involved with the show including PWR Champion Oliver John, former WWE, WCW, & TNA star Booker T., and a big Mask vs. Hair Match between L.A. Park and Perro Aguayo Jr. is rumored to possibly take place at the show. Blue Demon Jr. is the adopted son of the legendary Blue Demon and has been wrestling since the mid 80’s. Demon has held championships all over Mexico including with the WWA, UWA, and AAA and he is currently the NWA World Heavyweight Champion. El Hijo del Santo is the son of the most legendary wrestler in Mexican history, El Santo. Santo has wrestled for every major promotion in Mexico as well as all over the world including America and Japan. Santo most recently made a brief return to AAA for this past years TripleMania. Santo is widely considered one of the greatest luchadores in Lucha Libre history. This could quite possibly be one of the biggest Mask vs. Mask Matches in lucha history and with the right promotion may do HUGE numbers. Televisa is said to be backing this show as well.
Ultimo Guerrero & Averno Headed to Japan
New Japan revealed the final lineup for the big 01/04 Tokyo Dome “Wrestling Kingdom IV” show and one of the new matches announced includes CMLL stars Ultimo Guerrero & Averno! The duo (who have not teamed many times at all, if any) will face the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Apollo 55 (Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt) for the belts! I guess this means Los Guerreros and Hijo de Avernos aren’t feuding anymore? The following is the complete lineup for the big show which will features competitors from New Japan (obviously), Pro Wrestling NOAH, TNA Wrestling, Zero-1, and CMLL:
1) Super Strong Machine, Wataru Inoue, & Mistuhide Hirasawa vs. Jushin Thunder Liger, Koji Kanemoto, & Kazuchika Okada
2) IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Titles: Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt (c) vs. Ultimo Guerrero & Averno
3) IWGP Tag Team Titles 3-Way Hardcore Match: Brother Ray & Brother Devon (c) vs. Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito vs. Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson
4) Yuji Nagata & Akebono vs. Yoshihiro Tajiri & Masato Tanaka
5) Riki Choshu, Terry Funk, Masahiro Chono, & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Abdullah The Butcher, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka, & Tomohiro ishii
6) Togi Makabe vs. Mohammed Yone
7) IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Tiger Mask IV (c) vs. Naomichi Marufuji
8) Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Go Shiozaki
9) GHC Heavyweight Title: Takashi Sugiura (c) vs. Hirooki Goto
10) IWGP Heavyweight Title: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Yoshihiro Takayama
CMLL 12/25 Arena Mexico Results
1) Camorra & Inquisidor def. Delta & Trueno
2) Lady Apache, Lluvia, & Marcela def. Hiroka, La Comandante, & Princesa Sujei via DQ
3) Lightning Match: Sangre Azteca def. Fuego
4) Pequeno Damian666, Pequeno Warrior, & Pequeno Nitro def. Mascarita Dorada, Pequeno Olimpico, & Shockercito
5) La Mascara, Sagrado, & Valiente def. Negro Casas, Felino, & Mr. Niebla
6) Mistico, Volador Jr., & Brazo de Plata def. Ultimo Guerrero, Atlantis, & Rey Bucanero
CMLL 12/27 Arena Mexico Results
1) Astro Boy, Bengala, & Freesbe def. Artillero, Disturbio, & Super Comando via DQ
2) Dr. X, Hooligan, & Nitro def. Diamante, Fabian el Gitano, & Leono
3) Euforia, Polvora, & Virus def. Fuego, Sagrado, & Stuka Jr.
4) Shocker def. Mr. Niebla
5) Mistico, Mascara Dorada, & Toscano def. Felino, El Terrible, & Texano Jr.
CMLL 12/27 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara Results
1) Guerrero Romano def. Owen (DARK MATCH)
2) Titanio def. El Divino
3) Metatron & Saturno def. Exterminador & Malefico
4) Gallo & Metal Blanco def. Angel del Mal & Ebola
5) Shigeo Okumura & Vangelis def. Angel de Oro & Angel de Plata
6) Brazo de Plata, Volador Jr., & La Mascara def. Rey Bucanero, Averno, & Mephisto
CMLL 12/28 Arena Puebla Results
1) Black Tiger & Centalla de Oro def. Mr. Rafaga & Sauron
2) Delta, Molotov, & Trueno def. Disturbio, Puma King, & Tiger Kid
3) Angel Azteca Jr., Angel de Oro, & Angel de Plata def. Arkangel de la Muerte, Loco Max, & Skandalo via DQ
4) Mascara Dorada, Metro, & Volador Jr. def. Dragon Rojo Jr., Euforia, & Shigeo Okumura
5) Ultimo Guerrero, Rey Bucanero, & Sangre Azteca def. Mistico, Shocker, & La Mascara
CMLL 12/29 Arena Mexico Results
1) Disturbio & Inquisidor def. Apolo Estrada Jr. & Astro Boy
2) Amapola, La Seductora, & Zeuxis def. Dalis la Caribena, Lluvia, & Marcela
3) Mexican National Trios Titles Block B Semifinals: Delta, Leono, & Valiente def. Diamante, Pegasso, & Rey Cometa
4) Mexican National Trios Titles Block B Semifinals: Dragon Rojo Jr., Misterioso II, & Sangre Azteca def. Fabian el Gitano, Maximo, & Rouge
5) Mexican National Trios Titles Block B Finals: Dragon Rojo Jr., Misterioso II, & Sangre Azteca def. Delta, Leono & Valiente
6) La Mascara, Stuka Jr., & Volador Jr. def. Averno, Mephisto, & El Terrible
* NOTES *
– Dragon, Misterioso, & Sangre move onto the Finals to meet Block A winners: Mascara Dorada, Metro, & Stuka Jr. next week.
CMLL 12/29 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara Results
1) Angelo & Idolo def. In Memoria & Skaxy
2) Acertijo & Leon Blanco def. Hierro & Metatron
3) Metal Blanco & Palacio Negro def. Mascara Magica & Rafaga
4) Neturon & Stuka Jr. def. Shigeo Okumura & Vangelis
5) Mr. Niebla & Ultimo Guerrero def. Mistico & Toscano
CMLL 01/01 Arena Mexico Lineup
1) Guerrero Maya Jr. & Starman vs. Artillero & Super Comando
2) Angel Azteca Jr., Angel de Oro, & Angel de Plata vs. Arkangel de la Muerte, Loco Max, & Skandalo
3) Lightning Match: Hiroka vs. Marcela
4) Maximo, Metro, & Stuka Jr. vs. Euforia, Polvora, & Virus
5) La Mascara, Sagrado, & Toscano vs. Dragon Rojo Jr., Rey Bucanero, & Sangre Azteca
6) Brazo de Plata, Mascara Dorada, & Mistico vs. Mephisto, Texano Jr., & El Terrible
CMLL 01/03 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara Lineup
1) Katana vs. Titanio
2) Magnum & Samurai vs. Nube Roja & Virgo
3) Astaroth, Hierro, & Metal Blanco vs. Asesino Negro, Ebola, & Rafaga
4) Blue Panther, La Mascara, & Maximo vs. Negro Casas, El Terrible, & Texano Jr.
5) Mistico vs. Mr. Niebla
CMLL 01/03 Arena Coliseo Lineup
1) Principe & Super Camaleon vs. Cholo & Ramstein
2) Metalico, Molotov, & Sensei vs. Dr. X, Hooligan, & Nitro
3) Bam Bam, Electrico, & Mascarita Dorada vs. Pequeno Universo 2000, Pequeno Violencia, & Pequeno Warrior
4) Flash, Rush, & Leono vs. Cancerbero, Raciel, & Virus
5) Brazo de Plata, Shocker, & Toscano vs. Rey Bucanero, Ray Mendoza Jr., & Dragon Rojo Jr.
CMLL 01/04 Arena Puebla Lineup
1) Asturiano & Lestat vs. Karisma & Siki Osama
2) Estrella Magica, Lady Apache, & Star Fire vs. Hiroka, La Seductora, & Yezca
3) Bam Bam, Mascarita Dorada, & Pequeno Olimpico vs. Pequeno Damian666, Pequeno Warrior, & Pierrothito
4) Mascara Dorada, Sagrado, & Valiente vs. Mephisto, El Terrible, & Texano Jr.
5) Mistico, Blue Panther, & Brazo de Plata vs. Atlantis, Rey Bucanero, & Misterioso II
CMLL 01/06 Arena Coliseo Guadalajara Lineup
1) Relampago Azul vs. In Memoria
2) Angelo & Idolo vs. Acertijo & Infierno
3) Angel del Mal & Rafaga vs. Mr. Trueno & Rey Trueno
4) Hijo del Fantasma, Rouge, & Valiente vs. Shigeo Okumura, Euforia, & Nosferatu
5) Maximo & Strong Man vs. Negro Casas & Mr. Niebla
The Young Bucks Sign with TNA, Still On for DGUSA
This past week the team of Nick and Matt Jackson, the Young Bucks, signed a contract with TNA Wrestling, but Dragon Gate USA has confirmed that the duo will still compete on the 01/23 Chicago show and the WrestleMania weekend shows in Phoenix!
Dragon Gate 12/27 “Final Gate 2009” PPV Results
1) Akira Tozawa def. Kenichiro Arai
2) Super Shisa, Shisa Boy, & Kotoka def. KAGETORA, Anthony W. Mori, & Mentai*Kid
3) Takashi Okamura def. Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
4) Open the Brave Gate Title: Naoki Tanisaki (c) def. Kzy to retain the title!
5) Takuya Sugawara def. Naruki Doi
6) Open the Triangle Gate Titles: Masaaki Mochizuki, Don Fujii, & Akebono (c) def. Yasushi Kanda, Genki Horiguchi, & NOSAWA to retain the titles!
7) Open the Twin Gate Titles: CIMA & Gamma def. Shingo Takagi & YAMATO (c) to win the titles!
8) Mask vs. Hair 6-Way Survival Cage Match: Masato Yoshino loses to Dragon Kid, Susumu Yokosuka, BxB Hulk, MAZADA, & K-Ness
* NOTES *
– This is Dragon Gate’s final show of the year and they won’t start up again until January 10th at “Primal Gate 2010.”
– Tanisaki successfully defended his Brave Gate Title for the 5th time.
– Mochizuki, Fujii, & Akebono successfully defended the Triangle Gate Titles for their first time.
– In YAMATO & Shingo’s 4th defense of the Twin Gate Titles they drop the belts to CIMA & Gamma who win them for the 1st time as a team. They are the 9th champions in the belts history. And oddly enough after the match CIMA & Gamma vacated the belts leaving them vacant!
– Yoshino was forced to shave his own head after he lost the Cage Match.
Dragon Gate 01/19 “Battle of Tokyo 2010” Lineup
1) Block A 1st Round: Super Shisa vs. Madoka
2) Block A 1st Round: Akira Tozawa vs. Ken45
3) Block B 1st Round: Kzy vs. GENTARO
4) Block B 1st Round: KAGETORA vs. Takuya Sugawara
5) Shisa Boy & Kotoka vs. Super Shenlong & Daisuke Masaoka
6) Block A Finals
7) Block B Finals
8) K-Ness & Susumu Yokosuka vs. Naoki Tanisaki & Masato Yoshino
9) Battle of Tokyo Finals
Great USA Today Article on Lucha Libre
This week the USA Today published a great article talking about U.S. wrestling’s affect on Lucha Libre. To read the article, click here.
IWRG 12/25 Arena Naucalpan Results
1) Keshin Black def. Dinamic Black
2) Gemleo Fantastico I & Gemelo Fantastico II def. Hijo del Signo & Vampiro Metalico
3) Arlequin Amarillo, Arlequin Negro, & Arlequin Rojo def. Alan Extreme, Trauma I, & Trauma II via DQ
4) Avisman, El Hijo del Diablo, & Gringo Loco def. Angelico, Tetsuya Bushi, & Ultraman Jr.
5) IWRG IC Trios Titles: Oficial 911, Oficial AK47, & Oficial Fierro (c) def. Black Terry, Cerebro Negro, & Dr. Cerebro to retain the titles!
INDY 12/25 Arena Azteca Results
1) Elemento & Muerte Bucanero def. Genesis & Principe Zarac
2) Dr. Jenquils & Skayderman def. Brozo & Corcel de Plata
3) Silver Cat I & Silver Cat II def. Skullman & Sobre Dosis
4) Mascarita de oro, Mini Oriental, & Sexi Ruby def. Espectrito I, Mini Apache, & Mini Cibernetico
5) Diosa de Oro, La Chola, La Valentina, & Rossy Moreno def. Afrodita, Flor Metalica, Sexy Boy, & Shina
6) Charly Manson, Dr. Wagner III, Groon XXX, & X-Fly def. Halloween, Mascara Ano 2000 Jr., Histeria Extreme, & El Oriental
IWRG 12/27 Arena Nauclapn Results
1) Angel de la Noche def. Keshin Black
2) Dinamic Black & Imperial def. Alan Extreme & Hijo del Signo
3) Arlequin Amarillo, Arlequin Negro, & Arlequin Rojo def. Diva Salvaje, Jack, & Miss Gaviota
4) Gringo Loco, Maldito Jr., & Samoth def. Eragon, Exodia, & Freelance
5) Angelico, Suicida, & Zatura def. Trauma I, Trauma II, & Veneno via DQ
Now, I?m going to finish off 2009 with my ?Year End Awards? along with a quick Top 3 Luchadores from 2009 who had the best years in my opinion (I?ll do a more comprehensive list next month). Let’s start with the awards.
Josh’s 2009 Lucha Libre Awards
Luchador of the Year: Ultimo Guerrero (CMLL)
Tag Team of the Year: Volador Jr. & La Sombra (CMLL)
Luchadora of the Year: Fabi Apache (AAA)
Feud of the Year: Mistico vs. Negro Casas (CMLL)
Match of the Year: Mistico vs. Negro Casas (CMLL, 03/20/09)
Show of the Year: AAA’s ?TripleMania?
Champion of the Year: Dr. Wagner Jr. (AAA)
Best Moment: El Hijo del Santo’s brief return to AAA
Josh’s Lucha Libre Elite-3 List
1) ULTIMO GUERRERO (CMLL) ? Guerrero has had a career year this year. Guerrero came into 2009 hot fresh off winning the World Heavyweight Championship from Dos Caras Jr. in December 2008. Guerrero continued the hot streak by taking the mask of legendary Villano V in a Mask vs. Mask Match in March. Guerrero became the most one of the most fighting Heavyweight Champions in CMLL’s history with 7 successful title defenses in 2009, the most in a single year ever. He is currently 2nd in title defenses only behind Universo 2000’s 15 from 2000-2003. Guerrero successfully defended his belt over the likes of Hector Garza (on 3 different occasions), Shocker, Villano V (Ray Mendoza Jr.), Ephesto, and a huge win over Jushin Thunder Liger. Also, in June Guerrero became the first ever CMLL Universal Champion which was a tournament that showcased every champion in CMLL. Guerrero defeated the likes of Volador Jr., Negro Casas, Mistico, & Texano Jr. on his way to the win. Guerrero is currently in the middle of a feud with CMLL newcomer, Strong Man, as well as Averno and he will kick of 2010 hot as well as he will travel to Japan for the first time in many years to get a shot at the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Titles in New Japan (along with his partner for the night, rival Averno). Guerrero has the benefit of his long time partner, Rey Bucanero, back from injury now as well.
2) MISTICO (CMLL) ? Mistico has once again had an awesome year as the top tecnico in CMLL (and Lucha Libre period). Mistico’s 2009 started off a little rocky when he dropped his CMLL Welterweight Title in March to Negro Casas in March, but he rebounded in as the year went onto to put together a very successful year. Mistico made his first (official) trip to Japan in January as part of the NJPW and TNA ?Wrestle Kingdom III? show where he teamed with Prince Devitt & Ryusuke Taguchi to defeat arch rival Averno and his partners Jado & Gedo. Mistico returned to Japan in February where he successfully defended his Welterweight belt against Mephisto on a NJPW card. Mistico once again returned to Japan in August where he first teamed with Tiger Mask IV to defeat Shigeo Okumura & Tomohiro Ishii and then a few nights later defeated Tiger Mask IV for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship! Mistico became only the 2nd Mexican wrestler to win the belt (Juventud Guerrera was the 1st) and the only one to successfully defend the belt. Mistico successfully defended the belt 3 times, twice against Negro Casas and once against Justhin Thunder Liger before dropping the belt back to Tiger Mask back in Japan in November. Also, in 2009 Mistico and Negro Casas battled it out all year long culminating in their huge Mask vs. Hair showdown at CMLL’s 76th Anniversary Show which saw Mistico take the hair of his archrival. Mistico also successfully defended his Mexican National Light Heavyweight Title 3 times this year against the likes of Felino, Averno, & Mephisto.
3) DR. WAGNER JR. (AAA) ? Wagner’s 2009 was a wild one. Wagner started off the year as an INDY wrestler wrestling for various promotions around Mexico including a couple of spot shows for AAA, though he denied any interesting in signing for the promotion. Then, in March Wagner shocked the Lucha world when he made his debut with AAA at their annual ?Rey de Reyes? show. In June Wagner challenged and defeated the AAA World Mega-Heavyweight Champion, El Mesias, to win the belt at AAA’s annual ?TripleMania? show. Wagner went onto to defend that belt a record (tying) 3 times all against El Mesias plus two of those matches being a Triple Threat with Cibernetico also involved. Wagner also appeared in all 5 of AAA’s big shows this year. He made his debut at ?Rey de Reyes? (though he didn?t compete), he won the AAA Title at TripleMania from Mesias, retained it in a 3-Way Cage Match against Mesias & Cibernetico at ?Verano de Escandalo?, retained against Mesias at ?Heroes Immortales III?, and then dropped the belt to Mesias in a Domed Cage at ?Guerra de Titanes.? Wagner has spent most of 2009 feuding with Mesias and their match at TripleMania is widely considered AAA’s Match of the Year. 2010 should be another interesting year for him as he reportedly only signed a 1-year deal with AAA, which should run out in March and the fact that his son, Dr. Wagner III, has begun wrestling on the INDY scene in Mexico primarily for Perro Aguayo Jr.’s ?Perros del Mal? promotion.
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