Various Thoughts to start 2013

- Clearly the highlight of the weekend was Volador Jr. vs Rey Escorpion for the CMLL Light Heavyweight Title. An absolutely magnificent match with two guys at the top of their game. Escorpion is like Jerry Estrada re-invented with his willingness to take mind-boggling insane bumps, natural charisma and the ability to put his opponent over like a million bucks even if it makes him look bad (which by the way IS THE JOB OF A RUDO - Attention: Under 30 year old rudos in Mexico). If you really wanted to nitpick the match I would guess the issue would be with the finish where Escorpion just no-sells Volador's finisher. I'm gonna chalk it up to the recent Japan influence and it wasn't enough to ruin the match for me. Right up there with Titan vs Polvora as the best match so far this year. Maybe better... I'll have to re-watch.

- The Volador headscissors taking Escorpion off the apron was INSANE! Got me thinking what is the best ever version of that spot. Gotta be Rey/Juventud from their Sumo Hall match in WAR or Rey/Psicosis at Bash at the Beach '96. Juventud/Kidman had a great version at World War 3 '98 too.

- Do you know what the dirty little secret of most hardcore CMLL fans is? Rey Escorpion is an AAA guy. All the CMLL fans on twitter who went crazy for the match with Volador didn't once mention he's not a CMLL trained guy and as of only a few years ago was part of the "circus" as they call AAA. Another example of why those who say "CMLL rules, AAA sucks" can't be taken seriously. If you can't open your mind and just want to make blanket statements about each company don't be surprised when your opinions aren't taken seriously. Each company has negatives and positives.

- The CMLL Galavision main event was excellent! If you didn't see it you are about five years behind on where high flying is heading in the world of professional wrestling. Actually if you don't watch Mascara Dorada regularly you are about ten years behind. The man is doing stuff that US indy guys might finally figure out to do in 2023.

- AAA had a really solid TV show. I still think with only 43 minutes of TV the entrances need to either be cut or shown in edited form because these matches are getting edited to shreds. But this week wasn't as bad as last week was.

- Great to see Mini Abismo Negro back in action! Looks as great as he always did. Awesome to see him and Octagoncito doing their thing again and Dinastia vs Mini Abismo = a world of possibility! Their brief 30 second exchange had me craving more.

- Escoria is JACKED! I'm sure he wouldn't pass a wellness test but that's not issue. He looks awesome and was in top form against the Inferno Rockers. I would be 100% in favor of splitting him from the group. Espiritu is kinda useless to me & Cuervo is really not doing anything for me since he started teaming with Fabi Apache. I'd love to see an Ozz/Escoria team seperate from anything involving the Secta. The finish of the match was really good. The ultimate fakeout! Play Uro Rocker's music but nail your finisher when the guy is distracted!

- Main event was DRAGO BACK ON MY TV! NO COMPLAINTS! Your loss Octagon Jr.! Pentagon Jr. had a funny entrance where he forced the Octagon kid to take his mask off. Should have made the Dragon Rojo masked kid take his off too! This role is perfect for Pent Jr. He has the mannerisms down and is so talented. Really hope they stick with it. Drago/Fenix looked great in the match although holy fuck... Fenix is going to DIE if he keeps doing dives like that. It's clear he thinks his body is unbreakable and who am I to argue? It clearly is if you saw both his TV matches this weekend. The finish was really cool! Springboard double jump Spanish Fly! No comment on Octagon's performance. He has his issues and they were clearly evident. I'm not even sure if he knew what planet he was on by the end of the match. But the other five guys are so great Octagon wasn't even needed.

- I haven't seen it yet but I heard the AAA TDN show will air the Billy Boy/Gran Apache hair match from 2008 along with both men doing present day commentary about it. That sounds like a fantastic idea. Kudos to whoever came up with that!

- Drago/Fenix vs Daga/Dark Dragon from Monterrey was short but fun. You can't go wrong with those four.

- Rey Cometa busted out the Brillo Cometa on Fox Sports! Maybe his best version since it's debut?

- The CMLL Fox Sports opener had some really nice moments but overall left me wanting more. Is CMLL not letting Triton do dives any more in hopes he will become a more well-rounded luchador? I'm not sure that's the way to go with a 10+ year guy. Without his dives he doesn't really stand out and if you saw his match on C3... he's not very good at the non-dives part of Lucha Libre. I thought Black Warrior was going to murder him.

- You know who is good at Lucha Libre? This Guerrero Maya Jr. fella. I need to see him vs Black Warrior sometime soon.

- I think CubsFan (@luchablog) may be onto something with his predictions of a double apuesta match at H2L. I hope he's right because Stuka Jr. vs Namajague is quite the unappealing match to me. I could see them doing Estrellita vs Amapola on the same card too and having the main event be a random six man tag teasing matches that won't happen this year. Maybe a Relevos Incriebles match with Sombra/Ultimo Guerrero/Terrible vs Escorpion/Atlantis/Rush? Some mix of those guys will work.

- We can't lose with the Reyes Del Aire finals. Sombra is already through. Either we get our first ever Friday night Sombra/Volador match or CMLL balances out the rudo vs rudo match from last Tuesday and does Sombra vs Mascara Dorada or Angel De Oro. Either way I think we're in for a treat...

- ... but it wouldn't be ME without complaining and I really do have to say this: I'm all for extended the Reyes Del Aire to a 3 week tournament but what is the purpose of having the tournament if you are just going to use the same guys you use for every other tournament? Why do a Reyes Del Aire if you aren't going to include Pegasso, Soberano Jr., Horuz, Hombre Bala Jr., Super Halcon Jr., Stigma or Oro Jr.? It defeats the purpose of the tournament if guys like Maximo, Polvora, Felino & Namajague are involved. Might as well have just called it the Copa Junior or Leyenda Azul. I would rather it go back to a one night match next year or if CMLL insists on having it spread over 3 weeks than at least make it two weeks of 12 guys each week and ONLY high flyers. Leave the other guys out.

- Speaking of Stigma... he hasn't really impressed me so far in his DF matches. It's not entirely his fault since he usually gets booked with the Tuereg who are absolutely dull and horrible bases for flying tecnicos (Hooligan excluded). I can't help but think his spot would have been better used on Asturiano or Millenium. Of course neither of them are related to CMLL officials.

- Do I need to pay AAA to get Aero Star back on TV? It's getting a little ridiculous now with Super Fly & Argenis being on TV tapings but Aero Star is nowhere to be found. Either there is a story here nobody is telling involving Aero Star's personal life or someone in charge of AAA is holding a personal grudge against Aero Star for something. AAA is usually good at capitalizing on the talent they have so let's hope starting with the 2/18 taping Aero Star is back in action where he belongs - teaming with Fenix/Drago against Pentagon Jr. & friends!

- I already gushed about this match on twitter but if you haven't seen the Ricky Marvin/Super Crazy vs Fenix/Pesadilla match from Tercera Caida you really need to!

- In a perfect world I'd like to see Ricky Marvin return to CMLL. I don't think it can happen politically and I know he has more ties to AAA than CMLL but tell me you wouldn't want to see Ricky Marvin vs Negro Casas or Ricky Marvin vs La Sombra?

- I don't know what the deal is with those clowns in IWRG but they are awful. Can we move on and stop wasting one match per week on their garbage? The less them and the more Alan Xtreme the better!

- I'm hoping the rumors of Relampago showing up in CMLL soon are untrue. He's not very good and isn't even that well known that people will be interested. He'll be just another guy teaming with Pegasso against the Tuereg. That helps nobody and is a waste of a roster space better used on Flamita.

- When is FUSION coming back? It seems unfair that CMLL has 8 TV shows and AAA just has 1.

- Terrible news about Astro De Plata's injury. He's super talented and hopefully will come back just as good as he was. Injury couldn't have come at a worse time too.

- Speaking of that XMW show: Is someone going to tell Impulso to calm down? That same dive off the balcony on every show is just going to make the crowd react to it less each time. And then he'll have to jump from higher and higher onto more objects. That's the problem with the hardcore style. Impulso is too talented to kill himself this early in his career. Leave the garbage nonsense for Aero Boy & Violento Jack. They're need to do that stuff because if they aren't destroying their bodies in silly matches with foreign
objects they have nothing else to offer.

Rey Cometa vs Puma King - Mask vs Mask

(Haven't done a single match recap in so long but this match deserves it)

Puma King comes out first to "You Give Love A Bad Name" by Bon Jovi. Rey Cometa is next to whatever Elegido's theme music is in AAA. Guess what? HE GOT AN ENTRANCE VIDEO! FINALLY! He stops at the top of the ramp to take his jacket off... AND LEAPS OFF WITH A DOUBLE TORNILLO PLANCHA ONTO PUMA KING BELOW!!! HOLEE-SHIT!!! In any other universe that is the spot of the year but the match hasn't even officially begun! Cometa whips Puma into the ring, gives him a frankensteiner off the top rope and nails him with a wild tope suicida! Dueling chants! Back inside Cometa with a handspring backflip, somersault up Puma into a sunset flip, Puma escapes, rolls Cometa back and locks on a submission... and Cometa gives up! Crowd chants 'Puma, Puma, Puma!'

Puma misses a charge into the corner to start the second fall. Cometa clothesline misses, Puma does the Sabu backflip escape and trips Cometa coming off the ropes then dropkicks him in the face! Classic Puma King! Time for classic Rey Cometa as he does his no-hands rope fakeout as Puma slides outside to the flor. Cometa jumps onto the apron and goes for a frankensteiner... but Puma catches him! And just as he's done for weeks leading up to the match he swings Cometa into the barricade hard! Crowd loves it! Back inside press slam into double knees? No just a press slam and Puma starts ripping Cometa's mask up! Crowd boo's! Puma supporters cheer him! Clothesline takes off Cometa's head! Cometa whipped into the turnbuckles and bounces off right into a superkick! Crowd loves it! Another whip but Cometa escaped to the apron and kicks Puma King who got stuck on the top rope! Flying dropkick! Whip into the ropes... standing Spanish Fly! That's one of his finishers! Only a two! Cometa picks up Puma and slams him down. 450 Splash! That's his move! 1, 2... 3! Tied up 1-1!

Another Puma charge misses, Cometa superkick misses, Puma superkick connects! Backdrop lands Puma on the apron where he gets slapped hard. Cometa climbs up... no way... he wouldn't... FRANKENSTEINER OFF THE TOP ROPE TAKES PUMA OFF THE APRON TO THE FLOOR! A CLASSIC SICK SPOT! Puma lays there for a bit as Cometa lines him up... for the running double tornillo??? NO! COMETA IN THE BIGGEST MATCH OF HIS LIFE PULLS OUT THE SECOND ROPE SPRINGBOARD DOUBLE TORNILLO aka THE DIVE OF THE DECADE!!! Previously he had only hit it 3 times in late 2009 before he messed up badly and hurt his ankle (and ego) trying it at Arena Mexico. Since then he only used it one more time before retiring it... until now! Crowd pops HUGE and we actually get Cometa chants! Both guys sell the dive for a long time. Trading chops, Puma kicks Cometa down and goes for his mask! But Cometa pulls himself up and reverses it! TIME TO RIP UP PUMA'S MASK! Puma fans disapprove! Cometa trips Puma coming off the ropes... LA CASITA! 1, 2... too close to the ropes! Cometa charges Puma but gets hiptossed and bounces off the ropes which is the usual setup for Puma's submission finisher but Cometa kicks him instead! Cometa gets backdropped onto the apron and this times receives a kick! Puma hits the ropes... RUNNING SUNSET FLIP POWER BOMB TO THE FLOOR! COMETA LANDS HARD ON HIS HEAD! CROWD ERUPTS! INSANITY!!! These guys are just murdering each other! After over a minute and a half recovering Puma slams Cometa and goes up top... flying senton misses! HURACANRANA BY COMETA! 1, 2, KICKOUT! HUGE POP! Cometa goes for a roll-up but Puma crawls away and clotheslines the ?tecnico? down! Loud 'Puma' chants! Puma goes up top but Cometa cuts him off. Both balancing on top... SPANISH FLY! HUGE POP! 1, 2... NO! CROWD CAN'T BELIEVE IT! They're banging on anything available! INVERTED GORY SPECIAL BY PUMA KING! WILL COMETA GIVE UP??? He fights it off and rolls up Puma... who rolls through... AND RIGHT INTO HIS REINERA FINISHER! BUT THE SPINNING TAKES COMETA INTO THE ROPES! HE'S SAFE! Puma walks over and grabs the still dangling Cometa for a hanging DDT! Only a 2! What a match! Cometa places Puma up top with some difficulty and then nails a leaping frankensteiner taking Puma down! 1, 2, KICKOUT! CROWD CAN'T BELIEVE IT! Cometa is frustrated! Puma charges Cometa but gets placed up top....Cometa climbs up for another frankensteiner but Puma resists and punches Cometa in the gut... oh no... you gotta be kidding me... PUMA KING LIFTS UP REY COMETA AND DROPS HIM WITH AN ABSOLUTELY SICK TOP ROPE POWER BOMB VARIATION! CROWD EXPLODES! 1, 2... 2.5!!!!!!!!! INSANE POP FOR THE KICKOUT! THIS MATCH IS INSANE!!! Crowd singing for Puma! Puma charge misses, Cometa gets backdropped outside, slaps Puma King and nails a tornillo off the top! 2 count only! Great touch there as that used to be Cometa's finisher in his early days in AAA. 'Cometa' chants! Puma off the ropes... gets caught with the standing Spanish Fly! Cover? No! It didn't work in the first fall so why would it now? Cometa slams Puma down and goes up! 450 again? Worked once! THERE IT IS! 1, 2... 2.5! Not this time! If only Rey Cometa had a secondary finisher! But he doesn't! Cometa stands with Puma in the corner wondering what he has to do to win! He whips Puma into the turnbuckles but gets kicked in the face! Puma slingshots himself to the apron... SPRINGBOARD FRONTCRACKER! THAT'S ONE OF HIS MOVES! Great impact! 1, 2... COMETA KICKS OUT! CROWD STUNNED! Another vicious kick! Cometa is groggy! Backstabber off the second turnbuckle is a bit off but Puma grabs Cometa and locks on... HIS FATHER'S FINISHER - THE INVERTED FIGURE FOUR! The same move he used to shockingly win Ciclon Ramirez's mask 19 years ago in one of the biggest upsets ever! COMETA GIVES UP ALMOST IMMEDIATLY! CROWD GOES NUTS! PUMA KING WINS! WHAT A MATCH!!!

I can't even put into words how amazing this match was being a huge Rey Cometa supermark. Anything you could have wanted to see him do he did AND MORE! The stage dive, the dive of the decade, the insane bumps, his old tornillo finisher... he delivered! Puma King gets ton of credit as well for taking some sick bumps himself and being right there to catch Cometa every time. The level of difficulty in this match was a 15 out of 10! It's absolutely mind boggling they managed to pull off everything since it took such precise timing and guts! No matter if you are a CMLL fan or not you had to have enjoyed this match a ton!

I have no doubts barring a miracle this will be my match of the year. I also have no doubts this is one of the most memorable apuesta matches involving one of my favorite wrestlers ever. I was very sad to hear Cometa lost but he went down with a fight and gave an incredible performance! He earned this match with hard work alone. He has no family connections and had to work his way up from the opening matches to co-headline the biggest CMLL show of the year. Stories like that should give you hope when you watch guys like Aero Star, Drago, Valiente, Guerrero Maya Jr., Freelance, etc. who all risk their lives every show and have yet to be given the chance to be in headline matches on major shows. Hard work actually does pay off every once in a while for the guys that really deserve it!

VIVA REY COMETA! #porraReyCometa

*****

My MOTYC's Thus Far

We've reached the half-point of the year and I've been asked a bunch of times recently so here's a list of all my match of the year candidates so far. Keep in mind I am very behind on CMLL Puebla, IWRG & Perros Del Mal though I imagine there isn't much worthy from the latter.

--------------------------------------------

(* = high end MOTYC likely to finish in my top 5 come end of the year)

(Note: I had Prince Devitt vs Volador Jr. from 3/30/12 on the list but after a re-watch it didn't impress me so I took it off.)

Skayde/Black Terry/Hijo De Pirata Morgan vs Negro Navarro/Trauma I/Trauma II - 1/1/12 

La Mascara/La Sombra/Mascara Dorada vs Mr. Aguila/Psicosis/Volador Jr. - 1/13/12

Daga/Eterno/Flamita vs Sadico/Trauma I/Trauma II - 1/14/12 (*) 

Titan vs Polvora (Mexican National Welterweight Title) - 1/31/12 (*)

Reyes Del Aire - 2/3/12 (*)

La Sombra vs Negro Casas (NWA Welterweight Title) - 2/13/12

Electrico/Fantasy/Ultimo Dragoncito vs Demus 3:16/Pequeno Olimpico/Pierrothito - 2/14/12

Negro Navarro/Trauma I/Trauma II vs Pirata Morgan/Hijo De Pirata Morgan/Pirata Morgan Jr. - 2/25/12

Blue Panther vs Negro Casas (Hair vs Hair) - 3/2/12 (*) 

Gym IWRG vs Gym Tony Rivera - 3/4/12

Marcela vs Ayumi (CMLL Women's Title) - 3/9/12

Argenis/Drago/Fenix vs Argos/Semental/Toscano - 3/11/12 (*)

Angelico/Carta Brava Jr./Saruman vs Hijo De Dr. Wagner Jr./Hijo De Rey Misterio/Rayman - 3/31/12

Delta/Guerrero Maya Jr./La Sombra vs Averno/Mephisto/Efesto - 4/24/12

Chicano/Dinamic Black/Golden Magic vs Alan Xtreme/Carta Brava Jr./Douki - 4/29/12 

Mini Reyes Del Aire - 5/1/12 

Titan vs Niebla Roja - 5/1/12

Mascara Dorada vs Psicosis (CMLL Welterweight Title) - 5/22/12 

La Sombra/Marco Corleone/Mascara Dorada vs Dragon Rojo Jr./Volador Jr./Yujiro - 5/25/12

Aero Star/Fenix/Sugi vs Argos/Semental/Toscano - 6/1/12 (*)

Dinamic Black/Golden Magic/Saruman vs Alan Xtreme/Carta Brava Jr./Imposible - 6/2/12 (*)

Rey Cometa/Starman/Stuka Jr. vs Puma King/Sangre Azteca/Virus - 6/22/12

Titan vs Euforia - 6/22/12 (*)

Atlantis/Delta/Guerrero Maya Jr. vs Black Warrior/Mr. Aguila/Volador Jr. - 6/22/12 (*)

Rey Cometa/Sagrado/Stuka Jr. vs Misterioso II/Puma King/Virus - 6/29/12 (*)

Aereo vs Pequeno Nitro (Mask vs Mask) - 7/15/12 

Dinastia/Mascarita Dorada/Octagoncito vs Mini Charly Manson/Mini Histeria/Mini Psicosis - 7/27/12

Smaker vs Barbaro Cavernario (Occidente Middleweight Title) - 8/28/12

Titan vs Polvora (Mexican National Welterweight Title) - 9/4/12 (*)

Angel De Oro/La Sombra/Titan vs Namajague/Okumura/Taichi - 9/14/12 

Rey Cometa vs Puma King (Mask vs Mask) - 9/14/12 (*)

Rush vs Terrible (Hair vs Hair) - 9/14/12 (*)

El Hijo Del Fantasma/Rey Cometa/Valiente vs Niebla Roja/Puma King/Virus - 9/21/12 

Titan vs Mephisto - 9/25/12 (*)

Fenix/Freelance/Samurai Del Sol vs Los Inferno Rockers - 9/28/12 (*)

La Mascara/La Sombra/Mistico vs Dragon Rojo Jr./Escorpion/Euforia - 10/5/12 

Dinastia/Mascarita Dorada/Octagoncito vs Mini Charly Manson/Mini Histeria/Mini Psycho Clown - 10/7/12 

Fantasy vs Mercurio (Mask vs Mask) - 10/14/12

La Sombra vs Volador Jr. - 10/15/12

La Sombra vs Volador Jr. - 10/16/12 (*) 

Titan vs Polvora (Mexican National Welterweight Title) - 10/16/12 

Dinamic Black/Golden Magic/Saruman vs Alan Xtreme/Carta Brava Jr./Comando Negro - 10/21/12 (*)

LA Park vs Dr. Wagner Jr. - 11/15/12 

Titan vs Averno (Mexican National Welterweight Title) - 11/16/12 (*)

Dinamic Black/Golden Magic/Saruman vs Alan Xtreme/Imposible/Jack - 11/18/12

Lucky Boy/Nino De Ebano vs Eita/Lancelot vs Flamita/Rocky Lobo - 11/24/12 (*) 

El Mesias vs Texano Jr. (AAA Mega Heavyweight Title) - 12/2/12 

La Sombra vs Tama Tonga (Copa Junior) - 12/14/12 (*)

Ultimo Guerrero = Selfish Booker, Genius or both?

Just something random that popped into my head while scouring CMLL results in 2011/2012. Ultimo Guerrero is developing into one of the better manipulators in Mexico. Every year Cubsfan of the fabulous luchablog.com puts together a list of CMLL Win/Loss Records. A funny thing shows up when you look at the 2011 list:

MOST WINS:

90 Último Guerrero - oddly high for a rudo

MOST LOSSES:

72 La Máscara
69 La Sombra
68 Máscara Dorada
68 Shigeo Okumura
66 Último Guerrero

The fact Ultimo Guerrero wins a lot isn't debateable. He was #1. The only person even remotely close to him was La Mascara and half those wins were in his feud with Averno. The curious thing is Ultimo Guerrero also lost a lot. But does that tell the whole story? Let's take a look at all his non-standard trios matches from 2011 & so far in 2012:

(I'm starting around the time it became fact that he was part of booking team in late March 2011)

---------------------------------------------------
CMLL (FRI) 04/08/2011 Arena Mexico
6) Escorpion & Último Guerrero b Máscara Dorada & Metal Blanco [Gran Alternativa, final]

CMLL (TUE) 04/12/2011 Arena Mexico
6) Dragón Rojo Jr. & Último Guerrero b La Máscara & La Sombra [CMLL TAG]

CMLL (FRI) 04/29/2011 Arena Mexico
5) Último Guerrero b Hirooki Goto [CMLL HEAVY] 

CMLL (SUN) 06/12/2011 Arena Mexico
5) Último Guerrero b Rush [CMLL HEAVY] 

CMLL (FRI) 07/29/2011 Arena Mexico
4) Mr. Niebla b Atlantis, Máximo, Rush, Héctor Garza, Blue Panther, Shocker, Terrible, Texano, Hijo del Fantasma, Rey Bucanero, Strong Man, Último Guerrero, Ángel de Oro, Psicosis, Metro [LdA, cibernetico]
(Guerrero was pinned by Strongman) 

CMLL (FRI) 08/12/2011 Arena Mexico
6) Héctor Garza b Último Guerrero [CMLL HEAVY] 

CMLL (FRI) 09/02/2011 Arena Mexico
12) Dragón Rojo Jr. & Último Guerrero b Atlantis & Guerrero Maya Jr. [CMLL TAG] 

CMLL (FRI) 09/09/2011 Arena Mexico
4) Último Guerrero b Rush [CMLL Universal, eightfinal]
8) Último Guerrero b Hiroshi Tanahashi [CMLL Universal, quarterfinal]
10) Averno b Último Guerrero [CMLL Universal, semifinal] 

CMLL (FRI) 09/23/2011 Arena Mexico
5) Atlantis b Último Guerrero 

CMLL (SUN) 11/20/2011 Arena Mexico
4) Shocker b Atlantis, Felino, Volador Jr., La Máscara, Rey Bucanero, Jushin Lyger, Último Guerrero, Metro, Negro Casas, Super Porky, Terrible, Averno, Máximo, Texano, Delta [cibernetico, Copa Revolución Mexicana]
(Guerrero went to a double pin with Lyger) 

CMLL (FRI) 12/09/2011 Arena Mexico
4) Último Guerrero b Jushin Lyger 

CMLL (FRI) 02/03/2012 Arena Mexico
4) Atlantis b Último Guerrero

CMLL (FRI) 02/24/2012 Arena Mexico
10) Rush & Terrible b Marco Corleone & Último Guerrero [natl pi, semifinal]

CMLL (SUN) 03/18/2012 Arena Mexico
5) Último Guerrero b La Sombra

CMLL (FRI) 03/30/2012 Arena Mexico
8) Dragon Lee & Rush b Niebla Roja & Último Guerrero

CMLL (SUN) 04/01/2012 Arena Coliseo
5) Último Guerrero b Shocker 

CMLL (TUE) 05/01/2012 Arena Mexico
5) Dragón Rojo Jr. & Último Guerrero b Blue Panther & Diamante Azul [CMLL TAG] 

CMLL (SUN) 06/03/2012 Arena Coliseo
6) Último Guerrero b Diamante Azul
------------------------------------------

What can we interpret from that list? A few things.

6. Ultimo Guerrero rarely loses a major match.

5. Hiroshi Tanihashi only took one deciding pinfall in his visit to Mexico. It was to Ultimo Guerrero.

4. Jushin Lyger was in a generous mood during his Mexico stay and lost three seperate singles matches. One to Volador Jr., one to Ultimo Guerrero & one to Dragon Rojo. How did he lose that match to Dragon Rojo? Ultimo Guerrero low blowed him outside the ring.

3. The most overtly protected wrestler in CMLL since the start of 2011 has been Rush. Ultimo Guerrero has defeated him two times. Out of Rush's 15 other singles matches in the time period, how many has he lost? Just 1. The finals of the CMLL Heavyweight Title tournament which everyone figures is just so he can win the belt back from Terrible at some point this year.

2. The only loss to anyone other than Atlantis (who Ultimo has no problem losing to since it keeps their feud on the backburner - think Canek vs Wagner over the years) was when Hector Garza pinned him. I can't figure that one out but not many people can since Garza ended up quitting the promotion 2 months later.

And the most important thing in my opinion...

1. For a guy who is constantly in the main event mix on a week-to-week basis Ultimo Guerrero has never lost to any of the top CMLL tecnicos besides Atlantis. La Mascara, La Sombra, Rush, Mascara Dorada, Shocker, Maximo, Diamante Azul, Blue Panther, etc. are all without wins over Ultimo. In fact he defeated Diamante Azul within 3 months of his "big debut" in a match where losing at Arena Coliseo would have meant nothing. Aside from losing the Universal Title tournament semi-final to Averno he's also never lost to any of the other top CMLL rudos: Mephisto, Terrible, Rey Bucanero, Texano (at the time), Negro Casas, Volador Jr., Mr. Niebla, etc. It's not as if CMLL is against rudo vs rudo matches - there have been plenty of those. The 2011 Anniversary was headlined by one. Yet somehow Ultimo Guerrero avoids getting involved and when he does he wins (beating Mr. Niebla in Puebla for example).

Question: So how is Ultimo Guerrero racking up all these losses?

Answer: Lots and lots and lots of meaningless unmemorable trios matches where most of the time he likely isn't even involved in taking the pinfalls/submissions.

Is Ultimo Guerrero a selfish booker? You just read all that... you decide.

Is Ultimo Guerrero smart? Hell fucking yes! He's managed to position himself as an invincible wrestler much the same way El Hijo Del Santo & Dr. Wagner Jr. have over the course of their careers. Pretty elite company.

RIP CMLL

CMLL is not going to shut down any time soon. The CMLL name will live on forever, the titles will still be around and the Arena Mexico will likely run wrestling events until the day it's demolished. However, the CMLL we have known for years and years is dead. A giant nail was driven into it's heart yesterday.

CMLL still exists in the sense the UWA still existed in 1993. The company name was used, the title belts were defended and the buildings they always ran kept putting on shows. But the stars were all gone. The excitement was non-existent. There was no money. There were no fans under 40 left. It was a glorified indy used by Canek to make himself feel like a star and push his untalented friends and family.

To some people the UWA still exists to this very day. Every year a promoter puts on a series of UWA reunion shows and really senile wrestlers like Fuerza Guerrera & Mascara Sagrada will say wrestling would still be hot in Mexico if a UWA type promotion was still around. This is obviously false. Anyone with half a brain knows this.

The CMLL we know is "the serious & stable". Slowly over the past couple of years that slogan has become laughable. CMLL now features strip shows, multiple midgets intefereing in matches, Estrellita as the face of the women's division, gimmicks like Kraneo/Peste Negra/Maximo and more focus on the entertainment/television production aspect of live shows rather than action in the ring. The matches have gotten ridiculously short and are all formatted for television. CMLL has basically become what Antonio Pena's AAA was. This is not arguable at all. If I could go back 3 years and tell the most hardcore fan that the next CMLL show would be headlined by Estrellita and feature a clone of Mistico they would laugh at me and call me anti-CMLL.

The result of all this is CMLL has driven away their hardcore fans. The promotion operates like a touring promotion except they don't tour. They have burned out all their buildings and with the creation of a Mistico II they are alienating any fans that remain. Forget the fact Dragon Lee isn't talented or charasmatic - who is this gimmick aimed at? Kids? CMLL doesn't draw lots of kids as it is b/c it's an unfriendly kid atmosphere. Teens? The same teens that grew up with Mistico are now going to return to watch a phony? Really? I'd love to see that. If anything those teens will make fun of any younger siblings who dare watch a fake Mistico. Adults? The only adults at CMLL shows these days are drunk young men/women or older couples out with their kid for a once a week show. They have no vested interest in the promotion itself. If IWRG ran a show at Arena Mexico those same people would come. CMLL has disassociated themselves from any sort of fanbase. The VERY few hardcore loyalists that remain are out numbered by edecanes on major shows.

Now you have the ongoing rumors that CMLL is trying to sell off Arena Coliseo and Arena Coliseo Guadalajara. Combine that with the well known fact Paco Alonso has no interest in CMLL itself and has implented a group of bafoons to run the company in his absence. They push their friends and family because they can. Also because they are not bright. They are all ex-wrestlers and let's be honest - very few become wrestlers by choice. It's a last resort to destroy your body for little pay. CMLL is run by incompetent old stupid men. This is fact and once again not arguable. They have tried to insert new blood into the office. Edgar Noriugea is no help as he's learned everything from the current staff of morons. Ultimo Guerrero is only interested in pushing in buddies and his booking is as dull as his singles matches.

I am now actively rooting for CMLL to die. I've been accused of being anti-CMLL by all the usual nutcases out there but that was never true until yesterday. I respect most of the wrestlers and want them to make money and be successful. This is impossible under the current regime. My new hope is CMLL as we know it dies so that all the fools who run CMLL now can be known as the people responsible for it's death. Much like Canek will always be treated as a Mexican hero he will also always be known as the guy who played a major part in killing the UWA. As an added bonus when Dragon Lee fails as a clone I want to be the one to laugh at any fool who suggested it might be successful. It won't. It's not only a bad business decision, it's an insult to what's left of a loyal fanbase.

I'll keep watching CMLL because I enjoy some wrestlers and there is nothing better than Mexican wrestling but I couldn't give a fuck about anything outside of the in-ring action.

CMLL is a corrupt promotion run by old men with no respect for their own fans. Keep that in mind next time you invest cash or emotion into anything.

Ranking the CMLL Mini's & Women!

MINI'S
========  

1. Pierrothito

The king! Has been the best overall mini for many years now and is the glue that holds the division together. Sorta like Mini Abismo Negro was before he disappeared into the abyss. Rumored to be in charge of the division now and the guy who puts the matches together which explains why the matches have been so great this year with such limited talent.  

2. Demus 3:16

He's in a bad spot since he failed as a regular sized guy and now it looks silly seeing him work with much smaller guys. That doesn't take away from the fact he is still wildly entertaining and one of the best catchers in CMLL.  

3. Electrico He's blown right past a bunch of veteran guys to take this spot. He's worked hard and had the help of learning on the job from guys like Pierrothito & Demus. He's clearly the current 'ace' of the tecnicos and the mini tecnico CMLL is going to build around. Well deserved!

4. Ultimo Dragoncito

Starting to get back on track after almost burning himself to death. Has always been one of the better minis and with the lack of depth in CMLL right now putting him up here is an easy decision.  

5. Pequeno Olimpico

I'm not as down on him as some are. He's a bit boring at times but his veteran presence is often needed in matches especially with so many young green guys on the tecnico side. He can still go when he wants.  

6. Pequeno Warrior

Guilty of clowning around too much during matches but when he is in the position to carry a match he can step up his game.  

7. Bam Bam

Such a disappointment. Even just as recent as over a year ago he'd easily be a top 3 guy and I was pushing for him to get bumped up to the regular sized division. Then he started no-showing and when he did appear he would be working at half speed and joking his way through matches. I can't tell if CMLL has just killed his spirit by doing nothing with him or whether outside the ring issues are ruining what was a promising career.

8. Fantasy

Used to pretty dull to watch but now that he is getting booked more he is working harder. Has a fun moveset and the fact he doesn't mess up at least 3 moves per match automatically makes him a blessing!  

9. Pequeno Violencia

Limited appearences but he's as solid as they come when he is around.  

10. Mercurio

The one newcomer to the division who has actually been impressive in almost all his appearences. One wonders if he was trained outside of CMLL considering he doesn't fit the generic mold of all their homebred rookies.  

11. Astral

One of my favorites to watch! Much like Triton has a variety of incredibles spots and dives. But also much like Triton is very inconsistent and appears clueless what to do in between moves. Seems to be a gymnast turned luchador rather than a guy who grew up wanting to be a wrestler. Definitely needs one of the top rudos to look good.  

12. Pequeno Maximo

I like him better in his other role.:p Humorous to watch in this role once in a while though.  

13. Pequeno Nitro

Very inconsistent to the point of annoyance. You can never tell which guy you'll get when he shows up. One week he's a great base and has devastating moves. The next week he's out of position on every spot and seems like he's never been in a wrestling ring before. A huge letdown after he impressed initially.  

14. Pequeno Universo 2000

Too small. 10-15 years ago he'd have been perfect for the division working with smaller tecnicos. Now he really sticks out as being a short pudgy guy with absolutely zero offensive moves of note. Isn't even a good base/catcher which begs the question - why is he kept around?  

15. Aereo

One of two really green tecnicos who showed up recently and appear to be learning nothing. Has a couple of fun spots but is otherwise horrible.  

16. Pequeno Halcon

The other one! He seems to understand less than Aereo. Also troubling is neither of these guys seem to want to stand out and are more than content to work a generic style usually reserved for mini's on the independent shows. Perhaps it's only because they aren't allowed to try new stuff until they figure out the basics? Hopefully these two aren't a sign of where the division is headed in the future. N/A: Nino De Acero (not enough matches)  

WOMEN 
======  

1. Marcela

The queen of the division. Always has good matches, can drag even the worst opponents to passable matches and is respected by both male and female fans. Her twitter account is a bit dull though.  

2. La Amapola

Same as Marcela but I put her a notch lower since she seems to get angry when working with the incompetent lower ranked girls which tends to ruin matches. She's an amazing bumper and great ruda though.

3. Dark Angel

Might be my #1 if she was around more often. Always makes matches more exciting and is the closest thing to a high flyer you'll ever see in a luchadora. It's a shame CMLL can't pay her what she gets in TNA b/c by only using her part-time it gives her no chance to do a feud.  

4. Lady Apache

One of the best for 20 years now. She used to be my favorite to watch but has considerably slowed down over the past 2 years due to the pregnancy and that pesky thing called aging. Can still go in the ring but has been clearly surpassed by others.  

5. Princesa Blanca

Getting better and better. The best overall ruda in CMLL and is now able to carry the bottom rung luchadoras unlike a year or so ago where'd she just end up falling down to their level.  

6. Princesa Sujei

Has she been showing up less often or is it just me? When she is around she's fine but I question the level of effort. She seems to have given up now that she isn't ever focused on individually.  

7. Zeuxis

The fastest progressing of the newer CMLL luchadoras thanks to her time in Japan. Incredible moveset and great look for a ruda. Gotta imagine she'll be the central focus of the division when she starts back full-time in Mexico.  

8. Silueta

Japan did her wonders! Really promising in her limited appearences since the tours of Japan began. Seems to be comfortable as a high flyer and can more than hold up her end of the deal in matches (trios or singles).

9. Lluvia

She began improving about a year and a half ago and since then has mainly been in Japan so one can only assume she'll be better than ever when she returns full-time.  

10. Goya Kong

She's a sideshow act just like her dad but at least she's a capable sideshow act. Moves well for a larger lady and understands how to sell for someone twice the size of her opponents. She does great to work around her natural limitations.  

11. La Comandante

Her offense is the drizzling shits but she's a perfectly fine base and a great ruda.  

12. Mima Shimoda

No effort at all. She's more than capable of being three times better than she currently is but she's clearly on cruise control. If CMLL had management that cared they'd give her roster spot to a woman that cared about having a job and making herself better.  

13. La Seductora

The best thing you can say about her is she tries hard. Doesn't seem to be naturally athletic but tries to make up for it which is what often leads to her slip-ups.  

14. Estrellita

She's eye candy. Nothing more, nothing less. She definitely tries to work hard but she's just not capable of keeping up with the regular top end crew. But she doesn't need to. She's CMLL's new poster luchadora.  

15. Dalys

About what you'd expect from a 40 year old wife of a wrestler who randomly decided (forced?) to start wrestling. She mimics moves well but clearly has no concept of being a wrestler and is one of the worst sellers you'll ever see.

16. Luna Magica

At least her hair is growing now b/c I was starting to get weird thoughts about a certain CMLL booker having a strange fetish. She's a horrible wrestler and has no redeeming qualities. She does wild dives for no reason and is completely reckless when doing them. Waste of a paycheque.  

17. Tiffany

I don't want to be sexist so I won't say exactly what I'm thinking but let's just put it this way... when women get older their bodies change in certain ways... especially women who have had kids. These changes are why you rarely, if ever, see women taking part in sports that require lots of physical activity. Tiffany is practically immobile. Just trying to jump appears to be a streneous activity for her. Her rolling bumps are practically made for botchmania. I fast forward anything she is involved in.

Ranking the CMLL Roster!

People always ask me my opinion of various CMLL wrestlers so I decided about a week ago to put together a list ranking them and giving little comments about each. Obviously this isn't an official list - it's just one man's opinion so I don't expect anyone to agree with all my choices but I try to explain most of them. The rankings are purely based on in-ring talent. They don't take into account anything to do with push.

On with the list...


1. Negro Casas

The best wrestler in Mexico right now and possibly the last 20 years depending on who you ask. A veteran who isn't afraid to work with young guys and try and make them better which is a rarity these days.

2. Averno

The best rudo in Mexico at the moment. It's a shame CMLL has no idea what to do with him. I feel he really needs to be split off from his partners and start establishing himself on his own. With the said, everything he touches turns to gold and the crowd seems to actively dislike him at times which is a rarity amongst CMLL rudos.

3. Virus

What can I say that everyone doesn't already know? Great wrestler, lots of charisma and if he were a foot taller he'd probably be a big star. If it were up to me he'd be the head trainer in CMLL.

4. Blue Panther

Just like Casas he's the perfect example of a veteran you can actually respect for his willingness to work with youngsters. I wonder how much longer he'll be working an active schedule so best to enjoy him whenever he does pop up in a trios match. (Hoping for a rematch with Casas at some point but his hair really isn't growing back...)

5. Volador Jr.

Another misused member of the CMLL roster. Crowd loves him but he's booked as a rudo which only hurts the tecnicos he gets matched up with. Would be amazing as a tweener who teamed with the tecnicos but wasn't part of any group. Arguably the most charasmatic guy in CMLL.

6. La Sombra

The top young tecnico who can have great matches with anyone. He's pretty much interchangeable with Volador on this list which makes them great natural rivals.

7. Guerrero Maya Jr.

Who would have thought a year ago he'd be where he is now? Got a lucky break via injury to Dragon Lee in the Forjando un Idolo and ran with the ball. Showed everyone what an amazing wrestler he is and is now firmly established as one of the most promising youngsters on the CMLL roster. Could easily be top #3 in a year or two...

8. Escorpion

Another 'where the hell did he come from?' guy. Also used Forjando un Idolo to establish himselff and as soon as hooked up with Ultimo Guerrero he turned himself into a main eventer by working hard. I see him as a modern day Jerry Estrada. Has the ability to make any tecnico look interesting (see: Warrior, Black) and doesn't seem to ever take a night off. I love creativity in my wrestling and one thing I notice is when tecnicos are paired with Escorpion they try new stuff because they trust him and they know he will work his hardest to make them look great.

9. Valiente

Another guy who never takes a night off. I still fully expect this to be his breakout year in terms of a major feud and main event push.

10. Ultimo Guerrero

Still an excellent wrestler and just might be the best base in Mexico. Where he loses points... and it's a lot of points... is that he is LAZY. He will try in maybe 1 or 2 matches per month... if that. He's clearly capable of more which he shows by having good matches when he does try. He used to be the Escorpion type guy who tecnicos would work harder against but that time has passed. Now I've seen him do the same exchange with Sombra for about 3 years. His singles matches are as formulaic as you'll ever see. Will only sink further on this list unless he decides to start trying again.

11. Rey Bucanero

A constant. Not very spectacular so he often gets hidden in the shadows of his partners but he's as solid as they come.

12. Mephisto

Perfectly capable right hand man in any stable. He's been where he is for so long that I don't think he'd ever be accepted as a top guy by himself. Very underrated worker.

13. Atlantis

Can still go! Has been showing he can hang with the youngsters and is still a vital part of the CMLL roster. Associating young tecnicos with him gives them credibility which makes Atlantis invaluable.

14. Mascara Dorada

Spot monkey turned excellent wrestler! Has worked hard to round out his game and it shows. I've been critical about his work so far this year and still hopes he kicks it up another gear like we know he can but he's still as spectacular as they come.

15. Euforia

Very happy to see this might be his year to get elevated. His height/size makes him perfect to work with the small tecnicos and any heavyweights CMLL may introduce in the future. Has a lot of charisma which many people overlook. If CMLL let's him run with the ball he may end up higher on the list in the next version.

16. Psicosis

The most underrated wrestler in CMLL? Always gives 110% and has yet to have a bad singles match against any opponent. Promotion clearly notices his value as he's the only ex-AAA guy they have allowed to main event.

17. Raziel

Probably tied for the 3rd best technical wrestler in CMLL with Virus. He will never be a main eventer but he is the perfect guy in the midcard to reign in young flyers and make them actually learn something before they take the next step. Failed with Dragon Lee but nobody (not even Virus) has yet to solve that puzzle.

18. Misterioso II

Another in the long list of guys lost in the shuffle. Is he feuding with Stuka? I certainly thought so but CMLL disagrees. Would be a great 3rd for a Mephisto/Efesto trio if Averno ever leaves or goes on his own as a single.

19. Rey Cometa

#porraReyCometa is sweeping the nation! Has suddenly been bumped up the cards which is a good sign and shows someone in the office is clearly noticing him. He sure deserves it as he constantly kills himself no matter where he's booked and seems to have a nice little following at the live shows which is special for a guy who hasn't been pushed as anything special by the promotion.

20. Felino

It's hard to tell with him... he clowns around way too much but then he'll show moments of being the Felino we know who is amazing. I think he just needs to be involved in a feud to get that extra motivation.

21. La Mascara

If this was list was based on only singles matches he'd be near the bottom or at the very bottom. I happen to think he is a better than average wrestler who always delivers in six man tags. He's got great timing and is an awesome seller. His only issue is how redundant his offense is which is why singles matches expose him. But those who say he's terrible or has a no talent are completely off the mark. He's way better than he needs to be considering he could get by doing nothing like his brother.

22. Terrible

Finally starting to come into his own as a major player in the heavyweight division. The possibilities with him are endless. I imagine a Rush/Terrible hair match would do monster business for CMLL but it's hard to get excited since CMLL always finds a way to disappoint. He's got the perfect look for a luchador and could be a great mainstream crossover guy if CMLL got hot again.

23. Sagrado

Stop rolling your eyes Cubsfan! Sagrado is good! He has his clumsy moments but they are getting rarer to spot. He's definitely stuck in a rut since his gimmick is associated with an era gone by. A rudo turn or gimmick change would do him wonders. Still one of my favorite wrestlers in the company.

24. Rush

#1 Most Improved over the last year! Keeps getting better and better. I'm happy CMLL hasn't turned him rudo yet b/c his current role as tecnico who the fans hate is fantastic to watch. The build to him being a rudo will be worth it and he really shouldn't turn until CMLL has a major tecnico the crowd likes. He got much smarter in the ring around the time he worked with Nakamura and Goto in the spring/summer of 2011. Now relies less on generic tecnico offense and more on hard strikes and understands he can't sell any time he is touched or it takes away from his size/strength. Really stands out which is the goal as a wrestler.

25. Hijo Del Fantasma

Politics are a bitch, eh? Very good wrestler who was on the verge of being a top guy (perhaps in Angel De Oro's spot) if not for the entire Mistico situation. Now he works segundas sometimes. Clearly deserves more based on his talent and charisma.

26. Stuka Jr.

I fear he will spend the rest of his career stuck in the midcard which sucks but some folks are just destined to do that and at the very least you want someone like Stuka who is an amazing wrestler.

27. Hooligan

How much greater would the Hijos Del Averno be if Hooligan was cast in the Efesto role instead of Hombre Sin Nombre/Safari? He's one of the best catchers/bases in CMLL and the only downside is you rarely get to see it as he's stuck in Tuereg matches that feature long beatdowns that go nowhere. Seems to content making gear and working a light schedule so if he's okay with it, I'm okay with it. Always a joy to watch!

28. Tiger

Could probably stand to bulk up a bit more as his size really gets exposed at times. He's fun to watch and has some devastating moves.

29. Niebla Roja

Has made an immediate impact since his arrival. No secret who he used to be - Angel De Plata. A pointless gimmick since all it did was keep him in Oro's shadow and also terribly miscast him as a tecnico. Everything about him screams rudo which is why this Niebla Roja gimmick has gotten over as well as it has. Sky is the limit and with the right pieces fall into place he could easily be a future top 10 guy.

30. Arkangel

A constant. Annoying to watch at times when he is bored and just wants to get by doing as little as possible but also fun to watch when he's toying with the young tecnicos and trying to get them to learn to pace themselves in the ring. Crowd respects him which is why any time someone beats him it gets a better reaction than a Nitro or Skandalo getting beat.

31. Titan

One of my favorites! #porraTitan coming up for En Busca De Un Idolo! This guy has it all and hopefully the tournament will be a chance to show it. His spectacular offense will clearly win over the fans but don't think he's just a spot machine - he's shown he can take it to the mat and hang with a veteran in a singles match (Polvora). Also, a rarity for a guy who does what he does - he also seems to be a great base! This guy is a future star!

32. Diamante

Another case of politics gone bad (and an injury at the worst time possible). He has great athleticism for a guy his size and seemed to fit in perfect during the CMLL/NJPW shows. He'll also have a chance to reclaim his status in En Busca De Un Idolo. Far more talented than his ex-partner Delta.

33. Cancerbero

The lesser part of the Cancerbero/Raziel team but still very talented. A team like that is invaluable to a promotion like CMLL.

34. Diamante Azul

Improves more and more in every match I see. Superstar potential written all over him. The only negatives are pretty major ones though: Works too stiff and doesn't make a habbit of protecting his opponents. Sure it makes him stand out but it also pisses off a lot of rudos and if they stop playing along he stops looking so good. Needs to clean up that part of his game. 1000x better than Blue Demon Jr.!

35. Mr. Aguila

Had some sort of resurgence in 2011. Perhaps due to the fact he was finally able to show his true self with the makeup and entrance music. Good for him! Had an amazing performance in the Reyes Del Aire which surprised a lot of people. Great guy to have around since he can be a fine semi-main event act or inserted into a main event feud without losing credibility.

36. Angel De Oro

Not as high on him as most people are. He's got the generic CMLL tecnico offense down but I think he only looks good because of the rudos he is often booked against. When the matchup isn't there he often looks beyond lost. Doesn't help that he's a lesser version of the guys CMLL is trying to get him to emulate (Sombra/Mascara Dorada/La Mascara). Maybe he'll improve when he becomes the new Mistico. LOLOLOLOL

37. Polvora

Underrated! Seriously! He showed it by fitting in perfectly fine when he took Dragon Rojo's place due to injury. Has a great moveset and is an acceptable base. What hurts him is that most CMLL hardcore fans still remember him and Vaquero working opening matches for years. You can change your look all you want but you can't change the memories of fans who saw you losing to the Rayos Tapatios every week.

38. Fuego

He has one spot that is over with the crowd. Once he does it they really stop caring about him. That's not good. Personally I enjoy his work but not above a bunch of other midcard tecnicos - some of whom are ranked lower on this list.

39. Super Comando

Gotta give the man his respect! He's really good! Too small to ever be pushed but one of the best rudos from a pure workrate perspective. If CMLL wouldn't keep overpushing new guys he'd probably be the one working with Dragon Lee, Delta & Triton right now.

40. Loco Max

Fun to watch. Limited ability but makes the most of what he has. Can always be counted on to lose his hair once per year and that time is usually when he ups his game.

41. Puma King

Might be higher on this list if he had chosen the name Tiger King? He's solid in the ring but is missing any sort of connection with the crowd. Will be interesting to see how he fairs in En Busca De Un Idolo.

42. Olimpico

His career didn't die after losing his mask! In fact it seemed to motivate him to work harder than ever! But with no mask or hair it's hard to imagine him ever getting a major feud. Luckily for him he has a CMLL job for life and will probably be a staff member when he retires.

43. Efesto

Age is finally catching up with him. Moving slower than ever and very content to get through matches doing as little as possible. Would be much better off working IWRG where he can do more matwork but he's a CMLL guy until he drops that mask.

44. Okumura

Perfectly acceptable wrestler. Not much else to say really. It could be much worse (remember when Ohara was the generic Japanese guy? UGH!).

45. Bobby Zavala

Bobby, not Booby or Boby! I admit I am a huge mark for him after only seeing the few matches he's been in. Definitely has the 'it' factor and seems way beyond great for his experience level. Expecting great things for him soon and praying he won't be lost in the shuffle like Mortiz was.

46. Angel Azteca Jr.

Has accepted his fate as mid to undercarder for life. How do I know that? Watch him work a match now and then watch him work a match in early 2010. The difference is incredible.

47. Vangelis

The man everyone loves to hate! But a guilty pleasure of mine! I will always give points for trying hard and Vangelis sure does try hard! It's just his natural ability can only go so far. Still I'd rather see him in generic midcard trios matches than guys like Nitro, Loco Max or Skandalo who may be more talented but don't give 1/4th the effort. Vangelis also oozes charisma. Seriously! My one question would be how an AAA/indy guy for life made the jump to CMLL and has been treated so well. Someday I hope someone has enough courage to answer that question.

48. Morphosis

Always thought he was super underrated in AAA but hasn't stood out at all during his time in CMLL.

49. Bengala

Solid but as far from spectacular as you'll find. Has slowed down a lot since the change in gimmicks but still has amazing technical ability and can work a good match with a broomstick. But if he and the broomstick were in En Busca De Un Idolo the broomstick would win the charisma category.

50. Marco Corleone

This is unfair. I fully admit that. Corleone is not bad at all and he tries very hard all the time. It's just he has almost nobody to work with in CMLL so all he can do are his comedy spots and punches. Fun to watch at times but very redundant and off-putting at other times. I'm a fan but just wish he had someone who could do a serious match with him so we could truly judge his ability.

51. Sangre Azteca

You have no idea how much 1999-2007 Rob would kill me for this ranking but it's pretty accurate of his work these days. Being a tecnico sucks... he's terribly miscast. That's still no excuse for how lazy he is in the ring. No wrestler should be winning matches with dropkicks to the thighs. Used to have a great offense that he could probably still use as a tecnico... just chooses not to since his (not) low blow spots gets pops. His true talent won't be judged until he is turned rudo again.

52. Nitro

Lazy. You'll see that word pop up a lot more now as we get lower on the list since laziness is a pet peeve of mine. If you ever want to take a nap watch Starman or Angel Azteca Jr. work with Nitro.

53. Metalico

The new version of Sombra De Plata. Talented but stuck in opening match hell. Has his fun moments but not much else.

54. Skandalo

Little ball of lazy! I used to dislike him more than I do these days. Is that considered a compliment?

55. Tigre Blanco

His time has passed. Still fun to watch on the rare occcasions he makes TV but doesn't put half the effort in he used to.

56. Hijo Del Signo

Technically solid but a black hole of negative charisma. His style is so IWRG it makes me question how he ended up in CMLL?

57. Robin

Very talented but not enough matches to judge whether it's an illusion or not. If he's really good I'm sure the family connections will kick in once he bulks up a bit. Definitely needs a gimmick change.

58. Maximo

A favorite of the live crowds but easily the worst TV wrestler especially if you watch CMLL religiously like I do. His act is beyond stale by now and he has no intention of changing it. People keep telling me he's actually talented. Really? Prove it. Show me a good match.

59. Mr. Niebla

#1 when it comes to 'show' but so out of shape and lazy when it comes to actual workrate. Blows up after mere seconds in the ring and is a terrible base because of it. A good sideshow but doesn't have 1% of the ability he used to have.

60. Shocker

Pretty much the exact same comments as Niebla. Still needs to prove himself after his latest return.

61. Namajague

He's only this low because he's still learning! I really enjoy him and he could end up being great but right now he's still adapting to the new style. Flashes of brilliance will surely ensure he has nowhere to go but up on this list.

62. Artillero

He's no Super Comando! Opening match guy for life and really can only work opposite other small opening match guys because of his size.

63. Kraneo

Easily the biggest disappointment of the AAA guys to come to CMLL. A big guy with great agility who really just doesn't give a crap any more. Relies on Cuije/Mije to get him through matches and has zero interest in trying to prove himself to anyone. Sad to watch since I used to be a big supporter of his.

64. Disturbio

He makes funny faces! Other than that he's a lesser Skandalo. Might get a push eventually due to family connections but perhaps his size will limit how far he can go.

65. Black Warrior

The dirt worst of the main event crew. Okay I lied... second worst. Warrior just doesn't care. I recently saw him win a match by using a single leg trip and then turning Morphosis onto his back. It was pathetic. He's clearly just back regularly to lose his hair and make a little extra money for his extra curricular activities. Just a waste of space in any match he's in.

66. Triton

One of my favorites! Has some mind-blowing dives and rope tricks that you'd never thought were possible! But is faaaaaaaaaar too inconsistent and lacks any knowledge of what to do in between his high flying. Pay attention to him next time you see a match of his and watch his movements in between spots or while he's selling. It's as if he hasn't been trained properly. TONS of fun to watch when on offense but he is the definition of one dimensional.

67. Dragon Rojo Jr.

THE dirt worst of the main event crew. Completely useless outside of posing for the crowd. Someone on twitter recently compared him to Elegido and I'm inclined to agree. Has the body the office loves but no talent at all. Can't sell to save his life and is so tenative in the ring it actually physically bothers me. During rudo beatdowns he seems afraid to tackle a tecnico or hit them from behind as if he thinks they will fight back. Comes off as very weak when he does that. Would be best served working primarily with Atlantis & Blue Panther so he can learn. A total CMLL creation who will be in terrible shape if he ever falls out of favor.

68. Delta

I won't bash him too much because he has looked much better lately but his 2011 was a disaster. I've ranted about him before and won't do it again. Bottom line is he's a guy who isn't meant to be as big as he is and is trying to do stuff he is incapable of doing. Bad combo. He needs great rudos to look like a star and even then it sometimes isn't enough.

69. Bronco

Big man doing little man spots! Not a fan of that! Needs to wrestle more like his size if he wants to succeed. Watching him work like he was Robin against Raziel in the Torneo Sangre Nueva was so silly. Will likely eventually get re-gimmicked and pushed as a monster... I just hope he learns to work like a monster before that happens. (Stop letting tecnicos suplex you!)

70. Pegasso

Hasn't been the same since he suffered that major knee injury and then re-injured it in his second (or third?) match back. Still has flashes of brilliance but is obviously working slower and safer to make sure he doesn't get hurt again. Recently got seperated from Rey Cometa which is not a good sign for his upward momentum.

71. Ramstein

Once promising CMLL youngster now shows up every few weeks to work openers and appears to be out of shape. He certainly made his debut in the wrong time period. Blew a spot badly in his first match at Arena Mexico using the gimmick and announcers still bring it up to this day. Never got a chance after that disaster. These days blown spots like that occur in almost every match and nobody blinks. Feel sorry for him.

72. Starman

*yawn* Has overstayed his welcome. Adds nothing to any match he is in and appears to be sleepwalking through them anyways.

73. Sensei

Unlike my friend Cesar (lacatedraldelaluchalibre.blogspot.com) I am not a fan of his act. His kicks are beyond terrible for a guy doing a martial arts gimmick and his act is beyond dull even though I rarely see him. I can't imagine how angry I'd be if he was making TV weekly.

74. Inquisidor

Perfectly fine opening match rudo for a guy with no charisma and little talent. Has a job for life with CMLL and you can tell that by the way he wrestles.

75. Soberano Jr.

Very young so lots of time to improve. Has his regular spots down perfect but appears lost most of the rest of the time. That's natural for a guy at his age with his experience level. Will only get better.

76. Dragon Lee

The golden boy of certain CMLL bookers right now. Has done absolutely nothing to earn what he's been given and has not used the opportunities given to improve at all. Evidence: Got the chance to let Raziel guide him through a singles match and after not being able to do a simple exchange on the mat 1 minute into the match he hit the panic button and did a dive. It's not his fault the promotion is pushing him so hard when he isn't ready but I do blame him for not trying to improve his weaknesses and instead trying to get by on his spectacular spots alone... half of which he botches all the time.

77. Cholo

Much like Inquisidor he's another perfectly fine opening match rudo. I've never been offended by him any time I've seen him but he also hasn't stuck out as memorable for any reason.

78. Horuz

A lesser version of Triton. Has some unbelievable incredible spots but has the tendency to embarass himself when he goes overboard. I could probably make a music video of him and paint him to be an incredible flyer with enormous potential but in reality he's just a creative guy who doesn't have the ability to pull off the stuff he thinks up. Crowd really dislikes him which may have something to do with him trying to steal other wrestlers gimmicks in the past.

79. Molotov

Might have tried to emulate his cousin Olimpus a little too much as not only does he use the same moveset but he's also just as boring.

80. Zayco

Could have potential? I'm not really sure. The few times I've seen him he hasn't blown me away and he often appears to be injured which is usually the warning sign of a bad wrestler. Needs a new gimmick. Wrestlers who have names starting with 'Z' are rarely successful.

81. Freesbe

He's... uh... more competent than Camaleon? Has a cooler mask?

82. Camaleon

He's... uh... less competent than Freesbe? Mask isn't as cool? The two are interchangeable. They might wanna consider that and either start a regular team or one needs to change their look.

83. Leono

If you just became a CMLL fan in 2008 would you laugh at me if I told you this guy was once projected to be a top guy and was being built up with hair match wins? It sounds ridiculous now but it was fact back in 2007! Thankfully CMLL realized their mistake and put at end to that nonsense. Leono is just not good. Very robotic in his movements and brings nothing special to the table.

84. Camorra

The lowest of the low. A completely generic opening match rudo. I might not even be able to pick him out of a lineup if it wasn't for the cool mask.

85. Hombre Bala Jr.

Very green. Will hopefully improve. Certainly has the genes to be a good wrestler but sometimes genes aren't everything (isn't that right Magnus?). Has an interesting headbutt based offense but appears to be set for openers for a while to come which actually isn't a terrible thing at all because in the long run it may make him better than guys like Dragon Lee & Delta.

86. Apocalipsis

Chubby. Sloppy. Slow. This is how you describe the 3rd worst wrestler in a promotion of almost 100 wrestlers.

87. Super Halcon Jr.

Should be working the FIL shows once a week in Naucalpan. He'd fit in perfectly with those guys because they are all at his level. In fact most of them are ahead of him. Really has no place on the main CMLL roster right now and there is ZERO EXCUSE for having work any match that isn't a tag team opener with Super Comando or Ramstein on the other side. Makes CMLL look bad every time he ends up on TV and is pushed as a rising young star.

88. Metatron

One of the most boring wrestlers I have ever seen. Has a moveset straight from 1992 and wrestles as if there is no crowd watching him. I don't understand why CMLL even bothers using him in Distrito Federal. The most ridiculous thing is even when he goes back to Guadalajara he often works opening matches there which is below most of the local talent that hasn't gotten a sniff of CMLL yet! He isn't even good enough to escape opening matches in his own arena! Clearly he gets booking as a favor to someone but it certainly does no favor to those of us who have to watch him wrestle. His mere presence also hurts folks like Bobby Zavala, Bronco & Disturbio who are all young guys still learning and they can learn nothing working with this stiff. A waste of space. That's why he is my pick for the worst male wrestler in CMLL.

N/A: Brazo De Plata (sad sideshow)
N/A: Stigma (only one match)
N/A: Rayos Tapatios (retired?)

Tomorrow: CMLL mini's & women!

Buscando Un Idolo

It would be a waste of time to do match-by-match predictions since the actual results mean very little for the overall score. Judge's decisions and online voting mean more so I'll just give my thoughts on each participant...

Diamante: On the bright side for him he will hold first place until the competition actually starts thanks to alphabetical order! Unfortunately for him he will never see it again afterwards. I have noticed he's really stepped up his game in the past month and seems extra motivated. Perhaps he is going to really try and steal the show here. I just don't think he can overcome the politics keeping him down, especially in a tournament like this where it is so easy to fudge the numbers. I expect him to finish at the bottom on the tecnico side.

Dragon Lee: He clearly has the support of someone (Franco Colombo) in the office but is also clearly not a favorite of others. CMLL tends to try and keep everyone happy so I see no reason why he won't advance out of the first stage barring a major injury... which when dealing with Dragon Lee is always a concern. He has experience doing the 'El Luchador' skits which may play a part in this competition so he'll benefit from that. The ladies seem to like him so that should automatically counteract his lack of charisma (not that any of the other tecnicos have any charisma to speak of). Mark him down as a sure thing to advance.

Euforia: Poor guy finally wins a tournament to establish himself as a main eventer and is immediatly placed in a midcard tournament! His role will be the role he's had here for years... he will make every tecnico look great. CMLL seems to be behind him lately and understand his value to guys like Triton & Dragon Lee so I'm picking him as one of the two rudos to advance to the next round. Already has a built-in connection to Ultimo Guerrero which is a plus.

Niebla Roja: My darkhorse to come out on top from the rudo side. Has been terrific since he showed up and clearly has Ultimo Guerrero behind him since he's been allowed to wear the mask. It feels like they are re-doing the entire Eclipse storyline from 2006... assuming anyone even gets that reference. I can't see him finishing any lower than Polvora or Puma King which automatically puts him in the top two to advance to the next round. Was one of the underrated wrestlers in last year's Forjando un Idolo so expect good matches out of him this year as well.

Polvora: He could go either way. CMLL has always been hot and cold on him. One week he's a Dragon Rojo replacement, the next week he's just a midcarder taking falls for Sangre Azteca. He has the physique CMLL loves, is charasmatic and one of the judges seems to be a big fan of his. I could easily see him taking Euforia's spot in the next round but lately the promotion has been higher on Euforia so Polvora may be SOL here.

Puma King: Seems like the odd man out here. Every other rudo has a connection to Ultimo Guerrero or looks like a member of Los Infernales. Puma King is very talented, one could argue more talented than anyone else in this tournament, but talent alone doesn't help when you don't have someone in the office pushing for you. He's very charasmatic which might help if the fans really start to take to him but if it hasn't happened yet why would it suddenly start now? He'll likely finish dead last on the rudo side and wait for his chance to move up in the future - perhaps when Mr. Niebla leaves for "personal reasons" again and the Peste Negra need a new person to help them feud with TRT?

Titan: I have to come clean - I'm biased! I will be co-running the #porraTitan with @conjuarez, @TKD_117 and anyone else who wishes to join. So it's no secret I want him to advance and I think his chances are good. It's really between him and Triton as to who advances with Dragon Lee. I give the edge to Titan based on him being more consistent and having more charisma than Triton. Plus CMLL likes to spread out tournament wins to give themselves better odds at finding a new star so Triton already had his shot while Titan was eliminated in 4 minutes. I would suspect his walking on his hands trick will win over the judges and the crowd which will give him some points to pad his score even if he loses a couple of matches. I'll take him to advance with Dragon Lee.

Triton: He's been looking really good lately but I think him not winning the Gran Alternativa was a sign of CMLL losing faith in him after a poor showing the week before. He can look REALLY spectacular at times but on the opposite end when he is having an off night he looks like an AULL opening match guy. There doesn't seem to be an in-between for him. As I said - it's between him and Titan as to who moves on with Dragon Lee. The only way I see it being Triton is if his first couple of matches go smooth and the promotion gets excited about him again. He has zero charisma whatsoever and really needs to be carried so if any of the rudos decide not to play along during the matches he could be in a world of trouble as the recent lightning match against Virus showed.

So I'm taking Dragon Lee & Titan on the tecnico side and Euforia & Niebla Roja on the rudo side.

Should be a great tournament!

#porraTitan!

Post-Wrestlemania Thoughts But No Actual Wrestlemania Thoughts!

- Enjoyed Block A of the Gran Alternativa. I'm okay with the format of shortening the first round matches so the final four teams can have lengthy matches. My problem is why are you bothering to do matwork and start slow when you know you only have 3/4 minutes? Just go all out! Do your highspots and finish. This especially applies to guys like Titan, Zavala, Pegasso & Puma King. You are going to look weak by going out first so why not leave a memorable impression? Dorada and Titan in particular did nothing in their match.

- What is up with Mascara Dorada? After slipping on the ropes during his entrance in GDL a few days before the CMLL Japan shows he has become a different man. He hasn't attempted a single rope trick since including never using the Brillo Dorada which used to be a regular move of his. He is coasting through matches by doing 3 or 4 moves including an abysmal performance 2 Sundays ago at Arena Coliseo where he did a dive and nothing else. The thing that seperated Dorada from everyone was that he was always one step ahead in terms of creativity and innovation. Without those he's just another Angel De Oro. Is he hurt? Doesn't seem like it. Is he being told to tone it down so guys like Dragon Lee can stand out? Possible but doubtful. Is he afraid to do rope tricks since his mishap? Seems like it. Whatever the deal is I hope he gets over it b/c I miss the real Mascara Dorada.

- I'm happy Euforia won his half of the Gran Alternativa. He has always been underrated and I'm sticking with him to win the entire thing. He would make for a great main event rudo opposite both Rush and Diamante Azul. In my fantasy world he forms a group with Niebla Roja and Dragon Rojo Jr where they try to destroy Ultimo Guerrero. I feel like that's too complex for CMLL though. I'm just happy Dragon Lee didn't win. He is not ready for this. It really showed when he was in the ring with Ultimo Guerrero and Terrible. He's too skinny, not confident, has no charisma and thus no fans take him seriously. His time will come and (hopefully) he'll improve by then.

- Niebla Roja looked fantastic in his debut and better in his second match (semi-main on 4/3). Talk about a guy who was completely miscast as a tecnico! In fact that semi-main is a must-watch match! Best CMLL match of the month so far. Stuka/Misterioso appear to be feuding but I see no way a feud like that can actually go anywhere with neither having a title or the ability to unmask.

- BTJr was nice enough to record the Fuerza Aerea/Drago vs Oficiales match from Sunday. It was rather ordinary with Drago looking off at times and only Aero Star working at normal speed. I still enjoyed it though. Had the requisite wild dives and it's a rarity to see two of my current favorites teamed up.

- What happened to Pequeno Halloween? Surely he can't be making enough money just on his LLUSA deal. Would love to see him opposite Mascarita Dorada again in Todo x Todo. For now Lobito will do - he's really good! Hope people are noticing.

- As long as I'm asking about missing minis: What's up with Mini Abismo Negro? Quit wrestling? And the usual... anyone have an update on Tzuki's whereabouts?

- While catching up on 2011 Lucha I came across two Sombra/Psicosis singles matches that were really good. 3/14 in Puebla and 4/3 at Arena Mexico. Two completely different matches with excellent drama and both guys working hard. Psicosis is a very underrated worker. Also worth checking out is the locals match to open the 3/14 Puebla show. Wild stuff!

- The Forjando un Idolo matches really hold up over time. Cometa vs Palacio from week one was great on rewatch. You know a match is gonna be great when the first spot is innovative! I even enjoyed Magnus vs Angel De Plata. You can't say much good about Magnus' brief run in CMLL but I can assure you he looked better in every Forjando un Idolo match than Dragon Lee has yet to in any of his CMLL singles matches. I'm sure a lot had to do with his opponents carrying him but compare Magnus' opponents (Polvora, Fuego, Angel De Plata) to who Dragon Lee has had (Raziel, Virus, Guerrero Maya Jr., Delta). Dragon Lee has no excuse to have not had a passable singles match yet.

- Keep your eye on Astro De Plata in IWRG. His current gimmick is clearly just a placeholder. He's gonna be big. This week they aired an opening match from March featuring him and he stole the show. Has amazing creativity and tons of charisma. I think putting him under the Dragon Lee mask would help CMLL!

- I love IWRG but can't help but complain about what has happened to their roster? Great/fun wrestlers like Freelance, Dr. Cerebro, Mike Segura, Maldito, Samot, Turbo are completely gone and guys like Alan Xtreme, Pollo, Centurion, Comando Negro, Triton, Avisman are either stuck low on the card or are rarely booked. Instead IWRG is using worthless guys like Fresero Jr, Aero Boy, Violento Jack, Aleman, Bugambilla/Chicano, Apolo Estrada Jr & Oficiales Elite (who have shown nothing at all in the ring yet). Did someone new take over booking the wrestlers? Did the regular guys start asking to be paid so now IWRG can only use the awful wrestlers who don't care about being paid? I mean IWRG was the talk of the net in terms of match quality for 2010/2011 and I haven't heard any mention of good matches so far this year. It's a shame.

- I know this contradicts what I said above but Chicano/Charly Madrid vs Comando Negro/The Mummy from IWRG 3/15 was FANTASTIC! Charly Madrid is quickly becoming a favorite of mine and THE MUMMY has the gimmick down perfect and seems to actually be a good wrestler! I eagerly await more footage of both popping up on youtube soon!

- I am completely disinterested in what AAA has been building for Triplemania so far. Hopefully they change things up... which is NOT code for "make it AAA vs TNA"! A lot of the recent undercard matches from TV have looked good (especially Pachuca!) but I have zero faith that guys like Drago, Atomic Boy, Fenix or Aero Star will make Triplemania unless it's a stupid 12 person TLC match just to have guys die.

- Very disappointed that the next FIL show on Tuesday will have a cage match main event. The monthly Torneo Ciberneticos are usually a highlight for me. Cage matches? Not so much.

- The best division in all of Mexico so far this year has been the CMLL minis. No doubt about it. As the story goes control over the division was handed to Pierrothito/Pequeno Olimpico in January and they've really been working hard to put on good matches. I have yet to see a single formulaic match this year from the minis crew. They are always trying new things and coming up with creative finishes. It's all the more impressive since they are using rookies like Pequeno Halcon, Aereo and Mercurio who are not improving at all but are at least hidden smartly in matches. Imagine how amazing the division would be if Bam Bam ever showed up to work and Tzuki was still around!

- Meanwhile boy has the Estrellita vs Amapola feud (will it ever end?), lack of Dark Angel and disappearence of Silueta/Zeuxis in favor of Goya Kong/Tiffany just killed the CMLL womens division. Painful to watch their matches at times.

- The 'El Consejo' angle is still doing nothing for me. Mascara Ano 2000 Jr's performance on AAA TV from Queretaro was just pathetic. He made Drago look terrible and couldn't even execute his own finisher. Is he even allowed to do a mask match with Wagner? Doesn't MA2K Sr. have to approve that?

- Keep your eye on Charly Madrid from IWRG. He does a bull fighter gimmick ala Oscar Sevilla. He is a great mat wrestler and can fly well but the real key is his charisma. Crowd LOVES him! Would not be surprised if IWRG elevated him quickly.

- Aero Star/Daga vs Dark Dragon/Juventud Guerrera this Sunday for DDD is a match I would pay for. Whether it be a full show or a video on demand. I am super excited hoping that match finds its way onto youtube!

- And finally... Prince Devitt vs Volador Jr. was really good! A high end MOTYC for me. I expected Devitt to get boo'ed b/c of the Mexican vs foreigner aspect but figured the women would at least support him. Not so! Volador got all the cheers! They had some really nice back-and-forth stuff and a clean finish which seems like a rarity these days! Volador didn't bust out some of his more high risk stuff so I wonder if they are already planning a rematch in September or something.

Konnan's Interview on F4D

Every couple of months or so Bryan Alvarez & Dr. Lucha Steve Sims interview Konnan over on www.f4wonline.com. The most recent one occured yesterday and covered a bunch of things related to Lucha Libre. Rather than spam my twitter followers I'm just going to post some quick thoughts here...

- My BS meter was completely off the charts when he told the story about attending Arena Mexico. The premise of the story I totally buy - it's very likely Konnan did have a night available and attended an Arena Mexico show with a mask on. The story completely falls apart after that. I am not buying that security singled him out because of his limp and surronded him as he sat in an empty upper section of the arena. Konnan is the only person in Mexico who limps? They tried to make him remove his mask before entering a LUCHA LIBRE show? Konnan attended this show alone? A CMLL wrestler just happened to run into him and sneak him in through a back entrance? This is Vampiro-esque in it's bullshit. It's a fascinating story, I'll definitely grant Konnan that. It just totally falls apart in the details. Smart marks (such as myself) tend to ignore the details since we're just so happy to hear crazy stories like this but please don't fool yourself people.

- If someone was out to get Marco Corleone this would be a nice opportunity to do so. I don't think he'd get in major trouble for pointing out the obvious (CMLL has no stars) but considering he just patched things up with the promotion it's probably not in his best interest to be talking to enemy #1 and having enemy #1 publically sharing the details of their conversation.

- I will accept Konnan's premise that Aero Star has no charisma. I don't agree with it but I'll accept it. It's totally acceptable that as a booker you wouldn't want to push a guy with no charisma. However the timing of that comment makes no sense as right now AAA is going full speed ahead with the push of a new wrestler named Daga who may or may not be aware that an actual crowd is watching him wrestle. Don't get me wrong - I think Daga is a very talented wrestler... but the next time he makes any sort of facial expression will be the first time. So if you're going to use the old Super Fly "no charisma" excuse you should save it up for a time when your much hyped new star isn't a Davey Richards clone.

- Konnan absolutely nailed it when he was talking about the dinosaur known as El Hijo Del Santo. He hinted that Santo has a financial backer who may be a drug dealer or at the very least a person of questionable nature. Whether the financial backer is a bad person or not (my educated guess would be yes) it's clear Santo found a moneymark when he started doing these Todo x Todo shows. He likely promised them a few big shows and a mask match where obviously Santo wins. The interesting thing will be to see where Todo x Todo goes after that because don't be fooled by what you see on TV - Todo x Todo is NOT drawing well. Watch the TV and look at the crowd. Those are not Lucha Libre fans. Those are people attending a Lucha Libre show (perhaps due to a business agreement?) before they go to wherever their real plans are for the night. I would be VERY interested to see the actual gates on these shows. If you doubt what I'm saying and think I'm just full of shit that's fine but all I ask is you ask yourself this question: Why is it Todo x Todo can pack thousands into a medium sized arena but the same roster works a show the following day at Arena Lopez Mateos they can only get a few hundred fans to show up?

I can totally believe Konnan when he says Santo is trying to re-open doors with CMLL because if his moneymark is leaving him after the mask match draws only a few paid fans Santo needs a backup option. At this point though I don't see why CMLL should use him. I'm sure they will since they seem interested in anything to pop a one-time crowd but Santo isn't worth the headaches he brings as Konnan explained. It's always been my opinion that any "legend" is not worth using if they aren't willing to make putting over the young generation their #1 priority. Santo still clearly wants to be the star. All by himself. No tag team partner. No protege. No losses. When you have someone with an attitude like that who has proven time and time again he can't even sellout smaller arenas on his own - who needs him? Let him keep pretending to be a star on his own TV show and only wrestle when he can talk a rich old guy into remembering how great his father was.

- Konnan claimed a legitimate CMLL vs AAA interpromotional feud would be simple to do as both promotions could just trade wins back and forth. Who knew it was that easy? LOL I'm sure L.A. Park would be thrilled when Konnan tells him he has to lose clean to La Sombra so that Mesias can go to Arena Mexico and get AAA the win back over Ultimo Guerrero. I don't know if Konnan really believes what he's saying but he made the entire AAA/CMLL working together concept sound like the easiest thing in the world when we all know it would never work out. One promotion would be afraid to lose first since they'd fear getting screwed over, wrestlers would refuse to job, wrestlers would refuse to work with other wrestlers and one stupid little thing like a botched spot that one wrestler felt was a double-cross would lead to silly backstage turmoil. If we rewound time 15 years and Antonio Pena told Konnan he needed him to go job to Hijo Del Santo at Arena Mexico so Perro Aguayo could get a clean win over Rayo De Jalisco Jr. I would LOVE to have seen that reaction!

- There were a couple of things Konnan seemed to blame on others when he was directly responsible for these issues:

1) Jeff Jarrett unable to defend his title b/c of other commitments
2) Decnis not getting over as a rudo

Isn't it the bookers job to make sure if he's putting the main belt on someone he will have dates for that person locked up ahead of time? And if it's clear the scheduling is an issue wouldn't you get the belt off him ASAP? Isn't it also the bookers job to decide whether to turn people tecnico or rudo? This isn't the first time under Konnan's watch we've had guys flip-flopping in rapid fashion for no apparent reason (Super Fly, Nygma, Electro Shock).

- Not sure I'm buying the whole "El Consejo" storyline. Konnan sold it well and I'll give AAA the benefit of the doubt but I see no reason why my initial prediction won't come true - the group won't exist in 2013. Argos will be Argos as a tecnico, Texano will be back in CMLL and Toscano may or may not as well. I wish we'd have remembered to ask Konnan if he knows that MA2K Jr. has never actually worked for CMLL. It appears that Heavy Metal will be turning on AAA at the upcoming Rey De Reyes but I don't think many people associate him with CMLL since he struck it big in AAA. As pointed out by others including Alfredo & Cubsfan - AAA has been doing these "invasion" angles for years now. Vipers, TNA Version 1, Foreign Legion, Perros Del Mal, TNA Version 2... the list goes on and on. This "El Consejo" storyline is no different than any of the others... in fact it may be lamer since right now TNA guys hold two of AAA's titles. Aren't they the real threat?

Overall it was the usual entertaining hour or so with Konnan. Whether you agree or disagree with what he says you'll definitely be entertained by what he says. It's the closest any of us will come to hearing what goes through the mind of the booker of a major company in Mexico.