SuperLuchas 329 July 15/97

 

Our cover story features our cover man Rey Misterio Jr  who has returned to wrestle in Mexico City after an extended absence due to WCW commitments (+ WCW money). Very favorable coverage to him as a conquering hero.

I never really paid attention to whatever these were. They were available from Day 1 in every SuperLuchas magazine. They're coupons for live shows. Varying from free entry to two kids enter free to a discount in the gradas, etc etc etc This is pretty good incentive to buy the magazine, no? For $2/$3 you not only get the actual magazine but (assuming all these coupons were legit) get discounts or freebies to attend many different shows. Neat idea.

Rey Jr made his return @ Arena Naucalpan on July 4. It also winds up being his final match ever in Arena Naucalpan. I'm going out on a limb & saying he will not swing through IWRG on a retirement tour this year or next. They end up doing a worked injury where he gets carried out, I think to set up his title match with Psicosis which we'll get to in a bit. Konnan/Vampiro is the main event storyline here as they keep having problems. You'll be shocked to know this ends up going absolutely nowhere, like most things in Promo Azteca at this time (or any). It's noted underneath that Damian 666 (who interfered in matches all night long) replaced Skandalo in the segunda. Yes, that is the same Skandalo who to this day works for CMLL. I'm so confused why he was hanging out in PROMELL/Promo Azteca considering he had powerful CMLL connections. So much so that one little known thing is he was actually shipped to New Japan in 1994/1995 to train in their dojo. Could it be that family was trying to make him earn his stripes? Not a chance. There has to be more to the story.

All names get reycled, case in point. No idea who this was. SuperLuchas was one of those magazines where you could pay to get a bio done in the hopes being in the magazine would make you seem like a big deal & promoters would reach out to SL asking how can we book this guy on our show. Depending on the price, not the worst idea.

When I got my first four issues of SuperLuchas from Mr. Highspots himself, I was in love immediately. All these photos of colorful people I didn't know. I ended up having my mom photocopy some images from those magazines so I could put the pictures up on my wall without having to cut them out of the magazine itself. I never had this issue but these definitely would have been two images I had up in my room at the time. Imagine knowing very little about lucha libre & seeing that photo of Histeria. How could you NOT want to learn more??? Years later that Histeria mask would turn into a big seller to any and all independent wrestlers through Highspots.

A turbutlent week in lucha libre! Every time I read something like this my brain goes to how would Cubs have covered this era of lucha where things were changing daily, sometimes multiple times daily. You'd have to do a morning & night update to keep track of things. Am I that old where nobody will get that bit? (He used to do multiple daily updates) Yes, yes I am. Anyways this is all about the jumps going. We have Blue Panther who one day was helping produce (book) the Promo Azteca show, to the next morning announcing he has signed with AAA. The person writing this article (takes 5 guesses, you only need one) is kind to him saying they understand why he made the decision. There's an implication lots of money was promised. What is actually happening here is a new group called Top Win has formed. Our first official attempt at re-starting the dead UWA. They even run shows out of El Toreo. They had a money backer because they get some names on board & even pay for Gran Markus Jr to lose his mask in a couple weeks. They are also working closely with AAA so anyone who wants that Top Win money also has to work shots for AAA. So around this time is when Blue Panther shows up on TV (unmasked!!!) & begins his feud with Mascara Sagrada Jr that was not very good. He's gone by September. So much for "signing". I think a lot of people who don't understand how lucha libre works would be shocked to find out how little "signing" is actually going on when people claim they are "signed" somewhere. Anyways, that Top Win money dries up faster than you can say Canek is a pendejo & all these people who never wanted to be in AAA in the first place (Dos Caras, Blue Panther, Gran Markus Jr., Tinieblas, Canek, etc) all bolt immediately. It wasn't Canek's fault. Don't report on LUCHABLOG DOT COM it was Canek's fault. Meanwhile there are rumors circulating that Fuerza Guerrera is Promo Azteca bound. The fact this even hit the magazine tells me they thought it was a done deal & were trying to have the exclusive. He ends up backing out or Pena ends up giving him more money to stay because no jump actually happens. He's with AAA for close to another year. Finally we have Black Warrior who had TWO rumored jumps, one in 1996 & one in 1997. Plus a fake jump AAA tried to pull off in 1996! Anyways, this time he confirms he has made the decision to leave CMLL for real. Third time is a charm, it's noted. He will be starting next week & it's basically stated he made this decision in the hopes of winding up working for an American company (WCW). SuperLuchas did this a lot. There's an issue I read recently where they basically make a public pitch for Felino to leave CMLL because there's a job waiting in WCW. Felino actually asks Paco Alonso if he can work both companies since they have a very light working agreement (on non-TV shows). Alonso says no. Then he asks if he can leave, Alonso says no. Sucks to be Felino. Black Warrior ends up getting one WCW tryout match. A trios dark match which would be awesome to show up on WWE Vault one day but I have no idea what would inspire them to dig that one up. It was the same match where Pantera worked even though he was unknowingly under contract to WWF at the time. Oh, Victor. Warrior does not get hired by WCW and seeing as that was the only reason he made the jump, he immediately returns to ask forgiveness from Paco Alonso & resumes his role in CMLL as if he never left. I fuckin love lucha libre politics at this time. You could go from "HE'S DEAD TO ME!" to "He's a great addition to our roster, I've always liked his work" in the span of days. It was mostly a dick measuring contest to see who could lure who + a test to see which wrestlers would fall for false promises people like Konnan, Pena & whoever ran Top Win were making.

The *SECOND* Sagrado in CMLL. The first was around in 1994, it was ex-UWA wrestler Lasser. This is a very young Axxel aka nephew of El Santo. He was still on good terms with Hijo Del Santo at this time so he would get to second him in matches & he ends up working a CMLL TV in 1998. They realized very quickly he's not very good & sent him packing. That's where his falling out with Hijo Del Santo begins because he jumps to AAA... unmasked. Pena cast him as a pretty boy type & as a shot at Santo made him introduce himself as "Axxel, El Nieto Del Santo". If Axxel had just been a good boy I'm sure his career would have gone much differently. Hijo Del Santo would have surely taken him all over the world.

AAA had their show scheduled for 7/6 @ El Toreo postponed due to electrical work being done. This is not some bullshit. El Toreo is back running the following Sunday with a Top Win show which ends up being the last AAA/Top Win joint show. It bombs. Weeks later Top Win is working with CMLL for two shows that also bomb & that's the end of that. Back to Arena Neza for you Canek. A sad way for El Toreo to go out. Thankfully AAA returns there in later years & brought som respectibility back to the building Canek destroyed. There's also a note that 'Verano De Escandalo' is coming soon in Zapopan. Not quite. It happens in September but in Tonala. Same state, so I'll give you credit anyways Maria.

On the AAA 7/4 taping in Zacatecas a new Payaso showed up - Coco Blanco. Strangely I remember him as Coco Negro but alright. They also had a new manager with them who gets an official name here - Globito. Funny bit "if three of them were intolerable, imagine now with four!" Well you don't have to worry about that. This new clown disappears although by 1998 they are back to having four.

Venum has returned from Japan where he got rave reviews, as is Heavy Metal. Abismo Negro, Ludxor & Discovery are scheduled to go later this year. Not so fast. Venum/Heavy Metal were on tour doing shows for a W*ING restart run by Jason The Terrible. Those shows bombed so bad that no video of them even exists. I only confirmed they actually happened a few months back when I was sent photos. Up until then I thought this was a fantasy tour. So unfortauntely for those other guys, there is no Japan tour in their future at this point in time. It's also noted that Hugo Medina has taken Raul 'Copetes' Salazar place as coordinator of AAA shows. Salazar has been promoted to the programacion (booking) side of things. A spot he would keep for quite a while & allowed him some wonderful perks I hear!

Sergio Galvez & Joe Panther are your UWA Tag Team Champions! Who? Not even SuperLuchas knows! But apparently they won the belts in May. I believe these guys are from Guatemala & the Rayos Tapatios went down there to lose the belts in exchange for money. It's part of the complicated history of these title belts. Then we have a cryptic line about some UWA "stars" ready to have an opportunity in AAA. I think everyone knew Top Win was in trouble already (it has only been two fucking shows!). A note about Kennich being retired, living in the US, working as quality control in a fabric factory. Good for him! Disgraced ex luchador union boss Manny Guzman is now working as the matchmaker in Arena Neza on the Sunday shows. He's also begun training young wrestlers.

The last ever Rey Misterio Jr vs Psicosis match in the Mexico City area. Held at the Plaza De Toros El Cortijo on Wednesday, July 9/1997. The write-up lists the match as for the "IWAS Welterweight Title. LuchaDB has it for the Mexican National Welterweight Title (can't be). These guys often traded the WWA Welterweight Title but it's definitely not that. So we're going with the IWAS one. It's hard to tell from the photo but it looks like one of those IWAS belts Ron Skoler had made up when he was working with AAA & Pena/Konnan ended up stealing. I think they had two physical belts that were used as tag titles & any time they needed a singles version. This may be the last time this title is ever seen. Hopefully they shipped it back to Ron. Juvy costs Rey the title here, which was set up with him being taken out in Naucalpan. I assume they didn't clear of any of this with WCW. Fine by me. Would have loved to have seen this match but this was just a spot shot - no TV Azteca cameras present. It had to be done here - most of these guys were never available when Promo Azteca filmed TV because they had WCW commitments. I've always heard great things about the old Cortijo venue being a great place for live lucha libre. Also on this show Hector Garza falls off the ropes & has to leave the main event due to it. He's said to be fine afterwards. His knee injury taking him off WCW TV doesn't come too long later. Hopefully Uncle Eric isn't reading this.

Two AAA TV tapings coming up this week. Remember when AAA taped more than one show per month??? You can see the full name of participants in the yearly Torneo Novato Del Ano which we never had before. Cuervo would become a big part of AAA. Winners II as well, he took over the Abismo Negro role when the original Abismo had to go to rehab. Flying disappeared into a thin air. Nobody has ever been able to explain what happened to him. In the limited footage we have he was just unbelievable. Should have been  star. So much so that his introduction article in SuperLuchas says he's the next Rey Misterio Jr... have you heard such a thing??? No idea on Capitan Acero or Renegado. R-15 winds up in AAA the next year as part of the Armas Mortales group with Cuerno De Chivo & M-357. Aracnofobia also joins AAA later this year as part of their nuevo valores. Kick Boxer has been with AAA since Day 1 so he's the ringer in this block. In Queretaro we have Quarterback who is roughly two months away from becoming the new Histeria. No idea on Vudu, might be the same one who pops up in 1999. Dick Angelo Jr gets one TV match with Flying in September & is never heard from again. Kato Kung Lee Jr stinks. Hong Kong Lee is just as bad. Hit Guzman is Kid Guzman who leaves for the CMLL school soon after this, has success in Japan, eventually gets re-gimmicked into CMLL's new Tigre Blanco. Ends up as a National Welterweight champions, wins a mask or two (Super Cacao aka Nozawa) & eventually loses his own mask in 2012 or 2013 at Arena Mexico. So I'd say he did well! Guerrero 2000 ends up as part of the 1997 Nuevo Valores here. I liked his work but he also disappears into this air. Babe Star may or may not be the future Star Boy in IWRG aka Star Jr's father. The luchador sorpresa in Pachuca ends up being Sexy Piscis as Pena is doing an early version of Los Vatos Locos here with the matching facepaint looks. Negro Navarro does not show up in Queretaro. Another guy who was here just for the Top Win money, he must have realized something was up before anyone else & bailed before having to lower himself to work for AAA. El Sanguinario takes his place. Sergio Romo Jr is on that show as well so Pena was flying guys in from Monterrey as regular roster members. Interesting. The minis matches are to build to Octagoncito vs Espectrito II in a mask match on the big Madero show to end the month which Octagoncito wins.

Here's a look at what Arena Mexico & Arena Naucalpan were up to this week in time. Quiet over at Arena Mexico. Nobody knew at the time but that is Mr. Aguila's farewell Friday match. He works Coliseo on Sunday & has already decided he's out the door off to Promo Azteca looking for WCW work. What ends up happening is things are moving very fast at this point when it comes to WWF/WCW fighting over Mexican talent so Victor gets Aguila into WWF instead. I'm shocked CMLL was so open to bringing Aguila back a year later. I know it was mainly to take his mask off but this was their big teenage project. Plucked him out of Guadalajara before he was ready, gave him the big young star push at Arena Mexico over the summer, were building to him definitely winning some veteran rudo's hair whether it be Mogur or Guerrero De La Muerte, then he just bolts out of nowhere with no warning. He's lucky it happened in a time frame when that was very common. He probably flew under the radar. It also helped that Victor is back working with CMLL a year later by the time Aguila is asking to return. Over in Naucalpan the 3 week long tournament to crown the first IWRG Intercontinental Middleweight Champions has hit the semi-finals. A few future Toryumon wrestlers participated in this one. Pantera/Tony Rivera end up advancing. You can see Magnum Tokyo slumming it in a segunda here with Tiburon (Ciclon Ramirez).

Back cover has more praise for the best Mexico export to the US since Mil Mascaras.

Box y Lucha #2120 October 15/93

Cover stories including Villanos winning the UWA Tag Team Titles from Silver King & Texano, La Diabolica becoming a double champion, Las Rockers re-forming in AAA after turning on La Monster (Bertha Faye who is WWF bound), Oso Negro debuting in Arena Mexico along with Ultimo Dragon returning & of course... you can be the Reina De Box y Lucha! (more on that later)

Ponzona is returning to action after being out for 6 months! He goes in-depth explaining the painful injury that kept him out of action. In reality, he went back to wrestling as Americo Rocca so he missed no time at all. This article appears to exist to explain why Ponzona suddenly re-surfaced on an Arena Coliseo show the week prior...

NOW WAIT JUST A MOMENT! Americo Rocca in main event & Ponzona in the segunda??? How can this be??? I don't have the answer. This Ponzona lasts one show & isn't heard from again. There used to be an Americo Rocca Jr. running around on the undercards of CMLL shows so one could guess this was him but I have no concrete proof.

During his "retirement" Konnan began doing a Box y Lucha column where he would answer questions from fans. This turned into Konnan petitioning the comission to allow him to return to wrestling based on being screwed by interference in the big Triplemania match. Here he gives the address where you can send letters to help his cause. Very WWF-inspired.

This is coded for "someone wrestled drunk" but we won't say who. This was at the 10/10/93 Pista Arena Revoluion show. The smart money is on Kung Fu who was a fucking disaster at this time period. Funny enough & showing the differences in culture + 1993 vs 2026 -> the magazine doesn't fault the wrestler at all. They fault the comission & doctors assigned by them who are supposed to check every wrestler before they are allowed to go to the ring. The blame is put on them for not stopping this drunk wrestler from being able to perform, not the wrestler themself from getting drunk before going out to wrestle.

Taking a shot at Mocho Cota saying how after recent failures attempting to be a promoter, he has learned it's easier to work for Chavo (Lutteroth) than promote against him. Cota had been attempting to promote shows in Northern Mexico (Monclova area). He also had been working for AAA before just recently jumping back to CMLL & in the process screwing over Antonio Pena/AAA who had built him up for a hair match against Latin Lover.

Another shot at someone for failing as a promoter. One thing you learn from reading so many lucha magazines - they love taking shots at people! In this case ex-very strict comissioner Rafael Barradas (grandfather of Estrellita). He was the one who banned women's matches from happening in Mexico City for many years. No comment.

Note about the former Arena Isabel in Leon (not to be confused with the one in Cuernavaca, no doubt a nuisance for The Cubs Fan) now being a five star hotel. WTF? It's not even in Tokyo! Joke about how guests can still hear the sounds of the ring in the middle of the night.

In an article recounting famous moments in the history of Lucha Libre, we are reminded of the first ever tag team match to occur in Mexico. With standard singles matches being 2/3 falls, this one was made 3/5 falls with the extra participants involved. I like it! Bring it back! (This concept does not stick around, in fact, I cannot remember if it ever returned)

Notes column ends with random things such as where did Nahur Kaliff disappear to? Former Pavillion Azteca guy who was left without a home when the building stopped running shows in 1989. No clue what happened to him. Then a mention of how UWA/LLI has not run any shows north of Queretaro. Their talent has worked northern Mexico but on their own with outside promoters. I think UWA/LLI had bigger problems to worry about around this time on their home turf. A shot at Konnan's autograph not being worth anything these days, Perro's goes for 20 pesos. In closing a mention about how Anibal disappeared after losing his mask, didn't wrestle another fall. Anibal passes away due to some form of cancer soon after this.

Carlos 'Tarzan' Lopez.

Irma Gonzalez in her stage of career working as 'La Novia Del Santo'. Didn't last long & had to be dropped for obvious reasons.

Los Guerreritos Del Futuro! Baby Virus as Damiancito El Guerrero here. I forget who the other two were. They were around from 1992 until 1997-ish. Damiancito sticks around, the other two do not. The minis weren't getting many opportunities. In their entire run they never had a TV match all together as a unit. Maya made TV maybe a handful of times, Futuro the same. Really shows you the difference between then & now. This month alone some of the least booked minis like Pequeno Polvora & Rostro De Acero will probably end up with 5 streaming appearences in the various arenas.

It's noted Negro Casas' wife just gave birth. And that's the last we would ever hear from her I believe...

There is a 16 team (that's 48 people total!) tournament in the works to crown new Estado De Mexico Trios Champions. I always confuse Estado De Mexico with Distrito Federal but these are the championships that would regularly be defended in Arena Naucalpan under the Moreno (Pirata) banner. The idea here is this concept will attract teams from all over & the winners may be in line for a shot at either the CMLL or UWA Trios Titles. Using my cheat sheet (LuchaDB) - this tournament doesn't actually occur until almost a year later. Cubs has a note the matches took place in various arenas but concluded in Arena Naucalpan. The winners ended up being Kraneo, Kahoz & Cadaver De Ultratumba. I can safely report that trio did not get a shot at the CMLL or UWA Trios Titles. One other thing you learn from reading so many lucha magazines... there are a lot of ideas/concepts thrown out there that go nowhere.

Another note about Arena Naucalpan is a listing of all the talent they are developing on their own. Special note about someone named Kraneo who they believe is destined to become a star. They nailed that one. This is, in fact, the same Kraneo who just left CMLL. They're right - at this time Arena Naucalpan was developing lots of talent who would find their way to CMLL. The groups sorta had a working agreement. That working agreement ends in late 1995 when the Morenos decide to become a non-exclusive building. CMLL reacts to that exactly as you'd expect so the Morenos start working with AAA & lots of Naucalpan talent ends up in AAA which is how Kraneo gets his start (as the new Mascara Sagrada, then Kraneo, then Alebrije). There's also a note about how ever since winning the CMLL Mini's Title, Ultratumbita went MIA. But don't worry, he's back this week on the Friday Arena Mexico show. No, I have no idea why he disappeared for a bit. Or why CMLL had an Ultratumbita who was basically a guy wrestling in an Espectrito outfit but using a different name while AAA had the actual Espectrito who was much more famous. Maybe they thought it bothered Pena since he used to work as an Espectro?

El Coloso says he debated retiring after losing his mask. He does not. He takes a bit of time off from lucha libre as I recall but pops back up in Promo Azteca as El Gitano, AAA as Vegas & of course most notably IWRG/CMLL first as Mr. Niebla IWRG, then Mr. Mexico once he loses his mask. I think these days he does nutrition/bodybuilding training. For a bodybuilder turned luchador, he did have quite a remarkable & lengthy career. In PROMELL he once pulled off one of the most amazing spots I've ever seen with the help of Ultimo Guerrero & Ultimo Rebelde.

The mysterious Oso Negro is debuting on the 10/15/93 Arena Mexico show. One of a few gimmicks CMLL started up around this time. Not much is known about this guy & unfortunately CMLL TV is hard to find in late 93/early 94. Not sure what happened but people just weren't recording or it wasn't airing. So little is known about this gimmick/person who only lasts about 3 months. Gone by February 1994. Cubs seems to remember something about this being one of the amateur wrestling trainers in CMLL. Maybe Memo Diaz was under the mask? Just a guess.

AIDS! YOU COULD HAVE IT! There are quite a few articles like this around this time. Including Tania La Guerrillera literally exclaiming "I DON'T HAVE AIDS!" I guess someone was accussing her of having it because she disappears from lucha libre for a while?

Among the lineups this is the Friday Arena Mexico show. Notable for the debut of Oso Negro & second appearence of Faraon (LA wrestler who's name escapes me for the moment). This is Ultratumbita's return to action & on the other side El Fierito making his debut. Strangely he's a tecnico here but soon after switches to the rudo side & stays there the rest of his career. He still wrestles in CMLL to this very day as Pequeno Violencia. One of the longest tenured CMLL wrestlers not named Atlantis or Ultimo Dragoncito.

Just an example of how loaded the AAA roster was at this time. 3 shows in different big cities with completely different lineups. Where would you have gone? Blue Panther vs Satanico in a title match is tempting but I'm partial to one of the first ever (maybe the first?) Rey Jr/Juvy singles matches. Would also give me a chance to figure out who the hell was playing Mini Psicosis in 1993. I doubt it was the guy we'd come to know as Mini Psicosis (current CMLL Alexius' father who also played Pequeno Black Warrior). The Gimnasio Juan De La Barera show was the one taped for TV this week.

Notable show to me for the strange future AAA gimmicks popping up on an AAA spot show years earlier. Histeria??? No idea. He pops up on a few other shows so this wasn't a one-off. Esquizofrenia was the first gimmick for Electro Shock when he started in AAA. Tarzan Boy is absolutely not THE Tarzan Boy, no way no how. Love random lineups like this.

Do you want to be the Queen of Box y Lucha??? Send a photo of your face & body to us through the mail! An amazing scam that went on for so many years in the world of lucha libre. You had an official Queen of Lucha Libre who would sit ringside at shows sometimes. Notably in 1991 was Vicky Palacios who would become Konnan's "girlfriend" - not sure legit or worked. The gimmick would expand to each magazine/promotion crowning their own queen so every magazine ever has an article about this every week whether it's the non-stop search for a new queen or something about the current queen. I can only imagine how many women got taken advantage in some way by promises of covers, free tickets, you name it. This would of course never fly in 2026 but it goes on much longer than you'd imagine in the magazines.

And that's that.

(this was a test to see if I enjoy doing stuff like this)

Current Lucha Libre Scene

I am currently in the midst of not having watched a CMLL show for nearly 6 weeks. The last event I recall watching was 3/31. It's not a total lucha libre blackout, I've put on random things like the Bandido/Zonik tag from Torreon & a Guerreros trios from Torreon. Neither is anything you need to see, FYI. So I'm not on a total lucha blackout as much as when I decide to sit down & watch something - when presented with two options where one is current stuff, 99% of the time I'm choosing whatever the other option is. Why's that? Well... I decided to put some thoughts down without editing myself or thinking it over too much. Just kinda letting out what's been bothering me over the last few months when it comes to wrestling in Mexico...

Why am I finding myself less interested in lucha libre?

I haven't become less of a lucha libre fan because the style has changed. Lucha Libre has changed many times since 1995 (the year I first began watching). I love the traditional lucha libre style going back to the 80's (when it was first available on video) but at no point have I ever claimed I want that style back nor am I dumb enough to think it would ever work in 2026.

I've become less of a lucha libre fan because the style doesn't have it's own identity any longer. Not to mention up until the last couple years I could make the argument lucha libre is the best kind of wrestling in the world. I literally had that argument with thousands of people over the years, including many supposed fans in Mexico who claimed otherwise.

I can't make that argument any longer.

Lucha Libre can be split into two parts these days - CMLL & non-CMLL.

CMLL has Americanized their product so much to the point it's not lucha libre. It's just pro wrestling that happens to take place in Arena Mexico. That's fine. There's still some good wrestlers there trying new things, the occasional good match that goes over 10 minutes & once in a while you see a glimpse of a style that is now largely faded away. But if I wanted to watch American wrestling, I have access to American wrestling. Too much, in fact. I have no need to see Mexicans doing American or even Japanese style pro wrestling, only worse. The kicker to all this is nobody was forcing CMLL to make any changes. They decided, on their own, we need to be more American. At least with AAA, WWE purchased them. You knew it was gonna become a WWE product. It was in their full right, they own it now. CMLL ownership didn't change hands. Business was as successful as ever. The change to make the product less Mexican, while proclaiming "orgullosamente Mexicana", wasn't even to battle WWE. It came from internal self-hatred.

Meanwhile non-CMLL is the worst of the worst US indy wrestling you will ever see. There are elements so bad occurring every weekend that wrestling twitter can't even imagine. It's the worst kind of professional wrestling I've ever seen. I suffer second hand embarassment any time I scroll past a clip on my timeline. These are not professional wrestlers, these are kids playing pro wrestlers. Backyard wrestling may have died in America but it continues to exist & has expanded in Mexico. IMO This is the future of Lucha Libre. Maybe WWE finds some TV $ & keeps running, maybe not. CMLL will wind up being tourist-centric shows, perhaps running daily events as part of a LuchaTitlan scenario done correctly due to existing infrastucture. The rest? It'll be like Europe in the 80's & 90's. A dead scene. Lucha Libre will still exist but it'll be on a small scale in front of tens instead of hundreds & it'll be performed by the furthest people from professionals you can imagine. It will go from being part of the culture to a sideshow circus act from an era gone by.

Do I sound bitter? I hope so because I certainly am. I think I have plenty reason to be bitter.

I didn't devote my fandom to lucha libre all these years just to be different. I did it because lucha libre WAS different. I felt like I was watching great pro wrestling, the best in the world. Now the more I watch, the more I feel I'm like just watching bad pro wrestling. Who wants to do that? Who wants to take credit as being a fan of the worst kind of pro wrestling? Not me.

Here's a personal anecdote... recently (no, not Wrestlecon so don't go guessing) I was helping certain Mexican wrestlers put together a match. I pitched one of the spots I used to love seeing, a spot that always got a big reaction from the crowd. A very LUCHA LIBRE spot. You know the one where everyone takes a turn missing a flying move? So it's just a 20 seconds of guys going SPLAT one after the other. This is a spot going back many years & one that appeared many times in the WCW lucha matches when the Mexican wrestlers started coming over to do trios matches. The reaction to me pitching this spot was general confusion & downright embarassment. "That seems so silly". Yes, the Mexican wrestlers thought a traditional Mexican wrestling spot was silly. Now, if the Young Bucks & Kenny Omega decided to do that spot on Dynamite next week, I have no doubt that spot would then show up all over Mexican wrestling shows left & right. Is that irony? Maybe the irony is I've literally seen those six guys do that spot back when they did indy shows - directly taking it from lucha libre - and the same Mexican wrestlers who look at those guys as the best wrestlers in the world refused to do the spot because 'it's too silly'.

This is what I mean about Lucha Libre losing it's identity. The Mexican wrestlers themselves these days are embarassed by traditional Lucha Libre. Not even just the bottom of the barrel awful backyarders, it goes right to the top. Some of your favorite luchadors in AEW/WWE now scoff at traditional lucha clips. It really bothers me.

It also makes me feel very silly. All this time I championed how great lucha libre was & now the people who have been left the reigns of this great sport/spectacle/whatever you wanna call it are all completely embarassed by the stuff that used to draw thousands of people to the thousands of arenas in all of Mexico compared to the hundreds (or less) that fill buildings now outside of CMLL or major WWE Mexico events. How else is it supposed to make me feel besides that I wasted my time fighting for validation of a style that is now looked at as embarassing? What does it bode for the future of Lucha Libre when the big names setting the example for the future are outright saying we have to do it like the Americans & Japanese do because that's what's right.

I found myself sitting down to watch lucha matches & dreading the next Destroyer or Spanish Fly or no-sell strike exchange or even just fireman's carry to set up a weak splash off the top rope. There was no more excitement over what creative sequence would come next, no getting a good laugh from comedy spots, no getting sucked into the emotion of fans cheering on one guy over the other. Every "esto es lucha" chant sickens me as much as a "this is awesome" chant these days.

What happened, and it was inevitable, is I have outlived lucha libre. As they say, nothing lasts forever.

The good news for those who always hated the fact a white Canadian kid actually knew his shit & was a loud supporter of true lucha libre - you guys have won. I'm just about out. You got what you wanted. It's in your hands now. Let's see how it plays out.

For now I'm immersing myself in old footage, which I take great joy in. I've never been the type to hate watch. Any kind of wrestling was always supposed to be an escape, something that makes me happy. So I want to watch things that do just that, not watching in fear of what repetitive spot or sequence I'll see next in a parody match.

I'm also drowning myself in collecting old results/lineups for the Lucha DB. Something else I take great enjoyment in doing! I find it poetic if we're being honest. I feel like doing this (filling in history gaps, preserving history for anyone who may want to look it up one day, reminiscing about all the fun eras of lucha libre I experienced) is the perfect way to end my fandom of lucha libre. One final thing to give back before I close the door & likely say adios to something I once loved. Bittersweet.