Aired November 1st, 1998.

AAA show, from TORREON COAHUILA!!! Taped October 17, 1998. Just like I had predicted the previous week, the inhouse show gets on tv. This card took place between the Zacatecas and Durango's shows from the show aired on oct. 25.

Televisa gave a lot of coverage to the New York Marathon (1998) so it used about 15 or 20 minutes of the AAA show, that time could have been enough to show the first match, Niño, Sevilla and Pantera vs Trio del Terror (see Imh01.html). I wanted to see the Trio del Terror again, Monje Maldito reminds me of Abismo Negro...

*** Las Brujas vs Alda Moreno, Linda (bouncy) Star and Princesa Sujei.- Alda vs Rosy is know now as 'Cain y Abel version feminina'. This feud is set to get even better, with more members of the Moreno family getting involved... (see rumors and happenings).

1.- The first fall lasted for about 8 or 9 minutes, but here, only 3 or 4 minutes were aired, so most of the team-up moves from the brujas were left out of the show. They cut intoRosy kicking Alda to a corner, and Xochitl doing her 'bronco ride' on little Alda, next, Janeth kicks Sujei to another corner... a shot of the crowd... I'm there!!! (actually, 7% of me) Hamada sits Sujei on the turnbuckle and sides tosses her by the neck, Linda enters the ring but ends on Xochitl's shoulders, from the top rope, both Janeth and Rosy jump in clothslines, Xochitl doesn't fall as in a backdrop, and Linda hits the mad in a very bad way, on her side, she is then easily pinned with a fisherman suplex, while Alda gets powerbombed and Xochitl delivers her legdrop (fortunatelly, she hits WITH HER LEG), and it was Princesa who was on the end of Rosy's giant swing.

2.- Rosy dropkicks Alda into 'la esquina del dolor' but soon Alda is making her sister to miss and connect slaps on her teammates, a secuence of Alda making her foes look silly, and the tecnicas are in command now, Hamada whiped Alda to the ropes and seemed as if she was going to perfrom a powerbomb, but Alda fell over her in a 'senton a la gauyina' move, getting revenge from the bronco-like move from the previous fall. Xochitl wants to throw Sujei out of the ring, but the tecnica uses a 'tijeras' to take the ruda out as well, but both land on the apron before hitting the floor, it seems that there was where Hamada was injured. Alda and Linda dropkick Janeth and Rosy out of the ring and Moreno does a tope suicida, while Linda misses her move. The six ladies battle there for some short time, with the rudas getting the upper hand, as they suplexed the tecnicas into the ring, but soon the tecnicas perform the triple superhurracaranas (save Sujei who misses and does a frankensteiner and cross body pins Janeth) to get the second fall.

3.- Xochitl is taken out, if she was injured when Sujei took her out of the ring, then she satyed woriking injured for a while. The tecnicas kick into rudas gear and start using theri superior numbers to overwhelm ther brujas. Linda misses her BBD (Brincate Burro Drop) on Janeth, Miss Janeth and Sujei go down to the floor and brawl for a while, with the tecnica getting the best of it, while Linda and Alda double team Rosy, Linda performs dropkicks from the top rope on Moreno, Sujei goes for Rosy while Janeth tries to react, Sujei holds Rosy so Alda can do her sommersault plancha ( I could call it a vertical senton... maybe) Linda and Janeth kick each other's chest at the same time, but the bruja can not take advantage of her bigger size and strenght as soon Sujei helps Linda to hold Janeth to a second vertical senton from Alda. Later, Sujei and Linda hold Janeth by the legs, and Alda slaps her chest to perform a double desnucadora, Alda steps on Janeth's face while Linda Star climbs the top turnbuckle and does a plancha, but Janeth kicks out as Rosy arrived to make the save, a snap mare puts Rosy next to her mate ready to receive a top rope senton by Alda and the victory goes for the 'tecnicas'. The whole match lasted about 11 minutes on tv, so only about half of it were aired.

Ratings: MQ: ** -- It is kind of weird the way AAA edited this match, some good rudas-team moves were deleted but the missed spots were untouched. Xochitl carried away also made this match shorter.
SL: *** -- The feud is going good, but this match should have meant a lot more if they had shown the previous matches in which las Brujas (with Rosy) left Alda bleeding. Still the sister's rivality is way over with the crowd. Unfortunately, they didn't show the Brujas interview, maybe on the next noti-AAA.

*** Atomicos del Terror vs Ludxor, Parka jr, Hijo del Perro and Mascara Sagrada jr.

1.- Los Atomicos del Terror (Cadaver de Ultratumba, Llorona, and Espectros -jr and hijo del) are having a tremendous push, but I feel they not living up to it. Ludxor and Hijo del Espectro trade moves, some armdrags and tosses, Ludxor even get close to pinning Espectro, Llorona and Mascara jr get in the ring with more of the same, Llorona's wig almost came off... which get the biggest pop from the audience yet. Then Perrito easily dominates Espectro jr, and Parka does his dancing stuff to annoy Cadaver. Espectro jr tries to help Cadaver but Parka makes them attack each other and even shakes hands with Espectro, Cadaver wonders if his mate is in cahoots with Parka... Ludxor and Mascara deliver 'quebradoras con reguilete' and planchas on Espectro jr and Cadaver, Perrito gets the win after his double stomp move. Tecnicos win the first fall without much effort.

2.- Things keep the same, the rudos are outclassed so bad that I wonder why AAA wants to push them... Tirantes trippes Parka and the rudos get back in the match, brawling and more brawling and eventually the match is tied.

3.- Things go back and forth, " Ludxor made a moonsault flip from the topturnbuckle to the floor on Cadaver, and as Niño, I feared he had killed himself." (from Imh01.html) It was on Llorona, but still, he barely connects and almost get killed. Perrito holds Cadaver and Parka does a safe tope, but Cadaver moves and Parka hits Perro. Perrito and Parka won't get back in the ring, I guess they oversell the failure, while Ludxor has not to sell his plancha on the floor... the four rudos rip Mascara's mask (?!) and get DQ.

Ratings: MQ: **1/2 -- At least, Mascara jr was near flawless and there where enough moves to make the match interesting.
SL: * -- Who cares about los Espectros?

*** Batos vs Vipers.- Again.

1.- 'Madrugete' by Vipers and Batos are kicked out of the ring, save Charlie, who gets beated not as badly as alway. Someone does a BBD on Manson, Hysteria wants to do another BBD, but Picudo manages to pull Hysteria down and its 3 on 1 on the ring and ON the floor. Picudo goes for a chair and shots on Hysteria, the other Vipers realize what's going on and split to help their partner, but Batos are in command. Brawling, then, some more brawling, followed by more brawling, after some brawling, Charlie, Nygma and Flowers are happy teaming on Hysteria, but Picudo is in the ring triple teamed as well!!!! Frankensteiner by Maniaco, Maniaco holds Picudo and Psicosis and Mosco deliver double dropkicks from the top rope to pin the Bato boss and win the first fall.

2.- Batos don't care about the result, they keep brawling, Manson treathens Jesus Zuñiga (more on that later), Batos are havving a great time punishing Hysteria while the rest of the Vipers take some air back down in the floor... Psicosis says ' uno... dos... tres..' and the Vipers re enter the ring while Nygma and Flowers were gone, maybe to get some chairs, Picudo flees, but soon the Batos are again controlling the match with some chairshots, they put a chair in the center of the ring, sit Hysteria there and place a chair in his head, then perform their trademark four sided dropkick to get DQed.

Vipers win 2-0, but the brawling continues, Batos carry Hysteria out, but they're intercepted by Ciber, Electro and Abismo, more brawling occurs, Abismo doing his blowtorch for a while. Batos are outnumbered but soon Espectros arrive and they turn the tide in their favor.

Ratings: MQ: *1/2 -- A lot of brawling, but had a good dose of moves, nothing new.
SL:***1/2 -- I was about to give this **** but on tv the way Abismo and Ciber run in doesn't look as good as in the live event, still, the Vipers-Batos feud is one of the better thing in AAA now, and even the Espectros got over 20 times more here than in their previous effort.

***Canek, Octagon, Alebrije and Blue Demon jr vs Cibernetico, Kickboxer, Abismo Negro and Electroshock.- In the original card I have, Parka jr was in this match instead of Blue Demon. Whoops, I forgot to write upthere that with Llorrona showing to help Batos, the rumor of him being Picudo ceases to exist.

1.- Before the fall begins, Perrito, Parka jr, Mascara jr and Ludxor arrive to ringside... with chairs, yeah, a brawling!! ( I knew it would happen, I have already seen this...) anyway, it takes for ever for the match to start, and when it does, rudos brawl and don't let the tecnicos do anything, Electro goes for Alebrije, Abismo cuts Blue Demon open, Canek is manhandled by Ciber and Kickboxer attacks Octagon, after a powerslam on Canek, Ciber pins him for the first fall.

2.-Rudos keep brawling, Octagon steals Abismo spot of taking off his own mask. Eventually Canek reacts and the tecnicos brawl with Canek as the leader, Alebrije chases Electroshock and uses his 'claws' to make him 'bleed'. Canek press slams Kickboxer into the protective fence (or rail). In the ring, Canek does another press, this time on Ciber, Alebrije pins Electro and Octagon does a leg sweep and Octaclutch. Demond did not do anything ( I guess this is b/c he was really bleeding).

3.- At last the brawling ends, and both teams are at their corners, Kickboxer and Demon inside the ring, Demon chllenges Abismo Negro... here I'm again! Abismo and Demon with some of their usual stuff... next Alebrije vs Kickboxer, then Electroshock takes a bump entering the ring... he looks like a guy who went at the same high school than me... Electro vs Octagon, soon the rudo is out of the ring, once again, Canek vs Cibernetico, dropkicks and clothline by 'el Principe Maya' and Ciber is down while Canek does an armbar, Electro makes the save and Alebrije enters to confront him... the rudo (who is from Torreon) doesn't want to face Alebrije, who scares Electro just by showing his 'claws', Alebrije rolls in the mat and makes a good looking back tope, Octagon enters and helps Electro get out of the ring with a 'pasada de bandera', Alebrije goes to the apron, Abismo tries to attack him, but slips and falls on his back (on the apron) Alebrije runs, Abismo sticks his legs up and springboards Alebrije (this move is called 'estacas') down the ring, where he planchas Electro Shcock!! Octagon follows with a summersault plancha... Ciber is in the center of the ring, Canek hits him with a plancha, and gets him into an abdominal stretch, Abismo takes Demon mask off and the tecnicos get the match.

Then more brawling, the other Vipers arrive, but they are held at bay by the juniors, Espectros also get there and mayhem and madness errupts and last for a while.

Ratings: MQ: **1/2 -- If this was a EMLL show, it would have received a *, but considering the talent here, this was ok, some good moves, although it was also edited and it looked as too much brawling.
SL: *** -- AAA has made Alebrije a main eventer pretty fast, and now has a feud with Electroshock, the presence of the juniors ringside was wasted on tv, it should have received more attention and maybe an interview or something.

EMLL show, first match from Arena Coliseo, the rest, from Arena Mexico.

*** Blue Panther, Mano Negra and Rey Bucanero vs La Fiera, Felino and Ringo Mendoza .

1.- Felino and Mano Negra start by trading moves for a while, Panther enters next, a 'Panther' chant can be hear (that's 'la porra ruda) which is soon followed by 'booos' from 'la porra anti-ruda'. Panther and Ringo trade moves more or less just like Felino and Mano did. Fiera and Bucanero pick up the pace and many fast moves and tags latter... Panther is facing Fiera, Panther tries to go to the top turnbuckle but gets his butt kicked, soon Felino uses the second rope( from the inside of the ring ) as an springboard to do a plancha on Panther, Mendoza forces Mano Negra to quit with double armbar and leg to the neck... Yañes called the move a 'mezcaleña' and it looked like an 'octaclutch'; Fiera pinned Rey with a huracarana.

2.- Mano takes Fiera to 'la esquina del dolor' and Felino tries to make the save, but Bucanero is ready to take care of him and the rudos take the command of the fall with some brawling, Bucanero connects a plancha on Ringo and pins him, Felino goes away... and returns into the ring with a belly slide, but soon gets kicked by the rudos (who else?) and Blue Panther does his 'quebradora lagunera'- powerbomb, opponent falls on knee- but instead of pushing his neck and leg in a real quebradora, pins him to even the score.

3.- The brawling continued and Bucanero has Fiera in a half crab, Felino and Ringo enter the ring but soon are overwhelmed, Blue Panther gets Felino in a 30 second press slam, to then drop him on Bucanero's and Mano's knees, Ringo makes the return by punching, a moderate brawling occurs, Panther and Fiera fall out of the ring, Rey Bucanero hits Felino with a dropkick from the top turnbuckle but can not make the pin, Bucanero goes to the corner, but Felino gets him down with a 'rana', Felino is then powersuplexed by Bucanero, but the rudo misses a half-spin senton, Panther re-enters the ring and kicks Felino in a foul so the rudos got DQed.

Ratings: MQ: **1/2 -- I like this kind of matches, slow build up, pace get a little faster, brawling, hot finish. But this time, the finish was pretty bad, I don't get it, why would Panther do a low-kick?

SL:** -- Panther and Felino were a tag team during the 'ruleta de la muerte' card, they lost their way untill the semifinal, when they finally defeated Santo and Guerrero del Futuro, so they were close to the mask match... EMLL should have taken a Panther vs Felino feud approack, rather than this match which turnded out as a filler mostly.

*** Cuadrangular de Parejas -- A tournament to determine the new tag champs.

* Scorpio jr and Bestia Salvaje vs Head Hunters.- The same stuff we see from the Hunters over and over again, happens here, they do most of their moves and the mexicans look in trouble, being this a one fall only, they might not get the chance to wait for the other fall and see if the fat guys are tired... A Hunter holds Bestia while the other goes to the top turnbuckle to do a plancha, but Scorpio pulls Bestia away and the brothers collide... the rudos take the match.

*Lizmark and Atlantis vs Villano III and Fuerza Guerrera.- This looked like a championship match, wtih very little brawling and most of the time having one on one match ups, but my interest in this tourney disapeared after the previous match... Lizmark connects his trademark dropkicks from the top turnbuckle on Villano and pins him with a huracarana, while Fuerza falls in Atlantis 'atlantida'.

*Bestia Salvaje and Scorpio jr vs Atlantis and Lizmark.- 'Madruguete' by the rudos and they start brawling and dominating the tecnicos, Lizmark makes the comeback with some kicks and armdrags, Scorpio ends out of the ring, and Bestia follows him shortly armdraged as well, he ends 'riding' Scorpio, who, thinking it was a tecnico, slams him to a cornerpost. Back in the ring, Atlantis takes care of both rudos, but ends being powerbombed by Bestia and pinned, Lizmark soon submits with a 'carroza romana'.

Ratings: MQ: ** -- The luchadores never adapted to the fact that the match were one fall only.
SL: * -- I guess this means that Santo will be on the final facing Bestia and Scorpio... that's not bad, but it sends the belts to the toilet.

********MAIN EVENT****** Mask vs Mask... Olimpico vs Halcon Negro!!!!!!.-

1.- Halcon charges and misses dropkicks, Olimpico slams Halcon's head in a corner, and follows with a clothsline, then a 'desnucadora', Olimpico tries another clothsline but Halcon intercepts, twists his arm, and does a very weird pin, he is holding both of Olimpico's hands and one of his leg (with both legs) similar to a 'casita/magistral'. Halcon wins in less than you say Goldberg.

2.- Now it is Olimpico who misses a tope, Halcon connects a leg drop, and delivers a clothsline, the rudo is on command, he punishes Olimpico for a while, until the tecnico does an armdrag, and then hits Halcon Negro with a second rope dropkicks, then he takes Halcon down with a move very similar to the one used by the rudo to win the first fall, but instead of pinning, performs an 'octaclutch'-like move, but the punishment is not only to the arms and neck, but one of the leg is also punished. Olimpico is back winning the second fall.

3.- Halcon dropkicks Olimpico out of the ring, and follows with a side-plancha, Halcon gets into the ring again, and as Olimpico is trying to get in, kicks him again, and does his tope suicida ( not very good looking, but characteristic 'Halcon dive'), Olimpico manages to return into the ring, and is almost pinned twice, a heel kick takes him back into the match by sending the rudo to the floor, Olimpico attacks with a somersault plancha, Olimpico reenters the ring, and Halcon gets to the apron, but falls again from another dropkick, Halcon Negro ends in the arena's permanent chairs, he is standing there, and Olimpico uses his top rope spingboard plancha and flyes to hit the rudo!! The 20 count last for 2 minutes (almost) and Olimpico barely gets back in the ring, he celebrates but Halcon is back and does a 'cavernaria', Olimpico gets free after a while, another (#3) pin attempt by Halcon, next, a Gory Especial, but the tecnico reverses to a rana-pin, but can not get the 3 count, Olimpico is sitting on the top turnbuckle and gets slammed to the mat, another pin (#4)... uno, ...dos ... what the hell, let me seeeeeeeeeeee!!! Originaly, I did think that Olimpico had to be helped by the referee, but in slow motion, he really rises his shoulders before the 3 count at 2.78!!! Halcon sends his opponent to the top turnbuckle and does a side toss from there, another pin (5) ... uno ... dos ... hand to the rope!! Halcon holds his hand and (6)... uno...dos... leg to the rope! Olimpico gets bodyslamed, Halcon goes to the top... but gets frankensteiner!! ( 10% by Olimpico, 90% selling) Olimpico pins (2) but it's too early... he goes for a Huracarana, Halcon reverses for the pin (6), but he can not get the 3 count... Olimpico connects dropkicks from the second rope, makes the pin(3)... uno... dos... hand to the rope! ...uno (4) ...dos... leg to the rope!! Halcon bodyslams, misses a senton and is pinned again (5) but kicks out in time, Olimpico goes to the top, and jumps, Halcon moves and rises his arms in victory... but Olimpico landed on his feet!! He was expecting Halcon to move, he surprises the rudo and does a roll up...(6) but can't get the win. Desnucadora on Halcon, Olimpico crosses his neck with his thumb, but he is the one who ends pinned (7), but kicks out. Halcon delivers two desnucadoras, and goes to the second rope to perform a guillotine leg drop, but Olimpico moves, they are on opposite corners, Olimpico charges, jumps and bodysicsors Halcon's waist, he jumps up as if going to do an armdrag, but does a small package instead! Uno... Dos... Treeeeesssssssssss!!! HALCON NEGRO LOSES HIS MASK!---- This move was very much alike with one Octagon did on the Cd Juarez show.

Ratings: MQ: ***1/2 -- I liked the Aguila vs Guerrero match better, but I guess both match would get the same rating. Negro vs Santo match from last year was 'one fall only' and this was almost the same, as the first 2 falls were too short.

SL:***** -- Halcon and Olimpico, from now on, they might have 30 titles match, 20 cage matchs, 70 mano a mano, 10 Hell in the Cell... but never again a mask vs mask match. I guess this match was the vehicle to get Olimpico big with the crowd, and I think EMLL did it well.

----COMMENTS ON BOTH SHOWS----

AAA.- It was damaged a lot by the New York Marathon coverage, the live event lasted about 2 and a half hours, but the wrestling time it had on tv was maybe one hour. They had to edit parts of the matches and some of the interview, during Noti AAA none of the interview from the show were shown. The most interesting about it is the role the commentators are having now, Zuñiga is the Viper dude, while Rivera is still the rudo superfan, and Maroñas keeps being tecnico... but supports the rudos over the Vipers!!! One weird thing: During the live main event, Abismo Negro uses his aerosol can a lot, at one point, I saw that someone throwed it to him, and (after using it against Blue Demon jr) then throwing it back. In the arena, someone told me that the peolple who threw the can to him was... Jesus Zuñiga, as I haven't seen him do so, I doubted, but after seeing it on tv, I realize it was true... so now the commentators are taking part on the show... I wonder if it is part of an angle?

EMLL.- New York's Marathon also took its toll here, but EMLL was even more disappointing, they had only '3' matches and they did not show the Negro Casas vs Satanico title match from the Tuesday card. As the 'tag team tourney' turned out, I would rather see Negro and see segments of the tag tourney. By the way, this tourney was very badly booked, first of all, in the previous week, they had said that it would be 'Eliminatoria para campeonato de parejas de peso medio', that is, 'middle weight', that's a very ambiguos word here in Mexico, but at least, I figured out that neither Rayo or Dinamitas would be on it...

So when I saw the Head Hunters..... Come on! But that was not the worse, instead of EMLL trying to give its belts some credibility, it looks as if they're going to use them only to heat the Santo vs Scorpio feud, why? That masks match could have taken place a month ago with a lot of heat. Don't get me wrong, I think it is a good thing to have Santo in a feud, but they could have Santo and Scorpio BESIDES a good tourney. EMLL should have hired some of Ultimo Dragon's students: Taijiri, Tokyo Magnum, Tsubasa, etc, and some of Quiñones guys: American Destroyer, Ricky Banderas, Kevin Quinn; to make the fans believe that the belts have some value and that they are desired by workers from other countries, I mean, a world title with only mexican contenders (and the Hunters)? Oh well, better luck on the trios tourney ( I just hope los Dinamitas won't be there)

However, next week tourney looks better, Santo-Shocker, La Fiera-Felino, Black Warrior-Blue Panther and Satanico-Dr Wagner, it seems imposible to have any other result but Santo in the final, but at least there are chances of Felino finally turning on Santo, after all, they keep their feud outside of Arena Mexico, and it is maybe, bigger even than that of the silver masked wonder and Scorpio. Funny thing, during the 'Ruleta de la Muerte' show, in the battle royal, Santo was attacked by rudisimos Blue Panther, Black Warrior, Villano III, Fishman and.... Shocker! So a turn by the tecnico is also posible, but how much can EMLL use Santo to carry on the company?

Final rating for both shows (1 - 10 ) = This could have been a huge AAA/EMLL effort with a little better editing, better booking on the tourney, and more time (NYM 1998), as it was, it is still a solid 6.5 out of 10, lucha fans will like it, non lucha fans... what are you doing here?

EMLL transmitido el 1 de Noviembre de 1998

*** Blue Panther, Mano Negra y Rey Bucanero vs Ringo Mendoza, La Fiera y Felino.- Semifinal del programa del martes 27 de Octubre, Quinto aniversario de la tragica muerte de Oro, quien, junto con Love Machine, representan las dos mas grandes tragedias de la decada en el mundo luchistico, hace poco mas de un año (en agosto 17 de 1997), el deporte de la lucha tambien se ensombrecio con la muerte de la joven luchadora japonesa 'Plum' Mariko Umeda, solo espero que no ocurran mas desgracias en el futuro, y desde aqui el recuerdo a todos los gladiadores del globo terraqueo que han sufrido en su integridad fisica...

1.- Inicio lento, como es normal considerando el estilo y la edad de los participantes, Felino y Mano Negra intercambian llaves y contrallaves, mas tarde Panther y Ringo hacen lo mismo, el paso se levanta un poco al entrar Rey Bucanero los luchadores se notan ahora si dispuestos a rendir a sus rivales... Panther trata de subir a la esquina, pero Fiera lo patea y el Blue lagunero cae fuera del ring, Felino conecta una plancha desde dentro del ring usando la segunda cuerda como trampolin, los tecnicos se anotan la primera caida con Ringo usando una 'mezcaleña' en Mano Negra y huracarana de Felino sobre Bucanero.

2.- Clasica reaccion de los rudos, con artimañas del montonero, los rudos dominan la caida, Bucanero deja fuera de combate a Ringo con una plancha desde la tercera, y el Blue usa su 'quebradora lagunera' para rendir a el Felino.

3.-Los rudos siguen en el comando de las acciones, Panther aplica tremendo 'press' en Felino, al cual deja caer en las rodillas de sus compañeros rudos, es Ringo que inicia la inevitable reaccion, Felino y Bucanero tienen una buena secuencia de movimientos, pero al final Panther faulea a Felino y la historia esta dicha.

Esta lucha fue entretenida, pero no tenia sentido... ¿Donde estan los 'piques'? ¿Por que estan luchando entre si? De todos modos, bien para 'calentar la lona'.