Several Puerto Rican wrestlers to debut for the Crash
In what’s been a huge surprise for everybody in Puerto Rico, The Crash Lucha Libre announced that for their show on November 29 in San Luis Potosí, Boricua standouts Mike Mendoza, Angel Fashion and Vanilla Vargas are going to debut for Mexico’s 3rd premier promotion The Crash Lucha Libre. Mendoza & Fashion will team with 2-times WWC Universal Champion and The Crash regular Mecha Wolf 450 against Jack Evans, Willie Mack and Mascarita Dorada. Vanilla will be involved in mix tag team action.
For Mendoza, is just another step in a ladder of successes that he has had in 2017. After the WWE tryout, almost everybody thought that for the rest of 2017 that was going to be his best achievement, but with The Crash announcement, it seems that his journey keeps getting bigger. As for Fashion, this is the biggest test – for now – of his wrestling career. The man that started as a referee and rose to be a stable in World Wrestling Council’s mid-card, seems to be expanding more with the passing of months since Hurricane Maria. He travelled to Florida and now is wrestling and training for WWE Hall of Famer and wrestling legend “Wild Samoan” Afa’s World Xtreme Wrestling.
Finally, for Vanilla Vargas, she is the better prospect of the three, young and well-travelled, her formal training was actually in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) in Mexico. She already performed in Arena Mexico and wrestle in several Indies in the United States. It seems that The Crash its best suited for her, as she is more accustomed to the Mexican-style of wrestling.
Mick Foley and Rocky Romero to the rescue for Puerto Rico
40 days after the most destructive Hurricane in Puerto Rico’s history, the island is still – in its majority – without electrical power, bad telecommunications and clean water. Even with the external help, Puerto Rico is sitting with only 37% of the island being energize, long lines for first-need goods is the normal and natives are fleeing by the thousands each week.
Mick Foley came in with a great movement to help Puerto Rico. The hashtag #wrestlingforPuertoRico was an auction that was able to raise $21,000 for those damaged by Hurricane Maria in the island. In the auction, WWE talents and legends donated articles – usually signed by them. The Rock, Kevin Owens, Samoa Joe, Seth Rollins, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Puerto Rican born Lince Dorado and many others helped the WWE Hall of Famer to raise the $21,000 in this disastrous times.
Another wrestler that helped the island in this tough times was former IWGP Jr. Heavyweight and Jr. Tag Team Champion Rocky Romero. Romero is part Cuban, but has family in Puerto Rico, specifically in Bayamon – an urban area, just 20 minutes from San Juan. He did an auction of his complete ring attire from New Japan Pro Wrestling’s G1 Special in Long Beach. That’s the same attire that Romero had when he and Trent Berretta challenged for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team titles for one last time against The Young Bucks in California.
Puerto Rico represents in CKCW’s One Year Anniversary
Cleveland Knights Championship Wrestling is a wrestling promotion that prides itself on booking a lot of Puerto Rican talents. The company is having their One Year Anniversary in Cleveland, Ohio and they’re going all in on their mix of Puerto Rican talents and Indy wrestlers.
The big match that has everyone’s attention, is a fatal 4-way for the Championship Wrestling Association’s Heavyweight title. Starr Roger – probably Puerto Rico’s wrestler of the year – will have to defend his title against former X-Division Champion DJZ, former TNA World Tag Team Champion Robbie E and former Puerto Rican Champion – who is sign with CWA’s rival promotion World Wrestling League – Mike Mendoza. Roger’s 300 plus-days as CWA Champion will be put to the test against this top 3 indy names.
Other big matches are: Vanilla Vargas © vs. Sweet Nancy for CKCW Women Championship, State Line © vs. against Puerto Rican legendary tag team Thunder & Lightning, WWE Hall of Fame tag team The Rock n’ Roll Express vs. BJ & Hiram Tua vs. Team Storm and former WWE Intercontinental Champion Billy Gun vs. Joey Ryan. Regarding the CKCW Heavyweight Championship, Ring of Honor talent Shante Taylor was supposed to defend it against Angel Fashion and J-Rocc, but he had to forfeit his title because of conflicting schedules with ROH and CKCW. The Cleveland promotion decided to strip Shane Taylor of its CKCW title and later in 2018 ask for a rematch for it.
Florida Wrestling Revolution turns up the heat
As we reported in the latest edition of the Caribbean Report, a new wrestling promotion mainly run by talents from the Caribbean was going to start operating in Kissimmee, Florida. The FWR promotion owned by Ernesto Cruz – a new promoter from Florida – has announced some matches for their February show.
The main event will be headline by former WWE/F talents Savio Vega and Miguel Perez Jr. – The Boricuas in the old World Wrestling Federation – against AAA talents Pagano and Psycho Clown. Also in action: Mike Mendoza vs. former AAA Mega Champion Texano Jr., Angel Fashion vs. Hijo del Fantasma (King Cuernos in Lucha Underground), Dominican and WWC wrestling legend Bronco #1 vs. Fidel Sierra – also a WWC legend –, Starr Roger vs. The Crash talent and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla regular Rey Horus (Dragon Azteca Jr. in LU) and Thunder & Lightning vs. Dennis River (Savio Vega’s brother) and Noel Rodriguez, Cuervo vs. LU star Drago, among other matches. Also, Dutch Mantell – previously known in WWE as Zeb Colter – will be honored in that show.
Other news from the Caribbean
– Mick Foley and Rocky Romero weren’t the only ones having special events to help Puerto Rico. The youngest WWC Universal Champion ever BJ did a recollection of goods for those devastated by Hurricane Maria in Humacao – in the east side of Puerto Rico. He was joined by Puerto Rican Prospect Mark Davidson and several talents from Championship Wrestling School.
– CWA is the first major promotion to put a wrestling show in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. The show will be on November 20 in Toa Alta. At the moment the CWA Heavyweight Champion Starr Roger is the first talent to be confirmed.
– As explained by Dave Meltzer in its latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Mecha Wolf 450 – formerly known as Mr.450 – headlined with Ultimo Ninja vs. Penta 0M & Rey Fenix an indie show in Brownsville, Texas, drew about 1,500 fans.
– Angel Cotto vs. Vertigo Rivera went to a no DQ for the WWC Jr. Heavyweight Championship in Chicago for the show “Halloween in Your Face”.
– Campeonato Nacional de Chile had a private meeting with WWE scout and legend William Regal. Because of WWE being on tour in South America, CNL held a private show so that Regal could see some Chilean talents from their promotion. If you haven’t watch a show of CNL you’re missing out on a rising wrestling boom that’s incredible, with great energy and native talent coming on their own.
