LUCHA~! on TV in Canada

[Guest Black Lightning]

From SLAM!:

 

Canadian fans finally have a weekly option on TV other than the WWE, but it's not TNA. It's CMLL, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, which will begin airing on TLN on September 10th.

 

The Spanish-language wrestling show will air every week at midnight on Fridays and 4:30 pm on Saturday afternoons (all times Eastern). TLN is seen on 3.7 million Canadian television sets, and available through both Bell ExpressVu and StarChoice, and airs programming in Italian, Spanish and English.

 

"This is something that we've been working on for a while, because we're always looking for the best in Hispanic programming around the world to bring to our audience here in Canada," said Agatha Pezzi, Director of Communications at TLN. "This could be something that our audience could really sink their teeth in to."

 

"It's the first time that it's been shown in Canada. It's actually blowing up in the States, it's actually quite popular," said TLN publicist Christian Darbyshire.

 

CMLL features names familiar to Canadian and American audiences like La Park, Hector Garza, Ultimo Dragon, Canek and Super Crazy, along with Mexican mainstays like Dr. Wagner, Rayo de Jalisco, Negro Casas.

 

"Mexican wrestling is totally different, different from the WWE stuff. It's more slapstick, more acrobatic, more colorful, more fun, more family-oriented," said Pezzi, adding that it's a "throwback to the old style of wrestling."

 

To the uninitiated, lucha libre can be a bit harrowing. Masks abound, the rules are different than those in the WWE and history and heritage are key elements of storylines (again, something the WWE never worries about).

 

The CMLL shows on TLN are the same ones broadcast on Telivisa in Mexico, and there are no plans at this time for subtitles. The first few episodes airing on TLN will be from July, but the hope is that once it's on the air, TLN will receive the CMLL show via satellite and airing the show just a week behind.

 

As for the future, TLN hasn't ruled out the possibility of helping CMLL run occasional shows in Canada, following successful lucha shows in non-traditional markets like Portland, Oregon and Chicago over the past few years. "It's part of the plan. We don't have anything confirmed right now," said Pezzi about live shows. "We're hoping that the audience will really take to the programming."

Words cannot describe how utterly awesome this is. The time to rejoice is now.

[Guest TigerDriver91]

This news makes me very, very happy. I cannot wait for this to come on television.

 

[tekcop 0]

So... this is the same thing that airs on Galavision here in the States. Well... I hope you love 20 minute matches clipped down to about 10 minutes.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love CMLL and I try to watch it every weekend... but the clipping is horrible stuff.

 

EDIT: At least ya'll won't be about three months behind.

[razazteca 0]

If you see a hoss then you must change the channel! Rayo de Jalisco, Pierroth, Universo 2000, Mascara 2000 bring teh s uck. Do not be discouraged if you see these luchadores, just change the channel for 10 minutes then come back when Shocker vs Ultimo Guerrero is on.

 

Televisa Deportes is indeed annoying as hell when they clip the matches. You are lucky to only be behind a week.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Raza, you shall be our Guide throughout the apparently whacky world of lucha.

[razazteca 0]

But it looks like Canada is more recent than Galavision.

[The Mandarin 0]

*has massive stroke*

 

LA PARKA~?! I'm tuning in man. I'll be there at both hours. Fo' sho.

[tekcop 0]

Rayo de Jalisco, Pierroth, Universo 2000, Mascara 2000 bring teh s uck.

Ah... come on... Universo is a perfectly acceptable wrestler. He doesn't need to be put in the same group as the rest of those guys.

[razazteca 0]

All he does is tag matches with the wrestlers who wear the oranage & black.....I forgot the team name but Apallo Dantes is the best of the group. If I am forced to watch luchadores in their late 40s or 50s it better be Satanico, Blue Panther, Atlantis, Mr Niebla! At least they can still run the ropes.

[tekcop 0]

All he does is tag matches with the wrestlers who wear the oranage & black.....I forgot the team name but Apallo Dantes is the best of the group. If I am forced to watch luchadores in their late 40s or 50s it better be Satanico, Blue Panther, Atlantis, Mr Niebla! At least they can still run the ropes.

Well, he's definately the best out of his brothers. I haven't seen him tag with Dantes much, he mostly tags with Mascara Ano and Cien Caras--who he always looks much, much better than.

 

...and Satanico can run the ropes? Since when?

[natey2k4 0]

what channel is TLN?

[razazteca 0]

Satanico brings the lucha brawler style that works unlike Los Capos who are just old. I agree Cien Casas is the best of the group and made Rayo de Jalisco look good in a title match on one of the anniversy shows.....but that was years ago. I am sure I saw Satanico do some suicidal topes or running off the ropes before.

[tekcop 0]

Satanico brings the lucha brawler style that works unlike Los Capos who are just old. I agree Cien Casas is the best of the group and made Rayo de Jalisco look good in a title match on one of the anniversy shows.....but that was years ago. I am sure I saw Satanico do some suicidal topes or running off the ropes before.

Don't get me wrong, Satanico is a great brawler, but when he runs the ropes he looks really, really old. I've seen Universo run the ropes and hit dives too. Not often, but he does sometimes.

[Guest stylz]

Its not the first time cmll has been shown in Canada OR Telelatino...it was shown for a couple of years in the 90s upto I think 97ish. But I think back then they showed the Galavision feed, with both cmll/aaa.

 

No way in hell I'm staying home on a Friday night to watch, but I'm looking forward to having wrestling back on my tv on Saturday afternoons. Thank you TLN!

 

J

[razazteca 0]

So did anybody watch CMLL this weekend? I missed the begining of the 1st match as but since it has Canek, Rayo de Jalisco, Mascara 2000 I don't think I missed much. I mean Black Tiger, Dr Wagner, and Black Warrior can only do so much before the elderly stink up the match.

 

You don't know how much I hate that damn Rayo de Jalisco backwards shoulder block move.

 

The second match looks like it might be worth watching. Hector Garza, Tarzan Boy, Pierroth vs Shocker, Hijo de Perro Aguilo, Negro Casas.

[Vanhalen 0]

*cough*

 

www.thewrestlingchannel.tv

 

*laughs manically and runs away*

[starvenger 0]

Now I have something to tide me over to the softcore porn that is Latin Lover...

[treble 0]

It would be nice if my shitty cable company got this channel.

[razazteca 0]

Now I have something to tide me over to the softcore porn that is Latin Lover...

Juvi and Mr Aguila will bring the workrate.

[The Mandarin 0]

It's tonight, folks.

 

Parka~!

[razazteca 0]

Galavision had a 2 hour block featuring the Hijo de Aguilo vs Negro Casas feud. Hector Garza went from porno mustache to metrosexual goatee.

 

Average show, nothing really exciting other than the Mr. Nebla moonsault to the outside spot or the Hector Garza swerve of cheat to win pin.......damn Negro Casas is sooo stupid.

[The Mandarin 0]

Anybody see last night's episode? I'm watching it at 4:30 today.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

This is just like the good ol days of watching AAA Saturday afternoons in the 90s. I like that neat CMLL set.