The Fantasticamania series is back.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling and CMLL will join forces for Fantasticamania, which will kick off on February 22 and conclude on February 28. The 2023 edition will mark the first time in three years that the two companies will hold Fantasticamania.
The announcement, courtesy of NJPW’s official website, is as follows:
The Fantasticamania series is back on the NJPW calendar! The lucha libre festival this year sees six events across a one week period from February 22 to 28, with some spectacular matches to look forward to.
Watch all of Fantasticamania live on NJPW World!
The tour starts in Takamatsu on February 22. There, the headline bout will see ‘relevos increibles’ action- a tag battle where rivals are forced to become partners. Ultimo Guerrero and Atlantis Jr. are often at opposite sides of the ledger, but seem to be finding common ground of late, and now they take on a pair of icons of their respective promotions- Hiroshi Tanahashi and Mistico!
The next night sees more relevos increibles action from Kyoto’s stunning KBS Hall. Volador Jr., currently in the midst of a bitter feud over the NWA Historic Welterweight Championship with Rocky Romero, teams with Mistico opposite Atlantis Jr. and rudo Templario.
Meanwhile SHO has to team with members outside of his HOUSE OF TORTURE alliance, alongside Hichicero and Magia Blanca, against a rudo and tecnico blend of Hiroshi Tanahashi, El Desperado and Ultimo Guerrero.
The next two nights, February 24 in Osaka and February 26 in Makuhari Messe, will see a two night tag tournament where four factions are pit against one another. Formed in 2021, Los Depredadores (the Predators) are firm fan favourites, represented by Volador Jr. and Magia Blanca in the tournament against the relevos increibles blend of Ultimo Guerrero and Atlantis Jr., who, for this tournament at least, fly the banner of Los Guerreros Increibles De Atlantida. Those two teams meet in the first round in Osaka’s main event.
The second first round matchup sees Rey Cometa and Dulce Gardenia, Los Dulces Atrapasuenos (the Sweet Dreamcatchers), facing Los Ingobernables De Japon’s Titan and BUSHI. Last time Dulce Gardenia was in Japan, it was anything but a dream for BUSHI and Shingo Takagi, who had difficulty adjusting themselves to exotico Gardenia’s unique form of self expression. The LIJ side could be tournament favourites if they can keep the action purely combative, but Gardenia might turn the tide with some signature mind games.
The tour will wrap up with two hot nights in Korakuen Hall February 27 and 28. On 2/27, the CMLL World Welterweight Championship will be on the line when Titan faces the challenge of Soberano Jr. Rapidly approaching 1200 days long, Titan’s reign with the title is the longest in its 31 year history, but could be put to an end by the very man he won the belt from way back in December 2019.
With Voaldor Jr. taking on Templario in singles action as well, it’ll be a loaded lineup for the first night in the Hall.
The final night of the tour sees exciting matches up and down the card, but the highest spot is reserved for Mistico taking on Atlantis Jr. When NJPW fans first saw Atlantis Jr. at the last Fantasticamania, the young man was just starting in his journey to live up to a legendary legacy. His growth in the intervening years has been phenomenal, and now he is put to the test against a true icon of CMLL in Mistico.
With plenty more great action coming across all six nights, don’t miss a second of Fantasticamania this February!
ICYMI
It's a thrilling Fantasticamania festival on the way this month!
Six events see intriguing teams, an interfactional tag tournament, and big singles matches, including Titan putting Welterweight gold on the line!https://t.co/ljXZPApAyN#njpwxcmll pic.twitter.com/CEzuWkpdw9
— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) February 6, 2023
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