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| Acronym | CMLL |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1933 |
| Style | Lucha Libre |
| Headquarters | Mexico City |
| Founder(s) | Salvador Lutteroth |
| Owner(s) | Paco Alonso |
| Formerly | Empresa Mexicana de la Lucha Libre NWA-EMLL |
| Website | http://www.cmll.com/ |
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) (Spanish for Worldwide Wrestling Council) is a Lucha Libre-style professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City while running cards in Guadalajara, Puebla and elsewhere in central and southern Mexico. The promotion is also referred to by its previous name Empresa Mexicana de la Lucha Libre (EMLL) (Mexican Wrestling Enterprise). It is currently the world's oldest pro wrestling promotion still in existence.[1]
Contents |
History
The promotion was founded by "The Father of Lucha Libre" Salvador Lutteroth Gonzales when he ran a card under the banner of EMLL in September, 1933. The promotion flourished and quickly became the premier spot for workers. If wrestlers were big in Mexico City, they were considered stars throughout Mexico. With stars like El Santo, Bobby Bonales, Tarzán Lopez, Cavernario Galindo and Gory Guerrero (father of Eddie Guerrero), "La Empresa" was at the forefront of the Lucha Libre movement and for the next 50 years, EMLL would continue its place as the leader.
In the 1970s, Lutteroth left the company in the hands of his son Chavo, but the company weakened with Ray Mendoza along with a few promoters breaking off and forming the Universal Wrestling Association. UWA ran in Mexico City and in nearby Naucalpan against EMLL. UWA would be a tremendous force for 15 years but due to a weakening talent pool and affiliates, it died in the 1990s.
EMLL joined the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) as its Mexican affiliate as NWA-EMLL. In time, it pulled out in the 1980s due to promoter disunity, and the NWA's losing battle to stave off World Wrestling Entertainment's expansion and consolidation of the U.S. wrestling scene. At this time, it changed its name to Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre to make itself sound more international. At the start of the 1990s the company began appearing on Televisa. This led to a big boom in business due to national television exposure (before this, magazines were the sole medium of Lucha Libre). After the initial boom, long time booker Antonio Peña broke off and formed his own promotion, Asistencia Asesoría y Administración, taking many of the young talent with him. AAA took the lead for several years but when the Mexican economy declined in the mid-1990s, AAA scaled-back and CMLL started re-building with the famous El Hijo del Santo vs. Negro Casas feud where Santo shocked the world by turning heel when he dressed up like Negro Casas' brother Felino and attacked him. CMLL followed this up by pushing younger stars, leading to another boom period.
Style and Television
Most CMLL events are held in the famous Arena Mexico in Mexico City. Of all the major promotions in the world, CMLL is one of the most conservative. Matches with blood are not broadcasted and, other than an annual cage match, gimmick matches such as ladder matches are never used. Over the past few years, many AAA wrestlers have jumped to CMLL but recently, some major wrestlers such as Vampiro and Shocker have jumped to AAA because CMLL has too many workers and does not run enough shows.
CMLL's main programming, hosted by Alfonso Morales, Leobardo Magadan and Miguel Linares, is broadcast regularly on Televisa in Mexico, on LATV in the United States, and formerly on Telelatino in Canada and The Wrestling Channel in the United Kingdom. CMLL also had a syndicated show called "Sin Limite de Tiempo" ("with no time limit") which shows matches from Arena Coliseo shows and matches they could not fit onto the regular broadcast. It aired in Los Angeles on KWHY. This show was followed up by "Guerreros del Ring" on Canal 52MX. CMLL is affiliated with New Japan Pro Wrestling as part of "G-1 World." Also, Spanish-language American sports channel Fox Sports en Español recently started broadcasting CMLL programming. Recently CMLL also added the Mexican network Cadena Tres to its list of networks airing CMLL Wrestling.
CMLL shows have been available in the United Kingdom via BT Vision's download service, as of November 22, 2009 26 episodes of CMLL wrestling is available. The first show featured was from CMLL's 75th Anniversary Show from 2008.
Major shows
Each year CMLL promotes a number of signature events, some shown as pay-per-view events and others shown on regular television. Over the last couple of years CMLL have held three regular events each year and a number of one off, special events. The Major show, shown in order of when they happen during the year, include:
| Event | Next Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| La Hora Cero | Not announced for 2010 | A Pay-Per-View held on January 11, 2009. No indications of it becoming an anual event |
| Homenaje a Dos Leyendas | March 20, 2009 | Annual show since 2007, honors 2 "legends", one is always Salvador Lutteroth, CMLL's founder. |
| Infierno en el Ring | July 31, 2009 | Infierno en el Ring is an annual "multi-man" Steel Cage elimination match, sometimes it gets it own show, other years it's the main event of another Major Event. |
| CMLL Anniversary Show | September 18, 2009 | The biggest show of CMLL's year, comemorates CMLL's debut in 1933. The longest running anual show in professional wrestling. Most recent anniversary was the |
Roster
See: Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre roster
Championships and tournaments
- CMLL championships
| Championship | Current Champion(s) | Held since |
|---|---|---|
| CMLL World Heavyweight Championship | Último Guerrero | December 22, 2008 |
| CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship | Ephesto | May 26, 2009 |
| CMLL World Middleweight Championship | Hijo del Fantasma | July 21, 2009[2] |
| CMLL World Mini-Estrella Championship | Bam Bam | July 27, 2008 |
| CMLL World Super Lightweight Championship | Máscara Dorada | April 7, 2009 |
| CMLL World Tag Team Championship | La Sombra and Volador, Jr. | January 16, 2009 |
| CMLL World Trios Championship | Hijo del Fantasma, Héctor Garza and La Máscara | January 18, 2009 |
| CMLL World Welterweight Championship | Negro Casas | March 20, 2009 |
| CMLL World Women's Championship | La Amapola | November 16, 2007 |
| CMLL Arena Coliseo Tag Team Championship | Flash and Stuka, Jr. | June 29, 2008 |
- Other championships used by CMLL
| Championship | Current Champion(s) | Held since |
|---|---|---|
| Mexican National Trios Championship | Poder Mexica (Sangre Azteca, Black Warrior & Dragón Rojo, Jr.) |
February 2, 2009 |
| Mexican National Welterweight Championship | Valiente | August 16, 2009[3] |
| Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship | Místico | December 4, 2007 |
| Mexican National Lightweight Championship | Pierrothito | September 23, 2008 |
| Mexican National Women's Championship | Princesa Blanca | January 30, 2009[4] |
| NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship | El Texano, Jr. | April 3, 2009 |
| NWA World Middleweight Championship | Averno | November 30, 2007 |
| NWA World Welterweight Championship | Mephisto | May 27, 2009 |
- CMLL Guadalajara Championship
These titles controlled by the Guadalajara branch of CMLL.
| Championship | Current Champion(s) | Held since |
|---|---|---|
| Occidente Heavyweight Championship | Vacant | Unclear |
| Occidente Light Heavyweight Championship | Mictlán | August 18, 2009 |
| Occidente Middleweight Championship | Mr. Trueno | December 30, 2008 |
| Occidente Tag Team Championship | El Texano, Jr and El Terrible | August 26, 2008 |
| Occidente Trios Championship | Unknown | Unknown |
| Occidente Welterweight Championship | Àngel del Mal | October 4, 2009 |
- CMLL Japan championships
These title are now defunct and was only when CMLL toured Japan in 1999 and 2000.
| Championship | Last Recognized Champion(s) | Date created | End of Recognition |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMLL Japan Super Lightweight Championship | Ricky Marvin | February 27, 1999 | August 6, 2000 |
| CMLL Japan Tag Team Championship | Vacated | February 24, 1999 | July 7, 1999 |
| CMLL Japan Women's Championship | Vacated | October 17, 1999 | February 13, 2000 |
Tournaments
CMLL conducts several annual tournaments which usually signify a big push or start off storylines. Tournaments have been left out of the schedule for unexplained reasons. Some tournaments are conducted as torneo cibernéticos, a large multi-man tag team elimination match, others are normal single elimination tournament.
| Tournament | Last winner | Last held | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leyenda de Plata ("Silver Legend") |
Místico | July 25, 2008 | A tournament in honor of El Santo. This is the most prestigious of the CMLL tournaments and the tournament is usually made up of the best in-ring workers. Last years winner faces the winner of a torneo cibernetico. |
| Leyenda de Azul ("Blue Legend") |
El Terrible | December 12, 2008 | A tournament in honor of Blue Demon. It is secondary to the Leyenda de Plata tournament but features most of the top wrestlers in the promotion. It has been conducted as a normal torneo cibernético and as a one night tournament. |
| Torneo Gran Alternativa ("Great Alternative" Tournament) |
Yujiro and Okumura[5] | September 25, 2009 | A one night tag team tournament where an established star teams with a young midcarder with the intent to give the younger wrestler more credibility. |
| International Gran Prix | Alex Shelley[6] | July 26, 2008 | Previously an elimination tournament, now a tornero Cibernetico. Features a "Mexico vs. International" wrestlers theme with one side being native Mexicans and the other side of the Cibernetico being foreigners, in 2008 it featured several Total Nonstop Action Wrestling wrestlers. |
| Campeonato Universal (Universal Champion) |
Último Guerrero | June 19, 2009 | An elimination tournament consisting of all champions to determine the "Universal champion". Winner received a title belt but it is believed to only be defended in the annual tournament. |
| Reyes del Aire ("King of the Air") |
Valiente | May 9, 2008 | This tournament is for high flyers. The tournament usually works as a cibernetico with mostly young and undercard tecnicos, with the idea of focusing more attention on the winner. |
| Pequeño Reyes del Aire ("Miniature King of the Air") |
Pequeno Warrior | January 6, 2009 | Like the Reyes del Aire but for Mini-Estrellas |
Past annual tournaments
These are all the tournament that have been held in the past by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre but have not been promoted in the last couple of years.
- Copa de Arena Mexico — A one night tournament for trios teams. The winners earns a trophy; each team comes up with a name for their trio. The tournament was only held in 1999, 2001, and 2002. In 1999, the winners were Satánico, Rey Bucanero and Ultimo Guerrero as "Team Guerreros del Infierno". The 2001 winners were Black Warrior, Shocker, and Apolo Dantes as "Team Shocker". The 2002 winners were Black Warrior, Lizmark, Jr., and Rayo de Jalisco, Jr., collectively known as "Team Tall".
- La Copa Jr. — This tournament featuring wrestlers who were at least second generation wrestlers, though worked family relations have been accepted as well. This tournament has only been held three times in CMLL in 1996, 2005, and 2006. In 1996 the winner was Emilio Charles, Jr.. The 2005 winner was Shocker. The 2006, and last winner, was Dos Caras, Jr.
References
- ^ Madigan, Dan (2007). "A family affair". Mondo Lucha Libre: the bizare & honorable world of wild Mexican wrestling. HarperColins Publisher. pp. 128-132. ISBN 978-0-06-085583-3.
- ^ "Ahora es doble monarca" (in Spanish). Esto, OEM Online. July 22, 2009. http://www.oem.com.mx/esto/notas/n1254262.htm. Retrieved July 22, 2009.
- ^ Mendoza, Gabriela (August 16, 2009). "El Valiente es nuevo Campeón Welter" (in Spanish). Récord.com.mx. http://www.record.com.mx/tmf/el-valiente-es-nuevo-campeon-welter.html. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
- ^ polazky (January 31, 2009). "Resultados Arena México (30 en 08)" (in Spanish). SuperLuchas Magazine. http://superluchas.net/?p=14181. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
- ^ Marquina, Alva (September 25, 2009). "CMLL- (Resultados en vivo 25 septiembre de 2009) – Último Guerrero venció a Liger. Yujiro y Okumura se llevan el Torneo la Gran Alternativa" (in Spanish). SuperLuchas Magazine. http://superluchas.net/2009/09/25/cmll-resultados-en-vivo-25-septiembre-de-2009-ultimo-guerrero-vs-liger-torneo-la-gran-alternativa/. Retrieved September 26, 2009.
- ^ Miguel, Jose (July 25, 2008). "Gran Prix México – Resultados Rápidos – Alex Shelley de TNA, gana el Gran Prix 2008" (in Spanish). SuperLuchas Magazine. http://superluchas.net/2008/07/25/gran-prix-mexico-resultados-rapidos/. Retrieved August 30, 2009.
External links
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