Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre

Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) is a Lucha libre promotion based in Mexico City, Mexico while running cards in Guadalajara, Puebla, 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). It is currently the oldest promotion still in existence.
== History ==
The promotion was founded by "The Father of Lucha Libre" Salvador Lutteroth González when he ran a card under the banner of Empresa Mexicana de la Lucha Libre (EMLL) in 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 López 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). 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 but it pulled out in the 1980s due to various promoters becoming more self-centered and the World Wrestling Federation's national expansion. At this time, it changed its name to Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) 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 (AAA), taking many of the young talent with him. AAA took the lead for several years but when the Mexican economy went by the wayside in the mid-1990s, AAA scaled back and CMLL started rebuilding 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.
Today the promotion is run by the Lutteroth family with Sofía Alonso (great granddaughter of Salvador Lutteroth González) as President of the promotion having taken over from the previous President and her father Paco Alonso.
CMLL has a working relationship with New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) in which they exchange talent to be used on each other's shows.
== Style and programming ==
Of all the major promotions in the world, CMLL is one of the most conservative. Matches with blood are not broadcast and other than an infrequently used Steel Cage match, gimmick matches such as Ladder matches are never used.
Most weeks, CMLL will hold a Monday event at Arena Puebla, a Tuesday, Friday & Sunday event at Arena México, a Tuesday & Sunday event at Arena Coliseo Guadalajara and a Saturday event at Arena Coliseo. CMLL's main programming has been hosted by three person commentary teams. Past commentators include Alfonso Morales, Leobardo Magadan, Julio César Rivera and Miguel Linares.
Every Wednesday Julio César Rivera hosts CMLL Informa, CMLL's show for the latest news in the promotion and interviews with members of the roster.
== Roster ==
See: Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre roster
==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 	Notes
Fantastica Mania 	Shows co-produced with New Japan Pro Wrestling, held in Japan.
Homenaje a Dos Leyendas	Annual show since 2005, honors 2 "legends", one is always Salvador Lutteroth, CMLL's founder.
Infierno en el Ring 	Infierno en el Ring is an annual "multi-person" Steel Cage elimination match, sometimes it gets it own show, other years it's the main event of another Major Event.
CMLL Anniversary Show 	The biggest show of CMLL's year, commemorates CMLL's debut in 1933. The longest running annual show in professional wrestling.
Sin Piedad 	CMLL's "End of year" show
==Championships and tournaments==
;CMLL Championships
Championship 	Current Champion(s) 	Held since
CMLL Universal Championship 	Dragon Rojo Jr. 	April 28, 2023
CMLL World Heavyweight Championship 	Gran Guerrero 	November 7, 2022
CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship	Averno 	March 29, 2024
CMLL World Middleweight Championship 	Templario 	May 12, 2023
CMLL World Welterweight Championship 	Titán 	December 8, 2019
CMLL World Super Lightweight Championship	Stigma 	March 15, 2022
CMLL World Tag Team Championship 	Ángel de Oro & Niebla Roja 	January 23, 2022
CMLL World Trios Championship 	Bárbaro Cavernario, Dragon Rojo Jr. & El Terrible	February 5, 2024
CMLL World Mini-Estrella Championship 	Último Dragóncito 	November 17, 2023
CMLL World Women's Championship 	Stephanie Vaquer 	September 29, 2023
CMLL World Women's Tag Team Championship 	Stephanie Vaquer & Zeuxis 	September 16, 2023
CMLL Arena Coliseo Tag Team Championship 	Akuma & Espanto Jr. 	October 7, 2023
CMLL Rey Del Inframundo Championship 	Bárbaro Cavernario 	November 3, 2023
;National Championships
Championship 	Current Champion(s) 	Held since
Mexican National Heavyweight Championship 	Star Black 	June 6, 2023
Mexican National Welterweight Championship 	Magia Blanca 	June 24, 2022
Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship	Esfinge 	May 23, 2023
Mexican National Lightweight Championship 	Futuro 	July 30, 2023
Mexican National Middleweight Championship 	Guerrero Maya Jr. 	June 2, 2023
Mexican National Women's Championship 	Reina Isis 	July 14, 2023
Mexican National Trios Championship 	Apocalipsis, Cholo & Disturbio	September 29, 2023
Mexican National Tag Team Championship 	Magnus & Rugido 	July 9, 2023
Mexican National Women's Tag Team Championship 	Andromeda & Skadi 	March 8, 2024
;NWA World Historic Championships
Championship 	Current Champion(s)	Held since
NWA World Historic Light Heavyweight Championship	Atlantis Jr. 	February 4, 2023
NWA World Historic Middleweight Championship 	Místico 	August 21, 2018
NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship 	Mascara Dorada 	December 15, 2023
;CMLL Guadalajara Championships
These titles controlled by the Guadalajara branch of CMLL.
Championship 	Current Champion(s) 	Held since
CMLL Occidente Heavyweight Championship 	Bestia Negra 	March 1, 2022
CMLL Occidente Light Heavyweight Championship	Esfinge 	December 5, 2017
CMLL Occidente Middleweight Championship 	Zandokan Jr. 	February 22, 2022
CMLL Occidente Tag Team Championship 	El Gallo & Flash II 	January 26, 2020
CMLL Occidente Trios Championship 	El Malayo, Rey Apocalipsis & Siki Osama Jr.	December 29, 2023
CMLL Occidente Welterweight Championship 	Explosivo 	August 26, 2018
CMLL Occidente Women's Tag Team Championship 	Hatanna & Katara 	January 23, 2024
;Inactive Championships
*CMLL Japan Super Lightweight Championship
*CMLL Japan Tag Team Championship
*CMLL Japan Women's Championship
===Active 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. Tournaments are conducted as torneo cibernéticos, a large multi-man tag team elimination match or a normal single elimination tournament.
Torneo Gran Alternativa("Great Alternative" Tournament)- 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.
Campeonato Universal(Universal Champion) - An elimination tournament consisting of all champions to determine the "Universal champion". Winner received a title belt but it is defended in the annual tournament.
Copa Jr.("Junior Cup") - This tournament features wrestlers who are at least second generation wrestlers, though worked family relations have been accepted as well. This tournament has been held four times in CMLL in 1996, 2005, 2006 and 2010. In 1996 the winner was Emilio Charles, Jr.. The 2005 winner was Shocker. The 2006 winner was Dos Caras, Jr. After a four-year hiatus, the tournament was brought back in December 2010, when Dragón Rojo, Jr. emerged as the fourth winner.
Reyes del Aire("King of the Air") - 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") - 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 two years.
Leyenda de Plata ("Silver Legend")- 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. It is done as a torneo cibernético with the last remaining members from both teams facing each other in a normal singles match on the next show. They must also defeat the previous year's winner to win the trophy, a plaque with Santo's mask on it. Previous winners: Scorpio, Jr., El Hijo del Santo, Negro Casas, Black Warrior, Felino, Perro Aguayo, Jr. Atlantis and Místico.
Leyenda de Azul ("Blue Legend")- A tournament in honor of Blue Demon. It is secondary to the Leyenda de Plata tournament but features most of the big name wrestlers in the promotion. It has been conducted as a normal torneo cibernético and as a one night tournament. Previous winners: Blue Panther, Tarzan Boy, Universo 2000 and Lizmark, Jr.
International Gran Prix- 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.
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".
==Previous Logos==
CMLL-Logo.png
Logo CMLL 2011.png‎
==See also==
*CMLL Martes De Coliseo
*CMLL Domingos De Coliseo
*CMLL Guadalajara TV
*CMLL Japan
==External links==
* Profile
*Official website (in Spanish)
* Facebook page (in Spanish)
* Twitter Page (in Spanish)
* YouTube channel (in Spanish)
zh:CMLL
Category:Mexican wrestling promotions
Category:Lucha libre
Category:Promotions