Mexican professional wrestling supercard show
The CMLL 80th Anniversary Show () was a professional wrestling event produced by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) that took place on September 13, 2013, in CMLL's home arena Arena México in Mexico City, Mexico. The event commemorated the 80th anniversary of CMLL, the oldest professional wrestling promotion in the world. CMLL's anniversary show is their biggest, most important show of the year, comparable to the Super Bowl for the National Football League or WrestleMania for WWE. The CMLL Anniversary Show series is the longest-running annual professional wrestling show, starting in 1934.
For the show CMLL decided to combine two of their biggest, longest-running storyline feuds as they booked a "Relevos Suicidas" (Spanish for "Suicide Relay") match for the show. In a "Relevos Suicidas" two tag teams wrestle each other and as a result of the match one team is then forced to fight against each other under "Lucha de Apuestas", or "Bet match", rules. Traditionally the losing team would be forced to wrestle for their masks as a "punishment" for losing the match, but for this show CMLL changed it so that the winning team would win the right to fight for their masks, playing off the fact that the two teams actually wanted to fight their partner in a "Lucha de Apuesta" match. Volador Jr. and La Sombra made up one team, former friends turned bitter rivals who were in the middle of a several-year long feud. On the other side was Atlantis and Último Guerrero, again former partners and friends who were also involved in a multiple-year spanning feud.
The show featured an additional "Lucha de Apuestas" match, but for the match both Blue Panther and Averno would "bet" their hair on the outcome of the match since both were unmasked. CMLL also booked a CMLL World Trios Championship match with reigning champions "Los Estetas del Aire" ("The Air Esthetics"; Máscara Dorada, Místico and Valiente) defending against a team known as "Los Revolucionarios del Terror" ("The Terror Revolutionaries"; Dragón Rojo, Jr., Pólvora and Rey Escorpión). Three additional matches rounded out the show.
Production.
Background.
The Mexican "Lucha libre" (professional wrestling) company Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) started out under the name "Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre" ("Mexican Wrestling Company"; EMLL), founded by Salvador Lutteroth in 1933. Lutteroth, inspired by professional wrestling shows he had attended in Texas, decided to become a wrestling promoter and held his first show on September 21, 1933, marking what would be the beginning of organized professional wrestling in Mexico. Lutteroth would later become known as "the father of Lucha Libre" . A year later EMLL held the EMLL 1st Anniversary Show, starting the annual tradition of the Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre Anniversary Shows that have been held each year ever since, most commonly in September.
Over the years the anniversary show would become the biggest show of the year for CMLL, akin to the Super Bowl for the National Football League (NFL) or WWE's WrestleMania event. The first anniversary show was held in Arena Modelo, which Lutteroth had bought after starting EMLL. In 1942–43 Lutteroth financed the construction of Arena Coliseo, which opened in April 1943. The EMLL 10th Anniversary Show was the first of the anniversary shows to be held in Arena Coliseo. In 1956 Lutteroth had Arena México built in the location of the original Arena Modelo, making Arena México the main venue of EMLL from that point on. Starting with the EMLL 23rd Anniversary Show, all anniversary shows except for the EMLL 46th Anniversary Show have been held in the arena that would become known as "The Cathedral of Lucha Libre". On occasion EMLL held more than one show labelled as their "Anniversary" show, such as two 33rd Anniversary Shows in 1966. Over time the anniversary show series became the oldest, longest-running annual professional wrestling show. In comparison, WWE's WrestleMania is only the fourth oldest still promoted show (CMLL's Arena Coliseo Anniversary Show and Arena México anniversary shows being second and third). EMLL was supposed to hold the EMLL 52nd Anniversary Show on September 20, 1985 but Mexico City was hit by a magnitude 8.0 earthquake. EMLL canceled the event both because of the general devastation but also over fears that Arena México might not be structurally sound after the earthquake.
When Jim Crockett Promotions was bought by Ted Turner in 1988 EMLL became the oldest still active promotion in the world. In 1991 EMLL was rebranded as "Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre" and thus held the CMLL 59th Anniversary Show, the first under the new name, on September 18, 1992. Traditionally CMLL holds their major events on Friday Nights, replacing their regularly scheduled Super Viernes show.
Storylines.
The event featured seven professional wrestling matches with different wrestlers involved in pre-existing scripted feuds, plots and storylines. Wrestlers were portrayed as either heels (referred to as "rudos" in Mexico, those that portray the "bad guys") or faces ("técnicos" in Mexico, the "good guy" characters) as they followed a series of tension-building events, which culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.
In the weeks following the CMLL 79th Anniversary Show, CMLL began talking about "el camino de 80 Aniversario", or "The road to the 80th Anniversary", making it clear that they were intending to make build to the 80th Anniversary show a priority in the year leading up to the show. During a CMLL press conference on March 21, 2013 long time rivals Atlantis and Último Guerrero talked about their rivalry and then proceeded to sign a match for a "Lucha de Apuestas" but with no specific date mentioned. A "Luchas de Apuestas", or bet match, is the most prestigious match form in Lucha Libre and means that the participants put their wrestling mask on the line and the loser will be forced to remove it after the match and never wrestle wearing it again. The act of signing a "Luchas de Apuestas" match between two of the top ranked CMLL workers without announcing a specific date has let people to speculate that it would take place at the 80th Anniversary show. CMLL officials explained that due to various prior commitment both in Mexico and in Japan and the United States they were not sure when the "Lucha de Apuestas" match could take place, but they wanted to get the contract signed first and then figure out the schedule. The two rivals found themselves on opposite sides in the semi-finals of the 2013 "Gran Alternativa" tournament. The tournament saw Atlantis team up with rookie Hombre Bala Jr. while Último Guerrero teamed up with Guerrero Negro, Jr. After both teams won their first two matches the semi-finals saw Atlantis and Hombre Bala Jr. defeat the two Guerreros to earn a spot in the finals of the tournament. In the week following his tournament victory Atlantis was quoted as saying that "Último Guerrero would look good in my trophy case". During the celebration of Atlantis' 30th anniversary as a wrestler Guerrero appeared after a match to berate Atlantis, which turned out to only be a distraction for the real Último Guerrero to attack Atlantis from behind. The two identically dressed Guerreros proceeded to beat up Atlantis and tear his mask apart. Following the match Último Guerrero introduced his brother "Gran Guerrero".
Volador Jr. and La Sombra, two of CMLL's top "tecnico" wrestlers had been friends and regular tag team partners for years. On January 16, 2009, La Sombra and Volador Jr., dubbed "Super Sky Team" defeated Averno and Mephisto to win the CMLL World Tag Team Championship The dupo would defend the tag team championship eight times through 2009 and 2010. Their teamwork led to them being named the "CMLL Tag Team of the year" for 2009 by the fans of CMLL. In 2010 Volador Jr. became involved in a storyline feud against Místico, who had turned "rudo" for the first time in his career early in 2010. At the same time La Sombra was working a separate storyline with El Felino.On the February 26 CMLL Super Viernes show it was announced that Místico, Volador Jr., La Sombra and El Felino would face off in a four-way "Lucha de Apuesta" match as the main event of the 2010 Homenaje a Dos Leyendas. La Sombra was the first man pinned at Dos Leyendas and El Felino was the second, forcing the two to put their masks on the line. After a long match La Sombra pinned El Felino. After the match he unmasked and announced that his real name was Jorge Luis Casas Ruiz. Following "Dos Leyendas" Místico announced that he was done being a "rúdo" and returned to the "técnico" side, although Volador Jr. kept suspicious of Místico. The storyline between the two cooled off for a bit, but in late May, 2010 tension resumed as Místico and Volador Jr. faced off once again over the Mexican Light Heavyweight Championship, with Volador Jr. retaining the belt. At the 2010 "Sin Salida" the two were on opposite sides of a "Relevos incredibles", Místico teamed with Máscara Dorada and Mr. Águila while Volador Jr. teamed with Averno and Negro Casas. Averno came to the ring wearing the same combined Averno/Místico mask he had worn for the "Parejas Incredibles" tournament and tried to convince Místico to join the "rúdo" side, only to turn around and reveal that both he and Volador Jr. were wearing a combined Averno/Volador Jr. mask underneath. Volador Jr. worked as a "rúdo" throughout the match, losing the match for his team when he tried to cheat but was caught by the referee. Volador Jr,'s status as a "rudo" was cemented at a later show where he attacked his tag team partner La Sombra, tearing La Sombra's mask off in the process. Following the Super Viernes on August 13, 2010 where he attacked La Máscara Volador Jr. began being booked as "rudo", although the on again, off again feud with Místico was put to the side in favor of Volador Jr. facing off against La Sombra. The feud between the two led both wrestlers to be booked in the main event of the CMLL 77th Anniversary Show, a 14-man steel cage "Lucha de Apuesta", mask vs. mask match. Volador Jr. was the 10th man to leave the steel cage, keeping his mask safe. The match came down to La Sombra pinning Olímpico to unmask him. On September 18, Volador Jr. unsuccessfully challenged former partner La Sombra for the NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship, in a match, which received rave reviews.
On January 21 and 22, 2012, Volador Jr. took part in the CMLL and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) co-produced "Fantastica Mania 2012" events in Tokyo. In the main event of the second night, Volador Jr. unsuccessfully challenged La Sombra for the NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship. Later on in 2012 Volador Jr. and La Sombra were forced to team up for the 2013 "Torneo Nacional de Parejas Increibles" tournament, the same tournament that in 2010 was the impetus for Volador Jr.'s "rudo" turn. The rivals put their issues aside for the tournament defeating the teams of Guerrero Maya, Jr. and Negro Casas, La Máscara and Averno and finally Shocker and Mr. Niebla to qualify for the finals of the tournament. On March 15, 2013, at the 2013 "Homenaje a Dos Leyendas" show, Volador Jr. and La Sombra defeated Atlantis and Último Guerrero to win the "Torneo Nacional de Parejas Increibles". The truce between La Sombra and Volador Jr. that allowed them to win the tag team tournament only lasted until the next time the two rivals were in the same ring. On Sunday February 17, 2013 La Sombra teamed up with Marco Corleone and Místico "La Nueva Era" against Volador Jr. Euforia and Último Guerrero. During the match Volador Jr. attacked both La Sombra and the referee, causing a disqualification before leaving the ring and his confused partners behind.
On August 2, it was announced that at the 80th Anniversary Show, Atlantis and Guerrero would team up against two other rivals, La Sombra and Volador Jr., in a "Relevos Suicidas" match, with the winning team advancing to the Mask vs. Mask match in the main event of the show.
Event.
After a build-up that lasted most of 2013, CMLL decided not to actually book Atlantis and Último Guerrero in the Mask vs. Mask main event match as