CMLL Universal Championship
The CMLL Universal Championship (Campeonato Universal in Spanish) is an annual lucha libre tournament held by the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) since 2009. The tournament format is a "tournament of champions" with all all officially recognized male CMLL Champions at the time of the tournament participating. The Universal Championship is not defended throughout the year like a traditional tournament, but is a title akin to the FIFA World Cup that is held until the next tournament.
Tournament winners
Tournament history
The Universal Championship tournament was created in 2009 to replace the Leyenda de Plata as CMLL's top tournament of the year. The Leyenda de Plata commemorated El Santo, a legend in lucha libre, but when CMLL and El Santo's son, El Hijo del Santo had a very public falling out in 2008 they decided to no longer run the annual Leyenda de Plata tournament. They came up with the concept of the Universal Championship tournament, a tournament exclusively for CMLL champions. The first Universal Championship tournament took place over three shows in June, with the June 5, 2009 Super Viernes and June 12, 2009 Super Viernes each hosting a three round block of the tournament and the June 19, 2009 Super Viernes featuring the finals as its main event. On June 19, 2009 CMLL World Heavyweight Champion, and one of the tournament favorites, Último Guerrero defeated El Texano, Jr. the reigning NWA World Light Heavyweight Champion.[1][4][5] CMLL later announced the 2010 Universal Championship, confirming that it will indeed be an annual event.[6] The second annual Universal Championship tournament started on July 30, 2010, ended on August 13 and saw New Japan Pro Wrestling representative and CMLL World Middleweight Champion Jushin "Thunder" Liger defeat CMLL World Trios Champion La Sombra to become the 2010 Universal Champion.[2] The 2011 edition started on September 2, ended on September 16 and saw La Sombra, now the NWA World Historic Welterweight Champion, come back to defeat CMLL World Trios Champion Averno in the finals to win the tournament.[3]
References
- ^ a b Rivera, Manuel (June 22, 2009). "Ultimo Guerrero, Campeon Universal" (in Spanish). SuperLuchas Magazine (Mexico City, Mexico: CAMSAN Impresores, S.A. de C.V.): pp. 3–5. Issue 320. http://superluchas.net/2009/06/26/super-luchas-320-22-junio-2009-ultimo-guerrero-campeon-universal-santo-rescata-aaa-doctor-wagner-jr-mega-campeon-dos-caras-jr-firmo-contrato-con-wwe/. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
- ^ a b Rivera, Manuel (August 14, 2010). "Resultados Arena México (13 agosto 2010): ¡Liger, Campeón Universal! ¿14 luchadores a la jaula del 3 de septiembre?" (in Spanish). SuperLuchas Magazine. http://superluchas.net/2010/08/14/resultados-arena-mexico-13-agosto-2010-%c2%a1liger-campeon-universal-%c2%bf14-luchadores-a-la-jaula-del-3-de-septiembre/. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
- ^ a b "La Sombra, Campeón Universal" (in Spanish). Récord. September 16, 2011. http://www.record.com.mx/luchalibre/2011-09-16/la-sombra-campeon-universal. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
- ^ Rivera, Manuel (June 20, 2009). "CMLL Arena Mexico resultados 19 Junio 2009 Ultimo Guerrero primer Campeon Universal CMLL Dark Angel gana el match relampago" (in Spanish). SuperLuchas Magazine. http://superluchas.net/2009/06/20/cmll-arena-mexico-resultados-19-junio-2009-ultimo-guerrero-primer-campeon-universal-cmll-dark-angel-gana-el-match-relampago/. Retrieved July 16, 2010.
- ^ Rosas, Arturo Plata (June 20, 2009). "Sangre de campeón!" (in Spanish). Ovaciones (Mexico, D.F.: Editorial Ovaciones, S. A. de C.V.): p. 24. Número 21623 Año LXII. http://itecor.v1.myvirtualpaper.com/20062009/2009062001/en/?page=24. Retrieved May 5, 2010.
- ^ Zellner, Kris (July 18, 2010). "Lucha Report For 7/18/10". Lucha World. http://www.luchaworld.com/?p=4749. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
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