CMLL Universal Tournament: Difference between revisions
| Line 61: | Line 61: | ||
|[[Terrible]] | |[[Terrible]] | ||
|[[Mexican National Heavyweight Championship]] | |[[Mexican National Heavyweight Championship]] | ||
|- | |||
|[[#2020|2020]] | |||
| | |||
|No Tournament Held (pandemic) | |||
|- | |||
|[[#2021|2021]] | |||
| | |||
|No Tournament Held (pandemic) | |||
|- | |||
|[[#2022|2022]] | |||
| | |||
|ongoing | |||
|} | |} | ||
Revision as of 14:04, 9 April 2022
Tournament Details
The CMLL Universal Tournament took the Leyenda de Plata event as the annual most prestigious CMLL tournament. It includes most (though not all) of CMLL's top wrestlers in a three week sixteen man single elimination tournament. Champions are drawn into two blocks and seeded by battle royal. The winner of each block face on the third week in a full three falls no time limit match. The winner of the tournament is awarded a red and gold belt, though the championship is not defended thru the year.
Any CMLL men's division world or national champion is eligible for the tournament. The champions included are the CMLL set of championships (Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, Heavyweight, Tag Team, Trios), the NWA Historic Championships (Welterweight, Middleweight, Light Heavyweight) and the Mexican National Championships held by CMLL men's luchadors (Welterweight, Light Heavyweight, Trios). In 2019, the Mexican National Heavyweight Championship was added to the list. The Mexican National Lightweight Championship may also now be considered, though no reigning champion has entered the Universal tournament yet.
The field is strictly for sixteen luchadors. Originally, CMLL had a maximum of eighteen possible champions for sixteen spots. That would lead to some wrestlers winning two or even three championships sometime during the year strictly for the purpose of having the right number of champions. In other years, a healthy champion has been quietly left out of the tournament. The increased number of champions starting in 2019 meant multiple champions were left out for the first time.
In addition to the listed champions, CMLL offered a spot to the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on two occasions as an explaination to include Hiroshi Tanahashi. Lesser championships have been used as explanations for injury replacements. Okumrua used the Arena Coliseo Tag Team Champion to fill in for Diamante Azul in 2013. Diamante Azul used the Occidente Heavyweight Championship in 2017 when Atlantis suffered a knee injury.
The couple months prior to the tournament frequently see title changes to shape the field for the tournament, both in getting the right people in and ending up at the right number. Winning the tournament is considered a major achievement in CMLL. The Universal tournament was moved to the August/September time frame after it's first year, and was frequently been used as a springboard for CMLL Anniversario matches.
Champions By Year
| Year | Wrestler | Championship Held |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Ultimo Guerrero | CMLL World Heavyweight Championship |
| 2010 | Jushin Lyger | CMLL World Middleweight Championship |
| 2011 | La Sombra | NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship |
| 2012 | Terrible | CMLL World Heavyweight Championship |
| 2013 | Tanahashi | CMLL World Tag Team Championship |
| 2014 | Ultimo Guerrero (2) | CMLL World Trios Championship |
| 2015 | Atlantis | Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship |
| 2016 | Valiente | CMLL World Trios Championship |
| 2017 | Volador Jr. | CMLL World Trios Championship & NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship |
| 2018 | No Tournament Held | |
| 2019 | Terrible | Mexican National Heavyweight Championship |
| 2020 | No Tournament Held (pandemic) | |
| 2021 | No Tournament Held (pandemic) | |
| 2022 | ongoing |
2009
CMLL originally announced a 14 man field. By the time of the first block of the bracket (all of which was held in Arena Mexico), the field had expanded to 16, with some changes to the list of participants.
Champions At Time Of Tournament
When the tournament was announced...
- Sombra held the NWA World Welterweight Championship. Mephisto defeated him on May 27, 2009, in Acapulco to earn a birth in the tournament. Sombra stayed in, with the tag team championship
- Mistico was not included despite holding the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship. There was no explanation why, nor one when he was added to the tournament later on.
- Rey Bucanero held the CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship, but lost it to Ephesto. Ephesto took his spot in the tournament.
Tournament
| Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | ||||||||||
| Black Warrior | W | ||||||||||||
| Mascara Dorada | Black Warrior | ||||||||||||
| Texano Jr. | W | Texano Jr. | W | June 5 | |||||||||
| Hijo del Fantasma | Texano Jr. | W | |||||||||||
| Averno | W | La Sombra | |||||||||||
| Dragon Rojo Jr. | Averno | ||||||||||||
| La Sombra | W | La Sombra | W | June 19 | |||||||||
| Sangre Azteca | Texano Jr. | ||||||||||||
| Mephisto | Ultimo Guerrero | W | |||||||||||
| Hector Garza | W | Hector Garza | |||||||||||
| Mistico | W | Mistico | W | June 12 | |||||||||
| Ephesto | Mistico | ||||||||||||
| Volador Jr. | Ultimo Guerrero | W | |||||||||||
| Ultimo Guerrero | W | Ultimo Guerrero | W | ||||||||||
| La Mascara | Negro Casas | ||||||||||||
| Negro Casas | W | ||||||||||||
2010
This year's tournament started on July 30th, with the second block on August 6th, and the final on August 13th. The tournament was won by NJPW's Jushin Lyger, defeating La Sombra in a three falls match.
Champions At Time Of Tournament
Tournament
| Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | ||||||||||
| Mascara Dorada | W | ||||||||||||
| Stuka Jr. | Mascara Dorada | ||||||||||||
| Ultimo Guerrero | W | Ultimo Guerrero | W | July 30 | |||||||||
| Averno | Ultimo Guerrero | ||||||||||||
| La Sombra | W | La Sombra | W | ||||||||||
| Mephisto | La Sombra | W | |||||||||||
| Texano Jr. | W | Texano Jr. | August 13 | ||||||||||
| Ephesto | La Sombra | ||||||||||||
| Metro | Jushin Lyger | W | |||||||||||
| Hector Garza | W | Hector Garza | |||||||||||
| Jushin Lyger | W | Jushin Lyger | W | August 6 | |||||||||
| Negro Casas | Jushin Lyger | W | |||||||||||
| Volador Jr. | W | La Mascara | |||||||||||
| Valiente | Volador Jr. | ||||||||||||
| La Mascara | W | La Mascara | W | ||||||||||
| Mr. Aguila | |||||||||||||
2011
This year's tournament started on September 2nd, with the second block on September 9th, and the final on September 16th.
Champions At Time Of Tournament
Lyger did not participate in the opening rounds of the tournament, not arriving in Mexico until the time of the finals. Fellow NJPW wrestler Hiroshi Tanahashi, who held the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, took his place.
After the tournament was announced, and before their participation, Ultimo Guerrero and Dragon Rojo Jr. kept their spot in the tournament and the CMLL World Tag Team Championship over Atlantis & Guerrero Maya Jr. on September 2th. Virus also kept the CMLL World Super Lightweight Championship over Stuka Jr.
Tournament
| Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | ||||||||||
| Diamante | W | ||||||||||||
| Polvora | Diamante | ||||||||||||
| La Sombra | W | La Sombra | W | ||||||||||
| Angel de Oro | La Sombra | W | |||||||||||
| Rey Bucanero | W | Rey Bucanero | |||||||||||
| Hector Garza | Rey Bucanero | W | |||||||||||
| Mephisto | W | Mephisto | |||||||||||
| Ephesto | La Sombra | W | |||||||||||
| Rush | Averno | ||||||||||||
| Ultimo Guerrero | W | Ultimo Guerrero | W | ||||||||||
| Mascara Dorada | Tanahashi | ||||||||||||
| Tanahashi | W | Ultimo Guerrero | W | ||||||||||
| Virus | Averno | ||||||||||||
| Averno | W | Averno | W | ||||||||||
| Dragon Rojo Jr. | La Mascara | ||||||||||||
| La Mascara | W | ||||||||||||
Finals
The finals of the tournament took place on September 16, 2011, and saw La Sombra defeat Averno two falls to one to become the 2011 Universal Champion.
2012
This year's tournament started on August 17th, with the second block on August 24th, and the final on August 31st.
Champions At Time Of Tournament
Prince Devitt, a member of NJPW, was not in Mexico for the tournament and did not participate. Virus, world lightweight champion, also did not participate for reasons not explained. He became the first regular CMLL champion to skip the tournament.
Tanahashi, once again the IWGP Heavyweight Champion, again entered the tournament (taking Virus' spot.)
None of the prior three Universal Tournament winners held a championship at the time of the tournament. La Mascara & Mascara Dorada are left as the only two luchadors to have participated in all Universal tournaments, after many familiar names did not qualify.
Tournament
| Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | ||||||||||
| Mascara Dorada | W | ||||||||||||
| Black Warrior | Mascara Dorada | ||||||||||||
| Terrible | W | Terrible | W | August 17 | |||||||||
| Mr. Aguila | Terrible | W | |||||||||||
| Rush | W | Rush | |||||||||||
| Rey Bucanero | Rush | W | |||||||||||
| Atlantis | W | Atlantis | |||||||||||
| Negro Casas | Terrible | W | |||||||||||
| Marco Corleone | Tanahashi | ||||||||||||
| Tanahashi | W | Tanahashi | W | ||||||||||
| Polvora | Diamante Azul | August 24 | |||||||||||
| Diamante Azul | W | Tanahashi | W | ||||||||||
| Dragon Rojo | Volador Jr. | ||||||||||||
| La Mascara | W | La Mascara | |||||||||||
| Volador Jr. | W | Volador Jr. | W | ||||||||||
| Maximo | |||||||||||||
Finals
The finals of the tournament took place on August 31st, with Terrible defeating Tanahashi.
2013
This year's tournament started on August 23rd, with the second block on August 30th, and the final on September 7th.
Champions At Time Of Tournament
Jushin Liger, a member of NJPW, was not in Mexico for the tournament and did not participate.
Diamante Azul was scheduled to participate in Block B, but was apparently hurt during the week. Okumura, presenting the Arena Coliseo Tag Team Championship appeared in his place and became the first luchador only holding that championship to be in the tournament.
La Mascara & Mascara Dorada continued their streak of being in every year's tournament.
Tournament
| Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | ||||||||||
| Rush | W | ||||||||||||
| Terrible | Rush | W | |||||||||||
| La Mascara | W | La Mascara | August 23 | ||||||||||
| Mascara Dorada | Rush | W | |||||||||||
| Rey Escorpion | W | Rey Escorpion | |||||||||||
| Averno | Rey Escorpion | W | |||||||||||
| Mistico | W | Mistico | |||||||||||
| Polvora | Rush | ||||||||||||
| Titan | Tanahashi | W | |||||||||||
| Dragon Rojo Jr. | W | Dragon Rojo Jr. | |||||||||||
| Tanahashi | W | Tanahashi | W | August 30 | |||||||||
| Okumura | Tanahashi | W | |||||||||||
| Mephisto | La Sombra | ||||||||||||
| La Sombra | W | La Sombra | W | ||||||||||
| Virus | W | Virus | |||||||||||
| Valiente | |||||||||||||
Finals
The finals of the tournament took place on September 6, with Tanahashi defeating Rush.
2014
This year's tournament started on August 15th, with the second block on August 22nd, and the final on August 29th.
Champions At Time Of Tournament
Mistico II missed the tournament due to an injury suffered in May.
La Mascara & Mascara Dorada both ended their record of appearing in every tournament. Dorada, Valiente and Stuka Jr. challenged Mr. Niebla, Felino and Negro Casas for the national trios championship on August 17th, after Casas & Felino had been eliminated but before Mr. Niebla had competed. Peste Negra retained, and it remained unclear if one of the challengers would taken Niebla's spot in the tournament had he lost.
Tournament
| Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | ||||||||||
| Euforia | W | ||||||||||||
| Terrible | Euforia | ||||||||||||
| Felino | Shocker | W | August 15 | ||||||||||
| Shocker | W | Shocker | |||||||||||
| Rey Escorpión | La Sombra | W | |||||||||||
| La Sombra | W | La Sombra | W | ||||||||||
| Negro Casas | W | Negro Casas | August 29 | ||||||||||
| Mephisto | La Sombra | ||||||||||||
| Ultimo Guerrero | W | Ultimo Guerrero | W | ||||||||||
| Mr. Niebla | Ultimo Guerrero | W | |||||||||||
| Dragon Rojo Jr. | W | Dragon Rojo Jr. | August 22 | ||||||||||
| Virus | Ultimo Guerrero | W | |||||||||||
| Niebla Roja | Volador Jr. | ||||||||||||
| Diamante Azul | W | Diamante Azul | |||||||||||
| Titan | Volador Jr. | W | |||||||||||
| Volador Jr. | W | ||||||||||||
Finals
Ultimo Guerrero defeated La Sombra on August 29th to win the championship for the second time.
2015
This year's tournament started on October 2nd, with the second block on October 9th, and the final on October 16th.
Champions At Time Of Tournament
Mascara Dorada missed the tournament as part of his year long loan to NJPW.
Tournament
| Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | ||||||||||
| Último Guerrero | W | ||||||||||||
| Rey Bucanero | Bárbaro Cavernario | ||||||||||||
| Dragón Rojo Jr. | Último Guerrero | W | October 2 | ||||||||||
| Bárbaro Cavernario | W | Shocker | |||||||||||
| Dragon Lee | W | Último Guerrero | W | ||||||||||
| Luciferno | W | Shocker | W | ||||||||||
| Ángel de Oro | Dragon Lee | October 16 | |||||||||||
| Shocker | W | Último Guerrero | |||||||||||
| Mephisto | W | Atlantis | W | ||||||||||
| Ephesto | Místico II | ||||||||||||
| Místico II | W | Mephisto | October 9 | ||||||||||
| Valiente | Atlantis | W | |||||||||||
| Volador Jr. | W | Mephisto | |||||||||||
| Máximo | Volador Jr. | ||||||||||||
| Atlantis | W | Atlantis | W | ||||||||||
| Negro Casas | |||||||||||||
Finals
Atlantis defeated Último Guerrero on October 16th to win the championship.
2016
This year's tournament started on October 14th, with the second block on October 21st, and the final on October 28th.
Champions At Time Of Tournament
Barbaro Cavernario (former Mexican National Welterweight Championship) was listed in Block A, but replaced a few days later by Rey Cometa.
Blocks
| Block A (10/14) | Block B (10/21) |
|---|---|
| Mistico | La Mascara |
| Último Guerrero | Dragón Rojo Jr. |
| Negro Casas | Dragon Lee |
| Máximo Sexy | Volador Jr. |
| Valiente | Ephesto |
| Rey Cometa | Luciferno |
| Mephisto | Rey Bucanero |
| Shocker | Atlantis |
Tournament
| Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | ||||||||||
| Máximo Sexy | W | ||||||||||||
| Rey Cometa | Valiente | W | |||||||||||
| Valiente | W | Máximo Sexy | October 14 | ||||||||||
| Negro Casas | Valiente | W | |||||||||||
| Último Guerrero | W | Último Guerrero | |||||||||||
| Mistico | W | Último Guerrero | W | ||||||||||
| Shocker | W | Shocker | October 28 | ||||||||||
| Mephisto | Valiente | W | |||||||||||
| Luciferno | Volador Jr. | ||||||||||||
| Dragón Lee | W | Dragón Lee | |||||||||||
| Ephesto | La Mascara | October 21 | |||||||||||
| La Mascara | W | La Mascara | |||||||||||
| Volador Jr. | W | Volador Jr. | W | ||||||||||
| Dragón Rojo Jr. | Volador Jr. | W | |||||||||||
| Atlantis | W | Atlantis | |||||||||||
| Rey Bucanero | |||||||||||||
Finals
Valiente defeated Volador Jr. on October 28th to win the championship.
2017
This year's tournament started on June 30th, with the second block on July 7th, and the final on July 14th.
Champions At Time Of Tournament
Atlantis was announced as participating in the July 7/Block B phase of the tournament but was announced out of the tournament on July 5th due to a right knee injury. Diamante Azul, holder of the Occidente Heavyweight Championship, was announced his replacement.
Blocks
| Block A
(06/30) |
Block B
(07/07) |
|---|---|
| Volador Jr. | Soberano Jr. |
| Angel de Oro | Último Guerrero |
| Negro Casas | Soberano Jr. |
| Dragon Lee | Niebla Roja |
| Valiente | Ephesto |
| Luciferno | Marco Corleone |
| Hechicero | Mephisto |
| Shocker | Diamante Azul |
Tournament
| Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | ||||||||||
| Valiente | |||||||||||||
| Shocker | W | Shocker | |||||||||||
| Hechicero | Volador Jr. | W | June 30 | ||||||||||
| Volador Jr. | W | Volador Jr. | W | ||||||||||
| Ángel de Oro | Negro Casas | ||||||||||||
| Negro Casas | W | Negro Casas | W | ||||||||||
| Dragón Lee | W | Dragón Lee | July 14 | ||||||||||
| Luciferno | Volador Jr. | W | |||||||||||
| Ephesto | Último Guerrero | ||||||||||||
| Diamante Azul | W | Diamante Azul | |||||||||||
| Marco Corleone | Último Guerrero | W | July 7 | ||||||||||
| Último Guerrero | W | Último Guerrero | W | ||||||||||
| Mephisto | Niebla Roja | ||||||||||||
| Mistico | W | Mistico | |||||||||||
| Niebla Roja | W | Niebla Roja | W | ||||||||||
| Soberano Jr. | |||||||||||||
Finals
Volador defeated Ultimo Guerrero on July 14th.
2019
CMLL alluded to a Universal tournament taking place in 2018, but none took place. The tournament returned in early 2019
This year's tournament started on February 1st, with the second block on February 8th, and the final on February 15th.
Champions At Time Of Tournament
Euforia also held the CMLL World Trios Championship. No reason was given for his exclusion. CMLL has an unpublicized policy not allowing sons and fathers to be on opposite sides of matches, which may have led to CMLL choosing to decide to include Soberano Jr. over his father.
The Mexican National Heavyweight Championship was reactivated in 2018. This was the first edition where the championship was included.
This is also the first edition where the Mexican National Lightweight Championship may have been considered. The reigning champion, Electrico, moved from the mini division to the main division in 2018. However, the championship has not been defended or even mentioned much in CMLL since the move.
Blocks
| Block A
(02/01) |
Block B
(02/08) |
|---|---|
| Carístico | Volador Jr. |
| Barbaro Cavernario | Soberano Jr. |
| Dragón Lee | Último Guerrero |
| Valiente | Niebla Roja |
| Stuka Jr. | Cuatrero |
| Terrible | Sansón |
| Gran Guerrero | Mephisto |
| Forastero | Diamante Azul |
Tournament
| Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | ||||||||||
| Terrible | W | ||||||||||||
| Stuka Jr. | Terrible | W | |||||||||||
| Gran Guerrero | W | Gran Guerrero | February 1 | ||||||||||
| Valiente | Terrible | W | |||||||||||
| Dragón Lee | W | Dragón Lee | |||||||||||
| Forastero | Dragón Lee | W | |||||||||||
| Caristico | W | Caristico | February 15 | ||||||||||
| Cavernario | Terrible | W | |||||||||||
| Último Guerrero | W | Niebla Roja | |||||||||||
| Diamante Azul | Ultimo Guerrero | W | |||||||||||
| Cuatrero | W | Cuatrero | February 8 | ||||||||||
| Soberano Jr. | Niebla Roja | W | |||||||||||
| Niebla Roja | W | Ultimo Guerrero | |||||||||||
| Mephisto | Niebla Roja | W | |||||||||||
| Volador Jr. | W | Volador Jr. | |||||||||||
| Sansón | |||||||||||||
