CMLL Universal Tournament
Tournament Details
In June of 2009, CMLL announced a tournament of champions to determine the first ever CMLL Universal Champion. All CMLL normal men's division wrestlers who were current CMLL, NWA (later Historic) or Mexican National champions were able to participate, including tag team and trios champions.
By July 2010, it was finally clear this was meant to be an annual tournament, not a defended championship. It's still unclear if the defending champion automatically receives a birth in the following year's tournament. Reigning Universal champion Ultimo Guerrero was also CMLL World Heavyweight Champion during the second tournament.
The CMLL Universal Tournament appears to have taken the place of the Leyenda de Plata event as the most prestigious tournament of the year.
Champions By Year
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 | |||||||||||||
| Mascara Dorada | Black Warrior | ||||||||||||
| Texano Jr. | Texano Jr. | ||||||||||||
| Hijo del Fantasma | Texano Jr. | ||||||||||||
| Averno | La Sombra | ||||||||||||
| Dragon Rojo Jr. | Averno | ||||||||||||
| La Sombra | La Sombra | ||||||||||||
| Sangre Azteca | Texano Jr. (06/05) | ||||||||||||
| Mephisto | Ultimo Guerrero (06/12) | ||||||||||||
| Hector Garza | Hector Garza | ||||||||||||
| Mistico | Mistico | ||||||||||||
| Ephesto | Mistico | ||||||||||||
| Volador Jr. | Ultimo Guerrero | ||||||||||||
| Ultimo Guerrero | Ultimo Guerrero | ||||||||||||
| La Mascara | Negro Casas | ||||||||||||
| Negro Casas | |||||||||||||
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 | |||||||||||||
| Stuka Jr. | Mascara Dorada | ||||||||||||
| Ultimo Guerrero | Ultimo Guerrero | ||||||||||||
| Averno | Ultimo Guerrero | ||||||||||||
| La Sombra | La Sombra | ||||||||||||
| Mephisto | La Sombra | ||||||||||||
| Texano Jr. | Texano Jr. | ||||||||||||
| Ephesto | La Sombra (07/30) | ||||||||||||
| Metro | Jushin Lyger (08/06) | ||||||||||||
| Hector Garza | Hector Garza | ||||||||||||
| Jushin Lyger | Jushin Lyger | ||||||||||||
| Negro Casas | Jushin Lyger | ||||||||||||
| Volador Jr. | La Mascara | ||||||||||||
| Valiente | Volador Jr. | ||||||||||||
| La Mascara | La Mascara | ||||||||||||
| 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 | La Mascara | ||||||||||||
| Volador Jr. | 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 | ||||||||||||
| 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 6th.
