CMLL World Middleweight Championship
Current Champion
Negro Casas captured the middleweight championship for the second time on February 14, 2010.
History of Championship
13: Averno defeated Negro Casas for the championship on September 17, 2006, part of Averno's continued rise up the rudo ranks. Averno would end up holding the belt for nearly three years, but it was the same afterthought of a championship as it had been prior. Averno defended the title against younger tecnicos, typically in smaller CMLL arenas.
Averno won the NWA World Middleweight Championship in 2007. CMLL did not unify the two similar championships, treating them instead as distinct titles to be defended separately. In practice, this meant Averno defended the more historically important NWA title, and this championship was ignored until the loss to Fantasma.
14: After Hijo del Fantasma pinned Averno to turn back the title challenge of Averno's Hijo del Averno team and retain the CMLL World Trios Championship for his team, Fantasma challenged Averno to defend his CMLL title next. Averno surprisingly agreed, and Fantasma defeated him the next week for the title. The period from challenge to title win was surprisingly quick, even at a point when 2-4 weeks was the standard. Fantasma became a double CMLL champion upon winning the title, and appears to be the youngest champion ever at 25.
Fantasma's title reign was more a status symbol than an active championship. It was part of Fantasma's general ascension - he was also the CMLL World Trios Champion during his reign - but not very feuded over. The sudden end of his title reign was a mild surprise.
Champions Listing
Sources:
Gallery of Champions