CMLL 85th Anniversary Show
Promotional poster featuring various CMLL and ROH wrestlers
PromotionConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
DateSeptember 14, 2018
CityMexico City, Mexico
VenueArena México
Event chronology
← Previous
Negro Casas 40th Anniversary Show 		Next →
International Gran Prix
CMLL Anniversary Shows chronology
← Previous
84th Anniversary 		Next →
86th Anniversary

The CMLL 85th Anniversary Show (Spanish: 85. Aniversario de CMLL) was a major professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV), scripted and produced by the Mexican lucha libre wrestling company Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL; Spanish for "World Wrestling Council") that took place on September 14, 2018. The show took place in CMLL's home arena Arena México in Mexico City, Mexico. The show is the biggest show of the year for CMLL, considered their version of the Super Bowl or WrestleMania. The CMLL Anniversary Show is the longest-running annual professional wrestling show.

The main event of the show was a tag team Lucha de Apuestas, or "bet match", where Matt Taven and Volador Jr. faced Rush and Bárbaro Cavernario, in a match where both wrestlers on the losing team have to shave themselves bald after the match. The show features five additional matches, including a match for the CMLL World Trios Championship.

Production

Background

Arena México, CMLL's main venue and location of the 85th Anniversary Show

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.[1] Lutteroth would later become known as "the father of Lucha Libre" .[2] 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.[3] 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.[1][4] 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.[3] 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.[3] 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".[3] On occasion EMLL held more than one show labelled as their "Anniversary" show, such as two 33rd Anniversary Shows in 1966.[3] 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).[1][3][5] 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.[3][6]

When Jim Crockett Promotions was bought by Ted Turner in 1988 EMLL became the oldest still active promotion in the world.[4] 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.[3] Traditionally CMLL holds their major events on Friday Nights, replacing their regularly scheduled Super Viernes show.[5]

With the partnership between Ring of Honor and CMLL this event will air live on Honor Club

Storylines

The 85th Anniversary Show featured six professional wrestling matches scripted by CMLL with some wrestlers involved in scripted feuds. The wrestlers portray either heels (referred to as rudos in Mexico, those that play the part of the "bad guys") or faces (técnicos in Mexico, the "good guy" characters) as they perform.[5]

Reception

Chris Aiken, reviewing the show for the Wrestling Observer, noted that "the show itself delivered on action." but also noted that "The tone and vibe was never on par with some previous CMLL anniversary shows" and concluded that it was "an easily enjoyable card with some great matches."[7]

Results

No.Results[7]StipulationsTimes
1La Jarochita, Marcela and Princesa Sujey defeated Dalys la Caribeña, La Maligna and Reyna IsisSix-woman "Lucha Libre rules" tag team match—
2Ángel de Oro, Audaz and Niebla Roja defeated La Peste Negra (Negro Casas, El Felino) and MephistoSix-man "Lucha Libre rules" tag team match11:41
3Nueva Generación Dinamita (El Cuatrero, Forastero and Sansón) defeated Atlantis, Místico and El SoberanoSix-man "Lucha Libre rules" tag team match—
4The Cl4n (Ciber the Main Man, The Chris and Sharlie Rockstar) defeated Los Guerreros Laguneros (c) (Gran Guerrero, Euforia and Último Guerrero)Six-man "Lucha Libre rules" tag team match for the CMLL World Trios Championship[8]11:32
5Diamante Azul and Los Lucha Bros (King Phoenix and Penta el 0M) defeated Carístico, El Hijo de L.A. Park and L.A. ParkSix-man "Lucha Libre rules" tag team match[9]19:01
6Rush and Bárbaro Cavernario defeated Matt Taven and Volador Jr.Best two-out-of-three falls tag team Lucha de Apuestas, hair vs. hair match[9]23:04
(c) – the champion(s) heading into the match

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Los Lutteroth / the Lutteroths". Lucha Libre: Masked Superstars of Mexican Wrestling. Distributed Art Publishers, Inc. 2005. pp. 20–27. ISBN 968-6842-48-9.
  2. ^ "Wed. Update: Flair in Boston, ratings, Anniversary, White on HHH, DGUSA star on Smackdown, Orton". Figure Four Online /Wrestling Observer. September 21, 2011. Archived from the original on November 27, 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "Historia de Los Aniversarios del CMLL". The Gladiatores Magazine (in Spanish). September 2, 2010. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  4. ^ a b Madigan, Dan (2007). "A family affair". Mondo Lucha Libre: the bizarre & honorable world of wild Mexican wrestling. HarperCollins Publishers. pp. 128–132. ISBN 978-0-06-085583-3.
  5. ^ a b c Madigan, Dan (2007). ""Okay... what is Lucha Libre?"". Mondo Lucha a Go Go: the bizarre & honorable world of wild Mexican wrestling. New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers. p. 31. ISBN 978-0-06-085583-3. featuring clearly distinguished good guys and bad guys, or técnicos and rudos
  6. ^ "52nd Anniversary Show". ProWrestlingHistory. September 19, 1986. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  7. ^ a b Aiken, Chris (September 14, 2018). "CMLL 85. Aniversario live results: hair vs. hair tag team main event". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
  8. ^ Valdés, Apolo (September 14, 2018). "El Clan destronó a los Guerreros, nuevos Campeones de Tercias". MedioTiempo (in Spanish). MSN. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
  9. ^ a b Valdés, Apolo (September 14, 2018). "Con sabor a traición, Rush y Cavernario rapan a Volador Jr. y Matt Taven". MedioTiempo (in Spanish). MSN. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
Categories