Torneo Gran Alternativa (2019)
Poster for the October 18 tournament final show
PromotionConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Date
  • October 4, 2019
  • October 11, 2019
  • October 19, 2019
CityMexico City, Mexico
VenueArena México
Tagline(s)El Trampolín al Estrellato
("The springboard to the stars")
Event chronology
← Previous
CMLL 86th Anniversary Show 		Next →
CMLL Día de Muertos
Torneo Gran Alternativa chronology
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2018 		Next →
2020

The Torneo Gran Alternativa 2019 was professional wrestling tournament produced by the Mexican wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLLl; Spanish "World Wrestling Council") that ran from October 4, 2019, over the course of three of CMLL's Friday night shows in Arena México, and end of October 18. The Torneo Gran Alternativa (Great alternative tournament) concept sees a Novato or rookie team up with an experienced wrestler for a tag team tournament. The rookie winner is often elevated up the ranks of CMLL as a result of winning the tournament, but there is no specific "prize" for winning the tournament beyond a symbolic trophy.

The 2019 tournament was the 24th Gran Alternativa tournament that CMLL has held since its inception in 1994. Block A saw rookie Fugaz and veteran Místico qualify for the finals. Rookie Star Jr. and veteran Valiente won block B to set up the finals for October 18, which were won by Star Jr. and Valiente

History

Starting in 1994 the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) created a special tournament concept where they would team up a novato, or rookie, with a veteran for a single-elimination tag team tournament.[1][2] The tournament was called El Torneo Gran Alternativa, or "The Great Alternative Tournament" and became a recurring event on the CMLL calendar. CMLL did not hold a Gran Alternativa tournament in 1997 and 2000 held on each year from 2001 through 2014, opting not to hold a tournament in 2015. The 2019 Gran Alternativa tournament was the 21st overall Gran Alternativa tournament. All tournaments have been held in Arena México, CMLL's main venue and has taken place on Friday nights, with the 2016 tournament being the only time the Gran Alternativa was held on Tuesday nights.[3] The 2019 Gran Alternativa tournament was the 24th tournament held by CMLL in the 25 years since the first installment.[3]

Tournament background

The tournament featured 15 professional wrestling matches with different wrestlers teaming up, some of which were involved in pre-existing scripted feuds or storylines while others are simply paired up for the tournament. Wrestlers portrayed either villains (referred to as Rudos in Mexico) or fan favorites (Técnicos in Mexico) as they competed in wrestling matches with pre-determined outcomes. The tournament format follows CMLL's traditional tournament formats, with two qualifying blocks of eight teams that compet in the first and second week of the tournament and a final match between the two block winners. The qualifying blocks are one-fall matches while the tournament finals is a best two-out-of-three-falls tag team match. Each qualifying block starts with all 8 Novatos competing in a "seeding" battle royal to determine the brackets for the block.[4]

Gran Alternativa participants
Block Rookie Veteran Ref(s)
Block A Arkalis Stuka Jr. [4][5]
Block A El Coyote El Terrible [4][5]
Block A Difunto Último Guerrero [4][5]
Block A Dulce Gardenia Volador Jr. [4][5]
Block A Espíritu Negro Mr. Niebla [4][5]
Block A Fugaz Místico [4][5]
Block A Grako Mephisto [4][5]
Block A Retro Diamante Azul [4][5]
Block B Akuma Euforia [6]
Block B Espanto Jr. Bárbaro Cavernario [6]
Block B Furia Roja Gran Guerrero [6]
Block B Magia Blanca Niebla Roja [6]
Block B Sonic Ángel de Oro [6]
Block B Súper Astro Jr. Titán [6]
Block B Star Jr. Valiente [6]
Block B Yago Negro Casas [6]

Of all Group A participants, only El Coyote and Espíritu Negro had participated in previous Gran Alternativa tournaments, in 2018 and 2014 respectively.[7][8] The remaining six rookies made their tournament debut in 2019. Four of the eight veterans in Group A had previously won one or more Gran Alternativa tournaments. Último Guerrero has won three (1999, 2008 and 2011), the first as a rookie and the remaining as a veteran.[9][10][11] Volador Jr. has won the second most tournaments, winning both the 2018 and the 2016 tournaments.[7][12] El Terrible won the 2012 tournament and Mr. Niebla won the 2014 tournaments,[8][13] While Diamante Azul, Mephisto, Místico, and Stuka Jr. have all participated before but never won the tournament.

Tournament

Tournament brackets

Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
El Coyote and El Terrible W
Grako and Mephisto [4][5] El Coyote and El Terrible [4][5]
Dulce Gardenia and Volador Jr. W Dulce Gardenia and Volador Jr. W
Espíritu Negro and Mr. Niebla [4][5] Dulce Gardenia and Volador Jr. [4][5]
Fugaz and Místico W Fugaz and Místico W
Arkalis and Stuka Jr. [4][5] Fugaz and Místico W
Difunto and Último Guerrero W Difunto and Último Guerrero [4][5]
Retro and Diamante Azul [4][5] Fugaz and Místico [16]
Bárbaro Cavernario & Espanto Jr. W Star Jr. and Valiente W
Sonic and Ángel de Oro [14][15] Espanto Jr. and Bárbaro Cavernario W
Súper Astro Jr. and Titán W Súper Astro Jr. and Titán [14][15]
Yago and Negro Casas [14][15] Espanto Jr. and Bárbaro Cavernario [14][15]
Furia Roja and Gran Guerrero W Star Jr. and Valiente W
Magia Blanca and Niebla Roja [14][15] Furia Roja and Gran Guerrero [14][15]
Star Jr. and Valiente W Star Jr. and Valiente W
Akuma and Euforia [14][15]

Tournament shows

October 4 Super Viernes

No.Results[4][5]StipulationsTimes
1La Seductora and Reyna Isis defeated La Magnifica and SiluetaBest two-out-of-three falls tag team match16:47
2Esfinge, Guerrero Maya Jr., and Rey Cometa defeated Dark Magic, Okumura, and VangellysSix-man "Lucha Libre rules" tag team match15:37
3Templario defeated Soberano Jr.Singles match14:02
4Bárbaro Cavernario, El Cuatrero, and El Hijo del Villano III defeated Flyer, Titán, and ValienteSix-man "Lucha Libre rules" tag team match13:02
5Retro and Difunto defeated Arkalis, El Coyote, Dulce Gardenia, Espíritu Negro, Grako, Retro, and FugazGran Alternativa 2019 seeding battle royal03:57
6El Coyote and El Terrible defeated Grako and MephistoGran Alternativa 2019 first round tag team match06:18
7Dulce Gardenia and Volador Jr. defeated Espíritu Negro and Mr. NieblaGran Alternativa 2019 first round tag team match06:41
8Fugaz and Místico defeated Arkalis and Stuka Jr.Gran Alternativa 2019 first round tag team match03:56
9Difunto and Último Guerrero defeated Retro and Diamante AzulGran Alternativa 2019 first round tag team match02:11
10Dulce Gardenia and Volador Jr. defeated El Coyote and El TerribleGran Alternativa 2019 Quarter final tag team match04:22
11Fugaz and Místico defeated Difunto and Último GuerreroGran Alternativa 2019 Quarter final tag team match02:05
12Fugaz and Místico defeated Dulce Gardenia and Volador Jr.Gran Alternativa 2019 Semi-final tag team match07:03
13Los Guerreros del Infierno (Euforia and Gran Guerrero) (c) defeated Los Hermanos Chávez (Ángel de Oro and Niebla Roja)Best two-out-of-three falls tag team match for the CMLL World Tag Team Championship12:14
(c) – the champion(s) heading into the match

October 11 Super Viernes

No.Results[14][15][17]StipulationsTimes
1Espíritu Negro and Grako defeated Eléctrico and Príncipe DiamanteBest two-out-of-three falls tag team match04:49
2Átomo, El Gallito, and Microman defeated Chamuel, El Guapito, and Perico Zacarías by disqualificationSix-man "Lucha Libre rules" tag team match13:19
3El Felino defeated Rey CometaLighting match (Singles match, 10 minute time limit)07:30
4Atlantis, Atlantis Jr., and Audaz defeated Hechicero, El Hijo del Villano III, and Mr. NieblaSix-man "Lucha Libre rules" tag team match10:07
5Akuma and Star Jr. defeated Espanto Jr., Furia Roja, Magia Blanca, Sonic., Súper Astro Jr. and YagoGran Alternativa 2019 seeding battle royal01:50
6Espanto Jr. and Bárbaro Cavernario defeated Sonic and Ángel de OroGran Alternativa 2019 first round tag team match06:09
7Súper Astro Jr. and Titán defeated Yago and Negro CasasGran Alternativa 2019 first round tag team match06:13
8Furia Roja and Gran Guerrero defeated Magia Blanca and Niebla RojaGran Alternativa 2019 first round tag team match05:25

October 18 Super Viernes

No.Results[18][19]StipulationsTimes
1Pequeño Nitro and Pierrothito defeated Angelito and FantasyBest two-out-of-three falls tag team match14:13
2Black Panther and Blue Panther Jr.) and Pegasso defeated Misterioso Jr., Okumura, and SagradoSix-man "Lucha Libre rules" tag team match10:11
3Rey Cometa defeated StigmaLighting match (Singles match, 10 minute time limit)05:59
4Nueva Generacion Dinamitas (El Cuatrero, Forastero, and Sansón) defeated Atlantis Jr., Audaz, and Soberano Jr.Six-man "Lucha Libre rules" tag team match22:27
5Ángel de Oro, Carístico, and Diamante Azul defeated Los Guerreros Laguneros (Euforia, Gran Guerrero, and Último Guerrero)Six-man "Lucha Libre rules" tag team match10:42
6Star Jr. and Valiente defeated Fugaz and Místico2019 Gran Alternativa tournament final17:42

References

  1. ^ "CMLL Gran Alternativa #1". Pro Wrestling History. December 30, 1994. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
  2. ^ Flores, Manuel (July 18, 2008). "Histórico de ganadores del torneo: La Gran Alternativa". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Retrieved September 5, 2009.
  3. ^ a b "CMLL Gran Alternativa History". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q López Escalona, Arturo (October 5, 2019). "Místico y Fugaz eliminan a Volador Jr. y Dulce Gardenia" [Místico and Fugaz eliminate Volador Jr. and Dulce Gardenia]. ESTO Enlina (in Spanish). Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Gran Guerrero y Euforia retienen sus campeonatos ante Niebla Roja y Ángel de Oro" [Gran Guerrero and Euforia retain their championship against Niebla Roja and Ángel de Oro]. Marca (in Spanish). October 5, 2019. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Arena México (October 5, 2019). "ARENA MÉXICO VIERNES 11 de Octubre '19" (in Spanish). Twitter. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  7. ^ a b Rosas Plata, Arturo (May 19, 2018). "¡Se apareció L.A Park!". Ovaciones (in Spanish). Retrieved July 29, 2018.
  8. ^ a b "Resultados - Viernes 14 de Febrero '14". Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (in Spanish). February 15, 2014. Archived from the original on March 27, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
  9. ^ "CMLL Gran Alternativa #6". Pro Wrestling History. April 2, 1999. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
  10. ^ "CMLL Gran Alternativa #14". Pro Wrestling History. July 18, 2008. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
  11. ^ Salazar López, Alexis A. (April 8, 2011). "La Gran Alternativa 2011 fue para Escorpión y Último Guerrero !!". Estrellas del Ring (in Spanish). Retrieved April 10, 2011.
  12. ^ "Volador y Esfinge ganan la Gran Alternativa". Plantilla Deportivo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  13. ^ Ruiz Glez, Alex (April 14, 2012). "Terrible y Euforia ganadores del Torneo la Gran Alternativa 2012". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Retrieved April 15, 2012.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h "Carístico le da la victoria a los técnicos ante Último Guerrero y los Dinamita". Marca (in Spanish). October 11, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h "Valiente y Star Jr., a la final". Ovaciones (in Spanish). October 11, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
  16. ^ López Escalona, Arturo (October 19, 2019). "Star Jr y El Valiente ganaron La Gran Alternativa del CMLL". ESTO (in Spanish). Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  17. ^ López Escalona, Arturo (October 12, 2019). "El Valiente y Star Jr, finalistas de La Gran Alternativa". ESTO (in Spanish). Retrieved October 15, 2019.
  18. ^ Martinez Lopez, Uriel (October 19, 2019). "Star Jr. se adueno de la Gran Alternativa del Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre" (in Spanish). TUDN. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  19. ^ "Valiente y Star Jr., ganadores del Torneo de La Gran Alternativa". Marca Claro (in Spanish). October 19, 2019. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
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