Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre

Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) is a lucha libre promotion based in Mexico City while running cards in Guadalajara and Puebla. The promotion is also referred to by its previous name Empresa Mexicana de la Lucha Libre (EMLL). It is currently the oldest promotion still in existence.

Related Topics:
Lucha libre - Mexico City - Guadalajara - Puebla

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The promotion was founded by "The Father of Lucha Libre" Salvador Lutteroth Gonzales when he ran a card under the banner of EMLL in 1933. The promotion flourished and quickly became the premier spot for workers. If you were big in Mexico City, you were considered a star. With stars like El Santo, Bobby Bonales, Tarzán Lopez and Gory Guerrero (father of Eddie Guerrero), "La Empressa" was at the forefront of the Lucha Libre movement and for the next 50 years, EMLL would continue its place as the leader.

Related Topics:
1933 - El Santo - Gory Guerrero - Eddie Guerrero

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In the 1970s, Lutteroth left the company in the hands of his son Chavo but the company weakened with Ray Mendoza along with a few promoters breaking off and forming the Universal Wrestling Association. UWA ran in Mexico City and in nearby Naucalpan against EMLL. UWA would be a tremendous force for 15 years but due to a weakening talent pool and affiliates, it died in the 1990s.

Related Topics:
1970s - Ray Mendoza - Universal Wrestling Association - Naucalpan - 1990s

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EMLL joined the National Wrestling Alliance as it's Mexican affiliate as NWA-EMLL but they pulled out in the 1980's due to various promoters becoming more self-centered and the WWE's national expansion. At this time, they changed their name to Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre to make them sound more international (such as when Jim Crockett Promotions became World Championship Wrestling). Also at this time, long time booker Antonio Peña broke off and formed his own promotion, Asistencia Asesoría y Administración, taking many of the young talent with him. AAA took the lead for several years but when the Mexican economy went by the wayside in the mid-1990's, AAA scaled back and CMLL started rebuilding with the famous El Hijo del Santo vs. Negro Casas feud where Santo shocked the world by turning heel when he dressed up like Negro Casas' brother Felino and attacked him.

Related Topics:
National Wrestling Alliance - WWE - Jim Crockett Promotions - World Championship Wrestling - Antonio Peña - Asistencia Asesoría y Administración - El Hijo del Santo

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Now under the ownership of Lutterroth's nephew, Paco Alonso, CMLL has since reclaimed it spot as the leader in Mexico. Its weekly cards at the legendary Arena Mexico draw crowds of over 10,000 fans. Of all the major promotions in the world, CMLL is one of the most conservative. Matches with blood are not broadcast and, other than an annual cage match, gimmick matches such as ladder matches are never used. Over the past few years, many AAA wrestlers have jumped to CMLL but recently, some major wrestlers such as Vampiro and Shocker have jumped to AAA because CMLL has too many workers and doesn't run enough shows.

Related Topics:
Mexico - Arena Mexico - Vampiro

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CMLL's main programming, hosted by Alfonso Morales, Leobardo Magadan and Miguel Linares, is broadcast regularly on Televisa in Mexico, Galavisión in the United States, Telelatino in Canada and formerly on The Wrestling Channel in the United Kingdom. CMLL also has a syndicated show called "Sin Limite de Tiempo" ("with no time limit") which shows matches from Arena Coliseo shows and matches they could not fit onto the regular broadcast. It airs in Los Angeles on KWHY. CMLL is affiliated with New Japan Pro Wrestling and has an off shoot promotion CMLL Japan that runs in Japan.

Related Topics:
Televisa - Galavisión - United States - Telelatino - Canada - The Wrestling Channel - United Kingdom - Los Angeles - KWHY - New Japan Pro Wrestling - CMLL Japan - Japan

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