CMLL International Gran Prix (2002) explained

CMLL International Gran Prix (2002)
Promotion:Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Date:March 22, 2002
Venue:Arena México
City:Mexico City, Mexico
Liveevent:Y
Lastevent:Homenaje a Dos Leyendas
Nextevent:46. Aniversario de Arena México
Event:International Gran Prix
Lastevent2:1998
Nextevent2:2003

The CMLL International Gran Prix (2002) was a lucha libre, or professional wrestling, tournament produced and scripted by the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL; "World Wrestling Council" in Spanish) which took place on March 22, 2002, in Arena México, Mexico City, Mexico, CMLL's main venue. The 2002 International Gran Prix was the sixth time CMLL has held an International Gran Prix tournament since 1994 and the first since 1998. All International Gran Prix tournaments have been a one-night tournament, always as part of CMLL's Friday night CMLL Super Viernes shows.

The sixth International Gran Prix tournament was the first time that CMLL changed the format from an elimination tournament to a 16-man Tornero Cibernetico instead. This was the first time the tournament was held since 1998 and every Gran Prix since then has had the same Tornero Cibernetico format. The teams were mixed Tecnicos and Rudos, seemingly randomly teamed up without any pre-existing storyline behind it. The teams were; "Team A" (Zumbido, Safari, Hombre Sin Nombre, Halloween, Volador Jr., Damián 666, Negro Casas and El Hijo del Santo) against "Team B (El Felino, Olímpico, Tony Rivera, Máscara Mágica, Nicho El Millonario, Satánico, Averno and Mephisto). The tournament came down to Máscara Mágica and El Hijo del Santo, with Máscara Magica winning the match. While the tournament was billed as the "International Gran Prix" it only featured Mexican born wrestlers who worked for CMLL at the time.

Production

Background

In 1994 the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) organized their first ever International Gran Prix tournament. The first tournament followed the standard "single elimination" format and featured sixteen wrestlers in total, eight representing Mexico and eight "international" wrestlers.[1] In the end Mexican Rayo de Jalisco Jr. defeated King Haku in the finals to win the tournament.[1] In 1995 CMLL brought the tournament back, creating an annual tournament held every year from 1995 through 1998 and then again in 2002, 2003 and finally from 2005 through 2008.[1] First time as a cibernetico

Storylines

The CMLL Gran Prix show featured three 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.[2]

Tournament

Tournament overview

EliminatedByTeamTime
1Tony RiveraHalloweenTeam B1:14
2Volador Jr.Nicho el MillonarioTeam A4:40
3MephistoDamián 666Team B7:13
4Damián 666El FelinoTeam A7:40
5El FelinoAverno and SatánicoTeam B9:12
6AvernoNegro CasasTeam B10:01
7Nicho el MillonarioEl Hijo del SantoTeam B11:11
8HalloweenOlímpicoTeam A12:21
9SafariMáscara MágicaTeam A13:37
10ZumbidoSatánicoTeam A14:48
11OlímpicoHombre sin NombreTeam B15:53
12Hombre Sin NombreMáscara MágicaTeam A16:56
13SatánicoEl Hijo del SantoTeam B17:51
14Negro CasasDisqualified for interferingTeam A18:45
15El Hjio del SantoMáscara MágicaTeam A20:19
16Máscara Magica (Winner)Team B20:19

Tournament show

Notes and References

  1. Web site: CMLL Gran Prix Tournament . June 1, 2015 . ProWrestlingHistory.com.
  2. Book: Madigan, Dan . Mondo Lucha a Go Go: the bizarre & honorable world of wild Mexican wrestling . HarperCollins Publishers . 2007 . "Okay... what is Lucha Libre?" . 31 . featuring clearly distinguished good guys and bad guys, or técnicos and rudos . 978-0-06-085583-3. New York, New York.