NWA World Historic Light Heavyweight Championship

This article is about the NWA light heavyweight title that CMLL introduced in 2010. For the original NWA light heavyweight title created in 1952, see NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship.
NWA World Historic Light Heavyweight Championship

A color photograph of professional wrestler Rey Bucanero making his way to the ring

Two-time champion Rey Bucanero
Details
Promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Date established August 12, 2010[1]
Current champion(s) Hechicero[2]
Date won November 2, 2016[2]
Other name(s)
CMLL Historic Light Heavyweight Championship[3]

The NWA World Historic Light Heavyweight Championship (Campeonato Mundial Historico de Peso Semicompleto de la NWA in Spanish) is a professional wrestling championship promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). CMLL had held the NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship for over 48 years, when the relationship between the promotion and National Wrestling Alliance broke down in March 2010. Blue Demon Jr., the president of NWA Mexico, sent letters to CMLL, telling them to stop promoting the NWA-branded championships since they were no longer part of the NWA. On August 12, 2010, CMLL debuted the new NWA World Historic Light Heavyweight Championship belt and named El Texano Jr., the final CMLL-recognized NWA World Light Heavyweight Champion, as the inaugural champion.

The current champion is Hechicero, who defeated Rey Bucanero to win the championship on November 2, 2016. This is Hechicero's first title reign; his current reign is the sixth in the title's history. All title matches take place under best two-out-of-three falls rules.

Background

Picture of Shocker signing an autograph.
Shocker, the second NWA World Historic Light Heavyweight Champion

The first light heavyweight division professional wrestling championship recognized in Mexico was the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship, created in 1942, sanctioned by the Mexico City boxing and wrestling commission and promoted by a number of different Mexican professional wrestling promotions including Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL; Spanish for "Mexican Wrestling Enterprise").[4][5] In 1953, EMLL joined the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA),[6] and in 1957 EMLL was given control of the NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship after it had been inactive for around four years.[7] From 1957 on the championship was defended primarily in Mexico on EMLL shows and occasionally in Southern California during the 1970s.[7]

In the late 1980s, EMLL left the NWA to avoid the politics of that organization.[6] While they left the NWA they did retain control of the NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship as their main championship of the light heavyweight division, as well as promoting the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship as the secondary championship.[4][5][7] In 1991, EMLL was renamed "Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre" (CMLL; "World Wrestling Council") after which they began to introduce a series of "CMLL" branded world championships.[8] On September 26, 1991, CMLL determined the first ever holder of the CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship as Jerry Estrada defeated Pierroth Jr. in the finals of a tournament.[9]

In 2010, the NWA, represented by NWA Mexico president Blue Demon Jr., reached out to CMLL and asked them to stop using the NWA-branded championships since they were not part of the NWA. Blue Demon Jr. was in the process of establishing NWA Mexico as a promotion and wanted to use the championship.[10] There had been previous attempts by the NWA to gain back control of the three NWA-branded championships that CMLL used, the light heavyweight championship as well as the NWA World Welterweight Championship and the NWA World Middleweight Championship, but in those instances, CMLL had not responded to those requests at all.[11] The promotion did not directly respond to the latest claim; the NWA Welterweight Champion, Mephisto, commented instead, simply stating that the championships belonged to CMLL.[12] Finally, on August 12, 2010, CMLL debuted the new NWA World Historic Light Heavyweight Championship belt and named El Texano Jr., the final CMLL-recognized NWA World Light Heavyweight Champion, as the inaugural champion.[3] The championship was initially announced as the CMLL Historic Light Heavyweight Championship,[3] but when the belt was unveiled, it was called the (Campeonato Mundial Historico de Peso Semicompleto de la NWA in Spanish)[1]

Reigns

Hechicero is the current NWA World Historic Light Heavyweight Champion, having defeated Rey Bucanero for the championship on November 2, 2016.[2] He is the sixth overall champion and the fifth individual to hold the title. Rey Bucanero is the only wrestler to have won the championship on two occasions and also holds the distinction of holding the record for the longest reign as his first reign with the championship lasted 714 days in total.[13][14] The first champion, El Texano Jr., held the title for the shortest reign between August and December 2010, a total of 124 days.[3][15] The championship has been vacated twice, first in 2011 when then-champion Shocker suffered a knee injury and was forced to give up the championship.[16] In early 2015, CMLL vacated the championship once more, this time because champion Diamante Azul had not appeared at CMLL shows for several months.[17]

Rules

The official definition by the Mexican lucha libre commission for the light heavyweight division in Mexico is between 92 kg (203 lb) and 97 kg (214 lb).[18] In the 20th century CMLL were generally consistent and strict about enforcing the actual weight limits.[19] However, in the 21st century the official definitions have at times been overlooked for certain champions. One example of this was when Mephisto, officially listed as 90 kg (200 lb), won the CMLL World Welterweight Championship, a weight class with a 78 kg (172 lb) upper limit.[18][20] While the heavyweight championship is traditionally considered the most prestigious weight division in professional wrestling, CMLL places more emphasis on the lower weight divisions, often promoting those ahead of the CMLL World Heavyweight Championship.[8]

Championship matches usually take place under best two-out-of-three falls rules.[8] On occasion single fall title matches have taken place, especially when promoting CMLL title matches in Japan, conforming to the traditions of the local promotion.[Note 1][21]

Tournaments

2011

picture of masked wrestler La Máscara posing on the ring ropes prior to a match.
La Máscara, one of 16 tournament competitors in the 2011 tournament.

In May 2011 CMLL declared the NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship vacant when the then reigning champion Shocker had to undergo knee surgery after suffering an injury and thus would be unable to defend the championship for an undetermined amount of time.[16] CMLL decided to hold a tournament to determine the next champion, splitting the 16 man group of competitors into two groups, each of which would compete in a torneo cibernetico elimination match to find a finalist. After the two torneo cibernetico matches the two winners would face off the following week in a one-on-one best two-out-of-three falls match. Block A of the tournament took place on June 7, 2011, and saw El Hijo del Fantasma win, while Block B took place a week later on June 14 and had Rey Bucanero as the victor.[22][23] The following week, on June 21, Rey Bucanero defeated El Hijo del Fantasma to become the third ever NWA World Historic Light Heavyweight Champion.[13] Bucanero became the first champion to have not also held the previous NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship.[24]

Block A Cibernetico
# Eliminated[22] Eliminated by[22]
1 Ephesto Toscano
2 Metro Olímpico
3 Toscano Psicosis
4 Olímpico La Máscara
5 La Máscara Psicosis (Double DQ)
6 Psicosis La Máscara (Double DQ)
7 Mr. Águila El Hijo del Fantasma
8 El Hijo del Fantasma Winner
Block B Cibernetico
# Eliminated[23] Eliminated by[23]
1 El Sagrado El Felino
2 El Felino La Sombra
3 El Texano Jr. La Sombra
4 Maximo Atlantis
5 Blue Panther Rey Bucanero
6 Atlantis La Sombra
7 La Sombra Rey Bucanero
8 Rey Bucanero Winner

2015

Wrestler La Sombra standing on the second rope of a wrestling ropes, pointing to the fans during an outdoor event.
La Sombra, finalist in 2015 tournament.

Due to the championship being vacated on February 23, 2015, CMLL held a tournament for the vacant light heavyweight championship starting March 1, 2015. La Sombra and Rey Bucanero outlasted Atlantis, Blue Panther, Dragón Rojo Jr., Ephesto, Misterioso Jr., Mr. Águila, Niebla Roja, Stuka Jr., Valiente and Último Guerrero in a 12-man torneo cibernetico elimination match.[25][26] On March 8, Bucanero defeated La Sombra to win the tournament and the vacant championship.[27]

2015 Torneo Cibernetico
# Eliminated[25][26] Eliminated by[25][26]
1 Misterioso Jr. Dragón Rojo Jr.
2 Stuka Jr. Ephesto
3 Dragón Rojo Jr. Mr. Águila
4 Niebla Roja Blue Panther
5 Ephesto Valiente
6 Mr. Águila La Sombra
7 Blue Panther Último Guerrero
8 Valiente Rey Bucanero
9 Último Guerrero Double DQ - Mask pull
10 Atlantis Double DQ - Low blow
11 La Sombra and Rey Bucanero Winners

Title history

Key
Symbol Meaning
# The overall championship reign
Reign The reign number for the specific wrestler listed.
Event The event promoted by the respective promotion in which the title changed hands
N/A The specific information is not known
— Used for vacated reigns so as not to count it as an official reign
No. Champion Reign Date Days held Location Event Notes Ref
1 Texano Jr., ElEl Texano Jr. 1 August 12, 2010 124 N/A N/A El Texano Jr. was the final CMLL-recognized NWA World Light Heavyweight Champion and was thus named the first NWA World Historic Light Heavyweight Champion. [3]
2 Shocker 1 December 14, 2010 163 Mexico City, Mexico CMLL Martes Arena Mexico [15]
— Vacated — May 26, 2011 — N/A N/A The championship was vacated when Shocker was unable to defend it due to undergoing a knee surgery. [16]
3 Rey Bucanero 1 June 21, 2011 714 Mexico City, Mexico CMLL Live event Defeated El Hijo del Fantasma in the finals of a tournament to win the vacant championship. [13]
4 Diamante Azul 1 June 4, 2013 629 Mexico City, Mexico CMLL Live event [14]
— Vacated — February 23, 2015 — N/A N/A The championship was vacated due to Diamante Azul not working for CMLL for several months prior. [17]
5 Rey Bucanero 2 March 8, 2015 605 Mexico City, Mexico CMLL Domingos Arena Mexico Defeated La Sombra in a tournament final to win the vacant championship. [27]
6 Hechicero 1 November 2, 2016 44+ Mexico City, Mexico CMLL Dia de los Muertos 2016 [2]

List of combined reigns

† Indicates the current champion
Rank Wrestler # of reigns Combined days Ref(s).
1 Rey Bucanero 2 1,363+ [27][13][14][2]
2 Diamante Azul 1 629 [14][17]
3 Shocker 1 163 [13][15]
4 Texano Jr., ElEl Texano Jr. 1 124 [3][15]
5 Hechicero† 1 44+ [2]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ An example of this was Bushi winning the CMLL World Welterweight Championship in a one-fall match on a New Japan Pro Wrestling show.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Campeones" (in Spanish). Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "CMLL: Resultados Martes de Arena México – 01/11/2016 – Los Hijos de Infierno retienen el Campeonato Nacional de Tríos y Hechicero se corona superando a Rey Bucanero". SuperLuchas Magazine (in Spanish). November 2, 2016. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Boutwell, Josh (August 20, 2010). "Viva la Raza! Lucha Weekly". Wrestleview. Archived from the original on August 23, 2010. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  4. 1 2 Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "Mexico: National Lightweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. p. 393. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  5. 1 2 "Los Reyes de Mexico: La Historia de Los Campeonatos Nacionales". Lucha 2000 (in Spanish). December 20, 2004. pp. 12–14. Especial 21.
  6. 1 2 Hornbaker, Tim (2007). "International Expansion". National Wrestling Alliance: the untold story of the monopoly that strangled pro wrestling. ECW Press. pp. 24–25. ISBN 978-1-55022-741-3.
  7. 1 2 3 Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2006). "Mexico: EMLL NWA World Light Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. p. 389. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  8. 1 2 3 Madigan, Dan (2007). "The start of the journey". Mondo Lucha a Go-Go: the bizarre & honorable world of wild Mexican wrestling. HarperColins Publisher. pp. 15–28. ISBN 978-0-06-085583-3.
  9. ↑ Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "MEXICO: CMLL EMLL Light Heavyweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. p. 395. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  10. ↑ Ruiz, Alex (March 4, 2010). "Blue Demon Jr. no reconoce los títulos de NWA que están en el CMLL- Realizará eliminatorias para sacar a los nuevos campeones" (in Spanish). SuperLuchas Magazine. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Lo Mejor de la Lucha Libre Mexicana 2009". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). January 8, 2010. 348.
  12. ↑ Ruiz Glez, Alex (March 12, 2010). "Mephisto responde a Blue Demon Jr.: "No tengo que entrar a ninguna eliminatoria porque yo soy el campeón..."". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Retrieved March 14, 2010.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 Elías, Agustín (June 21, 2011). "Bucanero, nuevo monarca". Récord (in Spanish). Archived from the original on April 4, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Salazar López, Alexis A. (June 5, 2013). "Resultados Arena México Martes 4 de Junio '13". Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (in Spanish). Archived from the original on June 5, 2013. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Ruiz Glez, Alex (December 15, 2010). "Arena México (resultados 14 de diciembre) Shocker nuevo campeón histórico NWA peso semicompleto". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Retrieved June 26, 2011.
  16. 1 2 3 "Desconocen título de Shocker". Récord (in Spanish). May 26, 2011. Archived from the original on October 7, 2011. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
  17. 1 2 3 "Arena Mexico". Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (in Spanish). February 23, 2015. Archived from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  18. 1 2 Arturo Montiel Rojas (2001-08-30). "Reglamento de Box y Lucha Libre Professional del Estado de Mexico" (PDF) (in Spanish). Comisión de Box y Lucha Libre Mexico D.F. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 30, 2006. Retrieved 2009-04-03. Articulo 242: "Super medio 92 kilos / Semi Completo 97 kilos"
  19. ↑ Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "Mexico: EMLL CMLL". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. pp. 395–410. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  20. ↑ "Número Especial – Lo mejr de la lucha ilbre mexicana durante el 2004". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). January 24, 2005. 91.
  21. ↑ "Road to Tokyo Dome". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  22. 1 2 3 Salazar López, Alexis A. (June 7, 2014). "Virus, nuevo Monarca Ligero del CMLL.". Estrellas del Ring (in Spanish). Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
  23. 1 2 3 Salazar López, Alexis A. (June 14, 2014). "El Hijo del Fantasma ya tiene rival para el Histórico Semicompleto de la NWA; REY BUCANERO.". Estrellas del Ring (in Spanish). Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
  24. ↑ "NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship". Cagematch.net. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  25. 1 2 3 López, Gonzalo (March 1, 2015). "Lucha Libe: Función del 1 de marzo, Arena México". Yahoo Deportes (in Spanish). Yahoo!. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
  26. 1 2 3 Redaccion (March 2, 2015). "La Sombra y Rey Bucanero, por H. Campeonato NWA". MedioTimpo (in Spanish). MSN. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
  27. 1 2 3 Barradas, Bibiana (March 9, 2015). "Resultados Arena México Domingo 8de Marzo '15". Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (in Spanish). Archived from the original on March 9, 2015. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
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