CMLL Super Viernes
Encyclopedia
CMLL Super Viernes is the Mexican professional wrestling promotion
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
's banner event that takes place every Friday in Arena México
in Mexico City, Mexico
. The shows take place every Friday all year long, except when CMLL schedules a "Super Show" or a Pay-Per-View
(PPV) to take its place since all CMLL PPVs and Super Shows take place on Friday nights in Arena Méxcio.
(EMLL), renamed Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (MLL) in 1990, is the world's oldest professional wrestling promotions still active today. Unlike most wrestling promotions in the world CMLL generally does not tour, preferring to hold weekly events in the same buildings on the same nights, only rarely promoting shows in other venues. The Super Viernes shows dates back to at least 1938, making it the longest running weekly show of any kind. Super Viernes was originally held in Arena Modelo, then moved to Arena Coliseo in the 1950s and finally moved to Arena México
in 1956 upon the completion of the building. Since 1956 CMLL has held their Super Viernes events on every Friday night except for when the promotion takes a break at the end of the year, when they promote a super card or PPV on Friday night or due to circumstances beyond CMLL's control.
Two notable events have interrupted CMLL's Friday night shows: the 1985 Mexico City earthquake stopped the Super Viernes shows until it was determined that Arena México was structurally sound. In the spring and summer of 2009 the Swine Flu pandemic
shut down Arena México shows for a couple of weeks after the government urged people not to gather in large groups while the epidemic was at its worst.
or hair on the line. While CMLL is not as storyline
-driven as North American companies such as the World Wrestling Entertainment
(WWE) or Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
(TNA), the most important storylines or feud that are promoted in CMLL play out during the Super Viernes shows.
The Friday night Arena México shows normally host all of CMLL's annual tournaments, Super Viernes normally hosts tournaments such as the Torneo Gran Alternativa
, Leyenda de Plata
, Leyenda de Azul
, CMLL International Gran Prix
, Reyes del Aire and the Universal Champion tournament. From 1999 to 2001 Super Viernes also hosted the Copa Arena México Trios tournament and has been the site of CMLL's 'Copa Junior" tournaments.
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre is a Lucha Libre-style professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City while running cards in Guadalajara, Puebla and elsewhere in central and southern Mexico...
's banner event that takes place every Friday in Arena México
Arena México
Arena México is an indoor arena in Mexico City, Mexico located in the Colonia Doctores neighboorhood in the Cuauhtémoc borough. The arena is primarily used for professional wrestling, or Lucha libre, shows promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . The building is called the "cathedral of lucha...
in Mexico City, Mexico
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. The shows take place every Friday all year long, except when CMLL schedules a "Super Show" or a Pay-Per-View
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
(PPV) to take its place since all CMLL PPVs and Super Shows take place on Friday nights in Arena Méxcio.
Event history
Founded in 1933, Empresa Mexicana de Lucha LibreConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre is a Lucha Libre-style professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City while running cards in Guadalajara, Puebla and elsewhere in central and southern Mexico...
(EMLL), renamed Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (MLL) in 1990, is the world's oldest professional wrestling promotions still active today. Unlike most wrestling promotions in the world CMLL generally does not tour, preferring to hold weekly events in the same buildings on the same nights, only rarely promoting shows in other venues. The Super Viernes shows dates back to at least 1938, making it the longest running weekly show of any kind. Super Viernes was originally held in Arena Modelo, then moved to Arena Coliseo in the 1950s and finally moved to Arena México
Arena México
Arena México is an indoor arena in Mexico City, Mexico located in the Colonia Doctores neighboorhood in the Cuauhtémoc borough. The arena is primarily used for professional wrestling, or Lucha libre, shows promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . The building is called the "cathedral of lucha...
in 1956 upon the completion of the building. Since 1956 CMLL has held their Super Viernes events on every Friday night except for when the promotion takes a break at the end of the year, when they promote a super card or PPV on Friday night or due to circumstances beyond CMLL's control.
Two notable events have interrupted CMLL's Friday night shows: the 1985 Mexico City earthquake stopped the Super Viernes shows until it was determined that Arena México was structurally sound. In the spring and summer of 2009 the Swine Flu pandemic
2009 flu pandemic
The 2009 flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic, and the second of the two pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus , albeit in a new version...
shut down Arena México shows for a couple of weeks after the government urged people not to gather in large groups while the epidemic was at its worst.
Event significance
CMLL Super Viernes is CMLL's biggest and most important weekly show; it generally draws the largest crowds and features the biggest stars of CMLL in the main events. Wrestlers say that working in Arena Mexico on Friday nights is the "mark of approval" for young wrestlers. Super Viernes has seen a large number of championship matches and changes over the years and also been the site for many Luchas de Apuestas, bet matches where wrestlers put either their maskWrestling mask
A Wrestling mask is a fabric based mask that some professional wrestlers wear as part of their in-ring persona or gimmick. Professional wrestlers have been using masks as far back as 1915 and they are still widely used today, especially in Lucha Libre in Mexico.-History:In 1915 a North American...
or hair on the line. While CMLL is not as storyline
Narrative thread
A narrative thread, or plot thread , refers to particular elements and techniques of writing to center the story in the action or experience of characters rather than to relate a matter in a dry 'All knowing' sort of narration...
-driven as North American companies such as the World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWE) or Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
(TNA), the most important storylines or feud that are promoted in CMLL play out during the Super Viernes shows.
The Friday night Arena México shows normally host all of CMLL's annual tournaments, Super Viernes normally hosts tournaments such as the Torneo Gran Alternativa
CMLL Torneo Gran Alternativa
The Torneo Gran Alternativa is an annual lucha libre tournament held by the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre . The tournament was not held in 1997, 2000 and 2002 and was held twice in 1996 and 1998...
, Leyenda de Plata
Leyenda de Plata
The Leyenda de Plata is an annual lucha libre tournament held by the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre since 1998. The tournament honors El Santo, Enmáscarado de Plata and has been held every year since 1998 except for 2003 when El Hijo del Santo did not...
, Leyenda de Azul
Leyenda de Azul
The Leyenda de Azul is a lucha libre tournament held six times by the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre between 2000 and 2008 and again in 2011. The tournament honors Blue Demon, or Demonio Azul as he's sometimes referred to...
, CMLL International Gran Prix
CMLL International Gran Prix
The CMLL International Gran Prix was an annual tournament held by the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre , that was held from 1994 to 2008, although there was no tournament in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2004. The tournament was inspired by New Japan Pro Wrestling's...
, Reyes del Aire and the Universal Champion tournament. From 1999 to 2001 Super Viernes also hosted the Copa Arena México Trios tournament and has been the site of CMLL's 'Copa Junior" tournaments.
See also
- List of CMLL Super Viernes shows in 2009
- List of CMLL Super Viernes shows in 2010
- CMLL Super Viernes (January 2010)CMLL Super Viernes (January 2010)In January 2010 Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre held five CMLL Super Viernes shows, all of which took place Arena México on Friday nights. CMLL did not hold any special events on Fridays that would force a cancellation such as a Pay-Per-View...
- CMLL Super Viernes (February 2010)CMLL Super Viernes (February 2010)In February 2010 Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre held four CMLL Super Viernes shows, all of which took place Arena México on Friday nights. CMLL did not hold any special events on Fridays that would force a cancellation such as a Pay-Per-View...
- CMLL Super Viernes (March 2010)CMLL Super Viernes (March 2010)In March 2010 Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre held three CMLL Super Viernes shows, all of which took place Arena México on Friday nights. On Friday March 19, CMLL held a Pay-Per-View instead, replacing the regular Super Viernes show...
- CMLL Super Viernes (April 2010)CMLL Super Viernes (April 2010)In April 2010 Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre will hold a total of five CMLL Super Viernes shows, all of which will take place Arena México on Friday nights. CMLL did not hold any special events on Fridays that would force a cancellation such as a Pay-Per-View...
- CMLL Super Viernes (May 2010)CMLL Super Viernes (May 2010)In May 2010 the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre will hold a total of four CMLL Super Viernes shows, all of which will take place Arena México on Friday nights. CMLL will not hold any special events on Fridays that would force a cancellation such as a...
- CMLL Super Viernes (June 2010)CMLL Super Viernes (June 2010)In June 2010, the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre held four CMLL Super Viernes shows, all of which took place in Arena México on Friday nights. CMLL did not hold any special events on Fridays that would force a cancellation such as a Pay-Per-View...
- CMLL Super Viernes (July 2010)CMLL Super Viernes (July 2010)In July 2010, the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre will hold a total of five CMLL Super Viernes shows, all of which will take place Arena México on Friday nights. CMLL will not hold any special events on Fridays that would force a cancellation such as a...
- CMLL Super Viernes (August 2010)CMLL Super Viernes (August 2010)In August 2010, the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre will hold a total of four CMLL Super Viernes shows, all of which will take place Arena México on Friday nights. CMLL does not currently have plans to hold any special events on Fridays that would force a...