The CMLL International Gran Prix (2018) is 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 October 5, 2018 in Arena México, Mexico City, Mexico, CMLL's main venue. The 2018 International Gran Prix was the fourteenth time CMLL held an International Gran Prix tournament since 1994. All International Gran Prix tournaments have been a one-night tournament, always as part of CMLL's Friday night CMLL Super Viernes shows. The event was available as an internet pay-per-view (iPPV).
| CMLL International Gran Prix (2018) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Official poster for the event | |||
| Promotion | Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre New Japan Pro-Wrestling Ring of Honor | ||
| Date | October 5, 2018[1] | ||
| City | Mexico City[1] | ||
| Venue | Arena Mexico[1] | ||
| Pay-per-view chronology | |||
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| International Gran Prix chronology | |||
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For the 2018 tournament CMLL brought in representatives of Ring of Honor (Matt Taven, The Briscoe Brothers: Jay and Mark, and Flip Gordon), representatives of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (Michael Elgin and David Finlay), both promotions that CMLL has a close working relationship with. Team International also includes CMLL regular Okumura and independent wrestlers Dark Magic and Gilbert el Boricua. The Mexican contingent includes the 2017 tournament winner Diamante Azul, Carístico, El Cuatrero, Euforia, Hechicero, Sansón, El Terrible, Último Guerrero, and Volador Jr. In the end Michael Elgin eliminated Último Guerrero to win the tournament, marking the first time a non-Mexican team won the Gran Prix since it was revived in 2016.
Production
editBackground
edit
In 1994, the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre created the International Gran Prix tournament which took place on April 15 that saw Rayo de Jalisco Jr. defeat King Haku to win the tournament. the tournament became annual tournament but after the 1998 tournament, the tournament became inactive. in 2002, the tournament returned with new rules. (Mexico and International group vs another Mexican and International group and then Mexicans vs Japanese and finally Mexico vs International)[2] the 2018 tournament will be 14th in the series. The tournament traditionally sees a team of 8 Mexican born CMLL wrestlers face off against 8 foreign-born wrestlers, although for 2018 the teams were expanded to 9 members on each side.[3]
Storylines
editThe 2018 Gran Prix show will feature an undisclosed number of 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.[4]
- Team Resto del Mundo
- Matt Taven (USA, Ring of Honor)[5]
- Jay Briscoe (USA, Ring of Honor)[3]
- Mark Briscoe (USA, Ring of Honor)[3]
- Dark Magic (USA, Independent Circuit)[1]
- Michael Elgin (Canada, New Japan Pro-Wrestling)[1]
- Davis Finlay (Germany, New Japan Pro-Wrestling)[1]
- Gilbert el Boricua (Puerto Rico, Independent Circuit)[1]
- Flip Gordon (USA, Ring of Honor)[1]
- Okumura (Japan, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre)[1]
- Team Mexico
Results
edit| No. | Results[7][8][9] | Stipulations | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Akuma, Camorra and Star Jr. defeated El Hijo del Signo, Robin and Yago | Relevos increíbles match | 14:03 |
| 2 | Avispa Dorada, La Jarochita, and Marcela defeated Dalys la Caribeña, La Metálica and Reyna Isis | Six-woman "Lucha Libre rules" tag team match | 09:53 |
| 3 | Gran Guerrero defeated Valiente | Lightning match (One fall, 10 minute time limit) | 09:10 |
| 4 | El Hijo de L.A. Park, L.A. Park and Místico defeated Bárbaro Cavernario and the Cl4n (Ciber the Main Man and The Chris) | Six-man "Lucha Libre rules" tag team match | 17:06 |
| 5 | Michael Elgin won the 2018 Gran Prix Resto del Mundo (Matt Taven, Jay Briscoe, Mark Briscoe, Dark Magic, Michael Elgin, David Finlay, Gilbert el Boricua, Flip Gordon and Okumura) defeated Team Mexico (Diamante Azul, Carístico, El Cuatrero, Euforia, Hechicero, Sansón, El Terrible, Último Guerrero, and Volador Jr.) | 2018 International Gran Prix, 18-man torneo cibernetico elimination match | 59:57 |
International Gran Prix order of elimination
edit| # | Eliminated | Eliminated by | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Okumura | Sansón | 17:00 |
| 2 | El Cuatrero | Jay and Mark Briscoe | 19:57 |
| 3 | Black Magic | Hechicero | 23:05 |
| 4 | Diamante Azul | Michael Elgin | 26:34 |
| 5 | David Finlay | Carístico | 29:40 |
| 6 | Sansón | Matt Taven | 34:12 |
| 7 | Flip Gordon | El Terrible | 35:21 |
| 8 | El Terrible | Jay Briscoe | 36:06 |
| 9 | Jay Briscoe | Último Guerrero | 36:25 |
| 10 | Mark Briscoe | Carístico | 37:23 |
| 11 | Carístico | Mark Briscoe | 37:23 |
| 12 | Hechicero | Gilbert el Boricua | 40:23 |
| 13 | Matt Taven | Volador Jr. | 45:07 |
| 14 | Volador Jr. | Gilberg el Boricua | 47:28 |
| 15 | Gilbert el Boricua | Euforia | 50:57 |
| 16 | Euforia | Michael Elgin | 55:35 |
| 17 | Último Guerrero | Michael Elgin | 59:57 |
| 18 | Winner | Michael Elgin | 59:57 |
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i Valdés, Apolo (August 22, 2018). "Grand Prix del CMLL ya tiene fecha y primeros competidores". MedioTiempo (in Spanish). MSN. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
- ^ "Gran Prix Cibernetico 2002". ProWrestlingHistory.com. March 22, 2002. Retrieved August 30, 2009.
- ^ a b c "Matt Taven's hair will be on the line at CMLL's 85th Anniversary Show". Ring of Honor. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
- ^ Madigan, Dan (2007). ""Okay... what is Lucha Libre?"". Mondo Lucha a Go Go: the bizarre & honorable world of wild Mexican wrestling. New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers. p. 31. ISBN 978-0-06-085583-3.
featuring clearly distinguished good guys and bad guys, or técnicos and rudos
- ^ a b c d e f Dark Angelita (September 26, 2018). "CMLL: Habrá nueve competidores por equipo en el Grand Prix 2018". Súper Luchas (in Spanish). Retrieved September 26, 2018.
- ^ a b c d Dark Angelita (September 19, 2018). "CMLL: Primera parte del equipo mexicano para el Grand Prix 2018". Súper Luchas (in Spanish). Retrieved September 20, 2018.
- ^ Rosas Plata, Arturo (October 5, 2018). "Michael se lleva el Gran Prix". Ovaciones (in Spanish). Archived from the original on October 6, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
- ^ "Michael Elgin ganador del Grand Prix 2018". The Gladiatores (in Spanish). October 6, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
- ^ "Michael Elgin se llevó el Grand Prix 2018 del CMLL". MedioTiempo (in Spanish). MSN. October 6, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2018.