Promo Azteca

Promo Azteca
Acronym AZTECA(S)
Founded 1995
Defunct 1998
Style Professional wrestling
Lucha libre
Hardcore wrestling
Headquarters Tijuana
Founder(s) Fuerza Guerrera (PROMELL)
Konnan (AZTECA)
Owner(s) Konnan
Jorge Rojas
Parent TV Azteca
Formerly Promotora Mexicana de Lucha Libre

Promo Azteca (AZTECA, originally known as Promotora Mexicana de Lucha Libre, PROMELL) was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Tijuana, Mexico by Fuerza Guerrera in 1995. It was taken over by Konnan and Jorge Rojas the following year and was home to many of the luchadors wrestling for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) during the late-1990s.[1][2]

Promo Azteca sought to become the third national wrestling promotion in Mexico with the support of Televisión Azteca, the country's second-largest television network; however, WCW eventually withdrew its support and banned luchadors under WCW contract from working for Promo Azteca. Promo Azteca was unable to recover from this loss and closed at the end of 1998.

History

Promo Azteca had its origins in 1995 under the Promotora Mexicana de Lucha Libre banner owned by Fuerza Guerrera. Guerrera initially co-promoted shows with Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA) until selling the company that same year to Konnan, Jorge Rojas and the TV Azteca network. In October 1996, Konnan left AAA after a falling out with owner Antonio Pena and brought a number of its younger stars with him[3][4][5] including, most notably, Juventud Guerrera, Rey Misterio Jr., Super Calo, La Parka and Psicosis.[6][7][8]

Many were competing in World Championship Wrestling's (WCW) new cruiserweight division at the time and shared much of Konnan's frustrations with AAA's management over money. These luchadors were on limited contracts in WCW which meant they were paid only for the nights they worked rather than receiving a yearly salary. Once leaving the AAA, however, this left them with a lot of spare time and few opportunities to work in Mexico. One of the key reasons Konnan took over Promo Azteca was to establish a place where he and other luchadors could compete when they were not wrestling in the United States. WCW agreed to let those under contract continue wrestling in their native country when they were not needed at live events. He and Rojas envisioned these wrestlers as Promo Azteca's main stars.[6]

Notable talent

In addition to the former AAA talent that followed Konnan to Promo Azteca, older veterans such as Angel Azteca, Blue Panther, Cien Caras, Máscara Año 2000 and Universo Dos Mil were also involved.[9] In early-1997, Konnan formed a version of the New World Order with Damián 666, Halloween, Psicosis and Los Villanos (Villano IV and Villano V).[10] Other WCW luchadors to regularly appear in Promo Azteca included El Dandy, Hector Garza, Lizmark Jr. and Norman Smiley.[8]

The promotion featured a number of then-unknown wrestlers who would become major stars in Mexico and the United States during the next decade, including Ephesto (then known as Pantera del Ring), Mr. Águila, Toscano, Último Guerrero, Último Rebelde, and El Zorro. Super Crazy, in particular, was considered the standout star of its cruiserweight division. He rose to prominence during a feud with Venum Black,[11] which culminated on March 6, 1997 in a "mask vs. hair" Lucha de Apuestas, or "bet match", that Super Crazy won,[12] and later found success in the U.S. with Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW).[8][13]

Some visiting Japanese wrestlers made their first appearances in Mexico with Promo Azteca such as CIMA, Kaz Hayashi and Yoshihiro Tajiri.[8]

Style and television

Promo Azteca was presented as a "rebel" wrestling promotion, similar to Extreme Championship Wrestling in the United States.[7] It is notable for introducing "hardcore wrestling" and other elements of American-style pro wrestling to Mexican audiences. One of these, the one-fall match, was later adopted by AAA.[8] Promo Azteca had the support of TV Azteca,[14][15] one of the largest networks in Mexico,[6] and from which the promotion's name was derived. TV Azteca was eager to compete against Televisa, which aired both AAA and CMLL television programming.[16][17] Its American counterpart ECW, on the other hand, struggled for years to secure a spot on a U.S. television network. Promo Azteca's televised events aired weekly on Friday nights from October 1996[18] to March 1998.[19] Promo Azteca TV was reportedly set to resume after the 1998 FIFA World Cup, but the show did not return to television.[20] Though it did not air in the U.S., the series was covered by Death Valley Driver Video Review[9] and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Role in the Mexican and U.S. promotional wars

At the time of Promo Azteca's founding, a major promotional war was being fought between Mexico's two major promotions: Asistencia Asesoría y Administración and Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL).[21] The emergence of a "renegade" promotion such as Promo Azteca added to an already chaotic situation in the world of lucha libre. Promo Azteca enjoyed an exclusive partnership with World Championship Wrestling,[22] partially due to Konnan's involvement in developing WCW's cruiserweight division. This encouraged many luchadors to defect from AAA and CMLL in the hopes of working for the U.S. promotion.[4][21][23] Kevin Quinn, Steele, Super Astro and The Headhunters were among CMLL talent to jump to Promo Azteca.[22] When La Parka, Máscara Sagrada and other luchador enmascarados left AAA for Promo Azteca, however, the promotion countered by having other wrestlers portray the originals resulting in two versions wrestling on national television.[11][24] The departure of La Parka was an especially serious setback for AAA[25] and he was later blackballed by the promotion. According to Konnan, he and other AAA stars were also denied work by promoters upon returning to Mexico in 2001.[26]

Promo Azteca also had a role in the U.S. promotional rivalry between WCW and the World Wrestling Federation. Konnan, convincing many of WCW's interest showcasing lucha libre-style wrestling, was able to lure Mexican talent away from the WWF's fledgling cruiserweight division.[4] Victor Quiñones, a key figure in the CMLL-WWF talent exchange agreement, jumped to Promo Azteca in September 1997.[23] That same month, WCW President Eric Bischoff brokered a meeting with Konnan and rival CMLL promoter Paco Alonzo. Bischoff, interested in CMLL's talent and association with Televsia, was reportedly unable to negotiate a truce between the two men.[22] Konnan was also upset over Mike Tenay filming CMLL wrestlers that summer for a series of documentary shorts on Mexican wrestling. It was speculated by the Pro Wrestling Torch that WCW's interest in CMLL was partly motivated by curbing the power of Konnan's crew of Mexican talent in WCW.[27]

Demise

For a brief time, Promo Azteca's superior talent and backing from TV Azteca threatened to overtake both AAA and CMLL as the Mexico's top lucha libre promotion.[23] In November 1997, Pro Wrestling Illustrated ranked Promo Azteca among the top promotions in the world.[1] However, its success was short-lived. WCW, fearing its luchadors would become injured, withdrew its support and banned those under contract from working in Promo Azteca.[7] Konnan's wrestling career in the U.S. also prevented him from devoting his full attention to Promo Azteca. The promotion struggled for awhile longer, largely relying on regulars in the Mexican independent wrestling scene, but was ultimately unable to recover from losing the WCW luchadors. It held a few interpromotional shows with CMLL before quietly closing its doors at the end of 1998.[8]

Championships and programming

Championships

Promo Azteca promoted championships
Championship Champion Notes
Promo Azteca Heavyweight Championship Pirata Morgan The heavyweight title of Promo Azteca. It was established in 1998 and was defended through the year. Pirata Morgan was the only champion[28]
Promo Azteca Middleweight Championship Pantera The secondary title of Promo Azteca. It was established in 1997 and was defended through the year. Pantera was the only champion[29]
Championships recognized by Promo Azteca
Championship Champion Notes
IWC World Heavyweight Championship La Parka The heavyweight title of the International Wrestling Council. It was defended in the promotion from 1997 to 1998.[30][31]
IWRG Intercontinental Middleweight Championship Pantera A secondary title of the International Wrestling Revolution Group. It was defended in the promotion during 1997.[32]
LAWA Middleweight Championship Super Caló A secondary title of the Latin American Wrestling Association. It was defended in the promotion during 1997.[33]
Mexican National Lightweight Championship Virus The lightweight title of Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre. It was defended in the promotion during 1998.[34]
Mexican National Welterweight Championship El Torero The welterweight title of Asistencia Asesoría y Administración. It was defended in the promotion during 1997.[35]
WWO Heavyweight Championship Tinieblas Jr. The heavyweight title of the World Wrestling Organization. It defended in the promotion during 1997.[36]

Programming

Programming Notes
Promo Azteca TV (1996–1998) Broadcast exclusively on TV Azteca.

See also

References

General

Specific

  1. 1 2 "Official Wrestling Ratings". Pro Wrestling Illustrated. London Publishing Co.: 65 November 1997. ISSN 1043-7576.
  2. ↑ "Ratings Analysis". Pro Wrestling Illustrated. London Publishing Co.: 66 November 1997. ISSN 1043-7576.
  3. ↑ "K-Dog". Kokomo Tribune. Kokomo, Indiana: Thomson Corporation. June 10, 1999. Konnan broke ties with AAA and formed a new promotion in Mexico called Promo Azteca.
  4. 1 2 3 Letawsky, Craig (2002-04-23). "Ask 411 04.23.02 – Booger Red, Marrianna, Albright, Superstar Billy Graham". Columns. 411mania.com. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
  5. ↑ Fonseca, Miguel G. (November 30, 2012). "Los veteranos de AAA; Miguel G Fonseca nos cuenta sobre los luchadores que no sólo se convirtieron en leyenda en la lucha libre; también aportaron al gran éxito de lo que hoy es la AAA" [The veterans of AAA] (in Spanish). Fox Sports Latinoamérica. En 1996 se da un cisma en la compañía, y numerosas estrellas parten a una efímera promotora llamada Promo Azteca, y al mismo tiempo obtienen contratos en la inolvidable WCW. [In 1996 a schism occurred in the company, and stars departed to a fleeting promotion called Promo Azteca, and at the same time got the unforgettable WCW contracts.]
  6. 1 2 3 Mysterio, Rey; Roberts, Jeremy (2009). Rey Mysterio: Behind the Mask. New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 149-151. ISBN 1-4165-9896-0.
  7. 1 2 3 Heos, Bridget (2012). Rey Mysterio: Giant Killer. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group. p. 24. ISBN 1448855381.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Boutwell, Josh (October 20, 2012). "LUCHA SPOTLIGHT: Remembering Promo Azteca". WrestleView.com.
  9. 1 2 Rasmussen, Dean (May 1997). "BRUISER BRODY! bleeds half as much as DORY FUNK JR! EMLL! whips PROMO AZTECA!'S keister in this weeks tape watching with the 16 man Match of the FREAKIN year! and gear up to ball up your cyberfist and punch me in the virtual stomach as I pick the best of the half year!". Death Valley Driver Video Review: 42.
  10. ↑ "WCW Monday Nitro – Monday 1/12/97". DDTdigest.com. January 1997.
  11. 1 2 Boutwell, Josh (May 10, 2014). "Viva la Raza!: Lucha Weekly". WrestleView.com.
  12. ↑ Centinela, Teddy (March 6, 2015). "En un día como hoy… 1998: Súper Crazy desenmascara a Venum Black… Satánico traiciona a Emilio Charles Jr.". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  13. ↑ Molinaro, John. "SLAM! Wrestling Bios: Super Crazzy". Canadian Online Explorer. SLAM! Sports.
  14. ↑ Sammond, Nicholas (2005). Steel Chair to the Head: The Pleasure and Pain of Professional Wrestling. Durham: Duke University Press. p. 128. ISBN 0-8223-3438-0.
  15. ↑ Boutwell, Josh (February 8, 2014). "Viva la Raza!: Lucha Weekly". WrestleView.com.
  16. ↑ Joseph, Gilbert; Rubenstein, Anne; Zolov, Eric (2001). Fragments of a Golden Age: The Politics of Culture in Mexico Since 1940. Duke University Press. p. 354.
  17. ↑ "La historia de TV Azteca en la Lucha Libre". Adictosaldeporte.com. March 2016.
  18. ↑ "AZTECA: 1996-10". TheCubsFan.com.
  19. ↑ "AZTECA: 1998-03". TheCubsFan.com.
  20. ↑ "June 15, 1998 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Full JYD Bio, WCW files lawsuit against WWF, tons more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. July 25, 2015.
  21. 1 2 Zellner, Kris (October 11, 2015). "The Original Mistico Returns to CMIL:The Lucha Report". PWInsider.com.
  22. 1 2 3 Powell, Jason (September 11, 2002). "5 Yrs Ago: WCW News – Flair and Arn upset with NWO spoof". Pro Wrestling Torch.
  23. 1 2 3 Centinela, Teddy (August 29, 2015). "En un día como hoy… 2010: Fallece El Espanto II… 1997: Guerra de empresas: Luchadores del CMLL y de AAA a Promo Azteca". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  24. ↑ Levi, Heather. The World of Lucha Libre: Secrets, Revelations, and Mexican National Identity. Durham: Duke University Press. p. 123. ISBN 0-8223-4214-6.
  25. ↑ Zellner, Kris and David Bixenspan (16 November 2015). "Between the Sheets #17: November 10–16, 1996 with Dave Prazak". PlaceToBeNation.com (Podcast). PWO-PTBN Podcast Network. Event occurs at 02:11:52. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  26. ↑ Powell, Jason (August 25, 2001). "Torch Talk: Konnan on being at the Final Nitro" (PDF). Pro Wrestling Torch. 1 (667): 6.
  27. ↑ Powell, Jason (August 15, 2002). "5 Yrs Ago: Bischoff fires Syxx, scolds Flair for showing his ass". Pro Wrestling Torch.
  28. ↑ Westcott, Brian (1999). "Promo Azteca World Heavyweight Title History". Solie.org. Solie's Title Histories.
  29. ↑ "Promo Aztecas Middleweight Title Tournament 1997". ProWrestlingHistory.com. Pro Wrestling History Supercards & Tournaments.
  30. ↑ "AZTECA: 1997-02". TheCubsFan.com.
  31. ↑ "AZTECA: 1998-08". TheCubsFan.com.
  32. ↑ "AZTECA: 1997-11". TheCubsFan.com.
  33. ↑ "AZTECA: 1997-12". TheCubsFan.com.
  34. ↑ "AZTECA: 1998-10". TheCubsFan.com.
  35. ↑ "AZTECA: 1997-07". TheCubsFan.com.
  36. ↑ "AZTECA: 1997-10". TheCubsFan.com.

Further reading

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