90 Years of CMLL: 1930's
The company’s celebrated moments from their 90th Anniversary (2023). Plus, a few additional notes!
It’s 1933 in Mexico City and the promotion that would come to be known as CMLL begins as EMLL (Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre). Fast forward to 2023 and the company produces a series of videos commemorating their 90th anniversary. These are their highlighted moments and images celebrated throughout the series along with a few extra notes that I found interesting.
Watch the full CMLL produced series with this YouTube Playlist. I’ve linked to Luchawiki profiles as well as LuchaDB throughout to help people learn more about these important figures in lucha libre history.
(Note: I’d recommend opening this in a web browser so you can see all the images. There are a lot of really interesting ones.)
1930’s
1933: Salvador Lutteroth González runs the inaugural show (Sept. 21) for EMLL (Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre). Yaqui Joe defeats Bobby Sampson. Less than a month later, Lutteroth opens a wrestling school under the guidance of Gonzalo Avendaño to develop his own talent.
1934: Lutteroth wins the grand prize in the national lottery. The first masked wrestler Maravilla Enmascarada (The Masked Marvel) debuts. Ray Ryan is known as the first rudo and headlines the first anniversary event (Sept. 24).
1935: The promotion is still dominated by foreigners. The first women’s matches occur in July with Dot Apollo, Teddy Meyers, Mae Stein and Louise Francis, and most significantly, Mexico’s Natalia Vázquez.
1936: History is made when Maravilla Enmascarada is the first wrestler to lose his mask establishing one of lucha libre’s greatest traditions (Nov. 5). “El Sirio” Ben-Ali-Mar-Allah is the one to take the mask in a hair vs. mask match. Firpo Segura, Charro Aguayo, and Dientes Hernández rise as Mexico’s first wrestling idols.
1937: Tragedy strikes in February when the Arena Nacional, Mexico’s premier wrestling venue, is destroyed in a fire. EMLL is forced to relocate events to the Old Arena México. Tarzán López makes history becoming the National Welterweight Champion in a tournament. López will be regarded as one of lucha libre’s best wrestlers and early stars.
1938: El Murciélago (The Masked Bat) debuts as one of lucha libre’s first iconic characters, releasing actual bats into the ring. Diablo Velazco wrestles Eddie Palau in a close match (Apr. 1). Velazco is credited as the best teacher Mexican wrestler ever had while Palau becomes a famous referee.
1939: Construction begins on Arena Coliseo in Mexico City. Octavio Gaona makes history as Mexico’s first World Middleweight Champion defeating Finland’s Gus Kallio. Kallio was known as the King of the Middleweights and King of the Welterweights in his day.
Up next, El Santo emerges in the 1940’s…
Bonus Notes
Lutteroth is said to have witnessed professional wrestling in El Paso, Texas before bringing it to Mexico City. Lots of the early talent used by EMLL before they developed their own wrestlers were prominent names in the El Paso territory run by John McIntosh.
The structure Lutteroth established early on by running shows in buildings he owned and operating his own wrestling school, exists to this day. The promotion has stayed within family ownership with grandson Salvador Lutteroth III now in charge.
La Maravilla Enmascarada was portrayed by American wrestler Cyclone Mackey who would go on to use the masked Mr. X gimmick in the United States.
Jack O'Brien frequently headlined shows in the 1930’s and held several titles. O’Brien was born Marcelo Andreani in Italy and moved with his family from Houston, Texas to Mexico. O’Brien was actually inducted into the Mexican Hall of Fame of American Football.
Black Guzmán debuts and is credited with pioneering headscissors variations. Guzmán’s brother will gain immortality as El Santo.
Diablo Velazco is credited as training Mil Mascaras, Gory Guerrero, Satánico, Perro Aguayo, Cavernario Galindo, Los Hermanos Dinamita (Cien Caras, Máscara Año 2000, Universo 2000), Tarzán López, Rito Romero, Hiro Matsuda, El Solitario, Black Terry, Atlantis, El Dandy, Emilio Charles Jr, and so many more.