Arena Coliseo

Arena Coliseo
The Lagunilla Funnel
Location República del Perú 77, Cuauhtémoc, D.F., Mexico City, Mexico
Coordinates 19°26′22″N 99°8′5″W / 19.43944°N 99.13472°W / 19.43944; -99.13472Coordinates: 19°26′22″N 99°8′5″W / 19.43944°N 99.13472°W / 19.43944; -99.13472
Owner Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL)
Capacity 8,863 (Originally)
5,250 (Currently for Professional wrestling, Boxing)
Construction
Broke ground 1940s
Opened April 2, 1943
Tenants
Empressa Mexicana de Lucha Lubre (1956–1989)
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (1990–Present)

Arena Coliseo is an indoor arena in Mexico City, Mexico located at República del Perú 77 in the Cuauhtémoc borough. The arena is primarily used for professional wrestling, or Lucha libre, shows promoted by Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) and served as the promotion's main venue from 1943 until 1956.. The building is nicknamed "the Lagunilla Funnel" . Arena Coliseo has a seating capacity of 16,500 when configured for professional wrestling or boxing events. The current building was completed in 1943, build by Salvador Lutteroth, founder and owner of CMLL and served as the main venue for CMLL from 1943 until 1953 when Arena México was completed and became the main venue for Lutteroth's promotion.

History

professional wrestling promoter Salvador Lutteroth began promoting wrestling, or Lucha libre events in Arena Modelo in 1933 as he founded Empressa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL).[1][2] The building served as the main venue for Lutteroth's promotion from 1933 until the early 1940s when the success of Lucha Libre meant that Arena Model was becoming too small to accommodate the weekly shows. Lutteroth financed the building of a new arena with $40,000 that he had won in the national lottery. The building would sit on the location of República del Perú 77 in the Cuauhtémoc and was designed by Architect Francisco Bullman.[1][3] Upon its completion in 1943 it was the first sports building in Mexico to have built in Air Conditioning. The building would hold 8,863 spectators for wrestling or boxing events and quickly gained the nickname the "Lagunilla Funnel" due to the design of the spectators stands in regards to the ring in the middle. The event began hosting Boxing events only a few months after opening and for years would run both wrestling and boxing events throughout the year. The venue served as the main building for EMLL, hosting their Anniversary shows starting with their 10th Anniversary show in 1943 through their 22nd Anniversary show in 1955.[1][3][4] From 1956 and forward Arena Coliseo became a secondary venue for EMLL, with the newly constructed Arena México taking over as the venue for all of EMLL's major shows. In 1979, for undisclosed reasons EMLL held their 46th Anniversary Show in Arena Coliseo instead of Arena México, marking the last major EMLL event held there.[4] By the beginning of the 2000s EMLL, now renamed Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) only held one weekly event, a Sunday Night show. The reduction in use is both as a result of the building's state, lack of parking and the general area being less secure with time due to rise in crime.

As a boxing venue

Arena Coliseo hosted its first boxing event only a month after opening, taking place on May 1, 1943. The event started a tradition of Monday night boxing event at Arena Coliseo that would remain long after Arena Mexico had taken over as CMLL's main venue. The first show was headlined by a fight between Mexican National Bantamweight boxer Ernesto Aguilar and Leonardo Lopez.[5] Over the years a number of Mexican and international boxing greats fought at Arena Coliseo, including but not limited to: Jose Medel, Butter Napoles, Vicente Saldivar, Toluco Lopez, Pajarito Moreno, Cuyo Hernandez, El Chango Casanova, Carlos Zarate, Lupe Pintor, Alexis Arguello Alfonso Zamora, Ricardo Lopez, Pipino Cuevas, Kid Azteca and Chiquita Gonzalez. Julio Cesar Chavez fought at Arena Coliseo during his amateur days, but the main attraction of the Arena Coliseo boxing was Raul Macias, with his matches often being shown on the Televisa television channel.[5]

Deaths on location

Over the years Arena Coliseo has witnessed the deaths of several wrestlers and boxers. The first death happened on March 21, 1946, during a boxing match. In the second round of a fight between veteran Guillermo Ramos and young wrestler Fernando Mendoza where Mendoza fell to the floor in the second round and never woke up after the knockout.[5] On December 25, 1979, wrestler José Vincent Ramos Estrada, known to the wrestling world under the ring name Sangre India faced off against César Curiel. Curiel teamed up with El Vengador while Sangre India was teaming with Leo Lopez. During the match Curiel executed a drop kick, a move that was supposed to knock Sangre India out of the ring to the floor. During the fall to the floor, Estrada's head and neck struck the apron before he tumbled uncontrollably to the ground. Estrada died shortly after the fall.[5][6] The third death to occur in Arena Coliseo was not as a result of a match, but a gunshot. On May 14, 1983 "Uncle" Jimenez, the manager of boxes James Casas was shot dead during Casas' victory celebration. A 100,000 pesos reward was offered at the time but no murderer was ever found.[5] On October 26, 1993, professional wrestler Jesús Javier Hernández Silva, better known under the ring name Oro, teamed up La Fiera and Brazo de Plata to face the team of Kahoz, Dr. Wagner, Jr. and Jaque Mate at an Arena Coliseo show. Before the match, while going over the plans for the match Oro said he wanted to take a "Kobashi bump" during the match, a reference to a head first backdrop driver which Kenta Kobashi took in a match in All Japan Pro Wrestling only a few months earlier. That particular bump had a dramatic effect, as it looked like Kobashi had broken his neck from the move and Oro wanted to use the shock effect to help build the drama for their match. During the match, Kahoz clotheslined Oro, who spun and landed on his head as he had planned. His opponent tried to pick him up, but soon thereafter he collapsed and his pulse became weak. Oro was put on a stretcher at the start of the second fall while his brother screamed, "Don't fall asleep!", warning him to remain alert so that he wouldn't lose consciousness. Oro died before being placed in an awaiting ambulance.[7][5][8]

Significant Events

Over the years Arena Coliseo has hosted a number of significant events, especially a large number of EMLL/CMLL events have taken place in Arena Colise, including a number of CMLL Anniversary shows, shows celebrating the anniversary of Arena Coliseo and shows headlined by major, important matches.

EMLL Anniversary Shows

First Show

Poster for the first ever Arena Coliseo Show

The first show in Arena Coliseo took place on April 2, 1943, before the show the Archbishop of Mexico, Luis M. Martinez, gave the arena a Catholic blessing. The Mexico City council leader Javier Rojo Gomez was also in attendance for this major event. The show was originally slated to have Bill Longsan from Texas defend a version of the World Heavyweight Championship against Juan Humberto, but Humberto was not able to travel from the United States to Mexico City in time. Instead Lutteroth booked Mexican National Middleweight Champion Tarzán Lopez to defend his championship against Santo, who at the time was already a prominent figure in Lucha Libre, although not the icon he would later become through his lucha films and in ring exploits.[9]

No. Results[9] Stipulations Times
1 Unverified[Note 1] Unverified[Note 1]  
2 Unverified[Note 1] Unverified[Note 1]  
3 Bobby Bonales vs. Lobo Negro Singles match  
4 Firpo Segura vs. Gorilla Ramos Singles match  
5 Cowboy Murphy vs. Jack O'Brien Singles match  
6 Bobby Areola vs. Black Guzmán Singles match  
7 Tarzán Lopez (c) defeated El Santo 2–0 Two out of three falls match for the Mexican National Middleweight Championship  
  • (c) – refers to the champion(s) heading into the match

50th Anniversary Show

The then-recently renamed CMLL celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Arena Coliseo with a wrestling show on April 4, 1993 centered around a Ruleta de la Muerte ("Roulette of death") tournament where the loser of each match would advance to the next round and the person who lost the final match would be forced to remove his wrestling mask and reveal his real name per lucha libre traditions.[10]

No. Results[10] Stipulations Times
1 Cynthia Moreno and Xochitl Hamada defeated La Diabólica and La Practicante Tag team two out of three falls match  
2 El Felino defeated Metálico Ruleta de la Muerte First Round match  
3 Scorpio, Jr. defeated El Pantera Ruleta de la Muerte First Round match  
4 Titán defeated Máscara Mágica Ruleta de la Muerte First Round match  
5 Lazer Tron defeated Ponzona Ruleta de la Muerte First Round match  
6 Pierroth, Jr. defeated Jaque Mate Ruleta de la Muerte First Round match  
7 Kahoz defeated Águila Solitaria Ruleta de la Muerte First Round match  
8 Ulises defeated Rey Barbaro Ruleta de la Muerte First Round match  
9 Mano Negra defeated El Hijo del Solitario Ruleta de la Muerte First Round match  
10 Metálico defeated El Pantera Ruleta de la Muerte quarter-final match  
11 Ponzona defeated Máscara Mágica Ruleta de la Muerte quarter-final match  
12 Jaque Mate defeated Águila Solitaria Ruleta de la Muerte quarter-final match  
13 El Hijo del Solitario defeated Rey Barbaro Ruleta de la Muerte quarter-final match  
14 El Pantera defeated Máscara Mágica Ruleta de la Muerte semi-final match  
15 Águila Solitaria defeated Rey Barbaro Ruleta de la Muerte semi-final match  
16 Máscara Mágica defeated Rey Barbaro Ruleta de la Muerte final, Lucha de Apuesta, mask vs. mask match  

70th Anniversary Show

On April 7, 2013, CMLL celebrated the 70th anniversary of Arena Coliseo with a show that featured a number of veteran wrestlers that did not usually work for CMLL such as Negro Navarro, Black Terry, Villano IV, Ray Mendoza, Jr., Universo 2000, Máscara Año 2000 and Rayo de Jalisco, Jr. Before his match Ray Mendoza, Jr. stated that his match in Arena Coliseo would be his last match, after having held a Retirement show a few weeks before.[11] During the show CMLL gave an award to a fan who had also attended the first show 70 years prior.

Luchas de Apuestas

Unlike most sports or sports entertainment around the world Lucha Libre holds championships in less regards compared to the prestige of winning a Lucha de Apuesta, literally a "bet match". In a Lucha de Apuesta match each competitor "Bets" either their wrestling mask or hair on the outcome of the match and if they lose must unmask or have their hair shaved off in the ultimate form of humiliation. Since the mask holds a sacred place in Lucha Libre the most prestigious Apuesta is the mask, once it is lost a wrestler is not allowed to put the mask back on when wrestling. As part of the tradition an unmasked wrestler must also reveal their "true identity", which means give their birth name, age and wrestling experience as they lose the "anonymity" of the enmascarado character.[12][13] Over the years Arena Coliseo has been host to a number of Luchas de Apuestas, including one that many consider the biggest Luchas de Apuestas match where Lucha Libre icon El Santo defeated and unmasked Black Shadow in 1952.[14] Below is a list of all documented Luchas de Apuestas that have taken place in Arena Coliseo since its completion in 1943.[14]

Date[14] Winner(s)[14] Loser(s)[14] Bet(s)[14]
April 8, 1944 El Santo Jack O'Brien Hair
May 2, 1952 Torbellino Blanco Sugi Sito Hair
July 26, 1952 Médico Asesino Tonina Jackson Hair
November 7, 1952 El Santo Black Shadow Mask
December 3, 1955 El Santo Halcón Negro Mask
March 12, 1954 Blue Demon Cavernario Galindo Hair
June 14, 1955 Huracán Ramírez Moloch Mask
April 21, 1959 Mishima Ohta Huroki Sito Hair
February 9, 1962 Espanto I Cavernario Galindo Hair
March 20, 1964 Espanto I Dory Dixon Hair
March 12, 1965 Karloff Lagarde Cavernario Galindo Hair
December 10, 1965 Huracán Ramírez El Scorpio Mask
March 23, 1967 Rodolfo Ruiz Sergio Barrayo Hair
June 11, 1968 Black Shadow Dory Dixon Hair
February 20, 1972 El Audaz Manuel Robles Hair
February 27, 1976 El Vengador El Satánico Hair
July 16, 1976 Demonio Blanco El Nazi Hair
May 15, 1977 As Charro Chino Chow Hair
April 2, 1978 Talismán Tauro Hair
August 28, 1979 Cachorro Mendoza El Satánico Hair
September 21, 1979 Gran Cochisse Américo Rocca Hair
December 4, 1979 Sangre India Chamaco Ortiz Hair
October 7, 1980 Talismán El Mago Mask
March 21, 1981 Águila Solitaria El Bastardo Mask
April 3, 1981 Américo Rocca and Divino Roy Gran Cochisse and Aguila India Hair
September 29, 1981 Talismán Tiburón Mask
December 6, 1981 El Brazo Antares Mask
July 23, 1982 Franco Colombo Divino Roy Hair
August 17, 1982 Faisán and Franco Colombo Pánico and Manuel Robles Mask/Hair
November 16, 1982 Pánico Faisán Hair
January 30, 1983 Gran Cochisse Leo López Hair
February 1, 1983 Zorro Mendoza Rey David Hair
April 17, 1983 Gusano Yánez and Olímpico Flores Pánico and Bruno Victoria Hair
July 5, 1983 Gusano Yánez Divino Roy Hair
August 12, 1983 Jerry Estrada Gusano Yánez Hair
September 25, 1983 Cachorro Mendoza Jerry Estrada Hair
October 3, 1983 Tony Salazar Chacho Herodes Hair
October 28, 1983 Cachorro Mendoza Carlos Plata Hair
December 11, 1983 El Jalisco Pirata Morgan Hair
July 1, 1984 Pánico Doberman Hair
July 17, 1984 Américo Rocca and Grand Cochisse Comando Ruso I and II Hair
October 26, 1984 El Dandy Javier Cruz Hair
February 17, 1985 Rey David Módulo Hair
March 23, 1986 Javier Cruz Franco Colombo Hair
April 27, 1986 Enfermero, Jr. Lemus II Hair
May 4, 1986 Talismán Lemus II Hair
August 31, 1986 El Dandy Javier Cruz Hair
August 16, 1987 Selene La Guerrillera Mask
July 17, 1988 Rocco Valente and Roberto Paz Rojo and Reyes Veloz Hair
February 14, 1988 Rokambole El Macho Mask
June 2, 1989 Mogur El Egipcio Hair
June 17, 1989 Gusano Yánez El Macho I Hair
February 16, 1990 Remo Banda Comando Ruso Hair
March 18, 1990 Mogur El Macho Hair
May 4, 1990 Bestia Salvaje Cachorro Mendoza Hair
June 1, 1990 Martha Villalobos Rossy Moreno Hair
August 10, 1990 El Scorpio Cachorro Mendoza Hair
August 17, 1990 Ringo Mendoza El Scorpio Hair
September 2, 1990 Gusano Yánez Américo Rocca Hair
October 28, 1990 Mogur Hombre Bala Hair
March 3, 1991 Zuleyma Pantera Sureña Hair
July 14, 1991 Baby Richard Símbolo Hair
August 2, 1991 Mascarita Sagrada Piratita Morgan Hair
September 1, 1991 Lola González Karla Yvonne Hair
March 8, 1992 Chamaco Ayala Pánico Hair
August 16, 1992 Bestia Salvaje Ringo Mendoza Hair
November 15, 1992 Gran Apache Rey David Hair
December 1, 1992 Shogun Bello Incógnito Mask
December 15, 1992 Brazo de Plata Aarón Grundy Hair
March 2, 1993 Javier Cruz Ringo Mendoza Hair
April 4, 1993 Máscara Mágica Rey Barbaro Mask
May 30, 1993 Corazón de León Cromagnon Hair
June 20, 1993 Tornado Negro Águila India Hair
July 4, 1993 Mestizo Baby Richard Hair
September 7, 1993 Grand Apache and Mestizo Rojo and Reyes Veloz Hair
September 21, 1993 Cachorro Mendoza Chamaco Valaguez Hair
November 14, 1993 La Sombra[Note 2] Supremo II Mask
May 8, 1994 Américo Rocca Kung Fu Hair
October 4, 1994 Escudero Rojo Mestizo Hair
December 18, 1994 Apolo Dantés Mogur Hair
April 4, 1995 Ultratumbita Máscarita Mágica Mask
June 13, 1995 Chicago Express Ciclón Ramírez Hair
July 25, 1995 Américo Rocca Reyes Veloz Hair
August 9, 1995 Arkangel de la Muerte La Sombra[Note 2] Mask
August 29, 1995 Chicago Express Ciclón Ramírez Hair
November 12, 1995 Chicago Express Javier Cruz Hair
November 19, 1995 Astro Rey, Jr. Metálico Mask
February 16, 1996 Américo Rocca Ringo Mendoza Hair
June 2, 1996 Reyes Veloz El Vencedor Hair
July 28, 1996 Lynx Ángel de Plata[Note 3] Mask
September 1, 1996 Atlántico Kung Fu Hair
April 15, 1997 Brazo de Plata Mano Negra Hair
November 30, 1997 Tony Rivera Reyes Veloz Hair
February 1, 1998 Tony Rivera Valentín Mayo Hair
June 9, 1998 Rencor Latino Apolo Chino Mask
June 14, 1998 Ringo Mendoza and Tajiri Chicago Express and Mogur Hair
August 4, 1998 Tony Rivera Guerrero de la Muerte Hair
August 11, 1998 Tony Rivera Guerrero del Futuro Hair
November 15, 1998 Lady Apache Tania la Guerrillera Hair
August 30, 1998 Atlántico Búfalo Salvaje Mask
September 6, 1998 Ringo Mendoza El Signo Hair
November 15, 1998 Lady Apache Tania la Guerrillera Hair
December 15, 1998 Tony Rivera Halcón Negro Hair
December 19, 1999 Tony Rivera Halcón Negro Hair
April 27, 1999 Américo Rocca Kid Guzmán Hair
May 16, 1999 El Toreo Guerrero del Futuro Hair
October 19, 1999 Tigre Blanco Súper Cacao Mask
December 19, 1999 Tony Rivera Halcón Negro Hair
March 21, 2000 Tony Rivera Mr. México Hair
May 1, 2000 Brazo de Oro Valentín Mayo Hair
May 18, 2000 Tony Rivera Súper Cacao Hair
May 28, 2000 Ricky Marvin Súper Cacao Hair
May 30, 2000 Ricky Marvin Fiero Hair
July 23, 2000 Sangre Azteca Pegaso II Mask
March 4, 2001 Mano Negra Mr. México Hair
May 27, 2001 Ricky Marvin Américo Rocca Hair
September 16, 2001 Guerrero del Futuro Chris Stone Hair
October 14, 2001 Ricky Marvin El Hijo del Gladiador Hair
October 28, 2001 Alan Stone Guerrero del Futuro Hair
June 16, 2002 Súper Kendo Solar II Mask
August 11, 2002 Rey Bucanero Brazo de Platino Hair
December 15, 2002 Guerrero del Futuro Solar II Hair
February 18, 2003 Pierroth, Jr. Apolo Dantés Hair
June 15, 2003 Takemura Mr. México Hair
October 19, 2003 Ringo Mendoza Guerrero del Futuro Hair
November 30, 2003 Máscara Año 2000 El Satánico Hair
June 20, 2004 Veneno Tony Rivera Hair
December 5, 2004 Negro Casas Okumura Hair
April 2, 2006 Stuka, Jr. La Flecha Mask
June 5, 2006 Máximo Loco Max Hair
August 13, 2006 India Sioux Medusa (luchadora)Medusa Mask
June 18, 2006 Rey Bucanero Okumura Hair
October 29, 2006 Máximo Emilio Charles, Jr. Hair
March 18, 2007 Leono Mogur Hair
April 15, 2007 Stuka, Jr. El Jeque Mask
July 17, 2007 Bam Bam Pequeño Halloween Hair
July 24, 2007 Bam Bam Demus 3:16 Hair
August 5, 2007 Virus Tony Rivera Hair
July 16, 2008 Bam Bam Pequeño Violencia Hair
August 17, 2008 Demus 3:16 Bam Bam Hair
October 5, 2008 Loco Max Tony Rivera Hair

See also

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 3 4 The scan of the poster in the article is of too low a resolution to read the names.
  2. 1 2 Not to be mistaken for the current La Sombra
  3. ↑ Not the most recent Ángel de Plata

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Los Lutteroth / the Lutteroth". Lucha Libre: Masked Superstars of Mexican Wrestling. Distributed Art Publishers, Inc. 2005. pp. 20–27. ISBN 968-6842-48-9.
  2. ↑ "EMLL Debut show". Pro Wrestling History. September 21, 1933. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
  3. 1 2 Madigan, Dan (2007). "El nacimiento de un sueño (the birth of a dream)". Mondo Lucha A Go-Go: the bizarre & honorable world of wild Mexican wrestling. HarperColins Publisher. pp. 51–51. ISBN 978-0-06-085583-3.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "Historia de Los Aniversarios del CMLL". The Gladiatores Magazine (in Spanish). September 2, 2010. Retrieved September 28, 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Arena Coliseo, La Genuina casa del Boxeo -Sus triunfos – sus muertes" (in Spanish). Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre Gaceta. March 25, 2013. Retrieved April 23, 2013.
  6. ↑ Brown, Kurt. "Kurt Brown looks at the tragic death of Sangre India". Figure 4 Wrestling. Retrieved March 19, 2010.
  7. ↑ Madigan, Dan (2007). "Okay... what is Lucha Libre?". Mondo Lucha A Go-Go: the bizarre & honorable world of wild Mexican wrestling. HarperColins Publisher. pp. 29–40. ISBN 978-0-06-085583-3.
  8. ↑ "Enciclopedia de las Mascaras". Oro (in Spanish) (Mexico City, Mexico). December 2007. p. 27. Tomo V.
  9. 1 2 "Arena Coliseo, El primero de sus 25,550 días" (in Spanish). Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre Gateca. March 28, 2013. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
  10. 1 2 Find it
  11. ↑ "La Arena Coliseo festejo sus 70 anos". MedioTiempo (in Spanish). MSN. April 8, 2013. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
  12. ↑ Madigan, Dan (2007). "Masks". Mondo Lucha A Go-Go: the bizarre & honorable world of wild Mexican wrestling. HarperColins Publisher. pp. 46–49. ISBN 978-0-06-085583-3.
  13. ↑ Madigan, Dan (2007). "The Mask in the match". Mondo Lucha A Go-Go: the bizarre & honorable world of wild Mexican wrestling. HarperColins Publisher. pp. 60–61. ISBN 978-0-06-085583-3.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Arena Coliseo, cementerio de máscaras y cabelleras". MedioTiempo (in Spanish). MSN. April 3, 2013. Retrieved April 5, 2013.

External links

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