Caravana de Campeones (August 2012)

Professional wrestling has a long running tradition of holding shows that feature several championship matches, and at times actually promotes shows as an "all championship matches" show. The earliest documented "All-Championship" show is the EMLL Carnaval de Campeones ("Carnival of Champions") held on January 13, 1965.{{cite book|author=Royal Duncan and Gary Will|title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|year=2000|isbn=0-9698161-5-4|chapter=Mexico: National Light Heavyweight Title|pages=391–392}} In 2007 WWE held a pay-per-view called Vengeance: Night of Champions, making WWE Night of Champions a recurring theme.{{cite web|first1=John|last1=Powell|last2=Powell|first2=Justin|title=Vengeance banal and badly booked | url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2007/06/24/4287727.html| archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714084146/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2007/06/24/4287727.html| url-status=usurped| archive-date=July 14, 2012|work=SLAM! Sports|publisher=Canadian Online Explorer|date=June 25, 2007|accessdate=November 6, 2007}} Starting in 2008 the Mexican lucha libre promotion International Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG) has held a regular major show labeled Caravana de Campeones, Spanish for "Caravan of Champions" using the same concept for a major annual show.{{cite web | url=http://superluchas.com/resultados-de-iwrg-caravana-de-campeones-jueves-29-de-mayo/ | title=Resultados de IWRG: Caravana de Campeones (jueves 29 de mayo) | first=Israel | last=Velazquez | date=May 30, 2008 | accessdate=April 19, 2016 | work=Súper Luchas | language=Spanish}} All Caravana de Campeones shows have been held in Arena Naucalpan, IWRG's home arena, the location of all of their major shows through the years. The August 2012 show was the fifth time IWRG has held a Caravana de Campeones show, having not held one in 2010 but held twice in 2012.

The event featured five professional wrestling matches with different wrestlers involved in pre-existing scripted feuds, plots and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed themselves as either heels (referred to as rudos in Mexico, those that portray the "bad guys") or faces (técnicos in Mexico, the "good guy" characters) as they follow a series of tension-building events, which culminated in wrestling matches.

In 2010 El Hijo del Diablo appeared at an IWRG event with the WWS World Welterweight Championship around his waist, claiming that he won it on the independent circuit, but never specified when or from who. Over the following years IWRG allowed the championship to be defended on their shows despite not originating in IWRG. Eterno was the defending champion going into the August version of the Caravana de Campeones, having defeated Multifacético to win the title on November 3, 2011.{{cite news|title=Número Especial – Lo mejor de la lucha libre mexicana durante el 2011|work=Súper Luchas|id=450|date=January 13, 2012|language=Spanish}} He had previously successfully defended the championship on the April Caravana de Campeones show when he defeated Chicano.{{cite web | url=http://www.thegladiatores.com/?p=8128 | title=Los campeones, firmes en sus tronos en IWRG; AK-47, nuevo campeón de peso medio | date=May 7, 2012 | accessdate=February 6, 2013 | first=Diego | last=Mejia Eguiluz | work=the Gladiatores | language=Spanish}}

Lucha libre has a strong family tradition, with many second or third-generation wrestlers competing as "Junior" or "Hijo de" (Spanish for "Son of").{{cite book | author= Madigan, Dan | title= Mondo Lucha a Go Go: the bizarre & honorable world of wild Mexican wrestling | publisher= HarperCollins Publishers | year= 2007 | chapter = A family affair | pages = 128–132 | isbn=978-0-06-085583-3}} In February 2011 created the IWRG Junior de Juniors Championship, with the unique stipulation that only second or third-generation wrestlers were allowed to challenge for it. In accordance with storyline some "Juniors", for instance Cien Caras Jr., are not actually the son of a wrestler, but instead pay for the rights to use the name, but IWRG acknowledges the storyline relationship as if it was real. On July 1, 2012 Hijo de Máscara Año 2000 (not actually a son of Máscara Año 2000) defeated Bestia 666 to win the IWRG Junior de Juniors Championship.{{cite web | url= http://superluchas.com/iwrg-resultados-010712-hijo-de-mascara-ano-2000-salva-su-mascara-y-se-convierte-en-el-nuevo-campeon-junior-de-juniors/ | title= IWRG (Resultados 01/07/12): Hijo de Máscara Año 2000 salva su máscara y se convierte en el nuevo Campeón Junior de Junior’s | last=Mexicool | first=Rey | date=July 2, 2012 | accessdate=July 2, 2012 | work=Súper Luchas| language=Spanish}}

in 2002 IWRG introduced the Rey del Ring ("King of the Ring"), an annual professional wrestling tournament.{{cite web|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/mexico/misc/iwrg.html#rey|title=Rey del Ring|work=Pro Wrestling History|accessdate=January 29, 2013}} After the 2011 Rey del Ring tournament IWRG presented the winner (Pantera) with a championship belt, a belt that can be defended between the annual tournament. Oficial Factor won the 2012 Rey del Ring'' tournament and thus also won the championship.{{cite web |url=http://www.mediotiempo.com/mas-deportes/lucha-libre/noticias/2012/06/01/factor-campeon-del-rey-del-ring | title=Factor Campeón del Rey del Ring | date=June 1, 2012 | accessdate=January 29, 2013 | work=MedioTiempo | language=Spanish}}

Traditionally the heavyweight championship is considered the top title of any wrestling promotion, but in lucha libre it's normally not the case, with the focus being on the lower weight limits.{{cite book | author= Madigan, Dan | title= Mondo Lucha a Go Go: the bizarre & honorable world of wild Mexican wrestling | publisher= HarperCollins Publishers | year= 2007 | chapter = Okay... what is Lucha Libre?| page= 32 | quote=in the late 1980s EMLL withdrew from the National Wrestling Alliance | isbn=978-0-06-085583-3|location=New York, New York}} The defending champion, Cien Caras Jr., won the IWRG Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship from Headhunter I on June 21, 2012. He won the match, and the championship by disqualification as IWRG rules states a championship can change hands on a disqualification.{{cite web|url=http://superluchas.com/iwrg-resultados-21jun12-cien-caras-jr-nuevo-campeon-completo-iwrg-trauma-ii-vuelve-a-enfrentar-a-shadow-phoenix-se-presenta-heddi-karaoui/|title=IWRG (Resultados 21/Jun/12): Cien Caras Jr., nuevo Campeón Completo IWRG – Trauma II vuelve a enfrentar a Shadow Phoenix – Se presenta Heddi Karaoui|author=Mexicool, Rey|date=June 22, 2012|accessdate=June 22, 2012|work=Súper Luchas|language=Spanish}}

Los Oficiales (Oficial 911, Oficial AK-47 and Oficial Fierro) became two-time Distrito Federal Trios Champions on July 27, 2012, when they defeated long-time rivals Los Oficiales Elite (Oficial Factor, Oficial Rayan and Oficial Spartan) to win the championship.{{cite web | url=http://www.mediotiempo.com/mas-deportes/lucha-libre/noticias/2012/07/27/los-oficiales-recuperan-el-campeonato-de-trios-del-estado-de-mexico | title=Los Oficiales recuperan el Campeonato de Tríos del Estado de México. | date=July 27, 2012 | accessdate=December 1, 2012 | work=MedioTiempo | language=Spanish}} The Caravan de Campeones match against Los Perros del Mal ("The Bad Dogs") team of Bestia 666, Damián 666 and Súper Nova would be their first title defense of their second reign.

{{Pro Wrestling results table

|results={{cite web | url=http://www.thegladiatores.com/?p=8457| title=¡Una función de campeonato! | date= August 17, 2012 | accessdate=February 6, 2013 | first=Diego | last=Mejía Eguiluz | work=the Gladiatores | language=Spanish}}{{cite web | url=http://www.mediotiempo.com/mas-deportes/lucha-libre/noticias/2012/08/13/noche-de-campeonato-en-iwrg | title=Noche de Campeonato en IWRG | date= August 13, 2012 | accessdate= February 6, 2013 | author=Redaccion | work=MedioTiempo | language=Spanish}}

|match1=Golden Magic defeated Eterno (c) – two falls to one

|stip1=Best two-out-of-three falls singles match for the WWS World Welterweight Championship

|match2=Hijo de Máscara Año 2000 (c) vs. El Hijo de L.A. Park ended in a draw

|stip2=Best two-out-of-three falls singles match for the IWRG Junior de Juniors Championship

|match3=Hijo de Pirata Morgan defeated Oficial Factor (c) – two falls to one

|stip3=Best two-out-of-three falls singles match for the IWRG Rey del Ring

|match4=Cien Caras, Jr. (c) defeated X-Fly – two falls to one

|stip4=Best two-out-of-three falls singles match for the IWRG Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship

|match5=Los Oficiales (Oficial 911, Oficial AK-47 and Oficial Fierro) (c) defeated La Familia de Tijuana (Bestia 666, Damian 666 and Super Nova) – two falls to one

|stip5=Best two-out-of-three falls six-person tag team match for the Distrito Federal Trios Championship

}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160817114501/http://www.iwrg.mx/ IWRG official website]

{{IWRGShows|Caravana de Campeones}}

Category:2012 in professional wrestling

Category:2012 in Mexico

Category:August 2012 in Mexico

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