TheLeyenda de Azul (Spanish for "the Blue Legend") is alucha libretournament held seven times by theMexicanprofessional wrestling promotionConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) between 2000 and 2008 and again in 2011 and 2012. The tournament honorsBlue Demon, orDemonio Azul as he's sometimes referred to. The tournament is not nearly as prestigious as CMLL's annualLeyenda de Plata tournament. The winner is given a plaque with a Blue Demon mask on it and a championship belt featuring Blue Demon as well. All tournaments have taken place inArena México inMexico City and all were held on Fridays during CMLL'sSuper Viernes show. In 2009Blue Demon Jr. threatened to take legal action against CMLL on behalf of theNational Wrestling Alliance over CMLL's use of three NWA branded championships.[1] While CMLL did not publicly respond to the threat they dropped the tournament from their schedule for two years. In July 2011, CMLL, still not on good terms with Blue Demon Jr., announced the return of the tournament. The tournament would instead be endorsed by Blue Demon's biological son and Blue Demon Jr.'s adopted brother, El Hijo de Blue Demon.
The firstLeyenda de Azul tournament took place on October 27, 2000, just 21 days after the 2000 version of theLeyenda de Plata tournament. 16 men competed in aTorneo cibernetico match for the trophy. Only the second half of the match was shown on television, which means that the order of the first eight eliminations is only known to the people in attendance atArena México that night. The first eight are listed alphabetically. During the matchMáscara Año 2000 allowed himself to get pinned byShocker while he himself had Shocker pinned to ensure that Shocker was eliminated from the tournament.Blue Panther won thetorneo cibernetico when he pinnedMr. Niebla.[2][18][19]
CMLL did not hold aLeyenda de Azul in 2001 or 2002 but did promote the tournament in 2003. Like the firstLeyenda de Azul, the second version also centered around a 16-manTorneo cibernetico match. The match came down toShocker andTarzan Boy, at the time both mid-card wrestlers hoping to move into the main event picture. Tarzan Boy pinned Shocker to win the 2003Leyenda de Azul trophy.[3][20]
The thirdLeyenda de Azul tournament took place on October 8, 2004, and like the two previousLeyenda de Azul tournaments featured a 16-mantorneo cibernetico. The final two wrestlers in the match wereCanek andUniverso 2000. Universo 2000 pinned Canek to win the tournament, gaining a small measure of revenge on the man that beat him for his mask only three weeks prior at theCMLL 71st Anniversary Show.[4][21]
The fourthLeyenda de Azul took place on July 15, 2005. Unlike previous years' tournaments CMLL did not use thetorneo cibernetico format but instead opted for a 16-man, one night tournament to take place on the July 15, 2005CMLL Super Viernes show. The winner of the tournament would also be considered the first CMLL World G1 Heavyweight Champion and win a place inNew Japan Pro-Wrestling's (NJPW) upcomingG1 Climax tour in August, 2005. While it was never confirmed officially it is believed that NJPW actually decided who they wanted to tour with them and thus who won the tournament. The final match sawLizmark Jr. pinÚltimo Guerrero to earn both theLeyenda de Azul trophy and the CMLL World G1 Heavyweight Champion. The G1 championship was never referred to again after July 15, 2005, not even when Lizmark Jr. competed in NJPW.[5][22]
The 5thLeyenda de Azul took place on November 4, 2006, and was like the 2005 version a one night, 16-man single elimination tournament. CMLL used the same tournament format as the previous year as they had the winner of the first and the last match of the first round face off in the finals. The finals sawRey Bucanero defeatAtlantis to win the trophy and belt.[6][23]
The sixthLeyenda de Azul took place on December 12, 2008, and was the focal point of CMLL's Friday nightCMLL Super Viernes show. This tournament was the firstLeyenda de Azul tournament to see the winner being crowned as a result of outside interference asEphesto andEl Texano Jr. helpedEl Terrible overcomeMarco Corleone to win the tournament.[7][24]
On July 25, 2011, CMLL released a poster for an event, which revealed that after a two-year break,Leyenda de Azul would return on July 29.[25] While CMLL was still on bad terms with Blue Demon Jr., the tournament was instead endorsed by his adopted brother and Blue Demon's biological son, El Hijo de Blue Demon, who also presentedMr. Niebla with the trophy after his win.[26]
The eighthLeyenda de Azul tournament took place on October 12, 2012, on CMLL'sSuper Viernes show.[27][28] The match included 16 wrestlers in total and sawDiamante Azul win the tournament.[9]
After noLeyenda de Azul tournament in 2013 CMLL promoted the ninth version of the event on June 20, 2014, as the main event of their weeklySuper Viernes ("Super Friday") show. The tournament format saw 16 men complete in aTorneo cibernetico elimination match. The finals of the match sawAtlantis eliminate long time rivalÚltimo Guerrero to win the tournament.[10][30][31][32]
The2016Leyenda de Azul (Spanish for "Blue Legend") was a one-nightprofessional wrestling tournament, produced and scripted by the Mexican professional wrestling promotionConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL; Spanish for "World Wrestling Council") that was held on November 18, 2016 as part of their weeklySuper Viernes show held atArena México in Mexico City, Mexico. The 18-mantorneo cibernetico elimination match was held in honor ofBlue Demon, and was the tenth time CMLL held theLeyenda de Azul tournament.
The2017Leyenda de Azul (Spanish for "Blue Legend") was a one-nightprofessional wrestling tournament, produced and scripted by the Mexican professional wrestling promotionConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL; Spanish for "World Wrestling Council") that was held on December 22, 2017 as part of their weeklySuper Viernes show held atArena México in Mexico City, Mexico. The 18-mantorneo cibernetico elimination match was held in honor ofBlue Demon, and was the eleventh time CMLL held theLeyenda de Azul tournament.
