CMLL announces Bandido, who was not under contract to CMLL, is no longer under contract to CMLL

The most dreaded words in the CMLL language remain “Comunicado Oficial.” CMLLL issued another bad news official communication today by announcing Bandido and CMLL had mutually agreed to part ways. It’s not the entire story.

Sources close to Bandido say he was expecting to finish up after his match with Volador and had only stuck around in the CMLL as long as he did because he wanted to deliver on the promised and much-postponed match. (Bandido would’ve likely moved on much earlier if the match happened as scheduled in September.) Bandido did not formally tell CMLL he was done but wasn’t expecting to take many bookings in the near future.

CMLL’s issue was the opening of Bandido’s gym on April 17th and the wrestling show going with it. (I know the poster says the 24th. It’s a long digression; accept it’s actually on the 17th.)  The card is a Bandido production, including AAA wrestlers like Psycho Clown and Texano. The show is planned to be filmed for Texano’s YouTube channel. CMLL officials were upset with “CMLL’s Bandido” being on the same show as AAA wrestlers. Bandido was ordered to remove the AAA wrestlers and replace them with CMLL ones. Bandido countered that he was an independent wrestler and had no obligation to change his card for CMLL. CMLL apparently decided this was a breaking point, that maintaining their veto against AAA wrestlers was more important than using Bandido, which is their right as weird as it is.

(It’s worth noting AAA & CMLL wrestlers have, in reality, been on the same cards during the pandemic. Either CMLL hasn’t bothered with other conflicts, or they’ve been too inattentive to notice. Wrestling Psycho Clown in Mexico City is pretty high profile.)

CMLL could’ve just opted to stop booking Bandido and never acknowledge it. CMLL might have been motivated to send out the press release to work themselves out of a self-created jam. CMLL Informa host (and media relations head) Julio Cesar Rivera had months ago insisted Bandido was under contract with CMLL in response to fan inquiries. This was false, Bandido’s never had more than a verbal deal with CMLL. Cesar Rivera said so anyway presumbably to counter the perception the best wrestlers in Mexico don’t want to work with them. (This has been present since CMLL cut ties with Rush & Dragon Lee in a similar press release.) CMLL might have issued a press release even if “Bandido’s contract” wasn’t announced, they are that concerned about their wrestlers being associated with AAA. Still, CMLL making a show of force that they control all their wrestlers was more important than staying on good terms with a wrestler their fans seemed to like. CMLL might believe this will also stop fans from asking to see Bandido on their shows again, but similar situations (IWRG/Traumas) suggest they’re just going to keep asking until CMLL gives them something new.

Bandido remains under contract with Ring of Honor. This doesn’t change his status with them. It has no bearing on any future work with NJPW. It doesn’t mean Bandido is about to work with AAA TV; he could if both sides are interested, but this is no new news on that front. It also really doesn’t change Bandido’s status with CMLL all that much – he could be back on verbal deal six months from now if both sides change their minds. This announcement is just one that makes look CMLL silly for hyping Bandido up as one of the best in the world for months and then declaring you weren’t all that interested in him after all.