2021 Tapatia Awards Results

Hola.

These are the results for 2021 Tapatia Awards, honoring the best in lucha libre. Thanks to everyone who voted, and thanks to those who didn’t for still reading this. We had 61 ballots this year, once I took out the person who seemed to vote twice. This was slightly up from last year, despite me still not doing much of a job promoting it.

Full results from past years: 2004200520062007, 2008, 2009, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020.

Best Wrestler

2004: LA Park
2005: Perro Aguayo Jr.
2006: Mistico
2007: Gran Apache
2008: Blue Panther
2009: Negro Casas

2017: Volador Jr.
2018: LA Park
2019: Hijo del Vikingo
2020: Laredo Kid
2021: Hijo del Vikingo

Luchador1st Place2nd Place3rd PlacePoint Total
El Hijo del Vikingo28103176
Arez75560
Laredo Kid63855
Hechicero54649
Bandido29547
Fénix25433
Dark Silueta22118
Psycho Clown12317
Villano III Jr.30015
Aramis05015
Titán21013
Pentagon Jr.12113
Ricky Marvin12113
Látigo0036
Volador Jr.0036
Black Terry0115
Soberano Jr.0115
Taurus0115
LA Park0024
Mistico0024
Atlantis Jr.0103
Faby Apache0103
Ineligible0103
Jessy Ventura0103
Lady Flammer0103
Thunder Rosa0103
Virus0103
Barbaro Cavernario0012
Big Mike0012
Hijo del Espectro Jr.0012
Mr. Condor0012
Perro de Guerra Jr.0012
Puma King0012
Rush0012
Sexy Star0012
Stephanie Vaquer0012
Templario0012

El Hijo del Vikingo wins for the second time in three years, with no one else particularly close. Arez moves up one spot from last year. Thirty-seven luchadors got at least one vote.

Best Match
2004: 09-03 Averno vs Zumbido
2005: 02-25 Mistico vs Ultimo Guerrero
2006: 09-29 Black Warrior vs Mistico
2007: 07-29 Mistico vs Dr. Wagner
2008: 09-19 Blue Panther vs Villano V
2009: 06-13 Dr. Wagner Jr. vs Mesias

2017: 02-27 Barbaro Cavernario & Volador Jr. vs Ultimo Guerrero & El Valiente
2018: 06-22 L.A. Park vs Rush
2019: 06-09 Hijo del Vikingo vs Laredo Kid
2020: 12-12 Laredo Kid vs Kenny Omega
2021: 03-21 Hijo del Vikingo vs Arez

Match1st 2nd 3rd Total
03-21 Hijo del Vikingo vs Arez172091
10-09 Fenix & Pentagon Jr. vs Hijo Del Vikingo & Laredo Kid105575
03-26 Bandido vs Volador Jr.36645
03-20 Arez vs Laredo Kid32531
05-03 Látigo, Villano III Jr., Abismo Negro Jr., Hijo Del Vikingo, Aramis25331
11-12 Hechicero vs Bárbaro Cavernario22220
12-05 Black Terry vs Mr. Condor12215
08-14 Andrade vs Kenny Omega03111
09-18 Erik Ortiz vs Hechicero03111
09-24 Hechicero vs Último Guerrero03111
02-06 Virus vs Soberano Jr.20010
05-05 Chucho el Roto vs Mr. Potro11110
10-18 Amapola, Dark Silueta, La Jarochita, Lluvia, Marcela, Princesa Sugehit, Reina Isis vs Avispa Dorada, Dalys, Momo Kohgo, Sonya, Stephanie Vaquer, Tsukasa Fujimoto, Tsukushi1029
08-14 Fénix & Pentagón Jr. vs Hijo Del Vikingo & Laredo Kid vs Brian Cage & Taurus0309
01-22 Ricky Marvin vs Tony Deppen1108
01-30 Virus vs Pólvora1108
04-25 Ricky Marvin vs Black Terry1108
09-18 Arez vs Latigo1108
12-04 Hijo del Vikingo vs Bandido vs Jay Lethal vs Bobby Fish vs Samuray del Sol1108
07-03 Hijo Del Vikingo vs Kamikaze vs Komander vs Aramis vs Látigo vs Toxin0218
08-22 Black Terry vs Perro de Guerra Jr.1017
11-26 Volador Jr. vs TJP1017
05-31 Laredo Kid vs Latigo0036
04-17 Villano III Jr. vs Toxin1005
04-25 Eterno vs Fresero Jr.1005
06-05 Laredo Kid vs Black Taurus vs Gringo Loco vs Arez vs El Hijo de Canis Lupus vs Aramis vs Dragon Bane vs Golden Dragon1005
06-25 Templario & Volador vs Virus & Caristico1005
06-27 Titán vs Negro Casas1005
09-05 Fenix & Pentagon Jr. vs Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson1005
11-04 Rey Escorpion, Taurus, Villano III Jr. vs. El Hijo del Vikingo, Octagon Jr., Psycho Clown1005
11-20 Bestia 666 & Mecha Wolf vs Fenix & Pentagon Jr.1005
11-26 Soberano Jr., Ángel de Oro, Último Guerrero, Bárbaro Cavernario, Atlantis Jr., Hechicero, Stuka Jr., Terrible, Blue Panther, Sagrado, Gran Guerrero, Gemelo Diablo I, Dark Panther, Dragón Rojo Jr., Esfinge, Gemelo Diablo II1005
12-17 Ricky Marvin vs Virus1005
12-25 Brazo Celestial, Brazo Cibernetico, Brazo De Oro Jr. vs Estrellato, King Charro, Toscano1005
07-03 Hechicero vs Blue Panther0115
07-30 Titán vs Templario0115
05-01 Laredo Kid, Texano Jr., Murder Clown, Aerostar, Drago, Abismo Negro Jr., Hijo Del Vikingo, Myzteziz Jr. [Rey de Reyes]0024
08-14 Psycho Clown vs Rey Escorpion0024
10-09 DMT Azul, Puma King, Sam Adonis vs Dave The Clown, Murder Clown, Psycho Clown0024
01-31 Cíclope, Crazy King, El Mago, Miedo Extremo, Símbolo Azteca vs Billy, Dayami, Devitt Rodríguez, Jeff Killer, Luigi0103
02-04 Arez vs Látigo vs Aramis0103
03-13 Abismo Negro Jr. & Taurus vs Hijo del Vikingo & Laredo Kid0103
04-17 Skayde vs Toro Negro Jr.0103
05-01 Látigo vs Dinastía vs Toxin vs Aramis vs Arez0103
05-01 Octagón Jr vs Taurus vs Villano III Jr.0103
07-04 Ricky Marvin vs Negro Navarro0103
07-10 Arez v Aramis0103
07-11 Tony Deppen vs Dragon Lee0103
10-03 Negro Navarro vs Jonathan Gresham0103
12-03 ASF, Drago Kid, Chris Carter vs Gringo Loco, Demonic Flamita, Low Rider0103
02-24 Fenix vs Lance Archer0012
04-08 Arez vs Aramis0012
04-20 Blue Panther vs Satánico0012
07-02 Princesa Sugehit v Stephanie Vaquer0012
07-09 Nick Gage vs Sadika0012
07-17 Rush vs LA Park0012
07-31 Baby Extreme vs Villano III Jr.0012
09-01 Bestia 666, Mecha Wolf, Rey Horus vs Cuatrero, Forastero, Sansón0012
09-18 Demonio Del Aire, Kratoz, Prometeo vs Iron Kid, Jimmy, Toxin0012
10-01 La Amapola, La Jarochita, Marcela vs Momo Kohgo, Tsukasa Fujimoto, Tsukushi0012
10-08 Amapola, Dark Silueta, La Jarochita, Lluvia, Marcela, Princesa Sugehit, Reina Isis vs Avispa Dorada, Dalys, Momo Kohgo, Sonya, Stephanie Vaquer, Tsukasa Fujimoto, Tsukushi0012
11-04 Kenji & Limbo vs Hell Boy & Spider Fly0012
12-05 Sick Boy vs Mafioso0012
12-16 Alpha Wolf & Dragon Bane vs Aster Boy & Demonic Flamita0012

RIOT’s Hijo del Vikingo versus Arez match is the first one outside of AAA or CMLL to win overall (though perhaps one would’ve done that in the stretch I took off.) Sixty-five matches received a vote. CMLL did not seem to finish as well as in past years; they had a lot of matches receive votes but lacked the one match that everyone gathered around.

I also broke down the match votes by promotion:

Best Match by Promotion1st2nd3rdTotal
AAA172524208
CMLL131418143
RIOT1862112
Lucha Memes34129
Zona 2312215
IWRG10311
AULL11110
Mexa Wrestling1108
AEW1017
GCW0127
Warrior Wrestling1005
LAWE1005
La Cueva del Dragon1005
Robles1005
Vanguardia0103
MLW0103
ROH0103
Invasion Indy0012
Lucha Libre Boom0012
The Crash0012

RIOT somehow ended up with the most 1st place votes while running just two shows.

Best Promotion

2004: CMLL
2005: CMLL
2006: CMLL
2007: AAA
2008: CMLL
2009: CMLL

2017: CMLL
2018: CMLL
2019: AAA
2020: AAA
2021: AAA

PromotionVotes
AAA34
RIOT6
CMLL5
Lucha Memes5
Big Lucha3
AULL1
IWRG1
Loko Wrestling1
MexaWrestling1
NOAH1
No Promotion1
Zona 231

Not a lot of people watch Lucha Memes but those who do seem to really enjoy it. A lot of people watch CMLL but it doesn’t seem like a lot of people have it as their #1.

Best Unit
2004: Guerreros del Infierno (as Best Tag Team and Best Trio)

2006: Los Guerreros del Atlantida
2007: Real Fuerza Aerea AAA
2008: Oficiales
2009: Peste Negra

2017: Nueva Generación Dinamita
2018: Nueva Generación Dinamita
2019: Poder del Norte
2020: Lucha Brothers
2021: Lucha Brothers

Best UnitVotes
Lucha Brothers12
Poder del Norte9
Jinetes del Aire6
NGD5
La Empresa4
Los Cancerberos del Infierno4
Negocio Traumado4
Las Tóxicas2
Los Mercenarios2
Los Vipers2
Infernales1
La Jaucan (Dick Angelo 3G, Tonalli & Puma de Oro)1
La Pandemia1
La Rebelión1
Los Atrapasueños1
Los Infernales1
Los Parks1
Mexa Boys1
Psycho Circus1
Strippers Big1

Best Rivalry
2004: El Hijo del Santo vs Perro Aguayo Jr.
2005: Mistico vs Ultimo Guerrero
2006: Mistico vs Black Warrior
2007: Billy Boy vs Gran Apache
2008: Blue Panther vs Villano V
2009: Negro Casas vs Mistico

2017: Princesa Sugehit vs Zeuxis
2018: L.A. Park vs Rush
2019: Big Mami vs Lady Maravilla
2020: Chessman vs Pagano
2021: Rey Escorpión vs Psycho Clown

Best FeudVotes
Rey Escorpión vs Psycho Clown17
La Empresa vs Psycho Circus (or AAA in general)7
There were none6
AAA vs FMV3
Arez vs Aramis2
CMLL vs it’s Fans and/or the 21st Century2
Hechicero vs Último Guerrero2
Arena Coliseo GDL vs Arena Queretaro1
Arez vs Laredo Kid1
Bandido vs COVID & bad decisions1
Bandido vs Flamita1
Bandido vs Rush1
Chucho el Roto vs Mr. Potro1
Diosa Atenea vs Diosa Quetzal1
Erick Ortiz vs Hechicero1
Fresero Jr vs Eterno1
Jessy Ventura vs Toxin1
Konnan vs New Booking Ideas1
La Empresa vs Psycho Circus1
Mistico vs Averno1
Mistico vs Ultimo Guerrero1
NGD vs PDN1
Soberano vs Ultimo Guerero1
Ultimo Guerrero vs Everyone1
Vikingo vs Taurus1
Wotan vs Difunto1

This is the third straight year an AAA feud won Feud of the Year. I don’t want to take away from it, yet this year’s choice seemed more about those two having a clear rivalry in a year without a lot of them. This category always provokes some creative entries, though more so this year.

Most Improved
2004: Olimpico
2005: Maximo
2006: Black Warrior, Marco Corleone, Mistico (tie)
2007: Super Fly & X-Pac (tie)
2008: Sombra
2009: Mascara Dorada

2017: Soberano Jr.
2018: Templario
2019: Atlantis Jr.
2020: Diosa Quetzal
2021: Komander

Most ImprovedVotes
Komander7
Atlantis Jr.6
Látigo4
Aramis2
Arez2
Coyote2
Drago Kid2
Hechicero2
Mr. Iguana2
Noisy Boy2
Sexy Star II2
Stephanie Vaquer2
Villano III Jr.2
Abismo Negro Jr1
Bad Bunny1
Blue Win1
Dark Silueta1
Dayami1
Diosa Quetzal1
DMT Azul1
Dragon Bane1
Gran Guererro1
Jessy Ventura1
Lluvia1
Octagon Jr1
Panterita del Ring Jr.1
Soberano1
Taurus1
Titán1
Toxin1

This one often is about as much increased visibility as increased ability, though Komander did seem to stand out more on AAA TV than he had prior. Atlantis Jr. came dangerously close to winning the most improved two years in a row, another effect of not having many standout candidates.

Favorite Wrestler
2017: Barbaro Cavernario & Hechicero (tie)
2018: Pentagon Jr.
2019: Hijo del Vikingo
2020: Hijo del Vikingo
2021: Hijo del Vikingo

FavoriteTotal
Hijo del Vikingo11
Hechicero5
Místico5
Arez3
Titán3
Fénix3
Laredo Kid3
Virus3
Andrade El Idolo2
Aramis2
Bandido2
LA Park2
Mr. Iguana2
Ricky Marvin2
Taurus2
Villano III Jr.2
Artemis Spencer1
Atlantis Jr.1
Avisman1
Black Terry1
Flamita1
Microman1
Pentagon Jr1
Templario1

I’m not sure what it would take for Hijo del Vikingo in-ring not to win this award at this point. Maybe a multi-year stay in the US to the point of him not coming to mind as a luchador pick, like Fenix? Maybe Fenix wrestling more in Mexico? Not sure even an injury would take him out. Someone else would have to get very hot to unseat him.

I suspect these votes are going to seem unfair to CMLL fans, so this is a good one to end out. Two of the top three and five of the top nine wrestlers are from CMLL. People, at least among the voters, are still big fans of many of the CMLL luchadors – just not as much in what they’re doing.


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One thought to “2021 Tapatia Awards Results”

  1. >I suspect these votes are going to seem unfair to CMLL fans
    not for me, I always feel like AAA is easily able to get more buzz for their big events than CMLL. I remember when one of the Aniversario shows was on, I checked twitter and almost no one was talking about the event. I think it might have been the first one, where Cavernario and Felino main evented. Doesn’t seem like a good sign for the iPPVs, but CMLL is just going to keep going with that. Alas.

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