2009 Gran Alternativa tournament preview

Everyone’s favorite tournament of people they’ve barely seen! I’ve got sketches of each guys, and some odds to use only for entertainment purposes. I am not responsible for broken knee caps. Probably was going to do this on Friday and Heroes Inmortales today, but I actually know the lineup for this one. [poll id=”45″]

As started last year, all Gran Alternativa novatos must be in the tournament for the first time; no one’s allowed to repeat. Most of the guys in the last couple of months are skipped over, but will probably be involved in the 2010 tournament if they last long enough; it’s tough to come up with 8 new guys each year. It shows this year, as there’s a couple guys who wouldn’t be under consideration for this tournament if they didn’t need people (and wanted to leave certain people out – no Guerrero Maya Jr. this year, even though he’d fit.)

This effects of this tournament have changed of the years. In earlier years, these were a rare glimpse at guys who might one day be stars but right then were barely seen. Now, everyone out of the openers get some TV time (and even those guys turn up in Puebla.) Still, the prestige of winning the tournament has increased. What started out as a tournament to fill space on Arena Coliseo shows is now a major Friday night Arena Mexico show each year. The team of Santo & Mistico winning in 2004 transformed from an intriguing bit for insiders into the second most important tournament of the year.

Notable, no one’s said exactly what the winner will get. In previous years, it’s been explicitly promised that the winner will get to wrestle in the semimain for one week, or for two weeks, or some specific number like that. I’m guessing it’ll be a similar deal this year. The last two winners (Sombra in 2007, Dragon Rojo Jr. in 2008) stuck at a higher level after winning this tournament, but I don’t think it’ll happen this year.

Past results are on the wiki.

Ángel de Oro
Where from: Laguna, an Ultimo Guerrero recruit.
Notes: The Angel brother who was actually using the name before CMLL. Angel de Oro & Plata have been good for their position and their experience, but CMLL is overloaded in all the genres they represent – young tecnicos, high flying tecnicos, religious tecnicos.
Vet: Místico. Mistico’s been in two Gran Alternativa, and won them both. Mistico has won three straight Leyenda de Platas. Mistico is Mistico, the easy favorite in anything he participates.
Odds: EVEN

Rey Cometa
Where from: known as an AAA refugee, but grew up wrestling Queretaro
Notes: If Cometa had spent his whole career wrestling in AAA, he would’ve participated in this tournament long ago. Cometa and Pegasso – deemed too old for this? saved for another year? – have quickly risen up the cards from their early placement in the openers. Cometa has looked very sharp the last half year, and his tornillo is amazing. Not out of place on terceras right now, and easily the most ready for an extended elevated position if they wanted to go that way.
Vet: Blue Panther – won with Ultimo Guerrero in 04/99, lost in the semis with Virus in ’01, lost in the semis with Axel in ’08.
Odds: 5:1 – the problem isn’t Cometa, it’s that they’ve got a dozen other guys like Cometa, half of which they’re trying to push at any one time. One more in the mix just muddies it up more, and Cometa doesn’t need this win unless they’re going to springboard him past most of them.

Rouge
Where from: technically IWRG, but more notable is Toro Blanco’s son.
Notes: Looked unimpressive and hurt in his time in IWRG. Looked unimpressive and hurt in his time in CMLL. Would not be worth a consideration on merit alone, but he’s already appeared in a semimain, has the family connection, and CMLL dearly wants a young heartthrob tecnico. Pushing guys before they’re ready didn’t work for Leono, hasn’t worked for Fabian, but it doesn’t appear to be stopping it.
Vet: Shocker Toscano – surprisingly, this is his first time in the tournament, as far as we know.
Odds: 4:1 – they’re clearly have been high on him, but he’s already been exposed as not being ready. Really would benefit from staying off TV for a long time.

Ángel de Plata
Where from: Laguna area, Ultimo Guerrero.
Notes: He and the other Angel might have debuted a year prior, but Plata broke his arm and they waited to debut the pair. Previously wrestled as Guerrero Inca and feuded with Oro before they were both brought up. Started out as the slightly lesser of the team, but I haven’t seen much of them lately to make a determination.
Vet: Héctor Garza – won the first tournament in 1994 as the novato, advanced to the finals in the second ’96 tournament with Mr. Niebla, lost in the semifinals in 2006 with Hombre sin Nombre (Ephesto), lost in the first round last year with Astro Boy.
Odds: 6:1 – seems like, if an Angel is going to win, they’re much more likely to win with Mistico than Garza

Camorra
Where from: DF, though we’ve never gotten a lot of info on him.
Notes: “Camorra” has been used by a few different guys – there’s a guy in Gomez Palacio using the name the same time as this guy, and he’s not the only one – so it’s tough to get the exact background. This one has been hanging around the opening matches of CMLL shows since 2006 with a couple stretches of being MIA. Loses about 90% of his matches. Seemingly a clear sign they’re reaching to fill out all the spots this year with new people. Had actual meaningful matches in IWRG, where he one of the guys who wrestled as the sponsored wrestler Bogeman. That ended with the end of the IWRG/CMLL working agreement.
Vet: Atlantis – lost in the semifinals with Atlantico in ’95, that same team lost in the first ’96 finals to Bestia Salvaje/Chicago Express, lost in the first round of the second ’96 tournament again with Atlantico, lost in the semifinals with Voaldor Jr. in ’01, lost in the semifinals in ’04 with Volador Jr., finally won one in 2005 with La Mascara, lost in the first round last year with Skandalo. That’s 1-6 in 7 tries.
Odds: 20:1 – one of only two who’d be completely out of place working a semimain next week, because they haven’t even teased anything meaningful. Goals here are to just have a memorable performance, and hope this doesn’t end up being the biggest match of his career.

Tiger Kid
Where from: The Casas family. (Mexico City)
Notes: Started out as a tecnico facing Puma King (who was in this last year) in just about ever match. He and Puma presumbably got good enough to be allowed to face people besides each other, and have been working as a rudo team since. Puma’s been MIA most of this summer, working about one match a month, so Tiger’s been a freefloating rudo, rising all the way up to the tercera last Sunday in a Gran Alternativap preview. The family story is he’s a son of someone in the Casas family, but the ones in CMLL say it’s not them. Wrestlers say a lot of things, some of which are true.
Vet: Mr. Niebla – lost in the finals of the second ’96 tournament with Garza, lost in the finals with Atlantico in ’99, lost in the first round with Alan Stone in ’01, lost in the semifinals teaming with the new Bronco in ’08.
Odds: 2:1 – experienced enough to fit in semimains for a couple weeks before they send him back down, and they might as well spotlight someone who surely will be pushed later. Could easily slide in with Pesta Negra for a couple weeks without looking out of place.

Pólvora
Where from: Mexico City?
Notes: One who’s been around forever, and it’s remarkable he hasn’t been in this tournament. Lists his debut date as 2000, and started with CMLL in 2002. Spent most of the years since in openers, teaming with his brother Vaquero. Vaquero went MIA last June, Polvora won the advanced class of the annual bodybuilding contest, and seems to be moving up based on that success. This is the first year he’s made it a far as terceras, though just on off shows.
Vet: Averno – as far as we know, has never been in a Gran Alternativa before. (Only the final is known from the 98 show, but he was probably too new then.)
Odds: 3:1 – being overlooked in the hype, but would be a better choice than Rouge and surely deserves the chance more after working here for 8 years. Has not shown much in the ring, but CMLL likes his look.

Semental
Where from: Laguna, an Ultimo Guerrero recruit.
Notes: One of the lesser known of the guys coming out of the pipeline. Had some brief stint in 2007, came back to Mexico City to work showcase himself in IWRG in ’08, has been on the CMLL roster since March of last year. Exclusively an opening match worker, but has promise for the future. Probably will get a new gimmick by then and get another shot at this that way.
Vet: Yujiro – his first tournament, of course
Odds: 20:1 – most CMLL fans don’t even know he exists, so just being involved is a lot for him.