Leyenda de Plata

The Leyenda de Plata (Spanish for "the Silver Legend") is an annual lucha libre tournament held by the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) since 1998. The tournament honors El Santo, Enmáscarado de Plata (the Silver mask) and has been held every year since 1998 except for 2003 when El Hijo del Santo (El Santo's son) did not work for CMLL. CMLL still holds the annual tournament despite El Hijo del Santo no longer works for CMLL. It is the most prestigious of all of CMLL's annual tournaments. The basic format of the tournament is the Torneo Cibernetico to qualify for a semi-final. The winner of the semi-final faces the winner of the previous year's tournament in the final. Since 2005 CMLL has held two Cibernetico matches and the winner of each then meet in the semi-final.

The winner is given a plaque with a solid silver El Santo mask on it. Only one wrestler has won Leyend de Plata more than once, Místico won it in 2006, 2007 and 2008. No 2009 tournament has been announced yet.

Leyenda de Plata 1998
The first ever Leyenda de Plata tournament was held in 1998 from July 24 to 31st in Arena Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico. The tournament was held to commemorate the 15 year anniversary of El Santo's death in 1983. Unlike later tournaments there was no final, instead El Santo's son, El Hijo del Santo faced the winner of the Cibernetico to determine the first winner. Scorpio, Jr. won the cibernetico, outlasting Atlantis, Shocker, Olímpico, Pantera, El Felino, Negro Casas, Tony Rivera, La Fiera, Dr. Wagner, Jr., Blue Panther, Satánico, Karloff Lagarde, Jr., Black Warrior, Último Guerrero and Violencia. Scorpio, Jr. defeated El Hijo del Santo by count-out to win the ''Leyenda de Plata.

Leyenda de Plata 1999
The qualifying Cibernetico took place on November 26, 1999 and saw El Hijo del Santo outlast a field of 15 other wrestlers including Antifaz del Norte, Bestia Salvaje, BlacK warrior, Blue Panther, Emilio Charles, Jr., El Felino, Fuerza Guerrera, Negro Casas, Olímpico, Rey Bucanero, Satánico, Tarzan Boy, Tony Rivera, Último Guerrero and Zumbido. El Hijo del Santo only eliminated one wrestler in the match, Último Guerrero to qualify for the final. Like in 1998 the 1999 Leyenda de Plata cibernetico winner went straight to the final, a rematch from the 1998 tournament, only this time El Hijo del Santo defeated Scorpio, Jr. to win the tournament named after his father.

Leyenda de Plata 2000
The third annual Leyenda de Plata started on September 22, 2000 with a 16-man tornero cibernetico. Unlike in 1998 and 1999 CMLL added a semi-final match to the tournament as the last two wrestlers in the cibernetico would meet in a singles match the following week. The semi-finalsts were Dr. Wagner, Jr. and Negro Casas, outlasting Antifaz del Norte, Atlantis, Astro Rey Jr., Black Warrior, Blue Panther, El Felino, Fuerza Guerrera, Olímpico, Rey Bucanero, Safari, Satánico, Scorpio, Jr., Tarzan Boy and Zumbido. The two survivors faced off in a singles match he following week, which Negro Casas won. On October 6, 2000 Negro Casas defeated El Hijo del Santo to win the 2000 Leyenda de Plata.

Leyenda de Plata 2001
The 2001 Leyenda de Plata was the fourth annual tournament and the first tournament to feature a Battle Royal to determine the two teams for the cibernetico. The first eight men eliminated from the battle royal would be one team and the remaining eight wrestlers would form the other team in the cibernetico match that followed immediately after the battle royal. Team "A" consisted of Averno, Black Warrior, Black Tiger III, Fuerza Guerrera, Juventud Guerrera, Dr. Wagner, Jr., Mephisto and Másacara Mágica. Team "B" consisted of Antifaz, Atlantis, Blue Demon, Jr., El Hijo del Santo, El Felino, Ricky Marvin, Safari and Virus. The last two survivors were Black Warrior and Black Tiger III, both from Team "A". On October 12, 2001 Black Warrior and BlacK Tiger III faced off in a singles match that Black Warrior won. The storyline of the match was Black Tiger III turning Rudo (heel or "bad guy") while BlacK Warrior was turning Tecnico (face or "good guy") suring the course of the match. The following week Black Warrior's momentum helped him gain the victory over Negro Casas to win the 2001 Leyenda de Plata.

Leyenda de Plata 2002
The cibernetico qualifier for the 2002 Leyenda de Plata took place on July 26, 2002 and once again saw two teams of eight face off to determine the semi-finalists. Team "A" consisted of Atlantis, Averno, Blue Panther, El Felino, Mephisto, Safari, Satánico and Virus. Team "B" was Black Tiger III, Fuerza Guerrera, Hombre Sin Nombre, Negro Casas, Olímpico, Tony Rivera, Violencia and Volador, Jr.. The two semi-finalsts were El Felino and Black Tiger III, making Black Tiger the first wrestler to qualify for the semi-final more than once. On August 2, 2002 El Felino defeated Black Tiger in the semi-final and a week later he defeated Black Warrior to win the tournament.

Leyenda de Plata 2004
After not holding a Leyenda de Plata tournament in 2003, it returned in 2004 with the qualifying cibernetico being held on July 16, 2004. the teams were: "A", Alan Stone, Atlantis, Averno, Mephisto, Misterioso, Jr., Satánico, Tarzan Boy and Virus. Team "B", Black Warrior, Perro Aguayo, Jr., Emilio Charles, Jr., Másacara Mágica, Místico, Negro Casas, Super Crazy and Volador, Jr.. The main storyline of the cibernetico was the building rivalry between Negro Casas and the recently rudo-turned Perro Aguayo, Jr. Aguayo cheated to eliminate Negro Casas and along with Atlantis were the last two surviving wrestlers. On July 23, 2004 Aguayo and Atlantis wrestled in a singles match, which unlike previous years was a "best of three falls" match, that actually went to four falls before Perro Aguayo, Jr. won. A week later Perro Aguayo, Jr. defeated El Felino, using the victory to further the storyline with Negro Casas, Felino's brother and corner-man for the night. Following his victory Perro Aguayo, Jr. broke the plaque with El Santo's mask on it, claiming that the Aguayo's were the greatest family in wrestling, refusing to accept a trophy with El Santo's name on it.

Leyenda de Plata 2005
The 2005 Leyenda de Plata is the only tournament to not feature the previous year's champion defending the trophy, playing off Aguayo's breaking of the trophy the previous year. The lack of defending champion forced CMLL to change the format of the Leyenda de Plata as they held two eight man ciberneticos instead of one 16-man, with the winner of each cibernetico facing each other the following week. The two cibernetico format has been the standard tournament format for the Leyenda de Plata ever since 2005. The first cibernetico took place on October 28, 2005 and featured El Hijo del Santo, Hombre Sin Nombre, La Máscara, Volador, Jr., Misterioso, Jr., Jado, Averno and Negro Casas. The match came down to Hijo del Santo and Casas and initially ended in a double pin. After the match was restarted El Hijo del Santo won by submission. The second cibernetico took place on November 4 and saw Atlantis outlast a field that also included Místico, Último Dragón, Máxmio, El Sagrado, Mephisto, Hijo de Pierroth and Gedo. On November 11, 2005 Atlantis defeated El Hijo del Santo with help from his corner-man Último Guerrero to win the seventh Leyenda de Plata.


 * Cibernetico 1


 * Cibernetico 2

Leyenda de Plata 2006
The 2006 Leyenda de Plata started on August 25, 2006 with the first of two eight-man cibernetico qualifying matches. The cibernetico saw Black Warrior eliminate Rey Bucanero as the last man in a match that also included Heavy Metal, Metro II, La Máscara, Último Guerrero, Mephisto and Misterioso, Jr.. With Black Warrior winning the first cibernetico it was not too surprising that Místico won the second cibernetico as the two had been involved with a long running storyline feud through-out 2006. Místico outlasted Mr. Águila, Negro Casas, El Sagrado, Volador, Jr., Averno and Alex Koslov. The semi-final on September 8, 2006 saw Místico defeate Black Warrior, followed by a "mask vs. mask", Luchas de Apuesta challenge from Black Warrior that Místico accepted for the CMLL 73rd Anniversary Show. On September 15, 2006 Místico defeated Atlantis to win the Leyeda de Plata, overcoming interference from Atlantis' corner-man Black Warrior. After the match Black Warrior stole the Leyenda de Plata trophy and ran off with it, furthering their feud.


 * Cibernetico 1


 * Cibernetico 2

Leyenda de Plata 2007
The ninth Leyenda de Plata was held between May 18 and June 8, 2007. This was the first year that Leyenda de Plata was held without El Hijo del Santo working for CMLL, CMLL claimed that they owned the rights to promote the Leyenda de Plata and has promoted it without Hijo del Santo working for CMLL since then. The first Cibernetico took place on May 18, Perro Aguayo, Jr. was originally scheduled to be part of the match, hinting at a very anticipated Aguayo vs. Místico match that had been building for a while. In the weeks leading up to the first cibernetico Perro Aguayo, Jr. was injured and had to pull out of the match, he was replaced by fellow Los Perros del Mal member Mr. Águila, who'd go on to win the qualifier over Negro Casas, El Felino, Tarzan Boy, Mephisto, Máximo, Alex Koslov, Stuka, Jr., Volador, Jr. and Mictlán. On May 25, 2007 El Sagrado qualified for his first ever Leyenda semi-final as he outlasted Averno, Ephesto, virus, El Texano, Jr., Leono, Loco Max, Valiente, Heavy Metal and BlacK Warrior. On June 1, 2007 Mr. Águila defeated El Sagrado to earn a spot in the final. On June 8, 2007 Místico became the first wrestler to not only win the tournament twice but also in back to back years as he defeated Mr. Águila. Following his victory Perro Aguayo, Jr. attacked Místico furthering the storyline between the top tecnico and top rudo of the promotion.


 * Cibernetico 1


 * Cibernetico 2

Leyenda de Plata 2008
The tenth and so far latest Leyenda de Plata took place from July 4 til July 25, 2008. After being forced to withdraw from the 2007 tournament due to an injury Perro Aguayo, Jr. won the first cibernetico quaifier by outlasting Hajime Ohara, Stuka, Jr., El Felino, Ephesto, Averno, La Máscara, Mephisto and Volador, Jr.. The following week Dr. Wagner, Jr. also qualified for the semi-final by defeating Loco Max, El Sagrado, Máscara Purpura, Virus, Sangre Azteca, Hijo del Fantasma, La Sombra, Black Warrior and Heavy Metal. Perro Aguayo, Jr. overcame Dr. Wagner, Jr. with the help of Los Perros del Mal and the 2008 Leyenda de Plata saw the final that was originally planned for the 2007 tournament as Místico faced off against Perro Aguayo, Jr. As in the semi-final Los Perros del Mal tried to interfere in the main event but was stopped by Místico's friends Héctor Garza and Dos Caras, Jr., enabling Místico win Leyenda de Plata for the third time.


 * Cibernetico 1


 * Cibernetico 2