El Protector (2016)

El Protector (2016) was an annual professional wrestling major event produced by Mexican professional wrestling promotion International Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG), which took place on January 31, 2016 in Arena Naucalpan, Naucalpan, State of Mexico, Mexico. The 2016 ''El Protector'' was the fifth annual event produced under that name and the third to be held in January. The focal point of the show was the ''El Protector'' tag team tournament where eight teams composed of a "rookie" and a "vet" team up to compete for a trophy. The 2016 ''El Protector'' was won by Herodes Jr. and Atomic Star.

Production

Background

''Lucha Libre'' has a tradition for a tournament where a rookie, or ''novato'', would be teamed up with an experienced veteran wrestler for a tag team tournament in the hopes of giving the ''Novato'' a chance to show case their talent and move up the ranks. Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre has held a ''Torneo Gran Alternativa'' ("Great Alternative Tournament") almost every year since 1994, but the concept predates the creation of the ''Gran Alternativa''. The Mexican professional wrestling company International Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG; at times referred to as ''Grupo Internacional Revolución'' in Mexico) started their own annual rookie/veteran tournament in 2010. The first two tournaments were called ''Torneo Relampago de Proyeccion a Nuevas Promesas de la Lucha Libre'' ( Spanish for "Projecting a new promise lightning tournament") but would be renamed the '' El Protector'' tournament in 2012. The ''El Protector'' shows, as well as the majority of the IWRG shows in general, are held in "Arena Naucalpan", owned by the promoters of IWRG and their main arena. The 2016 ''El Protector'' show was the seventh time that IWRG promoted a show around the rookie/veteran tournament, with the name changing to ''El Protector'' in 2012 and onwards.

Storylines

The event featured 11 professional wrestling matches with different wrestlers involved in pre-existing scripted feuds, plots and storylines. Wrestlers were portrayed as either heels (referred to as ''rudos'' in Mexico, those that portray the "bad guys") or faces (''técnicos'' in Mexico, the "good guy" characters) as they followed a series of tension-building events, which culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.

El Protector participants

*Adrenalina and X-Fly
*Atomic Star and Herodes Jr.
*Danny Casas and Emperador Azteca
*Dragón Fly and El Hijo de Dos Caras
*Hijo de Máscara Sagrada and Máscara Sagrada
*Hijo del Alebrije and Veneno
*Hip Hop Man and Trauma I
*Kanon and Toscano

Event

The 2016 ''El Protector'' was the third year in a row that Atomic Star had appeared as a rookie, having previously teamed up with Eterno in both the 2014 tournament and the 2015 tournament. For the 2016 tournament Atomic Star teamed up with Herodes, Jr. who had only recently begun working for IWRG. With his victory Atomic Star became the first rookie to win the tournament it his third attempt and the only wrestler to compete as a rookie in three tournaments.

On the under card the trio of El Hijo del Diablo. his son El Diablo Jr. I and Imposible were revealed as ''Los Mariachis Locos'' as they challenged for the Distrito Federal Trios Championship. ''Los Mariachis'' won the second and the third fall, defeating ''Los Terrible Cerebros'' ( Black Terry, Cerebro Negro and Dr. Cerebro to win the championship. With the victory ''Los Mariachis'' ended the reign of ''Los Terrible Cerebros'' at 235 days.

Results

References

External links

IWRG official website

{{IWRGShows, El Protector

2016 in professional wrestling
2016 in Mexico
January 2016 events in Mexico
2016