September 21st in the Time Tunnel:
Happy Birthday to those who have passed on and to those great wrestlers still with us:
In Memoriam:
Dottie Downs 1936
Jack Brisco 1941
Happy Birthday:
Ricky Morton (69)
RIP Memorial: We stop & remember those who have passed on this day and gave themselves to the business for us, the fans. We salute you and thank you.
Jonathan Heaton\Brother Jonathan 9-21-1987 at the age of 83
Flyboy Rocco Rock\The Cheetah Kid 9-21-2002 at the age of 49
Jackie Stallone 9-21-2020 at the age of 98
40 Year Flashback
9-20-1985: The 52nd EMLL Anniversary Show is cancelled due to the Mexico City earthquake
Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL), founded by Salvador Lutteroth on September 22, 1933, is recognized as the oldest still-active professional wrestling promotion in the world. The promotion's anniversary shows began in 1934, making them the longest-running annual wrestling events in history. These shows are considered EMLL/CMLL's premier events, akin to WWE's WrestleMania, and have traditionally been held on Friday nights at Arena México in Mexico City since 1956, often replacing the regular Super Viernes programming. Over the decades, some anniversaries featured multiple shows, but from 1977 onward, it became a single annual spectacle. The 52nd Anniversary Show was intended to continue this tradition, highlighting top talent and high stakes matches in the lucha libre style.
The EMLL 52nd Anniversary Show was scheduled for September 20, 1985, at Arena México in Mexico City, Mexico. It was promoted as the promotion's biggest event of the year, featuring a mix of tag team matches, title defenses, and a high-profile stipulation match. However, the show was canceled and never took place. On September 19, 1985, Mexico City was struck by a devastating magnitude 8.0 earthquake, causing widespread destruction, loss of life, and infrastructure damage. Due to safety concerns, including potential structural issues at Arena México, EMLL made the decision to cancel the event. This marked the first time an anniversary show was outright canceled in the promotion's history. Such cancellations are extremely rare for EMLL/CMLL's Friday shows at Arena México, with only two other notable instances: one during the 2009 swine flu epidemic and another in 2012 due to a demonstration impacting fan access.
The event was set to include five matches, all following traditional lucha libre rules. This card showcased prominent rudos (heels) and tecnicos (faces) of the era, with Los Infernales defending their trios title and a world championship on the line in the semi-main event.
The scheduled Card:
America Rocca, Stuka & Gran Chochese vs Jerry Estrada, Mocho Cota & El Enfermero
Los Infernales (ch) vs Los Brazos for the Mexican National Trios Championship
Apolo Dantes, Super Halcon & Tony Salazar vs Sangre Chicana vs Sangre Chicana, Cien Caras & El Faraon
Cachorro Mendoza (ch) vs El Solar for the NWA World Middleweight Championship in two out of three falls match
El Supremo vs El Dorado two out of three falls in a mask vs mask match
The cancellation prevented the anticipated main event from occurring, leaving the outcome of the mask vs. mask match between El Supremo and El Dorado unknown. El Dorado would later lose his mask in 1986 (but not to El Supremo), while El Supremo kept his until 1992. The event's non-occurrence highlighted the earthquake's broader impact on Mexican society, including the entertainment and sports sectors. Despite this setback, EMLL continued its anniversary tradition the following year, reinforcing the shows' importance in lucha libre culture.
One Thing I Learned Today About Pro Wrestling History
Salvador Lutteroth, when he was 17 years old, joined the Mexican Revolution and served as a Lieutenant and captain in the Army and fought battles against the forces of Pancho Villa.
Thank You for Reading
I'm Tony Richards, Pro Wrestling Historian, Author and Storyteller. I share pro wrestling historical items in each issue of the Time Tunnel Pro Wrestling History Newsletter. Thanks for reading! If you enjoy my information on select events, matches and insights, please share it with folks you think might like to be a subscriber!
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