WWE has made several industry-changing moves in the Endeavor era, from acquiring AAA to working with TNA and other promotions, and making an impact on the indies in a major way with WWE ID. Triple H and Nick Khan are constantly looking for their next big happening, and The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer believes there could be one that would drastically change a certain area of the pro wrestling world.
Vince McMahon was known for his hostile takeovers around the wrestling scene long before he left the company following the Endeavor sale. The WWE co-founder is largely credited for ending the territory system, while his 2001 acquisition of WCW changed the business forever, and he had a significant impact on other promotions such as ECW, the AWA, and many others.
WWE announced its purchase of AAA during WrestleMania 41 Weekend, and since then the alliance has made for several must-see happenings. The Stamford-based company’s expansion below the border almost included the acquisition of CMLL as the two promotions were in talks a few years back. There aren’t many details from the talks, but it was noted by The Observer that WWE officials were not sure about what to do with the arenas owned by CMLL.
WWE Could End CMLL, Says Dave Meltzer
WWE and AAA are finding success together in both countries, while CMLL is also enjoying what was described as “a boom period” by Dave Meltzer. CMLL currently has a working relationship with AEW, ROH, NJPW, and Stardom, which is pretty active.
Vince McMahon was changing the industry through his so-called competition long before Endeavor arrived, and now some say Triple H and Nick Khan are beginning to develop a McMahon-like reputation when it comes to certain areas of the business. Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Meltzer discussed the “special era” in CMLL, but said he could see a situation where WWE put an end to the 92-year-old lucha libre promotion.
“It’s a special era in CMLL right now, and I think people aren’t seeing it, but people in Mexico are, because people have been asking me, including in wrestling, ‘So, what’s the deal?’ The reality is, and we all know it, they’re gonna go back to 6,000-10,000 people on Friday nights. It’s gonna happen, that’s how wrestling works. It won’t stay like this forever, and the thing is to savor it as it’s happening, and learn why it’s happening, and learn the method it happened… but this is their World Class 1983 [WCCW’s 1983 period], this is not something that’s gonna be there forever. They’ll be around for a long time or WWE may wipe them off the face of the Earth in five years. Who knows? I don’t think it’ll happen, but I wouldn’t have thought that WWE would wipe Jim Crockett Promotions off the face of the Earth by 1988 either,” Dave Meltzer said.