Torneo Gran Alternativa (June 1996)

The Torneo Gran Alternativa (June 1996) (Spanish for "Great Alternative Tournament") was the very first CMLL Torneo Gran Alternativa professional wrestling tournament held by the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL; Spanish for "World Wrestling Council"). The tournament was held on June 7, 1996, in Mexico City, Mexico at CMLL's main venue, Arena México. The Gran Alternativa tournament features tag teams composed of a rookie, or novato, and a veteran wrestler for an elimination tournament. The idea is to feature the novato wrestlers higher on the card that they usually work and help elevate one or more up the ranks. The tournament would be the first of two Gran Alternativa tournaments that CMLL would hold in 1996, with a subsequent tournament held November. It was one of only two years where CMLL chose to how the tournament twice within a calendar year. Since It is a professional wrestling tournament, it is not won or lost competitively but instead by the decisions of the bookers of a wrestling promotion that is not publicized prior to the shows to maintain the illusion that professional wrestling is a competitive sport.^[1]

The veteran group consisted of Dos Caras, Bestia Salvaje, El Felino, El Hijo del Santo, El Brazo, Atlantis and Apolo Dantés while the rookie group included Bronco, Chicago Express, Astro Rey Jr., Olímpico, Olympus, Guerrero de la Muerte, Atlantico and Rey Bucanero. The final saw Bestia Salvaje and Chicago Express defeat Atlantis and Atlantico to win the tournament. The win did not signal anything major for Chicago Express as he remained in the low card matches while in CMLL.