It was around this time that the former World Wrestling League (WWL) – now La Liga Wrestling – was at the peak of Lucha Libre in Puerto Rico. The World Wrestling Council (WWC) was still going through a transition phase with the Colon cousins, while IWA PR slowly faded away on its nostalgic tour. WWL had the best local talent, plus, undoubtedly, the best fighting quality. The company was making a profit or at least recouping its event expenses; 2019, like 2018, was for La Liga.
2020 came with the same airs of success that WWL had managed to overcome. No matter how many new projects emerged from its rivals, the WWL was still the benchmark for fans who wanted to see wrestling adjusted to modern times. However, 2020 has not been the year of La Liga.
First, they changed their name – which, everyone agreed had to be done – and debuted a new arena in the metropolitan area. All these changes on the surface were innovative, given that La Liga Wrestling wanted to move into the future and adjust to the times. They would have already tried their luck with the iPPV, which was a success for them.
The change from La Liga Wrestling so far can be cataloged with mixed results. The positive was the modern image that the new arena brought. Undoubtedly, the high definition screens and a sound center that could be heard did miracles compared to the canteen microphone that the Puerto Rican fan is used to hearing.
The negative, of course, was what happened inside the ring. The first sign that 2020 would be turbulent for La Liga Wrestling was the push and pull between them and the Puro Mucho faction; we saw them in a function and by 2020 they disappeared – only a part returning in the second event of 2020. Another sign was the inconsistent response to different changes in their titles. In the already notorious Invader and Bronco feud, they gave the tag team championships to Thunder & Lightning, taking them away from LAX. However, T & L made an early exit from the company after the famous feud (they returned to lose them before the Primos Meléndez). Then there was the Justin Dynamite fiasco, where the latter wanted to work at IWA PR and WWL at the same time. When management could not come to an agreement, it used the excuse that it “works on Sundays” to vacate the title.
Finally, it was the mess for the WWL heavyweight championship. Mike Mendoza had a horrible reign, full of interventions. But, Fashion’s was more anti-climate. Fashion did not show the connection as a champion, which was a problem when you consider that you have to pay a ticket for it. When the February La Liga Wrestling event arrived, Mendoza was the only logical decision. Even the fans supported him, but immediately a chaotic decision to have Star Roger as tough and La Liga champion changed everything. Now, Roger finally managed to be the face of Liga Wrestling, after years of being ignored by them or WWC. However, this did not create a sweeping backlash for the title.
All this that I have written are the negative details, the real problem comes from the hand of new rude factions that make people laugh out loud. First, they took the Primos Meléndez and gave him the worn-out nickname “Los Judas” (yes, I know, very original …). Then, it was the name of the Tommy Diablo faction: Tommy Diablo’s Rudos? This seems somewhat superficial, a complaint from another fan dissatisfied with what La Liga has become, but, the name of Los Rudos shows something of La Liga Wrestling: their product is broke of ideas.
The show where Tommy and his allies were proclaimed Los Rudos barely exceeded 110 fans. With such a small place and so many quality fighters on the menu, this was a prequel to disaster. Also, it would seem that WWC went straight to the jugular when they decided to ally with IWA PR, creating an attraction in the fan that La Liga has failed to provide. The state of La Liga before the pandemic was to provide a good show in March or succumb to the coup of WWC-IWA PR.
Covid-19 and Liga Wrestling
One would hope that, with the second air that the Covid-19 has provided, La Liga was rushing to promote its stars, present struggles from its archive, and even follow up on the stories through interviews. They haven’t even profiled their new champions, which many people have forgotten. The Covid-19 stopped a disaster for La Liga, but they have not known how to take advantage of it.
WWC is constant in their networks, interviewing and promoting some of their fights. Its managers have been giving various interviews and even articles that are written about the company. The CWA itself has worked to at least present its roster and provide updates. La Liga Wrestling? We haven’t even seen a live stream of any good fight. They have only promoted some merchandise of their fighters and if it were not for Westside Mafia and Rodrigo García in other more prominent places, nobody would know what wrestlers have left.
The state of La Liga is worrying because, while there are companies pushing with what they have, these (La Liga) have only come out to present that they are about to return. How will the fans know that they are coming back if they hardly remember who Los Rudos or Judas Meléndez is? Will fans know of any feud that La Liga has? Of the tournament, they had in process? It would be a great tragedy if La Liga returns and the fan’s response is worse than it was in March. La Liga Wrestling has very good talent and innovative ideas, but they always end up improvising and drowning in its disorganization. In fact, if they have a poor response later in the year when they return, it would be deserved, for their poor work in the networks.
