WWE Attempted To Buy CMLL A Few Years Ago

When WWE created NXT UK, it was reportedly the first step WWE took in trying to create a promotion in all the key wrestling markets, which would have included the likes of Japan and Mexico.

According to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer, WWE’s footing in Mexico would have begun a few years ago, when the company tried to buy CMLL.

Meltzer went on to explain that the buying out of arenas was what caused the deal to fall through. He said:

“While not known about, there were talks a few years back of WWE buying CMLL. WWE wanted to run Mexico with the idea it could get the cream of the cream talent in Mexico and then groom some of them for the U.S. market. The belief was that if they owned CMLL and got all the top talent, that AAA wouldn’t be able to keep its talent and they’d have the best of both. Where the deal fell apart was for CMLL to sell, they wanted selling the arenas as part of the deal and WWE didn’t want to own so many older arenas.”

CMLL, obviously, was not sold to Vince McMahon, and WWE’s vision of NXT territories started and ended with NXT UK, but it is strange to think about a world where the world’s oldest wrestling promotion ceased to exist after being bought out by WWE.

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