El Protector (2017)


El Protector was an annual professional wrestling major event produced by Mexican professional wrestling promotion International Wrestling Revolution Group, which took place on February 19, 2017 in Arena Naucalpan, Naucalpan, State of Mexico, Mexico. The 2017 El Protector was the eight annual event produced under that name and the fourth to be held in January. The focal point of the show was the El Protector tag team tournament where eight teams composed of a "rookie" and a "vet" team up to compete for a trophy.
Rookie Diablo Jr. teamed up with veteran Black Terry to win the 2017 El Protector tournament defeating Demonio Infernal and Negro Navarro in the finals. The tournament also saw the teams of Black Dragón and Internacional Pantera, El Hijo de Dos Caras and El Hijo del Alebrije, Herodes Jr. and Imposible, Hip Hop Man and Mr. Electro, Dragón Fly and Villano IV, Alfa and Máscara Año 2000 Jr. participated in the tournament. The show also featured four non-tournament matches.

Production

Background

Lucha Libre has a tradition for a tournament where a rookie, or novato, would be teamed up with an experienced veteran wrestler for a tag team tournament in the hopes of giving the Novato a chance to show case their talent and move up the ranks. Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre has held a Torneo Gran Alternativa almost every year since 1994, but the concept predates the creation of the Gran Alternativa. The Mexican professional wrestling company International Wrestling Revolution Group started their own annual rookie/veteran tournament in 2010. The first two tournaments were called Torneo Relampago de Proyeccion a Nuevas Promesas de la Lucha Libre but would be renamed the El Protector tournament in 2012. The El Protector shows, as well as the majority of the IWRG shows in general, are held in "Arena Naucalpan", owned by the promoters of IWRG and their main arena. The 2017 El Protector show was the eight time that IWRG promoted a show around the rookie/veteran tournament.

Storylines

The El Protector event featured 11 professional wrestling matches with different wrestlers involved in pre-existing scripted feuds, plots and storylines. Wrestlers were portrayed as either heels or faces as they followed a series of tension-building events, which culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.

Tournament participants

Event

During the fourth match of the night, Relámpago dove out of the ring at Apolo Estrada Jr., who moved out of the way at the last moment which caused Relámpago to crash into the steel barricade. As a result of the impact, Relámpago was unable to return to the ring and was counted out. It's unclear if this was the planned end or if Relámpago hit the guardrail harder than expected, rendering him unable to get back up.

Aftermath

As a result of winning the 2017 El Protector Diablo Jr. and Black Terry earned a match for the IWRG Intercontinental Tag Team Championship. A week after the tournament Diablo Jr. and Black Terry defeated Chicano and Veneno to win the championship. Their reign as champions lasted for 190 days and included two successful championship defenses until they were defeated by Black Warrior and Warrior Jr. on September 3, 2017.