Homenaje a Dos Leyendas (2011)

Since 1996 the Mexican wrestling company Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (Spanish for "World Wrestling Council"; CMLL) has held a show in March each year to commemorate the passing of CMLL founder Salvador Lutteroth who died in March 1987.[3] For the first three years the show paid homage to Lutteroth himself, from 1999 through 2004 the show paid homage to Lutteroth and El Santo, Mexico's most famous wrestler ever[4] and from 2005 forward the show has paid homage to Lutteroth and a different leyenda ("Legend") each year, celebrating the career and accomplishments of past CMLL stars. Originally billed as Homenaje a Salvador Lutteroth, it has been held under the Homenaje a Dos Leyendas ("Homage to two legends") since 1999 and is the only show outside of CMLL's Anniversary shows that CMLL has presented every year since its inception. All Homenaje a Dos Leyendas shows have been held in Arena México in Mexico City, Mexico which is CMLL's main venue, its "home".[5] Traditionally CMLL holds their major events on Friday Nights, which means the Homenaje a Dos Leyendas shows replace their regularly scheduled Super Viernes show.[5] The 2011 show was the 16th overall Homenaje a Dos Leyendas show.

The Homenaje a Dos Leyendas show featured six professional wrestling matches with different wrestlers involved in pre-existing scripted feuds, plots and storylines. Wrestlers were portrayed as either heels (referred to as rudos in Mexico, those that portray the "bad guys") or faces (técnicos in Mexico, the "good guy" characters) as they followed a series of tension-building events, which culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.[6]

Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) held a press conference on February 24, 2011 and announced the first match for the 2011 Homenaje a Dos Leyendas would be a "hair vs. hair" Tag team Lucha de Apuestas, or "Bet match", between Brazo de Plata and Máximo and the team of El Terrible and El Texano Jr.[1]

Averno won the original NWA World Middleweight Championship on November 30, 2007 when he defeated Místico.[7] On August 12, 2010 CMLL replaced the championship with the NWA World Historic Middleweight Championship after they returned the original to the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) per their request. By virtue of being the last holder of the original championship, CMLL named Averno the first holder of the NWA World Historic Middleweight Championship.[8] Averno made one successfully defense of the championship prior to Homenaje a Dos Leyendas, defeating Charly Manson on a September 12, 2010 show in Mexico City.[9]

In September 1933 Salvador Lutteroth González founded Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre (EMLL), which would later be renamed Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre. Over time Lutteroth would become responsible for building both Arena Coliseo in Mexico City and Arena Mexico, which became known as "The Cathedral of Lucha Libre".[3][10] Over time EMLL became the oldest wrestling promotion in the world, with 2018 marking the 85th year of its existence.[11] Lutteroth has often been credited with being the "father of Lucha Libre", introducing the concept of masked wrestlers to Mexico as well as the Luchas de Apuestas match. Lutteroth died on September 5, 1987.[3] EMLL, late CMLL, remained under the ownership and control of the Lutteroth family as first Salvador's son Chavo Lutteroth and later his grandson Paco Alonso took over ownership of the company.[12]

The life and achievements of Salvador Lutteroth is always honored at the annual Homenaje a Dos Leyenda' show and since 1999 CMLL has also honored a second person, a Leyenda of lucha libre, in some ways CMLL's version of their Hall of Fame. For the 2011 show CMLL commemorated the life and career of José Ángel Vargas Sánchez (August 2, 1938–April 26, 1986), known in lucha libre circules under the ring name Ángel Blanco (Spanish for "White Angel"). Vargas made his debut in 1960 and wrestled until his death in 1986. Vargas was killed in a car accident on the way to a show.[13][14] Several of Vargas' relatives have worked under the ring names "Ángel Blanco Jr." or "El Hijo de Ángel Blanco". One of Vargas' grandsons, Moisés Neftalí Vargas, has worked under the names Horus and later Rey Salomón Jr.[15] During his wrestling career Vargas was closely linked with Dr. Wagner, with the two forming La Ola Blanca ("The White Wave"), a very successful tag team in the 1960s.[13] On December 8, 1972 he lost his mask to El Solitario.[16] During his career he won the Mexican National Tag Team Championship,[17] and the NWA Americas Tag Team Championship with Dr. Wagner.[18] He also won the Mexican National Cruiserweight Championship,[19] Mexican National Heavyweight Championship,[20] and the NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship[21] in singles competition.