Mini-Estrella

The term Mini-Estrella (Spanish for "Mini-Star") is used in lucha libre to describe a division of short professional wrestlers or luchadors, some of whom have dwarfism. The Mexican Mini-Estrellas is comparable to Midget professional wrestling practiced around the world, but with the notable exception that some of the Mini-Estrellas do not have dwarfism but are simply short. Some Mini-Estrellas have later on moved on to work as regular sized competitors. The Mini-Estrellas have been featured in several promotions outside Mexico, most notably World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).

Originally the limit for the Mini division was 1.53 m (5 ft 0 in) but in recent years wrestlers such as Pequeño Olímpico have worked the Minis division despite being 1.69 m (5 ft 6 ¹⁄₂ in) tall. In the formative years of the Mini-Estrellas history they were also referred to as "Micro Luchadors", or "Micro Wrestlers".

The origins of the Mini-Estrella division lies in Midget professional wrestling, which in Mexico was popularized in the 1970s when promoters used the American concept and had a number of Mexican little people perform as a "special attraction" on lucha libre shows. In the early days saw the popularity of wrestlers such as Gran Nikolai, Pequeno Goliath and Arturito (inspired by R2-D2), especially with the children. By the 1980s midget wrestling was less popular in Mexico, especially since few new wrestlers had joined the division.

In the early 1990s Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), Mexico's oldest wrestling promotion, created a new concept, the Mini-Estrella division. The division was created by Antonio Peña who worked for CMLL at the time, who came up with the idea of using both little people and short wrestlers together and to have the Mini-Estrellas work as smaller versions of popular wrestlers of the time. Peña and CMLL created the CMLL World Mini-Estrella Championship in 1992, which is considered the official birth of the division. CMLL's Mini-Estrellas division featured a number of skilled, high flying wrestlers which helped make the concept an immediate success. Original Mini-Estrellas division consisted of Mascarita Sagrada (the first CMLL Mini-Estrella champion), Aguilata Solitaria, Octagoncito, Espectrito, Mazakrito, Pierrothito, Pequeño Tritón, Mascarita Mágica, Ultimo Dragoncito, Cicloncito Ramírez, Pequeño Jaque Mate, Platita and Gargolita.

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