tournament formats, with two qualifying blocks of eight teams that compete on the first and second week of the tournament and a final match between the two block winners. The qualifying blocks were one-fall matches while the tournament finals will be a best two-out-of-three-falls tag team match. Each qualifying block started with all 8 Novatos competing in a "seeding" battle royal to determine the brackets for the block. Gran Alternativa participants Block A of the 2016 tournament marked the first time Rocky Casas, El Cuatrero, Flyer, Fuji, Magia Blanca and Super Halcón Jr. has competed in a Gran Alternativa tournament. The tournament also marked the CMLL debut of Rocky Casas and Arena México debut of Magia Blanca. Oro Jr. previously competed in both the 2013 and 2014; tournaments while Tritón was part of the 2012 tournament, and also worked the 2011 tournament under his previous identity of "Metal Blanco". For Block B the 2016 tournament marked the first time CMLL regulars Esfinge, Raijin, Sansón and Stigma competed in the tournament, with Raijin and Sansón making their CMLL debut in 2016. Warrior Steel and Yago had not worked regularly for CMLL prior to the tournament, but primarily worked for the CMLL-affiliated Lucha Elite promotion while Golden Magic had never worked a CMLL show prior to his entry in the Gran Alternativa. Pegasso was the lone rookie to have competed before, having been part of the 2010 Gran Alternativa tournament, six years prior. On the veteran side Último Guerrero had won the tournament twice, in 1999 as a novato, and in 2008 as a veteran. In 2008 Guerrero won the tournament with Rey Escorpión as the rookie, two years later Rey Escorpión teamed up with Boby Zavala to win the 2013 tournament. Rey Bucanero won the second 1996 tournament as a rookie and Atlantis won the 2005 tournament as a vet. Block B veterans included Comandante Pierroth for the first time in his career, including previous stints in CMLL as "Poder Boricua" and "Poder Mexica". For the 2016 tournament veteran winner of the 2012 Gran Alternativa tournament El Terrible was teamed up with rookie Sansón. Tournament results Block A of the 2016 Gran Alternativa tournament started out with all eight novatos fighting in a battle royal where the order of eliminations helped determine the team match-ups for the first round. Magia Blanca and Oro Jr. outlasted Flyer, Rocky Casas, Super Halcón Jr.Fujin,