Zeuxis defeated Willow Nightingale to win the title for the first time. The finish of the match had Zeuxis pinning Nightingale after hitting an avalanche powerbomb.
Nightingale’s reign with the title ended after 61 days. She defeated Viva Van and Lluvia in a three-way match to become the new champion at CMLL x NJPW Fantasticamania in San Jose on July 13. Just days before, Stephanie Vaquer had been stripped of the CMLL Women’s title and the CMLL Women’s Tag Team title due to leaving the promotion to join WWE. Zeuxis had been CMLL Women’s Tag Team Champion with Vaquer.
On AEW television, Nightingale had lost to Kris Statlander in what originally was a CMLL Women’s Championship title eliminator match. A title match had been set for All Out earlier this month, with the two squaring off in a street fight. However, it was announced shortly before the show that CMLL would not sanction the title match. The two instead had a non-title street fight, with Statlander picking up the victory.
The legendary Rey Mysterio is hoping that he’ll get to wrestle at a WWE premium live event in Mexico one day.
As part of a new strategy for the company, WWE is holding an increasing amount of PLEs in international markets. Australia and France have already had events this year, and WWE has upcoming stops in Scotland, Canada, and Germany. That’s in addition to the two WWE PLEs that take place from Saudi Arabia every year.
In an interview with Bleacher Report, Mysterio was asked about the possibility of Mexico hosting its first-ever PLE. Mysterio said he’s hoping that it happens within the next three years.
“I’m hoping that it happens within the next three years. I think my people deserve something as good as a PLE,” Mysterio said. “I’m truly hoping. We have a huge stadium over there, Estadio Azteca, which I believe is being remodeled and should be done sometime next year. I think the fans would go crazy. Crazy. Mexico has always been an incredible crowd for wrestling, and what better than to pay it off with WWE coming over there and giving them something as special as a PLE?”
WWE has a pair of house shows taking place in Mexico this July. Mysterio is advertised for the events.
The 49-year-old Mysterio and his LWO faction are members of the Raw roster in WWE. After defeating Carlito earlier this week, Mysterio was beaten down by Damian Priest, setting up a Mysterio vs. Priest match for Raw this Monday (June 3).
Less than a year after signing a multi-year streaming deal with TelevisaUnivision, AEW is no longer available on the company’s ViX platform — the second-such international broadcast deal that has quietly gone away.
While a formal announcement has yet to be made by either party, a support page revealed the news with a brief statement. The page isn’t visibly dated, but an HTML source code view shows it was last updated on March 13th.
Inquiries for comment to both AEW and TelevisaUnivision have yet to be answered.
Announced in July 2023, the deal was set to bring AEW’s weekly TV programming and other content to the premium tier of the ViX streaming service which is available throughout Mexico and some Latin America and Caribbean countries.
Wrestlenomics’ Brandon Thurston had recently estimated the deal was worth $150,000 annually, but that has never been announced publicly by either side.
The TelevisaUnivision deal apparently is not the only international streaming deal AEW signed with a partner that has disappeared this year.
Thurston had estimated that deal as worth $250,000 annually which was also never announced by either side.
In the recent past, the company had also announced a deal with ESPN for broadcast in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Despite the lack of a presence on the AEW “how to watch” page, there’s no indication that deal, or other ones with partners like ITV, EuroSport, Sky or TNT in Germany or Africa, are no longer in place.
On that page, AEW directs fans outside North America to use the AEW Plus subscription on Triller/FITE. The only broadcast partners listed are TBS & TNT for domestic viewers and TSN for Canadian viewers.
Both Negro Casas and Dalys made an appearance at Saturday night’s AAA television tapings in Queretaro, Mexico, jumping ship from CMLL.
Casas and Dalys made an appearance near the end of the tapings, which will air later on Canal Space, joining Pentagon Jr. and Psycho Clown for a photo at the end of the tapings. On Twitter, Dorian Roldan formally welcomed the two to AAA.
The jump was unexpected, as both Dalys and Casas have wrestled for CMLL as recently as January 17. Casas is also scheduled to compete at upcoming CMLL events this next week, including Monday in Arena Puebla and Tuesday in Arena Coliseo Guadalajara.
Casas has wrestled for CMLL since 1991, where he has held multiple titles including the World Middleweight and Welterweight titles, as well as their Tag Team and Trios titles. Dalys, who is married to Casas, has been wrestling since 2009 and is a former CMLL World Women’s Champion.
It wasn’t a good night for AEW wrestlers keeping their AAA titles at Wednesday’s Noche de Campeones event.
The show in Acapulco saw Flammer and Abismo Negro Jr. win the AAA Mixed Tag Team titles, which were declared vacant on Wednesday after the company announced that champions Tay Melo and Sammy Guevara would be stripped of the titles. FTR, who did appear on the show, lost the AAA Tag Team titles to Dralistico and Dragon Lee. The future of the titles remain unclear, however, as Lee announced he had signed with WWE after winning the titles.
Konnan came out before the Mixed Tag Team title match and announced that the titles would be stripped due to Guevara and Melo making excessive demands, and requested the titles be sent back to Mexico. The match also involved Lady Shani & Octagon Jr. and Kommander & Sexy Star. Guevara and Melo had held the titles for over 241 days, winning them back at the Triplemania XXX show in Monterrey back on April 30.
FTR lost the Tag Team titles to Dralistico and Lee in a match where heel referee Hijo del Tirantes was not allowed to cheat. When he did just that, Konnan came out and ejected him from the match. A new referee came in, allowing Dralistico and Lee to score the win and the titles. FTR had held onto the titles for over 427 days, defeating Fenix and Pentagon Jr. on the October 16, 2021 edition of AEW Dynamite.
Arez additionally became the first La Leyenda Azul champion on Wednesday, defeating Villano III Jr. and Black Taurus in a three-way to become the first champion.
After eight years, this week will likely tell perhaps the final tale, at least for the time being, regarding a business reconciliation between WWE and Bret Hart.
As is well known, WWE will be releasing a likely three-disc DVD in November on Hart’s career, and wants to induct him in its Hall of Fame at Wrestlemania in Chicago. The company also would like to get him back on television in a very limited capacity to help push the DVD, as well as publish two different books on him over the next few years.
Hart will likely have met with company officials before you read this. If he does agree to be involved with the proposed DVD, there is a very good chance his work in doing the DVD will also be taped before you are reading this.
Since Hart was fired by WCW, there have been numerous attempts at doing a business reconciliation and attempting to mend fences. All are documented, the most notable being an attempt to get Hart to referee the 2002 Wrestlemania title match with HHH vs. Chris Jericho in Toronto, and ideas floated to possibly appear at several different WWE tapings in Canada, as well as an open invitation for him to appear for an interview at a Madison Square Garden TV taping. Only the Mania appearance could be classified as a concrete offer that he discussed, but eventually, turned down.
McMahon and Hart talked at least a few times on the phone right after Hart suffered a stroke on June 23, 2002. This led to a meeting between Hart and McMahon, with Jim Ross involved in some discussions, as well, at McMahon’s condo in South Florida regarding merchandising ideas, but when McMahon used the Montreal match in Raw storylines after their meeting, in an attempt for the company to get back at the Canadian audience, things sort of fell apart again. It isn’t like they had a falling out, more like WWE probably knew he wouldn’t be receptive at that point, and he wasn’t calling them.
Triplemania XXX in Tijuana tonight had the semifinals of the Ruleta de la Muerte tournament, Chik Tormenta losing her mask, Bandido suffering an injury, and Fenix winning the Latin American and Cruiserweight titles.
Tonight’s show had Penta el 0 M and Villano IV lose their tournament matches, meaning they advance to the finals of the tournament where their masks will be on the line. That will take place at the final Triplemania event of the year in Mexico City on October 15. Blue Demon defeated Penta after a hammer shot to the head and hit a top rope destroyer through a table. Psycho Clown defeated Villano IV after an air raid clash through thumbtacks.
Fenix won the Latin American and Cruiserweight titles in a five-way match, defeating Latin American Champion Taurus, Laredo Kid, Bandido, and Hijo del Vikingo. Fenix pinned Taurus with a double foot stomp.
After the match, Bandido was stretchered out following a tower of doom spot where Bandido landed on his head. On Twitter, Bandido wrote on Instagram that his neck was not fractured but it was time for his body to rest.
Chik Tormenta lost her mask on tonight’s show, losing to Flammer in a singles match after the two were the last ones left in a cage match earlier in the show. Tormenta revealed herself as Cristina Azpeitia Ramirez of Guadalajara, Jalisco who has been wrestling for sixteen years.
Ella es Cristina Azpeita Ramírez de Guadalajara Jalisco, con 16 años de trayectoria, @chiktormenta#TriplemaniaXXX
— Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (@luchalibreaaa) June 19, 2022
Taya Valkyrie appeared on tonight’s show cutting a promo, eventually challenging AEW Women’s Champion Thunder Rosa. On Twitter, Rosa accepted the challenge.
AAA returns with the second of three Triplemania events this year to celebrate their 30th anniversary, this time emanating from Tijuana.
The event is headlined by a tag team match featuring Dragon Lee & Dralistico of La Faccion Ingobernable taking on Matt Hardy & a mystery partner due to Jeff Hardy being pulled after his recent DUI.
In a five-way to unify the AAA Latin American and AAA Cruiserweight title, AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo will take on Cruiserweight Champion Laredo Kid, Rey Fenix, Latin American Champion Taurus and Bandido.
The two semifinals for the Ruleta De La Muerte tournament will take place as Pentagon Jr. takes on Blue Demon Jr. while Psycho Clown takes on Villano IV.
A seven-way Ruleta De La Muerte elimination cage match will see Lady Shani vs. Chik Tormenta vs. Maravilla vs. La Hiedra vs. Flammer vs. Reyna Dorada vs. Sexy Star. The final two competitors will then go one-on-one in a mask vs. mask match.
There will also be a 13-person Copa Triplemania match.
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Show Report —
Ruleta de la Muerte Cage Match: Reina Dorada, Sexy Star, Lady Maravilla, La Hiedra, & Lady Shani outlasted Chik Tormenta & Lady Flammer
This is escape-the-cage rules, and the last two competitors in the match will face off later in the show in a Mask vs. Mask match.
The rudas started attacking with cookie sheets right away. They teamed up to beat down the other competitors. Flammer, Maravilla, and Hiedra are all part of the Las Toxicas stable, and they worked together alongside Tormenta, another ruda. Eventually, the babyfaces freed themselves and turned the tables with the cookie sheets.
There was a parade of big moves as the heels’ alliance ended. Tormenta was the first to climb the cage, but she was pulled down. Dorada made it to the top of the cage, but instead of escaping, she jumped off onto the pile for a cool plancha spot. Dorada then climbed over once again to become the first to escape.
Hijo del Tirantes, the official, prevented Flammer from escaping. I get that’s AAA’s gimmick, but to me, that’s so bad and pointless. Sexy Star made it to the top and most of the way over before fighting off Las Toxicas to escape the cage. Shani dispatched Maravilla to allow herself to escape as well.
The final four were Tormenta against the three Toxicas. Tormenta started a comeback and was able to use some glass to try and bloody her opponents. She began to climb, but Hiedra pulled her down. Eventually, Hiedra and Maravilla decided to abandon Flammer and climb, but they ended up fighting each other on the way out and falling back in.
They started attacking Tormenta with a chair. Maravilla and Hiedra fought up on top of the cage, with Hiedra knocking Maravilla down and escaping. A wooden board was set up, and Maravilla powerbombed her partner Flammer through it, allowing her to be the final escapee.
– Lady Flammer and Chik Tormenta will face off later in the show in TripleMania’s first women’s Mask vs. Mask match.
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There was a brief ceremony to honor and remember Antonio Peña, who founded AAA.
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Cheerleaders from the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams performed.
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Niño Hamburguesa last eliminated Mamba to win Copa TripleManía
The rules are pin, submission, or over-the-top rope elimination. Entrants came in every minute.
Mr. Iguana and Abismo Negro Jr. were the first two, followed by Mecha Wolf, the first surprise entrant. Dulce Canela was next, and he was smitten with with Mr. Iguana’s iguana. Niño Hamburguesa was in next, met with a smooch from Canela. Mecha Wolf powerbombed Canela and hit a running knee for the first elimination.
Vampiro was in next, followed by Bestia 666, Mecha Wolf’s partner as La Rebelion. Rey Xolo, who was lucha libre journeyman Xtreme Tiger wrestling as the namesake for the show’s soccer team, came out, followed by Heavy Metal, who (much like Vampiro) returned to AAA earlier this year. Vampiro hit a nice top-rope hip toss and eliminated Mecha Wolf.
Charly Manson was next, but before he could come out, Damian 666 (Bestia 666’s father) attacked the competitors with a kendo stick. Bestia 666 eliminated Vampiro with a top-rope brainbuster. The next entrant was Mamba. Heavy Metal was eliminated by Charly. Pagano brought a chair with him for his entrance.
The final entrant was Cibernetico, who is feuding with Pagano. Mamba eliminated Xolo. Cibernetico eliminated Abismo Negro Jr., his Los Vipers partner, with a spear. Mamba rolled Charly up for an elimination. There was a lot of somewhat aimless wresting until Mamba eliminated Mr. Iguana. Cibernetico and Pagano went right at each other, allowing Mamba and Niño Hamburguesa to eliminate them. They continued to brawl and fight up the ramp.
Niño Hamburguesa and Mamba were the final two, and they traded chops in the center of the ring. Niño Hamburguesa fired up and sent Mamba out of the ring for his second Copa TripleMania victory.
– After the match, Pagano needed medical attention following a continued attack from Cibernetico.
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AAA Cruiserweight Championship / AAA Latin American Championship: Rey Fénix defeated Laredo Kid (c) [Cruiserweight], Taurus (c) [Latin American], Hijo del Vikingo, & Bandido to win both titles
This was the best Mexican wrestling match all year and in contention for the best non-apuesta match in TripleMania history. The platonic ideal of a lucha libre spotfest.
Taurus overpowered everyone at the bell, then tossed Vikingo onto the other three opponents out on the outside. He followed it up with a tope tornillo onto the pile. Back in the ring, Bandido and Laredo Kid finally took out Taurus. Laredo Kid hit Bandido with a tilt-a-whirl, then ran wild on everyone else with big moves, concluding with a series of springboard moonsaults on Taurus for two.
Vikingo and Bandido faced off in the ring, with the former taking out the latter with a springboard leg drop and planting Fénix with a uranage. Taurus leveled Vikingo with a lariat, but Vikingo came back with repeated kicks and an absurd front-flip tijeras. He then sprung up *backwards* for a springboard dropkick before springing twice for a dive onto Taurus and Laredo Kid.
Almost a One-Winged Angel from Vikingo got a near fall on Laredo Kid. Taurus came in with a sunset backstabber on Laredo Kid before an overhead throw sent Bandido onto Laredo Kid. Taurus hit a running crucifix bomb and a pop-up Samoan drop on Fénix, but Bandido broke up the pin.
Bandido landed a springboard tornillo on Fénix but was taken out by Laredo Kid. Bandido recovered and dispatched Taurus and Laredo Kid, but Vikingo came in and attacked Bandido. Bandido fought off an attack from Vikingo and Taurus with a cutter onto the former, then Fénix broke up the pin attempt.
Fénix hit his double rolling cutter and his springboard thrust kick on Taurus. He hit a cliffhanger backbreaker and a pop-up cutter on Vikingo for two. Fénix and Bandido made their way to the ramp, as did Vikingo. Taurus arrived and attacked all three smaller opponents on the outside, pouncing Fénix onto Bandido. Laredo Kid stopped Taurus’s rampage with a hurricanrana on the ramp.
Vikingo hit an insane poison rana on Laredo Kid the ramp, then a diving tijeras on Fénix on the outside. He then sprung in with a springboard 630 on Laredo Kid for a great near fall. Vikingo set up for a springboard, but Laredo Kid ran up for a spectacular step-up hurricanrana all the way to the floor.
Taurus crushed Bandido with a German, but then Fénix hit a pop-up rotating cutter on Bandido for a near fall. Everyone worked together to take out Taurus, eventually leading to a tower of doom powerbomb superplex spot. Everyone was down, then there was a parade of big moves, concluded with a Taurus spear on Vikingo for a near fall.
Vikingo and Taurus jockeyed for position on the top rope, where Taurus hit a ridiculous avalance press slam that looked like it sent Vikingo 15 feet in the air. A tijeras sent Bandido into Taurus, who caught him, leading to an impossible-to-describe train wreck spot involving those two and Laredo Kid. Bandido followed it up with a Fosbury Flop onto Laredo Kid.
Fénix and Vikingo fought on the top rope, but Vikingo got the advantage and landed a 630 splash on Taurus, which Fénix broke up. Fénix went for a pin attempt on Taurus, who kicked out for a great near fall, then Fénix landed a top-rope double stomp on Taurus for the win.
– Bandido had to receive medical attention at ringside after the match after he had a rough landing towards the end. He was taken out on a stretcher — hope he’s okay.
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AAA Reina de Reinas champion Taya Valkyrie came out and cut a promo in Spanish. She said the winner of the women’s mask match later tonight would earn a title shot. She then called out AEW Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa, telling her to prove her worth in Mexico.
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Konnan came out. A video package recapped his career and accomplishments. La Rebelion, Rey Fénix, Taya Valkyrie, Rey Horus, among others all came out to thank Konnan. They presented him with a commemorative plaque.
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Ruleta de la Muerte Semifinal: Blue Demon Jr. defeated Pentagon Jr.
This was really good. Blue Demon Jr. seemed to try a lot harder here than he usually does.
Demon dominated from the start, sending Penta out to the ramp. He ripped at Penta’s mask and mocked the “Cero Miedo” taunt. Demon produced his signature hammer, but Penta was able to kick it away. They brawled into the audience, then Demon brought things back into the ring, where Penta came back with sling blades and a tope con giro.
Penta grabbed a trash can and smashed it over Demon’s head. He ripped at Demon’s mask, exposing the top of his head. Penta then hit a hanging double stomp for two. Tirantes gave it a bit of a slow count. Demon returned fire with a DDT for two.
A backstabber from Penta got two. Demon came back with a twisting tombstone for two of his own. He tied Penta to the rope and brought a table into the ring. Demon hit Penta with a low blow followed by a ridiculous destroyer for two.
They fought on the top rope, with Penta wanting a superplex, but Demon produced the hammer, struck Penta, and hit a preposterous top rope destroyer through the table for the win.
– Penta will face the loser of Psycho Clown vs. Villano IV Jr. in a Mask vs. Mask match at the next TripleManía.
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Mask vs. Mask Lucha de Apuesta: Lady Flammer defeated Chik Tormenta
This was the first women’s mask vs. mask match in AAA history, and it was stellar. The two competitors laid it all out there, and the match layout was really tight aside from the baffling count botch towards the end. The post-match is must-watch.
Both women came out accompanied by their husbands, who were carrying towels in the event of a corner submission.
Flammer landed a tope suicida right away followed by a nasty splash on the ramp. Tormenta recovered and hit a suplex out on the ramp. She planted Flammer at the feet of Flammer’s husband for some mind games. Flammer came back and dropkicked Tormenta to the floor, but Tormenta cut her off and drove her face-first into the apron.
A missile dropkick from Flammer got two, but then Tormenta’s husband broke up the pin, leading to the two husbands brawling. The competitors dropkicked their husbands down and out of the ring, telling them to let them fight. A Michinoku Driver from Tormenta got two.
Los Vipers, Tormenta’s stablemates, came out with chairs and beat down Flammer and her husband. Flammer’s Toxica associates ran out to make the save, with Maravilla landing an Orihara moonsault on the Vipers. She then cut off a Tormenta dive with a chair shot.
It all broke down into a brawl until Flammer and Tormenta were alone in the ring. Flammer hit a sit-out driver, but Tormenta’s husband broke it up with a running dropkick. He drilled Flammer with a powerbomb, then Tormenta hit a meteora, but Flammer’s husband broke up the pin, following it up with a great tope suicida to take out Tormenta’s associates.
Flammer hit a top-rope frankensteiner that looked like it got three — Tormenta didn’t kick out — but the official said it was two. No idea what happened. She set up a board in the corner of the ring, drove Tormenta through it, and covered for the win.
– After the match, Flammer’s family came out to celebrate with her.
There was real emotion on the face of Tormenta that you could see even through the mask. She was given a chance to speak, and she shook Flammer’s hand. She is Cristina Azpeitia Ramirez of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, and she unmasked with tears in her eyes.
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Ruleta de la Muerte Semifinal: Psycho Clown defeated Villano IV
Despite a couple awkward moments, this was a hot brawl as one might expect. Classic AAA.
Villano tore at Psycho Clown’s match right away and clotheslined him into the fans at ringside. Back in, he broke a beer bottle over Psycho Clown’s head, then he whacked him with a baking sheet before driving his head into the ring post. He bit at Psycho Clown’s face, and the Brazo was bloodied.
Five minutes in, Psycho Clown hadn’t gotten a single move of offense in. He finally started a comeback with a thrust kick and a running dropkick for two. Psycho Clown grabbed a chair and smacked it over Villano’s head before ripping at his mask. He then evened things up by smashing a bottle over Villano’s head and bloodying him with the glass.
Psycho Clown sent Villano into the ringside audience and dove onto him over the barricade. He produced a broom and whacked Villano with it, breaking it over his back. Villano fired back with strikes but was cut off and rolled up for a near fall. Villano hit the slowest Code Red in world history for a near fall.
Villano locked Psycho Clown in a submission and then cradled him, but Psycho Clown kicked out for another near fall. Psycho Clown put Villano in an arm wringer and awkwardly covered for two of his own. He set up a wooden board in the corner, but Villano locked on an octopus hold. Psycho Clown escaped and powerbombed him through it for a great near fall.
Psycho Clown poured thumb tacks all over the ring. At the sight of his own blood, he snapped and went all over Villano, beating him down in the corner and elbowing the official away. Villano went for an elbow drop on Psycho Clown but inadvertently hit the official, then Psycho Clown was backdropped onto the thumbtacks. Villano covered, but the official was too incapacitated to count.
As Villano pleaded with the official to wake up, Psycho Clown hit Villano with an air raid crash on the tacks for the win.
– Villano IV will face Pentagon Jr. in a Mask vs. Mask match at the next TripleManía.
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Dragon Lee & Dralistico defeated Matt Hardy & Johnny Hardy (John Hennigan)
Johnny was the replacement for Jeff Hardy. The match was pretty good before the wacky turn at the end.
Dralistico and Johnny started off, with the former sending the latter to the floor. Matt cut off a Dralistico dive and knocked down Lee with a shoulder tackle. Lee came back with an outside-in kick. A leg drop from Dralistico got two, then Matt assisted on a Johnny elbow drop for two of their own.
The Lee brothers isolated Johnny in their corner of the ring. Eventually Johnny escaped to Matt, who hit his signature facecrushers into the turnbuckle on both Lee brothers. He followed them up with a Side Effect on Dralistico for two. Lee escaped a Twist of Fate, but Matt recovered and climbed the ropes, where he was taken down by a springboard hurricanrana from Dralistico.
Both teams laid into each other in the center of the ring before brawling on the outside. Lee hit a preposterous suicide dive onto Johnny out into the first four rows, then Dralistico followed it up with a plancha onto everyone. Back in, Dralistico landed a springboard senton for a near fall.
Johnny and Dralistico traded kicks in the ring, leading to a double down, then their partners traded strikes. Matt feinted on a Twist of Fate and turned it into a DDT for two. He followed it up with a Razor’s Edge for two more. Lee recovered and hit a diving double stomp before a hurricanrana sent Johnny to the floor. Lee then landed the running corner dropkick and a powerbomb for a good near fall.
Dralistico sent Johnny into the turnbuckle with an overhead suplex, then Matt took out Dralistico with a clothesline. Dralistico countered the Twist of Fate but missed a moonsault. Matt set up for the Twist of Fate, but Johnny turned on him and low blowed him before hitting his signature neckbreaker. Dralistico then hit the double underhook Codebreaker and the assisted moonsault for the win.
– After the match, Matt hit Johnny with a Twist of Fate and shook hands with the Lee brothers. They played it off like Johnny did the turn of his own accord.
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Final Thoughts:
This was a great show, one of the best editions of TripleMania in years. A match of the year contender, an emotional and thrilling mask vs. mask match, and two intense Ruleta de la Muerte contests really filled things out and made it seem worthwhile. Considering the low hype and cloud hanging over the Jeff Hardy situation, this has to be considered a home run for AAA.
The 25th AAA Rey de Reyes is set for Saturday in Veracruz, Mexico, and is headlined by AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo against former champion John Hennigan, fka John Morrison in WWE, for the first time ever.
This will be Hennigan’s first match since being released late last year while Vikingo is looking for the third defense of the title he won last December at Triplemania Regia.
In a high-profile match, Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix) will take on Dragon Lee and Dralistico of La Faccion Ingobernable. This will be Fenix’s first match back since dislocating his arm in the Lucha Brothers’ AEW Tag Team title loss to Jurassic Express in early-January.
In the Rey de Reyes five-way match, a mystery man will face Psycho Clown, Cibernetico, Laredo Kid and Bandido.
In a match that will determine the next challenger to AAA Reina de Reinas Champion Deonna Purrazzo, a mystery entrant (rumored to be former champion Taya Valkyrie will face Lady Maravilla, Flammer and Lady Shani.
Our live coverage begins at 9 PM Eastern.
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Show Report —
Before I get started, I’d like to thank thecubsfan22 (@luchablog on Twitter), whose live translations are a massive help for lucha libre shows.
The show started in a wacky way: mid-match in the midst of AAA’s Marvel tie-in. There were two Aracnos (Spider-Men) fighting, but one got an assist from Terror Púrpura (a Thanos-masked Brian Cage) followed by a top-rope splash for the win. After the match, Terror Púrpura dragged the fallen Aracno up to the stage.
My speculation is that this was an angle relating to the fact that multiple different people played Aracno last year. My other speculation is that that was not meant to be streamed.
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Joe Dombrowski and Larry Dallas introduced the show. There were stream issues early on — hopefully those don’t persist.
Fénix came out to officially open the show. He had been advertised for a tag match with Penta El Zero Miedo, but due to his injury last month, he won’t be able to compete. Notably, he wasn’t wearing a sling.
However, he’s got a surprise: the returning Taya Valkyrie (briefly Franky Monet in WWE), who came out with Penta. She’s a former Reina de Reinas champion.
Taya cut a promo in Spanish, calling out current champion Deonna Purrazzo. She never lost the title, and she’ll be in the four-way match right now.
AAA Reina de Reinas Championship #1 contender: Taya defeated Lady Shani, Keyra, Maravilla, & Flammer
The four luchadoras went right after Taya at the bell. Maravilla and Flammer were left in the ring, where the former took control with a knee strike before locking on a submission. They took each other out with running crossbodies, allowing Taya to cover for two. Shani and Keyra worked together to keep Taya down.
Keyra and Shani’s alliance was short-lived as Shani hit a bulldog for two. The heel ref applied a slow count. Maravilla landed a German suplex bridge, but Taya broke up the count. Keyra took out Taya with a hurricanrana to the floor, while in the ring Shani worked over on Flammer. Maravilla and Keyra traded strikes on the apron before Keyra hit a Spanish Fly to the floor. Flammer took them out with a tope suicida.
It was Taya and Shani left in the ring at this point. Taya hit a curb stomp for a near fall. Shani came back with a backbreaker before locking on a deathlock submission, which Taya fought out of. Taya returned fire with a corner hip attack for two. Shani hit a face wash, but then Taya hit the Road to Valhalla for the win.
– After the match, Tirantes, the father of head official El Hijo del Tirantes, came out to berate his son for his shenanigans during the match. He chased the other to the back.
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Los Vipers, led by Cibernético, came out. Cibernético cut a promo about the group’s dominance but was interrupted by Pagano, who rushed the ring and sent almost everyone packing until he was overwhelmed by the numbers advantage. Los Vipers posed to end the segment.
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Willie Mack was originally supposed to be in this match but was replaced by Myzteziz Jr. with no explanation. Apparently, during the match, he showed up at Impact No Surrender.
Los Vipers (Psicosis, Látigo, & Abismo Negro Jr.) defeated Niño Hamburguesa, Myzteziz Jr., & Mr. Iguana
Látigo and Iguana started off. They performed some spots involving Iguana’s… iguana, until Abismo cut him off. Los Vipers then isolated Niño and attacked him with a baseball bat. Los Vipers held control for a long time, with all three members isolating individual opponents in the ring.
Finally, the three técnicos worked together to starrt a comeback. Niño landed corner cannonballs on all three stacked up opponents. Iguana took out Látigo with a springboard hurricanrana, then Niño landed a tope crossbody on all three opponents. Myzteziz concluded the run with a top-rope shooting star press on the pile out on the floor.
Back in the ring, it was Niño facing off with Abismo. Niño hit a running senton splash followed by the Último Dragon headscissor takeover on two opponents. He then hit a second-rope leg drop for two. Látigo brought in thumbtacks as his partners suplexed Niño onto them. Los Vipers hit a triple team dropkick, but then Myzteziz made a one-man comeback on all three opponents followed by a top-rope moonsault to the floor.
Los Vipers set up a table, allowing Psicosis to put Myzteziz through it with a top-rope leg drop for the win.
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I guess this is a lumberjack match, which it wasn’t billed as, as the roster midcarders (and some officials) came out and attacked wrestlers when they would leave the ring.
AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championships: Los Vipers (Arez & Chik Tormenta) (c) defeated Los Mercenarios (Villano III Jr. & La Hiedra) & Octagón Jr. & Sexy Star
Everyone got a chance to have a quick moment in the ring early on. The first big spot was Octagón putting both Hiedra and Chik on his shoulders for a double Samoan drop. He dropkicked them both to the floor, but the female lumberjacks protected them from being attacked by the males.
Los Vipers worked over Octagón in the ring. Los Mercenarios came in to isolate Arez. Octagón and Sexy Star were tired of the official’s shenanigans, so they sent him to the floor, where lumberjacks (including his father) got their chance to attack him.
A top-rope crossbody from Octagón got two. The three men traded strikes in the ring before kicking their opponents’ partners to the floor and all landing dives. Villano and Octagón took out Arez before trading overhand slaps. Villano went for the mask of Octagón, who fought back with thrust kicks and went for Villano’s mask in return. He actually ripped it much of the way off.
The three women were then in the ring, with Chik and Sexy Star taking out Hiedra before turning on each other. Chik landed double knees to Octagon on the apron as Arez hit a half nelson driver to win and retain.
– After the match, La Empresa came out and beat down Villano and Hiedra.
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There was a speech and video package in remembrance of longtime AAA announcer Arturo Rivera, who passed away last week. It was really well-produced and touching.
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Long-time WWE Spanish language announcer Carlos Cabrera, who was released this week, came out to join commentary.
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Microman came out with La Empresa. Unbelievable!
Three-Way Trios: La Familia Real (L.A. Park, El Hijo de L.A. Park, & L.A. Park Jr.) defeated Nueva Generación Dinamita (El Cuatrero, Sansón, & Forastero) and La Empresa (DMT Azul, Puma King, & Sam Adonis) via disqualification
The two rudo teams worked together to take out La Familia Real early on. NGD isolated Hijo de L.A. Park and then L.A. Park Jr. Microman entered the fray, and he didn’t seem to support all the cheating and interference. The Parks took a long, extended beating until some miscommunication between the two other teams broke down the alliance. La Familia Real took advantage by landing simultaneous dives.
Cuatrero and Hijo de L.A. Park had an exchange in the ring before Forastero got involved. Hijo de L.A. Park landed a diving crossbody and then something of a hurricanrana to the floor. Adonis faced off with L.A. Park Jr., but Puma King gave La Empresa the numbers advantage. Park Jr. made a one-man comeback and tagged in his father.
The legend Park took out Forastero, but the rest of NGD pulled the official out of the ring. Microman got involved to stop all the cheating. Los Mercenarios, including Rey Escorpion, Villano III Jr., and La Hiedra, came out and attacked La Empresa with chairs. La Familia Real were declared the winners out of nowhere, ostensibly via disqualification.
– After the match, Los Mercenarios kept up the beatdown on La Empresa, taking them all out. Villano hit a top-rope senton bomb through chairs onto DMT. Escorpion grabbed a mic and tore into La Empresa some more, then Los Mercenarios faced off with La Familia Real.
L.A. Park and sons took a seat in the ring and hyped up the crowd.
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Rey de Reyes: Psycho Clown defeated Cibernético, Bandido, Laredo Kid & Heavy Metal
This was brief, but the action we got was great.
Laredo Kid and Bandido started off. They had a nice brief exchange before Psycho Clown was the first entrant a minute in. He took out both opponents, concluding his run with a top-rope splash on both for two. Cibernético was next, and he summarily chokeslammed Laredo Kid and Bandido.
The surprise entrant was Heavy Metal, who was (is?) a very good wrestler but is perhaps better known as the brother of Negro Casas. Laredo Kid went for a twisting moonsault on Bandido but missed, and Bandido capitalized with an avalanche crucifix bomb for two.
Psycho Clown hit a German suplex and bridged the pin on Bandido for two. Bandido came back with a Michinoku driver but was cut off on the top rope, allowing Psycho Clown to hit a top-rope Spanish Fly — but the pin was broken up by Ciber. Ciber hit a stunner on Psycho Clown but was rolled up by Heavy Metal for two.
Laredo Kid rolled out of the way of a top-rope senton and hit one of his own for two. He then hit a swinging DDT on Bandido followed by a top-rope moonsault to the floor. Psycho Clown landed a tornillo dive onto both before Heavy Metal just dove onto the pile.
Back in the ring, Ciber hit a spear on Psycho Clown for two. Psycho Clown then rolled up Ciber for the win.
– After the match, Psycho Clown was presented with the customary sword for his victory. He celebrated with his children in the ring.
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This was originally supposed to be the Lucha Brothers against Dragon Lee and Dralístico, but Fénix’s injury turned this into a singles match.
Pentagon Jr. defeated Dralístico
They wrestled back and forth to start until Penta was able to hit a Sling Blade. Dralístico returned fire with a springboard tijeras and a plancha. Out on the floor, Penta sent his opponent over the barricade and into the stands. Dralístico came back with a tope con giro. Back in the ring, a springboard senton bomb got two.
Dralístico kept up the attack with more high flying, hitting a standing moonsault for two more, as the story became an exchange of big moves for near falls. Penta countered a handspring with a dropkick for two of his own. Dralístico stopped a springboard and hit a springboard rana for two. Penta came back with a lumbar check for yet another two count.
Penta caught a springboard and turned it into Made in Japan for another near fall. They traded strikes in the center of the ring. Dralístico hesitated on the ropes but turned it around for a springboard destroyer for two, then Penta came back with a destroyer of his own for two more.
Dralistico avoided a rope-hang double stomp and hit a floating DDT. He missed a moonsault, allowing Penta to hit the Fear Factor, which would have gotten him the win — except Dragon Lee ran out and pulled the official out of the ring. He and Dralístico unmasked Penta in the ring.
Fénix tried to get involved, but the medics wouldn’t let him. As they taunted Fénix, Penta rolled up Dralístico for the win.
– After the match, Dragon Lee and Dralístico unmasked Penta again as Fénix fought to save his brother. Dragon Lee cut a promo saying their match would still happen at some point.
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John Hennigan, the former John Morrison in WWE, was billed as “Johnny Superstar.” This was his first match after his non-compete clause.
AAA Mega Championship: Hijo del Vikingo (c) defeated Johnny Superstar
This was the first great Mexican wrestling match of 2022.
Early on, a mule kick from Vikingo sent Johnny to the floor, where Johnny firmly established himself as a rudo by attacking Lady Shani, Vikingo’s second. Johnny came back with a lariat for two back inside the ring. He then slingshot Vikingo throat-first into the ropes.
It was pouring outside as Johnny continued the beatdown. Vikingo started a comeback with a missile dropkick, but Johnny cut him off with an eye poke. He then hit a standing moonsault for two. Vikingo rebounded off the ropes to build momentum and hit an enziguiri leading into almost a reverse front-flip hurricanrana, if that makes sense. They hit 90% of it.
Vikingo kept up the attack with a tope con giro into a powerslam on the floor and then a running shooting star press. Johnny cut off a springboard with a gamenguiri, sending Vikingo crashing to the floor. Back in the ring, Johnny hit a black hole slam for a near fall.
Johnny was frustrated and brought one of the stage lights into the ring. As he wrestled for it with the official, Laredo Kid got involved, and then Vikingo superkicked the light into Johnny. Vikingo then hit the 630 splash for a great near fall.
While the official tried to get Laredo Kid out of the ring, Johnny low-blowed Vikingo for another good near fall. They jockeyed for position on the top turnbuckle, but Johnny was crotched hard on the top rope and taken down with a reverse rana. Vikingo then hit the inverted 450 to win and retain.
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Final Thoughts:
There was a lot of good action early on in the show but very little in the way of truly satisfying wrestling matches, especially in the finishes department. The main event saved things, as Vikingo tends to do. Going forward, it’s looking like Vikingo vs. Laredo Kid, Lucha Bros vs. Dragon Lee & Dralístico, and the upcoming legends mask vs. mask tournament.
AAA today announced three Triplemania events for this year which will feature a tournament that will culminate in October that will see someone lose their mask.
During their 30th anniversary press conference today, the company announced that the first Triplemania of 2022, Triplemania Regia III, will take place on April 30 in Monterrey. The second show will take place in Tijuana at Xolo Stadium on June 18, and the third in Mexico City on October 15. These shows will be broadcast live on FITE TV and will have both Spanish and English commentary.
The shows will feature an eight-man ruleta de la muerte tournament, where losers will advance. The “winner” of the tournament will lose their mask. Participants announced for the tournament include Ultimo Dragon, Blue Demon Jr., Pentagon Jr., Psycho Clown, Canek, Rayo de Jalisco Jr., LA Park, and Villano IV.
AAA last held a Triplemania event back in December, Triplemania Regia II. El Hijo del Vikingo won a five-way match on that card to win the vacant AAA Mega Championship.
The company also mentioned during the press conference that they plan on running shows in Dallas, Japan, and Colombia in the future.
Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez will return to AAA in December.
The company announced during Saturday’s Heroes Inmortales XIV event that Velasquez is set to return to the company on December 4, marking his first appearances for the promotion since 2019.
No opponent was announced for Velasquez’s pro wrestling comeback.
Velasquez has just four professional matches in his career. He debuted at AAA’s TripleMania XXVII show in August 2019 in Mexico City, teaming with Cody Rhodes and Psycho Clown. He also appeared in October for AAA at their Hulu Theatre event in New York.
Just one month later, Velasquez signed with WWE and appeared on the first edition of SmackDown on Fox, where he confronted WWE Champion Brock Lesnar, a former UFC foe.
Lesnar defeated Velasquez in his first and only televised WWE match at Crown Jewel 2019 in Saudi Arabia, a match that Lesnar won in just over two minutes.
Velasquez would make just one more in-ring appearance for WWE, wrestling at a Mexico City house show in November 2019. He was released from the company in April 2020 in the midst of the company’s COVID-10 pandemic mass releases.
Velasquez is a two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion. He defeated Lesnar for the UFC title in October 2010, lost the belt to Junior dos Santos on the first UFC on Fox show in November 2011, then regained the title from dos Santos in a rematch in December 2012.
Fabricio Werdum ended Velasquez’s second title reign with a submission win in Mexico City at Arena Ciudad de Mexico in June 2015. Velasquez would make his pro wrestling debut in the same building in 2019.
His departure was reported this afternoon by Mas Lucha. Shortly after the news broke out, CMLL announced that the original Mistico, who had been going by the name Caristico, would get the name back. The second Mistico is the brother of Rush and Dragon Lee, and the son of Bestia del Ring, all who work for Ring of Honor. Both Rush and Lee congratulated the second Mistico on Twitter after news broke that he had left.
Mistico and Caristico were the CMLL World Tag Team Champions. The titles have now been vacated.
Mistico was given the name and character in 2012 after the original Mistico (Caristico) left for WWE. He previously worked as Dragon Lee, a character that was later given to his younger brother when he entered professional wrestling in 2013. When the original Mistico returned to CMLL in 2015, he took the name Caristico.
Several wrestlers have left CMLL due to issues within the company politically. Nueva Generacion Dinamita (Sanson, El Cuatrero, and Forastero) left CMLL earlier this month and appeared at Lucha Libre AAA’s Triplemania event five days later, joining forces with Sam Adonis, Puma King, and Diamante Azul, who also previously wrestled for CMLL in the past.
Cain Velasquez has said he will return to AAA in December.
Appearing on In This Corner with Cyrus Fees, Velasquez also said that he wanted to develop himself further as a wrestler.
“Actually, I’m doing a show in December for AAA,” he said. “So for me, I love AAA and I’m going to keep doing that right now. I love WWE as well, but I have to first develop myself in that way in order for me to go out there.”
A former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Velasquez started wrestling back in 2019, wrestling twice for AAA, with the most high profile match being a trios match teaming with Cody Rhodes and Psycho Clown in a winning effort against El Texano Jr., Taurus, and Killer (now Karrion) Kross.
Velasquez signed with WWE later that year and lost to Brock Lesnar in a quick match at WWE Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia in October. The following month, he teamed with Humberto Carrillo to defeat Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows at a house show event in Mexico, his last match to date. He was released from WWE in April of 2020 due to cuts related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jose Luis Alvarado, who started out as a well respected worker as teenager sensation Brazo de Plata, who became iconic as perhaps the greatest long-term iconic comedic wrestler as Super Porky, passed away on 7/26 at the age of 58 due to a heart attack.
He had been in poor health of late and based on what he had said both publicly and privately, seemed to know that he was not going to live much longer.
The heart attack was in its own weird way apropos. He had two prior heart attacks, both while wrestling, and worked that into his regular comedy routine where he would fake heart attacks in his matches. Given he was so overweight and his brothers were so convincing at panicking, fans bought them and on more than occasion I would get reports from people seeing him live thinking he had suffered a heart attack.
Alvarado was the best known member of the biggest wrestling family in the world, a statement that carries a lot of weight since his son, Psycho Clown, is arguably the biggest star in Mexico right now and certainly top three.
Jose Luis Alvarado Nieves, known as Brazo de Plata and Super Porky, has passed away at the age of 58.
The talk show Mas Lucha announced his passing during their show tonight. CMLL, as well as AAA, posted tributes on social media. A cause of death has not been announced.
Nieves made his debut in 1977 as a masked wrestler called Brazo de Plata (Silver Arm), teaming with his brother Brazo de Oro (Gold Arm). They would continue to wear masks until October 21, 1988 when Plata, Oro, and another brother El Brazo lost a mask vs. hair match against Villano I, IV, and V.
Plata joined CMLL in 1985, where he would continue to wrestle for the next 20 years, teaming with members of the Alvarado wrestling family and held the CMLL World Trios Championship. He later adopted a more comedic style, and later was given the nickname Super Porky.
Plata also briefly wrestled for WWE in 2005, joining the SmackDown brand as part of the Juniors comedy division. In 2006, the entire Juniors division was released and Plata went to AAA, where he would stay through 2009.
After leaving AAA, Porky continued to work in the independents and also made appearances in CMLL through 2016.
