AAA TripleMania XXXII: Monterrey
April 27, 2024
Estadio Mobil Tremendous
Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexiko
Watch: TrillerTV
AAA kicks off its annual triplet of TripleMania exhibits this weekend with a present that’s extra in TripleMania in title than spirit. The promotion has leaned into nostalgia acts and is treating its Monterrey cease as a setup for the remainder of the yr. This present is an honest place to begin to get on board for 2024, although not at PPV costs. The drama round AAA is intriguing. The TripleMania Monterrey card isn’t.
AAA TripleMania takes place this Saturday, April 27, from Monterrey’s baseball stadium. Like current years, it’s the primary of three TripleManias in a sixteen-week dash. The present begins at 7 pm native time and airs on TrillerTV internationally for 25 USD. You may as effectively pay 55 USD and get all three exhibits if you happen to’re going to get this one – the opposite two can’t probably be any worse. TripleMania will finally flip up on AAA’s YouTube channel within the coming weeks. That’s the wisest technique for many VOW readers to test it out.
You’ll be able to depart your star score notebooks at residence for this one. You’ll be able to skip this fully if you happen to’re in search of star rankings; this present could prime at three stars for greatest match. The lack of Hijo del Vikingo – not anticipated to be wholesome sufficient to wrestle at any TripleMania this yr – means AAA now not has that one wonderful must-see match on each large present. AAA has made different modifications, too, and “placing on wonderful wrestling” matches is presently a low precedence. This lineup is neither a card for folks in search of the normal hearth dumpster of a TripleMania. A whole lot of matches shall be OK. Some first acts in tales will occur. That’s about it. The present is for people who find themselves both keen on 2000s/early 2010s AAA or for individuals who cherished the Alberto del Rio/Dolph Ziggler WWE title program.
The story of how AAA obtained right here is fascinating, even when the outcomes aren’t. Followers internationally and regionally trashed TripleMania Mexico Metropolis 2023, however AAA nonetheless bought tickets. AAA’s return to Mexico Metropolis for TV a month later was the enterprise failure that adopted the important one, a small crowd for a present meant to be headlined by the first-ever Hijo del Vikingo versus Komander match. (Even that didn’t occur; Vikingo obtained harm per week prior on a ROH present.) AAA struggled the remainder of 2023, with some good and a few distressing turnouts.
AAA administration was receptive to concepts to alter their route. Their large 2024 concept, and essentially the most important inventive alternative AAA’s made this yr, got here from Faby Apache. The longtime AAA luchadora left the promotion three years in the past, then returned as one in every of many names from the previous as a part of their thirtieth Anniversary celebrations. AAA used these returning wrestlers in filler tag matches as cameos with no agency route or focus. Apache’s concept was to do one taping centered on these earlier era’s wrestlers, supplementing with just a few who hadn’t returned but, as an “AAA Retro” idea present. AAA went with that Retro idea for a January 2024 Mexico Metropolis taping in the identical constructing they didn’t half-fill final yr. They bought it out. Faby’s concept was a winner, sufficient for AAA to throw out any plans they’d for 2024 and construct the present round a nostalgic “Origenes” idea.
Nostalgia is all the time decisive in wrestling, and extra so in Mexico. Caristico changing into Mistico helped launch CMLL’s present upswing. AAA has appeared to expertise development in late 20s/30-year-old followers desirous to see the celebs of their teenage years once more. Nostalgia in Mexico additionally has an extended shelf life than most nations; witness largely motionless luchadors like Canek and Rayo de Jalisco Jr. nonetheless choosing up work. The folks AAA is bringing again aren’t as restricted as these two, however they’re no nice shakes. Nobody’s watching mid-00s AAA for excellent wrestling matches, and people wrestlers aren’t going to be higher 20 years on. AAA additionally discovered so onerous concerning the nostalgic route that they began bringing again anybody from that period, even when they weren’t stars. WWE’s loads of instances, although these are often 10-second cameos of somebody doing the catchphrase and waving to the gang on the finish of the present. The AAA model places Nygma & Hator because the third completely different nostalgia match on a six-match card. The outcomes aren’t nice.
AAA’s nostalgia route has dovetailed with one other necessary determine in 2024: Vampiro.
The longtime Mexican wrestling fixture was performed with AAA and wrestling on the finish of 2023. He made a speech in Monterrey that was implied to be his retirement ceremony. Vampiro has been teasing retiring since 1995. This announcement got here out of nowhere, and nobody believed it was the top. Backstage after the present, Vampiro revealed that he and AAA had not agreed on a brand new contract and a 2024 retirement tour; he was performed in Mexico as a result of nobody else was more likely to pay him what he thought he was price. Even that speech was an try and get the followers to react so strongly that AAA would change their thoughts; they didn’t, and AAA didn’t. Vampiro stated he was nonetheless planning to work on different initiatives elsewhere. It appeared like working for precedence #1 can be NWA bookings, which additionally appear to have disappeared. Vampiro talked about a podcast alongside these different concepts.
Vampiro is a typical wrestling individual, all the time speaking about initiatives which can be nearly to occur, after which few of them ever occur. Vampiro did get his documentary made. That podcast occurred, too, and an episode with Latin Lover went viral. Latin and Vampiro pulled again the curtain on wrestling in methods not usually performed in Mexico and never with stars. There’s an awesome thirst for “behind the scenes” wrestling data in Mexico, however wrestling tradition teaches wrestlers to maintain these issues quiet. The wrestling press will get wonderful entry in trade for protecting it kayfabe. Mexican wrestling followers get what information they’ll from YouTube vloggers, mysterious Twitter accounts claiming inside data, and Spanish-language websites primarily translating English-language wrestling gossip. Neither Latin Lover nor Vampiro was a part of any promotion once they did the podcast, and so they’re each sufficiently big stars to not really feel sure by lucha libre mores. They’d no purpose to carry again and didn’t, speaking about promoters who handled them poorly, wrestlers who bullied them, and different realities of residing within the wrestling enterprise. Vampiro’s podcast with Latin Lover and a subsequent one with Pentagon Jr. was like an oasis for followers thirsty for data. It didn’t even matter that Vampiro was concerned, and so inherently, half of what was stated was apparent fiction; it spoke to these followers. Vampiro and Latin Lover was not the primary barrier-breaking Spanish language dialogue – Cibernetico’s been doing it for years for one. Vampiro’s podcast, as an alternative, is the Mexican equal of the beginning of the Steve Austin podcast, breaking by to a a lot bigger viewers and creating new curiosity within the host.
Vampiro and AAA parted methods as a result of AAA wouldn’t pay Vampiro what he needed and wouldn’t do his retirement tour. Vampiro grew to become a podcasting star, and AAA was now very happy to pay him and play off that podcast in angles. In addition they went for the retirement tour: each TV taping and loads of spot exhibits at the moment are “Vampiro’s last present in [this city]. ” Large or small, if you happen to’re in Morelia or Saltillo, you’re getting an enormous announcement that this would be the final time Vampiro wrestles in your city. This TripleMania Monterrey is Vampiro’s final present in Monterrey, and the one in Mexico Metropolis shall be his last match ever. It’s onerous to imagine that – a wrestling retirement, a Vampiro promise – however AAA is promoting this so onerous that it’ll look worse than ordinary in the event that they again off later. They’ve pushed Vampiro’s retirement of the main focus of many of the TV tapings up to now. The tearful thanks and goodbye speeches work effectively for the reside crowd, and a US promotion would’ve stored them simply as a bonus for these in attendance. AAA as an alternative airs all of them, leaving a viewer to want Vampiro would hurry up and depart by the fifth time he’s stated goodbye. I’ve by no means been into Vampiro and located an AAA constructed round him a tedious watch.
Vamp’s not the one one that’s gone from the sidelines to the highlight. Alberto el Patron returned to AAA early in 2024, declaring he can be a full-time roster member. AAA isn’t blind to Alberto’s issues and hasn’t used him greater than as a visitor star on large exhibits. AAA can be determined to rebuild that attendance, and – with no assist seemingly coming from TNA or AEW proper now – AAA sees Alberto as their best choice. AAA’s plan seemed to be to play it gradual with Alberto, to really feel him out as a personality and a human being. They might give him a distinguished overseas opponent in Monterrey, then once more in Tijuana, and maybe put him within the large title match in Mexico Metropolis if Alberto behaved himself. That warning went out the window when Hijo del Vikingo suffered a knee harm; Alberto went from getting the title if all the pieces went proper to getting the title instantly.
AAA’s lack of choices is of their very own making. They spent years recruiting youthful luchadors whereas doing little to raise them into stars. The non-Alberto choices have been Pagano (type has caught as much as him, regularly injured) or Psycho Clown (appears to be too over, will get handed up for these possibilities as a result of he does ‘want’ it.) Laredo Child is a superb wrestler who’s much less over since changing into a prelim man in TNA and hasn’t gotten a lot assist in AAA. Guys like Octagon Jr. and Myzteziz Jr. are in the identical spots they’ve been in for years, caught in place. Others who AAA might’ve moved into extra distinguished positions bailed. The AAA expertise drain has been a continuing story during the last six months: Villano III Jr., Aramis, Black Taurus, Latigo, Toxin, and Arez are all amongst those that’ve unhappily left the promotion, deciding they’d do higher with out being tied to AAA. All of them have been appropriate, which isn’t a superb search for AAA. None of them would’ve made sense successful the Mega championship on Saturday, however AAA failing to advance them in the direction of that purpose contributed to them leaving. AAA wants this nostalgia wave to final lengthy; they lack stars to take over when it fades.
Who’s masking these choices sooner or later is a brand new “solely in AAA” thriller. That Vampiro podcast and a subsequent charity look introduced Latin Lover extra into the AAA fold than he’s been within the final two years. The one-time AAA prime tecnico has been extra of an performing/leisure celeb, sustaining a reference to wrestling however not being deeply concerned. Seeing Latin on the crimson carpet of a theater manufacturing early this month was regular. It was irregular to listen to Latin Lover point out he had dinner with Dorian Roldan and that they devised a plan for Latin to start out as AAA inventive director at TripleMaina Monterrey. Latin walked it again a day later – he solely stated there was a plan, not that he had agreed to it, however nonetheless left the looks that Roldan was seeking to substitute or demote Konnan. You’re not going to discover a protection of Konnan’s reserving right here, however Latin Lover makes little sense as the important thing individual making inventive choices for a wrestling promotion. He’s a man who has many different jobs (together with his personal podcast) and has little expertise in wrestling, other than the one bodybuilder/dancer character he performed for many of his profession. He additionally doesn’t appear to have the savvy to take care of the wrestling enterprise if he’s leaking issues like, “I’m pushing out the long-running booker of the promotion two weeks from now.” The counterpoint is that the final time AAA changed Konnan, it went to a well-known wrestler overmatched for the job from day one. Latin Lover and Vampiro are completely different folks, however the story is similar. AAA’s let this story sit unaddressed. Konan has stated nothing as effectively, which is not like him. Konnan continues to be concerned within the build-up to this present: there’s a tease of a brand new heel steady and a US/Mexico match; you already know he’s nonetheless working. The thought of Latin Lover taking on AAA is absurd – my greatest guess is that is a proposal for an on-screen authority determine position misunderstood as a big backstage position – however nothing is simply too absurd for AAA.
There are some matches on this present. Would you prefer to examine them?
Estrellita, Faby Apache, Reina Dorada, Attractive Star vs Dalys, Flammer, La Hiedra, Maravilla
There’s nothing extra token than this token’s ladies match – although the best way it really works in Mexico is that is extra about protecting the ladies pleased reasonably than worrying concerning the wrath of their followers. The Las Toxicas act is over, but it surely’s a decidedly unserious act in an unserious division. The ladies will flirt to get reactions, everybody will get a flip to make an enormous transfer, half of them will look sloppy, after which one of many Tirantes will instantly result in the end. Everybody will discuss promos and the way they are going to have an enormous match quickly, and AAA will ebook one other multiwomen match in Tijuana. Wash, rinse, repeat.
El Elegido vs Pimpinela Escarlata, Antifaz del Norte, Súper Caló, Aerostar, Chessman, Niño Hamburguesa, Mr. Iguana, Charly Manson, Abismo Negro, Heavy Steel and two unannounced folks in a Copa TripleMania.
It’s the identical as ever right here: a very lengthy battle royal the place nothing issues however the entrance. AAA’s lack of midcard depth has a silver lining: They’re losing fewer gifted folks in these matches now.
Ex-CMLL Halcon Suriano Jr. is more likely to be a thriller wrestler. Suriano is bodily gifted, however CMLL’s bias in opposition to ex-mini wrestlers held him again. Suriano additionally held himself again; he was a headcase. Suriano’s fellow staff hated working with them as a result of he solely cared about himself and getting his strikes in. Halcon Suriano Jr. lives and breathes wrestling, trains aspiring wrestlers, and doesn’t perceive skilled wrestling. Suriano complained about his push at a CMLL run press session and both obtained fired or give up simply earlier than that ax got here. The usual end result is AAA for disaffected CMLL wrestlers is promising to make him a star, reserving him as a shock, after which not often following by with it.
Juventud Guerrera, who shares a lot of the “gifted however hopeless” traits as Halcon Suriano Jr., spent a lot of 2023 capturing social media angles for a title match with Hijo del Vikingo. He additionally ripped Konnan, blaming him for the match not taking place. AAA was by no means then. The nostalgia idea modified the mathematics, and Konnan contacted Guerrera to ebook him as a shock for this battle royal. To the shock of nobody (however possibly Konnan), Juventud Guerrera went on his podcast to indicate off the textual content messages from Konnan, take extra pictures at Konnan, and stated he wouldn’t are available in for a battle royal; he deserved to be in as a prime man. Konnan went on his podcast – there’s fully too many podcasts concerned on this TripleMania preview! – and withdrew the invitation. It’s wrestling, so there’s nonetheless a 25% probability Guerrera will present up anyway, however he has one other reserving that day already.
Like Halcon Suriano Jr., Tiffany lately left CMLL and is probably going popping up someplace on this present. This match appears all males, so possibly she’ll be earlier. Tiffany is from the identical period as lots of the returning names, from Monterrey, give up CMLL with the concept of getting in on this Origines tour, and AAA already introduced her for his or her 05/11 taping. Tiffany was additionally an atrocious in-ring in her final CMLL years, a type of wrestlers that individuals who dip in for large exhibits would by no means see as a result of CMLL knew she wasn’t any good. AAA’s data of CMLL is nonexistent, so it’ll take them some time to determine one thing they need to’ve already recognized with these wrestlers.
Negro Casas and two different people vs Dr. Wagner Jr. and two different people
Negro Casas and Dr. Wagner Jr. shall be in a trios match. AAA stated they’d announce their companions afterward social media. It’s later; there’s nonetheless no announcement. The preview dialogue made followers imagine this can be a household versus household match, although AAA didn’t explicitly promise it. Puma King (nephew) has vanished from wrestling and will pop up right here. Web hypothesis entails Felino (brother) and Felino Jr. (nephew). I doubt it, and I don’t assume it might be excellent news for AAA in the event that they obtained two extra individuals who haven’t appeared into wrestling recently. El Hijo del Dr. Wagner is busy in NOAH on this date, however (son) Galeno del Mal and (possibly associated? maybe faux?) Simon Blanco might slot in. Or it may very well be somebody weirder. Casas and Wagner have been nice wrestlers for for much longer than most however have firmly aged out of it within the final couple of years. The standard of this match will fully rely on the opposite folks included.
Laredo Child, Octagón Jr., Psycho Clown and somebody TBA vs Parker Boudreaux, QT Marshall, Sam Adonis, Santam Singh (w/Jeff Jarrett)
Octagon beat QT for the Latin American championship final December. Adonis and QT are going as Los Gringo Locos, and Psycho & Adonis have their feud from final yr. Laredo Child doesn’t belong right here – his unending (and never-advancing) feud with Antifaz del Norte ought to’ve had them wrestling on this present. It as an alternative looks like Penta was purported to be from that spot, and Laredo obtained pulled out of the Copa each time that didn’t occur. Adonis and Marshall don’t match the theme of the Origines tour, so that is the primary time they’ve appeared on TV in months. Bourdeaux – right here as a result of he’s a good friend of a good friend – did a run-in on the final taping to shortly eliminate Octagon. Singh and the thriller individual are late additions. This trios seemed like the perfect match on the present when it was simply six folks, however determining one thing good whereas working round each Boudreaux and Singh’s limitations is asking an terrible lot.
El Mesías, Pagano, Vampiro Canadiense vs Cibernético, Darkish Cuervo, Darkish Oz
This match is a gift from Konnan for Vampiro’s retirement tour: He will get to crew with one in every of his outdated companions/rivals in Mesias and a wrestler impressed by him in Pagano. They face outdated rivals; Cibernetico left Los Vipers behind to crew along with his different buddies within the Darkish Household (Darkish Cuervo, Darkish Oz, and Darkish Escoria).
Zorro, who doubles as an enigmatic prophet when the AAA tales want him to be, has foretold an awesome betrayal coming. A fantastic betrayal of the previous – and an precise money-drawing angle – concerned many gamers right here. “La Secta Cibernetica” was a Cibernetico-led religious-tinted group that took off round 20025. Cibernetico’s band included Muerte Cibernetica, the Darkish Household (Oz, Cuervo, Escoria), Chessman, and Charly Manson. Muerte Cibernetica tried to avenge Cibernetico’s masks loss to La Parka (AAA). He failed, in fact. Muerte Cibernetico unmasked as Ricky Banderas (Mesias). Cibernetico suffered a extreme knee round that point, so AAA ran an enormous angle the place Mesias and the Darkish Household betrayed Cibernetico to take him out. Cibernetico returned as a tecnico, the primary time he’d been one since changing into a prime star, and went proper after Mesias. Cibernetico defeated Banderas at Guerra de Titanes 2006, put him in a casket, and had his followers mild the casket on hearth and toss it into the ocean. Banderas would wash up on the seaside 4 months later, returning at Rey de Reyes in 2007 and referring to himself as El Mesias after rising from the useless.
Cuervo, Oz, and Escoria returned to AAA as a part of the Origines tour, and Cibernetico deserted Los Vipers to hang around along with his (different) outdated buddies. Mesias returned on the ultimate TV taping earlier than TripleMania and teased outdated points with Cibernetico. Through the present, Mesias confronted off in opposition to the Darkish Household and Parker Boudreaux. Mesias talked about combating all these folks; the Darkish Household and Cibernetico fell out and have been rivals final time they have been throughout. The reserving of AAA is without end caught within the type of the late 90s US TV exhibits, which suggests that is all doubtless a swerve. AAA additionally has been airing a thriller “eye” video with no different data – not even a QR code! – just like their rollout of the MAD steady in previous years. The secure expectation is that Mesias will go rudo right here, with Cuervo and Oz betraying Cibernetico once more and possibly Boudreaux and others becoming a member of up. AAA typically desires to do an enormous angle for a similar purpose as these ’90s bookers: to shake issues up and create some buzz. Shifting Mesias to the rudo aspect additionally positions him effectively as Vampiro’s last opponent; it should be both Penta or Mesias and Penta’s elsewhere.
The flip aspect is this can be a assortment of older OK wrestlers (Cuervo, Oz), individuals who look like damaged down by accidents (Mesias, Pagano), and those that self-admittedly have been all the time dangerous on the in-ring a part of wrestling (Vampiro, Cibernetico). This match is the odds-on favourite for a GIF that goes viral for the fallacious causes.
Alberto el Patrón vs Nic Nemeth for the AAA Mega Championship
The story is “These two guys feuded in WWE in 2013.” That’s it. Nemeth despatched a promo from his pool, and that’s the extent of his involvement.
Alberto has developed into the brand new model of his uncle, Mil Mascaras. He equally portrays himself as essentially the most internationally profitable Mexican wrestler ever. Alberto wraps himself within the flag at each probability. He promotes himself as the one Mexican to be a WWE Heavyweight champion. (Should you ask about Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio, Alberto will clarify they’re not Mexican.) He, like Mil, isn’t concerned with promoting for anyone. His vainness promotion, the twice-failed Nacion Lucha Libre, had him wrestle like Superman to make sure followers understood he was the one true star. Alberto’s been a little bit extra prepared to work along with his opponents, however AAA’s objectives align with Alberto’s needs on this match. Alberto desires to show himself each a dominant prime title holder and an internationally profitable one by beating a former WWE title and a present NJPW champion. Nemeth’s position is to be a reputation, get sufficient in to problem Alberto, and promote large. The novelty of seeing Nemeth in an enormous title match for worldwide followers is small: he was simply on the TNA present in a single final week and was on the NJPW and WrestleMania weekend the weeks prior. Ex-Ziggler continues to be a big optimistic for the Mexican ones. A constant knock from AAA’s fanbase throughout Hijo del Vikingo’s Megachampionship run is he was defending the title in opposition to large names. An ex-WWE title addresses that subject, even when the match is probably going lots much less.
AAA broken their TripleMania model final yr with disappointing occasions. They’re harming TripleMania this trip with an underwhelming card and a B-PPV lineup that exists primarily to satisfy a date and construct up matches for the precise large exhibits afterward. It’ll nonetheless be high quality if the angles hit and the Mexico Metropolis present seems larger for this effort. There’s nothing near a standout match right here both; it’s simply a variety of OK and forgettable stuff.
Comply with this one on social media, if in any respect.