AAA TripleMania XXXII: Monterrey
April 27, 2024
Estadio Mobil Tremendous
Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexiko

Watch: TrillerTV

AAA kicks off its annual triplet of TripleMania reveals this weekend with a present that’s extra in TripleMania in identify 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 start line 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 latest 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 would possibly as properly pay 55 USD and get all three reveals for those who’re going to get this one – the opposite two can’t probably be any worse. TripleMania will ultimately 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 dwelling for this one. You’ll be able to skip this totally for those who’re in search of star scores; this present could prime at three stars for finest 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 adjustments, too, and “placing on wonderful wrestling” matches is at present a low precedence. This lineup is neither a card for folks in search of the normal hearth dumpster of a TripleMania. Numerous matches can 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 bought 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 vital 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 bought 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 vary their path. Their large 2024 concept, and essentially the most vital 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 all 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 path or focus. Apache’s concept was to do one taping targeted on these earlier technology’s wrestlers, supplementing with a couple of 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 turning into Mistico helped launch CMLL’s present upswing. AAA has appeared to expertise progress in late 20s/30-year-old followers eager to see the celebs of their teenage years once more. Nostalgia in Mexico additionally has an extended shelf life than most international locations; 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 laborious concerning the nostalgic path 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 path has dovetailed with one other essential determine in 2024: Vampiro.

The longtime Mexican wrestling fixture was accomplished 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 accomplished 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 to 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 tasks elsewhere. It appeared like working for precedence #1 could be NWA bookings, which additionally appear to have disappeared. Vampiro talked about a podcast alongside these different concepts.

Vampiro is a typical wrestling particular person, all the time speaking about tasks 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 accomplished in Mexico and never with stars. There’s an amazing thirst for “behind the scenes” wrestling information in Mexico, however wrestling tradition teaches wrestlers to maintain these issues quiet. The wrestling press will get wonderful entry in trade for holding it kayfabe. Mexican wrestling followers get what information they’ll from YouTube vloggers, mysterious Twitter accounts claiming inside information, 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 motive to carry again and didn’t, speaking about promoters who handled them poorly, wrestlers who bullied them, and different realities of dwelling 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 information. 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 a substitute, is the Mexican equal of the beginning of the Steve Austin podcast, breaking via 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 turned a podcasting star, and AAA was now very happy to pay him and play off that podcast in angles. Additionally they went for the retirement tour: each TV taping and loads of spot reveals at the moment are “Vampiro’s ultimate present in [this city]. ” Massive or small, for those who’re in Morelia or Saltillo, you’re getting a giant 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 can be his ultimate match ever. It’s laborious to consider that – a wrestling retirement, a Vampiro promise – however AAA is promoting this so laborious that it’ll look worse than traditional 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 properly for the dwell crowd, and a US promotion would’ve saved them simply as a bonus for these in attendance. AAA as a substitute 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 could 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 reveals. 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 most suitable choice. AAA’s plan gave the impression to be to play it sluggish with Alberto, to really feel him out as a personality and a human being. They might give him a outstanding international 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 every thing 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 had been Pagano (fashion has caught as much as him, continuously 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 turning 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 may’ve moved into extra outstanding positions bailed. The AAA expertise drain has been a continuing story over the past 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 right, which isn’t a wonderful search for AAA. None of them would’ve made sense profitable the Mega championship on Saturday, however AAA failing to advance them in the direction of that aim 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 selections 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 movie star, sustaining a reference to wrestling however not being deeply concerned. Seeing Latin on the pink 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 begin 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 exchange 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 particular person making inventive selections 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 cope with 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 properly, which is in contrast to 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 concept of Latin Lover taking up AAA is absurd – my finest guess is that is a proposal for an on-screen authority determine position misunderstood as a major 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 girls match – although the best way it really works in Mexico is that is extra about holding the ladies comfortable relatively than worrying concerning the wrath of their followers. The Las Toxicas act is over, nevertheless it’s a decidedly unserious act in an unserious division. The ladies will flirt to get reactions, everybody will get a flip to make a giant transfer, half of them will look sloppy, after which one of many Tirantes will immediately result in the end. Everybody will discuss promos and the way they are going to have a giant 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 Metallic 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 employees 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 bought fired or stop 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 via 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 in no way 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 photographs 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 totally too many podcasts concerned on this TripleMania preview! – and withdrew the invitation. It’s wrestling, so there’s nonetheless a 25% likelihood Guerrera will present up anyway, however he has one other reserving that day already.

Like Halcon Suriano Jr., Tiffany just 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 most of the returning names, from Monterrey, stop 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 reveals would by no means see as a result of CMLL knew she wasn’t any good. AAA’s information of CMLL is nonexistent, so it’ll take them some time to determine one thing they need to’ve already identified with these wrestlers.

Negro Casas and two different people vs Dr. Wagner Jr. and two different people

Negro Casas and Dr. Wagner Jr. can 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 consider it is 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 bought two extra individuals who haven’t appeared into wrestling these days. El Hijo del Dr. Wagner is busy in NOAH on this date, however (son) Galeno del Mal and (possibly associated? maybe faux?) Simon Blanco may slot in. Or it might be somebody weirder. Casas and Wagner had 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 totally 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 endless (and never-advancing) feud with Antifaz del Norte ought to’ve had them wrestling on this present. It as a substitute seems like Penta was presupposed to be from that spot, and Laredo bought pulled out of the Copa at any time when 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 rapidly get rid of Octagon. Singh and the thriller particular person are late additions. This trios appeared like the most effective 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 Ounces

This match is a gift from Konnan for Vampiro’s retirement tour: He will get to crew with one in all his previous companions/rivals in Mesias and a wrestler impressed by him in Pagano. They face previous rivals; Cibernetico left Los Vipers behind to crew together with his different buddies within the Darkish Household (Darkish Cuervo, Darkish Ounces, and Darkish Escoria).

Zorro, who doubles as an enigmatic prophet when the AAA tales want him to be, has foretold an amazing betrayal coming. An excellent 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 (Ounces, 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 a giant 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 turning 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 gentle 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 lifeless.

Cuervo, Ounces, and Escoria returned to AAA as a part of the Origines tour, and Cibernetico deserted Los Vipers to hang around together with his (different) previous buddies. Mesias returned on the ultimate TV taping earlier than TripleMania and teased previous points with Cibernetico. Throughout the present, Mesias confronted off in opposition to the Darkish Household and Parker Boudreaux. Mesias talked about preventing all these folks; the Darkish Household and Cibernetico fell out and had been rivals final time they had been throughout. The reserving of AAA is ceaselessly caught within the fashion of the late 90s US TV reveals, which implies that is all possible a swerve. AAA additionally has been airing a thriller “eye” video with no different info – not even a QR code! – just like their rollout of the MAD steady in previous years. The protected expectation is that Mesias will go rudo right here, with Cuervo and Ounces betraying Cibernetico once more and possibly Boudreaux and others becoming a member of up. AAA typically needs to do a giant angle for a similar motive as these ’90s bookers: to shake issues up and create some buzz. Shifting Mesias to the rudo facet additionally positions him properly as Vampiro’s ultimate opponent; it must be both Penta or Mesias and Penta’s elsewhere.

The flip facet is it is a assortment of older OK wrestlers (Cuervo, Ounces), individuals who look like damaged down by accidents (Mesias, Pagano), and those that self-admittedly had been all the time unhealthy 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 incorrect 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 likelihood. He promotes himself as the one Mexican to be a WWE Heavyweight champion. (If you happen to ask about Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio, Alberto will clarify they’re not Mexican.) He, like Mil, isn’t involved in 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 just a little extra prepared to work together with his opponents, however AAA’s objectives align with Alberto’s needs on this match. Alberto needs to show himself each a dominant prime title holder and an internationally profitable one by beating a former WWE identify 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 a giant 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 major constructive 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 identify addresses that difficulty, even when the match is probably going rather a lot much less.

AAA broken their TripleMania model final yr with disappointing occasions. They’re harming TripleMania this day out with an underwhelming card and a B-PPV lineup that exists primarily to satisfy a date and construct up matches for the precise large reveals afterward. It’ll nonetheless be wonderful if the angles hit and the Mexico Metropolis present seems greater for this effort. There’s nothing near a standout match right here both; it’s simply a number of OK and forgettable stuff.

Comply with this one on social media, if in any respect.