Promociones Antonio Peña, S.A. de C.V. d/b/a Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide[2] (Commonly referred to as simply AAA[3] (pronounced "triple A"; an abbreviation of its original name Asistencia, Asesoría y Administración de Espectáculos,[a] lit. 'Attendance, Advisory, and Administration of Spectacles') is a Mexican Lucha Libre (professional wrestling) promotion based in Mexico City, Mexico. It was founded in 1992, when Antonio Peña broke away from Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) to set up his own promotion to have more creative freedom.
AAA has a developed a reputation for its outlandish gimmicks and characters, and more extreme match styles. In addition to the conventional "squared circle", the promotion occasionally uses a hexagonal wrestling ring. The promotion has had working relationships with other Mexican promotions, as well as several American promotions; such as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), Major League Wrestling (MLW), and All Elite Wrestling (AEW).[4][better source needed][5]
AAA primarily hosts pay-per-views (PPV) events in Mexico, and has also promoted international events in the United States and Japan. The promotion broadcasts shows regularly on Gala TV in Mexico, and Univision TDN in Mexico and parts of the United States.
Between April and May of 1992, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) booker Antonio Peña broke with the company in favor of establishing his own group, along with Konnan, and much of the young talent from CMLL.[6] AAA would look for talent from other markets, as they found and signed Tijuana natives Rey Mysterio, Jr. and Psicosis.[citation needed] The promotion became known for signing top talent, such as El Hijo del Santo, Octagón, Blue Panther, the Casas brothers (Negro Casas and Heavy Metal), Los Gringos Locos, Cien Caras, Konnan, and Perro Aguayo.[citation needed] The rising popularity of AAA caused rival promotion Universal Wrestling Association to go out of business.[citation needed] Peña would quickly sign up top draws, including El Canek, Dos Caras and Los Villanos.[citation needed]
In 1994, AAA co-promoted the When Worlds Collide pay-per-view event with World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The event was critically-acclaimed and is credited for popularizing lucha libre in the United States.[7] Weeks after the show, Art Barr (a key member of Los Gringos Locos) died while visiting his family.[8][9] AAA subsequentally vacated the AAA Tag Team Championships, which led to the departure of fellow stable-mates (in Los Gringos Locos) Eddie Guerrero and Madonna's Boyfriend.[citation needed] El Hijo del Santo also departed as a result of creative problems, and stars such as Fuerza Guerrera and Blue Panther soon left too when the Mexican economy began to slow down (which resulted in the company's inability to offer as much work).[citation needed] Talent such as Rey Misterio, Jr., Psicosis, La Parka, and Juventud Guerrera, would also depart to WCW in 1996, as well as Konnan's short-lived Promo Azteca promotion.
In early 1997, AAA established a working agreement with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), with several luchadores appearing in the 1997 Royal Rumble.[citation needed] In the mid-1990s the name of the company was changed to simply be AAA (pronounced as Triple A), as the company bought out Televisa and became independent.[citation needed]
On October 6, 2006, founder Antonio Peña died of a heart attack. Following Peña's death, his sister Marisela Peña manages AAA financially; while Peña's brother-in-law Joaquín Roldán and his son, Dorian Roldán Peña serve as operational managers. In 2008, Lucha Libre USA presented AAA's second U.S. pay-per-view, Legendary Battles of Triplemania.[10] In 2009, AAA announced the official release of a video game originally entitled AAA El Videojuego.[11] The game was later retitled Lucha Libre AAA: Héroes del Ring, was released on October 12, 2010.
AAA developed a working relationship with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) in 2004. Through the relationship, AAA sent the luchadores Juventud Guerrera, Héctor Garza, Abismo Negro, Heavy Metal, and Mr. Águila to TNA to compete in the America's X-Cup Tournament as a contingent known as Team Mexico.[citation needed] Team Mexico dominated the America's X-Cup Tournament, defeating Team USA in the first round before retaining the Cup against both Team Canada and Team Britain.[citation needed] They eventually lost at the World X-Cup, which saw Team USA defeat Team Canada and Team Mexico in the Ultimate X finals to win the Cup.[citation needed]
TNA and AAA's working relationship would end in late 2004.[citation needed] TNA continued utilizing luchadores, but opted to contract them individually.[citation needed] In 2006, AAA and TNA would again team up for an event in Toreo de Cuatro Caminos, utilizing some of TNA's talent and stage (which includes the tunnel and lasers). This partnership would end after Konnan left TNA in June 2007 and filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against TNA; The lawsuit was later dismissed.[12] TNA would later start a relationship with CMLL from 2007 to 2009 [citation needed] , and would begin another working relationship with AAA in February 2010.[13]
On January 12, 2014, it was announced that, with the backing of Mark Burnett, AAA would co-produce a show for the American El Rey Network in the second half of the year. The one-hour weekly program would be accompanied by monthly and quarterly specials as well as live pay-per-views.[14] The show, titled Lucha Underground, premiered on October 29, 2014.[15] The series ran for four seasons, and received generally positive reviews.[16][17]
Beginning in March 2015, the company announced that it would be known as Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide from that point on, although it is still referred to mainly as AAA or "Triple A".[2]
On April 8, 2017, AAA General Manager Joaquín Roldán died.[18]
On 14 June, AAA began airing on FrontRunnerTV in the UK.[citation needed]
In April and May 2018, some Liga Elite talent Teddy Hart, Juventud Guerrera and Taurus made their return to AAA wearing their Elite League jerseys.[citation needed] On June 4, at Verano de Escándalo, Jeff Jarrett returned after 3 years to defeat Rey Wagner and Rey Mysterio Jr. and win the AAA Mega Championship. Jarrett was assisted by Konnan, who also returned to AAA after 2 years.[citation needed]
On February 1, 2019, AAA announced the end of their relationship with Televisa after 27 years, with the promotion's programming moving to the Multimedios television station.[19] On February 3, after Super Bowl LIII, AAA reached an agreement with TV Azteca to broadcast their show on Azteca 7.[20]
On April 4, 2019, AAA announced its first event to be held in the United States, Invading NY, would take place at Madison Square Garden on September 15, 2019.[21] The promotion also announced that would hold a second event in the US titled Invading Los Angeles, at The Forum in Inglewood, California on October 13, 2019.[22] On August 16, 2019, it was reported by Pro Wrestling Insider that Invading NY was moved to Hulu Theater due to poor ticket sales.[23]
AAA would cancel and postpone its televised events in mid-March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[citation needed] The following April, a tournament called Lucha Fighters was created consisting of 12 luchadores and 8 luchadoras.[citation needed]
During the indefinite recess due to health contingency due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico, on July 20, 2020, AAA announced its project called "AutoLuchas" which consists of a events in Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez where fans could see through from a car.[24] On September 24, AAA announced that it would return to its first performances in early October after the announced project.[25]
In December 2020, FactoryMade Ventures, one of the co-producers of Lucha Underground, filed a lawsuit with AAA; claiming to have exclusive rights to distribute AAA events and merchandise outside of Mexico.[26][27]
On February 2, 2021, the company signed an alliance with SECTUR to promote Mexico's tourist destinations.[citation needed] Bearing the name of the tour as "Lucha por la Identidad Nacional", this included shows such as Rey de Reyes and Verano de Escándalo.
On August 14, Triplemanía XXIX was held at the Arena Ciudad de México. It was the first event since the pandemic began to have a limited number of fans in attendance for biosecurity reasons.[citation needed] Héroes Inmortales XIV would also have a limited audience present.[citation needed]
In 1997, AAA partnered with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) to bring in a number of luchadores for the Royal Rumble event and its namesake match.[28][29]
In April 2014, TNA founder Jeff Jarrett, who was credited for AAA & TNA relationship, had left the company. He announced that his new Global Force Wrestling (GFW) promotion would begin working with the AAA. TNA and AAA would continue to work with each other, including on such events as the Lucha Libre World Cup on May 24, 2015.[30] When Jarrett returned to TNA (then known as Impact Wrestling) in 2017, it was announced that both promotions would continue to be work together.[31]
In July 2015, Canadian-based International Wrestling Syndicate (IWS) announced a talent partnership with AAA.[32][33]
In June 2018, AAA partnered with Lucha Libre Elite.[34]
In August 2018, AAA started a working agreement with the American-based Major League Wrestling (MLW).[35]
In February 2019, it was announced that AAA would be partnering with All Elite Wrestling (AEW).[36]
Each year AAA promotes a number of signature events and tournaments: some shown as pay-per-view events and others presented as TV Azteca television specials. The annual shows and tournaments, shown in order of occurrence during each year, include:
AAA has few restrictions on the number of championships it promotes, often allowing wrestlers to defend titles from other promotions; such as the Universal Wrestling Association. Such titles are defended on AAA shows as a way to promote their talents. This long-standing practice ended in December 2008, after the promotion announced it will no longer recognize or promote any non-AAA title.[38]
This list only includes AAA championships and does not include titles from other promotions.
As of September 21, 2024.
