AAA on Televisa: 2016-05-21 

Recapped: 06/02/2016

What happened: Los Perros got the better of Los Fronterizos, sending them all out of the building in ambulance after costing them the main event. Pentagon Jr. won a spot on the Lucha World Cup team.

What was good: I liked the opener, but the rest of the show didn’t work for me.

Where can I watch it: It’s on AAA’s channel.

Match 1: Faby Apache & Mary Apache vs Lady Shani & Taya
Arena Xalapa, Xalapa, Veracruz, 04/29/2016
Video: luchalibreaaatv, thecubsfan

Winner: Faby Apache & Mary Apache
Match Time: 11:03
Notes: Match is built around Hijo del Tirantes being a rudo referee, as usual, with his involvement allowing the rudas to take over the match.

Review: [good] I liked this! Quality tag team action. This has the usual Apache match moments where you’re concerned about how hard it seems like they just hit the rudas. These matches have been good, and much preferable to the never ending relevos AAA were stuck with before, even with them being one sided. (The Apaches treat the rudas not so differently than the rudo trios are treating the undercard tecnicos.) Tirantes being all over the match is annoying, but maybe easier to stand when we’re not expected to take any of this seriously. Shani & Taya even have a few good moments, and they convincingly staved off the loss for a while. The women’s matches have been the most reliably good parts of this show for a while.

Match 2: Pentagón Jr. vs Daga, Joe Lider [Lucha Libre Victoria World Cup qualifier]
Arena Xalapa, Xalapa, Veracruz, 04/29/2016
Video: luchalibreaaatv, thecubsfan

• Daga reinera bomb Joe Lider (5:02)

• Pentagon Jr. PentaDriver Daga (7:24)

Winner: Pentagon Jr.
Match Time: 7:24

Notes: Entrances are cut out. Pentagon Jr. has the sword, and encourages a lucha extreme chant as he talks about them facing off for the people. Daga talks about the little clown and his friends who’ve been annoying. Before they fight, the Perros are friends, and they took care of business earlier. Cut to a video of Halloween entering the video, and getting stomp by the Perros – Taya and Kahn included. This is why you carpool, Halloween! Cut to Halloween being beat in the ring at some other point. Pentagon sets up video of Taya and Kahn beat up a taped up Halloween in the locker room to explain why he isn’t helping. Lider says whatever, and they’re off.

Taya & Kahn join the Perros in the ring after the match. Pentagon celebrates, but they’re interrupted by the Fronterizos on a balcony. A rescued Halloween is with them. Damian and Pentagon goes back and forth, with Pentagon saying the Perros are done with them tonight.

Review: [ok] this was a struggle as a three way and got better in the last couple minutes. It wasn’t specifically because of Joe Lider (though Joe Lider was dropping people at weird angles all around), but they worked a very even match with no heel or no face and it just because a lot of meaningless moves that didn’t resonate. Daga & Pentagon Jr. worked for the couple minutes it lasted but, just like the other qualifying match, it wasn’t long enough. There was more to this one, it just didn’t connect.

Noti AAA

• Lucha World Cup hype

• The Women’s trios are shown, with hype for the Apaches and a promo from KC Spinelli.

• Recap of the Halloween kidnapping, and hype for the match to air next.

Match 3: Monsther Clown, Murder Clown, Psycho Clown vs Damián 666, Nicho el Millionario, Pagano
Arena Xalapa, Xalapa, Veracruz, 04/29/2016
Video: thecubsfan, luchalibreaaatv

Winner: Psycho Circus (by countout of the ring)
Match Time: 6:57
Notes: Rudos try jumping the clowns as they get in the ring, but the tide is turned immediately for dives – then turned back just as quick with chairs. Piero’s midsection is wrapped for reasons unclear, but probably have to do with the other half of this taping.

About five and half minutes in, the Psycho Circus pile on Damian for a pin. Pagano and Nicho pull Piero out to stop that, and assault the técnicos with chairs. The Perros del Mal, some in masks for some reason, jump the rail and attack Los Fronterzos. (I think we’re supposed to think they were fans, but was there any mystery about who they were.) The Perros drag the rudos over the barricade, as Piero does a countout in only the way he does when somone’s going to get counted out.

The Perros beat up the all the way out of the building, while the Psycho Circus celebrate in the ring. The beating goes on a long time with security not making an effort to stop it. All the rudos are sent into an ambulance, where Halloween was already waiting.)

Review: [below average] the lame brawling + chair shot style that doesn’t mean much, and doesn’t look good on TV. The new rudos weren’t particularly impressive in their first big TV match, but their opponents weren’t much help either. This was a weird way to end a TV show; it dragged out a lot longer than it needed and reduced the impact.