AAA announced Triplemanía XXIV (08/28) lineup; Pagano/Psycho, lots of LU appearances

AAA TV (SUN) 08/28/2016 Arena Ciudad de México, Ciudad de México, Distrito Federal
1) La Parka vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 [TripleMania Cup]
2) Faby Apache & Mary Apache vs Averno & Chessman
3) Angélico & Jack Evans © vs Matt Cross & Paul London and Aerostar & Drago and Fénix & Hijo del Fantasma [AAA TAG]
first defense
4) Pentagón Jr. © vs Johnny Mundo [AAA LA]
first defense
5) Marty Martinez, Matanza, Mil Muertes vs Dragón Azteca Jr., Prince Puma, Rey Misterio Jr.
6) Dr. Wagner Jr. vs Texano Jr. © vs Cage [AAA HEAVY]
first defense
7) Pagano vs Psycho Clown [hair, mask]
Referee will be picked by winner of match on 08/19.

(Card may not be final; matches as mentioned on Twitter from people watching the press conference, the lineup hasn’t been officially posted as far as I can tell.)

Air Date: 08/28 (probably on local PPV and iPPV internationally), 09/10 & 09/17 on TV.

AAA held a press conference today to announce the lineup for their biggest show. (It was a surprise to us, but not to the press.) I was not around to watch it, but it’s still up on YouTube. AAA had previously formally announced the Pagano/Psycho, Mundo/Pentagon, and Averno/Chessman vs Apaches matches. Yet to air TV episodes set up the Wagner/Texano/Cage match. The other three matches were new today.

There’s quite a few foreigners, as six LU wrestlers (Marty, Matanza, Azteca, Puma, Cross/Havoc, London) appear in addition to the two regulars who might not be here without the connection (Mundo, Cage) to deepen the card. It’s a stronger on paper card for us because of their presence, though I’m not sure how much it’ll mean to the Mexican fans. Lucha Underground does not air in Mexico, only the hardest of international fans watch it, and most people have no idea who these guys are. That is not a guess. Dragon Azteca (or maybe Azteca Dragon Jr.) was a complete unknown to the press when he came in for the Lucha World Cup and had to explain he was Rey Horuz for people to know who he was. Same thing with Mil, but at least he and Matanza will have a distinctive look that makes it easy to get over. Marty should do well in that match, but he’s also been helped by lots of time on Lucha Underground to get the character over. Either AAA needs to do the same (when they don’t do vignettes for their own guys, and when most of Marty’s LU work includes non-person Sexy Star) or no one’s going to have any idea why he’s there. Marty’s probably just there to be the guy who gets pinned and I’m overthinking it, but it’s worth remembering the LU guys are really more a draw for an iPPV audience than the live crowd.

(And I guess it’s possible Marty’s spot might have been PJ Black’s spot if he didn’t take the Elite booking, since he fits in better, but who knows. Match should be great.)

The one person who will be a draw to everyone is Rey Misterio. It didn’t seem like he’d be back after he worked out his last required dates with the Lucha World Cup, given the reported issues with his contract and AAA’s breakup with Konnan. It didn’t make a lot of sense for AAA to use up their last contracted dates with Misterio on the LWC, but they must’ve been pretty sure they’d get him back for TripleMania and they did it. AAA’s hope was to be able to bring Rey back in from the big shows, and having him as the biggest star on the show will definitely help with this one.

Mesias never getting a TripleMania program makes a lot of sense if Mil Muerte’s is booked. It doesn’t seem like AAA announced anything but the luchadors, but there’s places where Catrina, Dario Cueto or Melissa Santos might fit in o the show too.

I feel like we’ve probably pounded the “Jack Evans hates multiman tag matches” joke into the ground, but the man just can’t escape them. Fenix & Fantasma, who are supposed to have a title match (and might get around to it in November), don’t quite make sense as a team but maybe there’s something happening in Toluca to explain it. Perhaps they’re the mystery team, or the foreigners are. It’s strange “Matt Cross” and not “Son of Havoc” is part of the four way tag match. Maybe that was a mistake that’ll be corrected later. Paul London was a agent for Lucha Underground Season 2 and came to Mexico for the Lucha World Cup in the same role. He might be helping out in that capacity again along with his match.

No one besides La Parka was announced for the TripleMania Cup, but AAA was weirdly specific in announcing 11 so they must’ve worked out the other 10 names (and worked out who’s instead working some 500 fan show in Aguascalientes the same day.) Parka is the favorite for all random trophies.

We don’t know who was left off until the rest of the Cup is announced, but there’s the obvious lack of the usual Relevos AAA opener at this point. (It could’ve just not been announced, an eight match wouldn’t be out of line. I don’t know if there’s a formal card being released today, but one hasn’t turned up yet.) The men and the exoticos might be included in the Cup battle royal, but that means no spot for the minis and no women working the show except for the Apaches. It’s inconceivable Taya would be left off a TripleMania. She’s got to be seconding someone, and perhaps that’ll play into the finish of the Mundo/Pentagon match.

The other notable omission is any TNA involvement, after their participation was strongly hinted at during the Lucha World Cup. I wonder if that’s a sign we’ll also not be getting English commentary, or if it’ll be Matt Striker back instead of Josh Mathews. Or something entirely different. (Update: AAA’s Twitter just said there will be English commentary for TripleMania. Details to come.)

I like this card much better than last year. Last year had matches which were obviously going to be horrendous (and were!) and matches where the participants were limited by absurd stipulations. The 4 way tag match will be great. Pentagon/Mundo will be great, at least up to the finish. The trios match will be great. The three way title match should be very good and possibly great. I’m rolling my eyes at the build up, but Apaches vs Chessman/Averno could actually be great depending on how they play it. There has never been a good lucha libre battle royal, but it’s 10 only minutes I’ll live. Pagano/Psycho will be in a style I do not like and not particularly well done, but the crowd will be into it so it’ll work OK. This is a card I’m looking forward to be seeing. TripleMania is missing a earth shaking, must see match, but it’s a strong card given what they’ve got available to them and I look forward to watch it.