Following WWE’s acquisition of Mexican lucha libre promotion AAA, announced during WrestleMania 41 weekend, the conglomeration came together for Worlds Collide at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. Although featuring NXT and main roster competitors, the show inversely featured a rawer presentation – especially with no ad breaks, streaming on YouTube at 3 p.m.
Various lucha libre stars and Hispanic celebrities attended ringside, and Rey Mysterio Jr. narrated the opening package. Corey Graves and Konnan took the call as Deyra Barrera and Lillian Garcia sang respective anthems with AAA President Marisela Pena, Shawn Michaels, and Triple H in-ring.
Mysterio walked through the WrestleMania 26-esque Aztec stage, entering the ring to speak to roughly 11,000 fans in Spanish – a constant for all promos throughout. He referenced the original When Worlds Collide event from 1994 and paid respect to the legacy of lucha libre – the strong motif of today’s event over 30 years later.
Mr. Iguana, Aerostar and Octagon Jr. vs LWO
LWO’s theme song begins with “viva la raza,” and as highlighted in the opening video package, Eddie Guerrero’s crossover significance cannot be understated. His illegitimate son “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan sit front row as Konnan emphasizes that the following will not be “American wrestling.” Lince Dorado fills in for LWO’s Joaquin Wilde, who was injured at this week’s Main Event taping, and gets heavily jeered for attacking Iguana’s stuffed iguana La Yesca. The teams trade outside dives and effortless springboards, with Cruz del Toro especially taking advantage of the spotlight with a tornillo. Octagon Jr. delivers an avalanche fallaway slam on Dorado for the victory, which receives a standing ovation from Konnan.
Winners: Mr. Iguana, Aerostar and Octagon Jr.
Intercontinental Champion Mysterio cuts off the celebration and shoves Octagon Jr. ringside. They brawl in-ring until referee’s separate them, and Mysterio calls him out at Money in the Bank with his championship on the line. After, a video package synthesizes the history of AAA and the Pena family; WWE does not shy away from proper introductions for a foreign promotion.
Chuey Martinez interviews Legado del Fantasma backstage, and the team claims to own lucha libre. Santos Escobar adds that lucha libre can only be represented by his family inside WWE.
Dalys and Chik Tormenta vs Lola Vice and Stephanie Vaquer
WWE Women’s World Champion Iyo Sky and WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton sit ringside to watch the main roster’s newest addition Stephanie Vaquer. She pulls double duty tonight, competing in the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match later; her popularity is interpromotional. Konnan mentions that Dalys and Tormenta trained and wrestled against men, and their tough offense is indicative. Vaquer eventually makes the comeback with crisp strikes, and with Vice, hits the Devil’s Kiss to everyone’s delight. She hits SVB on Dalys, and Konnan lightly affirms, “The student beat the teacher.”
Winners: Lola Vice and Stephanie Vaquer
Vero Rodriguez, the wife of Finn Balor, interviews the winners in-ring, and Vaquer vows to become Ms. Money in the Bank tonight. Martinez interviews Chad Gable backstage to loud boos, and the latter claims lucha libre fans love him. And as a fan, Gable hopes that El Grande Americano becomes victorious tonight too.
Legado del Fantasma vs El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr., Pagano and Psycho Clown
In a preceding video package, Santos Escobar intends on ripping the heart and soul out of AAA. Konnan describes the family legacies of each competitor, and Graves says the AAA team won’t be earning style points; Pagano slips on a double-team maneuver and falls hard ringside when Escobar saves Berto from a dive. Clown and Wagner Jr. make comebacks, and all three connect successfully with outside dives. The teams trade near-falls and springboard offense until Angel spears everybody through the ringside barricade. Wagner Jr. hits a running knee on Escobar, and the latter comes back with a top-rope hurricanrana for two. Escobar hits Phantom Driver for victory, deservedly, as a clear agility gap favored the younger Legado del Fantasma. Commentary mentions that on June 15 at Triplemania, Angel and Berto will compete for the AAA World Tag Team Championships.
Winners: Legado del Fantasma
A package highlights the 1994 When Worlds Collide event, which Konnan considers one of the best pay-per-views ever. Rodriguez interviews AAA Mega Champion El Hijo Del Vikingo, who confidently says he’ll defend against Gable in the main event.
Je’Von Evans vs Laredo Kid vs Rey Fenix vs Ethan Page (c) – North American Championship
Evans and Fenix are two of the best high-flyers in the world, the latter setting the bar across multiple promotions. The match of course follows rapid pace, and Page tries fitting in with a hurricanrana and top-rope splash. Kid shows out with agile offense, connecting with two moonsaults. Evans dives onto Page over the announce desk, goes coast-to-coast on Kid and hits his signature springboard cutter on Fenix. “No one does it quite like Rey Fenix,” Graves aptly says during a springboard showcase. He hits an avalanche Spanish Fly on Kid, Page follows with Ego’s Edge, and Evans breaks it with a frog splash to “this is awesome” chants. Page pulls Kid into Evans’ springboard cutter, and the champion hits Twisted Grin on the former to retain.
Winner: Ethan Page
Triplemania is described as the World Cup of lucha libre in a video package. On June 15 at Triplemania Regia III, Angel and Berto of Legado Del Fantasma will compete for the AAA World Tag Team Championships.
Chad Gable vs El Hijo Del Vikingo (c) – AAA Mega Championship
The patriotic American heel trope works in the U.S. too. In the preceding package, Vikingo calls Gable a little man pretending to be big, although the latter for once has size advantage. Gable forces on smooth chain wrestling, and Graves commends “master-level technique” from both competitors. Vikingo builds up to the aerial showcase, eventually hitting a springboard 630 to ringside. Gable pulls out a table, not plastered with Slim Jim logos, and works down the champion to dueling “let’s go Gable” and “Gable sucks” chants. Vikingo hits a mid-air Codebreaker, springboard double stomp and 450 splash for near-falls. Gable comes back with an avalanche powerbomb for two; the challenger has a deep bag when it matters. “He’s just a luchador,” Gable says to himself before Vikingo hits a nasty Mexican Destroyer on the apron. The challenger connects with a moonsault through the table, they beat the referee’s count at nine, and Gable cinches an ankle lock. Vikingo hits a Poisonrana, pushing through a knee injury, and hits the 630 splash to retain in an exemplifying main event. “A premiere, if you will, on a global scale,” Graves comments about the victor.
