AAA

Asistencia Asesoria y AAdministracion (Assistance, Consulting and Administration) is a touring lucha libre promotion founded in 1992 by the late Antonio Pena. The promotion usually holds cards in suburban areas or places with regular promoters in Mexico, and is known for its outlandish gimmicks and characters. AAA is regularly broadcast on Televisa in Mexico and Galavisión in the United States.

AAA is also referred to as PAPSA (Promociones Antonio Pena S.A.). It's been a long held belief that Televisa (AAA's television partner) owns the AAA name and the promotion keeps the PAPSA name visible in case they ever left Televisa and had to change names. The names AAA and PAPSA are interchangeable.

History

AAA was established on 15 May 1992 when EMLL booker Antonio Peña left the company to establish his own. Along with Konnan, much of the young and exciting talent defected to AAA, which left CMLL with a middle-aged roster and a seemingly bleak future. AAA also looked for talent from other markets, as they found and signed Tijuana natives Rey Mysterio, Jr. and Psicosis. The promotion flourished with top talent (such as El Hijo del Santo, Octagón, Blue Panther and the Casas brothers) and top draws (Los Gringos Locos, Cien Caras, Konnan and Perro Aguayo). The rising popularity of AAA soon caused rival UWA (Universal Wrestling Association) to fold, and Peña was quick to sign El Canek, Dos Caras and Los Villanos.

The peak of what is considered AAA's "golden years" (1993-1995) was the When Worlds Collide Pay-Per-View, which was promoted in conjunction with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and broadcast in the United States in November 1994. Two weeks after the show, Art Barr (a key member of Los Gringos Locos) died while visiting his family, while resulted in the AAA Tag Team Championships being vacated. In addition, Eddie Guerrero departed the promotion to compete full-time in Extreme Championship Wrestling (where Art Barr was planning to go as well), and Madonna's Boyfriend also departed the promotion. El Hijo del Santo also departed as a result of creative problems, and would soon be followed by stars such as Fuerza Guerrera and Blue Panther when the Mexican economy began to slow down. Many of the promotion's young stars (such as Rey Misterio, Jr., Psicosis, La Parka, and Juventud Guerrera) signed with WCW in 1996. In early 1997, AAA established a working agreement with WWE, but the only significant outcome was that several luchadores were featured in the 1997 Royal Rumble.

AAA continues to sell out big arenas (like Toreo de Cuatro Caminos) for their big shows (such as Triplemanía and Guerra de Titanes), despite the fact that their talent pool isn't as deep as it once was. On 6 October 2006, founder Antonio Peña died of a massive heart attack.

The promotion is currently performing on the Vans Warped Tour.

Working Relationship with TNA Wrestling

AAA developed a working relationship with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in 2004. Through the relationship, AAA sent luchadors Juventud Guerrera, Hector Garza, Abismo Negro, Heavy Metal, and Mr. Aguila to TNA to compete in the America's X-Cup Tournament as a contingent known as Team Mexico. 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. 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.

Following the World X-Cup, Hector Garza jumped ship to AAA's primary rival, the Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre. It was reported that Garza was upset that he was not compensated by Pena for dates he worked with TNA as per their original agreement. Garza has worked for CMLL since.

Due to multiple reasons, TNA and AAA broke off their working relationship late in 2004. TNA continued utilizing luchadors, but opted to contract them individually as opposed to working through AAA. It is rumored that this break in the relationship was due to problems the company had with AAA owner Antonio Pena, who was said to have been a difficult man to work with at times. In 2006, AAA and TNA worked again for an event in Toreo de Cuatro Caminos, utilizing some of TNA's talent and stage (which includes the tunnel and lasers). After Konnan left TNA in June 2007, it is unknown if TNA and AAA will continue their working relationship.

Gallery

AAA valets in Playboy Mexico

Art Barr & Eddy Guerrero in 1994

September 22, 1995, prior to a 2/3 Falls Contest between Rey Mysterio Jr. & Psicosis

Links

• Category:Current AAA/PAP wrestlers
• Triple A/AAA/PAPSA's website
• wikipedia