Talk:AAA

Half finished, so I'm stashing it up here - want to leave the old one until I'm done. Need to do something else for a bit--thecubsfan 10:10, 10 March 2011 (PST)

AAA is a lucha libre promotion based in Mexico, founded in 1992. It's been the biggest and most important promotion at many times during it's history, but also nearly has had to close it's doors at times. The promotion was founded by Antonio Pena with funding from the Televisa network. After Pena passed away, the company was inherited by his sister Marisela Pena, with her husband Joaquin Roldan and son Dorian Roldan have visible roles in leadership in front of and behind the camera.

AAA clashes with the traditional style of promotion of lucha libre. Most promotions are based on running the same locations, while AAA tours around the country. AAA's shows are much more storyline driven, more akin to United States wrestling than CMLL. AAA uses many different types of gimmick matches and is believed to be the first promotion to use a six sided ring. AAA focuses on the show being entertaining, rather than just the matches.

AAA airs on Televisa in Mexico, and on Galavision in the United States. It has had other short term television outlets over the years. In 2009 and 2010, AAA Lucha Libre Premier aired on Fox Sports in Mexico.

Founding and Name

AAA was originally formed by Televisa. The initials were originally an abbreviation for Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion de Espactaculos (Assistance, Consulting and Administration of Tours), as the company was intended to be an overreaching umbrella company for many different touring business. Those plans never came together and "AAA" simply came to represent the lucha libre promotion.

The 1995 economic crisis led to Televisa withdrawing financially from the promotion, though the shows continue to air on the network. Pena received control of the AAA name, continuing to use it as the name of the promotion, but dropping the abbreviation. Today, "AAA" just stands for AAA. Pena formed his own promotional company, Promociones Antonio Pena S.A. to administrate the shows. PAPSA only puts on AAA lucha libre shows, so the names are interchangable.

History

Antonio Peña had been one of the primary creative forces for EMLL in the late 80s and early 90s. This was a very strong period for the company in terms of creating new stars and delivering big matches; the 1990 Rayo de Jalisco Jr. versus Cien Caras, mask versus mask match set an all-time Arena Mexico attendance record. Pena was frequently credited with designing new characters (Misterioso, Volador) and modernizing the product. Pena shared creative power with Juan Herrera, who had different views on the direction of the promotion. The two apparently clashed, while building up legions of supportive luchadors. At one point, the differences became so stark that there were almost two different crews working buildings alternating weeks. CMLL ownership seemed to side with Herrera, or at least they did enough for Pena to look for an alternative option. The other main promotion at the time, UWA, had it's own share of internal political battles and was even less forward looking than CMLL, so Pena would need a new place.

In fall of 1991, Pena secretly began negotiating with television network Televisa to fund a new lucha libre promotion. Televisa was reportedly unhappy with CMLL, and believed that Pena was the voice CMLL should have been listening to. Televisa would have much more influence on a Pena led promotion than CMLL, which had gone forty years without a television outlet and did not consider it of major importance. Pena, and allies Konnan and Octagon, began quietly recruiting luchadors for the new promotion.