AAA

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 Peña Roldan, 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.

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 since starting in the Mexico City office in 1988. 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), creating the modern minis division 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. Pena also angered the luchador union when he made a deal with Televisa to air the major show of the week two days later, prime time on Sunday nights. The union went on strike to block it, and forced the shows to air at noon (so as to not air up against live shows.)

Paco Alonso, owner of the company, also feuded with Pena over power in the company and backed Herrera, so it was probably inevitable that Pena would leave the company. 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 get it's televised lucha libre from Pena, since his wrestlers would not be part of the old union. Pena, and allies Konnan and Octagon, began quietly recruiting luchadors for the new promotion. The news of the new promotion finally slipped out in early April 1992, but all parties continued to work in CMLL fora few more weeks.

The new promotion was announced May 7, 1992 in Mexico City press conference. Pena, along with the wrestlers who were joining him, had quit CMLL two weeks earlier, on April 22. Luchadors at that initial press conference included Fuerza Guerrera, Juventud Guerrera, Octagon, Eslabon Perdido, Hijo del Santo, Perro Aguayo, Justiciero, Angel Azteca, Atila Jr., Cien Caras, Mascara Ano 2000, Universo 2000, Konnan, Blue Panther, Super Bowl, Quarterback, Winners, Inmortal, Reptil, Bleda, Kid Boxer, Picudo, Ice Killer, Dr. Maldad, Mr. Maldad, La Parka, Magnate, Fantasma, and Mascara Sagrada. Most of the mini estrellas also jumped to AAA. Other luchadors jumped from CMLL and UWA the promotion in the following months. Pena also recruited many unknown or barely known independent luchadors, using them for new characters he had designed. The first AAA show took place five days later, on May 12, in Veracruz.

Annual Shows

AAA runs 5 annual major shows, which usually feature the culmination of feuds and storylines built since the last major show. The shows are always held around the same time of year. Technically, these are the only shows fully promoted by the company. Both the spot shows and the regular TV tapings are promoted by local groups, with AAA only responsible for the wrestlers and the programming.

The current shows are

• Rey de Reyes - spring, featuring the tournament of the same name
• TripleMania - early summer, AAA's biggest show of the year and the first of these annual shows
• Verano de Escandalo - late summer, moved to mid-summer after the Pena Memorial show was added
• Antonio Pena Memorial Show - fall, started after the death of the company's founder
• Guerrera de Titanes - late fall, the last major show of the year

In past years, AAA has also run a show built around the Reina de Reinas tournament, but it's treated more like a special episode of their television show rather than a major event.

Current Champions

AAA Events
Rey de Reyes					1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019		2021
TripleMania	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X	XI
	XII	XIII	XIV	XV	XVI	XVII	XVIII	XIX	XX	XXI	XXII
	XXIII	XXIV	XXV	XXVI	XXVII	XXVIII	XXIX
Verano de Escandalo		1994				1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011			2014
	2015		2017	2018	2019		2021
Heroes Inmortales				2007	2008	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII
	IX	X	XI	XII	XIII		XIV
Guerra de Titanes					1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
Others: AAA Debut Show, When Worlds Collide, Noche de los Campeones, Lucha World Cup

Hall of Fame

AAA started their own Hall of Fame in 2007. New entrants are announced at Rey de Reyes each year, usually one per year.

2007: Antonio Pena, founder , and Rey Misterio Jr., star for AAA in the early-mid 90s

2008: Eddie Guerrero, star for AAA in the early-mid 90s

2009: Tropicasas, tecnico referee since the start of the company

2010: no inductee

Groups

La Sociedad
Dorian Roldan
La Legión Extranjera: Konnan - Chessman - Sexi Star - Hijo del Tirantes
TNA: Jeff Jarrett
Perros del Mal: Perro Aguayo Jr. - Daga - Taya Valkyrie

Los Bizarros
Cibernetico . Charly Manson . Escoria . Taboo . Billy el Malo . Amadeus . Nygma

The Black Family
Ozz ● Cuervo ● Espiritu
Former: Chessman ● Charly Manson ● Escoria

Psycho Circus
Monster Clown . Murder Clown . Psycho Clown

Mini Vipers
Mini Abismo Negro * Mini Psicosis * Mini Histeria

Gallery

Founder Antonio Pena

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

Other Sources

• Lucha Libre Weekly (many including #11, #12)