AAA Rey de Reyes live results: Hijo del Vikingo vs. John Hennigan
The 25th AAA Rey de Reyes is set for Saturday in Veracruz, Mexico, and is headlined by AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo against former champion John Hennigan, fka John Morrison in WWE, for the first time ever.
This will be Hennigan’s first match since being released late last year while Vikingo is looking for the third defense of the title he won last December at Triplemania Regia.
In a high-profile match, Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix) will take on Dragon Lee and Dralistico of La Faccion Ingobernable. This will be Fenix’s first match back since dislocating his arm in the Lucha Brothers’ AEW Tag Team title loss to Jurassic Express in early-January.
In the Rey de Reyes five-way match, a mystery man will face Psycho Clown, Cibernetico, Laredo Kid and Bandido.
In a match that will determine the next challenger to AAA Reina de Reinas Champion Deonna Purrazzo, a mystery entrant (rumored to be former champion Taya Valkyrie will face Lady Maravilla, Flammer and Lady Shani.
Our live coverage begins at 9 PM Eastern.
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Show Report —
Before I get started, I’d like to thank thecubsfan22 (@luchablog on Twitter), whose live translations are a massive help for lucha libre shows.
The show started in a wacky way: mid-match in the midst of AAA’s Marvel tie-in. There were two Aracnos (Spider-Men) fighting, but one got an assist from Terror Púrpura (a Thanos-masked Brian Cage) followed by a top-rope splash for the win. After the match, Terror Púrpura dragged the fallen Aracno up to the stage.
My speculation is that this was an angle relating to the fact that multiple different people played Aracno last year. My other speculation is that that was not meant to be streamed.
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Joe Dombrowski and Larry Dallas introduced the show. There were stream issues early on — hopefully those don’t persist.
Fénix came out to officially open the show. He had been advertised for a tag match with Penta El Zero Miedo, but due to his injury last month, he won’t be able to compete. Notably, he wasn’t wearing a sling.
However, he’s got a surprise: the returning Taya Valkyrie (briefly Franky Monet in WWE), who came out with Penta. She’s a former Reina de Reinas champion.
Taya cut a promo in Spanish, calling out current champion Deonna Purrazzo. She never lost the title, and she’ll be in the four-way match right now.
AAA Reina de Reinas Championship #1 contender: Taya defeated Lady Shani, Keyra, Maravilla, & Flammer
The four luchadoras went right after Taya at the bell. Maravilla and Flammer were left in the ring, where the former took control with a knee strike before locking on a submission. They took each other out with running crossbodies, allowing Taya to cover for two. Shani and Keyra worked together to keep Taya down.
Keyra and Shani’s alliance was short-lived as Shani hit a bulldog for two. The heel ref applied a slow count. Maravilla landed a German suplex bridge, but Taya broke up the count. Keyra took out Taya with a hurricanrana to the floor, while in the ring Shani worked over on Flammer. Maravilla and Keyra traded strikes on the apron before Keyra hit a Spanish Fly to the floor. Flammer took them out with a tope suicida.
It was Taya and Shani left in the ring at this point. Taya hit a curb stomp for a near fall. Shani came back with a backbreaker before locking on a deathlock submission, which Taya fought out of. Taya returned fire with a corner hip attack for two. Shani hit a face wash, but then Taya hit the Road to Valhalla for the win.
– After the match, Tirantes, the father of head official El Hijo del Tirantes, came out to berate his son for his shenanigans during the match. He chased the other to the back.
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Los Vipers, led by Cibernético, came out. Cibernético cut a promo about the group’s dominance but was interrupted by Pagano, who rushed the ring and sent almost everyone packing until he was overwhelmed by the numbers advantage. Los Vipers posed to end the segment.
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Willie Mack was originally supposed to be in this match but was replaced by Myzteziz Jr. with no explanation. Apparently, during the match, he showed up at Impact No Surrender.
Los Vipers (Psicosis, Látigo, & Abismo Negro Jr.) defeated Niño Hamburguesa, Myzteziz Jr., & Mr. Iguana
Látigo and Iguana started off. They performed some spots involving Iguana’s… iguana, until Abismo cut him off. Los Vipers then isolated Niño and attacked him with a baseball bat. Los Vipers held control for a long time, with all three members isolating individual opponents in the ring.
Finally, the three técnicos worked together to starrt a comeback. Niño landed corner cannonballs on all three stacked up opponents. Iguana took out Látigo with a springboard hurricanrana, then Niño landed a tope crossbody on all three opponents. Myzteziz concluded the run with a top-rope shooting star press on the pile out on the floor.
Back in the ring, it was Niño facing off with Abismo. Niño hit a running senton splash followed by the Último Dragon headscissor takeover on two opponents. He then hit a second-rope leg drop for two. Látigo brought in thumbtacks as his partners suplexed Niño onto them. Los Vipers hit a triple team dropkick, but then Myzteziz made a one-man comeback on all three opponents followed by a top-rope moonsault to the floor.
Los Vipers set up a table, allowing Psicosis to put Myzteziz through it with a top-rope leg drop for the win.
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I guess this is a lumberjack match, which it wasn’t billed as, as the roster midcarders (and some officials) came out and attacked wrestlers when they would leave the ring.
AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championships: Los Vipers (Arez & Chik Tormenta) (c) defeated Los Mercenarios (Villano III Jr. & La Hiedra) & Octagón Jr. & Sexy Star
Everyone got a chance to have a quick moment in the ring early on. The first big spot was Octagón putting both Hiedra and Chik on his shoulders for a double Samoan drop. He dropkicked them both to the floor, but the female lumberjacks protected them from being attacked by the males.
Los Vipers worked over Octagón in the ring. Los Mercenarios came in to isolate Arez. Octagón and Sexy Star were tired of the official’s shenanigans, so they sent him to the floor, where lumberjacks (including his father) got their chance to attack him.
A top-rope crossbody from Octagón got two. The three men traded strikes in the ring before kicking their opponents’ partners to the floor and all landing dives. Villano and Octagón took out Arez before trading overhand slaps. Villano went for the mask of Octagón, who fought back with thrust kicks and went for Villano’s mask in return. He actually ripped it much of the way off.
The three women were then in the ring, with Chik and Sexy Star taking out Hiedra before turning on each other. Chik landed double knees to Octagon on the apron as Arez hit a half nelson driver to win and retain.
– After the match, La Empresa came out and beat down Villano and Hiedra.
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There was a speech and video package in remembrance of longtime AAA announcer Arturo Rivera, who passed away last week. It was really well-produced and touching.
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Long-time WWE Spanish language announcer Carlos Cabrera, who was released this week, came out to join commentary.
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Microman came out with La Empresa. Unbelievable!
Three-Way Trios: La Familia Real (L.A. Park, El Hijo de L.A. Park, & L.A. Park Jr.) defeated Nueva Generación Dinamita (El Cuatrero, Sansón, & Forastero) and La Empresa (DMT Azul, Puma King, & Sam Adonis) via disqualification
The two rudo teams worked together to take out La Familia Real early on. NGD isolated Hijo de L.A. Park and then L.A. Park Jr. Microman entered the fray, and he didn’t seem to support all the cheating and interference. The Parks took a long, extended beating until some miscommunication between the two other teams broke down the alliance. La Familia Real took advantage by landing simultaneous dives.
Cuatrero and Hijo de L.A. Park had an exchange in the ring before Forastero got involved. Hijo de L.A. Park landed a diving crossbody and then something of a hurricanrana to the floor. Adonis faced off with L.A. Park Jr., but Puma King gave La Empresa the numbers advantage. Park Jr. made a one-man comeback and tagged in his father.
The legend Park took out Forastero, but the rest of NGD pulled the official out of the ring. Microman got involved to stop all the cheating. Los Mercenarios, including Rey Escorpion, Villano III Jr., and La Hiedra, came out and attacked La Empresa with chairs. La Familia Real were declared the winners out of nowhere, ostensibly via disqualification.
– After the match, Los Mercenarios kept up the beatdown on La Empresa, taking them all out. Villano hit a top-rope senton bomb through chairs onto DMT. Escorpion grabbed a mic and tore into La Empresa some more, then Los Mercenarios faced off with La Familia Real.
L.A. Park and sons took a seat in the ring and hyped up the crowd.
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Rey de Reyes: Psycho Clown defeated Cibernético, Bandido, Laredo Kid & Heavy Metal
This was brief, but the action we got was great.
Laredo Kid and Bandido started off. They had a nice brief exchange before Psycho Clown was the first entrant a minute in. He took out both opponents, concluding his run with a top-rope splash on both for two. Cibernético was next, and he summarily chokeslammed Laredo Kid and Bandido.
The surprise entrant was Heavy Metal, who was (is?) a very good wrestler but is perhaps better known as the brother of Negro Casas. Laredo Kid went for a twisting moonsault on Bandido but missed, and Bandido capitalized with an avalanche crucifix bomb for two.
Psycho Clown hit a German suplex and bridged the pin on Bandido for two. Bandido came back with a Michinoku driver but was cut off on the top rope, allowing Psycho Clown to hit a top-rope Spanish Fly — but the pin was broken up by Ciber. Ciber hit a stunner on Psycho Clown but was rolled up by Heavy Metal for two.
Laredo Kid rolled out of the way of a top-rope senton and hit one of his own for two. He then hit a swinging DDT on Bandido followed by a top-rope moonsault to the floor. Psycho Clown landed a tornillo dive onto both before Heavy Metal just dove onto the pile.
Back in the ring, Ciber hit a spear on Psycho Clown for two. Psycho Clown then rolled up Ciber for the win.
– After the match, Psycho Clown was presented with the customary sword for his victory. He celebrated with his children in the ring.
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This was originally supposed to be the Lucha Brothers against Dragon Lee and Dralístico, but Fénix’s injury turned this into a singles match.
Pentagon Jr. defeated Dralístico
They wrestled back and forth to start until Penta was able to hit a Sling Blade. Dralístico returned fire with a springboard tijeras and a plancha. Out on the floor, Penta sent his opponent over the barricade and into the stands. Dralístico came back with a tope con giro. Back in the ring, a springboard senton bomb got two.
Dralístico kept up the attack with more high flying, hitting a standing moonsault for two more, as the story became an exchange of big moves for near falls. Penta countered a handspring with a dropkick for two of his own. Dralístico stopped a springboard and hit a springboard rana for two. Penta came back with a lumbar check for yet another two count.
Penta caught a springboard and turned it into Made in Japan for another near fall. They traded strikes in the center of the ring. Dralístico hesitated on the ropes but turned it around for a springboard destroyer for two, then Penta came back with a destroyer of his own for two more.
Dralistico avoided a rope-hang double stomp and hit a floating DDT. He missed a moonsault, allowing Penta to hit the Fear Factor, which would have gotten him the win — except Dragon Lee ran out and pulled the official out of the ring. He and Dralístico unmasked Penta in the ring.
Fénix tried to get involved, but the medics wouldn’t let him. As they taunted Fénix, Penta rolled up Dralístico for the win.
– After the match, Dragon Lee and Dralístico unmasked Penta again as Fénix fought to save his brother. Dragon Lee cut a promo saying their match would still happen at some point.
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John Hennigan, the former John Morrison in WWE, was billed as “Johnny Superstar.” This was his first match after his non-compete clause.
AAA Mega Championship: Hijo del Vikingo (c) defeated Johnny Superstar
This was the first great Mexican wrestling match of 2022.
Early on, a mule kick from Vikingo sent Johnny to the floor, where Johnny firmly established himself as a rudo by attacking Lady Shani, Vikingo’s second. Johnny came back with a lariat for two back inside the ring. He then slingshot Vikingo throat-first into the ropes.
It was pouring outside as Johnny continued the beatdown. Vikingo started a comeback with a missile dropkick, but Johnny cut him off with an eye poke. He then hit a standing moonsault for two. Vikingo rebounded off the ropes to build momentum and hit an enziguiri leading into almost a reverse front-flip hurricanrana, if that makes sense. They hit 90% of it.
Vikingo kept up the attack with a tope con giro into a powerslam on the floor and then a running shooting star press. Johnny cut off a springboard with a gamenguiri, sending Vikingo crashing to the floor. Back in the ring, Johnny hit a black hole slam for a near fall.
Johnny was frustrated and brought one of the stage lights into the ring. As he wrestled for it with the official, Laredo Kid got involved, and then Vikingo superkicked the light into Johnny. Vikingo then hit the 630 splash for a great near fall.
While the official tried to get Laredo Kid out of the ring, Johnny low-blowed Vikingo for another good near fall. They jockeyed for position on the top turnbuckle, but Johnny was crotched hard on the top rope and taken down with a reverse rana. Vikingo then hit the inverted 450 to win and retain.
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Final Thoughts:
There was a lot of good action early on in the show but very little in the way of truly satisfying wrestling matches, especially in the finishes department. The main event saved things, as Vikingo tends to do. Going forward, it’s looking like Vikingo vs. Laredo Kid, Lucha Bros vs. Dragon Lee & Dralístico, and the upcoming legends mask vs. mask tournament.