Cook’s AAA on FOX Review 4.4.26

Hey kids! Steve Cook here with you for the latest episode of AAA on Mexico’s FOX & the United States’ YouTube! We’re wrapping up the last set of tapings this week, featuring Flammer’s attempt to become the longest reigning Reina de Reinas Champion of all time. We’ll also see the return of AAA legend El Mesias and we’ll hear from Penta regarding his upcoming clash with El Hijo del Vikingo. I don’t see Pat McAfee’s name listed anywhere on the format, so this should be a good time!

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Cook’s Lucha Libre AAA Review 4.4.26

Then. Now. Forever. Together!

We open with a video recap of the three week Rey de Reyes extravaganza. I don’t typically listen to the Spanish announcers these days, so it’s fun to hear their voices.

We’re in Monterrey! Flammer defends the Reina de Reinas Championship against Sussy Love! Corey Graves is joined by JBL & Rey Mysterio.

El Mesías, Lince Dorado & Mecha Wolf vs. Tokyo Bad Boys (Kento, Nobu & Takuma): It’s Puerto Rico vs. Japan! I remember hearing about a Lucha World Cup that AAA was going to put on this year, it hasn’t been mentioned on this program yet but this seems to be the beginning. Nobu & Lince start the match, Lince kicks off the handshake attempt while Rey admits to falling for the ruse many times. Arm drags exchanged, dropkicks fail the first time, not the second for Nobu. Dorado gets hit by Kento & Takuma, then slammed by Nobu. Lince tags Mecha Wolf, and Takuma comes in. Takuma with some chops, Mecha answers with a bicycle kick. Takuma with some handsprings, then a tornado DDT. Takuma punches Mecha down. Tag to El Mesias, the crowd pops. Kento comes in and gets chopped. Kento exchanges shots with Mesias, Mesias wins that battle, but Kento dropkicks the knee, and the Bad Boys all kick Mesias for two. Mesias with a clothesline, his partners attack the other Bad Boys on the floor. Mesias grabs Kento and clotheslines him repeatedly in the corner. Splash, chop and kick in the corner, then a powerslam by Mesias. Mecha covers Kento for two. Mecha with a vertical suplex and flows into a short jackhammer for two. Lince tags in, clotheslines Kento for two. Back scratch and a backstabber by Lince gets two. Mesias tags in and elbows Kento in the corner. Sliding clothesline gets two on Kento. Mesias kicks Kento in the face, Kento fights back now. Enziguri leads to a tag to Nobu. Lince tags in too, he & Wolf get dropkicked out of the ring. Takuma with a missile dropkick, sending Mesias out of the ring. Nobu gets pressed and slammed to the floor on top of Mesias! Kento dives onto Lince! Takuma moonsaults Wolf on the floor! Nobu goes for a vertical suplex on Mesias and finally gets it for two! Mesias powers through an attempted double clothesline and spears them both. Powerbomb to Takuma! Kento hits a neckbeaker on Mesias and trades shots with Lince. Lince misses a handspring elbow and gets kicked y Kento & Nobu. Lince stuns them both, Mecha hits a big move on Kento and dives onto him! Lince dives onto Nobu! Mesias hits the Flatliner and gets the three count on Takuma!

Winners: El Mesias, Lince Dorado & Mecha Wolf (11:11 via pinfall)
Match Rating: **3/4
This was a fun little sprint. Mesias isn’t a babyface but is certainly respected by AAA fans for his work over the years so he always gets a good reaction. I’ve liked the Tokyo Bad Boys’ appearances here, and Lince & Mecha filled their spots well.

Later tonight, we’ll see the United Kingdom vs. Europe, with Fraxiom on different teams! Earlier this week, Nathan Frazer was learning Spanish, and he tells Axiom that AAA called him to be captain of the United Kingdom team. Axiom tells him that AAA called him to be on Team Europe, and it takes Frazer a second to realize that means they’ll be on separate teams like in the days before Fraxiom. They shake hands and Frazer promises not to kick him too hard in the face this time.

Reina de Reinas Championship Match: Flammer (c) vs. Sussy Love: I’m not familiar with Sussy but I’m willing to give her a chance. She’s got blue hair, I think she pulls off the look better than Blue Meanie ever did. Flammer is on her 966th day as Reina de Reinas, if she wins here (yeah, this was a while ago actually, don’t yell at me) she’ll be the longest reigning Reina de Reinas Champion of all time. Flammer takes Sussy down, hits an arm drag, they exchange leg trips. Flammer shoves Sussy and goes for a kick, Sussy blocks but gets smacked. Flammer misses a charge and ends up in the ropes so Sussy can hit an elbowdrop. She then hits a tope suicida and it looks good. She teases another one and Flammer evades, but Sussy grabs her hair before Flammer rakes her eyes. Running forearm in the ring by Flammer. Flammer stomps away on Sussy, then locks in the camel clutch and makes her humble. Sussy fights out, but Flammer kicks her. Flammer misses the clothesline, Sussy with a kick, crossbody and enziguri. German suplex by Sussy, then a running knee in the corner. Headstand into some knees by Sussy, then a moonsault gets two. Sussy misses in the corner, Flammer with a codebreaker and a seated dropkick to the mush. That gets the three count.

Winner: Flammer (4:06 via pinfall)
Match Rating: **
Quick sprint intended to put Flammer over, this was accomplished pretty well. Sussy was impressive in defeat and I wouldn’t mind seeing more of her.

We see a video package of the issues between Penta & El Hijo del Vikingo, then we hear from Penta. It’s been a year with a lot of emotions for Penta. WWE purchasing AAA was one of the best moves in years, lucha can be presented worldwide. He loves being part of the process of taking lucha all across the globe. His brother Rey Fenix is the best wrestler in the world and he loves having him as part of this and wants to see him win a championship in WWE or AAA. He’s happy and grateful to return to AAA, and wants to defend the IC title in Mexico to show his appreciation. It’ll happen on April 11, and he’ll be with his people in his home against a great opponent. Vikingo was a great wrestler, but now he wants to be wicked when he isn’t. Penta is wicked, and he’ll humiliate Vikingo in Mexico City. We’ll see it next week!

Charlie Dempsey, Nathan Frazer & Tristen Ángels vs. Axiom, Dorian Van Dux & Elio LeFluer: I actually haven’t seen Dempsey wrestle much, usually when I see him on NXT he’s standing in peoples’ corners and looking annoyed by everything. He’ll start against Axiom. Dempsey with a cravate, then an armwringer. Axion gets out, takes Dempsey down and stretches his arms. Dempsey lifts Axiom and goes for an armbar, then gets the armbar into a leg lace. Bow & arrow counted by Axiom and he gets an armbar. Octopus hold by Axiom, Dempsey gets to the ropes. Northern lights suplex by Axiom, Dempsey tags Frazer. Fraxiom faces off! Frazer gets the early advantage, Axiom goes off the ropes, Van Dux tags in and hits a rana on Frazer. Angels tags in. Van Dux, he presses LeFleur on top of Angels for two. Frazer & LeFleur go back & forth. LeFleur with some flips, fast kick by Frazer. Angels with a suplex on LeFleur. Angels with the double stomp on LeFleur and a tag to Dempsey. Dempsey with the cravate, LeFleur fights out, flips out of a suplex but Dempsey with a bridging wheelbarrow suplex for two. Tag to Frazer, LeFleur all tied up by Dempsey & Frazer kicks him for two. LeFleur goes for a tag, but Team UK break it up. Angels runs into a boot, Dempsey gets lifted outside and Van Dux tags in. Clotheslines to Angels. Running back suplex by Van Dux, Angels avoids the moonsault, but not the springboard cutter that gets two. Van Dux up top, Dempsey follows him, hits the top rope butterfly suplex for two. LeFleur broke it up with a dive. The fans say it’s lucha. Fraxiom get tags and face off again. Frazer & Axiom evade each other’s moves until Frazer hits a superkick. Frazer flips into a kick by Axiom, Axiom runs into a superkick that gets two. Frazer goes up top, Axiom with a kick, follows him and hits the Spanish Fly for two. Tags to LeFleur & Angel, Angels with a clothesline for two. Axiom breaks it up. Dempsey with a backbreaker to Axiom. Van Dux with a clothesline to Dempsey, Frazer with a sling blade, LeFleur off the top with a dropkick! Axiom gets thrown to the floor, Van Dux dives onto a crowd on the floor! LeFleur with a headscissor into a drop gets the three count on Angels!

Winners: Axiom, Dorian Van Dux & Elio LeFluer (12:05 via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***1/2
OK, that definitely makes me want to see more of this rumored Lucha World Cup! All of these guys were pulling out the big guns and looking to impress, and they got it done for sure.

Flammer is with Las Toxicas and says next week will be the biggest celebration in lucha libre. I, for one, can’t wait. So long for now!

If you’d like to chime in with your own thoughts on tonight’s show, feel free to join your fellow 411 Maniacs down in the comment section! As the legendary Larry Csonka always said: Have fun and don’t be a dick. When I’m not here you can catch me on the social media from time to time.

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

Usually the last taped episodes before live ones struggle for direction a bit, but I really liked everything presented here. Flammer has gone from flying under the radar to a featured part of the show, and the Lucha World Cup or whatever they end up calling it is off to a good start. Next week promises to be a good one, we'll see you then!