Cook’s AAA on FOX Review 5.23.26

Hey kids! Steve Cook here with you for the latest edition of AAA on Mexico’s FOX & the United States’ YouTube! Tonight is the first week of two straight live episodes, with other eps being taped around them. We’ve got a Cruiserweight Championship match and the sidekicks of the Grande Americanos facing off in tag team action. Sounds like fun!

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Cook’s Lucha Libre AAA Review 5.23.26

Then. Now. Forever. Together!

We’re in Mexico City! Dorian Roldan & Marsiela Pena are WALKING! Laredo Kid is WALKING! Rey Fenix is SITTING! OG Americano & the Creeds are WALKING! Rayo & Bravo Americano are EATING! Corey Graves, JBL & the returning Savio Vega are our hosts.

The AAA wrestlers surround ringside as Marisela & Dorian are in the ring with the established GM candidates. Dominik Mysterio watches from a mystery room. Jesus Zuniga introduces the dignitaries, including the CEO of Flilip, Chessman, Texano Jr., Cibernetico & Dorian before throwing to a video building the history of AAA. AAA has entered a new era, stepping onto a bigger stage than ever before. The spirit of lucha is alive & well, stronger than ever. A new leader will emerge with a new vision & direction. The new GM will take AAA to new heights. The future starts now!

Jesus introduces Marisela, who has a speech ready. For more than 30 years, AAA has been run with passion, today is a new chapter. The new GM is a visionary, a leader that understands the heart of lucha. They are respected all over the world by fans & wrestlers and will take AAA to a new era. She introduces the new General Manager of AAA…Rey Mysterio! JBL thought that Rey was on a vacation with his wife! He’s outraged! Rey makes his way to the ring. Dirty Dom is outraged as well. AAA gave Rey what he asked for, just one opportunity. Rey found a new family in AAA, and today he returns as General Manager. He thanks the fans for what they’ve given him. The fans chant Rey’s name. Dorian is not pleased. Rey will take AAA to another level. Two of the best wrestlers in AAA will be in the next match for the Cruiserweight Championship. Rey introduces Rey Fenix!

AAA Cruiserweight Championship Match: Laredo Kid (c) vs. Rey Fenix: These two had a barnburner a couple of weeks ago. Respect is shown before the tieup. Laredo backs off after working Fenix into the corner. Fenix works the arm, Laredo rolls out, off the ropes, arm drags exchanged. Laredo avoids the dropkick from Fenix and backs away. Shoulderblocks exchanged, Fenix ends up outside and Laredo hits the tope suicida! Back in the ring, Laredo up top, Fenix reverses with a sitout powerbomb for two. Laredo with strikes, some kicks into a neckbreaker. Michinoku Driver gets two on Fenix. Fenix on the apron, a suplex doesn’t work, Fenix drops Laredo on the rope, then sets up a springboard but Laredo stops him. Laredo gets knocked off the middle rope, Fenix misses the moonsault, but rolls into a cutter on Laredo for two! That was fun. Brainbuster by Fenix gets two. Laredo avoids Fenix’s move, they exchange kicks, Laredo hits a Destroyer DDT for two. Strikes exchanged. Fenix misses a kick, but avoids the poison rana & German suplexes Laredo! The fans say it’s lucha. Laredo hits a forearm in the corner, takes Fenix up top, Fenix slips out, kicks Laredo and goes for the Mexican Musclebuster, Laredo reverses into a small package for two. Fenix runs the top rope and kicks Laredo in the head! The referee checks on Laredo, who seems out of it. The referee talks to someone, when his back is turned Laredo low blows Fenix! It’s an uncalled foul! Laredo up top, hits the frog splash for three!

Winner: Laredo Kid (8:49 via pinfall)
Match Rating: ***1/4
Laredo’s turn to the rudo side is now official and the next match between these two will have even more heat behind it. Simple booking that somebody watching pro wrestling for the first time can easily understand, you gotta love it.

Laredo celebrates while the fans chant an obscenity at him.

Corey runs down our upcoming matches for the next couple of weeks, including a six-woman tag, an AAA Tag Team Championship match & the Mask vs. Mask match.

Laredo walks backstage and Rey Mysterio is there to question him about his tactics. Laredo says a win is a win, no matter how he got it. Rey says that next week in Monterrey, Fenix will get another shot at Laredo’s championship. Laredo is not pleased.

Last night, Nuevo Grande Americano held a fan rally in Mexico City. He kicks an effigy of OG Americano! The fans seem pleased & happy.

Bruto & Julio Credo vs. Rayo & Bravo Americano: The Creed Brothers seem to have disappeared from the side of OG, and now Los Americanos Hermanos have emerged. Corey notes that people have their conspiracy theories, but JBL insists they’re legends with extensive history in lucha. Anything goes in this matchup, pinfall or submission are the only ways to win. So they charge each other right away, with the Hermanos taking the upper hand. Julio gets kicked by Rayo, Rayo up top, hits a seated senton. Chops to Julio, Julio hits an overhead throw. Double team backcracker into a fallaway slam by the Hermanos. Bravo in now, flying headscissors to Bruto. Some right hands, but then he gets faceplanted by the Hermanos. Rayo attacks Julio and sends him outside. Bravo ends up diving onto Julio, using Bruto as a staircare! Rayo up top, moonsault to Julio & Bravo! Bruto cannonballs off the top rope onto all three! He hits the floor hard, the ref checks on him but things seem ok as he punches away on Bravo. Rayo with a kick to Julio as Bruto bounces Bravo off the ringpost. Rayo ends up getting slammed on the steps and plunder is taken from under the ring. The Hermanos have chairs and get ready to hit Rayo, but Bravo saves him and they take the chairs from the Hermanos! Chair shots from the Americanos. Bruto is punched while sitting on a chair, then drop toe held into said chair. Bruto then has his lower nutsac region introduced to the ringpost a few times. A pinata is Meteoraed by Rayo into Julio’s head. Rayo & Bravo get a table! Julio dives onto the Americanos, Bruto is over there as well. Bravo is dropped on the apron by Julio. Rayo is rolled back into the ring, he hits Julio with the pinata but gets forearmed to the mat. Rayo gets worked over by the Hermanos, a clothesline turns him inside out. Bravo is knocked to the floor. Rayo is bodyslammed with a chair on his back, then is side slammed through it. Rayo eventually fights back with some chops, but the Credos maintain the advantage. Assisted double underhook drop gets a two count. Bravo breaks it up. Rayo is set up for an apparent super bomb, but Bravo comes in with the American flag and sends Julio out of the ring! Bruto dives but hits the flagpole! Bravo dives onto Julio! Bravo with the airplane spin on Bruto! He goes both ways with it before dropping Bruto to the mat and going up top. Double diving headbutts only gets a two count on Bruto! I don’t know what the Americanos will do now. Rayo & Bruto exchange strikes, Rayo with multiple kicks, then a dropkick. Julio in with a knee, Bravo hits him, both Americanos end up in position for the Super Collider, but that only gets two on both men! Julio gets kicked, he dives up top to meet Los Americanos and superplexes both men! Moonsault by Bruto, Julio hits a 450 splash that only gets two on Bravo! Another table is produced from under the ring. Bravo is set up for a running powerbomb, but Rayo is in with a kendo stick! He wears out the Hermanos! Bruto is placed on the table and hit with the kendo stick. Bravo climbs the turnbuckle, he splashes Bruto through the table! Kendo stick to Julio, Rayo holds him in the leg sweep position with the stick while Bravo loads the mask, he hits the headbutt off the top!

OG Americano breaks up the count and sends Bravo through a table! OG clears the announce table and throws Rayo through it! Here comes Nuevo! He has a chair and takes it to Bruto & Julio! OG gets in the ring and stares at Nuevo! They can’t touch each other here! Nuevo takes his jacket off and yells at OG, who exits the ring. Nuevo grabs the microphone and talks about how OG hurt Pimpi & got his girlfriend fired. OG will never understand lucha, and will always be a Shorty! This brings OG back to the ring, and he yells at Nuevo before taking his jacket off. He’s wearing a shirt with Nuevo’s girlfriend on it! OG wants Nuevo to hit him while the fans chant obscenities at him. Nuevo is shaking, and Rayo & Bravo have to hold him back! The Hermanos hold OG back! It doesn’t work, they both hit each other! The sidekicks try to hold their men back! Security enters the ring and try to help, but OG & Nuevo keep getting at each other! Shoes are thrown!

Rey Mysterio comes down and tells them that the match will not be cancelled no matter what happens here. We’ll get this match next week! The fight continues! The locker room empties and now everyone’s trying to hold these guys back! Nope, still not working. Rey enters the ring with the microphone, chairs are being wielded, things have completely broken down!

We close with a video package that covers the history of the Americano feud. The Grandes feud has resulted in controversy, but has also created a hero. El Grande Americano is the heart & soul of AAA and an icon of Lucha Libre. Original El Grande Americano calls him a fraud and is out for blood. Who will leave as the official El Grande Americano? That’s the end of our broadcast, so long for now!

Winners: None (approximately 19 minutes via no contest)
Match Rating: ****
I like to be a stickler for things like matches having actual endings, but this was fantastic. The match itself was really good, I was especially impressed by the Credos as I haven’t seen a ton of their most hyped work. Then the Grandes came down, and the fans here just go insane whenever they’re fighting or doing anything. It’s almost a shame they’re doing the mask vs. mask match to end the feud, hopefully they’ll have big plans for both of them afterwards.

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 social media from time to time. To be honest, e-mail is a better option and you can reach me at [email protected].

8.8

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

We got two matches that absolutely delivered, and Rey Mysterio as the General Manager will be a good fit for his abilities and give the promotion credibility with the fans. There were some minor difficulties with the show, like the commentary not kicking on until halfway through the opening segment. Savio is an improvement from Rey in the booth even though his English isn't as good. Next week's show should be tremendous, see you then!