By: Jack Wannan
AAA Triplemania XXXI Tijuana Results
- La Hiedra def. Gringo Loco, Jack Cartwheel, Myzteziz, Dinámico, Niño Hamburguesa, Willie Mack, Flammer, Rey Misterio el Heredero, Mr. Iguana, Laredo Kid, Puma King & Taurus (Copa Triplemania)
- Dalys, Lady Shani, Sexy Star II def. Kamille, Natalia Markova, Viva Van
- Bestia 666, Mecha Wolf, Pagano vs Aramis, Jack Evans, Vampiro (No Contest)
- Nicho el Millonario, Damian 666, Rey Horus, and Xtreme Tiger def. Negro Casas, Chessman, Argenis, and Daga
- QT Marshall def. Pentagon Jr. (Ambulance Match)
- Rush & L.A. Park vs. Sam Adonis & Psycho Clown (Guerra de Rivalidades Final) (Draw)
- El Hijo del Vikingo def. Kenny Omega (AAA Mega Championship)
El Hijo del Vikingo avenged his sole loss against Kenny Omega in the main event of AAA Triplemania XXXI Tijuana on Saturday night, prevailing in just under 19 minutes to continue his multi-year reign as the AAA Mega Champion. Vikingo’s win headlined AAA’s second of three Triplemania events this year, from Estadio Chevron, from Tijuana, Mexico.
The finishing sequence for the main event saw Vikingo land a Poisonrana off the top rope, double knees to the head of Omega in a corner of the ring, and then a 630 Splash off the top rope to earn the pinfall.
Vikingo earned a near fall just minutes before the finish with an inverted 450 splash off the top rope. Omega was able to block a shooting star press attempt from Vikingo and had a near fall of his own after scoring a bridged German suplex.
Many of Omega’s attacks came early in the match, as he gained a lead in the opening minutes and put a beating on the defending champion. He scored a clean V-Trigger in the 12th minute, then tried to close the contest out early with a One Winged Angel attempt. Vikingo reversed this move into a hurricanrana. Omega would attempt his One-Winged Angel finisher once again later in the match, but would never successfully connect within it.
Saturday extended Vikingo’s title run, which has lasted more than 500 days. He first earned the title in late 2021 and has defended the belt 14 times since then, per database Cagematch.net.
Saturday was the second time that Omega and Vikingo have met. Their first singles match was on a March episode of AEW Dynamite when Omega won in 16 minutes in a match that received praise from fans and critics alike.
Heading into this weekend, it was announced that Don Callis — the former manager of Omega who recently turned against him in AEW — would be present for the match on Saturday. His appearance at Triplemania was surprisingly brief, appearing at ringside before the match only to get kicked out by Konnan, who tossed his All Access Pass away.
Triplemania XXXI Tijuana Co-Main Event Provides Unexpected Outcome
A tag match that was made to set up a contest for AAA’s August 12 Triplemania in Mexico City had an unexpected outcome. While the teams of Rush & L.A. Park along with Sam Adonis & Psycho Clown competed, with the losing team getting put in a Lucha de Apuestas Mask vs. Hair match next month, the contest ended with the decision that a four-way Lucha de Apuestas match will be at the next Triplemania event.
This decision came due to a unique finish that caused the violent and brutal main event match to end in a draw. While Adonis scored a successful pinfall on Park, Rush was also pinning Psycho Clown successfully. This confusing plot twist capped off a bloody match between two teams that simply could not coexist.
The stipulation of the match meant that the team that lost would face each other in one-on-one action. Both teams are rivals of each other, causing them to spend a large chunk of the bout attacking each other instead of their opponents. Risky spots, lots of blood, chair shots to the head and moves involving broken glass bottles were all part of this match before the rare outcome at the end.
QT Marshall Sends Pentagon Jr. Away In Ambulance
QT Marshall ended up on top after a near-20 minute ambulance match against Pentagon Jr. that was rife with weapons, blood, and high-risk spots. Both wrestlers were quick to bleed in the match, as they utilized light tubes, a barbed wire-wrapped steel chair, and thumbtacks. The match also included a high-risk spot outside the ring, where Marshall and Pentagon Jr. went on top of a stack of production carts while a pair of tables were on the ground near floor seat fans. Pentagon attempted to go for a Fear Factor from this position, although it was clear upon execution that he did not fully land the move.
Marshall’s henchman, Aaron Solo, was ejected from ringside after interfering with the match in the opening minutes. However, it was Solo’s re-appearance later on that helped cause the finish to the bout. Disguised as a medic inside the ambulance, Solo got up close to Pentagon and sprayed him with a fire extinguisher. After striking Pentagon over the head with another bundle of light tubes, Marshall hit a diamond cutter on the floor, then tossed Pentagon into the ring to end the match.
Team Baja, which consisted of Nicho el Millionario, Damian 666, Rey Horus, and Xtreme Tiger, defeated Negro Casas, Chessman, Argenis, and Daga. Just one week removed from his UFC Flyweight Championship loss to Alexandre Pantoja, former 125-pound titleholder Brandon Moreno was in the corner for Team Baja for the match with a cast on one of his arms. After putting a combo of moves on Daga during the match, Moreno had a face-off with him afterward as well.
A trios tag match halfway through the evening seemingly came to an end without any winner or distinctive ending moment to the match. The tag match that saw Bestia 666, Mecha Wolf, and Pagano face Aramis, Jack Evans, and Vampiro was seemingly thrown out after Texano Jr. and Taurus did a run-in to attack Bestia 666 and Mecha Wolf.
Team Mexico won against Team Rest of the World in a six-woman tag match, as the team of Dalys, Lady Shani and Sexy Star II prevailed over NWA Women’s Champion Kamille, Natalia Markova, and Viva Van. Shani attacked the referee for the match, El Hijo Del Tirantes, after he gave an intentionally slow count for a pin attempt. As the referee remained hurt in the ring, the original El Tirantes did a run-in to finish officiating the match. Shani then hit a Northern Lights Suplex onto Van to win the match, ending an incredibly hectic 12-minute contest.
The opening match saw La Hiedra win the Copa Triplemania, overcoming fellow Las Toxicas teammate Flammer in the end to win the rumble-style match in 26 minutes. Hiedra and Flammer both entered the match seventh, joining the bout as a team – but it eventually came down to just them, pitting them against each other. Mr. Iguana, who was eliminated earlier in the match, remained at ringside and interfered in the final, allowing Hiedra to throw Flammer over the top and win. AAA has held Copa Triplemania sporadically since 2001. 2023 is only the ninth year that the rumble has appeared on a Triplemania event.
