Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide Triplemania XXXI Tijuana HOT TAKE

Once more, FITE continues to celebrate all the pageantry and excellence that comes with the annual extravaganza of all things lucha libre, AAA TripleMania.

As Triplemania XXXI arrives in Tijuana, Mexico, FITE will once again exclusively bring the world's greatest luchadors as they battle in the fastest, most emotional and shocking professional wrestling action you will find anywhere in the world.

Lucha Libre AAA's TripleMania set the standard for international professional wrestling events and in 2023, the legacy set for by Konnan and the late Antonio Pena continues to evolve and ascend, raising the level of excellence in professional wrestling not just in the flamboyant world of lucha libre, but the entire globe.

The furious momentum of the wars and rivalries within Lucha Libre AAA continue to explode, the inertia of the competitors matched by the stunning daredevil maneuvers they perform seeking to achieve the ultimate moments of victory, revenge and championship glory. With Mexico City in sight, Tijuana has become the battleground that will tell the tale of which international superstars will stand tall in the time capsule of history forever and which will be humiliated on one of the worst evening's of their career.

Lucha Libre AAA TripleMania XXXI: Tijuana is set for Saturday July 15th, bringing to life a number of explosive confrontations that will shock and awe the entire FITE Universe across the globe.

Chief among them is the main event, featuring the AAA Mega Championship at stake as El Hijo Del Vikingo, the current kingpin, will take to the ring to defend against former Mega Champion Kenny Omega, representing All Elite Wrestling. Having successfully defended the title endless times over a 560+ day championship reign, one would think Vikingo, one of the most imaginative aerial assault artists worldwide, would be the easy favorite. On the surface, that may look to be the case, but when dives deeper, there is reason for concern.

Of course, Kenny Omega is one of the most celebrated professional wrestlers in the world, having mastered the realms of AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling in recent years. Omega is also the former Mega Champion, having won that title in 2019 and maintaining a 765-day hold over the most important title in all of lucha libre before injuries led to Omega being forced to relinquish the title. Indeed, his passion for performing became Omega's undoing.

After intense rehabilitation, Omega returned to the forefront of professional wrestling, but has yet to return to TripleMania action until he steps into the ring with Vikingo. However, he and Vikingo have faced off once before, with Omega scoring the win before AEW+ subscribers live on Dynamite. With that loss in mind, Vikingo has exploded onto the international scene, taking on a massive bevy of stars across many countries, seeking to up his game and be prepared to avenge his non-title loss to Omega.

On July 15th, that opportunity abounds with Vikingo getting his opportunity to become the first man to ever kick out of the One-Winged Angel, should Omega choose to execute that fatal finishing maneuver. In recent years, Vikingo fulfilled his destiny, evolving into the next major international lucha sensation. Now, he faces the question of the one foe he hasn't beaten and the doubts that come with that.

Should Vikingo soar over Omega with a massive victory, he will create international headlines and ascend to the next level - but few men have been able to out-perform Kenny Omega on a major stage. Live from Mexico, FITE fans will see whether Vikingo can make history and quell the doubts or whether Omega reclaims his former prize. No matter who emerges, fans are guaranteed a physical confrontation that shatters the expectations, both inside the ring and in the atmosphere above. Stars will shine and stars will soar, live at Triplemania on FITE!

Triplemania's Guerra de Rivaldiades Tournament will continue when FITE broadcasts live from Tijuana with the two final teams competing to avoid the ultimate in lucha libre humiliation. On one side, it will be the devious Sam Adonis and the infamously beloved Psycho Clown forced to align against the legendary LA Park and former Ring of Honor World Champion RUSH.

Adonis has made international headlines with his Pro-American, anti-Mexican stance in the past. Clown is one of Mexico's fiercest brawlers. RUSH is perhaps the ultimate bully. LA Park is a champion whose star has shined above and beyond all others in lucha today, a true living legend who can trace his success back to the earliest wars housed under the AAA banner. These are four very different, very proud fighters who will step into the ring with their backs against the wall. The winners will have escaped the ultimate embarrassment. The losers, however, will be forced to advance to Triplemania XXXI: Mexico City, facing each other in a Mask vs. Hair match, potentially destroying their family pride and lucha careers forever!

QT Marshall has always been a provocative rancor inside professional wrestling and his insurgence into Lucha Libre AAA has been no different. After being revealed as stalking and attacking Pentagon Jr. all the way from AEW to Mexico, Penta sought revenge against Marshall, challenging him to an Ambulance Match. The first competitor to beat their opponent senseless to the point where they cannot intelligently defend themselves and are locked into an ambulance, where they are transported away to a local hospital for treatment.

Pentagon Jr. has always declared he has NO FEAR when stepping into battle and only a mad man would want to antagonize him, but Marshall has never been one to attack without a plan. What his long term vision for Lucha Libre AAA and how Marshall intends to decimate its landscape remain to be seen, but he'll have to do the unthinkable - take out Pentagon Jr. in order for it to happen!

Since the days of names like Art Barr and Jake Roberts intruding into Lucha Libre AAA, there has always been a strong Mexico vs. the world theme that has run rampant across the promotion, as the fans in Mexico cheered their heroes on to run the invaders back to their home country. As part of TripleMania XXXI: Tijuana, Sexy Star & Dalys & Lady Shani unite to battle The National Wrestling Alliance's Women's World Champion Kamille, California's notorious Viva Van and NWA standout Natalia Markova with the pride of Mexico and more on the line!

The Copa Triplemania Cup will also be on the line in a Rumble Rules match featuring some of the most beloved, fast-rising and high flying stars from across the scope of lucha libre, including Willie Mack, Gringo Loco, Mr. Iguana, Jack Cartwheel, La Hiedra, Flammer, Myzteziz, Luchador Sorpresa, Puma King, Nino Hamburguesa, Dinamico and additional competitors yet to be revealed, all seeking to achieve an ultimate Triplemania victory live on FITE!

The core of lucha libre for many is the beautiful artistry of the Trios Match, showcasing not just the heart and soul of each individual warrior, but their combined athletic greatness as all involved strive for greatness, putting their bodies on the line like no other, soaring through the stratosphere and defying gravity as they seek to earn victory.

July 15th will see legends and the stars of today combine like Voltron for a climactic trios encounter live at TripleMania XXXI: Tijuana for FITE fans as the legendary Vampiro & the mind-blowing Jack Evans & the world-conquering Aramis combine against Pagano and the reigning NWA World Tag Team Champions La Rebelion, Bestia 666 & Mega Wolf. With the spotlight of one of the biggest extravaganzas of the year shining down upon them, all six of these celebrated fighters will bring every submission, tope, and fist they have to offer into battle, seeking to uplift the global audience watching in pure lucha libre spectacle!

TripleMania will be rounded out with a big eight-man tag team encounter that sees legendary names as well when Team Chilango's Dana & Chessman & Negro Casas & Argenis face off with Team Baja's Nicho el Millionario (aka the original Psicosis from ECW and WCW) & Rey Horus & Damian 666 & Xtreme Tiger. Xtreme Tiger and Rey Horus have become some of the most talked about high-flying competitors in the world, seeking to reach the rarified air that Nicho and Damian 666 have touched for themselves with. For all on Team Chilango, the opportunity to grace the ring alongside Negro Casas, who helped blaze the trail for all of lucha libre even before AAA was founded is something special indeed. Casas remains one of the most eternally graceful and dangerous competitors in the ring and this appearance is something to both cherish and behold, but once the bell rings, it's going to be a battle to the bitter end.

The heroes and villains who populate the fluorescent fever dream that is Lucha Libre AAA are united by the same goals and bonds. Family pride, championship dreams, thoughts of vengeance and valiant victories. The legacy of AAA changed professional wrestling worldwide for the better, forcing it to come into sync with the high-flying, hard-fighting aerial madness that excites every action junkie, because great professional wrestling speaks a universal language, the language that every FITE fan knows fluently - the language of combat sports, including lucha libre!

Saturday July 15th, the stars of Lucha Libre AAA once again take to the ring to settle their scores and mark their place among the stars in the sky at TripleMania XXXI: Tijuana live on FITE!

Mike Johnson is the lead reporter for PWInsider.com and has been writing about professional wrestling since 1996. He can be found on Twitter @MikePWInsider and MikeJohnsonWrites.com.