Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide presents Héroes Inmortales XVIII tonight from the Gimnasio Olímpico Juan de la Barrera in Mexico City, Mexico, with three championship matches and a celebration of the promotion’s history.
El Grande Americano defends the AAA Mega Championship against former champion Dominik Mysterio in the evening’s main event, while La Catalina puts the Reina de Reinas Championship on the line against Flammer and La Hiedra. The AAA World Trios Championship will also be defended as Los Perros del Mal face the unusual combination of La Parka, Mr. Iguana, and Niño Hamburguesa.
The event also includes the induction of Marisela Peña into the AAA Hall of Fame, honoring her contributions to the promotion founded by Antonio Peña.
Unlike a traditional one-night event, this year’s Héroes Inmortales will unfold across three weekly broadcasts. Tonight’s show begins the celebration, with additional matches scheduled for October 31 and November 7.
Let’s take a look at what’s on tap.
AAA Mega Championship: El Grande Americano (c) vs. Dominik Mysterio
Dominik Mysterio wants his championship back, and tonight he’ll have an opportunity to reclaim it from the man who took it away.
El Grande Americano defeated Mysterio at Triplemanía XXXIV to capture the AAA Mega Championship, ending Dominik’s reign and establishing himself as the promotion’s top champion. Unfortunately for Americano, his former rival wasn’t finished pursuing the gold.
Dominik earned another opportunity after teaming with Omos to defeat Americano and AAA General Manager Rey Mysterio on October 3. Now he’ll attempt to turn that victory into another championship reign.
And naturally, Dominik isn’t coming alone.
Omos and Dorian Roldán will accompany him to ringside, giving the challenger a rather significant advantage if either decides to become involved.
Americano has already proven he can defeat Dominik, but repeating that accomplishment with a giant standing outside the ring may prove considerably more difficult.
Stinger’s View: I actually like Dominik Mysterio as a heel. He’s embraced being an obnoxious little bastard, and the audience responds accordingly. The problem is that he rarely seems interested in proving he can win without somebody helping him.
Omos at ringside certainly doesn’t inspire confidence that we’re going to get a clean finish.
I’d like to see Americano retain and establish himself with a successful championship defense. The Mega Championship should be treated as AAA’s most important prize, and that means the focus needs to remain on the wrestlers competing for it.
Still, Dominik has become an effective villain, and I expect the Mexico City crowd to give him a rather enthusiastic reception.
Not necessarily a friendly one.
AAA Reina de Reinas Championship: La Catalina (c) vs. Flammer vs. La Hiedra
La Catalina faces a difficult first major championship defense when she puts the Reina de Reinas Championship on the line against two members of Las Tóxicas.
Catalina captured the championship from Flammer at Triplemanía XXXIV, ending an extraordinary reign that lasted more than three years. Naturally, Flammer wants the championship back.
But things have become complicated within her own faction.
La Hiedra also believes she deserves an opportunity, and Catalina has suggested that Flammer’s leadership has been holding her stablemates back.
Rather than selecting one challenger, Rey Mysterio decided both women would receive an opportunity.
That brings us to tonight’s Triple Threat Match, where the champion faces two opponents who are technically allies but have competing ambitions.
Catalina doesn’t necessarily need to be involved in the deciding fall to lose her championship, which makes the situation particularly dangerous.
Stinger’s View: This is an interesting match because the relationship between Flammer and La Hiedra could become just as important as their rivalry with the champion.
Flammer held that championship for an incredible length of time, and I understand why she’d want an immediate opportunity to reclaim it. But La Hiedra has her own ambitions, and I wouldn’t expect her to sacrifice a championship opportunity simply to help her stablemate.
Personally, I’d like to see Catalina retain and establish herself as champion. Ending a three-year reign is a major accomplishment, and it would be disappointing to see her lose the title before getting an opportunity to build her own legacy.
Of course, if Las Tóxicas start arguing with each other, Catalina may not need much help.
AAA World Trios Championship: Los Perros del Mal (c) vs. La Parka, Mr. Iguana & Niño Hamburguesa
Los Perros del Mal defend the AAA World Trios Championship against one of the most colorful combinations of wrestlers you’ll find anywhere.
Ángel, Berto, and Daga have established themselves as a dangerous unit, but tonight they’ll face La Parka, Mr. Iguana, and the returning Niño Hamburguesa.
The challengers have plenty of personality, and their contrasting styles should make for an entertaining contest.
La Parka brings the theatrical presentation associated with one of lucha libre’s most recognizable characters, while Mr. Iguana has developed a following through his unusual personality and crowd interactions.
And then there’s Niño Hamburguesa.
Professional wrestling is a wonderful business. Where else can you find a man called Mr. Iguana teaming with somebody named Hamburger Boy to challenge three dangerous wrestlers for a world championship?
Only in lucha libre, my friends.
But don’t mistake the unusual presentation for a lack of ability. The challengers are capable of putting together some entertaining offense, and Los Perros del Mal will need to take them seriously.
Stinger’s View: This is the match I’m most curious about from an entertainment standpoint.
Los Perros del Mal are the more established team, but the challengers have enough personality to make this a memorable encounter.
I’ve always appreciated that lucha libre embraces colorful characters without necessarily treating the wrestling itself as a joke. A wrestler can have a ridiculous name, carry a puppet, or dance around the ring and still be capable of delivering a good match.
That said, if Mr. Iguana pulls out a tiny championship belt for his iguana, I’m going to lose it.
Marisela Peña Enters the AAA Hall of Fame
Héroes Inmortales has always carried special significance because of its connection to AAA founder Antonio Peña, who passed away in October 2006.
This year’s event will honor Marisela Peña with an induction into the AAA Hall of Fame.
Her contributions to the organization and its continued development make this a fitting occasion to recognize her place in the promotion’s history.
Stinger’s View: I appreciate wrestling promotions taking time to recognize the people who helped build their organizations.
Wrestling history isn’t just about the champions and the matches. It’s also about the promoters, organizers, and personalities who kept the business moving forward.
A show called Héroes Inmortales is an appropriate place to remember that.
Coming October 31: Rey Fénix vs. Mini Vikingo
The second week of Héroes Inmortales will feature Rey Fénix defending the AAA World Cruiserweight Championship against Mini Vikingo.
Fénix has established himself as one of the most spectacular high-flying wrestlers of his generation, and Mini Vikingo will have an opportunity to make a major statement by challenging him for championship gold.
This is the sort of matchup that should showcase the athleticism and innovation associated with modern lucha libre.
Stinger’s View: This is the match from the overall event lineup that I’m most interested in seeing.
Fénix is tremendous, and I’m looking forward to seeing what Mini Vikingo can do against him. Hopefully, they get enough time to deliver something memorable rather than trying to squeeze everything into a few minutes.
Coming November 7: El Fiscal vs. Abismo Negro Jr.
The final scheduled week of Héroes Inmortales features El Fiscal facing Abismo Negro Jr. in a personal rivalry rooted in lucha libre history.
Both competitors carry connections to the legacy of the original Abismo Negro, making their confrontation about considerably more than simply winning another match.
Stinger’s View: I like rivalries that have some history behind them, particularly when that history is connected to the traditions of lucha libre.
Hopefully, AAA gives this confrontation enough context for viewers who may not be familiar with the entire story.
Stinger’s View: A Celebration of Lucha Libre
AAA has put together an interesting lineup for Héroes Inmortales, with championship matches, personal rivalries, and a Hall of Fame induction that recognizes the promotion’s history.
The Mega Championship match is obviously the biggest attraction tonight. Dominik Mysterio has become an entertaining villain, and El Grande Americano has an opportunity to strengthen his championship reign by defeating him again.
I’m also interested in the Reina de Reinas Championship match. La Catalina ending Flammer’s lengthy reign was a significant development, and tonight’s Triple Threat should tell us whether the new champion is being positioned for a substantial run.
The Trios Championship match promises to be the most colorful contest of the evening, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up being a crowd favorite.
My only real disappointment is the decision to divide the event across three weeks. I understand the television considerations, but I’d rather see a major event presented as one complete show. Rey Fénix against Mini Vikingo is one of the matches I’m most interested in, and we’ll have to wait another week to see it.
Still, Héroes Inmortales carries an important tradition, and it’s good to see AAA honoring its history while continuing to showcase its current stars.
My most anticipated match tonight: El Grande Americano vs. Dominik Mysterio.
My most anticipated match of the entire event: Rey Fénix vs. Mini Vikingo.
AAA Héroes Inmortales begins tonight at 9 p.m. Central Time, with streaming available in the United States through YouTube.
Until next time, this is Stinger, signing off from the rafters.
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