AAA TripleMania XVIII

June 6, 2010
Mexico City, Mexico

1. Octagóncito vs. Mini Abismo Negro vs. Mini Charly Manson vs. Mascarita Divina vs. Mini Psicosis vs. Mini Histeria vs. Mascarita Sagrada vs. La Parkita vs. Mini Chessman - Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Match – 5
My immediate though when I saw that not only was this a minis match but it was a minis TLC match was that it was going to be bad. However, I really had a lot of fun watching this. they didn’t take long to get to the highspots. For the record, they are using some very interesting looking ladders here that look like an industrial step ladder crossed with a metal paint ladder. Nine participants seemed like a bit much, especially when most of them didn’t contribute anything and just took up space. Some of the highspots of note here: Mascarita Divina hit a pretty awesome springboard headscissors to the outside which was followed up by a corkscrew plancha from Octagoncito. My favorite spot was the front judo slam La Parkita gave Mini Histeria off the apron through a table. Finishing spot was a sunset flip by Octagoncito off the ladder putting Mini Abismo through a table. Fun little match to open with (no pun intended).

2. La Legión Extranjera (Sexy Star, Rain & Jennifer Blade) vs. Cinthia Moreno, Mari & Faby Apache - 2
From the beginning, this turned into a giant mess with legality issues galore and the heel ref not doing a damn thing. Sexy Star had a nice dive to the outside. Moreno seemed to be the glue that sort of held this together but when the referee takes takes the best bump and has the best sell of the match, you know you’re in trouble.

3. Los Maniacos (Silver King & Último Gladiador) vs. Beer Money (Robert Roode & James Storm) vs. Atsushi Aoki & Go Shiozaki vs. La Hermandad 187 (Nicho & Joe Lider) - Four-Way Elimination Match - 3
The three wrestling powerhouse countries – Mexico, Japan, and the U.S. – are represented here. I was really disappointed in the performance of Aoki and Shiozaki here. None of the big offense I’m used to seeing them bust out. Seemed like they were just there for a check. I’ve seen bunches of Lider matches and he has yet to impress me. This was no exception as the only decent thing he did was a backcracker. Konnan interjected himself causing Nicho and Lider to get eliminated. Beer Money was just coasting. Their offense was weak and I couldn’t tell if there stuff was over or not because there weren’t any mics on the crowd. Most intensity I saw from them was when Storm tried to rip Silver King’s mask off. Never saw a single tag either, just an 8-man free for all.

4. Team Hijo del Tirantes (Alex Koslov, Chessman, & Hernandez) vs. Team Pierro (Heavy Metal, Octagón, & Pimpinela Escarlata) - Steel Cage Lucha de Apuesta Match - 4
Not quite sure what a Lucha de Apuesta Match is but apparently it’s a match where all members of a team have to escape the cage. That seems like weird backward booking to me because once you leave the cage, you leave your team at a disadvantage and your eliminated from competition. There was a great close-up of Heavy Metal’s face as he was being double teamed by Hernandez and Chessman and it looked like he was crying. Escarlata was pretty awful, doing a character where he is, to steal a line from Monty Python, “a bit suspect”, if you know what I mean. There were some big dives off the circular lighting rig atop the cage towards the end of the match by the rudos. Hernandez hit a huge splash that damn near killed Heavy Metal. Moments later, Chessman attempted a moonsault from the same spot but missed and crashed into the canvas. Bonus point for the dives but the in-ring during the rest of the match was pretty bad.

5. Cibernético & Abyss vs. El Zorro & Vampiro - Extreme Rules Match - 2
Saying that this match is extreme is like saying that Steve Zissou’s crew in “The Life Aquatic” is as good of an oceanography team as Dr. Robert Ballard’s. Only thing extreme about this was the interference from people such as Daniels, Nosawa, Chessman, Hernandez, and Konnan, who ran-in during the bout at one point or another. Abyss is sporting the red and yellow here and I’ve tried really hard to forget when he was a goofball babyface sporting Hogan’s colors. Vampiro looks terrible in the ring. Zorro was nailing people with kendo sticks and chairs. We get treated to a mid-match stare down with Vampiro and Konnan. Dear Christ, please tell me we’re not getting another singles match between the two. Last time I saw them one-on-one (Rey de Reyes ’09), it was one of the worst matches I’ve ever seen.

6. Jack Evans vs. Extreme Tiger vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Nosawa - Four-Way Elimination Match – 6
When I think of lucha, this is what I think of – non-stop action with lots of high risk moves. Nosawa’s contributions were pratically nil and he was the first eliminated. I’m not a buyer of the Jack Evans package. His offense is really weak and the only thing he brings to the table is the fact that he constantly flips around like an olympic gymnast. Tiger really stepped up and provided some nice spots, including one where he did a 450 to the floor on Nosawa. Evans and Daniels worked really well together in the last part of the match, including some good nearfalls and a spot where Evans tried a 450 and landed hard on Daniels’ knees.

7. Dr. Wagner Jr. vs. Electroshock – 4
For what is considered AAA’s biggest show of the year, these guys should’ve been going all out and matching each other move for move, especially since this was for the AAA Super Mega title. Instead, what we got was an effort that never really got out of first gear and starting with them working holds during the first five minutes of the match. Wagner’s running senton off the apron was nice along with Electroshock’s superplex and suicide dive. Ending felt really anti-climactic when Wagner hit the Wagner Driver as everyone had pretty much given up on the match by that point.

8. L.A. Park vs. La Parka – 6
For the most part, this was a good match. L.A. Park moved pretty well for the big dude that he was. La Parka took a hell of a beating. If the match was no rules, then it wasn’t specified as these two used chairs and tables to destroy each other. By the end of the bout, La Parka was beaten bloody and both guys masks were almost ripped clean off their costume. The end really hurt this for me. Not only was there a ref bump, both managers interfered with L.A. Park shoving his and nailing the other with a chair. Park’s manager then hit him with a chair and then a heel ref came in to do a fast count. Probably would have been in the “7” range if not for the goofy ending.