AAA Verano de Escándalo review: Lucha Bros win titles from Young Bucks in thriller, new women’s champ

Verano de Escándalo emanated from Merida, Yucatan as one of AAA’s marquee events. The show featured two title changes, one of which involved the Lucha Bros and the Young Bucks, a crazy high jump by Aerostar that ended dangerously, and a significant amount of high-flying maneuvers. Let’s jam on it with a recap and review.

Lucha Bros take back the AAA tag team titles

The Lucha Bros attempting to regain the AAA tag team titles from the Young Bucks was the match on the card that most people were clamoring to see.

Earlier in the evening, Fenix and Pentagon cut a promo saying they were going to win the tag team titles from the Young Bucks. Konnan came out to talk smack. He called the people of Merida losers and the Lucha Bros losers as well. Pentagon told that pinche pelon that it will be the last time Konnan gets to come to his country and insult his people. Pentagon said something about how Konnan is washed up. Konnan responded by slapping the taste out of Pentagon’s mouth. That led to the Young Bucks attacking the Lucha Bros from behind.

Konnan was not present for the actual match. There are theories saying that promo segment was done to create heat on the Young Bucks so the fans would know to boo them. If so, then it worked.

The tag team championship contest began with the Young Bucks turning around into a pair of superkicks from the Lucha Bros. The bout was full speed ahead with a bunch of exciting maneuvers and trademark spots. One sequence that stood out was Matt Jackson doing three consecutive Fisherman suplexes to Fenix then adding Pentagon to the mix on the fourth to suplex them both at the same time.

Fenix had a crazy dive through the ropes and crashed hard into the crowd.

The match was enjoyable, but it was the ending sequence that made it special. The Lucha Bros connected on their teamwork flying butt stomp into a package piledriver. 1, 2, Nick Jackson pulled the referee’s foot from outside the ring.

A flying attack by Fenix to the outside hit the ref by accident. In the ring, Matt kicked Pentagon in the cojones then yanked off his mask. The Young Bucks connected on the Meltzer Driver. 1, 2, Fenix broke the count by pulling the ref out of the ring by his foot.

Nick came over and accidentally kicked the ref in the head. Fenix kicked Matt in the balls and crushed him with a rolling cutter, but the ref was out of commission. The backup ref sprinted down to make the count. 1, 2, Matt got his shoulder up.

The Lucha Bros hit double superkicks to each Buck. They executed their teamwork finisher again. Pentagon went for the cover, while Fenix charged at Nick with a tope con hilo. 1, 2, 3! The crowd erupted in jubilation.

That was the most excited I’ve seen fans in a long time.

I haven’t watched their match together at AEW’s Double or Nothing, so I can’t compare the two. I will say that this was easily the best bout of the evening. I believe the broadcast peaked with Twitch viewers during this match. At the end of the bout, 13,500+ were on the Spanish feed and 6,500+ were watching in English.

The Lucha Bros may now be AAA tag team champs, but the feud isn’t over.

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Keyra is the new Reina de Reinas Champion

Lady Shani defended her title against Chik Tormenta and Keyra in a triple threat to open the show. The match didn’t get off to the best start, but it wasn’t their fault. The production cut to a countdown clock and we missed the first few minutes. Harumph.

Once the stream was back, the ladies pulled off some neat moves. Lady Shani had a cool standing double submission.

Chik Tormenta had a flying double knee drop off the apron onto Shani’s chest and face. Shani was also the base on a Tower of Doom.

As for the finish, some blurry screen stream issues kicked in. Keyra won on a roll-up to pin Shani, but I’m not sure how it was set up.

Keyra’s victory was a major surprise, in my opinion. AAA had been building toward Shani vs Taya for over six months. I thought that matchup was a lock for the Triplemania XXVII card, but I guess not anymore. Shani bowed to the crowd afterward. Perhaps there is a backstage reason for her loss and she may have some time away. It will be interesting to see which direction the women’s division heads from here.

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How will Tessa Blanchard enjoy chilaquiles with a broken jaw?

The mixed tag match of Laredo Kid and Taya versus Daga and Tessa Blanchard was the bout I was most eager to see. It was rock solid. I’d say it was the second best bout of the evening.

Daga and Tessa entered with matching red gear and busted out lots of teamwork sequences.

There were plenty of highlights all around, such as a Michinoku Driver by Laredo, two moonsaults by Laredo, a huge cutter by Tessa, a flying crossbody by Taya to the outside, a froggy moonsault by Laredo to the outside, a 450 splash by Laredo, and this super badass German suplex by Daga.

I’ve never seen that set up to a German suplex before. It is so damn cool.

For the finish, Daga pulled out a pair of brass knuckles from his boot. Unfortunately for Daga, he accidentally socked Tessa in the jaw to knock her silly. That led to Daga and Laredo fighting up in the corner, and Laredo getting the better of Daga on a hugging Spanish Fly to win.

Before the match, I planned to use this tweet to say Tessa would either be celebrating or finding solace with a plate of chilaquiles.

But, how is she going to chew that scrumptious meal with a possible broken jaw? So sad to drink chilaquiles through a straw.

For those unaware, chilaquiles is a tasty Mexican breakfast dish of fried tortillas, red or green sauce, and crumbled cheese. That’s the base. It might be topped or served with chicken, beef, beans, onions, avocados, eggs, or whatever else. They are common in hotel buffets as a way to use yesterday’s tortillas.

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Other action from Verano de Escándalo

Let’s hit the rest of the card.

Dr. Wagner Jr. with momentum heading toward Triplemania XXVII

The main event tag team bout with Dr Wagner Jr. and Psycho Clown facing Blue Demon Jr. and Taurus was very heavy on brawling. Wagner was busted open early to bleed. The rudos dominated for a long time until Wagner came alive with a double clothesline. Psycho followed with a flying crossbody to both rudos. The tecnicos kept that pace with a suicide dive by Psycho through the corner ropes and Wagner with a running cannonball off the apron.

Wagner blasted Blue Demon in the head with a chair, ripped his mask, and peppered him with punches to open a bloody wound. For the finish, Wagner hulked up to rip open his t-shirt and land a back body drop to send Blue Demon through a table. Wagner closed the bout with a sitdown slam to win.

That pin on Blue Demon gives Wagner momentum heading toward their singles showdown for mask vs hair at Triplemania XXVII on August 3.

Fashion Mercenaries

The biggest story from the trios bout of La Parka, Myzteziz Jr., and Hijo del Vikingo against Texano, Rey Escorpion, and La Hiedra was that Los Mercenarios had new matching gear. They looked a little like an S&M biker fetish with beret hats. To borrow a line from Cagesider The Great Wall of Slow in the live results, “Mercenarios coming out like the French Hells Angels.” La Hiedra was wearing it well though.

It was funny that this match specifically had a no disqualification stipulation. It felt like most of the card was disregarding the rules and using foreign objects. Perhaps the no DQ was so La Parka could do a comedy bit about sticking his finger in Texano’s butt over and over again.

The match was won by Hijo de Vikingo with an inverse 450 splash to La Hiedra.

Chessman failed at chess against a cool cat

The trios bout of Pagano, Aerostar, and Puma King against Chessman, Monster Clown, and Killer Kross was the one with Aerostar’s big jump going wrong.

The match was all over the place with the use of chairs, a cookie sheet, a trashcan lid, a ladder, and more. Scarlett Bordeaux accompanied Killer Kross and got involved by hitting some luchadores with the foreign objects. She also hit a sweet Romanian Destroyer. Kross impressed the most as a wrecking machine with suplexes, helicopter slams, powerbombs, and chokeslams.

In the end, Chessman set up the chess board, but... I don’t know anything about chess to make a pun. Chessman put a ladder across two chairs and intended a super hurricanrana to Puma King. However, Puma King countered into a super powerbomb to Chessman onto the ladder to win.

Oof. That had to hurt.

Kross’ three year unpinned streak in AAA remained in tact. He dismantled Puma King after the trios defeat by crushing the cool cat with a Saito suplex, helicopter slam, powerbomb, and took his mask.

Sammy Guevara & Australian Suicide continue to save lucha libre

Sammy Guevara and Australian Suicide, along with Jack Evans, are the Guardians of Lucha Libre. They proved why in their match against the Fresas Salvajes, Mamba and Maximo. Most of the match focused on exotico comedy, such as hip grinding and kisses. Guevara and Australian Suicide played along as pompous heels.

There were some cool moves though. Australian Suicide and Guevara took turns on standing moonsaults. One for each then Australian Suicide added a frog tuck to his second standing moonsault. Mamba and Maximo had a double flying attack with a cannonball and a suicide dive.

Guevara and Australian Suicide protected lucha libre by winning on a trio of aerial assaults to Mamba. Guevara lifted off for a Swanton Bomb, followed by Australian Suicide with a 450 splash, followed by Guevara on a shooting star press to win. Jack Evans would have been proud then immediately get cranky about something else.

Faby Apache trashed Hijo del Tirantes

Faby Apache entered wearing a title belt. It may have been a newly won championship from Consejo Tejano de Lucha Libre. I’m not sure if it is a good look bringing an unknown title to one of AAA’s major shows. I guess it makes her look important to new viewers who aren’t aware. In that sense, mission probably accomplished.

Faby took on her current nemesis, crooked referee Hijo del Tirantes. In true rudo fashion, Tirantes did not come alone. Chik Tormenta was by his side and often made it a handicap fight. Her involvement was blatant in the ring, but the officiating referee didn’t seem to care.

The best moment of the match was Faby running wild with a cookie sheet. Tirantes tried to escape, but she cut his path off and walloped him.

The finisher was Faby doing a flying dropkick to Tirantes who was conveniently holding a trashcan for extra impact. After the match, Tirantes offered a handshake to squash their beef. Faby played to the crowd if she should accept, so the rudos instead decided to put the boots to Faby.

This bout was certainly no technical masterpiece, but it was good for laughs and satisfying to see Faby get a little payback on Tirantes.

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Verano de Escándalo was a mixed bag. The show for new viewers was probably pretty cool as something different to experience. For weekly viewers like myself, the execution of maneuvers wasn’t so good. I don’t know if the locker room was hungover from partying after Saturday night’s show in Cancun or if the heat (high 90’s F) played a role. Almost every single match had sloppy moments and/or complete botches. I’m not saying that to be a smarky smark fancy pants. The luchadores usually seem so smooth and on target each week, but not last night in Merida.

Here is Keyra getting no bounce on the ropes.

Check out Myzteziz Jr. in the gold gear on a dangerous looking springboard shooting star press.

Those examples were some of the not so bad ones, but they are normally executed with fluidity.

Even with so many unsmooth instances, Verano de Escándalo was still enjoyable overall. The atmosphere was unique. The announcers in Spanish enhanced the drama. The Lucha Bros vs the Young Bucks had a dynamite finish and an even better crowd reaction. The show was free too, and you can’t beat that.

For the worker of the night award, I’d give it to the cookie sheet. That sucka was used in three separate matches. It was already dented as heck in its first outing, but that didn’t stop the cookie sheet from offering its services again and again. After all that action, it will still probably report to the bakery in the morning to help make fresh baked treats. That’s a true wrestling warrior.

Which was your favorite match? What was the best moment of the show? Are you interested in seeing the feud continue between the Lucha Bros and the Young Bucks?

If you want to watch Verano de Escándalo, there is an option to pay 5 dollars for a monthly subscription on Twitch to get on-demand access at your leisure. Or, wait a few weeks until it pops up on YouTube as part of AAA’s TV show, Conquista Total.