WWE’s development agreement with AAA has become even more complicated. After the initial report, Alberto El Patron (formerly Alberto Del Rio) is one of several names signed through a partnership with WWE’s AAA, and a new statement from Super Luchas editor-in-chief Ernesto Ocampo turns that story into mind.
The original report said WWE is locked into multiple outstanding names in the AAA, including Hijo Del Vikingo, Hijo De Wagner, La Hiedra, La Hiedra, Lady Flammer, Lady Maravilla and Niño Hamburguesa. But the inclusion of Elle Patron – gave him a nasty past – fans were furious.
The battle of blogs I tried to clarify things and reported: “As far as I know, WWE never ‘gives’ a contract to Alberto. The AAA signed a deal with Alberto last year when he decided to build a promotion around him. WWE will assume the contract when it takes over the company.
Now, Ocampo sets the records straight and takes shots in the process. On Twitter, he wrote: “AAA contracts are a joke. Any lawyer could void them. WWE offers contracts backed by TKO and includes many provisions that the AAA has not explained.
He also added a significant update on WWE’s recruitment plan, saying: “The people on the list have already signed it. Some from the AAA, along with those they hope to bring from CMLL, are still pending.” This shows that WWE is not just pulling from the AAA. They also see talent from CMLL, and could change the landscape of Lucha Libre’s representation at the global stage.
El Patron may be technically contracted with AAA, but that doesn’t mean WWE has the intention to introduce him. Especially in the US, his track record with WWE, his releases in 2014 and 2016, legal troubles in 2020, and his reputable reputation make his future unclear.
What’s clear is that WWE is handpicking the people they want from the AAA, and those decisions aren’t merely inheriting the contract. With the potential CMLL name, WWE appears to be strategically restructuring its Latin American approach to wrestling.
