Now granted we didn’t have this thing called Youtube in 2001 that you could put the shows up on. But I think the WWF could have got WCW tv clearance back then if they really tried to. But Vince McMahon was determined to make an example out of WCW for daring to go up against him for all those years and well we got what we got. Triple A though is being allowed to succeed and that’s a good thing for wrestling in general. Triplemania 34 Night 2 which I watched was an outstanding show and I was so happy to see El Grande Americano win the Triple A Mega Championship. It’s amazing how something that was supposed to be a joke has turned into what it is now. It’s amazing what competent writing can do for someone.

Speaking of competent writing, RAW the other night was by far the best RAW in ages. Aided greatly by a crowd that was on fire for everything that was going on in front of them. I don’t think this episode of RAW would have come off quite so well had it been somewhere in front of a dead crowd in the states. Roman Reigns for all the crap he gets for being boring and predictable in the ring…well, he had his working shoes on Monday night. I jumped out of my seat twice when Penta hit the Mexican Destroyer on him both times. While Penta didn’t win, it still was a damn good match and easily will be a match of the year candidate when all the awards for the 2026 year come out.

As we descend into the Autumn of 2026 (well up here in the Northern hemisphere), the war between AEW and the WWE continues to heat up and once again the WWE is going head to head with a big AEW PPV. On September 27th both AEW and WWE will be in the same general area of greater Chicago going up against each other with competing shows. Only thing is the WWE Show which is a super show featuring talent from WWE/AAA/NXT might not be broadcast live.

If that’s the case one of a two things might be happening. One, this is something they’re gonna broadcast on that Club WWE thing. Or Two…they’re just running a show for the sake of running a show to screw with AEW. Either way they don’t really care about the WWE show. It’s just a pawn in the game of life against AEW. Well, AEW’s show sold out so even if this WWE Supershow does well it won’t matter because AEW can report they had a sellout crowd. So, even though this might be a glorified house show for the WWE, AEW has won the night even if the WWE decides to do nothing with this show in the live broadcast sense.

I was talking to a friend about this column earlier and they said the WWE should not even dignify AEW exists. The more they do stuff like this where they compete up against AEW they make AEW seem more important than they are. I mean when it comes to it, AEW has like half the viewership of the WWE on a good week. There’s no real reason why the WWE should be running shows up against AEW. This is nothing new though because it’s a tactic they have employed for the last Forty five years or so.

If someone has a big show the WWE will run up against them. NWA had Starrcade…so the WWF created Survivor Series and essentially blackmailed the cable companies to picking them over the other. If you don’t pick us…you’re not getting Wrestlemania. Well, Wrestlemania is a huge ticket item so of course they were gonna choose them over the other guys.

The WWE has always had this bully mentality. There’s plenty of room for AEW and other companies to co-exist in this world. But the WWE is all “we must destroy them”. That’s why I’m honestly surprised they’re running Triple A the way that they are. They could have pillaged the company and hoarded the top talent and the video vaults. But they aren’t doing that. I guess it’s one thing to own a company and another to let it just exist on it’s own terms.

In the end I don’t think it will matter what the WWE does on All Out weekend. Show the show on youtube…don’t…show it somewhere else…doesn’t matter. AEW’s All Out will do good for AEW and that’s all that matters.

On the plus side for the WWE, I do love that Sami Zayn has been redeemed and is the WWE Champion once again. Whether the WWE only put the belt on him because they didn’t want to do a Roman vs. CM Punk match at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia is up for debate…assuming Sami can even hold the title for that long. But some in the wrestling business think Sami is not good for business. I think they are wrong. I personally believe a good heel as champion is better than a babyface who destroys everyone in his path. I like the chase and Smackdown has a whole crop of guys who will make for great chasers for Sami’s title. Though we have to get passed Money in the Bank in October and see what happens then with that.

That is it for this week. As always you can leave feedback down below, over on Twitter or email me directly at phantomlordnyc@gmail.com

The post The Phantom Rant: Thought’s on yet another AEW vs. WWE battle appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.

In case you missed it, go to YouTube.com to watch the replay of the live stream of AAA Noche de los Grandes from May 30, 2026. Just go to the 1 hour and 11 minute mark, sit back & enjoy.

The funny thing is that the El Grande Americano gimmick was supposed to be a joke and “something to do” for Chad Gable. However, even though the gimmick seemed to be a tad tasteless at first, Chad took it seriously and was starting to get over on WWE television. Then, unfortunately, Chad got injured and rather than shelving or ending the gimmick, WWE made a unique decision to put Ludwig Kaiser under the mask. Just as it was CLEARLY Gable, this was CLEARLY Kaiser… But, and I’ve heard this from independent wrestlers who have wrestled under a mask, something happens when you mask up… The character takes over and the confidence goes through the roof.

Kaiser went from wrestling as a parody character to taking it damn seriously by incorporating himself into the Mexican community and heritage while actually speaking Spanish with the character. After portraying a heel for most of his WWE career, this babyface charisma comes out of Kaiser and he’s able to connect with fans in Mexico.

Then, out of a stroke of pure luck for Kaiser, WWE purchases the AAA promotion during Wrestlemania 42 week and now, he was given a platform to shine further. Many thought WWE and especially TKO would “ruin AAA”, especially with Alberto Del Rio as champion, but WWE and TKO haven’t yet. In fact, it’s thriving and growing into being a valuable asset for both WWE to manage and TKO to own. As you saw last night, the two El Grande Americanos put on a major main event that had AAA fans fully invested.

The amazing thing is how a real life arrest could have added to Ludwig Kaiser’s popularity in Mexico. The “Elevator Incident” has been a subject of debate, as Ludwig was reportedly getting very romantic with his Andrea Bazarte while another person was in the elevator. Reportedly, he said something to the effect of “have some manners” but other reports said he said something more such as “I’m going to call ICE on you”. Kaiser reportedly jumped out of the elevator and fought the guy, getting the better of him, and then Kaiser was arrested afterward. I believe the “victim” said something lewd, as Kaiser has too much to lose by getting arrested. Whether it happened or not, Kaiser possibly stomping a guy for saying “I’m gonna call ICE on you” endeared him with fans further within Mexico. Yet another stroke of luck, though the legal process will be a painful thing for Kaiser.

Now, one thing that I want to address is this whole “Undertaker is a better booker than Triple H” and “AAA is better than WWE” chatter happening online.

For one, Triple H is Chief Content Officer. Anything that happens in AAA or NXT is reported upward to Triple H. The Undertaker does NOT have a direct to the offices of TKO. No, he reports directly up to Triple H. Now, Triple H is a less micro-managing boss, as HHH gives his direct reports a ton of freedom. For example, look at Shawn Michaels running the NXT promotion with mostly creative freedom. Further, look at Michael P.S. Hayes right now as a match producer. Hayes is THRIVING and is seriously evolving into being as great as Pat Patterson in match design and producing.

Further, look whose talent that the Undertaker gets to have on his AAA promotion… Most of those guys are Triple H signed guys and the El Grande Americano wrestlers, both of them, were signed by Triple H originally and given those gimmicks by Triple H’s creative team. Wrestlers thriving under HHH’s creative direction, such as Dominik Mysterio and Lola Vice, are wrestling for AAA as well. I’ll shut my mouth when Undertaker takes a raw talent and morphs him, but Undertaker is basically taking existing WWE talents and putting them on a new platform and in a new environment.

If Undertaker was such a creative genius, why didn’t Vince McMahon EVER promote Undertaker to any creative decisions? You could suggest “well, Undertaker was a wrestler”… Yes, a part-time one with plenty of free time to help with creative. But he was NEVER asked by Vince. Further, Undertaker retired from in-ring action following the 2020 Wrestlemania yet he still wasn’t invited to join the creative team from 2020-2022 when Triple H was no longer there.

FACT is that the Undertaker was placed in charge of a creative team for AAA under Triple H.

Another FACT is that a Vince McMahon-led WWE would have NEVER purchased AAA. Remember, Triple H had major pushback when he tried to open NXT installations overseas such as in Europe (which gave us Walter aka Gunther along with Ludwig Kaiser). The WWE without Vince McMahon did purchase AAA and under Triple H’s role managing both TALENT and CREATIVE, AAA is thriving and placing Undertaker in charge, with full creative control, was a Triple H decision and he has the right to change it, if needed. But he won’t because he nurtures his direct reports instead of micro-managing them.

Another fact to emphasize is that Vince McMahon HATED smaller wrestlers AND hated Lucha Libre style wrestling. He’s dabbled in it at times, but always squashed it in the end. He gave major pushback to pushing Eddie Guerrero back in the day and he loved Rey Mysterio only because he sold metric tons of merchandise. Any attempts at having a Lightweight Title or Cruiserweight Title were always crushed by Vince, while any attempts to push smaller or foreign wrestlers (unless they fit what he personally liked, weird or tall) were also stomped on.

There is NO WAY that Vince McMahon would ever let Chad Gable vs. Ludwig Kaiser headline a show, ever.

Even if Vince McMahon would have purchased AAA, he’d ruin it. Remember what happened when he tried to revive Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) multiple times? And DAMN, he completely ruined World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and its top stable New World Order (NWO).

However, AAA was purchased by today’s environment with Triple H in charge who takes better care of talent and provides them better opportunities, while empowering over members of WWE management to succeed without having someone breathing down their necks. In one night, both Chad Gable and Ludwig Kaiser were catapulted into big stars and now WWE firmly has a 4th promotion and platform for its wrestlers to success and to cover more territory to sell to fans.

My only worry is that executives at TKO are getting HARD at this opportunity to pull revenues out of Mexico… “Another ATM machine, boys!”

Before TKO sends Pat McAfee or Jelly Roll to be featured on the next big AAA show, let’s just take it in and enjoy what the WWE has accomplished in LESS THAN 2 MONTHS as the owner of AAA…

For anyone saying “this was better than Wrestlemania 42”. Huh? WWE owns AAA, so AAA is a WWE promotion. If AAA takes off and does well, the WWE does well as a line-item on TKO’s Income Statement. AAA is managed by WWE and its wrestlers are employed by WWE.

This was like the many times when someone would say “NXT’s PLE was better than any of WWE’s PLEs this year”. So? NXT is owned by WWE. That’s a GREAT thing when another branch of WWE succeeds. More money and more opportunities for WWE to grow its already absurdly big brand.

Congrats to WWE… They have TWO “Match of the Year” candidates with CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns from Wrestlemania 42 and now the El Grande Americano Mask vs. Mask match-up and we’re only 5 months into 2026. WWE is now drawing strongly throughout all of North America. Oh no, they’re getting stronger!

Let’s get a reasonable understanding of what has happened for the past 4 years… Triple H returns to Creative and Talent during June 2022. Everything associated with WWE has exploded in growth ever since, WWE has more stars to market than ever, more revenues poured in that ever, and HHH’s management styles empowers others to DO MORE with their role in WWE. Prior to June 2022, WWE was too dependent on Vince McMahon’s opinion and decisions THUS limiting its growth. Now, HHH allows others to succeed and make independent decisions without him hand holding them as Vince would. As long as Undertaker doesn’t make ridiculous decisions with AAA, Triple H will let him thrive AND allow Mark to get the credit.

Are you picking up what I’m putting down? Get in a rowboat by yourself and see how far you can go upstream. However, if you have a full team with you and grabbing paddles to row in unison, you’ll go further and faster up the stream.

AAA succeeding is a bi-product of a successful WWE culture in place led by Triple H. The spin-offs from the main WWE will be successful because Triple H won’t micro-manage them. He’ll just monitor from far away and add any feedback that he feels is necessary. Chad Gable and Ludwig Kaiser just benefitted massively from a changed WWE culture that led it to buying AAA and giving them a platform that main roster WWE didn’t.

May 30th was a GREAT night for the WWE, period, and a GREAT night for fans in Mexico because now AAA has competence in management and an open door policy for other WWE talent to walk through and perform in front of them.

Now, the WWE has major opportunities with Chad Gable and Ludwig Kaiser. For Gable, he’s free of the gimmick and can now be pushed as what he said after his match with Kaiser… He’s a former Olympian. If I were WWE, I’d push Gable HARD like the next coming of Kurt Angle but serious this time.

For Ludwig Kaiser, he’ll be able to draw serious money in Mexico for a while, but he has serious potential to return to the WWE as El Grande Americano or even himself. I think now, WWE has a serious babyface challenger to place against Gunther and their past alliance creates the easiest storyline to tell, ever.

For me, I’m now fully invested in AAA and shall watch more of their content. I was loosely keeping up with it here or there, but I want more of what I just snorted on Saturday Night.

That’s how you do it, folks… Wrestling is that simple. Anytime you see momentum, you nurture the talents involved to see where it can go. During previous years, WWE did their best to destroy careers after killing momentum that Vince McMahon didn’t personally agree with. Hence trying to kill CM Punk’s momentum during 2011 or Daniel Bryan during 2013, while guys like Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, Dean Ambrose had to leave the WWE to find success elsewhere (luckily, WWE gained Cody and Drew back).

As an executive, let your managers manage and trust them to do their job. Not only does it build a stronger culture, but it places lesser pressure on 1 manager. “No man is an island” as John Donne once said. AAA is going to keep blossoming because Undertaker can have FUN at his job and be allowed to keep having fun!

Mr. Tito Column Archive @ NoDQ

The post MR. TITO: The Impact of the El Grande Americano Mask vs. Mask AAA Match and Why AAA is Thriving with WWE appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.