Amid reports that several AAA stars, including AAA Mega Champion Alberto Del Rio, had signed new deals as part of WWE’s acquisition of AAA, new details have emerged regarding the nature of those contracts and WWE’s strategic goals.
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com clarified the situation, emphasizing that these are new WWE contracts—not extensions of existing AAA deals—and that the signings are largely focused on WWE’s expansion into the Mexican market.
“These signings are for the Mexican market. It’s not like Alberto is going to show up on Raw or SmackDown,” Meltzer explained. “Vikingo may—or at least on NXT, I would expect. That’s the basis. These are new deals, and more people are expected to sign new deals.”
Meltzer also highlighted WWE’s caution when it comes to showcasing non-contracted talent, referencing the situation where AEW featured Stephanie Vaquer at Forbidden Door, only for WWE to subsequently express interest.
“WWE is very guarded to make sure they don’t fall into the situation AEW did… They don’t want to expose someone—particularly on the Los Angeles show (Worlds Collide)—unless they have them under a WWE contract.”
As for Alberto Del Rio, Meltzer noted that his deal is less about wrestling appearances and more focused on licensing and marketing opportunities tied to AAA’s top stars.
“With Alberto, it’s more about licensing—to do all the marketing stuff WWE would want to do with the top stars of AAA.”
While some talent like Vikingo may appear on WWE programming (especially NXT), others—including Del Rio—are expected to be used differently, reinforcing WWE’s effort to secure top international talent while maintaining control over their presentation.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for continued coverage of WWE’s acquisition of AAA and what it means for talent across both promotions.
