Roman Reigns will defend the World Heavyweight Championship on the September 14 episode of Raw in Mexico City, and his challenger will be decided by a tournament open to luchadores from Raw, SmackDown and AAA.
AAA general manager Rey Mysterio made the announcement in a video released by WWE, confirming the winner earns a shot at Reigns at Arena CDMX. The tournament is set to begin on next week’s August 10 Raw.
AAA Talent Gets A Route To WWE’s World Title
The format is the story here. Putting AAA names in the same bracket as Raw and SmackDown talent hands the Mexican promotion’s roster a direct path to WWE’s top championship, not a one-off cameo spot on a Mexico City card.
WWE’s original announcement for the Mexico City run advertised Penta, Dominik Mysterio and El Grande Americano among the Superstars scheduled to appear, all obvious candidates for a bracket built around lucha libre. Penta reunited with brother Rey Fenix in a WWE ring for the first time last week, which adds another wrinkle if both end up in the field.
It also pays off the closing scene of the August 3 Raw in Des Moines. That show ended with Mysterio approaching Reigns backstage, reminding the champion he now runs AAA, and telling him he wanted to run something by him. The conversation itself happened off camera.
WWE’s Mexico City Week Keeps Growing
WWE has built an unusually heavy week around the market. SmackDown emanates from Arena CDMX on September 11, which WWE says is the brand’s first Mexico City show in 15 years. TripleMania 34 Night 2 runs from the same building on September 13, with Raw following on September 14.
Reigns has held the World Heavyweight Championship since WrestleMania 42 in April and turned back Seth Rollins in the SummerSlam Night 2 main event. He is also advertised for the October 5 Raw in St. Louis and for Money in the Bank on October 10 in New Orleans.
WWE has not yet revealed the tournament field or the bracket.
