After Roman Reigns walked away from LA Knight on Monday’s episode of Raw, The OTC was greeted by Rey Mysterio in Gorilla. He had a short conversation with the WWE legend and it was a hint that something big was coming. On Wednesday, WWE posted an announcement via Mysterio sharing their plans for Reigns’ next title defense.
Beginning on Monday, August 10, WWE is hosting a luchadores tournament on Raw, SmackDown and AAA. The winner of the tournament will receive a title shot against Reigns on the September 14 episode of Raw in Mexico.
Key Facts at a Glance
Everything announced:
- Announced: Wednesday, August 5, via a Rey Mysterio video on WWE’s social channels
- Tournament begins: Monday, August 10, on Raw from Norfolk, Virginia
- Field: luchadores from Raw, SmackDown and AAA
- Prize: a World Heavyweight Championship match against Roman Reigns
- Title match: Monday, September 14, in the main event of Raw
- Venue: Arena Ciudad de México, Mexico City
- Significance: first Raw broadcast from Mexico City in more than 15 years
- Mysterio’s role: AAA General Manager and WWE Hall of Famer
- Not yet announced: the bracket, the field size, and the full list of competitors
The bracket has not been announced and WWE has not said how large the field will be. A video package accompanying the announcement showed several likely entrants, with Penta among them. He is coming off a 152-day Intercontinental Championship reign, which makes him the name to watch.
Mysterio framed the booking around where it lands. “Mexico is the home and heart of Lucha Libre,” he said, adding that the winner gets to represent all of it.
READ MORE about Roman Reigns and WWE’s AAA push:
It’s hard to say exactly who will participate in the tournament, but if Dragon Lee is healthy, he’ll likely be included. We could also see Mr. Iguana, Dominik Mysterio, Penta, Rey Fenix, Pagano and others. I love this spin and how much WWE is investing in the success of AAA.