How AEW Patched Up Its Relationship With Another Major Wrestling Promotion

All Elite Wrestling and Lucha Libre AAA's relationship reportedly took a turn for the worse late last year when the Mexico-based promotion decided to book Dragon Lee and Dralistico to beat FTR for the AAA World Tag Team Championships, only for Lee to turn around moments later and announce he was heading to WWE on a developmental contract. Konnan would then confirm that there was "no malice or forethought" behind the booking decision, but confirmed that it upset AEW owner Tony Khan. But it now looks like the relationship between the two companies has been patched up as Kenny Omega will be taking on El Hijo Del Vikingo on this week's AEW Dynamite. 

Vikingo is one of AAA's biggest stars and was originally booked to beat Omega for the AAA Mega Championship back in 2021. Omega had to relinquish the title before their scheduled bout due to injuries and Vikingo has since held it for more than 460 days. And while the title isn't on the line, fans are salivating over the match's potential as it's Vikingo's first opportunity on this big of a stage.

Christopher Daniels, AEW's Head of Talent Relations, spoke with Wrestling Inc. this week ahead of his involvement in the Lucha Libre World Cup. The interview opened with Daniels addressing how AEW and AAA worked through their recent issues.

"Actually, I feel like it's in a good position right now. Konnan and Tony Khan recently had a meeting and tried to suss all that out, and I feel like we're in a good position," Daniels said. "We're in a good place right now, obviously, because I'm going to AAA to wrestle. So yeah, I feel like whatever miscommunications or misunderstandings, whatever that was, I feel like that's in the past and we're going to move forward and not dwell on that and try and be available. Each promotion is trying to be available for the other as its schedule permits."

He also hinted at some of the discourse surrounding the Omega/Vikingo match, namely that it was announced without much build for the 25-year-old star on AEW TV ahead of time.

"Well, I feel like the desire to have Vikingo as part of our show has been in the works for a while. It's just been a matter of logistics," Daniels said. "The demand for him is strong. We don't want to run him to death and schedule's finally permitted and here we are. So, I mean it's a great opportunity to expose Vikingo to a broader audience in the US. He's on fire right now across the independent scene. Everybody knows him from his stuff in Mexico and I think this is the first of what could be many opportunities for him in the United States."

Dave Meltzer also discussed the situation on Wrestling Observer Radio — "After what happened in December with the FTR thing, the relations with AAA and with AEW, which were frayed, very much so at one point, are at least to work together. And I know 100% that AAA really wanted this match to headline a Triplemania, the logical thing to say is that, as a show of good faith, you can have a rematch first."