Does the WWE Have a Vikingo Problem?
WWE has been on a roll when it comes to working with other wrestling promotions. From their partnership with TNA to the acquisition of AAA Wrestling, WWE has put a spotlight on expanding its wrestling horizon to all parts of the world. WWE’s success hit a new high following a great night of wrestling at AAA Triplemanía XXXIII, where the event drew over 4.3 million viewers in the first 24 hours of broadcasting the show. Despite the recent success, there was a dark cloud that flew over WWE after the event, and it had to do with the AAA Mega champion El Hijo del Vikingo successfully defending his title in a Fatal Four-Way match in the main event. The fans, instead of cheering for the babyface overcoming the odds, received the champion with boos. The situation with El Hijo del Vikingo has become a situation they need to address as soon as possible.
El Hijo del Vikingo, the son of legendary AAA wrestler King Vikingo, made his debut for AAA in 2017. Throughout his time in wrestling, he has competed for multiple wrestling organizations, including AEW and TNA. Vikingo reached the pinnacle of AAA when he captured the AAA Mega Championship in a five-way match to claim the vacant title. Vikingo would hold on to the championship for a record-breaking 833 days before vacating the title due to injury. After making a full recovery, Vikingo would fight his way back to the top, where he would have his opportunity to become a two-time champion against Alberto El Patrón, and this is where the problems began.
After WWE acquired AAA, many wondered if WWE would keep the title on Patrón, considering his rocky history with the WWE. Patrón was fired from the WWE due to unprofessional conduct after hitting a social media manager whom he claimed had made a racist joke. After being reinstated to WWE, Patrón would leave WWE a second time by mutual consent due to family commitments. Patrón’s time outside WWE was filled with controversy, from abuse allegations from then-girlfriend Paige to accusations of aggravated kidnapping and sexual assault in 2021. Patrón’s career seemed to take a turn for the worse, and it was evident that WWE no longer wanted anything to do with him. Patrón would be cleared of all accusations, and it would allow him to wrestle in other wrestling promotions. Despite his history, Patrón became a fan-favorite in Mexico, especially among the AAA faithful, where he would capture the AAA Mega Championship.
Before his title defense against El Hijo del Vikingo, WWE accidentally leaked the result of the match, with Patrón dropping the belt to the challenger. This angered many fans, as they believed that Patrón deserved a second chance at wrestling. Despite the outrage, El Hijo del Vikingo would defeat Patrón to win the AAA Mega Championship. Through boos and insults, it was obvious that WWE was high on Vikingo and wanted him to be the face of AAA. Things became more complicated for WWE when Patrón would be forced to leave AAA after losing a match against El Mesías, where the stipulation was that if Patrón lost, he would be exiled from AAA. Many fans believed this was WWE’s way of getting rid of Patrón from the company without confronting the backlash head-on. This decision would return to haunt WWE, as Vikingo would receive heavy boos at every event he appeared in. Patrón had become a beloved superstar across Mexico, and the fans weren’t about to let WWE off easy.
With Triplemanía XXXIII fast approaching, many expected WWE to respond to the fan reception that Vikingo was receiving. In the lead-up to the fatal four-way match, two unlikely WWE superstars suddenly became fan favorites in AAA: those being El Grande Americano and Dominik Mysterio. Although El Grande Americano’s character hasn’t gone over well with the fans in the United States, it became an instant hit in Mexico, but the superstar who received the most praise was Dominik Mysterio. Despite playing a heel, Mysterio received a standing ovation when he attacked Vikingo during a AAA show in Mexico. It was very clear that the AAA fans now had their new favorite, and with the rumors circulating that WWE wanted Mysterio to become the new face of AAA, fans expected the title to be put on him.
Vikingo was heavily booed during the main event, even getting booed whenever his face would show up on the screen. Despite this, Vikingo would shockingly retain the championship. The fans erupted in boos, not happy with WWE’s decision to keep the title on the man who they believed was not chosen by them. Many went to social media to voice their unhappiness. How did WWE not listen to their fans and pivot? Although WWE saw Vikingo as a star, it was very obvious that they didn’t make the right decision. Now, fans are wondering if WWE will now listen to their displeasure and put the title on someone they want to cheer for.
The 28-year-old wrestler will defend his AAA Mega Championship against Dominik Mysterio at Worlds Collide in Las Vegas. This would be the perfect opportunity to give the fan-favorite the title, but with WWE’s track record of not listening to the fans on certain issues, they’ll have to wait and see if WWE will do the right thing. Vikingo, who has shown his talent and amazing abilities to perform in the ring, became the unfortunate victim of questionable booking. Vikingo can easily be a world champion in any wrestling promotion, but in this situation, it’s better to listen to the fan reactions and pivot from their current plans.
