Verano de Escándalo (2026)

Background

Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA), originally known as Asistencia Asesoría y Administración, held the first Verano de Escándalo event on September 14, 1997.^[1] Verano de Escándalo was an annual event from 1997 until 2011, usually held in September. In 2012, AAA changed their major event schedule as they pushed Triplemanía XX from the typical June or July date to August.^[2] Due to the schedule change, AAA did not hold a Verano de Escándalo event in 2012 and 2013. In 2014, Verano de Escándalo returned as an annual event typically held in June or July, filling the void left when Triplemanía was moved.^[3][4]

On the June 13, 2026, episode of Lucha Libre AAA, AAA announced that the 26th Verano de Escándalo event would take place on Saturday, July 25, at an unannounced venue in Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Mexico.^[5] The following day, Fighful reported that the event would be held at Arena San Marcos.^[6] On the July 11 episode of Lucha Libre AAA, AAA General Manager Rey Mysterio announced that Verano de Escándalo would be a three-week event, airing every Saturday on Lucha Libre AAA from July 25 to August 8.^[7]

Broadcast outlets

As part of the media rights agreement with Fox in Latin America that was announced on November 25, 2025, Verano de Escándalo aired live across Fox platforms in Latin America.^[8] The event was livestreamed on WWE and AAA's YouTube channels and Facebook pages outside of Latin America.^[9]

Storylines

The event features professional wrestling matches that involve wrestlers from scripted feuds. The wrestlers portray either heels (referred to as rudos in Mexico, those that play the part of the "bad guys") or faces (técnicos in Mexico, the "good guy" characters) as they perform.^[10]

On the June 20, 2026, episode of Lucha Libre AAA, a revived Los Perros del Mal (Daga, Berto, Angel, Bronco Nima, and Karmen Petrovic) appeared and attacked El Grande Americano.^[11] The following week, Perros del Mal assaulted El Fiscal after Abismo Negro Jr. bailed on their match.^[12] On the July 11 episode, Perros del Mal interrupted a tag team match between Money Machine (Colmillo De Plata and Garra De Oro) and the team of Epydemius Jr. and Noisy Boy to attack them. Daga called out Americano, threatening to continue their assault unless he tries to stop them. Americano then appeared with Los Americanos (Rayo Americano and Bravo Americano), but Perros del Mal's numbers advantage overpowered the trio. Then, AAA Mega Champion Dominik Mysterio came out with a steel chair and cleared Perros del Mal out of the ring. He then challenged any two members of Perros del Mal to a match against him and Americano, reuniting Los Gringos Locos 2.0.^[13]

In Week 2 of Noche de Los Grandes on June 6, La Catalina, Bayley, NXT Women's Champion Lola Vice defeated Las Tóxicas (AAA Reina de Reinas Champion Flammer, La Hiedra, and Maravilla), where Catalina pinned Flammer.^[14] On the June 13 episode of Lucha Libre AAA, Las Tóxicas attacked Vice after Hiedra and Joaquin Wilde failed to defeat Vice and Mr. Iguana for the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship; Catalina and Bayley came out to save Vice.^[15] Two weeks later, Vice defended the NXT Women's Championship against Hiedra, who was accompanied by her Las Tóxicas stablemates Flammer and Maravilla. Catalina came out to neutralize Flammer and Maravilla to allow Vice to retain her title. After the match, Lady Shani came out to help attack Las Tóxicas.^[16] The following week, Shani defeated the AAA Reina de Reinas Champion Flammer in a non-title match after Catalina prevented Flammer from using the title belt as a weapon.^[17] On the July 11 episode, AAA General Manager Rey Mysterio announced that Flammer was scheduled to defend the AAA Reina de Reinas Championship against Catalina and Shani in a triple threat match at Verano de Escándalo.^[13]

On the July 11 episode of Lucha Libre AAA, Mini Vikingo defeated Dragon Lee and Jack Cartwheel in a triple threat match to earn the right to challenge Rey Fénix for the AAA World Cruiserweight Championship. AAA General Manager Rey Mysterio made the match official for Verano de Escándalo.^[13]

At Alianzas on November 1, 2025, La Hiedra and Mr. Iguana lost the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship against Chelsea Green and Ethan Page.^[18] On the February 7, 2026, episode of Lucha Libre AAA, Page and Hiedra, who defended the title on behalf of an injured Green, lost the title to Lola Vice and Iguana, Hiedra's old tag team partner.^[19] Over the following months, Hiedra had a few failed attempts to recapture the title with different partners.^[20][21] On the July 18 episode of Lucha Libre AAA, La Hiedra and Laredo Kid defeated Faby Apache and Joaquin Wilde to earn the right to challenge Lola Vice and Mr. Iguana for the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship at Verano de Escándalo.^[22]

On the July 11 episode of Lucha Libre AAA, AAA General Manager Rey Mysterio vacated the AAA Latin American Championship after previous champion El Hijo del Vikingo suffered a knee injury.^[23] The following week, Mysterio announced a tournament, where the winners of the four triple threat qualifying matches advance to a fatal four-way match for the title at Triplemanía 34. The first qualifying match took place after the announcement with El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. advancing to the four-way final after defeating Abismo Negro Jr. and Texano Jr..^[22][24] At Verano de Escándalo on July 25, AAA announced that Lince Dorado would replace Dragon Lee, who was unable to compete due to a ligament tear in his thumb.^[25]

Week 1

Week 1 opened with AAA General Manager Rey Mysterio speaking to the audience in the ring. He was then confronted by El Ojo (Omos and Dorian Roldán); Roldán blamed Mysterio for causing previous AAA Latin American Champion El Hijo del Vikingo's injury by making Vikingo wrestle on WWE SmackDown. He then threatened Mysterio if the title was not returned to El Ojo, but Mysterio rejected Roldán's request. El Ojo then left.^[26]

Week 2

Week 3

AAA Latin American Championship Tournament