In the year 2000, Mexican wrestling was not merely a spectacle of masks and holds; it was a territorial war between two empires: the Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), guardian of tradition since 1933, and the Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA), the rebel born in 1992 at the hands of Antonio Peña, who spirited away a handful of stars from CMLL to revolutionise the ring with hardcore chaos and exaggerated drama. Both companies fiercely vied for dominance on Mexican television, specifically on Televisa, the media giant that broadcast them. But in June of that year, the rivalry leapt from kayfabe to the brink of reality, culminating in a historic event called Padrísimo, where the "Mexican titans" not only clashed in the squared circle, but did so with clenched fists, backstage resentments, and a ban that would last for decades. This is the chronicle of that day – and the ones that preceded it – when the invasion of Los Vipers and an uncontrolled brawl marked a before and after.
The Fuse: The Invasions of Los Vipers, a Bold Strike by AAA
It all began as a masterstroke by AAA, not scripted by Televisa, but orchestrated by the company itself to sow chaos and steal the spotlight. Los Vipers – AAA's iconic rudo stable, led by Cibernético and comprising beasts like Abismo Negro, Electroshock, Psicosis II, Histeria, and Maniaco – were chosen to "invade" CMLL's sacred territory: the Arena México.The first invasion, occurring in early June 2000, was captured only in an ephemeral fragment from a Televisa Deportes news bulletin. Los Vipers burst in mercilessly at a televised CMLL event, interrupting matches and provoking the locals with a direct assault. There were no disguises or subtleties; it was a raw attack that left the crowd agog and the Lutteroths – the family owning CMLL, headed by Salvador Lutteroth III – furious at the disrespect to their "cathedral of wrestling". This move was not approved by Televisa, already creating backstage frictions: AAA was playing dirty to promote the imminent crossover.But the second invasion, days before the big event, became legend. Los Vipers, disguised with fake masks imitating CMLL wrestlers, sneaked into the Arena México as impostors. The moment of revelation was pure pandemonium: upon removing their masks, they unleashed a massive brawl that spilled across the ring, the stands, and even the surrounding streets. Fists, kicks, and flying chairs; security intervened, and Los Vipers were "expelled" in a scene straight out of an action film. Videos from the era, such as the one shared on YouTube titled "La invasión de la triple A", capture the mayhem: it was an angle designed by AAA to humiliate CMLL, but the intensity made many fans swear it was real. The Lutteroth family saw this as a personal affront, and the resentment simmered.
These invasions were not just hype for Padrísimo; they were a reminder of the ideological chasm. CMLL represented technical purity and the honour of masks, while AAA bet on visceral spectacle, with hardcore elements that purists at CMLL scorned. Televisa, eager to capitalise on Father's Day, forced the collaboration for a mixed event, but the poison was already injected.
Padrísimo 2000: The Clash at the Plaza de Toros México
On 17 June 2000, at the Plaza de Toros México – a massive venue with capacity for 20,000 souls – arrived Padrísimo, the only official event where AAA and CMLL shared a card. Organised by Televisa as a "padrísimo" gift for Father's Day, it included not just wrestling, but varied entertainment: music, comedy, and a family touch. But the true main course was the crossover in the ring, with mixed matches pitting rivals from both companies face to face.
The main match was stellar:
- La Parka, Octagón, Súper Porky, and Rayo de Jalisco (mixed) vs. Shocker, Pierroth Jr., Abismo Negro, and Cibernético (mixed): Here, the sides intertwined, but the tension was palpable.
And amid this whirlwind, a comic moment arose that humanised the disaster: Negro Casas, the legendary CMLL rudo, emerging "soapy" from the bathroom to join the brawl. Picture the scene: the idol with soap on his body, towel in hand, dashing to the ring to defend his company's honour. It was a slapstick touch on a night of fury, reminding us that even in war, Mexican wrestling has room for the absurd.Was the brawl real? The voices of those involved – from Shocker to members of Los Vipers – suggest yes, at least in part. The resentments from the prior invasions, CMLL's wounded pride, and AAA's audacity turned the angle into a partial shoot: legitimate strikes, improvisations, and visceral energy that left bruises beyond the show.
Beyond the Ring: The Ban and the Eternal Legacy
Padrísimo was not the success Televisa dreamed of. The gate was decent, but the event left a bitter taste: CMLL, enraged by the unauthorised invasions and the ring chaos, banned any future collaborations with AAA. The Lutteroths closed the doors, isolating CMLL in its traditional bubble until alliances like the one with NJPW in 2012 and AEW in 2023. AAA, meanwhile, forged its rebellious path, expanding globally until its partial acquisition by WWE in 2025.Today, in October 2025, with AAA as WWE's "sister" (after Worlds Collide and appearances at Triplemanía XXXIII) and CMLL allied with AEW (Grand Slam Mexico broke records), the rivalry revives in a transnational context. The "American colossi" have globalised these Mexican titans, but the echo of Padrísimo resonates: a lesson that, when they clash beyond the ring, Mexican passion knows no bounds.That 17 June 2000 was not just an event; it was the day wrestling revealed its raw soul. Was there a winner? No. But the war, eternal, continues to inspire generations. And what if we one day see a Padrísimo 2.0? Fans dream it... but the Lutteroths, probably, do not.
Sources consulted include historical accounts and wrestlers' testimonies. For more details, check videos of the invasion on YouTube or analysis on forums like Reddit.