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Injured WWE Star Makes Surprising Comeback At AAA TripleMania 33

By Monika Thapa • Published Aug 17, 2025 06:23 EDT
AAA TripleMania WWE 33

AAA TripleMania XXXIII, the 33rd edition of Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide’s biggest event, took place on August 16, 2025, at Arena CDMX in Mexico City with over 22,000 fans in attendance.

This year was historic as it marked the first TripleMania under WWE’s banner after their acquisition of AAA. Wrestlers from RAW, SmackDown, and NXT brands joined AAA stars, making it the most-watched TripleMania in Mexican wrestling history.

WWE’s Otis Makes His Wrestling Return

The opening match of the night was the Copa Bardahl (Bardahl Cup), a battle royal featuring 14 stars from AAA and WWE [La Parka, Laredo Kid, Joaquin Wilde, Abismo Negro Jr., Taurus, Aero Star, Mecha Wolf, Cruz Del Toro, Otis, Pimpinela Escarlata, Cibernético, Microman, Omos, and Octagón Jr. (in order)]

After being sidelined for months, the Alpha Academy stable member returned as the ninth entrant, signaling his official return to in-ring action following injury. He quickly eliminated four competitors before being taken out by Microman. The Bardahl Cup, eventually won by Omos.

Otis had been missing from WWE television for almost three months before TripleMania 33. His absence was due to an elbow injury sustained during a match against Rusev on May 5, 2025, where a post-match attack sent him shoulder-first into two ring posts, leading to significant damage.

Medical reports confirmed the 33-year-old powerhouse underwent arthroscopic elbow surgery to address the issue, which required a careful rehabilitation period.

Rey Mysterio Promises the Return of Alberto Del Rio

Amid the TripleMania festivities, Rey Mysterio addressed the audience in a passionate promo. During his promo, the fans in attendance started chanting for Alberto Del Rio. The chants were met with a bold statement from Mysterio, who promised to bring the Del Rio back.

“I’ll bring him, wait on me,” Mysterio said in Spanish.

Alberto Del Rio, a former WWE and AAA champion, is known for a career filled with triumphs and controversies, including multiple WWE releases and a dramatic AAA run punctuated by both title wins and suspensions for unscripted incidents. Mysterio’s public vow suggests that the new WWE-AAA partnership could indeed pave the way for Del Rio’s controversial return.