Rumor Killer on AEW & CMLL’s Partnership Containing Rule Preventing Non-CMLL Talent on AEW Shows

Fightful Select reported that their sources denied being true recent reports and rumors of AEW’s current partnership with Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre containing a rule that no longer allows any non-CMLL contracted Mexican talent to work at AEW shows if CMLL talents are booked for those shows.

This rumor originated from a report from Dave Meltzer in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter about AEW CEO Tony Khan had agreed to a very restrictive term with CMLL for their new partnership no longer allowing any Mexican talent, regardless if they had ever worked for Lucha Libre AAA or are under an AEW contract, to appear on AEW shows if CMLL talent were also booked for those shows. Meltzer report stated that Mexican talent who had been booked in the past for AEW shows were mad at Khan for agreeing to that term and Penta El Zero Miedo was involved in a recent backstage incident following Chris Jericho’s recent cruise event where he attended this past Wednesday’s Dynamite show due to the belief he would be booked for it, only to find out that he could not appear on the show due to AEW had booked CMLL guys for both Dynamite and Rampage tapings that night.

It was reported that those within AEW have outright denied this being the case and pointed out Komander had appeared on the January 31st AEW Dynamite show that featured CMLL talents as well.

In regards to the reason for Penta not being booked for AEW shows this week, it was reported that this was not due to any CMLL-related issue and instead it was due to him dealing with travel-related issues this past week.

It was reported that the only rule in place regarding CMLL talent for AEW shows is that they are not allowed to be booked in the same matches and storyline angles with AAA talent. This rule is something that CMLL has in place with their other partners, such as New Japan Pro Wrestling.

In regards to the potential source of the rumors, TheCubsFan reported that it is very likely that Meltzer’s anonymous source was AAA head booker Konnan. TheCubsFan speculated that AEW officials likely have the long term goal of wanting to remove any restriction about CMLL and AAA talents not being allowed on the same show, albeit likely for non-wrestling segments and not actual matches involving AAA and CMLL talent directly competing against each other.

The source for the Penta/AEW/CMLL story is left uncredited; it does not appear to be Penta itself. It makes the entire story read differently if it is indeed the booker for AAA arguing that AEW needs to stop using CMLL guys, which is a problem with anonymous sourcing. Konnan may not have done is purely for AAA/CMLL reasons – Penta is his guy, he’s sticking up for him – but it’s part of the story if it is him. In the past, whenever a story like this crops up in the WON, Konnan says the same story using many of the same words on his (previously recorded) podcast in the next few days. I guess we’ll know if that sequence happens again.