Johnny “Hardy” Replaces Jeff Hardy In TripleMania Main Event
Jeff Hardy’s arrest for DUI last Monday morning not only threw AEW plans up in the air but also had a major effect on AAA and its main event for TripleMania XXX: Tijuana, where Jeff and his brother Matt Hardy were scheduled to face Dragon Lee and Dralistico. So who would it wind up being? The long-lost Hardy brother who happened to look a whole lot like a certain Johnny Elite. That would be because it was Johnny Elite, or should I say Johnny “Hardy.”
In a promo segment that aired during TripleMania XXX: Tijuana, Matt Hardy revealed that the former John Morrison, and man of many names, would be adopting the Hardy name for the evening to team with Matt against Lee and Dralsitico. Sadly it would not be a decision that worked out for Matt, as he and “Hardy” fell to the Los Faccion Ingboernables members to close out the show.
The loss came, shockingly, due to miscommunication between the first-time partners. A furious “Hardy” would turn on Matt after Matt accidentally knocked the former AAA Mega Champion off the apron. Lee and Dralistico would then take advantage, with Dralistico finishing Hardy off for the win.
After the match, the once again Johnny Elite/Caballero/Morrison/whoever then turned his attention to attacking Lee and Dralistico. He quickly got his comeuppance when Matt hit him with a Twist of Fate. The show ended with Lee, Dralistico, and Hardy shaking hands and then celebrating in the ring in front of the Tijuana crowd.
The TripleMania XXX: Tijuana main event capped off a long week for Hardy and a long, eventful show for AAA. During the four-hour-plus event, fans saw AAA Reina de Reinas Champion Taya call out AEW Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa, Rey Fenix unifying the AAA Latin American and Cruiserweight Championships, and the unmasking of Chik Tormenta, among other notable highlights.
Perhaps the biggest news coming out of the show however was Penta Oscuro’s defeat in the Ruleta de la Muerte tournament, at the hands of Blue Demon Jr. Due to the loss, Penta will now be forced to put his mask on the line against Villano IV in the Ruleta de la Muerte Finals at TripleMania XXX: Mexico City, taking place this October in, you guessed it, Mexico City.
