AAA Executive On Why The Peña Family Sold AAA To WWE

AAA Executive Details The Story Behind WWE Buying Lucha Libre AAA

The landscape of Mexican wrestling shifted dramatically following WWE’s landmark acquisition of Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. More than a year after the agreement was finalized, AAA Director of Operations and Manager Dorian Roldán sat down on Bajo la Piel to share the detailed history, family motivations, and strategic business decisions that ultimately led to the historic sale.

According to Roldán, the decision was not a sudden departure from the company’s roots, but rather the ultimate fulfillment of the vision established by AAA founder Antonio Peña when the promotion was created in 1992.

Honoring Antonio Peña’s Global Legacy

Roldán emphasized that taking Mexican lucha libre to a global audience was the core mission established by his late uncle.

The Original Dream: “The one who created the company was my uncle, and what he wanted was for Mexican wrestling to reach the whole world and for his legacy to be seen globally. There are recordings where he says, ‘I want to take Mexican wrestling to the whole world.'”

Previous Global Efforts: Roldán detailed how AAA previously partnered with major Hollywood figures to expand international distribution, though these attempts fell short of their ultimate goal. “The family has made very strong efforts. We partnered at the time with MGM, with Robert Rodriguez, with Mark Burnett, with top-tier people to be able to take this to the next level. And there was always something that wouldn’t let us reach where we wanted to reach.”

The Hollywood Comparison: Reflecting on WWE’s involvement, Roldán drew an analogy to major film production. “An opportunity arose a few years ago to sit down with the people from WWE. When I go to the movies… I have many friends who aren’t that into Mexican cinema. They prefer to watch a Hollywood blockbuster. What happened now is that Hollywood came to Mexican wrestling.”

Timeline Of Negotiations & Corporate Institutionalization

The path to the deal was a long-term process involving multiple preliminary discussions spanning over a decade.

“What’s really important is that you want your property to reach the whole world. If I ask you today who created Coca-Cola, I think it would be hard for you to tell me who created Coca-Cola. My uncle is part of the history of wrestling, but we wanted to take AAA to the next level and I think we’re achieving it. There were three moments when we approached them.”

— Dorian Roldán on Bajo la Piel

2010 – Initial discussions held between AAA and WWE, but no formal agreement was reached.
2017–2018 – Talks resumed following the passing of Joaquin Roldán. WWE’s due diligence process revealed AAA was not yet institutionally prepared for acquisition by a U.S. public corporation.
2018–2024 – Dorian Roldán professionalized AAA’s corporate structure and operational standards, positioning the brand for a future global enterprise platform.
April 2025 – WWE officially acquires Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide.

Defensive Strategy And Business Realities

Beyond expanding Peña’s legacy, Roldán addressed the practical business environment that accelerated the deal, noting WWE’s global push following its partnership with Netflix and the risk of being left behind in the market.

Preventing Competitor Acquisition: “There was also the possibility that they would buy the competition. If they buy the competition, me fighting against the competition and them is crazy.”

Inevitable Market Entry: “They were going to enter Mexico with or without me. They closed a massive global deal with Netflix where they have to start conquering other territories, and money is the least of their worries. So, do you want to get on that boat or not?”

Business Over Ego: “The ultimate goal of a business is to generate money. One day… someone told me, ‘Fall in love with money, not the business.’ It’s your attachment to your creation, but that is more tied to your ego. If you’re at a great moment, with a great valuation, and you started the business to generate money, why wouldn’t you sell it? What’s the issue? I return again. The ultimate origin of a company… is to generate money.”

Roldán concluded that access to WWE’s global infrastructure, camera crews, merchandising channels, and distribution networks has successfully placed AAA on the world stage without erasing its rich Mexican identity.