LOS ANGELES -- The mystery behind Rey Mysterio’s backstage meeting with Roman Reigns on Monday Night Raw did not last long.
As Raw went off the air on Aug. 3, the WWE Hall of Famer and current AAA general manager approached the World Heavyweight Champion with a proposal, leading to plenty of speculation about what could be next for “The OTC.”
Two days later, WWE revealed the plan.
Mysterio announced Wednesday that Reigns will defend the World Heavyweight Championship against the winner of a tournament featuring competitors from Raw, SmackDown and AAA. The tournament will begin on next Monday’s episode of Raw in Norfolk, Virginia, with the winner earning a championship opportunity against Reigns on the Sept. 14 episode of Raw in Mexico City.
🚨🚨🚨@luchalibreaaa General Manager @reymysterio just announced a HISTORIC tournament featuring the best luchadores from #WWERaw, #SmackDown and AAA, and the winner will challenge @WWERomanReigns for the World Heavyweight Title on Raw in Mexico City on Sept. 14! pic.twitter.com/5MLkPOAhY8
— WWE (@WWE) August 5, 2026
The announcement gives WWE’s first Monday Night Raw return to Mexico after 15 years a world title match and places Reigns at the center of a crossover involving WWE and AAA talent.
The original tease came at the conclusion of Monday’s show, when Reigns walked backstage following the main event and was met by Mysterio. The AAA general manager told Reigns he had an idea he wanted to discuss, and the two walked away together as the broadcast ended.
That brief interaction immediately fueled speculation about a potential Reigns appearance at an upcoming AAA event, including Triplemanía or Worlds Collide. While those possibilities remain unconfirmed, WWE’s first announcement following the segment focused on the World Heavyweight Championship match in Mexico City.
The tournament itself has yet to receive a full bracket or confirmed list of participants, but WWE highlighted several possible contenders during Mysterio’s announcement.
Penta appears to be among the most notable names connected to the tournament. The former Intercontinental Champion has become one of WWE’s most popular luchadores and recently completed a 152-day reign with the championship. His presence would give the tournament an established star who could create a major matchup with Reigns.
Another name that has drawn attention is El Grande Americano, who was also featured during the announcement video. With the field expected to include wrestlers from across WWE and AAA, the tournament provides several potential directions before Reigns’ title defense is finalized.
For Reigns, the match adds another major appearance to his current World Heavyweight Championship reign. Regardless of who emerges from the tournament, the champion enters Mexico City as the clear favorite, but the environment could create a unique challenge.
A Mexican crowd rallying behind a luchador challenger gives the match a different dynamic than a typical WWE championship defense. The tournament winner will not only earn the title opportunity but will also walk into one of WWE’s biggest international settings with momentum behind them.
The announcement also continues the growing relationship between WWE and AAA following WWE’s acquisition of the promotion in 2025. Several WWE talents have already appeared in AAA, while AAA wrestlers have crossed over into WWE programming.
Now, that relationship is expanding to include one of WWE’s biggest stars.
The full tournament field and matchups have not yet been announced, leaving the biggest question unanswered: who will be the luchador standing across the ring from Roman Reigns in Mexico City?
For now, the answer will come through a tournament that begins next Monday on Raw.