Following a successful crossover event with Lucha Underground, Impact Wrestling made another big announcement, this time for their upcoming Redemption PPV in April. The card will now feature a one-on-one match between two of Lucha Underground’s top stars and two of wrestling’s biggest free agents, Pentagon Jr. and Fenix.
BREAKING: OFFICIAL FOR REDEMPTION: @PENTAELZEROM will face @ReyFenixMx on Aprill 22nd on PPV! pic.twitter.com/YuF8kgftdr
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) April 7, 2018
Pentagon Jr., who goes by Pentagon Dark in Lucha Underground, and Penta El Zero M (short for cero miedo which translates to “zero fear”) on the independent circuit, left AAA a little over a year ago, joining real life brother Fenix, now going by Rey Fenix, in becoming free agents. In a way, that’s what makes this match so interesting that it’s happening now.
Impact and AAA began an official partnership in March of 2017, two months after Pentagon walked out on the company. Fenix himself had already been gone at that point, leaving AAA in 2016. The two began touring as The Lucha Bros and have worked extensively in the U.S. in the past year-plus. Pentagon and Fenix have teamed up for PWG, the 2017 Wrestlecon Supershow, CZW, WrestleCircus, Beyond Wrestling, and most recently BAR Wrestling, where they took on the Impact team of L.A.X. Currently, the two are tag team champions in Wrestling Alliance Revolution, and are former champions from PWG.
The two have also wrestled against each other on several occasions, both in Lucha Underground and on the independent circuit. Their last singles match came in January at MLW Single Hour where Pentagon defeated his brother. The outcome was much the same at the Impact vs Lucha Underground crossover, as Pentagon, who worked under his AAA/LU ring name, Pentagon Jr., defeated Impact Global Champion and Grand Champion, Austin Aries, and Fenix, who also worked under his AAA/LU name.
#IMPACTvsLucha @ReyFenixMx @PENTAELZEROM
WATCH FREE: https://t.co/YVYC8ADweJ pic.twitter.com/edoug5is7a
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) April 7, 2018
Given the AAA partnership as well as the show being co-branded with Lucha Underground, it wasn’t surprising that Pentagon and Fenix were able to use their AAA names, something that hasn’t been the case throughout the indies. Notably, PCW tried to book Pentagon and Fenix a year ago, only to receive a cease and desist from Lucha Libre FMV, which is a joint venture between AAA and Lucha Underground. A lot can change in a year however as now, AAA is partnered with Impact, and Lucha Underground has pulled back on the exclusivity of their contracts, allowing guys like John Hennigan (LU’s Johnny Mundo/Impact’s Johnny Impact), Brian Button (LU and Impact’s Cage/Brian Cage), and Sam Johnston (LU’s Jeremiah Crane/Impact’s Sami Callihan) among others, to work for both promotions.
This brings us back to the Pentagon Jr. vs Fenix showdown set for Redemption. This is a huge match for Impact to get given both Pentagon and Fenix are names that draw. Entering season four of Lucha Underground, which as was announced last night is set to premiere on El Rey Network on June 13, Pentagon is Lucha Underground Champion. Fenix is also a very popular character in the temple and could be set for big things this season as well.
.@PENTAELZEROM picks up the win over @ReyFenixMx. They'll go one on one at Redemption – who will come out on top then? #IMPACTvsLucha pic.twitter.com/YpOjAnp0zX
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) April 7, 2018
With both Fenix and Pentagon having left AAA, this match if anything (despite being branded with a AAA logo), will be more of a Lucha Underground showcase than anything else. And that means this could be the start of some additional crossovers and expanded partnerships. These are two North American indies, both of which are televised. If a match like this is a suggestion that the two will be working together more often going forward, its only going to benefit both in the long run.
