JBL Believes AAA Is WWE's First Successful 'Integration' Of Another Promotion

Ever since WWE first took on the territories with Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan to create a global wrestling promotion, WWE has been at the top of the industry. In the years that followed, WWE went on to acquire competitors WCW and ECW, though many fans would argue that any integration into WWE was less than successful. 

Last year, WWE announced the acquisition of Mexican-based Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide, and fans expected much of the same, but commentator John "Bradshaw" Layfield believes the promotion still retains it's core identity while simultaneously overlapping with WWE programming on occasion. "WWE never did an integration very well," Layfield said on an episode of "Something To Wrestle." "The first integration that they have done well, by the way, is AAA."

JBL further argued that WWE's previous attempts at bringing in other promotions failed because of the mindset McMahon developed when he took on the territories, as he never forgot how territories wanted to end WWE before it took off. Because of that, he made a vow to always keep WWE at the forefront.

El Hijo Del Vikingo, former two time AAA Mega Championship, shares JBL's enthusiasm for the AAA/WWE relationship, describing it as a "win-win for everyone." In an interview earlier this year, Vikingo shared how he believes that WWE fans and AAA fans are getting exposed to both promotions' wrestlers, while the performers get to experience new audiences and have matches they wouldn't have had otherwise. 

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Something To Wrestle," and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.