Hugo Savinovich has officially shut down rumors of real-life heat between El Hijo del Vikingo and El Grande Americano following AAA’s FOX debut on January 17, 2026.
Speaking on Lucha Libre Online on January 20, 2026, Savinovich said he spent nearly an entire day investigating the viral controversy that began after a #1 Contender’s Match between Vikingo and Americano aired on January 17.
The moment in question saw Americano apparently tell the referee, “Tell him to be careful with my neck for f**** sake,” followed by Vikingo delivering a kick to the neck during a corner spot. Americano responded with a sharp “Chinga tu madre,” sparking widespread speculation about legit heat between the two. But Savinovich was quick to shut that down.
“Well, this has to do with Hijo del Vikingo. There are rumors—rumors that many American pages fell into—and they are not true,” he said. “I verified this throughout the day, and as of this hour I’ve continued investigating along with my team.”
He reviewed footage of the moment, spoke to multiple sources, and ultimately concluded that “when you actually watch the video, you realize it’s nothing out of the ordinary.” According to Savinovich, a big part of the misunderstanding came from misinterpreting a common Mexican phrase. During the match, Vikingo can be heard saying “Hey, okay,” before delivering a strike—but Hugo clarified that this shouldn’t be read as aggressive or disrespectful.
“In Mexican culture, that expression does not mean what it might mean elsewhere,” he explained, cautioning fans against taking the clip at face value without cultural context.
He also pointed to the size difference between the two men and their respective styles as factors that may have made the moment look more intense than it really was. More importantly, he stated that El Grande Americano is a veteran—and if there had been a real issue, it would have been addressed in-ring or backstage.
“If he had been bothered or felt legitimately hurt, he would have locked him up, gone into a full hold, or immediately communicated it to the referee,” Savinovich said. “A veteran—an all-pro—like El Grande Americano knows how to handle that situation. If this match had taken place in the United States and there had been a real injury risk, the match would have been stopped… That did not happen here because it was not warranted.”
Addressing claims that Vikingo was reckless or unprofessional, Hugo made it clear this wasn’t about in-ring safety, but rather narrative assumptions driven by recent character shifts.
“Hijo del Vikingo is incredibly talented, and there was already tension due to what happened with Alberto Del Río and the championship, which is why Vikingo was turned heel,” he said. “It feels like this narrative was pushed to make it seem like ‘Hijo del Vikingo injures wrestlers.’”
Savinovich doubled down, stating that if there had truly been a problem, the response would have been unmistakable. In fact, Hugo revealed that the opposite happened as the two hugged it out after the match.
“If that were true, there would have been a receipt. In wrestling, that means you warn someone, and if they don’t listen, you hit them back—not to injure them, but to send a message. None of that happened. Exclusively, I can tell you that after the match, the two hugged,” he confirmed. “At no point did Undertaker or any creative authority say anything about it.”
He also clarified that no one was reprimanded or pulled aside by creative, production, or agents after the match. Savinovich closed by reaffirming that this was a classic case of wrestling speculation gone too far.
“There was no real issue here,” he said. “There was no production or post-production meeting about it. No one was pulled aside.
I spent almost the entire day verifying this because the last thing I want is to hurt El Grande Americano, Hijo del Vikingo, or Triple A. This situation matters. I repeat: I was informed there was no issue. After the match, they hugged, and that’s the reality.”
With this thorough debunking, it’s clear that the alleged drama between Vikingo and Americano is nothing more than a misunderstood moment in an otherwise intense, competitive match.
Do you think the internet went too far in spinning the El Hijo del Vikingo–El Grande Americano situation? Or does something still feel off? Drop your thoughts below and let us know where you stand.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
