On June 5, 2018 it was reported that AAA secured two dates to run a show at Madison Square Garden due to MSG executives being unhappy with WWE running rival venue Barclays Center instead of Madison Square Garden with MSG executives being more open to other wrestling promotions running the venue. On June 22, 2018 it was reported by Pro Wrestling Insider that AAA would push the show date from fall 2018 to September 2019 with the promotion using the second date as backup date for Las Vegas show. In April 2019, it was announced that Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide would be running a show at Madison Square Garden. During the press conference held about the future event in MSG, it was announced that tickets would be available for sale on May 5. Lucha Invades NY was intended to be the second professional wrestling event held at Madison Square Garden by a professional wrestling promotion not owned by the McMahon family since November 14, 1960. It was later reported by Wrestling Observer Newsletter journalist Dave Meltzer that AAA initial ticket sales for the event were 2,000 tickets. On August 16, it was announced that the event would be held in the much smaller Hulu Theater inside of Madison Square Garden. Later it was reported by Pro Wrestling Insider that AAA's decision of running Hulu Theater was made two weeks before the announcement after meeting with MSG executives to move the venue due to its poor initial ticket sales.
Storylines
The show featured eight professional wrestling matches, with different wrestlers involved in pre-existing scripted feuds, plots and storylines. Wrestlers portray either heels or faces as they follow a series of tension-building events, which culminate in wrestling matches. In her return to Impact Wrestling on September 27, 2018, Taya Valkyrie challenged Tessa Blanchard to a title match for the Impact Knockouts Championship. At Bound for Glory, Blanchard retained the title by using the ring ropes. Three weeks later, Taya received a rematch, which was once again won by Blanchard who attacked the referee and got herself disqualified, retaining the title in the process. At Homecoming, which took place on January 6, 2019, Taya won the Impact Knockouts Championship after the special guest refereeGail Kim performed her finishing move that allowed Taya to execute her own finishing move before she pinned her. A rematch from Homecoming, this time for Blanchard's AAA Reina de Reinas Championship, was later signed for Lucha Invades NY. On October 26, 2018, at Héroes Inmortales XII, Blue Demon Jr. betrayed Dr. Wagner Jr. during Wagner's match against Jeff Jarrett, which Wagner still won. In December, Blue Demon Jr. continued to cement his role as Wagner's rival. On February 10, 2019, Wagner emerged victorious against Blue Demon Jr. in a Street Fight and that same night, challenged Demon to a Lucha de Apuestas, a challenge that was not answered at the time. On February 27, AAA announced that Blue Demon Jr. and Wagner would face off in a Luchas de Apuestas as the main event of Triplemanía XXVII. At Triplemanía, Blue Demon Jr. defeated Wagner, forcing Wagner to shave his head. After the match Wagner announced his retirement from professional wrestling, however, the next day after Triplemanía XXVII, Wagner declared that it was not his last match as a wrestler and he would fulfill his commitments before his final retirement in 2020. A Triplemanía No DQ rematch was then announced for Lucha Invades NY. In February 2019, former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez made statements branding Lucha Libre as "fake" and "a show without real blows." On March 26, at an AAA press conference, Velasquez announced that he had signed with the company and was then confronted by a group on AAA wrestlers, including Texano Jr. On July 2, AAA announced that a trios match pitting Velasquez, Psycho Clown, and Cody Rhodes against Los Mercenarios and a surprise partner was signed for Triplemanía XXVI. At the event, Velasquez's team was victorious. Velasquez's second match, which will see him team with Psycho Clown and Brian Cage against Los Mercenarios, was later announced for Lucha Invades NY.
