Monday, March 14, 2011

DVDVR's Top 3 Lucha matches of the 90's

Here it is, this select group of fanboy's top selections of their their deepest love affair

#3- Psicosis v. Rey Mysterio jr (AAA, 09/22/95)- 8
For any fan who doesn'tknow about these guys history, this is an excellent trip through the Lucha Libre textbook. We've all seen their WCW work, the classic ECW style but this is in their home. 1st fall shows you that even aireal wizards like these two had to train in a dungeon somewhere to learn the basics and they must have trained together because they had a similar strategy, mostly armlock stuff. 2nd fall was the majority of their Nitro work, tons and tons of counters and working off the last big spot they pulled off. Psicosis has always been a little off the mark but here rey is so active you never notice and Psicosis relishes being the big guy and Rey's born to take punishment. 3rd fall was dive city, they took to the floor so many times youd' thought they were playing in the NBA. Dive after dive and they didn't hold back on any of them. And the near falls were dynamite, i haven't been lifted off the couch watching something like this since the ending moments of The Secrets of their Eyes. See this- now.

#2- El Hijo del Santo/ Octagon v. Love Machine/ Eddy Guerrero (AAA, 11/06/94, Mask v. Hair)- 7
It's always fun to relive this bout, i've seen it so many times and reviewed it several as well. The dynamic between Eddy and Barr was such a dynamic element I don't know if that kind of force has been seen in AAA since. 1st fall was super fast paced the crowd heat was off the charts, the LA Sports Arena filled with die hard Lucha fans and Eddie & Art playing the best heels they could, making swimming motions as if they jumped in the drink to get there. First caida goes fast with the heels dominating for an easy win. Barr is such a natural at the sport, bumping huge and playing to the crowd so well. 2nd caida gets down to Octagon for the super comeback and featured one of the most beautiful Lucha dive spots of all time as Santo and Octagon hit picture perfect suicide dives to the floor- they were the very mathematical definition of "parallel." 3rd caida gets really dramatic, as Barr hits the dreaded piledriver (illegal in AAA) to eliminate Octagon and they do a whole stretcher angle for him, as the tecnicos 2nd, Blue Panther evens the score with his own piledriver. Barr and Octagon are superb, lying on the mat for the whole 3rd round as if in a coma. Eddie and Santo go out with Eddie hitting huge power move one after the other trying to put the legend away, but can't do it and gets pinned in a rollup for a face win. Some of the spots were pretty bad looking, as far as technical aspect and there certainly were some flubs, such as the Gringos trying to outdo the faces suicide dives and failing miserably, but all in all this is still a wonderful match and introduction into AAA at the time.

#1- Negro Casas/ Atlantis/ Ultimo Dragon/ El Dandy/ Mascara Magica/ Shocker/ La Fiera/ Brazo de Oro v. El Hijo del Santo/ Dr. Wagner jr/ Felino/ Scorpio jr/ Black Warrior/ Kevin Quinn/ Satanico/ Silver King (CMLL, 04/18/97, 16 Man Cibernetico match)- 8

okay think i'll take a brief intermission, im' about 34 minutes into this 53 minute match. It's felt like a breeze watching this, the deal is both teams just exchange guys but also it works as a lumberjack/ elimination match. All of these guys are in their prime still and are moving like lightning. The fluid work, the armdrags, counters and work on the ground are just so refreshing to watch. My boy Atlantis scores first blood by taking out Kevin Quinn. Shocker pulled off an absolutely nutty dive where he went over the first row and landed on his head like he was a javelin in an Olympic game. He just spiked himself from about 8 feet away in a truly insane moment. Santo's team is getting picked apart incl. a very controversial Wagner jr elimination. Casas & Santo engaged in a nasty brawl, both stomping each other in the head like they were trying to kill a cockroach. Felino then went on a tear, taking out 4 guys in a row, some of them felt sort of weak. Ultimo and Felino squared off in the finale and why i liked this is it was all about intricate pinfalls, not big power moves ala Japanese style. I would love to see other fed have this kind of match, I thorougly enjoyed it.

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