THE MOSS COVERED THREE HANDLED FAMILY CREDENZA

ARTICLE #41
JUNE 3, 2002

Lucha Libre: Recent Greatness

(Aired 10/30/01) Best of 3 Falls: Mascarita Sagrada, Octagoncito &Tigrito Universitario vs Mini Abismo Negro, Mini Psicosis & Mini Electro Shock

PRIMERA CAIDA: Tigrito and Psicosis had a criss cross early and Tigrito scored with a dropkick after which Psicosis bailed out of the ring. Tigrito gave Shock a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Abismo gave Tigrito a couple strikes but Tigrito gave him a tilt-a-whirl headscissors. Tigrito teased a dive as Abismo ran for cover. Sagrada and Shock had a criss cross ending with Sagrada hitting a headscissors takedown. Abismo missed a clothesline, blocked a huracanrana attempt by Sagrada but Sagrada landed on his feet. Abismo lifted Sagrada onto his shoulders but Sagrada escaped his grip. Abismo punched Sagrada but Sagrada gave him a neat counter into an armdrag. Sagrada floated over Psicosis and armdragged him. Psicosis lifted Sagrada but Sagrada twisted around him, teasing a tilt-a-whirl headscissors, then a tilt-a-whirl armdrag, then a headscissors and finally deciding on a tilt-a-whirl armdrag. Keep in mind Sagrada did about 4 revolutions around Psicosis�s body during this sequence! Octagoncito and Abismo had a criss cross exchange. Octagoncito jumped to Abismo�s shoulders and backflipped off them to the mat. Octagoncito did a great fast tilt-a-whirl into an armdrag on Abismo. He also armdragged Psicosis and sent him head first out of the ring underneath the bottom rope, and the Mini Psicosis took a great bump reminiscent of the regular-sized original. In the craziest spot I�ve seen in a long time, Sagrada hit a tope suicida, but landed on Psicosis�s shoulders. In one fluid sequence he then maneuvered himself around Psicosis�s shoulders and armdragged him on the floor! Back in the ring Octagoncito monkey flipped Shock and dropkicked him out of the ring. Octagoncito then hit a GREAT somersault tope suicida on Shock. Abismo gave Tigrito a tilt-a-whirl slam but missed a moonsault. Tigrito then gave Abismo la magistral and pinned him to win the first fall at 3:54. A bit too much stalling early, but once they went to the spots this was in some other stratosphere. Sensational fall just for the spots.
SEGUNDA CAIDA: Shock and Octagoncito started with a criss cross and Octagoncito scored with a huracanrana. Shock hit Octagoncito with a forearm and whipped him into the corner but Octagoncito jumped to the middle rope. Octagoncito took Shock down by the hair, then flipped over him and gave him an armdrag. He gave Shock a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Abismo caught Tigrito with a dropkick as Psicosis slammed Octagoncito. Abismo suplexed Tigrito as Psicosis rammed Octagoncito hard into the corner. Shock also got the better of Sagrada and knocked him out of the ring with a forearm. Psicosis and Abismo gave Octagoncito a double flapjack and they and Shock gave him a triple dropkick to each side of his head. Abismo gave Tigrito a tilt-a-whirl slam and Psicosis followed with a top rope senton for a pin. Shock slammed Sagrada and gave him a second rope moonsault for a pin at 2:37 to win the second fall. Definitely a good fall, better than most in AAA, but almost pedestrian compared to the spots in the first fall.
TERCERA CAIDA: Psicosis gave Tigrito a sliding kick to his leg as the fall began. Psicosis tripped Tigrito and Abismo followed with a low dropkick to his head. Psicosis slammed Tigrito and Shock followed with a senton. Psicosis lifted Tigrito and Abismo gave him a top rope dropkick. Psicosis headbutted Tigrito low (why this wasn�t called a foul I don�t know) and Shock followed with a senton. Shock knocked Tigrito out of the ring with a chop. Abismo slammed Octagoncito and gave him a senton. Psicosis and Shock then gave Octagoncito dropkicks to the front and back of his head. Abismo went to powerbomb Sagrada but Sagrada countered with a quicker version of the facedrop counter often used by Billy Kidman. Sagrada gave Abismo three dropkicks and Abismo bailed out of the ring. Psicosis punched Sagrada but Sagrada gave him a spinning headscissors takedown. Psicosis attempted a powerbomb but Sagrada countered with a DDT. Sagrada attempted to give Psicosis la magistral but couldn�t get around him and the other heels came in and booted him. Abismo and Shock whipped Tigrito and Octagoncito into each other and Abismo kicked Octagoncito out of the ring. Abismo threw Tigrito over himself but Tigrito then dropkicked Shock out of the ring. Abismo backdropped Tigrito over the top rope, causing Tigrito to dive onto Shock at ringside. Abismo then took out both Tigrito and Shock with a great somersault plancha. Octagoncito then hit Abismo with a tornillo tope through the ropes. Sagrada gave Psicosis a top rope dropkick. He then gave Psicosis moonsaults off the bottom and middle ropes. The regular-sized Psicosis then interfered and attacked Sagrada, including kicking him low. Mini Psicosis then stretched Sagrada back with a chinlock while pushing on his legs and made Sagrada submit at 3:51 to win the fall and match. More great spots and another great fall, although the high spots weren�t quite as amazing as in the first fall. But this was a sensational match, if just for the spots. Everyone looked great, while the faces were definitely the hotter workers. Octagoncito displayed the same form and great dives that made him a favorite for most of the 1990s and looked every bit as sharp as he did when I first saw him in 1994. But Mascarita Sagrada was on a whole other level. I�m pretty sure he�s the same one as in 1994 (there was a Mascarita II but I think that was Tzuki aka Max Mini). But his spots are at least as amazing as they were in 1994, maybe even better. That tope into an armdrag was something I had never seen before and a spot I�ve certainly never seen any regular-sized wrestler try. His quadruple revolution tilt-a-whirl into an armdrag in the first fall was also completely off-the-charts breathtaking. All the more amazing when you consider that he�s probably no more than 3 1/2 feet tall. In general, the minis are so much better than the full-size wrestlers in AAA nowadays it should be embarrassing for them. Again, a super match, and I would�ve rated it even higher if the pacing had been more cohesive from fall to fall. ****

(Aired 11/13/01) Best of 3 Falls: Nicho El Millionario, Juventud Guerrera, Black Tiger & Virus vs Rey Misterio Jr., Black Warrior, Felino & Antifaz

PRIMERA CAIDA: The action began before the bell with Tiger attacking Warrior on the entrance ramp. Virus spin kicked Antifaz and Antifaz retaliated with a second rope headscissors takedown. Antifaz also gave Virus a tilt-a-whirl headscissors. Felino got the better of Guerrera and clotheslined him over the top rope to the floor. Nicho knocked Misterio for a loop with a lariat. Misterio fought back with a Misteriorana and threw Nicho under the bottom rope head first out of the ring in a neat spot. Antifaz gave Tiger a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, an enzuguiri and a second rope spinning huracanrana. Tiger bailed out but Warrior nearly impaled him into the first row of chairs with a tope suicida. Misterio gave Guerrera one of his 1 � revolution tilt-a-whirl headscissors takedowns. Guerrera countered a German suplex attempt but Misterio rolled him up and pinned him. Antifaz pinned Virus with a wheelbarrow suplex (somewhat similar to an ocean cyclone suplex) and Felino pinned Nicho with a superbomb to win the fall in 6:13. Terrific fall with everyone looking sharp, especially Misterio and Warrior with his crazy tope suicida.
SEGUNDA CAIDA: The heels ganged up on Warrior at ringside before the bell. Tiger tried to rip Warrior�s mask off. Tiger pinned Warrior after a second rope moonsault to win the fall in only 48 seconds. This was good on two levels: it gave the heels some momentum coming off the faces� domination of the first fall, and it gave Tiger a measure of revenge from losing to Warrior in the Leyenda de Plata tournament by gaining a quick win here.
TERCERA CAIDA: The heels attacked the faces before the bell again. Nicho dropkicked Antifaz on the floor as Guerrera gave Felino a Juvi driver in the ring. Tiger then gained a near fall on Felino. Virus gave Felino a slingshot elbowsmash. Virus looked impressive against Misterio and gained a near fall. Antifaz got the better of Virus until Nicho intervened. Nicho hit a top rope legdrop on Antifaz but Felino then attacked him. Misterio gave Guerrera three tilt-a-whirl backbreakers in succession. Guerrera countered a powerbomb attempt and gave Misterio a powerbomb of his own for a near fall. Virus gave Misterio a top rope moonsault. Tiger dropkicked Warrior but Warrior then gave him an X-factor and a low dropkick to his head. Warrior ripped at Tiger�s mask. Tiger attempted a monkey flip but Warrior threw him over the top rope to the floor. Warrior hiptossed Nicho over the top to the floor and hit a tope suicida on both Nicho and Tiger. Misterio then hit one of his vintage springboard somersault planchas on the two heels. Virus hit a standing moonsault on Antifaz for a near fall. Antifaz lifted Virus on his shoulders and Felino gave Virus a top rope dropkick. Felino dropkicked Virus out of the ring and Antifaz hit a great over the top rope twisting tope. Guerrera countered a powerbomb attempt and spin kicked Felino. Felino hiptossed Guerrera over the top rope to the floor and tumbled to the floor himself. Warrior gave Tiger a Misteriorana for a near fall. Tiger fought back and gave Warrior a Death Valley driver for a near fall but Misterio intervened with a legdrop. Tiger missed a corner splash and Misterio gave him a cool frankentoyota out of the corner. Guerrera dropkicked Misterio out of the ring but Felino crotched Guerrera on the top rope and caused him to tumble to the floor. Warrior made Tiger submit to win the fall in 8:09 and the match. A super match in terms of spots, almost like the vintage AAA stuff from 94-95 that I enjoyed. It lacked a bit of consistent drama and continuity necessary to be a classic but was a great match nonetheless. And Misterio, Nicho and Guerrera are back in Mexico- and in the same ring! ***3/4

(Aired 11/13/01) CMLL Tag Team Title, Best of 3 Falls: Rey Buccanero & Ultimo Guerrero (c) vs El Hijo Del Santo & Negro Casas

PRIMERA CAIDA: Guerrero and Santo had a solid exchange on the mat with neither man holding a sustained advantage. Santo scored with a headscissors takedown but Guerrero then got the better of him on the mat. Santo gave Guerrero what looked like a tilt-a-whirl headscissors at the start but turned into an armdrag that sent Guerrero out of the ring. Buccanero got the better of a mat exchange with Casas with a half crab. Buccanero punted Casas�s head and gave him a short lariat. Buccanero dropkicked Casas out of the ring. Santo won an exchange of strikes and dropkicked Buccanero, who bailed out of the ring. Casas and Guerrero exchanged strikes. Casas charged towards the corner but Guerrero met him with a high kick. Casas responded with a lariat. He dropkicked Guerrero�s left knee and went for la magistral but Guerrero countered with a pumphandle slam and pinned Casas. Buccanero then caught Santo and made him submit to his own finisher, the camel clutch, at 5:59 to win the fall. Just a perfect opening fall in terms of spots. The work was always interesting, never boring, well-paced, yet they kept most of their big spots under wraps for later.
SEGUNDA CAIDA: The heels double dropkicked Santo out of the ring. They double teamed Casas and gave him a double dropkick from opposite sides of Casas�s head. They gave Santo a double flapjack and went for the same double dropkick they gave Casas but Santo moved out of the way. Santo gave Guerrero a couple kneelifts as Casas got the better of Buccanero. Casas knocked Guerrero off the apron to the floor with a dropkick and Santo gave Guerrero a tope suicida. Santo hit a plancha and took out both Buccanero and Casas. The heels were counted out and the challengers won the fall in 2:25. A short fall, but fine with generally strong work. So far, this is shaping up to be a great match.
TERCERA CAIDA: Santo got the better of Guerrero early on the mat. Santo suplexed Buccanero for a near fall. Guerrero applied a half crab on Santo and Buccanero gained a near fall on Casas. Casas gave Buccanero a spike DDT for a near fall. Buccanero suplexed Casas for a near fall. Santo gained a near fall on Guerrero with an impressive Toyota roll. Guerrero fought back and powerslammed Santo for a near fall. The heels whipped Casas and Santo into each other. Guerrero accidentally dropkicked Buccanero out of the ring when Santo moved out of the way. Casas gave Guerrero several chops and kicks. He laid Guerrero on top of him and Santo came off the top rope with a somersault senton- then, in one seamless move, Santo bounced up, took a few steps and hit a tope suicida on Buccanero in the corner in one of the neatest sequences I�ve ever seen. Guerrero blocked a la magistral attempt and chokeslammed Casas for a near fall. He gave Casas a Saito suplex for a near fall and a top rope superplex for another near fall. Casas fought back and gave Guerrero a spike DDT. Santo gave Guerrero a top rope flying headbutt for a near fall. Buccanero hit a senton on Santo for a near fall. Santo gave Buccanero a huracanrana for a near fall and followed with a stiff kneelift. He tried a second kneelift but Buccanero countered with a slam for a near fall. Santo trapped Buccanero�s arms with his legs in a neat submission spot. Santo gave Buccanero a top rope elbowsmash for a near fall. Buccanero powerbombed Santo but Santo recovered, elevated Buccanero on his shoulders, and suplexed him out of the corner. Santo applied a camel clutch on Buccanero but Guerrero intervened. Santo then hit a somersault tope atomico onto Buccanero, nearly squashing him on the floor. Casas then rolled up Guerrero with la magistral, or la casita for Casas, for the pin at 8:59 to win the fall, match and title. This is undoubtedly a lucha match of the year candidate. Everyone was at the top of their game with almost completely flawless work, but Santo was on another level. He turned in one of those scrapbook performances and was almost as breathtaking with his flying spots as Misterio on a typical night. What was even more amazing was that Santo has been a great athletic worker for just about all of his twenty years in wrestling, and at age 39, turned in one of his finest performances. As for the match style, I could understand if some weren�t too excited by it. The atmosphere was admittedly disappointing for such a match (top young tag team in lucha libre vs two of the biggest lucha stars of the last 20 years), making some parts come off weaker than they were. It was the type of match that would have been near ***** 10 years ago, and actually was very similar in quality to the famous Santo/Octagon-Guerrero/Love Machine classic back in 11/94 that�s in my 1990s top 100 match list, except this wasn�t quite as glamorous. Overall, this was a joy to watch, and it has been a greater joy with each additional viewing. ****1/4

(Aired 11/20/01) Best of 3 Falls: Nicho El Millonario, Juventud Guerrera, Fuerza Guerrera & Black Tiger vs Rey Misterio Jr., El Hijo Del Santo, Negro Casas & Atlantis

PRIMERA CAIDA: Everyone started fighting at the bell. Guerrera rammed Casas into the ringpost. Nicho legdropped Misterio. Nicho, Fuerza and Juventud all gave Atlantis running lariats in the corner. Fuerza back suplexed Casas and Juventud legdropped him. Juventud held Casas and Nicho hit a top rope legdrop to the crotch, but for some reason that was not a foul. Nicho gained a near fall on Casas. Tiger suplexed Atlantis and gained a near fall. Somewhere Fuerza I think pinned Santo although the cameras missed it. Tiger and Nicho double-suplexed Atlantis and Tiger pinned him. Misterio went for an in-ring quebrada but Juventud caught him and gave him a Juvi driver for the pin at 3:05 to win the fall. Not too spectacular, but a fine opening fall.
SEGUNDA CAIDA: Fuerza dropkicked Atlantis but Atlantis fought back with a great monkey flip (seriously) and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Juventud and Misterio then had a fast exchange with Misterio doing one of his crazy tilt-a-whirl headscissors. Misterio hit a great spinning huracanrana off the apron on Juventud. Santo gave Nicho a tilt-a-whirl headscissors and Nicho bailed out. Tiger gave Misterio a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and Fuerza hit a top rope clothesline on Misterio. Misterio dropkicked both Tiger and Fuerza. Santo hit a top rope clothesline on Tiger and went for a camel clutch but Nicho dropkicked him. Casas clotheslined Nicho and Atlantis gave Juventud and Nicho tilt-a-whirl backbreakers. Casas kicked Atlantis out of the ring when Nicho moved. Nicho botched a slingshot quebrada on Atlantis but Juventud hit a tope on Casas. Santo went for a top rope huracanrana on Fuerza but Tiger caught him . Tiger accidentally catapulted Misterio up and Misterio hit a top rope huracanrana on Fuerza in a super spot for a pin. Santo hit a sunset flip on Nicho to the floor. The faces won the fall at 4:10. A great fall with lots of action but not classic due to the botched dive by Nicho.
TERCERA CAIDA: Nicho was still being tended to at ringside when the fall began because his head hit the floor hard on the aforementioned sunset flip. Fuerza got the better of Casas early but Juventud accidentally dropkicked Fuerza out of the ring when Casas moved. Fuerza then hit his nephew Juventud and pulled him by the ear in a funny spot. Atlantis won an exchange against Tiger with a cross bodyblock and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Juventud intervened and suplexed Atlantis. Juventud gave Atlantis a power legdrop for a near fall. Santo backdropped Juventud and Misterio gave him a springboard legdrop. Santo then hit a low, almost sliding dropkick right to Juventud�s head. Nicho spin kicked Casas but ran into two kicks, then Casas moved and a charging Nicho crashed hard shoulder-first into the ringpost in a vintage Psicosis spot and crashed to the floor. Casas then hit a Thesz press off the apron on Nicho. Atlantis dropkicked Juventud out of the ring. Fuerza dropkicked Atlantis out of the ring. Misterio attempted an in-ring quebrada but Fuerza caught him and rammed him into the corner then hung him upside down. Fuerza went for a tackle but Misterio picked himself up and Fuerza sailed through the ropes to the floor. Santo then hit a tope suicida on Fuerza. Tiger missed a corner splash on Misterio and Misterio gave him a top rope frankentoyota. Misterio then did almost a Toyota roll into a huracanrana on Tiger that sent both over the top rope. Casas dropkicked Nicho�s leg and gave him a casita (la magistral) for the pin at 4:34. A very good fall and another great match. In many ways just as good as the 8-man match last week, although that match was a bit more enjoyable since it had more high spots. ***3/4

(Aired 4/9/02) Best of 3 Falls CMLL Light Heavyweight Title: Dr. Wagner Jr. (c) vs Shocker

PRIMERA CAIDA: Wagner armdragged Shocker but Shocker returned the favor and applied an armbar. Wagner countered with a waistlock but Shocker then countered him with a waistlock of his own. Wagner got the better of Shocker on the mat by attacking his leg. Shocker gave Wagner a hammerlock but Wagner took him down and continued to work on his legs. Wagner gained a couple near falls with his dominance on the mat. Shocker tried to counter Wagner�s grip on his legs by doing a headstand but Wagner kept up with him and applied a front chancery while maintaining the leglock of sorts. Shocker ended up on top of Wagner and gripped his arms. Shocker gave Wagner a backdrop but Wagner held onto Shocker and sunset flipped him for a near fall. Wagner monkey flipped Shocker, landed on top of him, and gained a near fall. Shocker fought back with a monkey flip of his own. Wagner tripped Shocker and bent his legs in somewhat of a figure 4 position. Wagner went for a surfboard but Shocker landed on him for a near fall. Shocker took down Wagner and applied a headlock. Shocker tackled Wagner but Wagner rebounded with a dropkick to his left leg. Wagner then applied a figure 4 leglock and made Shocker submit at 6:15 to win the fall. Very simple, but very effective fall. The main story was Wagner�s exploits on the mat, as his dominance on the mat added credibility to his technical skills. Shocker didn�t get in much offense, but that�s because he doesn�t specialize in mat wrestling.
SEGUNDA CAIDA: Wagner started out with another dropkick to Shocker�s weakened left leg, which Shocker sold huge. Wagner hit his leg with another dropkick and applied a figure 4 leglock again. Shocker finally broke the leglock by reaching the ropes. Wagner then reapplied the figure Wagner started out with another dropkick to Shocker�s weakened left leg, which Shocker sold huge. Wagner hit his leg with another dropkick and applied a figure 4 leglock again. Shocker finally broke the leglock by reaching the ropes. Wagner then reapplied the figure 4 leglock in the center of the ring, and Shocker reached the ropes after a while. Wagner gave Shocker another dropkick to the left leg. Wagner chopped Shocker in the corner but ran into a high kick. Shocker gave Wagner a second high kick. He went for a third but Wagner caught his leg and gave him a dragon screw. Wagner grabbed Shocker�s leg but Shocker gave him an enzuguiri. Shocker took Wagner down and attacked his right leg with several elbowsmashes. Shocker gave Wagner a dragon screw of his own. Shocker went to apply a figure 4 leglock but Wagner kicked him with his free leg. Wagner went for a figure 4 again but Shocker rolled him up and pinned him to win the fall in 5:01. Another simple but effective fall because it stuck to the story of Shocker�s weakened leg. Shocker then attacked Wagner�s leg in a nice revenge spot. Then they ended with Wagner�s attack on the leg finally backfiring when Shocker rolled him up on the figure 4 attempt to win the fall. So far the match�s continuity is as solid as any lucha match today.
TERCERA CAIDA: Wagner gave Shocker a lariat and grabbed his leg again but again Shocker rolled him up for a very near fall. Shocker no-sold a clothesline from Wagner, then Wagner no-sold a clothesline from Shocker. They went back and forth until Shocker knocked Wagner out of the ring with a high kick. Shocker then hit a tope suicida. Wagner tried to reenter the ring but Shocker dragged him back to the floor. Shocker met Wagner on the apron with a few elbow strikes and knocked him off the apron with a high kick. Shocker then ran up to the top rope and came off with a plancha on Wagner but Wagner elbowed him in mid-air. Shocker tried to fight back but Wagner gave him a rock bottom for a near fall. Wagner then gave Shocker a Michinoku driver for a near fall. Wagner attempted what looked like a splash mountain but Shocker countered. Shocker twisted Wagner�s arm and hooked on a modified abdominal stretch. Shocker then turned the hold into a pinning position and pinned Wagner to win the fall, match and title in 3:51. The work in the third fall was appropriate for the closing minutes of a match, with both men trading their big moves. Overall this match was pretty light on spectacular spots, which prevents it from being a truly excellent match. But I would definitely call it a great match because it was so focused on the story of the match. You began with Wagner�s domination on the mat, then went to his overemphasis on damaging Shocker�s leg, which came back to haunt him, then to a more usual finish with trading big moves, in which Shocker proved he was better at this. They proved that you can stick to a small number of moves and holds to tell a story if you can use them right. And they did use them right, and proved that wrestlers don�t need to throw out an overabundance of spectacular spots to make a great match. ***3/4

Next Issue: RVD-Jerry Lynn: Stealing The Show

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