Top Lucha Matches of All-Time: Difference between revisions
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{{bline|1998.03.01|AAA|[[Coco Amarillo]], [[Coco Azul]], [[Coco Negro]], [[Coco Rojo]] vs [[Histeria]], [[Maniaco]], [[Mosco De La Merced]], [[Psicosis]]||[[El Toreo De Naucalpan]]}} | {{bline|1998.03.01|AAA|[[Coco Amarillo]], [[Coco Azul]], [[Coco Negro]], [[Coco Rojo]] vs [[Histeria]], [[Maniaco]], [[Mosco De La Merced]], [[Psicosis]]||[[El Toreo De Naucalpan]]}} | ||
{{bline|1998.03.10|CMLL|[[Shocker]] vs [[Black Warrior]]|[[NWA Light Heavyweight Title]]|[[Arena Coliseo DF|Arena Coliseo]]}} | {{bline|1998.03.10|CMLL|[[Shocker]] vs [[Black Warrior]]|[[NWA Light Heavyweight Title]]|[[Arena Coliseo DF|Arena Coliseo]]}} | ||
{{bline|1998.03.31|CMLL|[[Akuma]], [[Angel Azteca]], [[Brandon]], [[Chicago Express]], [[Mascara Magica]], [[Rey Bucanero]], [[Ultimo Guerrero]] vs [[Fantasma]], [[Guerrero De La Muerte]], [[Olimpico]], [[Ringo Mendoza]], [[Sendero]], [[Valentin Mayo]], [[Zumbido]]||[[Arena Coliseo DF|Arena Coliseo]]}} | {{bline|1998.03.31|CMLL|[[El Charro II|Akuma]], [[Angel Azteca]], [[Brandon]], [[Chicago Express]], [[Mascara Magica]], [[Rey Bucanero]], [[Ultimo Guerrero]] vs [[Fantasma]], [[Guerrero De La Muerte]], [[Olimpico]], [[Ringo Mendoza]], [[Sendero]], [[Valentin Mayo]], [[Zumbido]]||[[Arena Coliseo DF|Arena Coliseo]]}} | ||
{{bline|1998.05.01|CMLL|[[Apolo Chino]], [[Kid Guzman]], [[Olimpico]], [[Oriental]], [[Axxel|Sagrado]], [[Valentin Mayo]], [[Zumbido]] vs [[Arkangel]], [[Brandon]], [[Damiancito El Guerrero]], [[Guerrero De La Muerte]], [[Pepe Aguayo]], [[Rencor Latino]], [[Starman|Ultraman Jr.]]||[[Arena Coliseo DF|Arena Coliseo]]}} | {{bline|1998.05.01|CMLL|[[Apolo Chino]], [[Kid Guzman]], [[Olimpico]], [[Oriental]], [[Axxel|Sagrado]], [[Valentin Mayo]], [[Zumbido]] vs [[Arkangel]], [[Brandon]], [[Damiancito El Guerrero]], [[Guerrero De La Muerte]], [[Pepe Aguayo]], [[Rencor Latino]], [[Starman|Ultraman Jr.]]||[[Arena Coliseo DF|Arena Coliseo]]}} | ||
{{bline|1998.05.01|CMLL|[[Atlantis]], [[Emilio Charles Jr.]], [[Ultimo Dragon]] vs [[Blue Panther]], [[Dr. Wagner Jr.]], [[El Hijo Del Santo]]||[[Arena Coliseo DF|Arena Coliseo]]}} | {{bline|1998.05.01|CMLL|[[Atlantis]], [[Emilio Charles Jr.]], [[Ultimo Dragon]] vs [[Blue Panther]], [[Dr. Wagner Jr.]], [[El Hijo Del Santo]]||[[Arena Coliseo DF|Arena Coliseo]]}} | ||
Revision as of 15:03, 3 August 2006
Explaination
WHAT...
- ... is this list?: It is a guide to the top matches Lucha Libre matches available on video tape or DVD. It is *not* considered a list of the top matches to ever occur in Mexico. This list solely encompasses the top matches that may be acquired from various sources. The reason this is not a list of the top matches to ever occur in Mexico is to prevent the inevitable case where Random Joe claims he saw Super Valiente Jr. vs Escorpion Verde III at Arena Whatsitcalled in Thistinycity and it was ten billion stars. :) The matches on this list are thought to be great matches and in some cases - classics, with the key being if someone wanted to check the matches out for themselves, they'd be able to. This is not the case for matches like La Parka vs Pierroth 7/20/98, Mistico vs El Averno 1/1/05, the Star of Death Cage Match in Los Angeles, etc. - and thus matches like those are not included in this list. Also not included in this list are matches that appeared in highlight form as any match can be made to look great with the proper editing. This is not to say matches that are edited did not make the list or else there would be no CMLL matches from 1999 and on.: ) Discretion was used when selecting the matches. A good example would be El Hijo Del Santo/Octagon/Rey Misterio Jr. vs Psicosis/Fuerza Guerrera/Juventud Guerrera from Triplemania III-C in 1995. Word of mouth put that match at ****3/4 yet the only footage that exists of it appears on a Year in Review show and all that is shown are the finishes to each fall. That kind of match did NOT make the list. However in the case of La Parka/Shocker vs Rey Bucanero/Ultimo Guerrero from 3/19/04, while the first and third falls both had portions edited out - what aired was generally regarded as a great match. Also, Mexico is not like Japan or the United States where if television airs a clipped match, you can probably search out a commercial tape release or a handheld to see a full match. In Mexico what airs on TV is what is considered to be the full version of a match because there are no handhelds of the big shows or commercial releases.
WHO...
- ... put this list together?: That would be me - Robert Bihari (rob_millennium@hotmail.com). The ratings are solely mine and should not be attributed to anyone else. I did not borrow ratings from Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter nor Steve Sims' Lucha Libre Weekly. In some cases the ratings match up and in some cases they do not. Please don't e-mail me pointing out Dave gave a match 1/2* more than I did.:) I have no doubt many will disagree with the matches listed and the order in which they are listed. To those people I offer this advice: Go make your own list if you think you're so smart.:)
- .. can these matches be acquired from?: I don't sell these matches myself, maybe at some point in the future I will but as of right now here are the top guys you should go to when looking for some of these matches:
- Alfredo Esparza (www.slambamjam.com)
- Bob Barnett (www.bobbarnett.com)
- Jeff Lynch (no website - just e-mail jlynch@telerama.com)
- Prices vary so shop around but don't e-mail any of these guys asking for certain matches from this list and expecting them to put a tape or DVD of them together for you. Odds are they won't or if you get lucky and they will - you'll be paying a fortune.:) If by some chance you see a match listed here that none of the above guys have, feel free to shoot me an e-mail and I'll point you in the right direction.
WHY...
- ... put a list like this together?: Simple... back when I first got the internet and began to get into Lucha Libre, there was no list like this available. When I'd ask around for what the better matches were, I'd get generic answers such as "any AAA from 1993-1995";, "any CMLL with Santo vs Negro"; and "all the Promo Azteca footage";. While those answers aren't completely wrong, they are quite broad and you'd have to spend a lifetime collecting every AAA TV episode from those years or every CMLL match involving both El Hijo Del Santo and Negro Casas.:) The goal is for this list to become a valuable tool for any Lucha newbies who want to see the best that Mexico has to offer.
HOW...
- ...are the matches ranked?: I used the star system that was popularized by Dave Meltzer (or so I was told). For those unfarmiliar, the star system goes from -*****(worst possible match/an embarassment to watch) to *****(a perfect match). For this list in particular however, only the top matches are ranked so the ratings go from **** to *****. While there are a ton of "good matches"; in Mexico, the ones listed below are a step up from your average "good match";. Don't assume this list contains every decent match in Mexico and the rest is crap. That is not the intention of this list. It is merely to point out which matches go way beyond being "good"; and are memorable months or years after they've taken place. *... are the categories split up?: As I noted, I used the star rankings so they are divided into five categories: ****(Excellent Mach), ****1/4, ****1/2, ****3/4 and *****(Perfect Match). The matches are listed by date, tecnicos before rudos and alphabetical order for the most part when listings trios/atomicos/etc. matches. Noted in brackets are what title was on the line, was it a stipulation match, was a trophy on the line or were any other gimmicks such as a Steel Cage involved.
- ... do I find out the date a match actually aired on TV?: That's a hard to answer question since Mexico is so weird with their TV schedules. Your best bet is to visit either of these sites:
- Luchaworld (sign up up for the Lucha Libre forum)
- Death Valley Driver (sign up for the Message Boards, go to the Lucha Forum)
- Also make note that some of the matches listed here did not make TV and are courtesy of handhelds or rare commercial releases. Like I said, your best bet is to just ask around at the above mentioned sites and someone will guide you in the right direction.
- If a date has a link, it's to a recap of the match. Right now, we only have 1!
Now... on with the list.:)
****
**** ¼
**** ½
**** ¾
