Loss Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 Talk about it here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregor Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 This is the finals of a double-elimination tournament, which gave this match a cool format. Blue Panther won the winner's bracket and arrived at the finals undefeated; Atlantis had lost in the first round, so he had to win out to get there. Because Blue Panther had no losses, he got a one-fall head start for the finals. He needed to win only won fall to take the match, whereas Atlantis had to win in straight falls. Has any U.S. promotion done that? That's a really fun way to book a tournament. I actually like this more than their famous 1991 match. I can't quite pin down why, but I know that they spend most of the match of the mat, and it's outstanding. It feels like a letdown when they go to standup spots, in part because the matwork is so good and in part because the chemistry/fluidity isn't as good there. CMLL usually had one title match each year that felt more important than the others. I don't know if it really felt like that or if that's just me noting that they had one title match per year that gets called really great in 2013. Anyway, this is 1997's, even though it's not actually for a championship belt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Crackers Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 This is the finals of a double-elimination tournament, which gave this match a cool format. Blue Panther won the winner's bracket and arrived at the finals undefeated; Atlantis had lost in the first round, so he had to win out to get there. Because Blue Panther had no losses, he got a one-fall head start for the finals. He needed to win only won fall to take the match, whereas Atlantis had to win in straight falls. Has any U.S. promotion done that? That's a really fun way to book a tournament. I actually like this more than their famous 1991 match. I can't quite pin down why, but I know that they spend most of the match of the mat, and it's outstanding. It feels like a letdown when they go to standup spots, in part because the matwork is so good and in part because the chemistry/fluidity isn't as good there. CMLL usually had one title match each year that felt more important than the others. I don't know if it really felt like that or if that's just me noting that they had one title match per year that gets called really great in 2013. Anyway, this is 1997's, even though it's not actually for a championship belt. I watched this a few years ago and I also felt like it was better than the 1991 match. I'd like to watch both again sometime soon to make sure I still feel that way. This is also one of the best two fall matches I've ever seen in wrestling along with that awesome Angel Blanco Jr./Hijo Del Solitario vs Santito/Villano IV match from last year. I might like this more because lucha title match matwork is one of my favorite things in wrestling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted September 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 I agree that this is much better than the August '91 match, which was excellent but something that I didn't think lived up to the hype. All the neat matwork here was really fun to watch. I too would have thought it was a title match, and colloquially, I'll probably call it that in the future anyway since that's the style they are working. I actually think this could have been even better had they managed to go double the time they did here. I wanted a lot more of this. I also agree that the standing portions of the match felt unfairly weak because I wanted them to get back to the good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bix Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 This is the finals of a double-elimination tournament, which gave this match a cool format. Blue Panther won the winner's bracket and arrived at the finals undefeated; Atlantis had lost in the first round, so he had to win out to get there. Because Blue Panther had no losses, he got a one-fall head start for the finals. He needed to win only won fall to take the match, whereas Atlantis had to win in straight falls. Has any U.S. promotion done that? That's a really fun way to book a tournament.WCW Tag Team Title tournament in early 1999. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregor Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Oh, yeah! But instead of being really fun it just pissed everyone off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Ridge Posted October 4, 2013 Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 The mat work was indeed very excellent as they kept things interesting on the ground. Did feel short with elimination tournament rules that took a fall away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soup23 Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 I was the high vote of the 1991 match and still like that one a tad more but only because it went a little longer. What we got here was 18 minutes of completely beautiful wrestling with both guys being stuck together like glue at times as they fluidly go from one spot to the next. This felt like a great come from behind story for Atlantis as he is forced to win two straight falls and he goes out there and does it. I could watch this all day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert S Posted September 29, 2014 Report Share Posted September 29, 2014 I would really like to know why one announcer (the one Alfonso Morales usually calls "Pistolero"; though Google does not yield results for a lucha announcer called "Pistolero") shortly before the finish began reciting the lyrics of La Bamba. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohtani's jacket Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 I would really like to know why one announcer (the one Alfonso Morales usually calls "Pistolero"; though Google does not yield results for a lucha announcer called "Pistolero") shortly before the finish began reciting the lyrics of La Bamba. Maybe he's the captain not a sailor. That's funny stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DylanZero Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 I was the high vote of the 1991 match and still like that one a tad more but only because it went a little longer. What we got here was 18 minutes of completely beautiful wrestling with both guys being stuck together like glue at times as they fluidly go from one spot to the next. This felt like a great come from behind story for Atlantis as he is forced to win two straight falls and he goes out there and does it. I could watch this all day. I feel the same way, would go with the '91 match over this, but both are some of the best, most crisp, and most fluid technical wrestling you can find. Love this match a lot and between this and the '91 match it's like the difference between a spicy chicken sandwich and a chalupa, they're both so great picking either one is a good decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteF3 Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 Another one who liked this more than the '91 match. Some gorgeous technical wrestling on display here, especially Blue Panther's unique scissored takedowns and Atlantis working both an abdominal stretch and various kinds of armbars at the same time. Atlantis feels like he's really overcome long odds to take the win in 2 straight--the build-up to the Atlantida maybe isn't the greatest and I agree that I could have watched this go a good while longer, so maybe not a true MOTYC, but it's another standout match in a terrific year for lucha. This felt like a lucha version of Bockwinkel/Robinson from 1980 Japan with how vicious the matwork seemed at times. While AJPW seems to be sort of losing the plot, AAA and EMLL both seem to be going "back to basics" after a few years of ECW-ized brawls. It's refreshing to see as pure wrestling gets more and more de-emphasized in the Big Two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenjo Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 I'm glad I checked here before viewing. The final of a double elimination tournament so Atlantis needed to win 2-0 to claim the prize. It was worked in a technical style throughout, adhering strictly to the rules. A big emphasis was placed on matwork. It was more deliberately paced than you would normally see, putting extra emphasis on each individual hold. Whenever the pace quickened it was all kept in the heart of the ring. Plenty of 2.9ers. During the segunda Atlantis took plenty of punishment that he could normally have avoided over 2/3 falls. It's logical to let one fall go when in a bad situation rather than be totally shot going into the 3rd. No such luxury here and he had to tough it out. After securing a hard fought victory Atlantis was overjoyed. Technically a very impressive bout in more ways than one. I appreciated it from afar rather than getting drawn in and emotionally involved. It required more rivalry psychology to reach higher levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKWebb Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 http://placetobenation.com/countdown-top-500-matches-of-the-90s-200-151/2/ #167 Great matwork... really good ground game matchup. Love Atlantis **** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Schneider Posted February 24, 2018 Report Share Posted February 24, 2018 Just a tremendous match, arguably the best Panther match I can remember, and right up there with Atlantis vs. VIII for Atlantis's career match. The stips of this match were a little strange it is the finals of a tournament where Panther need to win one fall, but Atlantis needed two straight falls. The match was worked mostly on the mat and is a true clinic. So many nifty adjustments by both guys. Atlantis wins the first fall with an awesome Fujiwara armbar takedown, when he goes for it in the segunda, Panther has multiple counters and blocks to keep him from executing it. There is another great spot where Atlantis applies an Octopus hold, Panther is able to free an arm, but Atlantis immediately locks on a kimura while keeping the Octopus. The fast sections of this were great too, Atlantis has some of the coolest armdrags in wresting history and Panther is a great base for them. Really exciting down the stretch too, with multiple holds and roll ups which I thought might end the match. Such a cool example of maestros wrestling and a great chance to see two legends at their best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clayton Jones Posted November 1, 2020 Report Share Posted November 1, 2020 Really dug this, makes me want to seek out more lucha along these lines. Pardon my ignorance but is Panther tecnico or rudo at the time? One of the things I enjoyed was what a sporting contest it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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