Grimmas Posted January 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2017 excerpts from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Letter's Page for January 9th, 1985 Dear Dave, My friend mentioned to me that he stumbled across this wrestling from Mexico on Galavision that airs every Sunday. I love my local wrestling with Dusty Rhodes, Ted DiBiase, and Tommy Rich so I was really curious about it. It turns out I had never heard of any of the wrestlers on the show before, and they don't even call it wrestling. Instead they call it lucha libre. Luckily I speak a some Spanish, so I was able to pick up bits of what was being said. The show started off with a video package of the show clips from the 51 year history (yes this company says it started in 1933) of the Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre. Most of the guys wore masks which was different. There was a lot of bloody brawls like I'm used to in the USWA, but a lot more high flying. This video package was really cool. It then stated the EMLL has left the NWA and are now called the Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) going forward. I guess this was the show to start with. The first segment was someone called Paco Alonso, who is the President of CMLL, welcoming a bunch of talent from the now defunct UWA. Some dudes in masks came out and shook his hand while the crowd popped. Others came out and didn't shake his hand, and it seems a handful more just didn't want to come out at all. This was very odd, I guess CMLL took over UWA and joined together, but some of the guys aren't happy about it? The first match is a title match for the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Title as Valente Fernandez defended against Negro Casas. They both had managers with them, although the managers looked like wrestlers too. In fact those managers got involved a lot brawling with each other. One was a cowboy called Gran Cochisse and the other was named Black Terry. Something I figured out here is that matches are 2/3 Falls. The first fall Casas jumped Fernandez and just beat him down all match, before hitting a big lariat for the win. Black Terry got in some cheap shots just like Skandar Akbar. There was a break between falls, where we got replays of a huge part of the first fall. The second fall was more beating down by Casas and more cheating by Terry. Until Gran Cochisse had enough and went nuts on Terry with some awesome punches. In the confusion Fernandez jumped over the top rope and landed on Casas and then threw him in the ring and pinned him with a splash off the top. The third fall lasted as long as the first two combined and those two really went at it. It was pretty heated, Casas was able to get this leg submission in for the win and to become the new champion! It kind of looked like a Boston Crab, but with the legs crossed over. Either way this was pretty cool match, although it's different than my USWA. Starting with a title change seemed very important. The next thing we got was insane. We got a group of three guys in a similar mask, where one of them was really fat. They were at a party in someone's back yard with a bbq and everything. They said some things about coming into the CMLL. The fat one ate like 20 hamburgers. I don't know what just happened. That was followed by clips of these three men (called Los Brazos) taking on another masked trios team (called Los Villanos). Wow is all I can say. This was the most exciting wrestling I've ever seen. I need to see more of these guys. Dives, comedy, intensity, this was so great. Hopefully we can get a full match out of these teams in the future. The main event was another 2/3 Falls match and this was a six man tag. The teams were Cien Caras (a tough looking guy in a mask who was called Captain), Perro Aguayo (who looked like Bruiser Brody with furry boots, only smaller), and Sangre Chicano (who had long hair) against a unit called Los Infernales consisting of El Satanico (who was a captain too, and might be a devil worshipper), MS-1 (who looked super cocky and had died blond hair), and Pirata Morgan (a pirate in a mask). This is where the show got confusing. The first fall had some amazing brawling, especially with MS-1 and Chicano going at it. This was really intense and super heated. Morgan pinned Chicano with a flying dive off the top, but the match continued and a few moments later Satanico faked getting low blowed by Aguayo and then got his hand raised. What? Satanico laughed like a madman after, so I guess he out tricked the babyfaces. The second fall was only a minute where Aguayo destroyed Satanico and then faked getting low blowed too and the referee gave him the win. I guess revenge? The final fall was more heated brawling with all six men getting involved. Something I didn't mention is that tags are not well enforced. It turns out just rolling outside the ring counts as a tag. These referees are odd. In fact there is two of them in the ring. Chicano hit a huge punch of Morgan to pin him. These two were squared off all of this fall. I hope to see them against each other again. The match continued with Agauyo pinned MS-1 with a foot stomp a minute later. All in all the main event was really great, I'm just not sure what is happening exactly. The show was a breeze to watch and I will watch again next week and let you know what is happening in CMLL. It's fascinating. Stan Grimmas Thanks Stan, keep the reports coming. In Los Angeles I saw many of these luchadores come here and they were always impressive. As for the rules, the way I understand it is each team has a Captain and to win the fall you have to either pin the Captain or the other two members of the team. Hope this helps. Dave Meltzer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinmcfl Posted January 8, 2017 Report Share Posted January 8, 2017 Very, very cool and gives me much more of an understanding of Lucha Libre wrestling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirEdger Posted January 8, 2017 Report Share Posted January 8, 2017 Yeop, I agree. Love that approach as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted January 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2017 Thanks everyone. I figure people are not too well versed, so the TV reviews person will be learning as you folks do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LowBlowPodcast Posted January 8, 2017 Report Share Posted January 8, 2017 Good write up. Makes things a lot easier to follow. Looking forward to the continued progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordi Posted January 8, 2017 Report Share Posted January 8, 2017 The semi-unreliable narrator Stan Grimmas is a great gimmick! Lines like "Black Terry got in some cheap shots just like Skandar Akbar" had me rolling. I don't think I could come up with a better way to present this. Also, those are some incredible matches for your first show. Like I said, imagine putting on Brazos vs. Villanos... and it's not even the main event! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted January 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 The card is set for Super Viernes at Arena Mexico on January 11, 1985. 1) Popitekus y Ringo Mendoza y Cacharo Mendoza vs Los Missioneros de la Muerte (Negro Navarro y El Texano y El Signo) 2) Alfonso Dantes y Solar y El Hijo del Santo contra El Dandy y Fuerza Guerrera y Tony Benetto 3) Gran Cochisse y Hombra Bala y Tony Salazar contra Blue Panther y Babe Face y Black Terry 4) Mexican National Middleweight Champion Atlantis contra Emilio Charles Jr. 5) Los Caudillos (Sangre Chicano y Mocha Cota y La Fiera) contra Los Infernales (El Satanico y MS-1 y Pirata Morgan) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainmakerrtv Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 5) Los Caudillos (Sangre Chicano y Mocha Cota y La Fiera) contra Los Infernales (El Satanico y MS-1 y Pirata Morgan) I'm callling this, in advance, the greates match in the history of anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirEdger Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Well, we're all kinda biased towards our own stuff. I'm pretty proud myself of my Martel vs Valentine match on TV last month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted January 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Well, we're all kinda biased towards our own stuff. I'm pretty proud myself of my Martel vs Valentine match on TV last month. Remember when Valentine was a fake Russian in Toronto in late 1983, it was fucking awesome too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirEdger Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 That I didn't see since I joined in May 1984. Must see that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainmakerrtv Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Just saying those are 6 of my favorite 80s Luchadors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted January 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 That I didn't see since I joined in May 1984. Must see that. Check out the Maple Leaf Wrestling thread, where I ran Toronto in the beginning. I thought it was some good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainmakerrtv Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Maple Leaf was a lot of fun, definitely worth checking out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirEdger Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Yeah, I'm gonna check out some of the old 1983 stuff from the beginning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted January 15, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2017 Super Viernes January 11, 1985 Arena Mexico Mexico City, Mexico Match 1: Popitekus y Ringo Mendoza y Cacharo Mendoza contra Los Missioneros de la Muerte (Negro Navarro y El Texano y El Signo) 1. Navarro sub Popitekus (3:41) 2. Rinngo pin Texano (3:05) Popitekus pin Signo (3:07) 3. Texano pin Cacharo (8:32) Navarro sub Popitekus (8:46) Winner: rudos (1/3) Match Time: 15:34 Match 2: Alfonso Dantes y El Solar y El Hijo del Santo contra El Dandy y Fuerza Guerrera y Tony Benetto 1. Santo sub Dandy (1:02) 2. Fuerza pin Dantes (3:41) 3. Solar sub Benetto (9:41) Santo pin Fuerza (9:54) Winner: tecnico (1/3) Match Time: 14:37 Match 3: Gran Cochisse y Hombre Bala y Tony Salazar contra Blue Panther y Babe Face y Black Terry 1. Panther sub Salazar (8:02) Terry pin Bala (8:03) 2. Terry pin Cochisse (6:36) Winner: rudo (1/2) Match Time: 14:39 Semi-Main Event: Mexican National Middleweight Title Match: Champion Atlantis contra Challenger Emilio Charles Jr. 1. Charles Jr. pin Atlantis (5:04) 2. Atlantis pin Charles Jr. (9:10) 3. Atlantis sub Charles Jr. (11:11) Winner: tecnico (2/3) Match Time: 25:25 Note: Atlantis successfully defends the Mexican National Middleweight Title Main Event: Los Caudillos (Sangre Chicano y Mocha Cota y La Feira) contra Los Infernales (El Satanico y MS-1 y Pirata Morgan) 1. Chicano DQ Morgan (8:26) 2. Satanico pin Cota (9:21) Morgan DCO Chicano (9:45) 3. MS-1 pin Fiera (3:57) Satanico sub Cota (4:12) Winner: rudo (2/3) Match Time: 22:23 Note: After the segunda caida Morgan and Chicano brawled to the back and did not return. Note 2: After the match Perro Aguayo confronted Satanico and challenged him to a singles match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirEdger Posted January 15, 2017 Report Share Posted January 15, 2017 Ooooh, Aguayo vs Satanico should be a really good match! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordi Posted January 16, 2017 Report Share Posted January 16, 2017 Would El Dandy have been kind of a "young boy" at this stage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted January 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2017 excerpts from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Letter's Page for January 16th, 1985 Dear Dave, Thanks for printing my letter last week and answering my questions. It was easier watching the show knowing how a match was actually won. I'll have another question for you later. The first match featured the cowboy manger from last week (Gran Cochisse) teaming with Hombre Bala (some dude in full yellow with a mask) and Tony Salazar (a nice looking dude who wore a cape to the ring) taking on Blue Panther (wearing a blue panther outfit with mask), Babe Face (generic Mexican) and Black Terry (the other manager from last week). Panther, Babe Face, and Black Terry came out with Negro Casas waving a flag that said "UWA". I think these were the guys who didn't come out for that ceremony last week? This match threw me for a loop, the first fall the UWA rudos just kicked everyone's ass. Cochisse fought back hard, but it felt like a mugging. Panther did a cool submission on Salazar and Terry pinned Bala. The second fall the mugging continued and Cochisse seemed like a real bad ass putting up a great fight, unfortunately he was pinned by Terry and the match was over. UWA won in two straight falls in a quick and intense brawl. What is the deal with UWA invading CMLL here? The crowd was nuts for this. Shockingly the next segment saw The Dynamic Duo of Chris Adams and Gino Hernandez coming out of a limo somewhere in New York. They made fun of Mexicans and said they would be here next week. Then there was a video package of someone called El Hijo del Santo, he hit a punch of dives and used the camel clutch for a win. There was shots of him at some grave, the grave had his mask on it, but said it was the grave of El Santo. Is that someone important? I guess his son is set to become a big deal. In the main event we get a kind of repeat of last week, but with a different tecnico team. Chicano is now teaming with someone called Mocha Cota (old bad ass looking dude) and La Fiera (who looked kind of sleazy). The rudos team of Los Infernales was the same. It was more of the same of last week, a crazy and bloody brawl but with some cool dives thrown in by La Fiera. First fall was intense, but ended when Morgan low blowed Chicano and got DQ'ed. Second fall was just as crazy, everyone here has punches as good as Ted DiBiase. It's a real joy to watch. Chicano returned the low blow to Morgan in revenge. Those two brawled to the back and the final fall was a tag match, essentially. MS-1 pinned pinned Fiera with a really cool move off the top where his back landed on Fiera's stomach. Then Satanico put on some kind of standing submission for the win. Los Infernales destroyed the two guys with chairs afterwards, but out came Perro Aguayo (in a suit and furry boots). He saved the tecnicos and issued some kind of challenge to Satanico. That should be freaking awesome, I wonder when that will be? Another really good show that flew by, it's nice there was repeat wrestlers from last week so I can get to know them! I'll keep the reports coming. Stan Grimmas Thanks Stan, really appreciated. The situation with UWA was that in 1975 Rey Mendoza felt his sons (Los Villanos) were not getting used well enough and left to form a rival promotion. Also Mendoza had a disagreement with the president at the time of EMLL Salvador "Chavo" Lutteroth Jr. Late last year Lutheroth Jr. retired and gave the company to Paco Alonso, his nephew. Paco made amends with Mendoza and merged EMLL with UWA and formed CMLL. The angle is that those four are not happy going to CMLL and want to be known as UWA luchadores still. I don't think I've ever heard of an invasion angle like this before, keep me informed. Dave Meltzer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted January 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2017 Would El Dandy have been kind of a "young boy" at this stage? He debuted in 1981. He's won a bunch of smaller hair matches in Arena Coliseo & Pista Arena Revolución - Mexico City. He did have a bigger match on October 26, 1984 where he won the hair of Javier Cruz at Arena Mexico. He's on the rise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinmcfl Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 Love this informative style of writing and I am becoming a fan of CMLL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted January 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 Love this informative style of writing and I am becoming a fan of CMLL Thank you sir, hope you enjoy this next card. Super Viernes on January 18, 1985 at Arena Mexico 1) Gran Cochisse y Tony Acre y Vulcano contra Negro Casas y talisman y Moguro 2) Valente Fernandez y Ringo Mendoza y Cachorro Mendoza contra Emilio Charles Jr. y Chris Adams y Gino Hernandez 3) Solar y Super Astro y Ultraman contra Los Villanos (III y IV y V) Semi-Main Event) Los Brazos (Brazo de Oro y Brazo de Plata y El Brazo) contra Jerry Estrada y Espanto Jr. y Kato Kung Lee Main Event) Cien Caras y Perro Aguayo contra El Satanico y MS-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordi Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 I really like the idea of Hernandez and Adams working a kind of Art Barr type role. I imagine them dancing on the edge of causing an actual riot to break out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirEdger Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 Oh man, this really has got me intrigued. Adams & Gino tearing the house down in Mexico as rudos can be so much fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LowBlowPodcast Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 I just hope they don't lose their hair!! Great presentation here man. Very fun addition to the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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