Lucha Libre

[smkelly]

I've watched very little lucha libre in my time, and I am wanting to get more into the lucha scene.

 

So, here's my question:

 

What lucha libre matches would you / have been rated as a MOTYC? Any era is fine, 60's / 70's / 80's / 90's

 

Also, considering the list, who would I contact in getting this list put on a DVD?

[Tim Cooke]

What lucha have you seen?

 

What did you like/dislike about what you have seen?

 

Tim

[Loss]

The earliest footage you're likely to find - at least of matches in full - is going to be 1983 or 1984. I actually think getting Alfredo's Greatest Lucha Stars of the 80s set (http://www.slambamjam.com) is a good primer. Honestly, most of my viewing is confined to the 80s and I haven't seen a ton of 90s stuff, but there's lots of good stuff to be seen in the 80s. Alfredo's set has the majority of the good stuff from that time period.

 

After you wade through that, I think the next step would be to start going through 1989-1990 EMLL. A great time period with long, great matches nearly every week on television, most of which is pretty easily available.

 

I'll provide some more specific recommendations based on what type of wrestling you usually like and go for, if you can provide that.

[smkelly]

Tim - I've seen a comp featuring just Rey Jr. vs. Juventud Guerrera from the 90's. I've recently downloaded MS-1 vs. Sangre Chicana, I've yet to watch though.

 

Loss - I enjoy both technical and highspot type matches. Blood, long matches, drama, etc is also a high like for me. Like in Rey Jr. vs. Eddy Guerrero Mask vs. Title, I like the rudoness of Guerrero. Hopefully you'll be able to put all of that stuff together?

[Loss]

I think you'll really like Satanico. He's like the 2005 version of Eddy Guerrero with more athletic ability. MS-1 is also another one I think you'll enjoy.

 

Recommended matches:

 

9/23/83 - MS1 v Sangre Chicana - Classic. As good as any match I've ever seen

 

??/??/84 - El Satanico v Atlantis

 

??/??/84 - El Hijo del Santo & Atlantis v Fuerza Guerrera & Lobio Rubio -- Not really a great match, but a really awesome spotfest. If you like the Michinoku Pro style, you'll really dig this match, as it's many of the same sequences you see there on a regular basis

 

7/30/84 - El Satanico v Shiro Koshinaka -- Not the most lucha-style match you'll see, but a good introduction to Satanico for sure. More of an American-style match with underdog selling and that sort of thing. I loved this quite a bit, and I'm not really a fan of Koshinaka all that much.

 

9/14/84 - El Satanico v Gran Cochisse -- Another terrific MOTYC-caliber match from Satanico in '84. Worth seeing. Cochisse is also quite awesome

 

9/21/84 - MS1 v Sangre Chicana - Watch the other match first, and it's much better, but this is also quite great. Lots of selling of injuries here. Tough match.

 

10/??/84 - El Satanico v Super Astro -- Two of my favorites. Super Astro is really good at executing every move to perfection, not just in how crisp his big dives look, but also in the way he gets over the energy he expends for every move. Good intro.

 

All of the above matches are on Alfredo's 80s set I mentioned before.

 

As for 1989 EMLL, these were my favorite matches:

 

10/20 - Jerry Estrada v Javier Cruz -- Hair match, and worth watching a million times. Jerry Estrada is sloppy as hell and still puts on a performance for the ages. Hate-filled bloodbath.

 

11/16 - Brazo de Oro v Pirata Morgan -- GREAT mat wrestling. Long match that's pretty typical of how title matches are worked.

 

Plenty of other great matches I'll get to later, but those two are in the top five matches of the year (not just in Mexico) for me -- and that's a year with Jumbo/Tenryu and the Flair/Steamboat feud.

[smkelly]

Thanks for such a fast reply Loss, I will definitely try and get ahold of the matches you recommended.

[Tim Evans]

I suggest getting either Bob Barnett's AAA 93-95 comps or Alfredo's Art Barr comp. They are a great introduction to great 90's AAA and in my opinion, the greatest team ever in Los Gringos Locos.