Fuerza Guerrera vs. Gallo Tapado, hair vs. hair, 3/8/91

Gallo Tapado was a character wrestler from the 70s whose mask was "a rooster's spur around the eyes and a line crossing the mouth to feign a belt from the charro's hat whom made roosters fight in los palenques, making him an excellent character, since sometimes in the ring [he] jumped joining his ankles like sharping his knives as roosters do in a fight." (Credit: lucha wiki)

He was 48 years old here and practically a 30 year vet, so there wasn't much pomp. It was a familar story, I guess, an old guy looking for one last pay day. He kinda reminded me of a Villano in the way he moved and his ability to hook on a submission, so I imagine he was a pretty decent worker in his hey day. He was actually Fuerza's maestro, so Fuerza came pretty damn close to losing his mask. GT brought some sort of live chicken or cock to ringside, which Fuerza beat him with, and then the tape started splicing between the first and second falls and looped back round again.

It was a slower, more methodically paced match than the usual Fuerza special, but as always he added a little something extra to each of his bumps and I don't think I've seen a guy who was better at breaking a cradle or submission attempt.

GT was selling his arm at the end, using the strap of his tights as a sling. I don't know if it was real or not, Huracan Sevilla did the same thing the night he lost his mask, but if it's a work then it's a pretty awesomw way to bow out.

A small, somewhat interesting piece of lucha history.