Puerto Rico Wrestling

[Dylan Waco]

The Missing Link v. Stan Hansen - 1987

 

 

The best part of this was the overdubbed music during the entrance. Well that and Hugo randomly coming in with English commentary at two points for no reason at all. This was the quietest I can remember hearing a live crowd being PR and I don't blame them. Link was just terrible in this. It looked like Hansen wanted to work, but Link didn't sell shit, took ginger bumps ad it's almost impossible to make his offense look good. Hansen was working lighter than usual, which is a shame because by the end of this I really wanted him to potato Robertson. To be fair to Dewey he was probably working this tour for coke and may or may not have been crashing in between bumps here.

 

Stan Hansen/Chicky Starr v. Carlos Colon/Huracan Castillo Sr. - 12/86

 

 

This is another piece of the awesome Hansen/Colon feud puzzle. If I'm not mistaken Castillo is the commission member Hansen killed with a lariat after he narc'ed Stan out and stopped him from putting Colon away with a loaded lariat in an earlier match. This starts off a brawl, turns into a structured attack on Colon with the heels keeping him in isolation (including some fun stuff with Colon/Starr worked along the lines of Bobby Heenan v. established star), then devolves into a wild brawl with an awesome ending angle. I actually thought the star of this to the extent there was one was Starr. He took some really nasty elbows from Castillo, bled a ton and came across really effective as the sniveling little prick. This is mainly notable for the post-match where Hansen hangs Colon with his bullrope until the face locker room empties out to make the save. Nothing great, but a nice addition to the feud.

 

Greg Valentine v. Miguel Perez Jr. - 1/92

 

 

I will probably never tire of watching Greg Valentine stiff dudes and I thought the initial figure-four transition was clever but this wasn't very good. Perez was off on several cues and really didn't add anything to the match other than a couple of nice dropkicks. The story of the match revolved more around Perez dad being handcuffed to Valentine's second then anything else which would have been okay if either guy was interesting. Unfortunately they weren't.

 

Chicky Starr v. Eric Embry - 1989

 

 

This is JIP, but I doubt much if anything of note is missing. This wasn't a great match, but I loved it. Very straight forward, simple match, but both of these guys are just fun to watch when they are on. Chicky's way of reacting to ever offensive move Embry throws at him is just really great as it is exaggerated enough to have effect, but not so much that it becomes ridiculous. Lots of good punches in this and I liked the idea of Starr attacking the leg and Embry dropping the strap on his comeback. This had a stalling segment that may have been a bit long and I could see some hating the finish, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Tim Evans]

Dylan, If you liked Colon/Hansen, you should get into the Colon vs Sadistic Steve Strong feud. Strong was awesome in Puerto Rico. I think the feud ended in a Barb Wire match that had insane crowd heat.

 

[Dylan Waco]

Looks like there are clips from other matches and possibly the whole barbed wire match. I will watch those first to build up to the big blow off

[Dylan Waco]

Carlos Colon v. Steve Strong - Barbed Wire 1989

 

 

No clue what order these are in so I just started watching them. May have started with the blow off first for all I know. In any case this had an outstanding atmosphere and they do a great job getting over the gimmick, but it wasn't a good match. Not Colon's fault really as I thought Strong was pretty terrible for most of this. This is a blood feud match and he is working the arm and trying to do wire spots around that which in theory is not awful, but this is a guy doing a powerhouse gimmick. He has really weak looking strikes to which is distracting in a match like this. On the other hand I liked Colon's selling and facial expressions a lot and I thought this had a sort of "going for broke" feel toward the end which I like in matches like this. Chicky Starr screw job finish and restart was pretty ridiculous, but it did lead to a mini riot with fans throwing shit toward the ring and paramilitaries whipping swarming crowd members off of five foot platforms. Best parts of this were the pre and post match though again the PR atmosphere makes most anything watchable.

 

Steve Strong v. Carlos Colon - 1989

 

 

JIP with about seven minutes of the match shown. This was much better than the barbed wire match, though the heat wasn't at that level. Still Strong looked a lot better here. He's still a guy that moves awkwardly and works like a self conscious Rhyno, but he did hit a really nice jumping piledriver and the rest o his stuff looked sufficiently impactful. Colon sold his ass off in this and bled and didn't get a ton in though he did throw one really great looking knee lift. There was some really good camera work in this which is something I have noticed in a lot of these WWC matches a major plus. Crazy spot with Strong back body dropping Colon right onto the ref who is standing, then Chicky Starr loads up his arm pad and he wins wit a loaded lariat. Gotta love the consistency with that being the Colon killer. Finish gets overturned, but I did love Colon selling the neck minutes after the finish. What was shown here was pretty good.

 

Steve Strong v. Carlos Colon - Cage Match 1989

 

 

This is a fully enclosed cage in the vein of wargames so it has a different feel than some of these other matches. This is JIP and we only get about 4:30 of the match which is really too bad because I liked what was shown. Colon was already a bloody mess and was making his comeback by working the leg. Strong sold well and they did a really solid figure-four spot, with Strong's reversal actually setting up Colon in peril again. Colon gets decked with a lariat, but Strong picks him up and goes for a loaded lariat only for Carlos to lock in a less than smooth crucifix for the pin. Really got the feeling this was probably the last half of good match, but we'll never know.

[Dylan Waco]

Steve Strong v. Carlos Colon - NO DQ 1989

 

 

This is the blow off to the feud as Colon puts his career on the line v. Strong's career in Puerto Rico. Chicky Starr is banned from the building and this is No DQ, No Time Limit. On paper you think "this is gonna be an out of control brawl" and you get the feeling that if this was held in a stadium it would have been. But this is at an in door arena and my guess is to avert a riot nearly the entire match stays in the ring. Even weirder this is actually worked as a pretty straight match for the most part. First part is dominated by Colon who is targeting the leg. The implication is that Strong can't compete with Colon absent Starr or gimmicks so he keeps bailing. Everything he tries back fires. Colon gets him in the figure-four mid ring, but that ends up being the turning point as Strong reverses it. Now this part probably goes on FAR too long, but as an interesting way to do a reset it actually works. At first both guys come up selling the leg and it's unfortunate that got blown off down the stretch, because it would have been a nice story. In any case Strong's offense looked better than normal here (actually Colon's did too). Strong is actually dominating when he throws Colon to the floor. Much like Colon thinking the figure-four was his ace in the hole only to be proven wrong, Strong trying to turn it into a fight ends up back firing on him Colon takes advantage and makes a run, but he gets cut right back down. There is a great spot in here as Strong gets a near fall and Colon just barely gets his foot on the bottom rope. Strong just stares at it for what feels like forever. Comes across as a total "this was my chance and I fucked it up" moment. Strong continues his run and goes to an overhead back breaker. Looks to be going for a second one and/or a second jumping piledriver, when Colon floats him over and pins him. Post-match the fans swarm the ring and Colon which was a really cool visual. This is not the match you expect on paper and in some respects it was probably asking too much of both guys (especially Strong). Still this really works in a lot of ways and if you had told me these guys would have a match like this, with psychology that worked as well as this did, I wouldn't have believed it.

[Dylan Waco]

Carlos Colon v. Leo Burke - 12/89

 

 

Good, basic match, that had some pretty neat spots and built to a very surprising conclusion. I could see some people not liking the opening portion a whole lot, but I was a fan of Leo's stalling and I thought the work with the arm was well done as a base. They would come up for a spot here or there and then settle back into the hold, with Burke taking control by hair pulling. It's simple, but its a standard that works and allows for enough "action" where you don't feel like guys are just laying around killing time. I really loved the criss cross/monkey flip spot in this. Not at all what you expect out of a Colon match, and watching him counter Leo's attempt with a leg drop was a nice spin on the standard. Burke through some really sick looking forearms in this. I thought Colon's comeback was a little weak, but it wasn't distracting and may have been hurt by the unusual middling PR setting and response. Colon had tried to work Leo's leg early, so I thought it was neat when Leo went to it later in the match and he had several cool ways of getting to Colon's leg from different positions. I absolutely loved the spot with Colon slamming him and Leo using his downed position on the mat as a way of getting straight to the leg. Pretty amazing finish to this as Burke locked on the figure four mid-ring, Burke's second pulls the rope just a wee bit out of the reach of Colon and he is forced to submit. A virtually clean submission finish for the heel is not how you expect this to end.

 

TNT v. Original TNT - 1991

 

 

This was an extremely fun, bomb throwing, fight. My only real complaint about this was the placement of the first commercial break which cut out the transition from Savio (TNT) on offense to defense. I don't think I've seen a great deal of Action Jackson (Original TNT) but the guy had a great way of going totally lifeless for the big times strikes he was eating, which included some really great looking kicks. They didn't spend the whole match on the floor, but when they went out there they made it count as you had guys getting bloodied and slammed into shit in really sick ways. Late in the match Savio almost kills Jackson with a high kick. Also thought the spot with Jackson catching Savio in mid-air for the Rick Steiner style powerslam was pretty great. Surprising finish as Original TNT locks on the Cobra Clutch and chokes TNT straight out. Really good for a match of this type.

 

Carlos Colon/The Invaders v. Chicky Starr/Abdullah The Butcher/Ron Starr - 1986

 

 

This match is mainly notable for the angle at the end where Abby throws ammonia in the eyes of Colon. It's a rare occasion where a PR crowd almost comes across as scared instead of pissed which is what they were going for but has a real eerie feel to it. Match itself is solid, if unspectacular. The exchanges with The Invaders and the Starr's were the highlights, particularly when Chicky was bumping and selling.

 

Chicky Starr v. Invader I - 1/6/86

 

 

This is pretty awesome as a spectacle. Apparently Starr ambushed Invader pre-match with a mic and busted him open. The first three minutes of this is just Starr circling him as he bleeds on the floor, taking a shot here or there, as the crowd gets more and more intense. It's insane but I couldn't spot a single person seated for the entire duration of this match. At one point Chicky is screaming profanity on the floor and you start to think shit might get out of hand but it never does. It's like they are just waiting for the big Invader comeback to happen. I'm not sure the use of the armbar in between shots was the best heat building hold, but it didn't seem to hurt and Chicky tossing him over the top for a big bump when he started to make a comeback was a smart spot. Invader finally starts to make a comeback, as he slowly gets going and then pumps himself up full tilt with the crowd going bananas to the point where the building looks to be shaking. He goes in for the kill and Starr just bolts and leaves for the countout. That sounds disappointing but it really wasn't. This was the start of a feud and the fuck you effect of bloodying a guy and then casually leaving before he can get any real damage on you was sold really well by Invader.

[Dylan Waco]

Chicky Starr, Hércules Ayala, Abdullah The Butcher, Iron Sheik & Grizzly Boone vs. Carlos Colón, Bruiser Brody, Invader #1, Dutch Mantel & TNT (Savio Vega) - The Great War 1987

 

 

 

 

This was a clusterfuck but largely an entertaining one. Honestly this would have been ten thousand times better as a true Wargames tag with guy coming in in 2 or 5 minute intervals. In any case I loved Chicky Starr in this but that is a reoccurring them and to be expected at this point. The goal of the gimmick is that all five guys from a team have to be chained to a cage and then the winning team gets five minutes alone with them. This leads to a lot of awkward moments and a whole lot of nothing happening after an initial wave of stuff. I thought this got pretty good as it broke down the final four and Sheik was a lot of fun as the last man standing, destroying Colon with a foreign object he'd kept in his boot and then unchaining him and locking him in the camel clutch during the five minute beatdown period. Colon was a bloody mess and this was a decisive and crushing win for the heels which is something that allows impresses me in a match like this. This isn't even close to a great match - I'm not even positive it's a good one. But it the violence and angle at the end made it worthwhile.

[Dylan Waco]

Rip Rogers v. TNT

 

 

Extremely fun tv title match. Rip Rogers really was a hell of a journeyman and is a case of a guy who seemed to mesh well against just about anyone. Here he goes into PR and works a match built largely around hiding the foreign object spots. It's not genius work, but I did think it was very clever that Rogers method was to hide the object in his knee pad and he had was very good about making it look like a legit adjustment when he pulled it out to use it. He was also really good about positioning the ref in ways that obscured what he was up to. TNT bled as he always does and took some really nice bumps, including a sick post show, a slow mo bump to the floor and a couple of big bumps over the barricade and into the first section of seating. When he makes his comeback he fucking cleans the clock of Rogers with a kick on the floor and Rip does a good job reacting to everything. Finish with the teased superplex and TNT rolling through on the splash off the top was pretty much perfect for what was essentially a studio match. Very enjoyable.

[Tim Evans]

Rip Rogers did commentary on one of those WWC tapes they did in English. He was hilarious. Especially on these matches:

 

Domingo Robles vs Jay Youngblood

 

Tiger Jackson vs Irish Leprechaun

 

$5,000 on a pole battle royal

[Phil Schneider]

 

Awesome long title match. Never watched much Invader but he had some fun legwork and other offense. Embry is really great here too, eating Invaders stuff really well, selling great. A little one sided as Invader takes 80% but Embry is great as a guy being steamrolled. He hits this awesome little sneak pliedriver to take over, and does one of the nastiest missed headbutts I have ever seen. Finish is really great too. Slam dunk Nomination

[Dylan Waco]

Eric Embry v. Invader III - 1986

 

 

Watching this I was reminded of Ron Garvin v. Tully Blanchard from the same year which is an outstanding tv match that suffers a bit from commercial breaks. I was also reminded of Steve Corino v. Tajiri from Hardcover Heaven 00, as this match had a similar feel with Invader as Tajiri and Embry as Corino (actually there are a lot of parallels between those two but that's a subject for another day). I thought this was a pretty great competitive squash, but make no mistake - this was a competitive squash. Embry gets his ass kicked for virtually the entire match, his one heat section is eaten up by a commercial (where we also miss how he got cut) and even though he does stuff like the sneaky, snap, piledriver it's really more as a way of surviving than it is of getting anything in for himself. I'm not even tossing this out there as a criticism of the match, because Embry is tremendous in this role and that is really the story of the match. It starts with him stalling and his valet going into a cage and sort of logical follows from there. His leg selling is outstanding even when climbing or running the ropes. His initial bump off the first dropkick was great and established the them of the match. The way he positioned himself for the final tope was outstanding also. Invader III was good, but Embry was on another level. Rarely do you see a guy being squashed for twenty minutes and come away thinking he was the genius in the match but in this case he was.

[Dylan Waco]

Invader III v. Chicky Starr - 1988

 

 

I really loved this match. Chicky Starr is like a scummy as fuck Bobby Heenan - a totally weasely motherfucker who will bleed, bump and cheat in every match. He gets busted open early in this and eats a couple of post shots on the floor that generally made me uncomfortable as I was afraid he was going to face plant in the mud on the ground and end up with some horrifying staph infection. Invader III can throw a mean punch and some of the shots he throws right at the cut on Chicky's head barely look pulled at all. Starr fights back just enough where this doesn't feel totally one-sided. In fact he gets more offense in this than Embry got against him in the match I watched yesterday, lots of nasty kidney shots included. I imagine some people will hate the finish, but I bought it entirely as Chicky had crushed him with a belly to back a few minutes before and Invader III sold the headbump on the blocked monkey flip really well.

 

Eric Embry v. Super Medico - Hair v. Mask 1986

 

 

What was shown of this was pretty awesome, but I have no clue how much is missing. I suspect not very much, but it's hard to say. Whatever the case may be, this is a balls out sprint, with both guys looking really good. There is a punch exchange in this that is as good as any punch exchange I've ever seen in a wrestling match. Just two dudes tagging each other on jaw and Embry's head whipping around from each shot. They go to this really nice rope running spot and Embry takes an insane bump basically tope'ing himself onto the ground. Embry ends up stealing the fall, but the fall he gets stooged off for cheating and the fall gets reversed, with Medico winning in short order. Crowd is pretty insane to see him get his haircut. This is maybe five minutes of in ring action at most, but what is there is great.

[Dylan Waco]

Carlos Colon v. Ric Flair - 10/82

 

 

I am at a point in my life where watching long Ric Flair title matches is not something I find terribly appealing. Having said that every time I watch a long Ric Flair title match I come away from it thinking it was a good match. This was a good match, maybe even great. In some ways it was a "Flair" match as you had the staples you expect from him, but I thought the big Flair spots where inserted in really sensible and logical ways. Honestly my biggest complaint with this is that the armwork early on was really good for the most part and went nowhere. Seriously Colon was punching the arm, Flair was selling it, they were working holds pretty well and then...nothing. It happens I guess, but it seemed like a missed opportunity, especially since Colon was going over clean anyway. Having said that I loved Flair firing back at Colon with a variety of suplexes and an ab stretch. Flair's punches looked outstanding and his sick elbows targeting Colon's cut were really great. Carlos for his part was selling everything well and I liked a lot of the visual spots. Both guys figure-four spots looked really good and the timing of Colon's big comeback was perfect. Kind of funny to see Flair lose another match to a local favorite with a back slide, was that his go too in that situation? Anyway, if someone is in the mood to watch a long Flair title match, where he's the challenger, but still kinda works as the champion this is a pretty damn good one.

 

Bruiser Brody v. Invader 1 - 1986

 

 

This is what you hope a Brody match is - two guys running around and hitting each other at a quick pace for a brief amount of time. There is nothing out of this world here, but this has the right atmosphere and that matters. Brody does throw a nice big boot and a leg drop and Invader throws some stiff shots and whips Body with an electrical chord. There is even a body slam on the floor, though it didn't look all that great. Match gets thrown out and the post-match brawl is kind of silly, but this is the sort of match that would lead you to believe Brody was at least a decent worker. And hey, it's with the guy that brutally killed him. There is that.

 

Randy Savage v. Hercules Ayala - 3/2/85

 

 

Macho's pre-match promo is great. Especially the weird sex line. Savage comes to the ring and is getting pelted by shit so he chases after ringside fans waiving his title belt over his head like a weapon and they scatter. Great shit. This was worked kind of like Candido v. Great Khali, with Savage as Candido and Ayala as Khali. Just all bumps, stooging, stalling, crazy mannerisms, et as he works around the obvious limitations of Ayala. I especially loved the way he airballed up against the ropes and on the big elbow. He takes over briefly with hide the chain spots, but the conclusion of this sees Ayala rip the chain from the Macho's nuts and pin him after a big shot. Maybe that's what the sex comment was about? Post-match little kids swarm the ring and this is the sort of match that makes you love Savage and PR wrestling all that much more.

 

Abdullah The Butcher v. Carlos Colon - 1991

 

 

This was totally awesome and maybe the best Abby "match" I've ever seen. Abby comes out and waits for Colon to come out from the dugout and Colon blindsides him from behind and immediately starts stabbing the shit out of him. The camera work is really great as this is some of the most deliberate looking stabbing I've ever seen. They brawl all over the place and Abby is surprisingly taking some bumps. Colon picks up a fucking cinderblock and smashes him with it multiple times. Carlos is gnawing on his head and his mouth is right in the fucking blood. Completely disgusting and great. Abby ends up stabbing back in pure desperation and takes over for a bit, busting Carlos open and stabbing him in the balls and chest. Carlos fights back and kicks Abby in the balls a few times, then walks off and gets this giant fucking table. It's almost not even a table, more like a huge desk that for some reason is on the infield of a baseball stadium during a wrestling show. He picks it up, gets a running start and bolts full speed, decking the shit out of Abby with it. Abby tries to block a few more shots from it but it's futile and some of these shots look really sick. Then one of Abby's seconds comes over and leaps on Colon, so Colon flings him off and tears his pants off leaving the guy scurrying away. Abby is trying to buy time for himself, but Colon picks up a giant rod. I have no clue what the hell the rod was but Carlos gets a running start, swinging it around his head and almost kills Abby with it, but he gets his hands up just in time. Abby gets slammed into a truck a few times instead and survives one or two less brutal looking shots by getting his hands up. Now other Abby minions are running around and Colon is decking him. There are PR paramilitary looking police running around the infield trying to secure things, while other guys saunter around with baseball bats and Carlos tries to lock on a figure-four on the ground in vein. This is as good a "match" of it's sort as I've ever seen.

 

TNT v. King Kong - 4/20/91

 

 

I have no clue why I felt compelled to watch this but I did. This was pretty fun stuff and makes me want to seek out more from both guys. I have no recollection of the Colossal Kongs being any good, but King Kong is a big bumping, butterball in this. I did not love the bearhug/nervehold stuff, but it wasn't terrible and at least made sense. TNT hit some nice kicks and took a really cool blackout bump. Highlights were probably the Kong sitdown splash and the two huge Kong splashes off the top for the finish. Not really worth killing yourself to see, but better than I would have guessed.

 

TNT v. Buddy Landell - 9/17/88

 

 

TNT/Savio Vega has to be one of most underrated guys of the last thirty years. He's not necessarily an all time great, but he's a guy that was good in a lot of settings against a lot of people and almost never gets talked about. This was a really good showcase match for both him and Budro. Early on it's lots of chop/punch/kick exchanges which TNT decisively wins. When Buddy takes over he goes to the leg attack right away and mixes it up with some more stiff shots. Figure-four spot is well built to and looks good and TNT still sells the leg somewhat on his comeback. I loved the spot with Buddy positioning himself perfectly to escape the Cobra Clutch and inflict damage on TNT. This wasn't a great match, but it was a good one, where both guys got time to shine.

 

The Patriot/Invader 1/Carlos Colon v. Dick Murdoch/Dick Slater/Fidel Sierra - 1992

 

 

This is the smallest crowd and venue I've seen out of Puerto Rico so far and the randomness of these teams gives this the feel of some strange thrown together 1997 WCW Worldwide match. Hell it even features The Patriot and Fidel Sierra on opposing teams. And much like many of those matches, this was a total blast. Yeah you could criticize the choice of Invader 1 as FIP, what with him being a murderer and all, but the heels are so good you don't really give a shit. There is nothing fancy about there attack as you've just got three guys who can clubber, punch, elbow and stomp the shit out of dudes. Everything they do in this match looks brutal. They also work some good cut off the ring spots and one really nice hope spot. Colon ends up coming in and gets his ass beat some and then the match got thrown out as all parties brawled to the floor. Still Sierra gave us a Wiskowski style face plant bump, Murdoch spit on ringside fans and did one of the better struggle spots on a backslide you'll ever see, and Dick Slater's elbow drop is aces. If I could watch matches like this all day I would.

[tomk]

Abdullah The Butcher v. Carlos Colon - 1991

yes, you finally watched this. Watch the Miguel Perrez Jr v Hurricane Castillo Jr dog collar match already.

 

I have no clue why I felt compelled to watch this but I did. This was pretty fun stuff and makes me want to seek out more from both guys. I have no recollection of the Colossal Kongs being any good, but King Kong is a big bumping, butterball in this.

One of the Kongs spends late 90s early 00's working Texas indys. I wouldn't be surprised if he feuds with Action Jackson.

 

TNT/Savio Vega has to be one of most underrated guys of the last thirty years. He's not necessarily an all time great, but he's a guy that was good in a lot of settings against a lot of people and almost never gets talked about.

He should get talked up alot more. I imagine if there was a DVDVR 500 in 1991 he would have ranked ridiculously high for his IWA Japan stuff and odd Us indy stuff like the AWF match with Tom Burton.

[Dylan Waco]

Feel free to recommend matches tom or anyone else. I was not a total PR virgin prior to this, but the vast majority of this stuff is stuff I'm watching for the first time.

[Dylan Waco]

Huracan Castillo Jr. v. Miguel Perez Jr. - Dog Collar Match 1991

 

 

It is a true testament to the greatness that is Puerto Rican wrestling that this is probably not a top three gimmick match I've watched so far and not even close to as a good a "guys have to touch all four corners to win" match as Hansen v. Colon, because this really was a hell of a match. Total war right from the bell and that's really what you want in a match like this. I know there are people who watch Miguel Perez matches for his one or two impressive highspots, but this is a guy who should always be working matches of this ilk. Castillo's blade job in the opening moments is really sick and sets the tone. You've got some nice chain as weapon spots (I liked Castillo using it to enhance his knee drop), some really good four corners tease spots, guys brawling out to the timekeepers table and pasting each other with chairs, a nutty crowd, and of course your PR staple with second getting involved on the finish but doing it in a way that isn't completely annoying. Pretty great match. I can't imagine very many brawls in 1991 being better, but there is a lot of 91 Memphis I haven't seen.

 

Carlos Colon v. Invader 1 -1992

 

 

Holy fuck another really good Carlos Colon match. This pretty much has everything. For some reason Invader 1 starts this match with his mask and wants to go to a clench for the first two minutes. But everything after that point is really good stuff. It starts with Colon trying to target the leg and escalates from there. Invader decides to get nasty first and busts Colon open and from that point forward this is a bit more typical of your PR brawls, albeit one that is more focused and features some surprising wrestling spots. Really loved Invader's flash escape of Colon's elbow to the leg and Colon's flash reversal into an armbar, as both are things you never expect to see in this match. When Colon gets fed up he starts twisting at Invader's mask until he takes it off and flings it at him in anger. Every time Colon gets put on the defensive he comes back with these crazy jabbing headbutts that look like they would shatter someones eye orbital nine out of ten times. Invader eventually ends up flying into the post on the floor and getting bloodied where Colon kicks the shit out of him with a wooden chair. I'm not doing play-by-play and it's impossible call everything, but this match includes Colon missing a second rope spot, a dirty little Invader double stomp, a great looking Hart Attack style clothesline from Colon, a sweet Colon sunset flip and a near fall on a German suplex of all things. Invader survives the figure-four and actually takes the fall after what I think was supposed to be a big punch with a foreign object. Really a hell of a match. Getting harder and harder to argue that Colon was anything less than great.

 

Dick Murdoch/Dick Slater v. Carlos Colon/Invader 1 - 1992

 

 

The face shine in this one is a lot of fun as you get all the staples of Terry Funk from Dick Slater and all the staples of Dick Murdoch from Dick Murdoch. I swear Murdoch spends about three minutes clutching at his face in various ways selling punches and bitching to the ref to check his eye. This ends up being a great set up for the FIP on Invader as Murdoch hip checks him as he comes off the rope and then immediately drops to the floor where he post him and beats him with a business sign he ripped off the wall. The Hardliners really know how to work a control segment as they are pummeling the shit out of Invader in the corner while he's upside down and running all sort of interference spots to get extra damage in. At one point Slater throws this great headbutt, jab, elbow drop combo with every blow getting increasingly stiff. The hope spots in this are really awesome as Murdoch just sort of throws himself at the feet of Invader to isolate him, while Slater runs in for the big shot. Colon gets the hot tag and pinballs Slater everywhere busting him open on the floor and locking him in the figure-four when the second of The Hardliners runs in to break it up behind the refs back. Colon tries to crawl over to make the tag, but Invader is laying half dead in a heap in the corner. Colon ends up bloodied and in the figure-four and The Hardliners work the shit out of it. Colon is drenched in blood at this point and is able to reverse the hold only for Murdoch to tag in and go right to town on him. Colon punches through Murdoch and tags into Invader who opens up Murdoch with some nasty punches. Both guys end up tagging out and this turns into an insane all over the arena brawl with the locker room emptying and everyone kicking their asses kicked. I would have preferred a definitive finish, but this was still a really good tag match.

 

Ron Garvin v. Iron Sheik - 9/10/88

 

 

I watched this a few months ago, but why not again for the purposes of this project? Anyhow this was a really fun sprint/brawl. I loved Sheik using his garb as an ambush tool right out of the gate and I will never tire of Garvin's wild overhand chops. It's possible this could have done without the pretense of build as it wasn't going anywhere, anyhow, but both guys delivered with stiffness and we got a cool Sheik suplex. Would have liked to have a better finish, but the one we got wasn't terrible.

[Dylan Waco]

Looking at this and assuming anyone is actually reading this shit, is that Sheik v. Garvin date correct?

[goodhelmet]

It is correct.

[El-P]

Huracan Castillo Jr. v. Miguel Perez Jr. - Dog Collar Match 1991

These two were so wasted in WWF. Shit, it was the time of blood and gimmick matches, they could have done so much with Los Boricuas. Give them a hot latino valet to help them get some attention, put them into feuds with valuable players, book garbage matches with bucket of bloods on PPVs.

 

This thread seriously gives me the urge to watch that batch of WWC I have on some DVDs. Once I get done with my own WCW cross to bear.

[khawk20]

Garvin would have been moving around some at that time. He came into the AWA shortly after that and won the TV title, and departed for the WWF in what, early 89?

[Dylan Waco]

That sounds right. I believe Garvin went back to PR after the WWF run was over and then had that cup of coffee in SMW. Kind of like Sheik in that he peaked winning the title and was never really a big impact player again after that.

 

I think I'm going to watch all the Colon v. Ayala matches later today. If Colon can get multiple great matches with Ayala (who is very limited based on what I've seen), it will cement him as a guy shooting up my chart as an all timer.

[Phil Schneider]

Abdullah The Butcher v. Carlos Colon - 1991

 

Man this was fucking awesome, reminded me of a Moondogs brawl, except Abby is even crazier looking then a moondog. Also love the atmosphere of Puerto Rican stadium shows, they are like Roman Coliseums.

[Tim Evans]

Dylan, You should watch the Rex King/Ricky Santana vs Heart breakers match from 1992. Crazy brawl with everyone bleeding and fans throwing shit.

 

And one of WWC's most bloody matches: California Studs( Brian Lee and Dirty White Boy) vs Invader 1 and Ricky Santana:

[rzombie1988]

Carlos Colon from this week's WWC Clasico which was the Colon/Ayala LLT match.

[Dylan Waco]

Hercules Ayala v. Carlos Colon - Texas Death Match 7/87

 

 

This is a twenty-plus minute Texas Death Match, with exactly one fall, and one guy who is very limited so on paper this really shouldn't be as good as it was. I wouldn't call this a home run, but this was a good match, built almost entirely around the selling and blood loss of Colon. Colon gets his offense in to be sure, but this starts off with Colon being beaten to shit on a table in the infield of a baseball stadium with grass that is crazy overgrown and ends with Colon losing Eddie Guerrero at JD 04 levels of blood. Ayala's offense consists of a punch of middling strikes, but it largely works because of the way Colon sells things. His punch drunk stance is great and the way he just sort of falls around on his feet really adds to the match. I also loved the way he sold the after effect of the Ayala figure-four as he he literally crumpled to the canvas at one point when trying to apply his own version. The only fall is Ayala going down to the figure-four of Colon, but that was sort of used as a reset after Ayala fights his way to his feet and from there it quickly turns into "can Colon survive the mauling." This is eventually stopped by a ringside ref, with Colon refusing to stay down and even take a fall, even though he was gushing pools of blood all over the ring.

 

Hercules Ayala v. Carlos Colon - Barbed Wire Match 9/87

 

 

Man this was great. This had the extra stip of being a match that could only end via figure-four, so there was another layer of psychology. One thing I really love about WWC barbed wire matches is that they always establish them early with the heel clumsily stumbling into the barbs after every exchange. It's a small thing but helps get over the gimmick huge and the moment when you finally see the real violence it comes across even more violent as a result. We get a sick close up of Colon being ripped open by a barbed shortly after this which also really sets the tone. I love all the figure-four spots in this, with both guys fighting desperately out of the early attempts. The way Colon reacts to something like a simple kick off is perfect and makes a normally weak transition seem completely believable. Ayala ends up trapped in between the ropes which are surrounded with wire and the outer layer of wire and his back gets ripped up as Colon just drives him into it. I thought that was pretty nutty shit, but I'll be god damned if Colon didn't one up him by doing the exact same shit later in the match, but in an even more dangerous fashion as he was leaning with his entire body weight in the wire to the point where it looked like the strands might snap and he would collapse to the floor. Colon coming back from that position and hopping over the ropes was a great moment. And the finishing stretch to this was just outstanding. Colon gets locked in the figure-four by Ayala and looks like he's done, when he reaches into his trunks and grabs a foreign object and decks Ayala in the knee. Colon lost the title due to a foreign object so this is a call back and a well timed one. Colon locks on his own figure-four and Ayala is able to fight for the ropes, but it's no DQ and doesn't matter. So Ayala grasps wildly at the wire, trying to pull himself through the mesh of barbs and down to the floor before finally giving up. Completely got over the danger of the figure-four and was a great rock and a hard place finish. Post-match with the fans swarming Colon and Colon dumping champagne on a young Carlito's head was outstanding too. Another excellent gimmick match from Colon and the WWC.

 

Hercules Ayala attacks Carlos Colon and his wife

 

 

Just watch this. Its scummy as all hell and a good set up for...

 

Hercules Ayala v. Carlos Colon - Fire Match 1988

 

 

This is another awesome and insane match. I have watched this one many times over the years but it never gets old. Colon goes after Ayala like he's a guy who just attacked his wife and he is a guy who just attacked his wife. This is a full blown sprint, with several great back and fourth strike exchanges and a hell of a pace. I love Ayala countering Colon punches with kicks to the knee and the few fire spots in this were just great. At the beginning of this the fire around the ring is just out of control and there is an early spot where Colon's hands go right into it. Ayala for his part takes a couple of shots into the fire that looked really good too and even as the flames go down this never loses the urgency of a fight where both guys are out to win at any cost. Naturally Colon finishes him off with the figure-four and refuses to let go after the match. A great spectacle and a match that shows you how to get the most out of minimal gimmick use.

 

Hercules Ayala v. Carlos Colon - Loser Leaves Town Match 1/6/89

 

 

Colon is wearing the white singlet and so naturally this is a complete and total bloodbath. Seriously this might be the most disgustingly bloody match out of all the Colon matches I've watched so far. This starts with slugfest spots, evolves into a brawl on the floor, including Colon crushing Ayala with the ring bell and then turns into Ayala in control with Colon on the ropes. I wasn't in love with the bearhug spots, but Colon was such a mess that at that point almost anything would have been dramatic. On the other hand I really liked some of the cut offs and big spots in this. Loved Ayala just dropping into an elbow on the top of Colon's head on a back body drop attempt and even though the impact was weak, the cut off of the body press was a cool idea. Both guys hit really sick looking modified backdrop suplexes and Colon's bump off the big missed leg drop from the top looked awesome. Colon's selling of his leg down the stretch was really good as well and the visual spot of his head raining blood as he leans up on the reverse figure-four making Ayala submit was awesome. What a great feud.

 

I defy anyone to watch these Colon matches and not come away thinking he's an all time great brawler.