[1987-02-28-WWC] Carlos Colon vs Stan Hansen

[Loss]

This was just awesome! Wow. I didn't expect to like this one as much when I saw they were going longer, just because the 10-minute zone seems to have been so perfect for them. But I was very wrong on that. They built and built to that figure four so much. Just classic, All-Japan style build to a big move or hold. This was Colon as a pissed off babyface seeking retribution, and I love that match that was 90% babyface dishing out and working the leg still had that chaotic feel. Over and over, Hansen seemed desperate to just get this over with, trying for a pinfall with his feet on the ropes and finally taking the DQ to use the crutch just to break the figure four. Colon holding the ropes while fans screamed for him was such an awesome sense of retribution. There aren't many matches where Hansen gets eaten like this, and I think it takes a special guy to get that idea over in a way that seems credible. Colon stayed on him enough and was aggressive enough that it absolutely was. This was the match that made me a believer in Colon as a great worker, where the previous ones I was more inclined to see Hansen's greatness merely out of familiarity. Four matches so far, all very different and all great. ****1/2

[El Boricua]

Some background context (and this one is a bit long):

 

Due to Carlos Colon winning the bullrope match, Stan Hansen has left Puerto Rico. Chicky Starr, Hansen's manager, has invited Colon on his talk show segment Chicky Starr's Sports Shop. Chicky, hostile over Hansen being gone, has Colon on to basically talk about this fallout. In the Puerto Rico wrestling thread there's a video posted of this segment, but here's a transcript of the video (CS is Chicky, CC is Carlos):

 

CS: Every week we have a special guest on our segment, but this week we'll make an exception since this week we don't have a special guest, what we have is garbage. We have Carlos Colon...

CC: Without insults, without insults. If you're going to disrespect me I'm going to get up and leave.

CS: I'm not disrespecting you, I'm just calling you what you are. Just sit down. I want to tell you something, you have been going around with your big mouth bragging that you've run Stan Hansen out of wrestling here in Puerto Rico.

CC: Well, I got him out of Puerto Rico because I beat him and he had said if he was defeated, if he were to lose a match with Carlos Colon he would leave Puerto Rico. I beat him and I have proof of that, let's look at the tape.

CS: What do you...

Tape rolls of the end of the bullrope match.

CS: Who the hell do you think you are! This is my segment and I'm in charge here!

CC: Don't disrespect me again, I will not stand for any more of your insults.

CS: No, you're wrong! This is my segment and I'm in charge here! Look, (points at sign) Chicky Starr's Sport Shop, it doesn't say Carlos Colon's Sport Shop! And I'll tell you what I think of you! You're an idiot, a filthy negro, a dirty negro!

CC: (standing up and pointing at Chicky) Now just one minute, don't insult me..!

Chicky spits on Carlos and Carlos slaps him hard in response. He grabs Chicky by the neck and then out of nowehre Stan Hansen attacks colon from behind in an mabush. Hansens and Chicky proceed to attack Carlos and, in an act of humiliation, Hansen ties up Carlos and starts riding him like a horse.

Around the 3:40 mark Chicky starts talking again in Spanish:

CS: Now you're getting what you deserve! There you have that garbage, the garbage that is Carlos Colon! There you have that negro on the floor, just as Stan and I wanted him. There you have Carlos Colon, tied up as if he were a calf! There he is! Get up if you can! That's it, we've humiliated you like we wanted to! There you have Carlos Colon! Look at him good! The garbage of here!

The following week, there was another Sports Shop segment

CS: Week after week the best in wrestling, the number one program, obviously because I'm involved, that's why it's number one in the sport. Every week an important guest and this week we have the great Stan Hansen.

Stan starts talking, mentioning how great last week was and gleefully talking about what they did to Carlos, then Chicky translates for the viewers.

CS (at the 5:25 mark): There's a VCR tape we want you to see, roll that tape so you can see that filthy Carlos Colon. (This is obviously a dig at Carlos after last week's roll the tape argument).

Tape rolls of last week's attack on Colon.

CS: Now you've seen it all, this man here is pure joy. You can see it on his face, Carlos Colon get ready, because yours is coming. This is all for this week on your favorite segment, Chicky Starr's Sport Shop.

The same week that Hansen and Chicky were bragging and playing the video, Carlos Colon appeared on TV and said he was leaving. He had never been humiliated like this and he couldn't face the people after what was done to him. Hugo Savinovich spent the next couple of weeks trying to track down Carlos to get an interview with him and try to get him to come back. These efforts were fruitless. Meanwhile, Chicky was having a field day replaying the footage over and over during those weeks. Finally, Hugo went to Invader 1 to ask for his help in getting Carlos backa meting was finally held with Carlos and he looked terrible, he was disheveled and unshaven.Carlos was that the commission was about to invoke the 30 day rule and he would be stripped of the Universal title if he did not return. Invader told Carlos that he was not a quitter. Carlos said Invader was right, he's never been a quitter, but he had never been humiliated like that in his life and he just couldn't face the public after that attack. Invader said that they could get it done together, Invader would take care of Chicky and Carlos would take care of Hansen. Carlos said he would think about it.

That weekend, the heels were attacking Invader after a match with Chicky (I think it was Chicky) when Carlos made the surprise save. Afterwards, a fired up Carlos said that he wanted Hansen and Chicky, that they were going to pay for humiliating him like they did.

 

A few days before this match (may have even been the day before), Carlos wrestled Chicky in a cage match in Ponce. Carlos won the amcth, but proceeded to continue attacking Chicky with the figure four leglock and jump off the top rope onto his leg. The rest of the tecnicos actually came out and blocked the entrance to the cage so that no help could get to Chicky. As result, Chicky's leg was 'broken'. As all of this is happening, Hansen comes out and stands outside of the cage, bellowing at Carlos and acting as f he was going inside. Carlos would dare him to make a move and Hansen eventually decides to go back to the locker room. But, the message has been sent to Hansen. Chicky was the first one to feel the wrath of Colon, now Colon is coming for Hansen.

 

This mathc takes place at Estadio Hiram Bithorn. This is the first match between them since the Sport Shop hogtie incident. This explains why Colon just assaults Hansen throughout the match and why Colon just leaves Hansen in the figure four for so long. Colon's intentions were to break Hansen's leg just like he did to Chicky. In a way, it puts Hansen over as a tough guy by being in the figure four so long without giving up. Hansen, desperate to get out, hits Carlos with a crutch (likely given to him Chicky). As Hansen makes his escape, Carlos just goes berserk, hitting referees and anything that moves. At the end, a fired up Carlos addresses the fans and swears by his mother that he will end Hansen.

 

And this leads us to the finale.