Super Black Ninja vs. Invader I (Street Fight) (4/2/88)

[El Boricua]

Super Black Ninja vs. Invader I (Street Fight) (4/2/88)

[elliott]

Muto attacks Invader at the bell. Beating the crap out of Invader and even coming off the top rope with the belt to smash Invader. I love that they’re just calling Super Black Ninja “Great Muta.” Muta continues beating down Invader with chops. Invader’s selling is, big surprise, great. Spills to the outside and we finally get a good shot of Invader’s bloody mask. Muta posts Invader leading to awesome stumbling around selling by Invader. Muta gets a chair and beats on Invader. They continue brawling around the ring with Muta firmly in control. Invader starts to fight back starting with the big kick to the balls and some great punches. To the outside and Invader immediately hits Muta with a chair because everything in PR gets paid back. The right side of Invader’s mask is covered in blood but he continues to beat the shit out of Muta all around the ring and finally back inside. Muta makes his comeback by choking Invader with his shirt an then continuing his chopping/kicking assault. Muta takes his shoe off and attacks Invader with it but Invader manages to fight back and beats the crap out of Muta with his own show. More brawling on the outside leads to Muta kicking Invader in the balls and choking him out with some cables. Invader starts his chest pounding to signal his comeback and he flips Muta out over the ropes. But the choking has done its damage so Muta is able to continue working over Invader. We get the backbreaker and moonsault. Fastest count you’ll ever see but Invader manages to kick out. Sleeper by Muta as he’s just trying to use Invader’s blood loss against him. Invader dives over the top rope bringing Muta with him in order to break the sleeper which is such an awesome moment of desperation. Muta still beats Invader to his feet and starts to whip Invader with his belt but invader gets in ANOTHER lowblow. He wraps the belt around Muta’s neck and dumps him over the top choking the shit out of him because its Puerto Rico motherfucker. MattD is going to love all of the internal logic in every match. EVERYTHING is paid back. Invader starts throwing bombs. Backbreaker, piledriver wicked chops. This turns into them trading chops and headbutts back and forth and it is super intense leading to an awesome double knockdown spot. HUGE POP as Invader wins and a little kid tries to run into the ring right away to celebrate. Invader I: The Man is a Hero. This was excellent. It isn’t the life changing experience like Invader’s singles matches against Ron & Chicky Starr and Al Perez. I liked the Embry match more as well but this is a hell of a match. I prefer Invader maskless in singles matches. That may have something to do with it not reaching the upper echelon of Invader singles matches. But this was an excellent match.

[dawho5]

Muta was fine here, but it seemed like Invader was carrying most of the match to me. Muta didn't bring a lot that was really going to stand out from the rest of Invader's opponents, which is why I think this comes up short despite being good.

[KB8]

Prior to getting the Puerto Rico set this is the only match from the territory I can clearly remember seeing. I think it was on an old Schneider Comp, but at that point I hadn't been exposed to the greatness of Invader and never cared for Muta anyway, so I probably wasn't as invested. Since then the bloody Invader brawl has become one of my favourite things in wrestling. This is masked Invader which means we lose a bit of what makes him so great in these kinds of fights, but you know he bled like crazy and I thought it turned out pretty awesome, albeit a step down from the truly high end slobberknockers. Muta was more than fine here; he'll always bring the energy and he was pretty fun working Invader over with his belt, choking him with his t-shirt, bonking him over the head with his boot, etc. There were also some first class payback spots, including the low blows as this is Puerto Rico and no good ball shot goes unpunished. Muta's was especially great as he was falling back when he did it, really made it feel like a desperation move. By the end Invader has the awesome half-crimson mask thing going on and the pop for him smashing Muta with the briefcase was wild. Badass match.