General Puerto Rico Set Thoughts

[WingedEagle]

Disc 1 Rankings:

 

1. Ric Flair vs. Carlos Colon (10/16/82)

2. Randy Savage vs. Hercules Ayala (3/2/85)

3. Ric Flair vs. Dusty Rhodes (12/21/85)

4. Ric Flair vs. Tommy Gilbert (9/4/82)

5. Los Pastores vs. Jay & Mark Youngblood (Spring 1985)

6. Carlos Colon & The Invader vs. Los Pastores (Ambulance Match) (12/21/85)

7. Abdullah the Butcher vs. Carlos Colon (September 1981)

8. Gino Dellaserra & Pierre Martel vs. Los Mercenarios (11/27/82)

9. Abdullah the Butcher vs. Andre the Giant (9/17/83)

10. Carlos Colon vs. Tully Blanchard (1983)

11. Carlos Colon vs. Bruiser Brody (Chain Match) (Summer 1984)

12. El Gran Apollo vs. Buddy Landell (5/8/83)

13. Carlos Colon vs. Abdullah the Butcher (9/21/85)

14. Hercules Ayala vs. Killer Tim Brooks (Taped Fist Cage Match) (October 1985)

15. The Invaders vs. Los Pastores (Barbed Wire Match) (9/21/85)

16. El Gran Apollo vs. Dick Steinborn (February 1983)

[WingedEagle]

Disc 2 Rankings:

1. Carlos Colon vs. Abdullah The Butcher (6/15/86)
2. Carlos Colon vs. Jos LeDuc (Barbed Wire Match) (2/22/86)
3. The Invaders vs. Chicky Starr & Ron Starr (3/29/86)
4. Carlos Colon and The Invaders vs. Abdullah the Butcher, Chicky and Ron Starr (4/26/86)
5. Chicky Starr vs. Invader III (Scaffold Match) (May 1986)
6. Invader I vs. Chicky Starr (1/6/86)
7. Invader I vs. Eric Embry (June 1986)
8. Carlos Colon vs. Abdullah the Butcher (March 1986)
9. Kamala vs. Invader I (2/22/86)
10. Invader I vs. Bruiser Brody (6/15/86)
11. Los Pastores vs. The Invaders (8/2/86)
12. Carlos Colon & Miguel Perez Jr. vs. Los Pastores (January 1986)
13. Abdullah the Butcher v. Victor Jovica (Chain Match) (July 1986)
14. Rock n Roll RPM's vs. The Crusher & Eric Embry (3/29/86)
15. Invader III vs. Eric Embry (1/6/86)
16. Rock n Roll RPM's vs. The Zambuie Express (3/29/86)
17. Rock n Roll RPM's vs. Dan Greer & Don Kent (3/29/86)

[WingedEagle]

Outside of the Flair & Savage outings, disc 1 had me worried that perhaps PR wasn't for me. There are no such concerns after disc 2. Aside from a couple exceptions, this disc was incredibly easy to watch with fast, crazy, blood filled matches the entire way without bordering on death match nonsense. The incredible pace, blood and sheer violence most of the way translates to very little downtime or action that leaves you checking the clock.

 

I'm not sure just how many matches here will fit what I call classics, as for me those are usually longer, more epic affairs and what we have here looks to be a lot of quick, wild hits. A total blast as I hadn't seen much PR before this and its always great to mix in new and different takes on wrestling.

[elliott]

I'm not sure just how many matches here will fit what I call classics, as for me those are usually longer, more epic affairs and what we have here looks to be a lot of quick, wild hits. A total blast as I hadn't seen much PR before this and its always great to mix in new and different takes on wrestling.

 

Don't you worry my friend, the classics are coming

 

edit. I count 6 matches I'd rate 5 stars

[KB8]

He also has Terry Funk's rodeo of insanity coming up and that's pretty much worth the price of admission alone. Good grief is disc 3 one of the best single discs of wrestling this 80s project has produced (that might be an interesting conversation, actually...).

[WingedEagle]

 

I'm not sure just how many matches here will fit what I call classics, as for me those are usually longer, more epic affairs and what we have here looks to be a lot of quick, wild hits. A total blast as I hadn't seen much PR before this and its always great to mix in new and different takes on wrestling.

 

Don't you worry my friend, the classics are coming

 

edit. I count 6 matches I'd rate 5 stars

 

 

6??? Even if I'm more prudish on stars than others, apparently I haven't even scratched the surface.

 

He also has Terry Funk's rodeo of insanity coming up and that's pretty much worth the price of admission alone. Good grief is disc 3 one of the best single discs of wrestling this 80s project has produced (that might be an interesting conversation, actually...).

 

Yeah I absolutely cannot wait for the Funk stuff. The weekend cannot come soon enough. Hoping to start disc 3 then, which shouldn't be a problem with football season already over.

[elliott]

Disc 3 is my favorite 80s set disc. 3 matches i'd call 5 stars and at least two more off the top of my head in the 4 1/2 to 4 3/4 range.

[JerryvonKramer]

Taken me a while, but finally ordered PR and Puerto Rico.

[WingedEagle]

Taken me a while, but finally ordered PR and Puerto Rico.

 

Good man! Assuming you meant PR & Portland. I'm going through Buddy Rose's 1979 online and will then mix in the Portland set with PR viewing.

[WingedEagle]

Disc 3 Rankings:

 

1. Terry Funk vs. Barry Windham (9/19/86)
2. Stan Hansen vs. Carlos Colon (10/12/86)
3. Invader I vs. Al Perez (Street Fight) (10/26/86)
4. Carlos Colon vs. Stan Hansen (Texas Bullrope) (1/6/87)
5. Carlos Colon vs. Stan Hansen (11/9/86)
6. Terry Funk vs. Rick Martel (9/20/86)
7. Carlos Colon vs. Abdullah the Butcher (9/20/86)
8. Invader I vs. Ron Starr (Street Fight) (8/17/86)
9. The Invaders & Mil Mascaras vs. Ron Starr, Dory & Terry Funk (12/18/86)
10. Carlos Colon vs. Terry Funk (9/21/86)
11. Carlos Colon & Huracan Castillo Jr. vs. Stan Hansen & Chicky Starr (12/21/86)
12. Invader I vs. Ron Starr (9/19/86)
13. Carlos Colon vs. TNT (11/15/86 TV)
14. Super Medico vs. White Knight (9/19/86)
15. Invader I vs. Jason the Terrible (1/17/87)
16. Carlos Colon Vs TNT (11/27/86)

Yeah, this was a fantastic disc. The top 4 here are my #1-4 on the entire set thus far. Looking forward to seeing what's coming up.

[garretta]

I may be the only one, but I despised ​both Jaggers and Rip Rogers on commentary. Jaggers occasionally brought some decent knowledge, but mostly he just seemed whacked out, and that Elmer Fudd laugh drove me up the wall. As for Rogers, he turned his commentary into an extended promo, delivered at full volume. He never even attempted to say anything good about the faces whatsoever, and after a while he became monotone and whiny. I guess they were the best English speakers available to help Hugo with the English commentary, but that doesn't say much for the commentary skills of the stateside wrestlers who toured the islands.

[...TG]

Finished up the set last night. Thanks to Will and Boricua and whoever else helped to put the set together. I know a lot of this stuff was available via YouTube, but having it organized in one place is incredibly valuable.

[Robert S]

It took me too long to watch all matches on disc two to give a complete ranking, but the top matches were (in approx. order):

Invader I vs. Eric Embry (June 1986)

Invader III vs. Eric Embry (1/6/86)

Abdullah the Butcher v. Victor Jovica (Chain Match) (July 1986)

Chicky Starr vs. Invader III (Scaffold Match) (May 1986)

 

The tag team tournament stuff in the middle of the disc was not that great.

[dawho5]

Disc 3 Rankings:

 

1. Terry Funk vs. Barry Windham (9/19/86)
2. Stan Hansen vs. Carlos Colon (10/12/86)
3. Invader I vs. Al Perez (Street Fight) (10/26/86)
4. Carlos Colon vs. Stan Hansen (Texas Bullrope) (1/6/87)
5. Carlos Colon vs. Stan Hansen (11/9/86)
6. Terry Funk vs. Rick Martel (9/20/86)
7. Carlos Colon vs. Abdullah the Butcher (9/20/86)
8. Invader I vs. Ron Starr (Street Fight) (8/17/86)
9. The Invaders & Mil Mascaras vs. Ron Starr, Dory & Terry Funk (12/18/86)
10. Carlos Colon vs. Terry Funk (9/21/86)
11. Carlos Colon & Huracan Castillo Jr. vs. Stan Hansen & Chicky Starr (12/21/86)
12. Invader I vs. Ron Starr (9/19/86)
13. Carlos Colon vs. TNT (11/15/86 TV)
14. Super Medico vs. White Knight (9/19/86)
15. Invader I vs. Jason the Terrible (1/17/87)
16. Carlos Colon Vs TNT (11/27/86)

Yeah, this was a fantastic disc. The top 4 here are my #1-4 on the entire set thus far. Looking forward to seeing what's coming up.

 

To point out how fantastic this disc is. I am a huge fan of the Invader 1 vs. Ron Starr street fight match, amazing stuff throughout. But I take no issue with you putting those 7 matches above it at all. There is just THAT MUCH good stuff on disc 3.

[WingedEagle]

 

Disc 3 Rankings:

 

1. Terry Funk vs. Barry Windham (9/19/86)
2. Stan Hansen vs. Carlos Colon (10/12/86)
3. Invader I vs. Al Perez (Street Fight) (10/26/86)
4. Carlos Colon vs. Stan Hansen (Texas Bullrope) (1/6/87)
5. Carlos Colon vs. Stan Hansen (11/9/86)
6. Terry Funk vs. Rick Martel (9/20/86)
7. Carlos Colon vs. Abdullah the Butcher (9/20/86)
8. Invader I vs. Ron Starr (Street Fight) (8/17/86)
9. The Invaders & Mil Mascaras vs. Ron Starr, Dory & Terry Funk (12/18/86)
10. Carlos Colon vs. Terry Funk (9/21/86)
11. Carlos Colon & Huracan Castillo Jr. vs. Stan Hansen & Chicky Starr (12/21/86)
12. Invader I vs. Ron Starr (9/19/86)
13. Carlos Colon vs. TNT (11/15/86 TV)
14. Super Medico vs. White Knight (9/19/86)
15. Invader I vs. Jason the Terrible (1/17/87)
16. Carlos Colon Vs TNT (11/27/86)

Yeah, this was a fantastic disc. The top 4 here are my #1-4 on the entire set thus far. Looking forward to seeing what's coming up.

 

To point out how fantastic this disc is. I am a huge fan of the Invader 1 vs. Ron Starr street fight match, amazing stuff throughout. But I take no issue with you putting those 7 matches above it at all. There is just THAT MUCH good stuff on disc 3.

 

 

I somehow haven't finished the set despite blowing through the first 6-7 discs, as things really went downhill for after the Colon/Hansen series. But its likely this disc will produce more than a few of the top 10 from the entire set and be on the short list for best disc from any 80s set.

[dawho5]

I'd agree that after 87 it seems like more flavor of the month heels/babyfaces vs. the usual suspects matches that are good to really good, but just don't reach the quality of matches on disc 2 or 3. It's not like anything is bad, just a definite drop in quality. For me any time Chicky Starr showed up I was still usually pretty happy with things. The first Batten Twins match as heels also was just a jump up in match quality.