[2017-03-11-Baracal Entertainment] L.A. Park vs Rush

[ShittyLittleBoots]

When I saw this posted on another board, I knew I had to watch it right away - and it did not disappoint. Just an epic freakin' war. I loved the all out brawl they had last year, but this was even better. Must see. ****1/2

[joeg]

Wow. awesome. Only thing that keeps it from 5 stars is the screwy finish. Wow, just holy fuck, wow.

[shoe]

Right from Jump Street they are brawling on the floor. Rush whipping Park with his own belt. Rush ripping the mask. Big chair shot, and Rush is just kicking the shit out of Park. They're in the stands now. Rush smacks him with some giant object. Park is busted open. Love the beer vendor protecting his stash. Rush tasting Park's blood. Big Park punch sets up a missle tope'. Park is now making a comeback. He's giving Rush a taste of his medicine. He has a 12pk of Long necks and busts it over Rush's head. Now he breaks a bottle off and is ripping into Rush's head. Fucking gruesome as hell. Rush with a huge dropkick to Park's bloody cut. Park with a beautiful plancha. Crowd is feeling it. Another great brawl. 4 1/2*

[Phil Schneider]

So glad to see these two guys back and brutalizing each other. I am continually amazed by what LA Park is doing at 51 years old, this isn't a guy working slick mat holds or even stand up brawling like Black Terry. This is a fat old man getting rolling drink carts hurled at his head and hitting flying full speed tope and mega height planchas, probably the most impressive post 50s wrestling performances I can remember, not only smart and awesome work, but athletic and dangerous too. Rush is a great foil for Park, smarmy, hateable and willing to bring the violence. I am not sure how much Rush has bladed before, but when Park breaks out the case of beer to the head, and the broken beer bottle to the forehead, Rush starts leaking like an old pro. I am really over lightubes, but an old fashioned broken beer bottle to the head still warms my heart. Finish was a bit of booking overload, but I did love some of the near falls, including Parks great spear. Nasty bit of violence and a real treat.

[Rah]

Straight madness. You should know with a La Parka match that you're not going to get a genuine ending, so the focus should be on how well the wrestlers build to the fuckery. Said fuckery is also always entertaining, as Parka punching referees in the face never gets old. Miss the days when he'd bottle a bastard then simply chuck the beer cooler haphazardly into the back of an unsuspecting referee's head. Parka + Monterrey = excellent wrestling viewing.

I'd have to go back and watch the Wagner/Parka TXT brawl, because I'd like to call that a smarter/tighter worked affair than this, but that's not to dampen the quality here cos what Rush/Parka did is simply disgusting brutality. Moreover, they built a damn nice narrative with Rush going from the confident shitbag that he always is to having to try moves out of desperation to win. RUSH. DESPERATION.

This wasn't as shocking as their Arena Mexico brawl, for the sheer fact that that was so out of left-field, but the work within was definitely better. Rush/Parka was my MotY of 2016, and it's going to be my MotY for 2017. Can't wait for their caballera/mascara match in 2046.

[GOTNW]

It's easy to point to the ridiculous violence of chairhots and throwing beer boxes onto your opponent, but there was so much more which really made the match work as well as it did. It really speaks to both the charisma of Rush and LA Park that they can basically do a ten minute control segment and have the crowd eating out of the palm of their hand the entire time. In ring sequences which end in them doing DDTs and Powerslams aren't really what you're watching this for, but when they come they feel a lot fresher and more important because they signalize the end is near. Their dedication to ram their head into ring posts and whatever object they were thrown in was phenomenal. And there were so many wonderful "small" moments too-like Rush selling his own Headbutt, Park's theatrical bump for a simple chest slap which reminds you how old he is and how much bumps on the floor hurt and Rush salvaging a botch where Park tripped by just kind of shootily underhooking him onto the floor. Doing longer control segments allowed them to have less transitions which almost instantly makes them less memorable, but also allows them to put more thought into making them better, and there were some really neat here-the counter punch into the tope which finally started Park's initial comeback gave me Sangre Chicana flashbacks, it's insane a man his age is throwing his body around so recklessly; Rush recuperating and seizing control because Park took too long to get back in the ring for he went to get a chair was clever, and Rush's kick to set up the rope hanging DDT as Park was about the enter the ring was probably the best single use of that spot wrestling's seen so far. So, a great match, lots to appreaciate in it, but even with all it's positives it still felt like there was a floor to how could it could get-it was almost like a solved equation. For a match to do more than just scratch greatness you'd hope for something unexpected, an incredibly special version of the expected, something that really gets it to the next level, there was a moment where LA Park started nailing Rush with vicious punches in the corner where it looked like they could get to that, but then they did the ref drama which negated this match's chances of being something more. ****

[SmartMark15]

Great stuff. The brawling was a little iffy for me to start but when it picks up, it picks up. As soon as Park tossed the box of beers at Rush though, I was in all the way. Stabbing Rush with the broken bottle, the attempts at a chair shot, and even all the interference goodness. I thought they upped the stakes on and on with the match and then the pure ridiculousness of the finish. Now, I'm not a fan of lucha and apparently this is a normal thing, but that ridiculous finish actually added to the match for me just for pure entertainment's sake. Loved this.

 

****1/2

[Tawren]

This was amazing. I don't know how it took me 8 months to see this but this is everything I love about wrestling. Their 2016 Arena Mexico brawl was one of my favourite matches of all time, a big part of it as how crazy the atmosphere was, and this just takes it to the absolute next level with an actual match around it.

 

EricR on Segunda Caida called LA Park "captivating"...I think that's a perfect word for him. And the same for Rush. I can't wait for 2027 fat Rush.

 

Park hits one of the greatest topes of all time. As graceful as a Santito tope is, this was gritty and violent and they just crash into the concrete. This is immediately one of my favourite spots of all time.

 

The interference at the end fits the match and the ongoing feud, and there's a great shot of a fan just whipping a beer as soon as the ref is pulled out.

 

This is a violent, bloody, mask-ripping modern lucha brawl at its best and right now my 2017 MOTY. I don't know how Park does it.

 

****3/4

[RingoPlaysDrums]

Just saw this match and I absolutely loved it. 

It's remarkable how entertaining LA Park is at 51 years old here. As noted above, I don't think there's a better word than "captivating" to describe his performance. Brutal brawl featuring some truly great moments. The beer bottle action. Park's tope. That fan losing his shit and throwing the drink. Rush smearing Park's blood across his chest. 

And put me in the camp with those who liked the finish. It's messy and dramatic and fit the match imo.