[1987-07-18-Los Angeles] Negro Casas vs El Hijo del Santo (Hair vs Mask)

[aaeo_]

The interview before the match is very interesting and straightforward, surprisingly sports-like. Casas is really stoic and matter of factly says that Santo is gonna be the crowd's favourite but he's cool with it and he even smiles very candidly when asked exactly where he's from (Tlalpan in Mexico City). But when Santo shows up he starts messing with the interviewer and trash-talking him a bit. Santito enters the arena in a red Cadillac and is carried to the ring by adoring fans. It's really one of the best ringwalks I've ever seen, perhaps only rivaled by boxer Jorge Arce riding a damn dancing horse to the ring. I believe this is what people refer to when they say stuff like "big fight feel". And Ray Mendoza is the referee!

Santo just throws out Casas out of the ring instantly after the first lockup, really negating what Casas had said in his interview about him having a size advantage (you see Casas is the WWA welterweight champion, but Santo is *just* the lightweight champion). Casas comes back in and Santo armdrags him very strongly, they're really selling Santito's superhuman strength with some incredible bumps from Casas. Casas powders after another brief grappling exchange. Santo is also schooling Casas with his skill, everything he does is just so graceful and flashy. After Casas powders a third time, he comes back in with a crossbody and wins the first fall after getting a great bodyslam followed by la casita.

Second fall starts with Casas beating up Santo. He really embraces being a rudo for the first time in this tape, going from taunting the fans to getting a double wristlock over the bottom rope to killing Santo with straight rights. Santo's comeback starts with a fucking brutal knee. He gets some big offense before locking in a great tapatia, which wins him the fall. Casas' bumping continues being great during Santo's spurt of offense and he even falls face first out of the tapatia. Great stuff!

Santo seems to have the third fall won early with a campana but Casas does a great escape. He immediately nails Santo with a right hand, and he gets back in control from there. A moment which I loved was Casas trying to tear at Santo's mask and completely ignoring the referee, so in response, Mendoza tries to choke him out to get him to stop. There are some really convincing nearfalls with Santo's huracanranas but Casas kicks out. Santo lands a great tope but when they climb back into the ring Casas gets the upper hand again (tope suicida!). Santo goes out of the ring but when Casas goes to get a plancha to the outside, he falls backwards into the ring and Santo instead climbs up and lands a senton unto him. Loved those momentum shifts after high spots. The struggle as Santo tries to submit Casas is fantastic, Casas wont let Santo get him on la de a caballo, and he grabs the top rope to escape the tapatia. Casas takes a hideous bump to the outside and Santo gets a big plancha. This third fall is just a war, Casas is always fighting back but Santo just overwhelms him little by little. When he finally gets la de a caballo, Casas stays in it for a long time but can't get out, and Santo wins the match.

Negro Casas cries after the match, and reluctantly hugs El Santo. It's obviously a hell of a performance, but it also really gets you.

Everything on this match is very stiff and spectacular, and the two wrestlers put on truly masterful performances. No one needs to be told that these two are incredible, but they are.

[cactus]

Both wrestlers put in a hell of a shift here. Santo reminds me of a Mexican Shawn Michaels because of his style of wrestling and how he milks the crowd for sympathy when he's selling. Negro Casas shone here because of his cocky demeanour and insane bumping. I'm surprised Casas didn't suffer any serious injuries from that mental crash and burn failed dropkick attempt that sends him violently snapping back from the ropes.  The third fall sees them cram in more nearfalls than the Steamboat/Savage classic from a few months previous. Like that match, every single one of them felt like they could end the match and they never once felt excessive. I've always had a complicated relationship with lucha. I enjoy it to an extent, but I feel like I'm missing something when I watch some of the most celebrated lucha brawls. I had no issue enjoying this one and it's easily the best lucha match that I've ever seen. I think I just need more than good punching in a lot of my wrestling.

 ★★★★¾