[2001-02-18-WCW-SuperBrawl Revenge] Rey Mysterio Jr vs Chavo Guerrero Jr

[soup23]

Possibly the last great WCW match? Rey was slightly off on some of his spots and actually had Chavo giving a great performance being the glue of things here. I know Chavo is mostly maligned but this has been a good run for him both from in ring and character standpoint. REy's highspots were timed well and the finish with Chavo finally cheating his way to victory was compelling and effective. This showed the depth of 2001 WCW and the cruiser division was in good hands. **** (7.9) 

[GSR]

Scott Hudson is referring to Chavo as ‘the Mind Gamer’, that’s a god-awful name even for him.  A dropkick sends Chavo through the ropes to the outside.  He rolls in to avoid the springboard and as Rey climbs up on the apron looks for a sunset flip powerbomb to the floor but that gets countered with a headscissors.  Chavo rolls through on the springboard sunset flip, hits a gutbuster and then dumps Rey face first across the top rope.  Rey blocks the suicideplex, shoving Chavo backwards to the mat.  He turns his back on his opponent for a moonsault crossbody, although doesn’t realise that Chavo is already up and ends up tied in the Tree of Woe.  There’s a gritty nastiness about the way he scrapes his boot across an upside down Rey’s face.  He telegraphs his charge ending up going shoulder first into the ring post as Rey skins the cat up out of the way.  Rey gets a two count following a sunset flip but is immediately floored with a lariat.  Gory Special.  The challenger powers his way out only to end up back in it a second time, this time Chavo dropping him chest first with the Gory Buster.  There is an underlying story, from Schiavone at least, of the four knee operations that Rey has undergone.  Chavo catches him on the Asai moonsault and puts him over his shoulder for Snake Eyes but Rey wriggles free and sends him crashing into the corner.  Tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.  Springboard crossbody, however Chavo connects on a dropkick to the chest taking the wind out of him.  STF.  Rey fights to his feet, reverses the Irish whip and lands a spinning heel kick.  Chavo uses Rey’s dungarees against him, grabbing hold of them to pull him to the floor.  He drops him across the safety rail and then grabs a fan’s Rey mask which he proceeds to put on his opponent.  A great belly to back, Chavo driving his forearm into the face on the cover.  He’s too slow as he heads upstairs, Rey swiping his legs out before putting the mask on him.  Top rope Frankensteiner.  A headscissors sends Chavo through the ropes to the outside, Rey choosing not to follow him, instead trying to get some air into his lungs.  Whoa, awesome somersault dive over the ring post, like the dive Essa Rios does nigh on every match.  Springboard Thesz press.  Rey slips on the Lionsault and immediately holds his knee.  Considering that Rey is one of the most reliable guys there is and rarely botches things, I’ve going that that was planned, especially by the exaggerated Rey jumped onto the rope.  If it was a botch Chavo covers for him with a cover, putting his feet on the ropes for added leverage.  Chavo wedges a chair between the top turnbuckles and whips Rey towards it but he slides underneath it.  Crazy ass springboard rana from the apron to the floor by Rey.  Springboard falling headbutt, tornado DDT, he still can’t muster the three though.  After the Bronco buster Rey goes over to use the chair that Chavo had wedged in the corner.   Whilst referee Jamie Tucker tries to pry it away, unbeknownst, Chavo has ducked out and collected a second from under the ring.  Lay in wait, when Rey grabs him he clocks him with it.  Slingshot senton.  One vicious brainbuster later the champion has retained, new number one contender Shane Helms next to chance on the horizon for him.

What a match!  One that felt like a battle and one that could’ve easily gone either way until the difference maker of the chair, Chavo resorting to underhand tactics to pick up the win.  Maybe Rey’s slip on the Lionsault wasn’t planned and he almost slipped on that crazy rana off the apron too, but considering he was wrestling in boots, dungarees and had some ridiculous horns glued to his forehead it’s incredible he can do what he does.  Chavo’s run of impressive performances in 2001 continues as well and he really was the glue that held this together.  I went against how I have been watching things and deliberately left this match to watch last as I didn’t want to finish on an expected downer with Steiner vs Nash.  I’m glad I did!