Recommended by Simon from Handwerk Reviews. Read his review here.
Don’t ask questions. Don’t make demands of this match. Don’t seek clarity, don’t turn your minds to the rules of luchas trios, don’t question who wins or loses. All these things are secondary to the experience of the match.
This match comes after the famous apuestas match between Sangre Chicana and MS-1 and the effects of that are on full display here. Where MS-1 had flowing locks and a rugged, cocky handsomeness to him in that match, now without his hair, he looks every bit a gritty, ugly ruffian. He starts the match off with his fellow rudos El Satanico and Espectro Jr. beating the crap out of the tecnicos before the bell. They run roughshod over the ring. They dominate the canvas, knocking back the tecnicos just trying to get in to have a say in the fight. Whenever someone penetrates their defenses, the tecnico is quickly overwhelmed, held in place and wailed on with fantastic punches.
All semblance of this being a “wrestling match” need to be thrown out the window. This is a fight, as real and visceral as it gets. You can imagine these six men running into each other on the street at night, the rudos out for blood, the tecnicos valiantly defending themselves against these monsters. Satanico and MS-1 punch the hell out of Mocho Cota, someone I first saw as another scheming, sniveling rudo. In this match, Cota is the consummate tecnico, selling his ass off for Los Infernales. He gets busted open and stumbles about to get his bearings but stays in the fight.
The comeback by the tecnicos in the segunda caida is exhilarating. There’s no change in tactics or big move to get it done. It’s pure grit and determination, pushing forward against these bullies until they finally break through. They give as good as they get, taking over the dominant position in the ring. In a moment of pure catharsis, Cota and Fiera hold Satanico in place as Chicana kicks Satanico into sterility. It’s so pure, so simple. Sometimes, you just want to see the bad guys get nailed in the nuts.
These are not your every day babyfaces, willing to just take a beating. Chicana, Fiera, and Cota are tough as they come. They struggle, scratch, and claw to achieve something greater than just victory: vengeance. They hit hard, they throw themselves onto the rudos, and the low blows. Bless these low blows.
This is an awesome piece of work here. Captures the feeling of a true, drag out brawl better than anything in recent memory. Tell me that a match built around punches, blood, and nut shots doesn’t sound awesome. Tell me. Say it to my face.
I didn’t think so.
