It’s always a good sign when a match starts with our hero being bodily dragged around the ring by his shirt.
This match was uploaded to YouTube on July 3, 2024, where it was noticed by Rob Viper. According to Viper’s thread on Twitter, he was able to confirm that this singles match hasn’t been widely available since it first aired back in 1998. It’s one of those mythical gems filed away in someone’s old VHS tapes from when they recorded their favorite wrestling broadcasts of the day. Thanks to whoever Gambe Lucha Libre is on YouTube, we now get to revisit this with fresh eyes after nearly three decades of being lost. Quite simply, as I often say about the footage that surfaces from this sport’s great history, it’s a miracle that we have it.
And also, god it fucking rocks.
The most high profile work we have between these two outside of this would be their 1996 series, also involving Negro Casas in CMLL. All those matches, both trios and the three-way apuesta, are great, but they do also coincide with El Hijo del Santo’s notorious rudo turn. While we have a really, really great singles stretch between Dandy and Santito in that big apuesta, it’s noteworthy for playing against the wishes of the Arena Mexico crowd. In spite of the turn, there was no keeping the crowd from cheering on Santito against Dandy that night. Here in Monterrey, a year and a half later, they feel much more at home in the roles they’re cast in. Santito’s once again our beloved hero, and Dandy the mean bastard terrorizing him.
Much of the first fall plays out in this way. Before the footage even starts, it seems Dandy’s gotten the jump on Santito. The referee seems to be leaning towards favoring Dandy as well, since Dandy gets away with a few really flagrant fouls in this to take the first fall. This doesn’t take long to get to the good shit. Santito gets busted up through his mask–not entirely clear from the footage, but Dandy’s definitely working over some kind of cut with his punches and biting–and Dandy’s not too far off from bleeding either. Santito’s so great in this, not only selling the cumulative damage even as he’s making his comeback, but also feeling appropriately nasty when fighting back against Dandy.
In writing about Santito’s turn to rudo, I noted that he was able to tap into a real gnarly sense of violence especially in his matches against Casas. Even as a tecnico here, Santito’s able to tap back into that same viciousness, such that commentary can’t help but make a note of it as well. With his mask torn and blood flowing, he even looks a little monstrous when he starts throwing those big knee lifters of his. It feels good to be able to cheer him wholeheartedly this go around, but one can’t help but notice the malice behind the smaller moments. There’s so much gruesome shit sprinkled throughout here, small pieces of violence that stand out for the pettiness behind them. Kicking in a folding seat into Dandy’s bleeding face, locking in La de a Caballo but wrenching back by the hair instead of the chin, and my favorite, setting up Dandy’s legs for La Tapatita but taking the time to bash Dandy’s head into the mat before cranking back.
And all the bigger violence? Sick as hell too. Dandy’s always been a great puncher, but here he’s also throwing these real gross short headbutts that Santito’s happy to throw back in kind as well. It’s such a great sense of urgency and bitterness they put into every single thing, helped by the ever so grimy Arena Coliseo de Monterrey. What a perfect setting for a big brawl like this, helped by little touches like the children in attendance absolutely swarming the ring the second the fight spills out to the floor.
It’s unfortunate that we’re deprived of a proper finish here. Instead, Bestia Salvaje comes out to attack Santito just as he’s about to get La de a Caballo back on. Even then though, we see again just how masterful Santito is before the match ends. I don’t think too many people in history have gotten as much struggle and work out of their finishing submission than Santito got out of that camel clutch. Fighting for the arms in place, keeping the arms in place, and that final cathartic crank back. Just masterful work from one of the greatest ever.
These two would be among the all-timers without this match, but having it resurface is a blessing. A stunning revelation of violence.
IS IT BETTER THAN 6/3/94? This one’s actually a tough call. There’s an element of novelty here from being an unearthed match against the ever so entrenched canonical spot of 6/3/94. There’s also the fact that this leans towards a more visceral style of violence compared to the King’s Road heavy striking and big bumping. That said, I think this just suffers ever so slightly from the lack of catharsis at the finish. One cleaner end, and this may have been a much easier thing to call. That being said, even with it being a narrower gap than usual, I think I’ll edge it in favor of Santito and Dandy on this go around. Rediscoveries should be celebrated, especially when they’re this goddamn great.
Rating: ****1/2
