#16: El Hijo del Santo

by Phil

El Hijo Del Santo is one of the top 10 guys of all time, however he has been really in the wilderness the last couple of years. He shows up in a couple of matches, reminds you what you are missing, and disappears again. In 2008 he had three trios matches, only one of which was really great, but he has a trios formula which when executed well is a treat to watch. You usually get the beautiful headscissors take down, an in ring tope, a senton on one guy into a tope to the floor, and maybe a plancha. He can plug that formula into a match with any other five guys and it is going to be enjoyable. I once saw Santo work a tag with Mike Quackenbush against El Marachi and Low-Ki in a church basement in front of maybe 20 people, he did just as much in that match as when I saw him in Arena Mexico. Anytime he shows up at all, you have to rate him at least this high. Still this was a year of glances, I am sure he tore the house down on the London shows which no one recorded, there was probably a great Tijuana brawl with Wagner which is lost in the mist.

Recommended 2008 Matches:

~w/ Blue Demon Jr./Rayo de Jalisco Jr. vs. El Dandy/Fuerza Guerrera/El Hijo Del Solitario (NWA Mexico, 8/30/08)
~w/ Groon XXX/Rayo de Jalisco Jr. vs. Fuerza Guerrera/El Hijo de Pierroth/Máscara Año 2000 (IWRG, 10/17/08)
~w/ Cassandro/Magno vs. Ruby Gardenia/Mystico De Juarez (El Incognito)/Silver King (Lucha Libre London, 12/9/08)


Career Recommended Matches:

~vs. Brazo De Oro (Hair vs. Mask, 1/13/91)
~w/ Scorpio Jr./Bestia Salvaje v. Negro Casas/El Dandy/Hector Garza (11/29/96)
~vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. (2/21/97)
~vs. Felino (3/8/98)
~vs. Dr. Cerebro (Mask vs. Mask, 3/1/01)
~vs. Blue Panther (10/6/04)

2009 Outlook:

Not great, so far nothing has shown up on youtube or tape. I have high hopes for the lucha youtube revolution to get us some Santo, but no luck so far. He is part of Triplemania, but working uppercard AAA is the equivalent of working TNA, it is nice you are making a living, but I don't want to watch you do it. All it will take is one good performance to keep him in the top 20, the question is will we see that performance?