2014 Ongoing Match of the Year List

38. Villano IV vs. Chessman, AAA 3/16/14



ER: Villano IV is always a treat to see in a long singles, and Chessman was at one point one of the few guys I would go out of my way to watch in AAA (we're talking almost a decade ago at this point). Well Chessman is kind of sluggish and seems pretty beat up at this point, but overall this match really worked for me, with Villano turning in an awesome performance. Villano is a bit thicker than in his prime and at times during this looked like he could barely move, but then would turn around and  one second later show some surprising speed, even hitting a big fat guy tope. I loved the classic rudo/tecnico dynamic, with Villano almost always getting the duke in traditional wrestling, and Chessman always creating openings for himself by using weapons shots or cheating. It was also really cool to hear fans getting behind Villano. The guy is 50 and on the downside of his career, but some fans were reacting like it was still 1988, and Villano worked up to them. I dug the opening mat stuff and I loved Villano's punch combos. Villano would outwork Chessman at all the classic lucha elements, Chessman would pull ahead with chair shots or a gore through a table, and that's when Villano would unleash nasty punches and headbutts. I would have liked more intensity from Chessman in this, but he did completely brain Villano with a chairshot, leaving Villano wearing a broken chair necklace. But really you watch this to see a bloody Villano make awesome bloody comebacks, and those delivered in spades. Villano throws a bunch of nasty punches (arguably the best punches I've seen all year), smashes Chessman's face violently into turnbuckles, takes him down and tries to punch right through his face to the mat. Villano is a guy who knows how to charismatically sell a beating, and that really added to all of his already great comebacks. Fun match.

PAS: This match had some wonky moments, but the great stuff was really great. Villano is pretty broken down, but when this gets violent and bloody it has some of the more compelling moments of anything so far this year. There are parts where both guys are on their knees soaked in blood exchanging violent rights and lefts and it feels  like Valentine v. Piper or Onita v. Funk. Villano doesn't have his movement, but he still has timing, knowing when to do what and it is pretty great to see him bring it in a big time singles match on a big stage.


2014 MASTER LIST