MLJ: Recent Uploads: El Hijo del Perro Aguayo, Rey Bucanero, Último Guerrero vs El Hijo Del Santo, LA Park, Negro Casas

2004-09-10 @ Arena México
El Hijo del Perro Aguayo, Rey Bucanero, Último Guerrero vs El Hijo Del Santo, LA Park, Negro Casas

More from the recent uploads pile and this one was an absolute blast. I'd compare this to the Wagner/Park trios from Arena Mexico a couple of months ago. It just had that level of heat, and that level of star power. I've been avoiding Perro, Jr., I guess because I didn't want things to seem too gimmicky. I've seen very few of his matches, though I'd like to watch a lot of Perrito & Garza at some point. I think there's enough distance now that I can start on something like that soon.

This was shortly after Perro's big turn during the Leyenda de Plata in 2004, where he broke the plaque. GdI had been together for something like five years at this point and their act was a well-oiled machine. Park was Park. Casas was Casas, and this was heated. The simplest formula in the world. Ambush-Brawl-Beatdown/Comeback/Reset into a heated back and forth finishing stretch. I'm not saying that's the perfect trios formula (I like opening mat/feeling out exchanges a lot, for instance), but when done well and when there's some heat behind it, there's not a lot better.

The rudos took an immediate advantage with the ambush and superior brawling/numbers game. Pairings, so much as there were parings were Perro/Santo (with slams into the rampway), UG/Park (mask ripping), and Rey/Casas (postings). GdI's act was definitely actualized for a lucha beatdown. They'd run through their spots, but it all just worked. Here, the alley-oop body splash looked awesome:

They followed it up with a very fun sequence where GdI would hit their spots and Perro would punctuate it with a double stomp. He'd even be out of place now and again but it was somehow endearing. It all felt in chararcter.They ended it with Rey's twisting senton onto Santo (who was on UG's knees), which looked great from the overhead cam, and was followed by the bandit celebration.

So, the transition. Yes, it was rote and repetitive, used again and again and again, but them going for the alley-oop splash for a second time was probably one of the most effective transition spots in tag team wrestling history. This time, at least, it was executed really well with a beautiful Casas kick:

Even better, it led to a hot comeback. Casas and Parka were both extremely intense here, with the Casas vs Perro exchange feeling every bit as hot as what he'd do with Rush ten years later, and Park was just in a league of his own. Everyone looked great in this match, but I think he might have looked like the best guy in the ring, that perfect mix of unlikely athleticism and over the top charisma. Santo's senton/dive spot is one of the things he's so well known for and it usually works in an organic way, with him breaking up a pin or something along those lines. Here, Parka just grabbed Rey and slid him down, holding him for it, but it worked because he's someone who can do something so self-aware believably:

Everyone was great though. Staring the tercera, there was this really triumphant moment where Casas leapt up upon the apron to stop Perro from ambushing him:

And he followed it up with a great sequence ending with his usual apron drive and one of the best "basking" moments I've ever seen in wrestling:

Great, great stuff.

The tercera was a few minutes of everything you want in this sort of a match, Park vs the world, mask ripping revenge, a crazy top rope rana, Ultimo Guerrero's knee bump over the top, an impossible flipping dive by Park that showed so much agility, Santo drawing all eyes upon him against Rey Bucanero, even after everything that happened and a great dickish rudo finish. This was the good stuff. I could have grabbed ten more gifs than I did but everything had weight and felt like it mattered and everyone shined.