El Deporte de las Mil Emociones: Establishing New Arrivals

Week 13: Establishing New Arrivals

EB: Getting back into the swing of things after our holiday break, we have some news. We have actually accessed some footage we previously didn’t have from this time period. So for this installment, we’re going to stay in this post-Aniversario period just a bit longer and focus on how the new arrivals are doing in CSP.

MD: A brief note on said footage. Thanks to the world’s foremost AWA expert khawk in helping us get our hands on quite a bit of footage not already online from 89 onwards. We still have a bit that we’re waiting on so we may have to double back in the weeks to come, but it should really help us flesh out things as we bridge between the years that we have more complete TV. If you do have full TV from this period, do reach out. We’re pretty certain it exists for a lot of this to be clipped from, but not in any circles that we’re a part of, which is saying something.

EB: Thanks to this footage, we can now take a look at the team of Los Mercenarios, the duo of the Cuban Assassin (Angel Acevedo) and Gerry Morrow. This is not the first foray of a team named Los Mercenarios into Puerto Rico, the Cuban Assassin had previously been in CSP in late 82 and early 83 as part of the first version of Los Mercenarios. Due to the two Aniversario postponements because of Hurricane Hugo, Acevedo and Morrow ended up being the challengers for the Caribbean tag titles held by Miguelito Perez and Huracan Castillo, hijo. As mentioned previously, Los Mercenarios obtained the win and the Caribbean tag titles at Aniversario 89 in Bayamon. However, the next day in Mayaguez, the two teams battled once more but this time in two singles matches. Let’s go the first match pitting Mercenario #1 vs Castillo,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b7roXjQriY

One thing you’ll notice going forward is that Acevedo and Morrow are referred to as Mercenario #1 and Mercenario #2 respectively. This match is from the Campeones episode airing the week after Aniversario 89, so we get Hugo Savinovich, Carlos Colon  and Chicky Starr on commentary. And the commentary gets a bit contentious as Colon and Chicky argue about what happened during the barbed wire match (Carlos arguing over Chicky spraying him in the face and Chicky arguing over Strong being cheated out of the win due to the match being restarted). Castillo starts off hot, as Carlos mentions that Huracan is angry over Los Mercenarios stealing the Caribbean tag titles the night before. This sets Chicky off (‘let me tell you about stealing titles’) which causes Hugo to remind Chicky that they had talked at the start of the program to try to not start the argument again. They replay the finish of the barbed wire match to show what Carlos and Chicky are arguing about as the match continues in the ring.The argument will continue on and off throughout the match.

Castillo manages to maintain control though the first part of the match, with Mercenario #1 rolling out of the ring a few times to try to gather himself. At this point you can see that he’s got not only El Profe at ringside with him, but also Mercenario #2. Meanwhile, Castillo is alone. We go to commercial as Mercenario #1 takes control of the match and we get a brief clip of that night’s card (and a quick look at how Chicky looks after the haircut he got at Aniversario). Back from commercial and Mercenario #1 remains in control. Carlos is commenting that he is not sure if Mercenario #1 actually has an object in his boot or if it’s a psychological ploy. Either way, Mercenario is in control. Carlos also mentions once more the previous talking point he’s had of wanting managers banned from ringside so they couldn’t cheat (something Chicky takes objection to). Mercenario #1 continues to control the match as Castillo is bleeding slightly from the forehead. After several minutes of Mercenario #1 being in control, Castillo manages to shift the momentum by whipping the Mercenario into the corner. As Castillo mounts his offensive flurry, Chicky says that he’s going to go to the commission and demand a rematch for Steve Strong based on what happened. Carlos says he accepts that challenge (which would be the Oct. 28 match we covered in our previous post). Castillo in the ring gets several pin attempts but cannot put Mercenario #1 away. The match ends when, after both wrestlers collide heads, Castillo manages to roll up Mercenario #1 but El Profe jumps on the ring apron to distract the referee. This allows Mercenario #2 to jump off the top rope onto Castillo and allow Mercenario #1 to steal the pin. Hugo comments this is  basically how they won the Caribbean tag titles the night before.

MD: This gets a ton of time and I liked the front and back third the most. Cuban Assassin, being Mercenario #1, bumps and sells and feeds really well for Castillo, who is seeking revenge for losing the belts, at first. It’s pretty entertaining stuff. Eventually, Castillo misses a second elbow drop and Assassin takes over. That means some longish holds, some hope spots and cutoffs. The fans are always behind Castillo and the overall beating is ok, but the holds aren’t quite as dynamic as they could be, even with Castillo getting just a bit of color. No worries though, as Assassin is more than willing to go head first like a lawn dart into the turnbuckles during the comeback. It’s a hot finishing stretch with Castillo going for any number of varied pin attempts before Profe asserts himself off the top rope as Mercenario #2 distracts the ref and it’s a cheap win on top of a cheap win to ratchet up the heat more for the next match. And of course, all throughout, on commentary, Colon and Chicky banter about what happened on Night 1 to build to the next match with Strong. It gave this a bit of a 97 Nitro feel with the commentators just wanting to talk about the main event scene despite perfectly good action in the ring.

EB: Later that night in Mayaguez, the other singles match between Perez and Mercenario #2 took place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AnwQUlY-TE

We start with Miguelito coming out of the locker room, as Hugo mentions that he had gone back to get Castillo to second him at ringside after what had happened earlier in the Mercenario #1 vs Castillo match. The rudos are not happy about this development. You may notice that for this match Hugo is alone on commentary even though it’s the same Campeones episode as the previous match. I’m guessing that the argument between Carlos and Chicky continued and it may have very well resulted in the attack we covered in the previous post where Manny and Chicky attacked Carlos (it would fit the time frame as well as the fact that both Carlos and Chicky were dressed in suits). As for the match, this one is a bit more methodical in pace as Mercenario #2 tries his best to control the tempo throughout the first half (including doing a strut). Every time Miguel starts to get some offense going, Mercenario #2 slows the tempo back down to regain control. Near the end of the match it looks like Miguelito is gaining control and Profe once again hops onto the ring apron. His interference backfires this time, as Mercenario #1 hits #2 when Miguelito gets out of the way. Perez gets the pin as the crowd cheers. Los Mercenarios attack Perez and Castillo after the match. Perez is bloodied and Castillo has to make the save by chasing off Los Mercenarios with a chair. It seems this rivalry has only just begun.

MD: This would be that next match. Morrow (being Mercenario #2) was pushing 40 at this point and didn’t have a ton left in the tank. He had solid size and presence and swagger though. He could take a few well-placed bumps when he needed to. Last I saw him, if I’m not mistaken, was in 1987 as a put upon scapegoat ref in NJPW of all places. This went half as long as the Castillo match but accomplished a lot of the same in a different way. Just a quick shine, a similar heat, and then a hot finish. Building off the last one, they had Profe try to interfere again but it backfired. Fans went crazy for it, of course, only for the Mercenarios to swarm and get all their heat back and then some with a post match mauling. Very solid booking, like we’ve seen through most of 89.

EB: We’ve seen the new Caribbean tag champs in singles action. But let’s observe them together as a team as they take on the team of Maelo Huertas and Armandito Salgado on Superestrellas de la Lucha Libre.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33MlcHdi5wI

Our commentators are Hector Moyano and Rick St. James. The commentators talk about the controversial finish to the Caribbean tag title match at Aniversario but Los Mercenarios are now the new champs. Los Mercenarios try to cheat right off the start but it backfires, allowing Maelo to hit a succession of  dropkicks before tagging in Armandito. Los Mercenarios soon take control of the match and a pattern emerges where Los Mercenarios are in control when Armandito is in there but Maelo manages to hold his own against them (looks like Maelo is being positioned a bit higher than Armandito on the totem pole). Despite a surprisingly effective showing by the tecnico team, Los Mercenarios manage to get the win off a double DDT.

MD: For a five minute match, this was much more competitive than I was expecting. There was a bit of rudo miscommunication early that let Huertas hit a bunch of dropkicks but even after the Mercenarios shut them down, they kept coming back, including a Salgado bodyslam on Assassin and some double teaming. That said, it was apparent that Assassin and Morrow could shut them down at any moment. They teased Morrow’s big top rope splash at one point, but that just led to the last hot tag of the match, which happened even as he was climbing. Instead, they hit a double DDT out of nowhere to put Huertas and Salgado down. This was probably a little too competitive, all things considered.

EB: As expected, the issue between Los Mercenarios and the former Caribbean tag champs is far from settled. We’ll continue following how this issue develops but for now here is the finishing sequence of a tv match between Mercenario #1 and Huracan Castillo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYtKfCGSf9Y

We join the match in progress with Mercenario #1 having Castilo in a sleeperhold. It looks like Castillo is fading and the announcers mention that El Profe is telling Eliud Gonzalez to ring the bell (which they point out is not Profe’s call to make). Castillo manages to come back and break out of the sleeper. Castillo applies his own sleeperhold on Mercenario #1, As Castillo has the hold on, Mercenario #2 runs out and tries to jump off the top rope onto Castillo, but Castillo is ready and turns around, causing Mercenario #1 to be hit instead. Looks like Castillo has gotten wise to this tactic from Los Mercenarios. Huracan goes after Mercenario #2 but is eventually overwhelmed by both Mercenarios. A double team effort hits but before Mercenario # 2 can come off the top rope with another blow, Miguelito runs out and shoves Morrow off the top rope. Miguelito jumps into the ring and both teams start fighting, with Perez and Castillo fighting Los Mercenarios off. They stand tall in the ring as the ref signals Castillo is the winner by disqualification.

MD: Just the last couple of minutes of this and the post match, and it’s almost all sleeper holds. We come in with Assassin having Castillo in one; he gets out only to end up right back in. Then he reverses it and Profe sends Morrow in off the top to attack. Castillo gets out of the way at the last second and the rudos crash into each other, but the ref calls for the DQ. A beatdown ensues with Perez running out to even the odds. I imagine this was another good one but we only have the tail end.

EB: We’ve seen El Profe’s new tag team in action but in our last post we also learned that he has brought in a new wrestler, the powerhouse Gary Albright.  El Profe was offering $5,000 to anyone who could break Albright’s submission hold. Let’s see how that challenge continues and if anyone is able to cash in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvPwPyrgI5k

Here we have Gary Albright taking on Juan Rosado. Hugo on commentary is talking up Albright’s amateur credentials and how El Profe is very pleased with his new stable member. Rosado is trying but his blows are not really having any effect and Albright is just in control of this match. In the end, Rosado falls victim to the Albright Special and quickly gives up.  

MD: I’m not sure you exactly need a ton of presence when you can toss guys around and take their head off with hamhock clotheslines like Albright could. Rosado would get a punch or two in (to no effect) but this was a massacre.  

EB: No money for Rosado but maybe two on one might improve the odds in collecting the $5,000.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WGcMTbc77k

It’s Albright versus Armando Fernandez and Herbert Gonzalez and, even though it’s 2 on 1 odds in favor of the tecnicos, they both fare as well as Rosado. Albright is smart enough to try to keep only one opponent in the ring as much as possible, but Fernadez and Gonzalez really are no match for Albright. The commentators mention that Albright and Profe have been challenging the fans to try to break the Albright Special and win $5,000. Albright makes quick work of both opponents, first winning by placing Gonzalez in the Albright Special (giving us a good look at what exactly the hold is) and then also putting Fernandez in the hold afterwards. I wonder if anyone will step up to Albright’s challenge? We’ll have to see how this continues to develop.

MD: They did their best to double team him, even if he could just move them around the ring effortlessly, but Albright had the obvious instincts to shove (or headbutt) or chuck one out of the ring to open up the other. We get the best look yet at the Albright Special, which is chicken wing with a half nelson instead of a crossface. This was effective at making him look like a monster.

EB: Continuing with our look at the new arrivals, let’s focus on a pair of junior heavyweights. Due to Jeff Jarrett not being able to appear at Aniversario, the direction of the World Junior title picture shifted. Gran Mendoza was Super Medico’s opponent at Aniversario and he is someone we’ll be seeing more of on and off during the next couple of years. Let’s watch him in action.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rmo7qvjCxVE

This is a quick showcase for Mendoza vs Armando Fernandez. Mendoza doesn’t show too much in the time the bout lasts but we’ll get more chances to see him in action.

MD: This only went about two minutes and it was hard to get a sense of what Mendoza brought to the table. He attempted to put a dogged beatdown on Fernandez, including taking him corner to corner, but it was reversed. He came back with a headbutt to the gut from his knees, which was a nice cutoff. It seemed like he was going to come off the top but thought better of it and hit a flying clothesline off the ropes for the win. He came off as someone who maybe needed Chicky in his corner at first glance.

EB: In our last post we talked about how Brett Sawyer appeared as a rival for Super Medico’s World Junior title, including a controversial win for the title and subsequent forfeit loss due to not being able to appear. But let’s watch Brett Sawyer in action as a tecnico on TV.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyuU3JzJvvg&ab_channel=MattD

Sawyer’s opponent is El Exotico, who is someone who will also appear on and off throughout the next few years. Exotico has a very flamboyant act and it receives the response you would expect from a 1989 crowd and commentating team. El Exotico definitely brings personality to the proceedings. Sawyer does very well in playing off Exotico’s schtick and also shows off some nice wrestling in the process. An Alabama Jam gets the win for Sawyer.

MD: El Exotico is super entertaining. It’s 89 so he’d be the world’s best Scotty the Body partner. If Rick The Model Martel worked 20% more like this, he might have more memorable matches in his run. Sawyer is himself a perfectly adequate “straight man”, though he does kiss Exotico’s hand to call his bluff and throw him off his game. This just goes a couple of minutes but ends with a thudding Alabama Jam.

EB: The Youngbloods are the World tag champions after Anvviersario and as champions are now coming in a bit more regularly to the territory in order to defend the titles. Let’s watch them in action against the team of Gran Mendoza and El Exotico.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuutqLAbtUQ

As the match starts the announcers make note that El Exotico had arrived with a spray can and was spraying perfume at the Youngbloods because they were stinky. This match starts off mainly with the Youngbloods in control. Exotico is playing it up on the ring apron and at one point gets tossed off the top rope onto Mendoza. Exotico tags in but has no luck either and proceeds to seek refuge in his team’s corner where a reluctant Mendoza tags back in (reluctant in dealing with Exotico). Mendoza gives it a go but the Youngbloods manage to keep control of the match. Mendoza manages to counter Mark Youngblood and tags in Exotico. Exotico manages to hit a nice clothesline and maintain offense on Mark (while taunting Chris) before tagging back out. The match remains relatively even, leading to Mendoza and Mark knocking heads and both falling down. The race to the tag sees both Exotico and Chris Youngblood come in, although Chris gets the better of that exchange. All four men end up in the ring, which leads to the Younbloods being able to hit a slingshot splash on Exotico for the win.

MD: This gave us another look at Mendoza and Exotico. Chris took the first half of the match which was all shine. He maybe had a bit too much fun in there with Exotico, and I don’t just mean with the wild big boots. There was a great spot early on where Exotico got tossed off the top rope and was thereby forced to hit a body press on his own partner. Heat was a couple of minutes on Mark and Mendoza looked solid here, with Mark good at always trying to fight back. Finish had the Youngbloods mow through their opponents, ending with a slingshot splash into the ring. This had a more appropriate balance than the Mercenarios squash we saw, maybe.

EB:Our final group of arrivals are the newest members of El Club Deportivo. After going most of the year with just Sadistic Steve Strong in his stable, Chicky has brought in Manny Fernandez and Leo Burke. We also saw that Chicky had brought in Angel of Death, but this stint was very short-lived. Still, we actually have a match featuring Angel of Death on tv.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RopmKc1GN4M

Hugo on commentary mentions that Angel of Death has been undefeated so far in Puerto Rico (that must have been a couple of matches taped for tv). This match is short and not much happens, but at least there’s visual proof that Angel of Death was here. Hugp talks about the Death Wish hold Angel of Death has, as this is basically Angel being in control before finishing with the Death Wish.  

MD: I’m not sure we missed much! Ok punches and he was good at keeping the pressure on but I can’t shake the idea I’m looking at a giant Gary Hart. The Claw probably would have been perfect against Colon or Invader, so he had that going for him, but not a whole lot else.

EB: Manny Fernandez is still around and being very effective for Chicky. Here he is taking on Che Rosario.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aBOItX8A4U

Hector Moyano on commentary mentions that Rosario has a very tough opponent in Manny Fernadez and that we are in Aguas Buenas for this tv taping. Che tries but this is the Manny Fernandez show. He moves around great and just stays on Che throughout. Decisive win for Manny.

MD: This was a much more effective use of three minutes. It’s just down to how Manny moves. He was engaged, energized, hitting from all angles. He’d absorb Che’s stuff and put him back down. At one point, Che hung out on the ropes to dodge a flying clotheslines from Manny and I thought he’d really pay for it, but everything stayed cool and calm and Manny but him away with a flying forearm shortly thereafter.

EB:  We’ll have to see what’s in store for Manny as 1989 winds down. Meanwhile, Leo Burke continues to establish himself on TV as the master of the figure four against different levels of competition. First let’s see him in action against the masked Estrella Roja.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPxLnjw_0M0

Chicky helps Leo take his jacket off before the match and they hug it out, which causes some of the crowd to get on them for that. Estrella actually gets the better of Leo at the start with a couple of armdrag takedowns but Burke takes the match outside and throws Estrella around (including ramming him into the ringside table). Leo grabs a chair and hits Estrella with it before dragging him back to the ring. A couple of kneedrops and elbowdrops lead to the figure four leglock and Burke gets the submission win. Moyano on commentary again mentions how Burke is a master of the figure four leglock.

MD: If Manny did all the little things well, Burke had the big things covered. In this case, that was smashing Estrella Roja’s face into a table on the outside and crushing him with a chair before locking in the figure four. You have to enjoy how Chicky seems to be pals with all of his guys. Big hugs all around here, just like he did the stylized double high five with Manny.

EB: Let’s also see Leo Burke in action vs Super Medico.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRZWKBpZR-k

It’s joined in progress, which is a bit disappointing because I would imagine a match between these two should be good. Burke is trying to piledrive Medico, but Medico counters with a backdrop. However, Burke holds on and manages to catch Medico in a sunset flip for a two count. Burke goes for a front facelock on the downed Medico to keep control of the match. Burke sends Medico into the ropes but Medico counters with a knee. Medico hits a nice punch combination and a backdrop on Burke. Medico seems to have the match in hand but misses a double kneedrop off the top rope and it’s the opening Burke needs to put on the figure four and get the win (including delaying in breaking the hold after the bell rings).

MD: Just the last two minutes here. It’s mostly Burke feeding and bumping for Medico’s comeback. Finish was fitting as Medico missed a knee drop off the turnbuckles and Burke quickly capitalized with the figure-four. It protects Medico but gets Burke’s finisher over all the more.

EB: Still, with all of these new arrivals, the top issue in Puerto Rico is the vacant Universal title and the upcoming match between Carlos Colon and Steve Strong that has quite a few stipulations attached. As we saw last time, there is no time limit, no disqualification and there must be a winner. The winner gets the Universal title and the loser must hold to their specific stipulation. If Carlos loses he must retire. If Strong loses he must leave Puerto Rico. And because of all the outside interference that has happened in their previous encounters, Chicky Starr is banned from ringside. This match will take place on Thanksgiving Day. Might as well watch one more Steve Strong hype video before then.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbF56fsT3_U

Next time on El Deporte de las Mil Emociones: La Batalla Final is here.