El Deporte de las Mil Emociones: Puerto Rico 1991

Week 41: Puerto Rico 1991

EB: As 1991 approaches, we have a couple of pending results from the 1990 Christmas Day show. We’ve already talked about Bronco #1 winning the Caribbean title, Sasha regaining the Women's World title from Monster Ripper, Scott Hall turning on Giant Warrior, and the Super Medicos defeating Eric Embry & Rick Valentine in a fire match. Still, there are two key results we need to mention.

The first result is the tag match between Invader #1 and TNT vs. the Texas Hangmen. The Hangmen's strategy for this match was focusing their attacks on one opponent, resulting in TNT being busted open and suffering enough damage and blood loss where he had to be helped back to the locker room. This left Invader #1 trying to continue at a disadvantage against Psycho and Killer. However, Bronco #1 came out to even the odds and help Invader fight off the Hangmen.

The other result to discuss is the Carlos Colon vs Greg Valentine rematch for the held up Universal title. Valentine was disqualified for using his shin guard as a weapon to bust open Carlos. Valentine continued attacking Colon after the bell and attempted to put on a shin guard assisted figure four leglock in order to hurt Carlos. However, Carlos was able to kick Valentine away and Greg ended up hitting the ringpost. Carlos took the opening to grab Valentine’s shin guard and attack Greg with it as payback before Valentine left the ring. As a result, Colon won the match but the Universal title was still vacant since the match ended by disqualification. 

MD: Of all the footage we've missed out on so far, other than some specific 60 minute draws between Burke and people that sounded amazing, I am probably most frustrated we're not getting a bunch of full Greg Valentine squashes and matches.

EB: As 1991 approaches, the customary Three Kings Day season opener is going to kick off the year. Based on how 1990 closed we can expect a few rematches or grudge matches stemming from Christmas. We’re also going to be without TNT and Miguelito Perez for a few weeks, both are currently on tour in New Japan and will be back in the second half of January. With TNT on tour, this means Invader is going to need a tag partner to go up against the Texas Hangmen. Let’s go to a clip from an episode of Superestrellas de la Lucha Libre from New Year’s Eve weekend, where we have Giant Warrior in a handicap match and an interview from Invader #1 and his new tag partner.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXjxuDfr_U8

Giant Warrior’s opponents are Gran Mendoza and El Exotico. Both rudos jump Warrior at the bell to try to get the advantage, but it is short lived as Warrior is able to knock their heads together. Despite the best efforts of Mendoza and Exotico, Giant Warrior is able to keep control of the match by fighting them off and eventually Warrior hits a big boot that sends Mendoza to the outside. Exotico gets hit with a backdrop and, after Giant Warrior stomps his foot, gets hit with what Hugo calls the controversial big boot. Warrior pins Exotico with one foot on his chest (as Mendoza thinks better of getting in the ring) and it is another impressive win for Giant Warrior.

We go to El Profe in the locker room with the Hangmen, and Profe says that January 6 will be a war. Most expect the Magi but the Hangmen are expecting Invader and Bronco to finish them off. Psycho makes his threats, making note that they are stepping into a war zone on a holy day. El Profe translates as the Hangmen ham it up for the camera and Profe promises they will show who the World tag team champions are on Three Kings Day.

We then go to the interview area, as Hugo is with Invader #1 and Bronco #1, who got involved on Christmas Day and will now team with Invader to challenge the Texas hangmen for the World tag team titles.  

Hugo: With us the number one contenders to the World tag titles, Invader #1 and from the Dominican Republic, the Dominican champion and Caribbean champion Bronco #1. They challenge the Texas Hangmen for the World tag titles, but this is more than a title match, this is something personal. What's going to happen Bronco #1?

Bronco: Look, the 6th in Bayamon, you have to be paying attention to what's going to happen. Invader #1 and Bronco #1 are not just going for the World tag titles, but are also going after the heads of the Texas Hangmen. Danger Texas Hangmen, look at what Invader has in his hands., the bullrope that hurt Invader. Let me tell you one thing Hangmen, your heads, besides the titles you are going to lose, your heads are going through this noose. Danger Texas Hangmen, danger January 6th in Bayamon.
Hugo: Wow, Invader #1 your comments.

Invader: Bronco's already said it all. We are going to do everything possible. The Dominican champion, the Caribbean champion and now we are going after the World tag titles. And we are going to do everything possible to become the new champs, and especially because we have this bullrope, which has caused a lot of damage here in Puerto Rico. So Profe, tell your boys that they better be really prepared, because on January 6th we are going to do everything in our power to become the new World tag champs.

Hugo: Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic united in search of the World tag titles.

After the interview, we get a rundown of the lineup for the January 6 show:

• No DQ for the held up Universal title - Carlos Colon vs Greg Valentine
• WWC World tag titles - Invader #1 & Bronco #1 challenge TheTexas Hangmen
• Grudge Match - Giant Warrior vs. Scott Hall
• Jimmy Snuka vs Dick Murdoch
• Caribbean tag titles - Los Super Medicos challenge Eric Embry & Rick Valentine
• Mascarita Sagrada & Aguilita Solitaria vs. Espectrito & Piratita Morgan
• Super Medico #4 vs. Kim Duk
• And other great stars.

MD: Just two minutes bell to bell here, though there were promos from Bronco/Invader and the Hangmen after (maybe Killer has more hair coming out the back?). Not much to say about the 2-on-1. Exotico didn’t get to do much but he did jump at Warrior comedically at one point before getting put down with the boot.

EB: We have a mix of matches and results from the 1991 Three Kings Day show. Let;s begin with a singles match between Kim Duk and Super Medico #4.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQEX-ohradA

Super Medico #4 is Julio Estrada, the younger son of Jose Estrada Sr. He had previously appeared a few times in 1990 and again makes an appearance on the Three Kings Day card to take on former Caribbean champion Kim Duk. If you recall, Duk ended the year by being The Barbarian’s tag partner in the match where Scott Hall turned on Giant Warrior. This match is joined in progress with Medico #4 working an armbar on Duk, but Duk fights out of it and proceeds to get the advantage with punches and chops. Hugo and Eliud are on commentary and Hugo takes the opportunity to send a hello to the wife of Super Medico #1  and mother of the other active Medicos, with Hugo and Elud talking about the special kind of lady it takes to handle seeing three of her family members take the risks they do when they get in the ring. Meanwhile , Kim Duk has Medico #4 down with eye rakes and chops. Medico #4 makes a comeback after Duk puts his head down too early, getting a pin attempt after a nice spinning elbow off the ropes. Medico #4 works a side headlock but Duk takes him down with a toehold and works the arm. Duk continues with punches and even hits a slap (earning a warning from the ref). Duk stops a Medico #4 counter with a thrust kick. The cobra sleeper is applied and Duk wins the match. .  

MD: Six minutes JIP, primarily of Duk beating on Medico IV. Medico IV is the one that looks most like a Memphis mid-card heel given his physique by the way. It’s crazy to think since we last wrote about him, we discovered the 1978 South Korea match where Duk was a super babyface. Here he was an effective heel. Medico got tiny bits of hope but got cut off fairly quickly and was doomed to run into the kick and fall to the cobra. Duk was certainly making a run here. It’s been a bit.

EB: We have another appearance from the Mexican mini luchadores. While we don’t have footage from the tag match from Three Kings Day, here is a singles match between Mascarita Sagrada and Piratita Morgan that occurred sometime during the holiday season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE0gClUi5_0

Hugo and Profe are on commentary for this bout, it is from one of the commercial tape releases. Profe mentions that few can match the speed of these wrestlers, while Hugo talks about how they were inspired by watching wrestlers from the U.S. like Sky Low Low and Little Beaver. Sagrada and Morgan start off with a nice counter sequence, with both wrestlers missing dropkicks and then kipping up. Morgan immediately slaps the back of Sagrada’s head and knocks him to the mat. Profe says that the action is so fast that they can barely keep up announcing it, which Hugo agrees with. Morgan hits a tilt a whirl backbreaker and, after yelling at the crowd, does a front drop to Sagrada. Morgan continues in control with some nice punches, but Sagrada counters with a spin kick when Morgan attempts a corner charge. Sagrada briefly takes over but again Morgan knocks Sagrada down with some punches. Sagrada eventually comes back, including doing a headstand on the top turnbuckle into a headscissors and a series of ranas. Morgan gets dropkicked out of the ring and takes a while to gather his breath. While Morgan is outside, Profe notices Victor Quiñones at ringside and starts mocking him, but changes his tune when Hugo points out Victor is the one paying them for commentating the video. Back in the ring, Sagrada gets a moonsault body block for a pin attempt.  Sagrada successfully does a switch but a second attempt gets countered by Morgan into a version of a chokeslam that gets the pinfall win. Morgan gets his hand raised and does  muscle pose for the crowd.  

MD: Plenty worse ways to spend five minutes then with this fun, very complete sprint. Profe is on color commentary which is just a sign of how much he’s tasked with right now. Morgan controls for most of it but with escalating hope spots. His offense looks great. Just really good strikes and bullying. He bases well for everything Sagrada does too and all of it is good and imaginative and flashy. I feel like they often put the rudos over in these for some reason and they do so here as well with him turning a Sagrada cazadora into a one arm slam. This felt like the biggest hit from these guys so far in Puerto Rico even if it was only five minutes or so.

EB: Continuing with the results from January 6, Jimmy Snuka no-showed the event and Huracan Castillo Jr took his place as Dick Murdoch’s opponent. We will talk more about Murdoch next time. Also not appearing at the show was Eric Embry, although in his case he either left or had been fired sometime over the holiday break. As a result of Embry no longer being there, the Super Medicos regained the Caribbean tag titles (although I’m not sure if it was via forfeit). Embry’s departure was explained as him suffering a serious eye injury from having his face thrown into the flames during the fire match and being advised by doctors to not get in the ring. So the Super Medicos have successfully run Erci Embry out of Puerto Rico. However, Rick Valentine has found a new tag partner to  help avenge Embry, none other than Gran Mendoza (who is now going by the moniker of Galan Mendoza).
We have footage of the World tag title match between the Texas Hangmen and Invader #1 and Bronco #1. The video has no sound but we can still see the action that unfolded between the two teams on Three Kings Day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_a3ANsZTPE

The match is in progress with Invader working the arm of one of the Hangmen and tagging in Bronco (who is wearing an animal print version of his mask and attire). Bronco comes off the top with a punch but soon loses a punch exchange to Killer. Psycho is tagged in and continues in control with punches on Bronco. The Hangmen tag in and out and do double teams on Bronco. The Hangmen continue to work over Bronco as a frustrated Invader paces on the apron. The Hangmen taunt the crowd and block Bronco’s attempts to make the tag. Invader tries to help Bronco a few times, but only gets some blows in each time before the ref escorts him out of the ring. Finally, after being worked over for several minutes, Bronco makes the tag after the Hangmen miss an elbow drop. Invader quickly comes in and fights off both Hangmen. Bronco comes back in and all four men fight, with Invader eventually sending one of the Hangmen outside of the ring. Invader follows the Hangmen to the outside as Bronco is taking care of the other Hangmen in the ring. El Profe comes over with the bullrope to hit Invader from behind, but Invader takes away the bullrope and chases Profe to the dugout.  Bronco is attacked by both Hangmen in the ring. The Hangmen start to hang Bronco as Invader emerges from the dugout with the bullrope around Profe’s neck.When Invader notices that Bronco is being hanged, he releases El Profe and heads to the ring to make the save. Invader fends off both Hangmen and keeps the bullrope in his possession.

MD: We’ll take what we can get, sound or no. But when that hot tag hit here, I wish I could have heard the pop. On the other hand, we’ve been doing this long enough, we could imagine it perfectly. We get a little bit of shine here, just a bit, with Bronco being his usual theatrical, bombastic self, but the numbers game takeover. Then we get a long-ish heat of them just beating him down with kicks and stomps. It feels effective to me. Invader finally comes in hot. They’re not quite on the same page. I get the sense that he wanted to toss one Hangman into the other but Bronco was doing his own thing. That inadvertently plays into what happens next as Invader heads out of the ring with a Hangman and ends up chasing Profe into the dugout. That allows for a 2x1 and the Hangmen to get some new year's heat back after the big matches that had recently happened by hanging Bronco. Eventually, Invader makes the save with the rope Profe had and clears the ring after they almost got him too. Another good tag.

EB: The no-DQ rematch between Carlos Colon and Greg Valentine ended with controversy. Carlos Colon had Greg Valentine in the figure four leglock and it looked like Valentine was going to submit. El Profe jumped on the ring apron and grabbed onto the referee when El Vikingo went to tell him to get down. With the ref distracted, Dick Murdoch ran in and dropped an elbow on Colon to break up the figure four. Later in the match Valentine ducked a Colon charge and instead Carlos took out El Vikingo by accident. With no referee, Valentine got his figure four on and waited for the ref, as Colon tried to fight out of the hold. However, this time Giant Warrior rushed to the ring and broke up Valentine’s figure four with a legdrop. Warrior then stomped his foot and sent Valentine into the ropes for a big boot. Valentine was knocked out and Warrior proceeded to drag Carlos over Valentine as the crowd cheered on. Warrior tossed the ref back into the ring and Colon got the three count. Post-match, Valentine attacked Colon and put on the figure four as rain started falling. Colon had to be helped out afterwards and Profe and Valentine lodged a protest about the match result. Colon had won the match and the Universal title, but controversy reigned as well.

The weeknd of January 12, Carlos Colon announced on TV that he was not going to accept winning the Universal title the way things happened on Three Kings Day and thus the Universal title remained officially vacant. Colon would issue a challenge to Valentine and El Profe to have one more match to settle the Universal title vacancy. To avoid any further controversy or interference, Carlos wants it to be a steel cage match. We await Profe and Valentine’s response.

Also on January 12, a house show was held in Carolina. The Super Medicos faced the new team of Rick Valentine and Galan Mrndoza in a non-title match, with Mendoza using his glove to knock out one of the Medicos while Valentine was being pinned, resulting in the rudos stealing the win and earning a shot at the Caribbean tag titles.

There was a rematch between the Texas Hangmen and Invader #1 & Bronco#1. This match resulted in Invader being bloodied and laid out outside of the ring. As the Hangmen proceeded to double team Bronco, a dazed Invader left the ring area and headed to the back. He would come back with the bullrope he had kept from the previous encounters and saved Bronco from the Hangmen.

The main event of that January 12 house show was a Royal Rumble match, with the winner being TNT. Wait… isn’t TNT on tour in Japan? Yes, he is. Turns out that the TNT that showed up to compete that night and win the event was none other than the Original TNT that was last seen around September of 1989. Yes, the same one that Chicky Starr had brought in claiming to be the true TNT is back, this time with El Profe as his manager.

With all of these happenings in the first half of January, let’s go now to the TV shows from January 19, starting with Campeones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7j8TJ1QiWg

The Campeones opening has clips of one of the Colon & TNT vs Hangmen matches and of one of the mixed trios matches between the Super Medicos & Sasha and Embry, Valentine & Ripper. Our hosts are Hugo and Profe.. Hugo greets the viewers as Profe starts peacocking around showing off his outfit. Hugo asks why he is doing that, and Profe says that Hugo is jealous because he can’t match his face to his outfit like Profe can. Hugo and Profe run down the matches and Ptrofe says that he has to congratulate CSP on the tremendous production they did on the Duk & Barbarian vs Hall & Warrior match, where they edited the video to make it look like Profe was the one that hit Giant Warrior. Hugo takes exception at Profe insinuating that they (Hugo is part of the production team) did something like that. Profe keeps saying that it’s a setup by production and Hugo responds that he thinks Scott Hall is an imbecile for believing Profe.

Hugo changes topics and announces that soon there will be a tournament  for the vacant TV title, which has been inactive since TNT vacated the belt during his previous run as Universal champion. Hugo also mentions that we are all waiting to see if Profe and Greg Valentine have the guts to answer Carlos Colon’s challenge for one more match to settle the Universal title vacancy in a steel cage. Profe says that how can you dare stick Valentine in a cage, and then says some over the top remarks about how Colon is used to being in cages, with Hugo cutting him off so they can talk about tonight’s house show in Caguas. Last week, Profe’s new charge Original TNT surprised everyone by winning the Royal Rumble match. Profe says he knew his guy could do it, but Hugo says he was able to win because Carlos had been busted open by Scott Hall earlier in the match. Tonight it will be one on one as Carlos Colon faces the Original TNT.

Our first match of the show is one from March 1990, where the actual TNT is facing Carl Styles back during Carl’s original rudo run. The match serves more as a backdrop for Hugo and Profe to argue over who the real TNT is, with Hugo saying the one we’re watching is the real one and Profe saying that the one they are currently watching is a cheap copy. Hugo mentions that TNT is currently in Japan, although Profe is incredulous and thinks he may be hiding in a corner somewhere. Hugo mentions that soon both TNTs will be in Puerto Rico and we will see what happens then. The match itself is surprisingly more of a showcase for Carl Styles ,who controls most of the bout. Profe takes the chance to run down Styles for turning on him, to which Hugo calls Profe out as shameless. Profe again is incredulous on TNT being in Japan, with Hugo saying that TNT had sent them a magazine from over there and they had talked with him as well. Hugo says they told TNT that Original TNT had returned. Profe says that after hearing that, TNT likely will not come back for a month, maybe six months, from being afraid. Hugo responds that TNT will be back next week, so Profe can calm down about that. The match ends with TNT making a comeback and getting a roll up for the win.    

MD: At first I had thought this was Original TNT vs mid-card face Styles but it’s 1990 TNT vs heel Styles. This was before Styles had been depushed upon his return. I had been confused why they were having Original TNT, their returning lead heel work so weak. It makes a lot more sense now that I realize what’s going on. Styles takes most of this but TNT gest a kick and the Cobra to win it.

EB: Hugo mentions that they have a clip of something that happened at Miramar between the Super Medicos and Mendoza and Valentine (again, can’t mention it’s from Superestrellas due to being on different channels). We go to a singles match between Rick Valentine and Super Medico #3, where Monster Ripper gets on the apron and accidentally is knocked into the ring after Valentine hits the ropes. As the ref is tending to Ripper, Medico #3 makes a pin attempt on Valentine. However, Mendoza runs in and hits Medico #3 with his glove. Mendoza quickly puts Valentine on top of Medico #3 and runs off. Ripper conveniently rolls out of the ring at that moment and the ref starts making the count, only for Super Medico #3 to run in and attack Valentine. The ref disqualifies Super Medico #3, and Medico #1 fights both Mendoza and Valentine. Medico #1 is overwhelmed by the odds and is hit repeatedly by Mendoza with the glove. Medico #3 enters the ring with a chair and clears the rudos from the ring.

The Super Medicos cut an interview about their upcoming Caribbean tag title defense against Valentine and Mendoza, with Medico #1 saying that the rudos will find out what being hit by a B-52 is like when they face them tonight. The rudos respond, with Monster Ripper promising that her new team will win the Caribbean tag titles. Mendoza promises that they will win by any means necessary while holding up his gloved hand.   

MD: Mendoza feels like a lateral move from Idol but a drop down from Embry. He’s looking particularly like Chicky in some ways here, actually, but also has the glove. I imagine he was glad for this push and was going to work hard with it. The match itself had a good finish with Valentine crashing into Ripper and in the ensuing chaos, Mendoza intervening only for the ref seeing Medico making the save instead.

EB: We get a promo from Johnny Ringo, who is facing Huracan Castillo Jr for the World Junior title tonight. Ringo says that he’ll do more damage than Hurricane Hugo and make history tonight. We then get the rundown of tonight’s show in Caguas: Carlos Colon vs Original TNT;  in a lumberjack match (I’m guessing due to the wrestlers continuously going back to the dugout to get the bullropes) for the WWC World tag titles we have the Texas Hangmen defending against Invader #1 and Bronco #1; Giant Warrior vs Scott Hall; the Super Medicos defend the Caribbean tag titles against Rick Valentine & Galan Mendoza; Miguelito Perez makes his return to take on Kim Duk; and  Huracan Castillo Jr defends the World Junior title against Johnny Ringo.

MD: I have no idea who this Johnny Ringo is but he cuts a promo in English saying he’s more dangerous than Hurricane Hugo and that he’s going for Castillo’s Jr. Belt. It is funny to see him kill time as off screen Hugo (not the hurricane) translates.

EB: Our next match is a TV studio match that that occurred on Jan 9th between Invader #1 and Psycho. Invader comes out with the bullrope he had taken from the Hangmen during their earlier matches (it was the one he used on them during the Three Kings Day match). Invader controls the first part of the match to the crowd’s cheers. During the match, Profe makes off with Invader's bullrope, leaving only Psycho's at ringside. Psycho takes control of the match and Profe is pleased with the results. 

Eventually, Invader makes the comeback and wins the match when Profe and Killer's interference backfires. Post match, Invader fights both Hangmen but eventually succumbs to the cowbell. The ref gets tossed and the Hangmen beat up Invader again. It's deja vu, as Carlos comes out to help Invader but is cut off by the Original TNT. The Hangmen continue beating up Invader. Giant Warrior comes out and is cut off by Kim Duk. Los Super Medicos are held off by Galan Mendoza and Rick Valentine. Huracan Castillo tries to get to the ring and El Profe heads him off. Finally, Bronco runs out and makes the save (Profe: We didn't know he was in the building!). The Hangmen leave, but the bullrope is left behind. Invader is dazed and bleeding, but firmly holds the bullrope in his hands.

MD: Another good one. Invader wrestles with such amazing confidence. Just total conviction in everything he does. Even just a stomp that leads right into a foot on chest pin. Profe stole back the noose that Invader had after the last match and Psycho took over on him with a lot of stomps and facewashes. This led to Killer coming out and the Hangmen miscommunicating for an Invader roll up. Post match they tried to have lightning strike twice with another huge beatdown in the ring while all the locker room fought to prevent the save. I get the sense Bronco had been away selling the effects of the hanging from the last match and he’s the one that ultimately makes the big save for a bloody Invader. It hits but it doesn’t hit quite as hard because you don’t have Embry menacing Sasha and a huge turn like TNT. But it still does hit. I don’t think they could get away with it again though.

EB: El Profe and Original TNT cut a promo about their match tonight against Carlos Colon, where they show a quick clip of how Original TNT beat Carlos to win the Rumble (Carlos took a version of the Slaughter bump after missing a charge into the corner). ‘TNT’ says he’ll put Colon’s lights out and may not bother waking him up afterwards. Carlos responds by putting over last week’s Royal Rumble match and saying that ‘TNT’ has reason to celebrate. But Carlos says that he should not be going around saying he beat Carlos Colon ono on one, because that match was everyone vs everyone, Original TNT was the last entrant and took everyone by surprise when they were tired, and that Carlos had been busted open and bleeding for a while. Tonight it is one on one and Carlos will be fresh. Tonight ‘TNT’ will not have the same luck.

We then get Original TNT taking on Huracan Castillo Jr. This match is joined in progress and is mainly to reintroduce Original TNT.  This looks to be from the previous week in Carolina. ‘TNT’ controls most of the match, although Huracan gets some comebacks in. On commentary, Hugo talks about Carlos being honorable in not accepting the Universal title while Profe calls Carlos stupid for doing that. Hugo says it was an act of integrity, Profe says it was a guilty conscience for the chicanery that went down. In the finishing stretch, Castillo comes off the top rope with a bodypress that ‘TNT’ rolls over for a near fall. Castillo sends ‘TNT’ into the ropes and puts his head down too early, allowing ‘TNT’ to kick him twice in the head and get the pinfall win.

MD: A little jarring to hear that voice come out of someone who looks at least somewhat like TNT. Colon had a big flag graphic behind him just like in the promo for the card (which looks overall good even if I’m a little doubtful of the match on top). The Castillo match itself had TNT taking a good chunk but when Castillo took over, TNT was just walking around ringside sucking air and it wasn’t a great look. Something of a banana peel finish too where he got his last advantage by turning around a body press. I think maybe he could have looked stronger but this was not unusual for Castillo putting someone over.

EB: Scott Hall talks about how the fans in Caguas will be behind him tonight against Giant Warrior, he has never lost in Caguas and tonight Profe says it won’t happen. Giant Warrior says that tonight it’ll be time for Hall to lose for the first time in Caguas. We then get the tag match from Christmas Day where Hall turned on Warrior. Profe again insists that this is a masterful editing job to make him look like the one that hit Warrior. Hugo remains exasperated about the accusation. At the end of the program, Hugo walks off in disgust as El Profe talks about what his guys will do tonight.

MD: Hall cut a good delusional heel promo about how all his fans would be there to cheer him vs Giant Warrior. Then he did all of his poses as Profe spoke. He’s the best at that. Warrior actually cut a promo and it was ok. Then they had Hugo (off screen) translate as he fumbled with the mic. Would have been better to have Hugo stand next to him for the size difference as he didn’t look big with the backdrop.
EB: We also have the west coast version  of the January 19 Superestrellas de la Lucha Libre.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDEeO7KuYdg

Hugo is talking about tomorrow’s house show in Hormigueros, and it looks like we have a similar card as the one in Caguas. Hugo mention the upcoming TV title tournament and sends some greetings to some fans before going to our first match, which is Super Medico #3 vs Rick Valentine (the one we saw a clip of in the Campeones episode). So if you want to see the full match here it is. Eliud Gonzalez introduces the combatants and the match has a feeling out process to start. The commentators talk about how Embry was injured during the fire match and now Valentine has got Mendoza as his new tag partner, promising to avenge Embry and get the Caribbean tag titles. Medico #3 takes over by working the arm as Hugo says that he doesn’t think the match will remain a straight up wrestling contest for long. Hugo also mentions the topic of Galan Mendoza’s controversial glove, with suspicions that it may be loaded. Rick Valentine controls the middle portion of the match and the finishing stretch we saw on Campeones stars with Valentine missing an elbow drop. We get a bit more of the post match, as the ref declares Valentine the winner.

MD: Aha! This is the entire match that we saw the finish of during the last show. It’s pretty good too, with Valentine stooging early, trapped in an armbar going in and out as Medico hangs on. There’s a great bit before the transition to heat (missed corner charge) where he tries to go for a tag forgetting it’s a singles match. I noted now Mendoza used the loaded glove in the post match beatdown too.

EB: Next is another Johnny Ringo promo, this time about tomorrow’s match in Hormigueros. We also get Valentine, Mendoza & Ripper and the Super Medicos talking about their match tomorrow in Hormigueros. They run down the show lineup for the January 20 house show, and it’s exactly the same as the one in Caguas.

MD: It’s too bad we don’t get a Ringo squash match in here because I’m real curious what this guy can do.

EB: Original TNT gets  a TV showcase match against Sabu (not that one). This match is all Original TNT, just a dominant win to reestablish him. The commentators talk about how the real TNT is in Japan but should be back soon. ‘TNT’ wins with the cobra sleeper, as Hugo makes sure to remind the kids watching to not try these moves at home since they are dangerous. The ref has to insist with ‘TNT’ to wake his opponent up, which he eventually does. After the match ,we get promos from Original TNT and Carlos Colon about their match in Hormigueros, similar to what we saw in Campeones.

MD: I’ve seen two or three Sabus in wrestling in this is by far the least fearsome looking one. He does get to fire out of the corner once only to get crushed. Pretty solid intensity from Original TNT here. Some of the promos here are either the same or very similar to ones we saw on the other show.

EB: After an airing of the TNT ‘Evolution’ music video, we have a match from the TV studio with Scott Hall taking on Nick Ayala. We have seen Ayala before, but Hall makes relatively quick work of Nick. Hugo mentions that there are a lot of fans mad at El Profe for stealing Scott Hall away from El Ejercito de la Justicia, since they had a lot of appreciation for him. Hall gets the win with the crucifix.

MD: I feel like we haven’t seen a proper Hall match in a while. Ayala has been competitive before, but he’s not going to be here. Great bump on the crucifix (Razor’s Edge) as Ayala flips over as part of the bump.

EB: The Texas Hangmen and Invader & Bronco cut promos about their match tomorrow in Hormigueros, with Invader mentioning that everyone saw last week that the Hangmen are cowards, they ran off when things got rough, this time with the lumberjacks there is no running away. There is an unintentionally funny moment when Invader walks off after cutting his promo and Bronco stays behind to say his piece.We then get theTexas Hangmen music video we have seen before. 

We also have a TV showcase match for the team of Invader #1 and Bronco #1 vs Joe Casanova and El Condor. Invader and Bronco do quick tags to work over Condor, The rudos team gets almost no offense in, as this is a clear showcase to put over Invader and Bronco’s teamwork in their quest to win the World tag team titles. Bronco wins the match with his falling DDT maneuver.

MD: After Invader 1 chasing Profe last match, they’re coming back with a Lumberjack match. Obviously both teams think that’s to their advantage and call the other team cowards. In the music video what stood out the most was the variety of Hangmen masks. I hadn’t noticed that before. I’m left wondering what happened to Bronco’s valet. I’m annoyed Exotico isn’t Casanova’s partner for obvious reasons. Bronco and Invader work well together, control the arm. Invader sells a bit but only to make a comeback. It kind of amazes me that Bronco’s drop down DDT finisher wasn’t used by basically anyone else for years. 

EB: We end the episode with a match between the minis, as Espectrito and Piratita Morgan face Aguilita Solitaria & Mascarita Sagrada, this time in the TV studio. The match is joined in progress and the rudos are in control. Espectrito misses a knee charge into the corner, giving Aguilita a chance to fire off some off his impressive moves. Espectrito gets sent out of the ring and now we get Piratita and Mascarita in the ring for their teams. Mascarita gets the better of Morgan due to his speed, but the size advantage remains with the rudos. Still, Mascarita is able to dodge charges by both rudos that end up with them hitting the ringpost and going to the outside. We continue with a quick pace, with the wrestlers from both teams going in and out and some miscommunication from the tecnicos leading to the rudos gaining control. It does not last long and Sagrada gets a nearfall off a sunset flip. The match continues back and forth until the bell rings in a time limit draw. 

MD: This cuts out but I do think that the bell rang and it was a draw. I get bringing these guys in. I get putting them on shows. I get maybe having a match now and again on TV to let people know what they’re getting on the live show but they’re so detached from everything else, as an attraction is want to be, that I wonder about spending so much TV time on them. A couple of clips would probably do the trick and then you can sneak in a Giant Warrior promo too or something.

EB: Next week on El Deporte de las Mil Emociones, we reach the final weekend of January 1991. We’ll find out if Greg Valentine will accept Carlos Colon’s challenge for the steel cage match. We’ll also have an update on our ongoing tag feuds, our first look at Dick Murdoch in Puerto Rico, the TV title tournament is set to take place, and someone gets put to sleep when Carlos Colon takes on the Original TNT.

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El Deporte de las Mil Emociones: An Outlaw For The Save

Week 31: An Outlaw For The Save

EB: One week after Aniversario 90 ,a house show was held in Caguas. The top three matches for that July 14th card were all rematches from Aniverario. We have a Caribbean title rematch between invader #1 and Leo Burke. We have a rematch between Scott Hall and Atkie Mulumba. And, after a heated encounter on the Campeones tv program, a last minute addition to the card is Carlos Colon facing TNT in a non-title match. We have footage from these three bouts, so let’s go first to the Caribbean title rematch. Leo Burke lost in a boxing match and feels embarrassed by the loss, since the stipulations were selected by Leo and Chicky Starr to ensure they had the upper hand on Invader. However, Invader #1 prevailed thanks to a tape assisted heart punch (his hands were taped up beneath the  boxing glove and, as has been documented, Invader #1’s taped fist heart punch is considered a potentially deadly maneuver). Leo has gotten a normal wrestling rules rematch and is looking to make the new champion’s reign a short one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC4LSo_Xp0g

We go to the closing moments of the match, as Invader is down on the mat with Leo advancing towards him. According to Hugo on commentary, Invader seems to have run into the referee, which sent El Vikingo flying to the outside. For now, there is no referee. Leo sends Invader into the ropes but they each duck a clothesline attempt from the other and end up colliding when they go for headbutts. Now both wrestlers and the referee are down. Chicky Starr goes over to where Leo Burke is (Chicky ends up standing right by the knocked out referee), puts a piece of metal on top of Leo’s hand and then starts taping up Burke’s hand. Chicky finishes taping up Burke’s hand just as the referee manages to crawl back into the ring, completely unaware of what Chicky had been up to. Both wrestlers slowly get back up and Leo decks Invader with the loaded punch. Leo covers and waits for the count, as El Vikingo stumbles around still loopy from the hit he took earlier. Still, El Vikingo manages to get into position and counts three. Burke has regained the Caribbean title via a loaded taped fist punch (there's definitely a message being sent to Invader via the use of a taped fist knockout). Chicky gets in the ring to celebrate with Leo,as the ref is still holding his head and half out of it. The ref hands the title belt to Leo ,who kisses it in celebration. Hugo then says let’s see what happened moments later. We cut to the ringside doctor checking on the still prone Invader, as Burke is heading towards the stairs that lead to the locker room (which is a feature of the arena in Caguas). However, it looks like all of the tecnicos have come up the stairs to head Burke off. Super Medico #1 grabs Burke by the arm and the tecnicos drag Burke over to ringside so the ref can see Leo’s loaded taped fust. El Vikingo finds the piece of metal and reverses the decision, awarding the match to Invader by DQ. El Vikingo takes back the title belt, puts it on the still prone on the mat Invader and raises his arm as the winner.  

MD: Just the last couple of minutes here. They crash into each other and Burke lands with his hand out of the ring. That lets Chicky tape up the fist (moving right on to taped fists after the Boxing Glove gimmick paid off?) and Burke clocks Invader, seemingly getting the win and the title. The babyface locker room storms out, presents Burke’s taped fist to the ref, and the decision gets reversed. It’s a fun image to see Hall and everyone else hold Burke’s hand into the fire at least.

EB: Leo and Chicky were foiled in their attempt to regain the Caribbean title, but once again they used the power of the punch against Invader #1. And it was a taped fist punch at that. With all that has happened between Burke and Invader, the time has come to finally settle things. To settle once and for all who has the power of the punch, Invader #1 and Leo Burke will face off one more time on July 21 in a taped fist match. With the history behind Inavder’s taped fist, this may end up being Burke’s undoing or the ultimate embarrassment for Invader #1.  

Also on July 14, Scott Hall took on Atkie Mulumba in a rematch from Aniversario 90. Their match then ended in a double countout, maybe this time we will have a definitive winner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgM4U4UhSsU

Hall is waiting in the ring as Atkie and El Profe are at ringside. We have Hugo and Carlos on commentary, with Hugo highlighting that this is the big rematch from Aniversario between Hall and Mulumba. The bell rings and Atkie gets in the ring, but Hall immediately charges and starts punching Mulumba. They exchange punches and Atkie gets a headbutt in, but Scott remains unfazed and fires off several punches that stagger Atkie. Hall continues unrelenting with his attack but Atkie is able to fire back with some unanswered punches of his own and sends Hall into the ropes, leading to Atkie clotheslining Hall over the top rope to the outside. Hugo mentions that since it wasn’t intentional (momentum took Hall over), then the ref cannot disqualify Mulumba. Hall is trying to get up but Atkie goes outside and starts attacking Hall. Atkie drags Hall over to the ring and starts ramming Hall’s head on the ring apron. Atkie tosses Hall back in the ring and chokes him on the middle rope. When the ref gets Atkie to break, Profe takes the opportunity to get a punch in on Hall. Atkie slams Hall and does a falling headbutt. As Mulumba continues his attack by ramming Hall’s head on the top turnbuckle, Carlos mentions that he has never seen a wrestler the size of Mulumba have the speed and quickness he displays.

Atkie continues attacking Hall, but Hall is able to stop one of the turnbuckle rams and counters with his own. The crowd comes alive as Hall stars making a comeback. Mulumba is sent into the ropes and Hall hits a dropkick that knocks Mulumba backwards onto the middle rope, almost sending him to the outside. Hall follows up with some kicks and a clothesline off the ropes that staggers Atkie but does not knock him down. Hall grabs Mulumba and slams him to the mat. As a fired up Hall plays to the crowd, Atkie haphazardly rolls to the outside. Atkie decides to hide under the ring, but Hall manages to get outside as Atkie is still crawling underneath the ring. Hall grabs Atkie’s leg but ends up following him underneath the ring. As the ref and El Profe are trying to figure out what is happening down there, there seems to be some movement on the canvas. El Vikingo is startled by the movement and jumps onto the bottom turnbuckle to get off the mat. Hugo talks about how it is dangerous underneath the ring since you have the metal supports down there, and Carlos comments that the ring is moving. At that moment, the camera does a closeup of the ring and you can see that the ring itself is moving up and down with whatever is happening down there. Carlos says it’s a shame there is not a camera down there since it looks like there is a dog fight going on. Finally Mulumba and Hall emerge from underneath the ring, Atkie is bleeding from his head and Hall presses the attack with more unanswered punches. Hall continues attacking Mulumba outside of the ring, as they head near the commentary table and the stairs that lead to the locker room. The ref is doing his ring out count and we hear Eliud Gonzalez make the five minutes time call. Hall rams Atkie into the fence by the stairs, which knocks Atkie down to the floor right at the top of the stairs. Hall continues attacking Mulumba as they descend the stairs into the locker room, with the ref counting both men out. The ref leaves the ring and runs over to the stairs to check on the wrestlers as El Profe is left at ringside somewhat perplexed at the turn of events. Hall starts coming back up the stairs as Eliud Gonzalez announces it was a double countout. The video then cuts to Carlos and Hugo, with Hugo closing the show by asking Carlos his thoughts about the upcoming Universal title rematch on Fan Appreciation Day.  It looks like the feud between Hall and Mulumba is not over.

MD: This was a blast. Five minutes but all action. Hall had really, finally, figured out how to be a top babyface, the successor to Magnum TA. It’s such a victim of timing. If he had peaked like this a couple of years before, he could have made a major impact for JCP. A year later, maybe you could have built Global around him. He took it to Malumba right from the start, matching blows until Malumba bowled him over with a charge. Eventually (after a cheapshot from Profe), they went out to the floor and eventually went under the ring which you really don’t see much in Puerto Rico and seems rare in general with a guy Malumba’s size. They did a deal where they pressed up on the mat from underneath in a way you never see at all which was a great comedic visual that had the crowd going. Then they brawled down the stairs and into the locker room. Great spectacle.

EB: The third and final match we have some footage from the July 14 card is the Colon vs TNT non-title challenge match. TNT did not want to wait until August 4 to face Colon and, after a heated encounter on Campeones, Colon accepted the challenge. Let’s go to a segment from Campeones that shows the match finish and the ensuing aftermath.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U0aLKHjo_g

The clip begins as TNT reverses an Irish whip attempt by Carlos. TNT tries to follow up with a dynamite kick, but Carlos gets out of the way and TNT hits the tunbuckle instead. Colon takes advantage and knocks TNT to the mat and works over the leg to set up for a figure four attempt. Colon gets the figure four on in the middle of the ring. As the camera goes to a wide shot, you can see that Chicky Starr and El Profe are both at ringside for some reason (so far TNT has not formally aligned with either manager but they appear to be watching the match from ringside). Aa TNT struggles in the hold, Chicky and Profe start talking to each other and Chicky signals to Profe to go ahead. El Profe runs towards the stairs and to the locker room  as TNT continues to struggle in the figure four leglock. Chicky remains at ringside, either jawing at the ref or trying to encourage TNT, when Profe runs back into view and he seems to be waving somebody on. It’s Atkie Mulumba (complete with a bandaged forehead as a result of the earlier match with Scott Hall), who proceeds to get in the ring and splashes Carlos Colon. This breaks the figure four on TNT but also causes a disqualification. Atkie proceeds to attack Carlos as TNT is on the mat, trying to get some feeling back in his leg. The clip cuts to Carlos getting the better of Atkie in their punch exchange, with TNT standing in the corner still shaking his leg. TNT sneaks up behind Colon and locks in the Cobra Dinamita. Colon tries to get out of the hold by grabbing the ropes for leverage, but TNT is able to yank him away each time and keeps the hold locked on. Carlos starts to fade when Scott Hall emerges from the stairwell. The fans cheer on as Hall takes out both Chicky and Profe with a double clothesline. Mulumba tries to head Hall off on the ring apron,but Hall starts hammering Atkie with several punches. TNT has Colon out in the cobra hold, but releases it to go help Atkie with Hall. Scott actually holds off both rudos for a while but eventually the two on one advantage comes into play as TNT catches Hall from behind. The clip then cuts to both Colon and Hall out on the mat, as the other tecnicos have come to the ring to chase Mulumna and TNT away. Hugo explains that TNT had also locked Hall in the Cobra Dinamita and had left him laid out on the mat. As the ringside physician and the tecnicos check on Colon and Hall, the camera cuts to TNT and Atkie (both bleeding) standing on the arena floor, as TNT points at what appears to be a new ally in Atkie.

We go to a promo with TNT, Atkie and El Profe. It seems that after what happened in Caguas, a tag match has been signed for July 21 between the teams of TNT & Atkie Mulumba and Carlos Colon & Scott Hall. El Profe dos the initial talking: “Carlos Colon, you think you have saved yourself because you got that traitor cowboy, but you are making a big mistake because tonight in Caguas you are facing the New Terror Express” Look like Profe has given a name to the team of Mulumba and TNT. Profe says that this new team will write their name in gold with Colon and Hall’s blood. TNT comments that last week he had given a beating to old man Colon and then the dog mounting traitor cowboy decided to get involved. Last week he took both of them down and tonight, with the help of Atkie Mulumba, he will take them to the valley of slumber with the Cobra Dinamita. 

We then go to Carlos Colon and Scott hall. Carlos opens by thanking Hall for coming to his aid last week. Hall then hypes up the first time teaming of Colon and Hall. Colon then says that Hall has said it all, the fans have seen how upset Hall is about this situation. Colon says that if it weren't for Hall’s help last week, who knows what would have ended up happening to him. Colon then directs a message to TNT, saying that last week he took advantage of Mulumba’s interference to put Colon out with the cobra, but this time its two on two. With how riled up they are it will be the end of TNT and Mulumba. Tonight in Caguas they are going to receive the beating of their lives. Colon then turns to Hall and tells him that he just told the fans we are going to beat the heck out of these two guys. The promo ends with both Hall and Colon yelling some final words at the camera (Colon says “We’ll finish with all of you tonight, get ready TNT, get ready Mulumba!”).

The announced lineup for July 21 in Caguas is as follows: Carlos Colon & Scott Hall vs TNT & Atkie Mulumba; a taped fist match for the Caribbean title as Invader #1 defends against Leo Burke; the Super Medicos defend the World tag team titles against Los Mercenarios; Gama Singh vs Rick Valentine; a mixed tag match with Invader #4 & Aguilita Solitaria taking on El Profe & Espectrito; and Miguelito Perez taks on Chicky Starr.  

MD: Just the end of this one. I think Chicky might have been at ringside, but this is more about Profe. Once Colon has TNT in the figure four, Malumba (head bandaged) runs out to attack. TNT stands back and watches for a bit but then slaps the Cobra onto Colon, really cementing an actual heel turn instead of the shades of grey stuff he’d been doing. Scott Hall comes out to make the save, setting up a big tag match. Hall’s promo here is funny as he mentions the Puerto Rican Legend and the Blonde Outlaw coming together and everyone’s big move and says to bring your mother. Then Colon cuts a promo in Spanish and ends it by telling Hall in English that he told the fans “We’re going to beat the heck out of these two guys.” Like usual, they set up another big, novel match that people would want to see. That’s probably good as the undercard was full of things we’ve seen before that maybe feel a bit long in the tooth (Invader vs Burke/Super Medicos vs Mercenarios).

EB: We now head to the July 21 tv programs we have available. First is the Campeones episode, where we have Hugo and Chicky (who is introduced by Hugo as the man who has self proclaimed himself as the king of wrestling) serving as hosts for this week’s program. With one exception, the matches included on this episode are old ones that we won’t cover in detail. However, if anyone wants to watch the Caribbean Express vs the Battens, Mr. Pogo vs Invader #2 (shown because Pogo is returning according to Hugo) or Invader #1 vs Super Black Ninja (aka Keiji Muto) in a streetfight the episode link will be below.  The one match relevant to our current time period is the finish of the July 14 Colon vs TNT match, which we just covered.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nu2uE5NKE8

Beside the matches, there are some promos from Gama Sing and Rick valentine about their upcoming match that night, and we also get some banter from Hugo and Chicky throughout the show. Chicky is pro TNT on commentary, echoing that talking points about Carlos being too old. Hugo says that the matches have been very hard fought and close, with Hugo thinking that Chhicky is biased towards TNT because he wants TNT under contract. Chicky mentions that the viewers should watch out for his Esquina Caliente segment later in the show (which we do not have on this version of the episode), since he has a big surprise coming up for the viewers. We’ll discuss the surprise in a bit.
We also get a funny exchange before the main event, with Hugo needling Chicky about how he had heard that Chicky and Leo Burke were crying in the locker room after Aniversario after losing the Caribbean title to Invader #1. Chicky gets annoyed at Hugo bringing up things that are not relevant to the matter at hand  and Hugo keeps needling him. Chicky closes the show by mentioning that the new blood is going to persevere, and by new blood he means TNT (naturally with Chicky Starr’s help and the support of El Profe and his Real Academia).

MD: The only thing of note here is that Gama Singh went out of his way to explain how Rick Valentine had a big mouth and was, in fact, living proof of the existence of Pac-Man. Then poor Hugo had to figure out how to translate it.

EB: The other episode we have available from July 21  is the west coast version of Superestrellas de la Lucha Libre. So once again, remember that the references made throughout will be about the shows that have happened in the west coast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r-a30rIFPM

The program starts with Hugo doing his usual show introduction, running down what will be shown on the program. The big news is that the Chicky Starr Sports Shop segment will have as a guest the number one contender for the Universal title, one TNT, and it is expected that some huge news will be coming from this segment. Among the matches to be featured on the show is a tag match featuring a newly arrived wrestler named Lance Idol (who has the nickname of The Continental Dream). Since this is the west coast version of Superestrellas, Hugo talks about the next day’s card in Aguadilla. The main event will be a rematch from the previous week, as Invader #1 faces TNT. Besides the main event, Scott Hall will take on Atkie Mulumba, the Super Medicos defend their World tag titles against Los Mercenarios, Aguilita Solitaria vs Espectrito; Miguelito Perez vs Rick Valentine; and Gama Singh vs Lance Idol. Based on the lineups for this weekend, it looks like the White Angel was only around for the previous week. Hugo finishes up the intro segment by announcing to the fans that the Fan Appreciation Day show for the west coast will be held August 5 in San German. The main event will be the Universal title rematch between Carlos colon and TNT and the stipulation is that this match cannot be stopped due to blood loss (remember, the west coast Aniversario match ended by blood stoppage instead of a  time limit draw).

Our first match of the program has Super Medico #1 facing Mercenario #1 (accompanied as always by El Profe). The bell rings but Mercenario has yet to take off his jacket and hat. The wrestlers circle each other and a lock up leads to Medico backing Mercenario into a corner. A clean break follows.  Another lock up leads to Mercenario not giving a clean break, but Medico counters back with punches of his own. Tempers flare and they exchange slaps to the face. Medico gets a headlock on Mercenario, and a rope throw counter results in Medico knocking Acevedo down with a shoulder block. Medico hits a dropkick and a slam, with Acevedo trying to beg off and complain his tights were pulled afterwards. Another Medico headlock turns into Acevedo hitting a clothesline after shooting Medico into the ropes. Acevedo controls the next moments of the match with several blows that include illegal throat punches. Medico makes a brief comeback with some punches of his own, but Acevedo knocks him down with a big punch. A backdrop attempt is countered by Medico with a kick to the head, and Medico follows up with his ‘hit machine’ sequence of punches. Medico hits a headbutt and sends Acevedo into the ropes but this time it’s Medico who makes the mistake of putting his head down too early. Acevedo takes advantage and hits a DDT for a two count. Profe gets up on the apron to distract the referee and Acevedo takes the opportunity to knock Medico out with a foreign object. Acevedo gets the pinfall win.

Post match, Acevedo tries to take off Medico #1’s mask but Medico #3 runs in to stop the attempted unmasking. Medico #3 hits several punches on Acevedo (with the crowd ‘huah-ing’ along). Medico #3 tries an attack from the top turnbuckle but is pushed off by Ron Starr, coming to his tag partner’s aid. Medico #3 punches Ron off the apron but is grabbed from behind by Acevedo. Ron comes in with a chair and attempts to hit Medico #3, but Medico #1 makes the save by grabbing the chair. Los Mercenarios bail to the locker room as the crowd cheers on the Super Medicos. Afterwards we get promos at ringside from both teams about their upcoming title match in Aguadilla. Hector Moyano interviews both Medicos, with Medico #1 re-lacing his mask as they start. Medico #3 says that what the Mercenarios tried to do to his father has no name and that they’ll get payback tomorrow. Medico #1 echoes that sentiment, promising to avenge what the Mercenarios tried to do just now and that they will be destroyed in Aguadilla. This is followed by El Profe and Los Mercenarios talking about the upcoming match in Aguadilla. Ron Starr says Profe has had them training hard for the match and they will defeat them tomorrow. Acevedo actually says some words, mentioning that the filthy city of Aguadilla will see the end of the Medicos. El Profe chimes in saying that they are not just coming for the titles, they are coming for the Medicos’ heads and masks. There will be nothing left of the super imbeciles known as the Medicos. 

MD: Quick match where Assassin won with an illegal object as Profe had the ref distracted. A good quick look at the two of them though. Assassin was a gravitational force controlling the center and striking out from it. Medico carried himself like a star and fired back only to get cut off with cheapshots. It could have used a few more minutes, maybe a bit more shine, and an actual finishing stretch but it was mainly to put heat on another Medicos vs Mercenarios tag. Post-match, Medico 3 made the save, almost got clocked by a chair for his trouble, only for Medico 1 to save him and run the heels off. The promos were by ringside. Medico 3 referred to Medico 1 as his father for maybe the first time I can remember. Starr said they were training on the beaches (hard to believe with Assassin’s look?) and that they had a new secret move. And hey, Assassin even got to talk which he rarely did in this era.

EB: Next is Chicky Starr’s Sports Shop with TNT as the announced guest. Chicky does his usual brief intro to the segment and then gets right to the point. He wants to show the viewers the contract signing of someone he has long wanted in his organization. Yes, it appears that Chicky has finally been able to convince TNT to join El Club Deportivo. I would not be surprised if the Esquina Caliente segment on Campeones featured the contract signing. We go to a room that looks suspiciously familiar (I’m pretty sure it is the same office room that was used for some of the previous contract signing segments), only that this is clearly supposed to be Chicky Starr’s office since he has a big portrait of himself hanging on the wall behind him. Chicky is behind the desk, with TNT sitting in front of him with a pen and paper in hand. Hugo is also there with a microphone, telling the viewers that we are here for a historic moment. Hugo starts asking TNT if he knows what he is signing when Chicky cuts him off. ‘First, I did say the cameras and microphone of Capitol TV could be here but you can’t be here since you weren’t invited. Go over there with your friend Carlos Colon and the rest of El Ejercito de la Justicia’. Hugo says he is only doing his job but Chicky is having none of that and tells him to kindly leave again. Hugo leaves the room as Chicky grabs the mic and provides commentary on what’s going on. TNT has already signed the contract so Chicky is proceeding to sign his part of the document. Chicky finishes singing it and says that this signals a warm welcome for TNT into El Club Deportivo. Chicky says that TNT is an important pillar in his organization, to keep on moving forward and triumphing as he has done so far, and he will soon see what he will reap. TNT says that the only reason he isn’t the Universal champion right now is because he did not have a manager in his corner, he was robbed of the Universal title. We immediately cut back to the Sports Shop set where TNT is now with Chicky. Again Chicky mentions that TNT is an important part of his organization now and that TNT will now talk about what will happen on August 5 when the Universal title rematch takes place. Last time the match was stopped due to Carlos Colon being covered in blood, and Chicky agrees with TNT that Carlos is old,tired and exhausted. This time the match won’t be stopped due to blood. TNT says he still insists that Carlos Colon is old and he’s ready for the rematch. Through TNT’s veins runs Puerto Rican blood, the same as Carlos Colon. But TNT’s blood is young, hungry to be champion, and he is willing to do what it takes to win the title. He’s going to have his manager Chicky Starr with him, and TNT wants Carlos to remember that the Puerto Rican people are still behind TNT. ‘You’re still old Carlos Colon ,every minute, every second, every hour, every day, you are still old! This is the beginning of the end for El Ejercito de la Justicia!’.

MD: Here it is, the logical next steps for the feud, TNT signing with Chicky Starr, embracing him, saying that he’d tear down justice and all that it stands for. It had been a gradual path here but now there was no going back and it was certainly a way to ramp up the pressure. It felt a little like, for instance, Savage going with Sherri after WM V, which was only a year prior, just a way to double down on a new lead heel.

EB: After an ad for the Aguadilla show on July 22, we have a showcase match for Gama Singh against Assassin #2. The match cuts off before the finish (although it’s safe to assume Gama won) and then we cut back in to a promo from Gama Singh about his upcoming match against newcomer Lance Idol. Then we have a tag match featuring newcomer Lance Idol teaming with Rick Valentine vs the team of Herbert Goznalez and Tito Carrion. Hector Moyano mentions on commentary that it seems that Valentine has someone who is also from California, so it will be interesting to see how these two blonde men gel together as a team. Idol and Valentine jaw at their opponents and then turn to argue with the crowd. While their backs are turned, Herbert and Tito hit dropkicks to the rudos’ backs, sending them to the outside. Idola and Valentine take exception to this and take control of the match once back in the ring. Idol ends up in the ring with Carrion and again jaws with the crowd after slamming Carrion. The rudos tag in and out and maintain their control on Carrion. Herbert doesn’t get a chance to tag in as Carrion is finished off with a slam by Valentiena and a flying kneedrop from the top rope by Idol. An impressive win for Lance Idol and Rick Valentine. Maybe there is potential for them as a team going forward.

MD: Idol is another guy that worked what I’d call (and I’m just coining this now) the periphery: Vancouver, Stampede, Portland, NWA Hollywood, etc. He’d been a fake Spoiler, a Steve Austin shortly before Steve Austin was Steve Austin, Star Rider. I can’t remember ever seeing him in any meaningful way to be honest. Here he was billed as “The Continental Dream.”

He worked well enough with Valentine, stooging with him (they got dropkicked out of the ring right at the start) and hitting moves in succession. Their finish here was a Valentine over the shoulder power slam followed by a move off the top by Idol. Not a ton to see so far.

EB: We get a series of promos after the match. First is El PRofe with Atkie Mulumba. It seems that Hall was not able to make it to Aguadilla last week (reason given was transportation problems) but Profe thinks that was an excuse to cover for Hall’s cowardice. Profe knows Hall has to show up tomorrow because if not he will be suspended by the WWC, so tomorrow Mulumba will show his power and they will get rid of that traitor cowboy. Hall responds with a promo where he  guarantees that he will be in Aguadilla tomorrow. Hall is coming to take Atkie out. Our third promo is Lance Idol commenting on his match with Gama Singh. Idol talks about destiny being what has led him here and to defeating Gama Singh. Idol also quotes the Joker from Batman 89 to close out his promo ‘Have you ever danced with the devil by the pale moonlight?’.

MD: When I say Hall had it as a babyface by this point, I generally mean in ring. He was pretty screamy in his promos in a way that maybe wasn’t as effective as it could have been. I was going to praise Idol, on the other hand, but then he started making faces and quoting the Joker from the 89 Batman movie so maybe not.

EB: Up next is Chicky Starr taking on La Sombra in singles action. Chick’s managerial chargers have decreased in number from the first months of 1990, but he’s been pretty active in the ring as well. Chicky mugs for the camera when introduced and right off the bat wants the ref to check La Sombra for potential objects. When the ref asks Sombra, he points at Chicky and tells the ref to check him instead. Chicky starts off with a headlock and shoulder block off the ropes, but a series of rope counters leads to Sombra hitting an armdrag takedown and a dropkick to send Chicky to the outside. Chicky complains about his hair being pulled and slows the tempo of the match down. We again get a headlock and shoulder block, but Chicky is ready for Sombra’s duck down this time, stopping short off the ropes and kicking Sombra’s back. Chicky hits some blows on Sombra, including an elbow to the head and some chops in the corner. La Sombra reverses and hits some chops of his own, but Chicky cuts him off with a knee to the midsection. A chop from Chicky knocks Sombra down. Chicky slams Sombra, but Sombra counters a splash by getting his knees up. Sombra gets a brief offensive flurry but again Chicky cuts him off by lifting his legs as Sombra tries a corner charge. Chicky soon after wins the match after hitting an elbow drop on Sombra. A clear reminder that Chicky can be a threat in the ring beside being a threat at ringside. Chicky proceeds to strut as he leaves ringside and again mugs for the camera.  

MD: Stooging by numbers but entertaining with a definitive Chicky win. He was great getting clowned early and claiming a hairpull or doing a big splash into rising knees and selling with a big puffed out face late. Got to keep him strong with a competitive squash as they’re using him not just beside TNT but also on undercards of shows.

EB: We get another promo from Chicky Starr and TNT, this time about the rematch against Invader #1 tomorrow in Aguadilla. Chicky claims it won’t be like last week when Invader brought out El Ejercito de la Justicia to beat up TNT. Chicky says that won’t happen this time because he’ll be inTNT’s corner. TNT says that Invader knows that last week he had Invader in the Cobra Dinamita and that this time he won’t be able to cheat by having El Ejercito de la justice charge the ring when the cobra is applied. TNT wants to get Invader out of wrestling, and now he is with Chicky Starr, so whatever it takes he will finish Invader in Aguadilla. 

We go to Invader #1 with Hugo to get Invader’s comments about the upcoming rematch with TNT. Hugo mentions  that TNT is dangerous but things are getting more serious now that he is officially with Chicky Starr. Invader responds by wondering why TNT has gone to get Chicky Starr’s help, because TNT is a great wrestler and the fans saw the tremendous match they had last week. He knows that TNT is dangerous and that with Chicky in the corner, anything could be done to defeat him and even take him out of wrestling. Invader will have El Ejercito de la Justicia on standby in case Chicky gets involved. ‘We both have good conditioning and last week it was a fight, which tomorrow it will be as well. Let it be just the two of us without Chicky getting involved and we will see who is left standing at the end’.

We get a third promo in this segment, this time from Carlos Colon. The interview is focused on Colon’s thoughts about the Universal title rematch occurring August 5. Carlos is happy that the rematch is happening on Fan Appreciation Day, since there are special lower ticket prices, which means more people have a chance to be there and see this very important match. He mentions that it;is important because of the new alliance between TNT and Chicky Starr, someone who is diabolical and wicked such as Chicky. and this pair needs to be stopped as soon as possible. Carlos wants to decisively beat TNT and says that TNT joining Chicky is like a nightmare.  
MD: Good fired up promos from TNT and Invader and then a more subdued one from Colon. TNT was the guy teaching kids karate not that long ago and now he came off as pretty scary; I bet there were plenty of kids who had idolized him a couple of months before that were wary of him now.

EB: Our final match on the program is a tag team match featuring the duo of TNT and Atkie Mulumba. Their opponents are Miguelito Perez and Justo Maldonado (it seems that Huracan Castillo has been missing since Aniversario, it may be he is on a foreign tour). El Profe seems excited to be seconding TNT again (remember he was TNT’s manager when they both first showed up in CSP). TNT and Miguelito start off, and Miguelito immediately gets the better of TNT with several holds and elbows. Perez tags in Justo, who briefly maintains the advantage with a dropkick on TNT. However, TNT immediately cuts Justo off and, after some blows, drags Justo over to the rudo corner. Mulumba is tagged in and it’s pretty much all over for Justo. As Mulumba dominates Justo with a variety of headbutts (including an impressive one where hops off the middle rope), Profe brags on commentary that this is an amazing and unique team, no one will be able to deal with this duo. After Atkie hits his clothesline, he tags in TNT who hits a spin kick and then puts the Cobra Dinamita on Justo. Miguelito watches from the apron as TNT keeps the hold on and Justo ends up passing out. The winners are TNT and Mulumba. TNT wakes up Justo without any fuss after the match. We then get the show closing from Hugo, hyping up the show in Aguadilla and the Fan Appreciation Day show. 

MD: TNT was congenial with Malumba. Perez just seemed happy to be there. Maldonado did not seem happy to be there. Perez started against TNT and took the fight right to him but once Justo tagged in TNT (almost) immediately turned it back on him. Then Atkie hit some stuff like his twisting flying clothesline and TNT finished him off with the spin wheel kick and the cobra. He was good enough to wake him up post-match though. Perez looked strong but it was a good showcase for just how dangerous these two were together.

EB; Next time on El Deporte de las Mil Emociones, two big matches headline the July 21 card. Who will triumph in what is likely the final encounter between Invader #1 and Leo Burke? How well will the two teams in the main event work together? Plus, a new arrival for the rudos as we head towards the big Universal title rematch on Fan Appreciation Day.

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El Deporte de las Mil Emociones: The Week After

Week 30: The Week After

EB: Aniversario 1990 is in the books and it was quite the eclectic event, with minis, an AWA title being defended, Robocop backing up the tecnicos and some memorable appearances (for different reasons) from the Rougeaus and Zeus. We had the Caribbean title change hands in a boxing match, Scott Hall had his tecnico coming out party and there was an hour long draw in the Universal title match. After the dust (or mud in this case) had settled, there was no clear winner between Carlos Colon and TNT. Due to the draw, Carlos retains the Universal title. The match was an intense back and forth, one where TNT seemed to be aggressive first and Colon responded in kind. Now the question is what is next for everyone in CSP. 

We have arrived at July 14, one week after Aniversario. Most of the wrestlers that came in for Aniversario have left, although with the exception of the mini wrestlers (we’ll see them pop up throughout the coming weeks). The tecnicos have two new arrivals in the form of the White Angel and Gama Singh, both who have had previous runs in the territory. How long they will be here remains to be seen. As we dive into this post-Aniversario landscape, we're going to slightly change our format in this installment. Since we’re in a time period where we actually have mostly complete tv episodes available, we are going to focus this week on the programs that aired the weekend of July 14. This will allow us to get a good feel for how CSP is setting up post Aniversario, what feuds will continue and also provide a good understanding of what the dynamic is with how the tv programs worked during this time period. 

First though, we are going to start with a clip from an episode that we don't have in a more complete form. We go to the intro of the San Juan Metro version of Superestrellas de la Lucha Libre episode that aired on channel 11 (Teleonce).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuBbESFmr24

Hugo is already part way through the show’s intro, talking about this past Saturday’s.Aniversario 90  Specifically, he’s talking about the amazing time limit draw between Carlos Colon and TNT. Before the 60 minutes were up, there was some controversy over TNT supposedly winning the bout earlier (which they’ll talk about more later in the program). The important thing to know is that it was a 60 minute draw and, even more important, is the news that the rematch for ‘El Reto para la Historia’ has been signed for Saturday August 4 at Estadio Juan Ramon Loubriel in Bayamon (the same location as their Aniversario match).  Earlier, Hugo had been mentioning that tonight they were going to be in Caguas, but something happened on one of the other TV programs where Hugo and Carlos Colon serve as co-hosts (he’s referencing Campeones which airs on a rival channel). Something happened on that program, and Hugo wants the director to show what went down.

The clip cuts immediately to an argument that’s occurring between TNT and Carlos Colon ,with Hugo caught in the middle.  Hugo is asking TNT to wait a moment but TNT is already in Colon’s face and saying “Why do I have to wait until August 4 for a rematch for the Universal title? Why don’t you defend it tonight in Caguas?” Colon responds “Because that’s what the commission decided.” Things get more heated as TNT starts pointing at Carlos and Carlos slaps TNT’s hand away (“Don’t put your hands on me, with more respect here.”) TNT exclaims “You know that at Aniversario 90 Un Reto para la Historia I gave you a beating and I won the title from you! The real Universal champion is TNT!” Carlos looks at Hugo: “Wait a moment, Hugo I think this man has gone crazy, he’s become disrespectful and now he’s coming here in this manner...”. As Carlos is speaking, Hugo tells TNT to be more respectful, causing TNT to yell at Hugo to shut up. TNT again yells why doesn’t Carlos put up the title tonight. Hugo tries to calm things down but Carlos continues saying that TNT is disrespecting not just him but Hugo and the tv viewers as well, meanwhile TNT starts yelling about how Carlos is old and that he defeated Carlos  at Aniversario, so why don’t they fight tonight in Caguas.  

Hugo again tries to calm things down, telling TNT that the card is already booked for tonight, prompting TNT to again yell at Hugo to shut his mouth. Carlos says that he’ll fight TNT anytime, but the rematch was signed for August 4. TNT yells “I don’t care about August 4, we’ll wrestle tonight! The real champion here is TNT!” Carlos starts getting more upset: “Let me tell you something TNT, (voice gets angrier) who do you think you are?” TNT: “I am the karate ninja TNT and I’m the real Universal champion!”” Carlos: “I’m not afraid of you or of anybody! I’ll fight you anytime!” TNT: “I want to fight with you tonight in Caguas!” Carlos looks at Hugo and tries to tell him something but TNT keeps yelling about why they are not wrestling tonight. Hugo again tries to tell TNT that the card is already booked and again TNT goes off telling Hugo to shut up,that he doesn’t care about that. ”Why don’t we fight tonight! Are you scared?” Carlos shoves TNT at that remark, saying he’s not afraid of him or of anyone. Hugo tries to stay between the two as things are more heated and TNT and Carlos are trying to get at each other. Carlos says that he’ll fight TNT here right now if he wants. Finally, Carlos goes ”Let’s do something Hugo. I’ll wrestle TNT tonight in Caguas but with one condition... (TNT yells something at Carlos) wherever, we’ll fight right now if you want (Hugo pleads for that not to happen)... Hugo, I am tired of this guy’s shameless actions (TNT yells at Carlos “I don’t care what type of match it is!”), one condition, if this match goes and I defeat you (points at TNT), like i'm planning to do, then you can forget about the Universal title.” TNT: “We’ll do whatever, all I want is to break your face!” Both Carlos and TNT keep getting heated and start taking their jackets off. Hugo panics and asks Carlos if he accepts the challenge for tonight in Caguas, to which Carlos says yes. Hugo then quickly turns to TNT: “He accepted the match, TNT, please leave!”, but TNT and Carlos are still arguing and try to get at each other again as Hugo is caught in the middle, desperately trying to throw it to the next segment. 

The video transitions back to Hugo in the studio, where Hugo remarks that the situation got tense for him there, he took his lumps there. The match is now added to tonight’s card, Carlos Colon vs TNT in a non-title match in addition to the other scheduled matches.   

The confrontation that occurred between Carlos Colon and TNT happened on the Campeones episode airing on local channel 2 (Telemundo), which is why Hugo was vague about what program it happened on (Superestrellas aired on channel 11 at the time). We do have that Campeones episode and are including the link, but for our review we’ll touch upon some of the highlights of the episode (since the matches are mainly from before our relevant time period or ones we already covered).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F_u5qR_LBM

The episode starts with Hugo and Carrlos as the hosts, with Hugo introducing Carlos as the still reigning Universal champion. Hugo thanks the fans for all the calls received, with congratulations for Carlos from all over the island. Carlos thanks Invader #1 and Huracan Castillo Jr. for subbing for him the past couple of weeks as he was training for his match, then he and Hugo run down what’s to come on this week’s episode. The conversation then turns towards tonight's show in Caguas, where the main event is the new Caribbean champion Invader #1 defending against the former champion Leo Burke. Carlos and Hugo mention that Burke is very angry about his loss at Aniversario since he was the favorite to win in the boxing match due to his skills, but Invader #1 embarrassed Burke and left him laid out. We also have Scott Hall and Atkie Mulumba in a rematch from Aniversario 90, with Carlos saying that he thinks Hall will be looking to finish the job tonight. Carlos also mentions that he wants the fans to know that they’re talking with Scott Hall about officially joining El Ejercito de la Justicia, to which Hugo remarks that he had heard the rumor and was glad Carlos put it out there. Hugo mentions  that the Super Medicos will also be facing Los Mercenarios tonight, but then pivots to talking about Aniversario 90. 

Before giving the fans some big news, Hugo wants Carlos to share his thoughts about his title match against TNT at Aniversario. Carlos mentions it was a hard, tough battle (Hugo interjects violent as well), but he is satisfied with the decision since it was a draw and that means he remains the champion. A draw against a wrestler of the magnitude of TNT is a great triumph, so he is satisfied, happy and thanks the fans for going to the event and giving their support. Hugo mentions that both Carlos and TNT displayed a high level of wrestling dignity and conditioning, a 60 minute draw is a feat. Hugo then announces the big news, due to the controversies in the match and that it ended up being a draw, that means TNT remains as the number one contender. A rematch has been signed and it will take place on August 4 at Estadio Juan Ramon Loubriel. Hugo asks Carlos how he will prepare for the rematch and Carlos says just like he did for the first one, by training hard, this rematch will be with no time limit so he has to be ready to go as long as it takes. Carlos thinks he has an advantage because they went 60 minutes at Aniversario and, at the end of the match, he had TNT in the figure four. With just a bit more time he would have made TNT submit. All modesty aside, Carlos feels he was in better condition than TNT and that TNT was saved by the bell. Hugo: “So you felt you had him?” Carlos says that he did think he had TNT ready to give up. Carlos thinks the no time limit stipulation works in his favor. Hugo comments that there has to be a winner since there is no time limit, and he wants to know what Carlos will do for this type of match. Carlos mentions that since tonight he’s not scheduled in Caguas and that he is taking it easy with his schedule, he’s going to take the opportunity to train hard for the rematch to show up in better condition than at Aniversario. He thinks this will be the most important match of his career. Carlos already showed TNT that his desire to be Universal champion was not going to be as easy as TNT thought, and now Carlos has the goal of defeating TNT decisively so that TNT asks for forgiveness, not from him but from the Puerto Rican people. “I'm going to train hard so TNT can be embarrassed as he deserves to be embarrassed.” Hugo again asks Carlos about his training when TNT barges on set and we get the altercation that aired on Superestrellas as well. Hugo frantically throws it to our first match as the altercation ends.

The first match in the episode is an Invader #3 vs Mr Pogo match from either 1988 or 1989. I won’t recap it in detail but will mention that Hugo is solo on commentary. It seems Carlos was so upset by the confrontation with TNT that he has left the studio and now Hugo is alone for the show. Hugo apologizes to Carlos and the fans for TNT’s actions on behalf of himself and the team at Capitol Sports TV. Hugo confirms the match is official for tonight and that it is non-title. The Pogo and Invader #3 match is from Caguas and is airing because Mr. Pogo will soon be making a return to the territory. Hugo mentions that Friday they will be in Yauco and tomorrow Sunday they will be in Aguadilla.As the match progresses Hugo talks about how Carlos and Chicky alternated each week as Hugo’s co-host, and that it was the first time they had Carlos in almost a month since he had been training for his Aniversario match. The match between Pogo and Invader #3 is a solid, back and forth match with Pogo getting the win with the cobra sleeperhold.

Other notable occurrences in this Campeones episode include promos from Leo Burke and Invader #1 about their match tonight, a White Angel music video and promo about his return to Puerto Rico,  a quick Scott Hall promo surrounded by kids about his match tonight with Mulumba, and a Profe rebuttal promo where he promises that Atkie will teach Hall a lesson for betraying them. The program ends with Hugo closing the show, once again apologizing to the fans for what happened at the start of the program with Carlos and TNT. He knows the fans were looking forward to finally having Carlos back on the program after being gone these past weeks, but it was an unfortunate incident that prevented him from staying on the program today. Hugo thinks that it was not the time nor the place for TNT to do what he did, especially since the rematch had already been signed for August 4. Hugo confirms again that the challenge for tonight was accepted and it will be Carlos Colon vs TNT in a non-title match. At that moment, Carlos reappears on camera to apologize to Hugo and the tv viewers about storming out earlier (Hugo: ‘We are the ones that should apologize’), but he was so angry about TNT that he wasn’t in the right frame of mind to be able to narrate and host the show after that. But he sends a message to TNT that he better stop with the disrespectful actions because he (Carlos) respects the viewers and tonight it will be a different story, since he won’t be the gentleman he was on the program. TNT will be facing a wild man tonight and the job Colon couldn’t finish last week will be finished tonight. It will be a fight tonight and he will end TNT for being shameless and a charlatan.

MD: One constant thread since we started the project is that the booking has been solid, especially on top, but not just, given the constraints they have. By constraints, that’s the occasional injury or act of weather, and the fact that a lot of top talent were locked into contracts by WWF or WCW/NWA and therefore couldn’t be tapped into even as a guest. It makes total sense for them to stick with the TNT program now. The title match was inconclusive, the start of a story instead of the end of one. Nothing was proven. There’s no reason why this couldn’t take them deeper into the year, thus the confrontation. I think part of me expected that they would bring in Chicky now to get more heat but there could be reasons not to that we'll learn soon. Still it's notable, coming out of Aniversario, there isn’t a clear lead heel.

I guess that’s one reason to have Pogo coming back into the territory. Otherwise, it does seem like they’re rolling right into a “Wrestlemania Revenge” type show with Invader and Burke and Hall and Malumba still going at it. Of course you can put Los Mercenarios against any of the tecnico teams. Heating up the White Angel again (and bringing in Gama Singh) is interesting since they seem stacked on the tecnico side. Case in point, a quick Scott Hall promo with him surrounded by kids. The accent on Thompson when he says “Puerto Rico” is something else though. 

EB: The other episode we have for this date is the west coast version of Superestrellas de la Lucha Libre. As mentioned in previous installments, since TV in Puerto Rico still operated in having specific regional broadcast signals, the west coast channel that broadcasts Superestrelelas usually had a version that referenced the events happening on the Sunday west coast house shows and the interview and house show lineups reflected this. So keep that in mind as we dive into this episode.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mIB9vRYbcU

Hugo opens the show by running down what we’ll be seeing on today’s program (including mentioning the returns of White Angel and Gama Singh to Puerto Rico). You’ll notice that this intro is different from the San Juan Metro area version we saw earlier, that is because since Carlos and TNT are not planned to match up at the west coast house show the next day, there is no need to mention the altercation and challenge that happened on Campeones. Instead, Hugo hypes up the card taking place the next day in Aguadilla. Hugo also wants to briefly talk about Aniversario 90, although again some references of what happened will be regarding the show in Mayaguez rather than what happened in Bayamon. The event was a success in both towns and they want to thank the fans for their support for CSP in their Aniversario event.Hugo talks about the main event of Carlos Colon vs TNT, a tremendous match that was stopped due to blood (again, referencing the result from the Mayaguez card). As a result, Carlos Colon remains the Universal champion. Hugo mentions some of the results from Bayamon such as Invader #1 winning the Caribbean title and mentions the encounter between Scott Hall and Atkie Mulumba (so we are starting to get a good idea about the top rivalries being highlighted post Aniversario).

Hugo then talks about the house show tomorrow in Aguadilla at 3:30pm, with the main event being Invader #1 vs TNT. Also on the card, a rematch between Scott Hall and Atkie Mulumba, a World tag team title match as the Super Medicos defend against the duo of Leo Burke & Rick Valentine, the minis that were such a hit at Aniversario will be wrestling in a singles match as Aguilita Solitaria takes on Espectrito, Miguelito Perez and Gama Singh team up to take on Los Mercenarios, and Invader #4 faces Chicky Starr. Hugo then takes us to the first match on the show, as the returning White Angel takes on the monster known as Atkie Mulumba.

Eliud Gonzalez is out commentator for this match. Eliud makes note of the size difference between the two wrestlers as White Angel mocks Mulumba’s belly slapping by doing his own version. Angel keeps his distance but is caught in a lock up in a corner. Mulumba tries an overhand chop at the break but Angel ducks out of the way and Atkie hits the top turnbuckle instead. The same sequence is repeated although this time Angel blocks the blow and counters with several unanswered punches. Angel gets a headlock on Atkie, but Mulumba backs Angel into a corner and breaks the hold with a corner splash. Atkie takes over with several blows in the corner, and then proceeds to bite White Angel in the face. Angel fires off several kicks after the biting stops but Mulumba isn’t fazed and grabs Angel in a double arm choke. Angel backs Mulumba into a corner and breaks the choke with several punches. Atkie cuts Angel off with an eye rake and knocks him down with a nice thrust kick. Mulumba continues on the attack with an eye gouge and choking Angel on the ropes. A clothesline sends Angel to the outside, with Atkie following him out. Both men fight on the outside before Angel gets back in the ring. Angel catches Mulumba coming in with a kick and several punches, and hits a clothesline when Mulumba is shot into the ropes. Atkie absorbs the blow and doesn’t fall down. Angel follows up with some standing punches in the corner but an irish whip attempt is countered into a corner splash by Mulumba ,who then hits a headbutt to set up a splash. Atkie picks up Angel before the three count, hits another splash and then picks Angel back up before the three count. The referee warns Atkie about this behavior. Atkie goes to the top but the camera cuts away as he starts jumping off (it looks like Angel was starting to roll away). Eliud continues narrating as it appears that something may have been messed up in the ring since they continue with the crowd shot. When we cut back, Mulumba is attacking Angel and it looks like the referee has had enough of Atkie refusing to make the cover and awards the match via dq to White Angel. The winner is White Angel, although he looks worse for the wear compared to Mulumba.

MD: I like Thompson well enough when he’s got someone like Chicky (or even a Burke) backpedaling from him. I’m not sure he’s up to the task to stand toe-to-toe with Malumba. Malumba does take most of this including beating him on the outside but Thompson fires back and it’s, you know, ok. Eventually, Malumba crushes him with a splash and then picks him up. He presumably misses the top rope splash but they decided to cut to a wide shot of the crowd where they just pan over a bunch of kids which was a bizarre choice. When they cut back, he’s choking Thompson incessantly and the ref gives him the win. Kind of strange if you ask me. 

EB: We then go to a couple of promos talking up the World tag title match between the Super Meidocs and the team of Leo Burke and Rick Valentine. The makeshift team of Burke and Valentine look to capture the World tag titles, with Burke congratulating the Medicos on getting past the Rougeaus. However, Leo has scouted them and saw all the mistakes they could capitalize on. The Super Medicos thank the fans for their support this past week at Aniversario and they know they have to be careful of Burke’s figure-four and Valentine’s bionic elbow. Super Medico #1 says ”Also, we don’t make mistakes, the mistake was made by you when you signed to face us for the World tag team titles.” 

MD: These two interviews are setting up a tag match between Burke and Valentine and the Medicos. I thought Burke was pretty effective in congratulating the Medicos for their Aniversario win and being brave enough to put up the belts, but noting that he saw a lot of mistakes in their match and that he and the “bionic elbow” were going to take the titles. Medico 1 then said the real mistake was taking a match with them in a solid retort and Estrada, Jr. got to thank the fans.

EB: We then go to this week’s edition of Chicky Starr’s Sports Shop. Chicky welcomes the viewers to the most anticipated segment of the show. Every week there is a special guest and this week is no exception, when he says their name everyone will recognize it. Naturally you’ve all noticed by now, this week’s special guest is none other than Chicky Starr himself. He wants to talk about his match tomorrow against Invader #4, someone that has given Chicky a lot of problems and work. But tomorrow he will show everyone that he can handle Invader #4, that he can end him and that he’ll do something tomorrow he has long wanted to do., He’s going to take Invader #4’s grimy mask off and throws it to the fans so they can throw it into the sea that’s near the arena. Chicky promises to defeat Invader #4 tomorrow. Looks like this is a localized version of the Sports Shop for the west coast audience.

MD: I thought we were going to see the Sports Shop in its natural habitat but he really just cuts a promo on Invader #4, including saying he was going to throw his mask into the sea. 

EB: After the card rundown for the Aguadilla show and an Aguadila Motors commercial, we have Rick Valentine taking on Justo Maldonado.Valentine is accompanied by Chicky, It is a short match, with Justo getting a brief offensive advantage to start but Valentine takes over and finishes Maldonado off relatively quickly with his bionic elbow drop. Chicky barely had enough time to go over to the commentary desk and talk about the beating TNT gave Carlos Colon at Aniversario, although to date there has been no official alliance between TNT and Chicky.

MD: Valentine needs all the help he can get so a squash match isn’t a bad thing. It’s interesting they don’t hammer (pun intended) that he’s Greg or Johnny’s relative but I’m not actually sure how much that would matter here. Chicky’s on commentary. The opponent gets a little bit of comeback but Valentine shuts him down with a clothesline out of the corner and the elbow drop. 

EB: The rivalry between Los Mercenarios and the Caribbean express came to a head at Aniversario but it looks like Acevedo and Ron Starr have a chance at getting some revenge on Miguelito Perez. They are scheduled to face Miguelito and the returning Gama Singh in Aguadilla. Los Mercenarios say it makes no difference if Gama Singh is in there, since they are familiar with him from facing Singh in different parts of the world. Meanwhile, Gama is happy to be back in Puerto Rico and is looking forward to teaming up for the first time with Miguelito. Perez hypes up the match and says he and Singh will be ready tomorrow, and hopes the fans will be there.

We then get a showcase match for Gama Singh, taking on the masked Blue Angel. This match also is relatively short and serves as a reintroduction of Gamna Singh to the local fans (it has been a few years since Singh had a notable run in the territory). Singh shows off his abilities, although at one point he starts undoing the laces of Blue Angel’s mask. After the attempted unlacing, Blue Angel gets a bit of offense in and even makes a pin attempt for a one count. It doesn't last long as Gama takes over again and eventually wins the match with a crossbody off the top rope. Nice win for Gama Singh in his return to CSP. 

MD: These bits were setting up a tag between Perez/Singh and Los Mercenarios. Starr talked up Singh. Then Singh got to talk himself and Perez up and Perez got to talk up Singh too. I’m not sure why Castillo wasn’t there with Perez but I guess having a tag champ team with someone else is a good way to build heat back up if you’re going to let the rudos win. Singh is not someone I’ve seen a ton of but there is that direct pipeline from Canada to Puerto Rico. Against Blue Angel, he was dominant on the mat, had this interesting sweeping arm strike out of a headlock he did a couple of times, and had some fire as Angel got into a pushing contest with him. He won it with a flying body press. I still sort of wonder why they didn’t bring him in as a rudo though that would have disappointed the one support of his they kept cutting to. 

EB: The main event of the Aguadilla house show is Invader #1 taking on TNT, so we get promos from both men. TNT mentions that people that really know about wrestling know that TNT is the real Universal champion, He showed it at Aniversario in Mayaguez and if there is any remaining doubt, he’ll show it again tomorrow against Invader #1. So tomorrow Invader #1, the real Universal champion will put you in the Cobra Dinamita. We go to Hugo and the new Caribbean champion Invader #1. Hugo mentions what TNT said in his promo and Invader responds by saying that it’s very easy for someone to get in front of the cameras and say many things, but when the bell rings it gets hard to do. For the past three months TNT has been telling the Puerto Rican fans that he was going to be the Universal champion, and TNT is not the Universal champion right now. Invader said that he was going to be the new Caribbean champion, and he is the Caribbean champion right now. “So you can say a lot of things but let’s see what you can do when the bel rings tomorrow. Remember what you did to us, because we were very angry about it, you shouldn’t have done what you did. You say that you will put me in the Cobra Dinamita, let’s see if you can really do it. I know you are a tremendous wrestler, but when that bell rings tomorrow that is when you’ll get the chance to show me who you really are! Let’s see if you are man enough or wrestler enough to get that Cobra Dinamita on me.”

MD: These two would be wrestling at the upcoming house show. TNT cut a promo declaring him the true champion. Invader 1 fired back in his own promo with an impassioned diatribe about how he’d face TNT down. I was sold on this after hearing from these two.

EB: We get a rundown of the WWC top 10 rankings, with TNT still as the number one contender and then go to a Leo Burke vs Herbetr Gonzalez match. Leo as always is accompanied by Chicky Starr. A lock up leads to Burke getting a punch after the break but Herbert comes back with some punches of his own and actually takes control of the match with some slams and a headlock. Burke breaks the hold but Herbert maintains control with a shoulder block and an elbow (with the camera cutting to Chicky shaking  his head disapprovingly on the outside). Herbert goes back to the headlock but Burke is able to eventually counter with a back suplex. Burke hits several blows on Herbert and hits a neckbreaker for a pin attempt. Herbert counters a Burke rope throw with a kick and then sends Leo into the ropes for a backdrop. However, Leo counters with a blow to the midsection and immediately works the leg to set up the figure four. Herbert submits and Burke gets the win., Chicky talks to the camera, talking about the stupidity of anyone thinking they can handle the master of the figure four as Burke flashes four fingers at the camera. 

MD: On the one hand, Burke probably gives him a little too much here, but he is that sort of great stooging heel that can get away with that. Plus, with Burke, he can shift gears suddenly, turn right onto Gonzalez’ leg and change the mood entirely, which is what he does here. Chicky’s great in the margins of this, by the way, but no surprise there. 

EB: El Profe, accompanied by Atkie Mulumba. cuts a promo about the rematch between Scott Hall and Mulumba. Profe mentions that the people of Mayaguez received Scott Hall last week with open arms, but tomorrow Profe and Atkie will receive him with closed fists, in order to end Hall, to finish with him and show the people what a coward Hall is. “You are a traitor and that is why we gave you a beating last week, but tomorrow it will be even worse. You're very big but also very stupid, and tomorrow we will finish you so you never get in the way of El Profe and Atkie Mulumba again.” The camera zooms in on Atkie’s face as El Profe finishes his promo.

We also get a rundown of the card for Thursday in Cabo Rojo. The lineup is as follows: Carlos Colon vs. Atkie Mulumba; Invader #1 vs TNT; Super Medicos vs Los Mercenarios; Gama Singh vs Rick Valentine; Miguelito Perez vs Leo Burke; and Aguilita Solitaria vs Espectrito. After this, we get an Invader #4 vs Eddie Watts match that we’ve previously covered.

The last part of the show features our main event for the program, as TNT takes on Super Medico #3 in TNT’s continued series against his former Ejercito de la Justicia stablemates. Eliud Gonzalez does the ring introductions and also does commentary. Eliud mentions that this is a matchup of two of the more popular wrestlers at this moment in Puerto Rico. The match starts with some nice counter sequences that lead to Medico #3 getting some armdrag takedowns and a dropkick that sends TNT to the outside. TNT gets back in the ring and Medico #3 works a headlock takedown. TNT breaks out of it eventually but ends up back in it after Medco #3 counters off the ropes with a dropkick. Eliud mentions that both wrestlers are similar in size so no advantage there for either of them. TNT rolls over Medico #3 for a pin attempt but Medico #3 slides back over into the headlock position on the mat. TNT surprisingly is working this match clean and not as aggressive as we have seen in his more recent matches against the tecnicos, so maybe this may signal him mellowing out on his demeanor towards the tecnicos (then again, we did see how he went off on Colon with regards to the Universal title rematch). Another rollover counter gets two and both wrestlers work to a standing position. TNT sends Medico #3 into the ropes and hits a leapfrog, but Medico #3 stops after passing under and catches TNT with a slam. Medico #3 goes back to the headlock but TNT sends him into ropes and hits a clothesline. TNT hits a thrust to the neck area and some chops, leading to a backdrop and some karate strikes to the downed Medico #3. TNT sends Medico #3 into the ropes, and Medico #3 catches TNT with a front facelock on the rebound. TNT is pushed into the corner as Medico #3 gets some offense in, including a high back body drop for an unsuccessful pin attempt. TNT is able to catch Medico #3 with a spin kick off a rope rebound. This leads to the Cobra Dinamita and TNT wins the match when Medico #3 is put to sleep. Unlike the previous weeks, TNT actually wakes up Medico #3 without incident and quietly leaves the ring, so again not sure if TNT is coming to his senses about how he has been behaving lately. We then get Hugo closing the show reminding fans about tomorrow’s show in Aguadilla.

MD: A clear sub-10 minute win for TNT but Medico III took around half of it, mainly outquicking TNT and utilizing headlock takeovers and smart wrestling. TNT really only controlled for a minute in the middle before Medico came back. He got cut off quickly with the spin wheel kick and immediately put in the Cobra. I wonder if there was less of a need to protect TNT quite so much now that they were past Aniversario. Good match for Medico III to have in general.

EB: Next time on El Deporte de la Mil Emociones,we find out what happened in Caguas in the top rivalries and how they continue to develop. Will TNT get the better of Carlos Colon? Will Leo Burke make Invader #1‘s title reign a short one? Will El Profe make good on his promise that Atkie Mulumba will end Scott Hall's career? We’ll find out as we continue our journey through 1990.

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