El Deporte de las Mil Emociones: A Side of Duk

Week 32: A Side of Duk

EB: Two weeks after Aniversario 90 we have two matches that continue to follow up on some of the key rivalries from the event. A super tag match between the team of Carlos Colon and Scott Hall and the team of TNT and Atkie Mulumba scheduled for July 21 in Caguas continues two rivalries that had their first encounters at Aniversario. The second of our top matches from July 21 features what may well be the finale for an ongoing rivalry that has been waged since the end of March. The rivalry between Leo Burke and Invader #1 began as a tag team rivalry but morphed into a singles feud over the Caribbean title. Burke started using a boxing glove as a weapon and talked up his amateur credentials and skills as a boxer. The plan to embarrass Invader #1 at Aniversario failed, as it was Invader #1 that obtained the knockout win in the boxing match due to landing a taped fist punch on Leo Burke. The first rematch post Aniversario saw Burke almost steal back the Caribbean title via the use of a loaded taped fist punch, something that has been Invader #1’s trademark move for years. It all comes to a head now in a taped fist match. Let’s go to that match.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaJEjdW1rY8

This match is from a Campeones airing with Hugo and Carlos on commentary. The video starts with Chicky and Leo exchanging a pre-match hug outside of the ring. Burke gets in the ring and you can clearly see both Burke and Invader #1 have their hands taped up. Carlos talks about why this match is with taped fists, mentioning  the different times Burke has stolen wins and titles via the use of the boxing glove, foreign object assisted punches, and the latest incident with the taped up loaded punch that almost resulted in Burke regaining the Caribbean title. Basically, Invader has said enough is enough and that is why we are here . Hugo mentions that Burke may very well have some object inside the wrapping but we also know about Invader's famed taped fist heart punch, so it remains to be seen who will come out on top. In the ring, Burke takes the advantage after a lock up and rope run by Invader by hitting a taped fist punch to the midsection that immediately sends Invader down. Invader lays prone over the bottom rope as referee El Vikingo checks on him. Burke grabs Invader and continues to focus on Invader’s midsection with a series of kicks. Invader again goes down and Burke stomps on Invader. Burke works an armbar but backs away when Invader squares up to punch with his taped fist. Burke regroups and goes back to the armbar. Burke hits some kneedrops on Invader's arm and continues working the armbar.  It is clear that Leo’s strategy is to try to neutralize Invader’s arm to minimize the danger of the taped fist punches. Invader gets to his feet but Burke yanks him back down via a hair pull. Invader is able to get back to his feet and breaks the hold by sending Burke into the ropes. It looks like Invader may be setting up for a heart punch on the rebound but Burke avoids it by basically grabbing and jumping into the ropes, almost holding himself in a cradle position. Burke then immediately slips to the outside. Burke regroups with Chicky outside and takes his time getting back in. On commentary, Carlos and Hugo are talking about the upcoming Fan Appreciation Day match with TNT and mention that TNT seems to have brought in a new wrestler as backup (more on this shortly). Burke finally gets back in the ring and we go to commercial as Invader gets a side headlock after a lockup. 

Back from commercial, Burke is in control of the match and hits a neckbreaker on Invader. A pin attempt gets two. Invader crawls on his hands and knees around the mat, scooting through Burke’s legs and hitting a taped fist punch on Burke’s right knee. Leo immediately falls over after the blow. Burke uses the ropes to get back up but Invader again goes after Burke’s leg with a punch, Burke keeps a hold on the ropes for balance and counters with a kick to Invader’s face. Burke lands some taped fist punches and some turnbuckle smashes on Invader. Both men start exchanging strikes, with Invader getting the better of Burke as the chops keep being thrown. Invader gets his second wind and continues on the attack, but Burke gets a respite when Invader is tripped up by Chicky Starr. Burke misses an elbow drop though, and Invader winds up for the heart punch. Burke gets up and gets hit right in the chest. Leo is knocked out and Invader pins Burke to retain the Caribbean title. The crowd cheers and celebrates Invader’s victory. We then cut to Burke being attended to in the ring, with the last image being Leo Burke being stretchered out. This feud is finally over and we have seen the last of Leo Burke in CSP. So long Leo, you had quite the nine month run.   . 

MD: Given the commercial clipping we only get about seven minutes of this but its the usual high quality between these two. Burke takes over early and works over Invader’s left arm. Maybe an odd choice considering Invader throws the heart punch with the right but it works for him for a bit until Invader starts to fire back. Burke delays the gratification by leaping into the ropes and then slipping out to escape, a great bit of business there. Invader does come back but Chicky trips him off the ropes, only for Burke to miss an elbow drop and get crushed by the Heart Punch. This felt like a definitive blow off.

EB: While one rivalry has finally ended, there are two others that are still very much crescendoing. After coming to Carlos Colon’s aid on July 14, Scott Hall  is teaming up  with Carlos to take on TNT and Atkie Mulumba. Let’s go to Caguas once again for this encounter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoeXCQhq7TU

As the tecnico team is introduced, Hugo makes note that Scott Hall is the newest member of El Ejercito de la Justicia after last week’s events. Our commentary team for this match is Hugo and Chicky Starr. Chicky calls Carlos old and Scott Hall a traitor. The rudo team of TNT and Atkie Mulumba emerge from the stairwell and immediately charge the ring to fight Colon and Hall. Carlos and Scott are ready and trade blows with their respective rivals. Colon knocks TNT out of the ring after several blows, while Hall takes the upper hand on Atkie in the ring. Colon gives chase and attacks TNT on the arena floor, hitting a bodyslam and throwing TNT into the ringpost. In the ring, Hall has Mulumba backed into a corner and fires off several punches and kicks. Mulumba is able to fight back and grapple with Hall, as TNT and Colon make their way back into the ring. Colon backs TNT into a  corner and does standing punches in the corner, as Hall once again gets Mulumba into the corner. Colon headbutts TNT out of the ring and then Hall and Colon hit a double clothesline on Mulumba that sends him staggering backwards onto the middle rope. It looks like the match has finally settled into one person being in for each team, as Hall kicks the downed Mulumba in the chest, sending Atkie to the outside as well. The rudos try to recover on the outside from the blitz they have received in the match so far, as Hall waits in the ring and Colon is ready in the corner to back Hall up. Chicky and El Profe try to get their guys composed (with Profe showing Atkie the totem to get him focused). TNT gets in the ring for his team and Hall tags in Carlos. Colon immediately gets the better of the lock up as he hits a couple of chops, a backdrop and clothesline on TNT. Hall is tagged back in and continues attacking TNT as the crowd cheers along. Hall makes an unsuccessful pin attempt after a clothesline, then works a side headlock on TNT. The hold is broken and TNT hits a clothesline on Hall but misses an elbow drop. Hall hits some punches and a clothesline of his own, leading to another unsuccessful pin attempt. Hall punches TNT but the momentum sends TNT backwards into the rudo corner where Mulumba is tagged. We go to commercial as Mulumba enters the ring.

We come back to see TNT in control of Scott Hall, working a rear chinlock (or maybe it’s a nerve hold). The ref checks Hall’s arm and it looks like it almost drops for three, but Hall starts kicking and stomping his legs to show he is still conscious. The crowd starts clapping along as Hall tries to fight out of the hold. Hall gets to his feet and hits several punches, but TNT stops the barrage with a quick punch and immediately sends Hall into the ropes. However, TNT puts his head down too soon and Hall is able to stop and put TNT in backslide for a two count. TNT again puts on the never hold on Hall, but Hall keeps his arms up. TNT decides to grab Hall and rams Scott’s head into Mulumba in the corner, stunning Hall. Atkie is tagged in and the rudos hit a double headbutt on Hall.  Mulumba bites Hall and sends him into the ropes, but Scott is able to hit a crossbody for a two count. Atkie bites Halla again and takes Hall over to the rudo corner. TNT tags back in but Hall is able to duck some attempted clotheslines off the ropes with one of his own. Finally, Hall is able to make the tag to Carlos, who leaps over the top rope into the ring. Colon hits a couple of dropkicks on TNT and starts getting fired up as the crowd cheers on. Carlos alternates between biting and punching TNT. Carlos continues on the attack (and does a cartwheel) but Atkie comes in to help his partner out. Hall comes in to cut Atkie off and once again we have the rivals paired up in the ring. Mulumba is able to headbutt Hall through the ropes and looks to be going after him. At the same time, TNT sends Carlos Colon into the ropes and attempts a spin kick. Colon ducks the kick but ends up colliding with the back of Mulumba. This collision sends Atkie out of the ring and Carlos turns around to face TNT. However, TNT was waiting on Carlos and hit him with a dynamite kick right in the face. TNT makes the cover and gets the three count on Colon! La Nueva Pareja del Terror have won the match. Hall and Mulumba continue fighting on the outside, not noticing that the match is over. They end up by the ringside fence, where Hall has the advantage on Mulumba. The camera cuts to the ring where we see Colon is still down on the mat but TNT is outside and has a chair in his hands. We go back to Hall and Mulumba, where Hall is picking up one of the signs that was hanging on the fence and  then chases after Mulumba. Hall hits Atkie with the sign but TNT is right there and immediately hits Hall with the chair. TNT hits the downed Hall with a couple of chair strikes, but Carlos Colon shows up with the sign Hall had and smacks TNT with it to chase him off. The video ends with TNT and Mulumba running for the stairs as Colon and Hall regroup.

MD: Larger than life tag here, bookended by crazy brawling. Colon and TNT/Mulumba and Hall paired off to start, with Hall and Colon getting the advantage, standing tall as they hammered away in respective corners, sending Mulumba especially outside of the ring in confusion. We get Colon and Hall pressing down on TNT after he reenters the ring, but not the transition to heel offense; we come back from commercial with TNT using a nerve hold on Hall. Hall gets some big star-like comeback attempts against first TNT and then Mulumba but gets cutoff until he can make the hot tag to Colon. Very clever finishing sequence with Colon ducking the spin wheel kick but crashing into a stunned Mulumba who goes sailing out of the ring. That leaves Colon open for the Dynamite Kick and TNT to score a pinfall on him. Post-match, there’s the other half of the crazy brawling with Hall chasing down Mulumba with a table in his hands only to get whacked by TNT from behind with a chair. Great stuff that kept the programs going.

EB: We once again have two tv episodes for the weekend we are covering in this installment. First, we have the Campeones episode from July 28 ,with the added detail that this seems to be the west coast version of the program since it is hyping the west coast version of Fan Appreciation Day, as well as some of the cards occurring later in the week.

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

Your hosts for this episode are Hugo Savinovich and Carlos Colon. Hugo asks Carlos to mention what they will feature on the program today and Carlos mentions that we will see a new wrestler from Korea brought in by TNT by the name of Kim Duk. Kim is a martial arts expert and a tremendous wrestler, and we will get our first chance to see him today against Huracan Castillo Jr. We’ll also get the Super Medicos against the team of Idol and Valentine. As Hugo starts talking about the other matches they’ll have today, a fan reaches over from off camera to shake both hosts’ hands. Hugo continues talking while shaking the hand. Hugo then segues into talking about the upcoming Universal title rematch on Fan Appreciation Day. Carlos says that he is training hard and will be ready for TNT. Hugo promises they’ll talk more about this and other happenings throughout the program. 

MD: Funny moment as Hugo and Carlos were introducing things as someone just reaches a hand in from off screen to shake both of their hands. They don’t miss a beat. 

EB: Our first match is the debuting Kim Duk against Huracan Castillo Jr, with the match already in progress. Castillo is down on the mat as Duk has a standing armbar on his opponent. Chicky Starr is pacing at ringside, holding a kendo stick over his shoulder. Castillo manages to stand up and back Duk into a corner, unleashing a series of punches and kicks on Duk. Carlos on commentary mentions how Duk has been highly talked about by Chicky and TNT but it remains to be seen if he is that good. An irish whip reversal leads to a clothesline attempt from Castillo being partially blocked by Kim Duk. A couple of blows keep Castillo down and this leads to Duk putting the cobra sleeper on Castillo for the submission win. The ref makes the five count to get Duk to release the hold after the match is over, as TNT and Chicky enter the ring. Hugo mentions that Duk needs to wake Castillo up but instead Duk takes the kendo stick from Chicky and chokes Castillo some more as Chicky and TNT have the ref’s attention. Afterwards, Duk wakes Castill up and the rudos leave without any further incident.It’s an interesting choice to have Kim Duk come in as TNT’s partner, my feeling is that he may be a substitute for Mr. Pogo (they had spent the last couple of weeks mentioning Pogo was returning but he hasn’t shown up still and there was no mention of him this week).

MD: I was not expecting Kim Duk here in 1990. The presentation is interesting. We come in JIP and he turns a Castillo advantage around quickly and floors him with a clothesline before hitting basically the dynamite kick and locking in the cobra dinamita as TNT watches with approval. They need more strong heels and it sort of made sense for TNT to remake things in his image. Maybe a little weird because Duk was so much older than TNT, but we’ll see how they spin it. He certainly ate up Castillo here. 

EB: We have a promo from Lance Idol and Rick Valentine about an upcoming match on Friday against the Super Medicos in Fajardo. Lance Idol sets a record for the amount of times mentioning Space Mountain in a span of a minute, comparing himself and Valentine to Space Mountain. Valentine also mentions that the Medicos are facing Space Mountain, so I’m not sure if they are trying to get this over as a team name or if they are stuck in that metaphor. Chickty translates and glosses over most of the Space Mountain mentions. The Super Medicos give a response in their promo, mentioning their two matches against Idol and Valentine this Friday and tonight in Caguas.  Super Medico #1 says that they don’t have nightmares (in response to valentine’s part of the previous promo) and if they’re scared of anything, maybe it is of ‘el cuco’ (basically the boogeyman) but certainly not of them. 

Before our next match we get a card rundown for the west coast version of Fan Appreciation Day taking place on August 5 in San German. The card is similar to the one that will be held in Bayamon on August 4. The main event is the Universal title rematch between Carlos Colon and TNT, with the stipulation being that the match cannot be stopped due to blood. We also have the customary Bronca Boricua match that takes place on Fan Appreciation Day, with 16 wrestlers scheduled to take part. These wrestlers are Invader #1, Atkie Mulumba, Scott Hall, Kim Duk, the Super Medicos, Lance Idol, Gama Singh, Rick Valentine, Miguelito Perez, Los Mercenarios, Huracan Castillo Jr, Chicky Starr and El Profe. Besides these top two matches, we also have other bouts scheduled such as Scott Hall vs Atkie Mulumba in a cage match, Invader #1 defending the Caribbean title against Kim Duk, a rematch for the World tag team titles as the Super Medicos defend against Lance Idol and Rick Valentine, The Caribbean Express defend the Caribbean tag titles against Los Mercenarios, Aguilita Solitaria vs Espectrito, and Gama Singh vs Chicky Starr. 

After the card rundown, we get a match from the TV taping between the Super Medicos and Lance Idol and Rick Valentine. It’s a non-title match since Idol and Valentine have only just started teaming up together. Super Medico #3 and Lance Idol start off for their teams. A lock up leads to a side headlock by Medico #3. A rope throw counter results in Medico #3 doing a baseball slide through Idol’s legs and then hitting a dropkick. Idol decides to tag Valentine in, but Medico #3 counters a rope run with a leapfrog, leading to the two rudos almost colliding with each other. Medico#3 hits a dropkick into Valentine’s back, sending him into Idol. Valentine then gets hit with an armdrag takedown. Hugo and Carlos on commentary are talking about how Lance Idol has recently arrived to team up with Rick Valentine, and they wonder if they have had experience working as a team before based on how they’ve done in CSP so far. The Medicos do some quick tags that involve leaping off the top onto Valentine’s arm while he is held in an armbar by the other Medico. After doing this a few times, Medico #3 remains as the legal man in the ring working the armbar. Medico #1 is tagged in and the Medicos continue their strategy of working over Valentine’s arm. Medico #3 is tagged back in and sends Valentine into the ropes, but puts his head down too early. Valentine takes the opening and hits a neckbreaker, allowing Valentine to tag in Idol. Lance takes over with a snapmare, kneedrop and several punches to Medico #3’s head. Idol sends Medico #3 into the ropes for a backdrop and then tags Valentine back in. 

The rudos do a couple of double team maneuvers before Valentine exits the ring. Idol hits a clothesline for a pin attempt but Medico #1 breaks up the attempt. As the ref is busy sending Medico #1 out of the ring, the rudos do an illegal switch. Valentine hits a dropkick on Medico #3, but Medico #1 immediately breaks up any potential pin attempt. Medico #3 starts firing back with some punches but Valentine cuts him off with a kick. Medico #3 ducks a clothesline from Valentine and then counters with a clothesline of his own. Medico #1 is tagged in and he cleans house on Valentine and Idol. A double noggin knocker sends Idol rolling out of the ring, and Valentine is hit with a backdrop for a one count. A small package attempt leads to Valentine kicking out as well. Medico #1 gets an abdominal stretch on Valentine, but Idol comes in to break it up. Medico #3 also comes into the ring and now all four men are fighting. The rudos are whipped into each other and the Medicos hit a double dropkick on Idol to send him out of the ring. The Medicos set up and hit a rocket launcher on Valentine, but as the pin attempt is made by Medico #3, the ref is busy getting Medico #1 out of the ring. With the ref distracted, Idol goes to the top and connects a kneedrop onto the .back of Medico #3’s head. Valentine rolls over to cover Medico #3 and they steal the pinfall win. Carlos mentions that it was a smart move by Idol and Valentine even if it was sneaky, and that this shows how well they work as a team if they could pull off a sneaky tactic without getting caught.  As a result of this non-title win, Idol and Valentine have earned a World tag title shot in Caguas.

MD: So, we started the Idol/Valentine interview and I was worried. Idol said “Space Mountain” and “Baby” about seven times each in a one minute span and then Valentine said “You Know” a lot, but somewhere in there, it dawned on me that, somehow, amazingly, Idol and Valentine were actually calling themselves Space Mountain as their tag team name, and that’s one of the most amazing things I’ve ever heard. 

Valentine said that Medico 1 had to reassure his son after they both had nightmares and the Medicos responded by saying they never have nightmares. I do appreciate that they’re not just cutting promos in a vacuum but they do respond to one another, which I think is important given the language gap between the two teams.

The match itself was fairly straightforward. I liked how Idol bumped for things like dropkicks, but Valentine seemed maybe too over the top, even for a stooge-laden territory like PR. It almost veered into parody in a way guys like Rogers, Burke, and either Starr managed to avoid. Valentine took over with a pause and a neckbreaker on Invader 3 and they did a good job beating him down. Comeback was fiery with the Medicos hitting the double dropkick and the rocket launcher but the heels hitting a knee drop off the top to turn it around. That’s a finish we’ve seen a few times in the last year now, but it does heat things up for the next match. 

EB: We now go to a series of promos, first up is new arrival Kim Duk. Chicky is conducting the interview and asks Duk about his upcoming match this Friday in Fajardo against Invader #1. Duk cuts a short promo, although it is clear that talking is not his strong suit. The advantage here in Puerto Rico is that you can cover a bit for some of the weaker English promos with the translation. Case in point, Duk says a couple of sentences about his match with Invader #1, Chicky then translates and makes it sound more confident. Chicky also talks about Duk’s match tonight in Caguas against Gama Singh. As soon as Chicky finishes up talking about that match, TNT walks into frame ready to talk about his upcoming matches. This Friday TNT is teaming up with Atkie Mulumba to face Scott Hall and ‘el viejito’ Colon, but tonight in Caguas TNT is facing Invader #1. TNT says that he knows Invader #1 has been sent by Carlos Colon to hurt TNT before the rematch, but TNT has Chicky Starr in his corner now and nothing and no one will get in TNT’s way. Next week TNT is going for the Universal title, but tonight TNT is sending Invader #1 out on a stretcher.

After the rudos have had their say, Invader #1 cuts a promo in response. He starts off by sending a special hello to wrestling  fan Carmen Jovet (she is a journalist and tv host/personality). Invader #1 gets to the point  quickly by mentioning that we’ll see what Kim Duk is made of on Friday and then turns his attention to TNT’s comments. TNT has been saying that Carlos Colon is ordering Invader to hurt TNT, but Invader makes it clear that neither Carlos Colon or anyone for that matter needs to be ordering Invader to do anything, so TNT can get that out of his head. Invader knows that TNT wants to become the Universal champion, well so does Invader. The only difference is that while Carlos is the champion, Invader is not interested in challenging for the title. Invader knows that TNT is already thinking about the August 4 Universal title rematch, but to get there TNT has to go through Invader first. So TNT better be ready for tonight, and if he thinks Chicky Starr will make a difference, Invader has El Ejerciot de la Justicia watching his back. 

MD: This was more or less effective. Chicky talked about Gama Singh in here too. I don’t think they should have had Kim Duk speak in English about the Invader match. He only did ok with it and it wasn’t needed. He could have just looked fearsome as either Chicky or (especially) TNT talked him up. Invader gave a shout out to a kid and emphasized again that they all wanted the Universal title but that they were stronger together and fought for justice and all that. Effective overall. 

EB: The rest of this Campeones episode has a couple of matches that we have already covered (including the Invader #1 vs Leo Burke taped fist match covered at the start of this installment). Besides these matches we also get some more promos, including one where Carlos Colon talks about the upcoming match with TNT for Fan Appreciation Day, El Profe with Atkie Mulumba talking about Mulumba’s upcoming matches against Scott Hall, Scott Hall offering his response about his upcoming matches against Atkie Mulumba, and a show closing where Carlos Colon offers some additional comments about how he is training hard for the Universal title rematch scheduled for next week and that he is confident he will defeat TNT.  

MD: Not much to say about the end here. Pretty straightforward promos from Profe and Hall but it was fun to see Hall having to come up with a bunch of different expressions and poses as Hugo was translating.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiDKw3okhq0

EB: Beside the Campeones episode for July 28,  we also have a Sueprestrellas episode from the same day. The show opens with Hugo doing a voiceover announcing that tonight in Caguas the main event will be Invader #1 vs TNT. Also tonight, there will be a lumberjack match between Scott Hall and Atkie Mulumba.  We go to Hugo in the studio  after the show intro and he runs down the other matches for tonight’s show in Caguas. Hugo also runs down what is scheduled for today’s program, including new arrival Kim Duk joining TNT as a guest on Chicky Starr’s Sports Shop. After reminding fans that tonight they are in Caguas, Hugo starts talking about next week’s Fan Appreciation Day show taking place in Bayamon.

Our first match for the program is Invader #4 taking on TNT. Eliud Gonzalez is our commentator for this bout. TNT and Invader #4 circle each other to start but TNT kicks Invader #4 in the midsection when it looks like they will lock up. TNT knocks down Invader #4 with a karate thrust and follows up with a clothesline attempt that is ducked by Invader #4.  A surprise crossbody by Invader #4 off the ropes gets a two count. TNT immediately rolls out to stop the momentum, as Invader #4 stares at both TNT and Chicky and makes a ‘come on’ motion with his hands. TNT gets back in as the crowd chants for Invader #4, and is met with an armdrag and two dropkicks. Once again TNT rolls out of the ring and we see that Kim Duk has also made his way to ringside to second TNT. Back in the ring, TNT and Invader #4 exchange hammerlock counters and then some chops. TNT is visibly frustrated with the way the match is going and turns to complain to Chicky at ringside. A lock up leads to Invader #4 taking TNT down with an armdrag. Invader #4 hits another dropkick on TNT but a followup attempt falls short when TNT is able to hold himself back. This gives TNT the opening to take control with a knee to the head and a spin kick. A clothesline is ducked by Invader #4, who briefly counters with a clothesline of his own. However,  an irish whip reversal and charge leads to TNT hitting a dynamite kick on Invader #4. This sets up the Cobra Dinamita and eventually Invader #4 falls unconscious. TNT wins by submission. Kim Duk and Chicky Starr enter the ring to congratulate TNT, but when TNT goes over to wake up Invader #4 he is waved off from doing so by Chicky. They turn to leave but the ref stops TNT and reminds him he has to wake up Invader #4. TNT goes back to do this, but this time Duk waves TNT off and tells him not to do it. Again the rudos turn to leave but the ref once again stops TNT and tells him he has to wake his opponent up. TNT finally wakes up Invader #4 (while jawing at the ref) and the rudos leave the ring.   

MD: Short but complete match. I feel like we haven’t seen as much Invader IV lately but he has been on the cards, just towards the bottom. There was more of a need of the Invaders as a tag team when they were doing the tournament earlier in the year and maybe more of a need to have Invader 1 as a singles guy recently. TNT tends to take over here either by just walking backwards or getting a kick out of nowhere, but it is a clear sense that he is in control of what’s going on, almost in a Samoa Joe sort of way, just his presence being that strong. Despite that, they do go back and forth a bit before the kick and the cobra take Invader down. 

EB: We get a couple of promos from the two teams that will battle for the World tag team titles tonight in Caguas. The challengers are Lance Idol and Rick Valentine and they are getting the title shot after getting a win over the Super Medicos in a non title match (which aired on Campeones). Chicky is conducting the interview and says that these two men will be the new World tag champions after tonight. Rick valentine wants the fans to see the video of what happened in the non title match. After showing the finish, Valentine promises that they will leave with the belts tonight and that Chicky should start getting the party ready. Idol adds that the Medicos better be ready because they are facing two of the greatest athletes in wrestling. The Super Medicos are then shown with Hugo, where they comment about the title match tonight. Medico #1 promises that what happened in the previous match will not happen again. Medico #3 mentions that they won’t make the same mistake twice. Hugo brings up the Medicos defeating the Rougeaus at Aniversario and Medico #1 says that not only the Rougeaus but they’ve defeated a lot of other great teams as well. Idol and Valentine better be ready to wrestle “good and pretty, because from A to Z,  masters in the ring are the Super Medicos. Those belts are too big for you.” Medico #1 also sends a message to Chicky, saying that they shouldn't be partying yet, because some dreams are nightmares.   

MD: Main issue here is that Valentine and Idol have a fall on the Medicos now. This time they do not call themselves Space Mountain so we’ll see if that was just a one time thing. Medicos have beaten big teams and they’re primed to get revenge on Idol and Valentine.

EB: It’s time for this week’s Chicky Starr’s Sports Shop segment and our guests are TNT and Kim Duk. Chicky introduces the segment and his guests as TNT and Duk shake hands. TNT speaks first, mentioning that he saw Duk on one of his Japan excursions. Tremendous wrestler, bloodthirsty and he is not afraid of fear. That is why he and Chicky brought Duk over, so that El Ejercito de la Justicia can pay for the things they have done to TNT. Chicky then asks Kim Duk about his match tonight and Duk cuts a promo that again shows that speaking is not his strong suit. Duk mentions that the Puerto Rican people will see what he can do and that his team with TNT will mean that it will be over for their opponents. Chicky translates, and again there is the advantage of being able to cover for a weaker promo with the translation. Hopefully they let Duk talk less going forward to maintain a more threatening vibe (or maybe he’ll get better, we shall see).

We get a rundown of tonight’s card in Caguas and for tomorrow’s card in Salinas. The card in Salinas is as follows: Invader #1 & Scott Hall vs TNT & Atkie Mulumba; Miguelito Perez vs Kim Duk; the Super Medicos defend the World tag titles against Idol & Valentine; Huracan Castillo Jr. vs Ron Starr; Gama Singh vs. Mercenario #1; and a mixed tag match as Aguilita Solitaria & Invader #4 take on Espectrito & El Profe. After some commercials, we get a Kim Duk music video that shows off his martial arts prowess.

MD: Another less than stellar promo from Duk but the training video more than made up for it with TNT holding a bag, footage from a cage fighting movie, and Duk (labeled as “Korean Power”) breaking boards. 

EB: The Caribbean Express and Los Mercenarios are tangling once more over the Caribbean tag titles. El Profe is with Mercenario #1 and claims that last week the Caribbean Express tried to take advantage of Ron Starr two against one, This time it will be two on two. Los Mercenarios will cut through Perez and Castillo’s dirty tricks and walk away with the Caribbean tag titles. Castillo and Perez offer their version of what happened the previous week, and it’s that Mercenario #1 interfered and rammed Miguelito into the post during the singles match Perez was having against Ron Starr. I believer their version of events over El Profe’s. Tonight it will be two on two and they will be ready for any potential dirty tricks Los Mercenarios may have. 

MD: This feels a little placeholder-y to me. Idol/Valentine vs the Express will be fresh when and if they get back to that, but Starr would have been more useful as a singles at this point.

EB: We get an ad for the Wednesday TV taping in Miramar which will include the Invaders taking on Idol & Valentine, the Super Medicos vs TNT & Kim Duk, Miguelito Perez vs Ron Starr in a coal miners match (a pole match), and Huracan Castillo Jr vs Mercenario #1. We then go to a  Gama Singh music video that  includes highlights of Singh against Rick Valentine, Chicky Starr, Leo Burke and others.

MD: They really do tape everything, or at least you get the sense of that watching this and seeing him against Chicky, Valentine, and Burke. Ah well. Nice to see them stooge and beg off and bump for Singh but nothing he does is particularly spectacular relatively.

EB: Scott Hall and Atkie Mulumba are set for a lumberjack match tonight in Caguas. We get a promo from El Profe about the  match, saying that Hall won't have anyone backing him up tonight and that, while Hall has been able to bloody up Atkie, that only makes Mulumba stronger and more dangerous. Tonight will be the last anyone sees of Hall. Scott responds by talking about how Mulumba always seems to be hightailing it when things go in Hall’s favor. But tonight he won’t be able to run as the lumberjacks will throw him back into the ring.  

MD: I’m not convinced Hall is particularly blonde to be the Blonde Outlaw, but whatever. This was set up by the match where they brawled down the stairs and maybe the tag where Hall ran across the stadium with a sign to attack him. Now they’re going to do a Lumberjack match. Makes a lot of sense and keeps the feud going. This is all solid stuff.

EB: Hugo has a special report segment about the upcoming Universal title rematch set for August 4. He has a masked TNT with him in what looks to be a control room. TNT says that he defeated Carlos Colon 1-2-3 ar Aniversario despite it being very slippery and he wants them to roll a tape of what he is talking about. As the footage plays, TNT mentions that Carlos tried to hurt him but he kept avoiding those attempts. As they show TNT grabbing the ropes for leverage, TNT claims that the ref was bought off by Carlos to waive off the pinfall. Hugo brings up that TNT held onto the ropes, but TNT claims that it was because the ring was dirty and very slippery. As the footage continues and the match gets restarted, TNT says that he had the celebration already in his head and was looking forward to celebrating with his friends, but it was taken away by the commissioner and that paid off referee. They then cut to the finish where TNT is in the figure four as time ran out. Hugo asks TNT if he was about to give up and TNT gets mad, pointing at the screen and saying ‘Who said I was about to give up, what does it look like I'm saying? I’m signaling no with my hands. I will never give up to viejito Colon’. This time there is no time limit and the bell won’t save Carlos Colon. The people are ready for a new Universal champion and he has Chicky Starr in his corner. 

Carlos Colon offers some comments from the studio. Next Saturday it will be a fight and he will beat some shame into TNT, particularly after falling in with Chicky Starr. Last time TNT was saved by the bell, but this time there will be no bell. Hugo then mentions some of the matches for Fan Appreciation Day, including the Bronca Boricua (with some footage from the previous year’s match). There will be a promotional photo of El Reto Para la Historia for the first fans that arrive and you will get a chance to take pictures and get autographs with your favorite wrestlers.  

MD: For as samey as something like Carribean Express vs Mercanarios might feel, they do a great job at keeping the big feuds novel. Here they have TNT with a ninja mask on watching tape in the booth with Hugo with Colon getting to retort in the end. Just an interesting way to look back so that they can look forward. 

EB: After the WWC top ten rankings, we get Armando Fernandez as this week’s sacrificial lamb for Atkie Mulumba. Armando tries to jump Mulumba at the bell but Atkie quickly cuts him off and finishes Fernandez off with a splash in about a minute. Atkie looks ready for his match tonight against Scott Hall.

MD: Fernandez gives it a good try but this was short and quick and dirty, with Mulumba hitting a great World’s Strongest Slam before finishing him with the splash. Just a way to keep him dominant as Hall was really looking stronger in the feud. 

EB: Chicky and TNT are up next to cut a promo on Invader #1. TNT mentions that Invader has been the man that has taken a lot of wrestlers out of Puerto Rico, with the latest being Leo Burke after last week’s taped fist match. TNT says he is not stupid and knows that Carlos Colon is sending Invader #1 to take out TNT. But TNT is not alone, he has Chicky Starr with him, and tonight the real Universal champion TNT will make sure that Invader #1 is the one leaving on a stretcher. “Remember Invader #1, dignity is written in blood, and tonight I will write the name TNT with your blood.” Hugo is with Invader #1, mentioning that the match tonight is non-title and repeats TNT’s claims to invader about Invader being sent by Carlos Colon to take TNT out. Invader starts by saying that the most important thing is that TNT has shown the people of Puerto Rico what a tremendous wrestler he is and what great conditioning he has, TNT proved it at Aniversario 90. TNT has all the tools to be Universal champion, the only thing is that the people of Puerto Rico and Invader are not in agreement with the way he is trying to become Universal champion. He is not leaving on a stretcher and he is not being sent by anyone to take TNT out. They will see what happens tonight when they face each other one on one tonight. Invader also mentions next week’s Universal title rematch and says that he knows TNT is focused on that. But if Invader is given the chance tonight (and since TNT seems insistent on the notion), if the opportunity comes up then Invader will find a way to hurt TNT so he can get that idea of being Universal champion out of his head.

MD: TNT really has to carry the top of the promotion right now, feuding with both Colon and Invader (and in tags with Hall too), bringing in Duk beneath him, on TV against mid-card babyfaces. My gut says that when he was a top heel a couple of years before, he wasn’t nearly as ready as he is now. He’s able to cover a lot of ground in these promos with increasing intensity while not completely devolving to shouting. Here, they have a way of filming him up tight and close and it comes off as very intimidating.

EB: Our featured match for this program is a tag match between the Caribbean Express and Lance Idol & Rick Valentine. The team of Idol & Valentine has only been together a couple of weeks, but it seems they are being fast tracked against the top tecnico teams. Valentine and Castillo start off, with Valentine backing Castillo into the ropes. Castillo counters with a backdrop and a couple of dropkicks. Valentine tags out and Idol runs into an armdrag takedown once he charges at Castillo. Idol is able to get out of the armbar momentarily but ends up being armdragged down after some counters. Valentine on the apron is complaining to the ref  and the tecnicos take the opportunity to switch out, with Perez taking over the armbar on Idol. Lance is able to break the hold with an eye rake and tags in Valentine, but Rick finds himself also falling victim to an armdrag takedown to the mat. Castllo is eventually tagged back in and the Express hit a double elbow on Valentine after a series of leapfrog / duck down counters. Castillo attempts a pin after an elbow drop but Valentine kicks out. Valentine cuts off Castillo with a punch to the midsection and is able to make the tag to Idol. After hitting a couple of punches, Idol tags Valentine back in. Rick makes the mistake of putting his head down too soon after sending Castillo into the ropes, resulting in Huracan kicking Valentine in the head. Perez is tagged in and Miguelito takes over on Valentine with a series of punches and chops, a corner clothesline and a dropkick. A pin attempt is broken up by Idol, which draws Castillo into the ring. The rudos are rammed into each other and Idol is dropkicked out of the ring. As Huracan is told to get out of the ring by the ref, Perez hits a crossbody on Valentine. However, Idol again comes off the top with a knee to the back of the head and Idol and Valentine steal another win. That’s two non-title victories Idol and Valentine now have over the two sets of tag champions in CSP. 

MD: Express took most of this, which was a clear sign that Idol/Valentine were going to win. In general, I think Idol looks a little better than Valentine on things like rope running and stooging. He just hits the balance a little bit better, but Valentine was ok here too. Perez worked from underneath a little but just a little. Then they went into the same sort of finish with the knee drop from the top when Perez had Idol pinned. Otherwise, this did feel like a fresh match up though.

EB: The show closes with Hugo hyping up next week's Fan Appreciation Day event and tonight’s card in Caguas.

Next time on El Deporte de las Mil Emociones, we have arrived at Fan Appreciation weekend. We’ll check out the final hype on tv for the event, including a ‘super’ segment that may answer what Carlos Colon, Xuxa, Menudo, Chicky Starr, a swimsuit contest, a celebrity hunk basketball game, TNT, a wardrobe malfunction. money giveaways, Invader #1, a globe of death and a blood puddle all have in common..Also, a wrestler we saw earlier in 1990 makes a return to CSP looking for revenge (and it’s not against who you may think).  

Read more!

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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