In the early 90's the world of Mexican Lucha Libre got a major shake up when AAA was formed. In 1992 CMLL Booker Antonio Pena broke away wanting to do things his way. Pena's also took a great deal of the young talent and a number of top draws with him. When the UWA went out of business and CMLL stuck with a middle aged roster AAA soon took over as the top company in Mexico. In 1994 AAA reached a deal with IWC out of Puerto Rico and WCW to work on a PPV for the US market. This show was actually pretty important as it was the US debuts of Rey Mysterio Jr. and Psicosis (no matter what ECW wants to say) and led to Eddie Guerrero getting work in both ECW and WCW. A tag match with Guerrero and Art Barr against Octagon and El Hijo Del Santo was rated five starts by Dave Metlzer and I've even heard people say it was the best PPV most of us have never seen. So let put on our Lucha Masks and see does When World Collide live up to that praise or it botches like so much Sin Cara in the WWE.
We start with Chris Cruise running down the card for the show. Cruise is ok but there is a reason he was never the top announcer on shows usually. Mike Tenay is also on this and why it's his first show ever he's pretty good and does bring a lot of knowledge to the table. The announce team was strange for this because the normal WCW roster all said "No I don't want to call some show with a bunch of guys from Mexico." Cruise hypes our the main event a steel cage match with Perro Aguayo vs Konnan. Yep the tag match classic was not the main event instead it was a match with Konnan who happened to have a hand in booking AAA. The show takes place in the LA Sports Arena and it does look like they drew a good crowd. Cruise is in the middle in the ring with Arturo Rivera who will call the show in Spanish. Cruise says Lucha is the style sweeping the world witch is kind of true as Lucha moves has become more popular since this event he also says the Cage for the main event is the tallest ever. Tenay finally talks saying the sports arena has most many great shows over the years.
Espectrito and Jerrito Estrda vs Mascarita Sagrada and Octagoncito- This was a minis match witch is midget wrestling. Unlike in America where the little people are kind of a side show act/ once in a while draw in Mexico its very common. Often a Mini is a smaller version of a normal sized talent like Octagoncito is a copy of Octagon. Espectrito is the reigning minis champion while Estrda is the tallest mini at five foot tall. Mascarita Sagrada has popped over the years in WWF. Tenay informers us the Sagrada defeated Espectrito in a mask vs mask match. Espectrito and Octagoncito starts us off. This being under lucha rules you could "tag" in if your parter went to the outside and you came in. Lots of quick action early on. Estra goes for a drop kick and Sagrada moves so he spills to the ground. The Rudos of Estra and Espectrito double team Sagrada. Espectrito climbs to the top but slips and crotches himself . Estrda goes for a drop kick but misses because he clearly through the kick way to soon. Sagrada with a beautiful hunnacanrana off the second rope and than an Osi moonsault. Octagoncito hits a big suicide dive. Sagrada hit a moonsault press for the win. Very existing opening match. As I said in Mexico Minis wrestling is not some comedy act. Hell I wouldn't mind seeing this on TV it was just a good match. The referees were a little slow on the count though.
Fuerza Guerrera Madonna's Boyfriend and Psicosis vs Rey Mysterio Jr. Heavy Metal and Latin Lover- Guerrera is the father of former WCW and WWE star Juventud Guerrera. MB is also known as Louie Spocoli at the time he was a member of of Los Gringos Locos who Cruise compares to the Four Horsemen. Metal and Lover have both appeared in various US companies at different time. This match was under Captain Rules. Fuerza and Heavy Metal were the Captains if they got pinned match was over other wise you had to pin the other two members of a team. Fuerza's team jumps Metal's team before they get there jackets off. Metal and Guerrera starts us off but quick tag to Rey and Psicosis. They made big deal about the great potential both Rey and Psicosis had. Boyfriend caught Rey on a cross body and than sat him on the top rope. Rey came off with a dropkick. Nice exchange by Psicosis and Metal. Cruise and Tenay tell us Metal had only recently become Techinco (good guy) and I like little touches like that. They also point out the Rey was feuding with Fuerza's son at this time. Psicosis went for a shoulder tackle on Latin Lover but just bounced off. Boyfriend picked Rey Mysterio up and power slammed him into the crowd and than he suplexed him on the outside. Rey with a summersault dive off the top onto Boyfriend but he was clearly off center and smacked his head on the floor. Finish is awkward as Metal submits to a move but the camera isn't close to see what it is I don' think the commentary team was told the finish as they sounded confused. Very exciting match just a bad finish. Its clear how much bulking up and years of injures really have destroyed Rey's talent the guy was amazing in the 90's now he's just bland.
IWC Pegasus Kid, 2 Cold Scorpio and Tito Santana vs AAA Jerry Estrada, La Parka and Blue Panther- Yes its that Tito Santana. The only other thing I have to say about this match is RIP Nancy and Daniel and for those that don't Know Pegasus Kid is Chris Benoit.
Two out of Three Falls Mask vs Hair
Octagon and El Hijo Del Santo with Blue Panther vs La Pareja De Terror Art Barr and Eddy Guerrero with Madonna's Boyfriend- Ok there is some backstory to this one. El Hijo Del Santo's father El Santo is the most popular wrester ever in Mexico. He not only was a top draw in Lucha but also was a movie star. For many years Santo teamed with Gory Guerrero the father of Eddie Guerrero. Santo and Eddy both escaped the second generation curse and became big stars in there own right. Barr was also from a wrestling family whose US career in WCW as the Juicer was ended due to legal issues. Although booked as techinco early on he turned Rudo (heel) after being unmasked. Eddy and Santo teamed up for a while but Eddy turned on him and joined with Art. Eddy and Art's whole gimmick was all about taunting the Mexicans even wearing the US flag on there gear. A lot is made out the fact that Santo's is defending the most famous mask in Lucha. Cruise stats that Santo promised his father on his deathbed he would never lose the mask. Huge heat for Art and Eddy who bail out early on. In order to win a fall you have to beat both men on a team. Eddie and Santo start us off nice exchange of hold working the arm and a front face lock. Eddie goes for a belly to back suplex but Santo turns it into a take down. Barr goes for a senton but Octagon moves. Doomsday Rana by The Americans takes out Santo. Superplex by Eddie followed by the frog splash by Barr to pin Octagon. (Yes I got that right Art used the moves as finish and Eddie actually started using it as a tribute to Art when he died.) We get a break between falls. Art taunts the fans saying that's made and America and starts swimming since "That's they only way than could have gotten here." Eddy and Santo start us off again on fall two big sledgehammer but Eddie followed by a scope slam for two. Tag to Octagon Eddy right with the poke in the eyes. Barr in with a nice standing drop kick and than another one. Tag back to Eddie who comes in with a summersault splash. Sloppy spot I think they were going for the whip heel into each or but someone got confused and everyone just kind of stopped. Double Suicide Dives by Santo and Octagon take out Eddy and Art. Rana off the top by Eddy takes out Santo for this fall. Mike says we are one fall three count away from the Unmasking while Chris says Santo can't interfere. Barr with a blackbody drop think he''s dropping Octagon into Eddy so he starts to strut and mock the fans but Octagon with a rana pins Eddy. Barr turns and gets caught in a side russian legsweep into an arm bar tie us up one fall apiece
Massive pop for the techincos tying it up. We Eddy and Art saying "Lets do this for the United States." Eddy and Santo start again. Rana by Santo gets two. Eddy locks in a Camel Clutch another one of those little touches I like see The Clutch was actually invented by his father Gory and it was El Santo and El Hijo Del Santo finisher. Turn about being fair play Santo locks in the Camel Clutch on Eddy. We get a series of moves where a guy has a pin or submission on one partner than the other guy comes in an just kicks the guy to break problem is they did it so many times in a row it to be stupid. Eddy tires to put Octagon in the Gory Special (another move his father invented) but he can't get it locked in. Santo with a electric charm on Eddy from the second rope. Double dive by Art and Eddy but Eddy gets caught in the rips for a bad botch. Sunset flip to the floor on Eddy by Santo. Referee has his back turned and Art Barr hits Octagon with a Tombstone Piledriver. Now in Mexico that is the Kill Move in storyline it's Banned to do that move. It was doing it that turned Art heel in Mexico. Sadly the announcers underplayed it. German suplex lariat combo by the Americans gets two sadly the ref is really out position so there is zero drama for the fall. Superplex by Eddy and Frogspalsh by Art gets two. We see the EMT's coming out for Octagon. Santo ducks a lariat and Art hits Eddie. Santo Dive off the top whips out Eddie. Blue Panther in the ring nails his long time rival Barr with a traditional piledriver. Santo gets up and covers Barr to eliminate him. Sit-down powerbomb by Eddy get two. Crowd is going insane chanting for Santo. Belly to Belly Superplex by Eddy. Victory Roll by Santo for win. Its a good match but its not a great as it's reputation says it is. I think a lot that has to do with the fact that Art tragically died shortly after this match and the fact Eddy's career was really helped by this match but there are some rough spots and a lot of little botches. Also why the tombstone in Mexico is the kill shot and it's legit dangerous it's be like if TNA started trying to sell the RKO as a super killer move after years of fans seeing it as standard finisher. Post match we see Eddy and Art cutting each other's hair. Art and Eddy fight and Art walks out. Funny note Santo actually held into Eddy's hair as a trophy and it wasn't just in storyline he still has it I think. I do want to Art Barr was a very talented guy that wrestling lost to soon and of Eddie was also taken way to soon.
Mike Tenay heads into the ring to set up the main event. Cruise explains this is escape rules for this cage match he also recaps the action from earlier i the night but no highlights for some reason. Mike takes over and explains Konnan and Perro Aguayo were once tag team parters. I kind of thought might might explain more or get a highlight package. Cruise explains Perro took Konnan's mask while Konnan has taken Aguyao's hair. We also see Eddy head shaving is being finished backstage. We see the cage being lowered which wasn't the norm in the US at the time.
Steel Cage Match Perro Aguayo vs Konnan- Cruise claims Konnan was the most popular star in Lucha yeah right I get the guy was popular but come on. Also a lot of that had to do with the fact he was booking. We also hear that Konnan has put out a CD and had started on a Soap Opera. Aguayo was 49 Tenay asked if he could pull off a George Foreman like performance. Konnan with a press slam early on. Aguayo goes for a pin even though you can't win that way. Aguayo tries to climb up Konnan with a sloppy power bomb. Than a sloppy attempt at the stun gun by Konnan and he does it again. Finally Konnan with a move he can do right the rake across the cage. Konnan tries to climb but Aguayo with the electric char. Again Aguayo goes for a pin. Again Aguayo goes for a pin come if you going for it as a "instinct" spot it just looks stupid on the third time. Bad looking clothesline off the second rope by Aguayo. Such a slow paced match and not in a good way. Aguya goes for something and nearly drops Konnan right down his head. We see Eddy and Madonna's Boyfriend watching backstage. Double stomp by Aguayo which is like the tenth times he's done that. Aguayo goes to climb out Konnan gets up and catches him. Konnan again goes to ram Perro's head into the cage but he winds up moving him closer to escaping. We see Eddy and MB making there way to ringside. Eddy throw cup of soda in Aguayo's face and toss Konnan the brass knuckles. Nigeria driver by Konnan. Aguayo is a bloody mess after the knuckle shots. Running drop kick by Konnan but Aguayo fires back but he's to short. More Brass Knuckles shots by Konnan. Dumb stop where Konnan keeps tossing the weapon back to Eddy and than Eddy tosses it back a few seconds later. Music starts to plays and the Dynamite Brothers run out take out Eddy and Madonna's Boyfriend. Konnan is about to so escape but one of the Brothers knocks him back down. Aguayo with another double stamp this time from the top. Aguayo makes his escape for the win. THAT MATCH SUCKED! Slowly passed to point of a stand still Sloppy spots that just looked awful or really dangerous. Aguayo was really limited only doing double stomps and going for a pin several times. Post match Aguayo takes a victory lap. During the match some fan legit hit Eddy and we see the after math of that. I think Konnan and Eddy wanted the guy arrested but security was just trying to keep more fans from attacking. Once things calm down Aguayo gets back in the ring once the cage is gone and celebrates his win.
When World's Collide is a pretty good show. If your fan of Lucha or just high flying wrestling check it out. Even if you just like Eddy, or Rey Mysterio and want to see them before WCW or ECW. The two out of three falls match is very good but it's not the Five Star Classic it's been reported. The Main Event is awful and would be a contender for worst main event on PPV ever. There are also technical issues Cruise and Tenay try hard but they at times it seemed like they didn't have the full information on the card as they started talking bout a bonus match they weren't sure of rules at times.
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