Yeah, I just watched the Tag Title Match yesterday, and Casas really surprised me. He just died all over that match. They've had three previous Tag Title matches between the two of these teams; the Halloween one is just asstompingly great. CMLL will put on a match of this quality at least once a month right now. They're on an ungodly roll.
I dunno if Ultimo and Rey could make it, because they are pretty small, and plus now Russo's back with all his Pinata on a Pole ideas firing up again. I'd call them the Best Tag Team in the Friggin Universe right now, though.
Come to think of it, I wonder if Rey might be a little angry at the WWF. He signed up in the days of SuperAstros, and agreed to lose his mask before he left. I think he was expecting to go farther up in the WWF than he did, so maybe he's all bitter. Probably not. At any rate, he's been in the main event of CMLL since late 2000 and Essa Rios is slumming it in AAA.
I think he probably didn't intend to die as much as he did on the Top Rope Pedigree, but the apron dive Lou Thesz press is the international sign of Negro Casas trying hard.
I firmly believed (and suggested in some other land) that if they carted out the same exact Tarzan Boy/Shocker match from Decemeber for NWA-TNA (I pick that match because the [disowned] NWA Light Heavyweight Title was on the line), it'd get over by gangbusters without even having to introduce or explain the people - the top lucha guys can make you care about them without even knowing who the heck they are, same as the top WWE guys.
I'd believe the same would be true for this four guys - might be even nicer with Tenay there to lay down the history - because they consisently deliver the best quality they can with the time and finishes imposed.
CMLL manages to skirt the size issue because - like ECW often - they just don't have many big guys to make everyone else look small. If these four were similarlly protected, I'd think they'd do fine.
Why couldn't have Essa gone to CMLL? We could've had it all! He could've been in Arena Mexico terceras with Olimpico and Safari. It would have been great.
Essa showed up a couple times in CMLL after being released, too. They showed a match with him back on Christmas that was really good. I think AAA pays better, but I'm not sure. He did get to deliver a promo once on AAA wearing the Kaientai shirt, so there's that.
I will agree that the lucha guys could get over if they were handled properly (which is to say, allowed to wrestle their matches, albeit probably not in 2/3 Fall form). There's not a ton that would seem to prevent a guy like Shocker from coming over here if he really wanted to: he speaks fluent English, he's wrestled essentially WWF Main Event Style before (against Emilio in December) and has more charisma than like, everyone. And people love the Wacky Entrance Outfits. The size thing would seem to play a factor (as CMLL's big guys are also really bad), and I'd wager that if an American company wanted the Lucha guys to get a bigger body or something, then that'd be the end of Rey and Ultimo destroy their knees. But I can't imagine them not being able to get over if not given the right opportunity.
Taking Santo out of Mexico loses a certain something, though: part of the fun of watching him is that he's just a God to the fans. Of course, if a promotion ran California and Texas and other places with large Mexican-American populations, you might still get that. Hell, two of Santo's biggest matches (vs. Casas in '87, with Octagon vs. Guerrero and Barr in '94) were in L.A. Although both of those were advertised to a mostly Hispanic audience.
If someone actually did pick them up, I'd gladly pay to see it. As it is, I'm planning on Road Tripping to San Diego in August to see Santo and two people not as good as him vs. Fuerza Lagunera. And I continue to hold hope for the promise of CMLL Pay-Per-Views in America.
Originally posted by Chris ProtegeEssa showed up a couple times in CMLL after being released, too. They showed a match with him back on Christmas that was really good. I think AAA pays better, but I'm not sure. He did get to deliver a promo once on AAA wearing the Kaientai shirt, so there's that.
==>Sweet-sweet Lucha!
Yeah, Essa was in a match with Rey-Rey (w/ I think H.S. Nomber) v. Halloween/Damien and someone right around Christmas. It was a solid match.
As far as pay - neither pays real well. I don't know exactly what CMLL pays but I know Charlie Manson said something about AAA guys getting about the equivalent of 40 Pesos/match when he left AAA. Luchadores make their money off of woriking a ton of dates, not by any fat contract. ======================================
I will agree that the lucha guys could get over if they were handled properly (which is to say, allowed to wrestle their matches, albeit probably not in 2/3 Fall form). There's not a ton that would seem to prevent a guy like Shocker from coming over here if he really wanted to: he speaks fluent English, he's wrestled essentially WWF Main Event Style before (against Emilio in December) and has more charisma than like, everyone. And people love the Wacky Entrance Outfits. The size thing would seem to play a factor (as CMLL's big guys are also really bad), and I'd wager that if an American company wanted the Lucha guys to get a bigger body or something, then that'd be the end of Rey and Ultimo destroy their knees. But I can't imagine them not being able to get over if not given the right opportunity.
==>Hell yeah, Luchadores could get over here in the states. Shoot, Luchadores got over in WCW and we all know how clueless they were. Ultimo and Bucanerro and Shocker could EASILY work the US style and save their bodies. Shoot, Silver King did it and he can still work Lucha style like a mother - just check out his work as Black Tiger.
The key is that they have to be allowed to work matches longer than the 5 minute Raw match. The Luchadores - and cruisers in general - can get over easily if they're allowed to work. But this is America. Rasslin' ain't sport entertainment.
Oh yeah, and Tarzan Boy could be HUGE on look alone. =============================================
Taking Santo out of Mexico loses a certain something, though: part of the fun of watching him is that he's just a God to the fans. Of course, if a promotion ran California and Texas and other places with large Mexican-American populations, you might still get that. Hell, two of Santo's biggest matches (vs. Casas in '87, with Octagon vs. Guerrero and Barr in '94) were in L.A. Although both of those were advertised to a mostly Hispanic audience.
==> True. But Santo can work. If TNA-NWA was serious about the wrestling, getting Santo over would be CAKE! =================================================
If someone actually did pick them up, I'd gladly pay to see it. As it is, I'm planning on Road Tripping to San Diego in August to see Santo and two people not as good as him vs. Fuerza Lagunera. And I continue to hold hope for the promise of CMLL Pay-Per-Views in America.
==> Lucky dog! Fuerza RAWKS and Santo is KING! I'd sooooo heart it if CMLL broacast their PPV's here in the states. Until then I'll settle for my weekly dose and supplement that with too many tapes!
My name is Sue! How do you do?? Now you gonna die!!