Jeff Lynch Lucha DVD Tape 1B Review

Jeff Lynch Mexico Tape #1 Part B (Sept. 1983) Review

1. Sangre Chicana vs. MS1 – Cabellera vs. Cabellera

MS1 unfortunately passed away recently, but it was great to see him on these DVDs doing such awesome work. From what I’ve seen he was truly one of the best rudos and overall workers of his generation in Mexico. Before the match even begins, MS1 attacks Sangre outside of the ring and slams his head against the apron. Highly concerned women at ringside crowd around Sangre and attempt to help him as MS1 lays into him with stomps. Fans are throwing trash at MS1 already as the ref tries to hold him back. Finally he climbs in the ring to gloat to the fans as the match announcements are being made and we see Sangre Chicana is bleeding from the top of his head all the way down his chest. MS1 climbs back out and keeps beating on Sangre. The ref tries to hold him back but MS1 keeps managing to run around him like a cartoon character and kick Sangre before the ref pulls him away. Women flock Sangre on the floor and fan him with their jackets to revive him as MS1 continues the assault into the crowd as Sangre does an awesome job of selling like he’s really hurting badly. MS1 picks him up in a fireman’s carry and dumps him into the ring, then hits a bodyslam and comes off the top with a flying headbutt for a three count to win the first fall. Sangre falls out of the ring and more concerned women sitting ringside help him. One of them wipes the blood off of his face as he sits on his knees, looking battered and exhausted.

MS1 climbs out and boots him in the face then throws him in the ring to begin the second fall. The fans are loudly chanting CHI-CA-NA as MS1 celebrates in the ring and continues to beat on him. Chicana is still bleeding heavily as MS1 pulls him up again but Chicana nails him with a left hand and the crowd goes wild, then hits him with two more that knocks him out of the ring and hits a tope to the outside in a really great sequence and the fans are chanting his name again. Chicana crawls into the ring as the ref counts out MS1 on the outside and wins the second fall by countout, having his hand raised in the middle of the ring while he’s covered in blood as MS1 lay on the outside.

Sangre climbs outside to meet MS1 to begin the third fall and slams MS1’s head directly into the apron in the same fashion that MS1 slammed his head into the apron in the first fall. MS1 comes up and is gushing blood out of his forehead and now both of them are just covered in blood and start brawling in the middle of the ring. MS1 goes for a big right but Sangre ducks and hits a huge left that sends him down. They stagger to their feet as the fans continue to chant Chicana and MS1 knocks him out with a shoulder block and follows it up with a huge tope. They crawl back into the ring and MS1 makes the cover but only gets two and the two of them stagger to their feet again, covered in blood. MS1 goes for an inside cradle but Sangre kicks out at two again. Standing back splash by MS1 for another two count and then he sends Sangre down with a right hand and hits a butterfly suplex for another two count. The mat is just covered in blood at this point. Right hand sends Sangre out again and MS1 hits another huge tope but Sangre moves and MS1 flies into the chairs. Back in the ring, the two of them rise slowly to their feet and Sangre hits a dropkick and then connects on a tope suicida and the crowd roars. Inside, Sangre covers for a two count and they stand again and MS1 hits a bodyslam and goes up top. Another headbutt attempt but Sangre slides away and MS1 lands splat from high in the air in a sick spot, and Sangre covers for another two. They grapple to their feet and MS1 hits another bodyslam and goes up top. MS1 comes off the top with a senton but Sangre moves again and applies a stretch muffler and the crowd roars in approval as MS1 submits and loses his cabellera rubia to a very bloody Sangre Chicana as Sangre’s mom looks on in approval from the audience, smoking a cigarette. MS1 tries to run away after the bell but Sangre runs him down and hits him with another big left hand and then holds him down as they cut his hair in the ring and shave him bald. This was a really awesome match for a ton of reasons, especially the crowd reactions and the crazy brawling.

2. Sangre Chicana/La Fiera/Mocho Cota vs. Infernales (MS1/El Satanico/El Espectro Jr. II)

The first shot of the footage from this match is MS1 standing in the ring with a smug look on his face and a freshly shaved bald head, just an awesome shot. He’s also got quite a snazzy sequined jacket too. Infernales jump the tecnicos on the outside and beat on them before the match even begins, what a bunch of bad guys. They beat down Sangre three on one and the fans desperately chant his name to fight back but he gets dumped to the outside with the rest. Back in the ring and a three on one on Sangre until the others come to break it up but get beat down as well. Everyone brawls together around the ring and Satanico stomps down Sangre in the middle of the ring. Los Infernales clear the ring again and stand down the tecnicos as they make their way back to the apron. More brawling and the rudos continue to beat down the tecnicos, with Mocho getting held down and stomped until Fiera runs in and gets beat down as well. Mocho, wearing bright banana yellow trunks, gets held up by Espectro while MS1 stomps him and the refs try to pull them apart while Espectro bites him on the forehead and busts him open. MS1 holds him up and punches him right in the forehead a few more times to open up the cut and now Cota is bleeding a lot and gets tossed outside of the ring and Satanico follows in pursuit. Brawling continues and the tecnicos start t fight back as the rowd goes crazy. Sangre and Cota double team Espectro while Fiera throws MS1 into the ring post outside and the tecnicos take over. Inside, Cota locks Espectro in a submission, something like a tirabuzón with Espectro in the seated position, and he submits. MS1 jumps in and starts brawling with Fiera but gets sent out again and the rudos triple team Satanico. They hold him in a standing armlock and he submits and the tecnicos take the fall while the ref checks Cota’s cuts. The rudos continue to fight and pull Fiera out of the ring, MS1 tries to bulldog him into the ring post but Fiera pushes him into it. Crazy brawling now and Sangre and MS1 are facing off in the center of the ring and brawl to the outside. All six men keep brawling around the ring and Cota gets Espectro down and starts tearing at his mask and Fiera backdrops MS1 and he goes splat on the ringside mats. The tecnicos keep beating down the rudos in a big way , and Satanico jumps in the ring and kicks Fiera with a low blow for the foul and the tecnicos win. Lots of crazy brawling in this match and more blood for the crazy people. Afterwards, Cota rips off Espectro’s mask and celebrates with it as they help Sangre Chicana up who is selling the beating.

3. NWA Middleweight Championship: El Satanico (C) vs. Lizmark

Long stand-off to start the match with each man tentatively trying to lock up with one another. Finally they lock up and Satanico wrenches at a side headlock but Lizmark hits a takedown and then locks him in an STF and they exchange holds and then stand up after a few. Lizmark rolls out of a pin attempt and then does an awesome cartwheel into single leg takedown that someone should definitely steal and use today. They stand again and Satanico hits an arm drag and holds on an armbar and hits an over the head armdrag. Back up again, Satanico takes down Lizmark and goes for a leglock but he reverses it into a crossface. To their feet again and they lock up but Satanico hits a hip toss, then up again but Lizmark hits a big dropkick that sends Satanico into the ropes. They trade holds for a little bit then criss cross the ropes and Lizmark goes for a moonsault off the top. Satanico moves, but Lizmark lands on his feet and armdrags him. They criss cross again, Lizmark armdrags him again and then hits a butterfly suplex with a big slam and pins him for three to take the first fall.

Second fall begins and Lizmark hits a drop toe hold and a couple strikes to the back of the head of Satanico then a somersault neckbreaker. Reverse chinlock by Lizmark on Satanico but he gets his foot on the ropes. Satanico falls outside and regroups with his Segundo while Lizmark waits in the ring. Back inside goes Satanico and Lizmark hits the dreaded Martinete causing Satanico to flop around shaking like he’s paralyzed, then he hits another one and Satanico shakes and seizes again. Two dropkicks in a row by Lizmark followed by a headscissors attempt but Satanico reverses it into a powerbomb and gets a three count to take the second fall.

Third fall starts with Satanico charging at Lizmark in the corner but he moves and rolls Satanico up for a two. Abdominal stretch by Lizmark but Satanico hiptosses him, sprints off the ropes and hits a senton for two. They criss cross again and Lizmark hits two flying body blocks and covers for a two. They struggle to their feet and Lizmark rolls him up with a bridge for another two. Another rollup attempt by Satanico now and another kickout. Lizmark throws him into the corner and goes in but Satanico ducks and Lizmark goes out then hits a huge crossbody off the top for a big nearfall that gets the fans buzzing. Satanico goes for a big spear but Lizmark moves and Satanico spills to the floor, then Lizmark goes up top and hits a nice plancha on Satanico. Back inside, another flying body block by Lizmark gets a two count and the two of them are dead exhausted laying in the ring. Satanico locks up on a quebradora de caballo but Lizmark rolls through and covers Satanico for two as the fans begin to chant Lizmark’s name. Back up, two dropkicks by Lizmark and he locks on a surfboard then flips Satanico all the way over onto his shoulders and Satanico pins Lizmark’s shoulders down for the three count to retain the belt. These two had a great technical match though the finish was a little flat.

4. Halcon Ortiz vs. Cien Caras – Beginning only

The DVD footage only features the beginning of this match. Halcon starts out by doing a promo in his corner and he’s wearing the same banana yellow color trunks that Mocho Cota wore but he has a white cape as well, looking like quite the man. The two of them lock up and grapple all the way out of the ring and then get back in and lock up some more as the tape runs out.

Jeff Lynch Classic Lucha Review - 1A

Jeff Lynch Lucha Tape #1A Review

We are going to be reviewing the tapes from Lynch’s collection of Mexican wrestling, starting, naturally, with tape 1. Some of the tapes, including the first one, are divided up into two DVDs. For this installment we will be reviewing the three matches on disc 1A of his collection, each from the period of 1983-84 in CMLL.

1. Sangre Chicana d. Ringo Mendoza (C) – Mexican Heavyweight Title

I am having a hard time confirming which specific belt this is, but Lynch has it listed as the Mexican Heavyweight Title, so there you go.

Sangre Chicana is incredibly over with this crowd. I was told that he was the most over tecnico in EMLL during this time period, and this match is solid proof of that. The place comes unglued for just about everything he does in the ring and treats him like a superstar. This is not to suggest that Mendoza isn’t over, he manages to get a ton of heat from the crowd as well. The two start out with some great lucha matwork, and the two roll around in pins with Sangre getting some really inventive rope breaks, stuff that looked innovative even 30 or so years later. The two of them show a lot of chemistry working in a lot of cool transitions, and Sangre pulls off a really graceful looking cartwheel into headscissors takedown on Ringo. After sharing a bunch of transitions, the two of them face off in the center of the ring and shake each other’s hand to the crowd’s approval. This is possibly where Gabe Sapolsky got his inspiration for the Code of Honor, but I won’t jump to any conclusions here. Ringo teases a big dive but stops, Sangre climbs up on the apron, Ringo dropkicks him to the floor and hits a springboard plancha to the outside on Sangre. Sangre rolls back into the ring, gets shoulder blocked twice and then Ringo rolls him up with a cradle and gets a three count for the first fall.

At this point in the match the thing I have noticed the most is how awesome these two are at selling, especially Sangre Chicana. He sells everything so realistically, it makes a lot of sense why the crowd gets so behind him and gets so passionate when he’s making his comeback. Ringo beats down Sangre for a while at the beginning of the second fall but misses a twisting moonsault and Sangre pulls him into the stretch muffler for the submission and the second fall.

The third fall starts and the two men are stumbling around the ring dizzy, tired and beaten. Sangre twists Ringo around and lifts him up into the Gory Especial but cannot manage to get him to submit even though both men look beaten down at this point. Ringo slides down his back and rolls him up but only gets a two count and the crowd is molten at this point for the nearfalls. Ringo tries to roll him up again but gets the same result. They do a cool spot where Sangre whips Ringo into the ropes and goes for a bodyslam, but Ringo lands on his feet and throws Sangre for a bodyslam of his own and then locks him in the Texas Cloverleaf, though Sangre makes his way out. Sangre then locks on a goofy looking seated wrist submission that I have never seen before, almost like an inverted test of strength from the STO position. Ringo makes the best of this situation by reversing it into a kneeling torture rack but Sangre makes his way out. These two are submission crazy at this point, and Ringo locks Sangre in a camel clutch. Ringo transitions the move into a standing campana, but Sangre switches it into his own Campana, then flips onto his back to pin Ringo’s shoulders and gets the three count, winning the match and Ringo’s belt. After the match, Ringo and Sangre share a handshake, money is thrown into the ring as a show of appreciation for the awesome match, and then the fans rush the ring to celebrate with their hero Sangre Chicana. This was a really good match between two guys who had great chemistry and clearly understood how to work well with each other. They put on a lucha clinic while keeping the dives simple and keeping the fans interested. Sangre Chicana is an exceptionally good luchador who I need to see more of.

2. Blackman/Kung Fu/Cato Kung Lee (Los Fantasticos) vs. Talisman/El Puma/El Enfermo Jr.

This is your classic lucha trios match with each guy taking turns in the ring doing their spots. El Enfermo is a classic rudo who does all the little things right, taking every cheap shot possible and pissing off the tecnico fans in the process. Enfermo holds one of the tecnicos down on the ground and Talisman repeatedly slips his legs through the middle ropes and dropkicks him in the face, an awesome spot that any heel tag team should mimic immediately. Enfermo shines in this match from the start and is immediately a favorite of mine here. The way he makes so much happen in the ring with his actions is great, he does all the little things right. The rudos continue to beat down the tecnicos and score the first fall via submission. They then proceed to pose in the ring in a style that would make Edge and Christian jealous. Well, not really, they just stand there talking shit to the fans and opponents.

The rudos do a lot of holding the tecnicos down and stomping on them, especially putting the tecnicos in surfboard holds while their teammates stomp and punch them in the chest. Blackman/Kung Fu/Kung Lee finally make a comeback and start giving the other team a taste of their own medicine with the group beatdowns. Kung Fu gets in the ring and starts doing, what else, kung-fu style offense on El Enfermo. Unfortunately he gets immediately cut off by Puma, who is then cut off by Cato Kung Lee with more thrilling kung-fu kicks and chops. Talisman has Lee down in a nerve hold and Blackman proceeds to do the greatest hold break-up ever: climbs in the ring, It is at this point that I notice how absolutely enormous the ref is; he looks like a Mexican Vic Grimes and is at least a head taller than all the other guys in the ring, though he still gets pushed around by the luchadors at every opportunity. This guy has to be well-known, because, well, he is really hard to miss. The ring empties down to Kung Lee alone with the rudos, and they proceed to do a spot straight out of Jackie Chan movie, if a Jackie Chan movie took place in a wrestling ring. The rudos chase Kung Lee around the ring and he leaps up to the turnbuckle and does a 180, leaving them looking confused, then does it again, does some weird dancing and a reverse backfist the two guys, and finally hits a Mistico-style springboard back elbow. Blackman hits a hurracarana on Talisman and pins him while Lee pins Enfermo for the second fall, and the match (or at least, the footage) ends here. Fun little trios match, Talisman and Enfermo both stand out as guys who looked great here.

3. Lizmark (C) vs. El Enfermo Jr. – NWA Middleweight Title

Just like that, another El Enfermo Jr. match! Fans flock the ring before the match and Enfermo signs a few autographs for the fans that clearly love Enfermo as much as I do. Lizmark, on the opposite side, signs autographs as well in his blue lucha cape. The fantastic thing about this match from the start is the ring announcer’s shiny gold blazer, he might make about $50000 off that thing these days if that is real gold. I’m going to take a guess here and say that the ring announcer’s coat is not made of solid gold. There appears to be a chunk of something stuck to the mat in the ring, it may be some tape, it may be some hair, it may be some type of hair tape that I don’t know about, either way it really enhances the fact that the ring seems to be made of solid concrete and the ring canvas looks like it was used to clean the inside of a septic tank. The start off trading holds and Enfermo does an awesome submission where Lizmark is in front of him facing opposite and Enfermo does a log roll and trips him with his feet while at the same time rolling him up into like a one legged figure four leglock. If anyone can help me out by telling me the name of this move, or sending me $100 via PayPal to research the subject, that’d help me greatly. Enfermo is great at selling these submissions as he is squirming and grimacing in Lizmark’s holds with the most agonized look on his face. Lizmark keeps giving him backbreakers and Enfermo sells it by sliding up and down the mat looking like he’s about to cry. Lizmark locks him in the gory especial, continuing to go after his back, takes it to the mat and gets Enfermo to submit to get the primera caida.

The segunda caida starts and Lizmark goes right back to his back with hard kicks that send Enfermo reeling back with a group of kicks, and then puts him in a bow and arrow , but Enfermo gets out, bodyslams him and hits a running senton splash to turn the momentum his way. Enfermo then starts just kicking his ass and submits him with a crazy camel clutch variation where he lays back and locks in Lizmark’s ankles as well.

They start the third fall by going for the highflying stuff, running at each other with body blocks. Enfermo then drops Lizmark to the outside and goes to the top rope for a big plancha to the outside that the crowd goes crazy for. THAT is how you build to a highspot. They get back into the ring, Lizmark dumps Enfermo to the outside and hits a tope through the middle rope. Lizmark goes for a big plancha afterwards but Enfermo moves out of the way and Lizmark goes SPLAT right on the ground and there was a split second where I might have guessed that he was dead. Eh, not really. They start brawling in the ring and Lizmark hits two brutal looking powerbombs and rolls him up for two. He then hits Enfermo with a butterfly suplex and gets the three count to retain his title. Great match, I could have easily watched another ten minutes of it, but they finished it on a high point so no complaints here.

4. Kevin Von Erich/Halcon Ortiz/Mascara Ano 2000 vs. Pirata Morgan/Herodes/Colosso Colosetti

Von Erich is flying all over the place, sin zapatos, of course. Pirata Morgan is awesome from the beginning, just from the way he looks with his ring outfit. Colosetti is a jacked, mean looking guy who looks almost like a short haired Conan the Barbarian with short hair and a beard. Herode is about the exact opposite, resembling a giant human egg with immense body hair and white tights that he really should have thought twice about wearing. Kevin throws Herode around for a while at the beginning, getting the better hand on all the chain wrestling, and then hitting a big dropkick to the crowd’s approval. Pirata Morgan’s antics as he goes back and forth with Halcon are pretty awesome. Pirata gets backdropped and gets some crazy air making the move look amazing, and then gets monkey flipped to the outside in a very painful looking spot. Kevin and Halcon roll up two rudos to get the first fall after Von Erich hits some big dropkicks and a standing senton. The rudos beat Von Erich down for a long time and finally get the pin for the segunda caida. For the tercera caida, they do all their big spots, including Von Erich hitting a giant crossbody off the top rope for the fall. The move of the third fall worth noting is that Halcon threw Colosso over the top rope with a body slam straight down to the floor that looked like it really sucked. I think he may have instantly regretted doing that.

That is it for disc 1A. I will be back as soon as possible with the review for disc 1B and so on and so forth.