As is tradition for this here stupid wrestling blog when its sole contributor (I'm yer man) hasn't watched anything in a while, I hopped on the youtube and picked out a few random discs from one of the many boxes of bootleg DVDs I have lying around. Here are some words about things.
Jerry Lawler & Jimmy Valiant v Rick & Robert Gibson (Memphis, 1/19/80)
This was one of those nifty studio matches that feels very "first match on a DVDVR 80s set." I mean I'm absolutely not going to complain about the Memphis 80s set that we got, but something like this easily could've made it on there, even just for the quasi-novelty aspect of 80s heel Lawler (although maybe it wasn't available at the time). It got like 12 minutes and Lawler was a real hoot. He was complaining about being hip-tossed from one corner to another, playing an awesome stooge, really hamming it up with some of the best "I'm coming in to interfere oh wait shit no I'm not" u-turn shtick I've seen in ages. He's a great apron-worker, something I guess folk don't really talk about with him but it was on full display in the studio. It's kind of surreal seeing Valiant being clean-shaven for the first time in god knows how long. There's something about the voice and accent without the beard that makes it feel disconnected, like it's a recording of the future Boogie Woogie Man playing over the actions of this stranger calling himself Handsome Jimmy. Robert Gibson wasn't up to much at this point yet but Rick held it together for the babyfaces well and was perfectly serviceable.
Negro Casas, El Satanico & El Felino v Vampiro, Atlantis & Lizmark (CMLL, 6/19/95)
There was no way this was staying above board for the duration. We'd have been lucky for it not to break down in the first caida never mind before the final bell and you could see it from the way Atlantis wanted a piece of Satanico at the start. Casas was the one who dragged it off the rails, though. Vampiro isn't good but the match-up with Casas felt like the biggest thing in the world when they got in together. Casas tackling him into the corner after Vampiro tried to get funky with the spin kicks was an awesome catalyst for a rudo mugging. Casas looked amazing in general, begging off when he knew he'd pushed things a bit too far, sporting the greatest shit-eating grin when his partners bailed him out, really laying it in when he had no choice but to stand up and fight. Arena Mexico was his world and everyone else was merely living in it. Overall this wasn't a lost classic or anything, but it was a fine formula trios and if nothing else it made me want to watch a Vampiro singles match. Lizmark also tope'd someone in the face.
Pierrothito v Ultimo Dragoncito (CMLL, 10/16/01)
On the one hand you wish this got more time. On the other hand you take your ten minutes and revel in the minis title match greatness. This wasn't spectacular by any means, but the crowd were amped and both guys made the most of what they had to work with. Pierrothito is such a fun worker and he was a really cool base here, letting mini Ultimo zip around for a few awesome roll-ups. Then again he flubbed catching a dive that about put Dragoncito's face through the floor so who the hell knows. I think Ultimo might've had his bell rung legit after it as well, but he recovered fine and the last couple minutes were pretty dang dramatic. Give me two dozen matches like this and I'm happy.
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