El Hijo del Santo vs Negro Casas (EMLL - 9/19/1997)

Third

If not the greatest lucha match of all-time definitely in the discussion. Two of the very best putting on a technical match that felt so much more raw than I typically see in lucha. Felt like the closest I am going to get with traditional lucha matwork mixed with a more shoot approach which is essentially heaven on earth for me. Almost the entirety of my favorite matches of all time are matches that ratchet up the violence to 11 yet this stands out by delivering a totally unique experience that doesn't delve quite into that territory. 

I really enjoyed this. I have seen a handful of Negro Casas before but this felt like the first time I really "got" him. Santo I have gotten but I do feel like he is more rewarding the more I watch him. Great moments throughout that conveyed the competitiveness and hate. I liked the finish too.

FWIW, on my first viewing I also struggled to make anything of what they were going for, but it grew on me big over subsequent viewings. Instead of apuestas or lucha title, think of this more like these guys doing their take on BattlArts. I'd also recommend their 91, 92, and the other 97 match from Japan to get a bit more acclimated with their unique working style.

I voted this the second greatest match of all time this year.

When I first started tracking this project I had a clear idea of what my #1 match would be. But #2 was up in the air. This match I'd seen before but wasn't really on my radar as a GME contender until I saw it again a couple of years back and it hit me as amazing, and then on subsequent rewatches I've just grown to love it more and more.

This has an unusual vibe as it's only one fall to win and doesn't really adhere to the traditional flow of most apuestas matches. No blood, almost no near-falls, no long heat section setting up the babyface comeback, the match even ends on an unexpected move as the finish. The technico/rudo line is hella blurry as the crowd don't want to see Santo lose his mask and openly root for the rudo. These guys have hated each other for years and let's face it, Casas is at heart a jerk anywhere. So yeah no real face/heel distinction, this is just two fierce rivals going at each other tooth and claw.

But though there's no blood and the match mostly takes place in the ring and contains a bunch of matwork, they somehow make this feel *more* violent than an old school bloody arena brawl. Everything these guys do is soaked in malice. There's a saying "Don't kick a man when he's down" but boy do Santo and Casas not care about that saying on this day. When their opponent is down they kick them as hard as possible. And if their opponent is in the ropes, or in the corner, or climbing back into the ring, those are also excellent times to kick them really hard. A lot of this match consists of one of these men on their back, trying to cover up while their opponent tries to stomp them right through the ring. Amidst the stompings Casas tries to snap Santo's leg. Santo in return tries to rip off Casas' arm. Then his neck. When he is unsuccessful at ripping off Casas' neck, he goes back to ripping off his arm, and pretty much succeeds.

The match constantly walks a tightrope where it feels as if the simmering hatred is going to bubble over completely at any moment, but it never quite does, even when they're tangled and brawling in the ropes. The red mist never totally takes over - the match stays foremostly about *winning*. These are career rivals and though they desperately want to hurt their rival (and there is a lot of hurt dealt), they also know that the best way to hurt them is to take their hair/mask. They can't afford to lose and so they can't afford to lose their focus.

The only (relative) criticism I have of the match is that it perhaps starts a bit slower than other GME contenders. Casas hits a nasty leg kick first up, then gets caught in a beautiful armdrag takedown when he is too hasty to follow it up. That leads to some caginess for a while. But once they start laying into each other the match just builds from there and they never really relent. The contest escalates in urgency but never descends to a near-fall fest. Whenever one man is on top they can never quite land the kill shot they need. Santo is able to dodge la Casita and the Scorpion deathlock. Casas is able to (repeatedly) wiggle out of Caballo attempts. The finish is unexpected and kinda out of the blue and yet also something the match has logically been building to all along. The crowd erupts in great joy as the heel wins clean and this is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.