Comparisons and Contrasts: Chicana/MS-1 vs Hokuto/Kandori

Some context from me might be helpful: I have been watching wrestling for a long time but I would say that 99.999% of what I have watched before this project was what you’d call US mainstream wrestling. This project has given me a reason to explore all the styles that I have missed all these years. So a lot of matches that are canon for many of you are matches that I am watching for the first time. And these two matches were among the first few that I watched.

Hokuto/Kandori blew me away when I saw it. I didn’t know the backstory or anything but I immediately got the characters and the hatred. The first couple of minutes was a watershed moment for me as a fan. It felt like something you’d see in a classic film. The fact that they kept up the work at such a high level was so impressive. Hokuto became an immediate favorite and this is the match I tell my friends about.

Chicano/MS-1 didn’t have the same effect. I recognized it was a good brawl but I didn’t think of it as a transcendent match or anything like that. From what I understand Lucha can be tougher to get into than other styles and that has been the case for me as well. I am planning on revisiting this a few times before the project is done to see if it clicks. But for now it didn’t stand out even compared to the other Lucha matches I watched.

I’m not sure what this says about the matches and I don’t want to turn this into an accessibility discussion, though that may be one worth having. One adjective I would use for both matches is brutal. For me the Joshi match really gives you a sense of drama and high stakes. They have memorable spots and big bombs. And as I said, big character work and selling, especially from Hokuto. The Lucha match I would call more gritty. After that I am a little wishy-washy on what to say because I feel like I am missing a piece of a puzzle. They express their hatred in a more, I don’t know, realistic way at times. And that may be more of a strength in some people’s minds than it is in mine.

As far as where they rank, Hokuto/Kandori is a contender for my top spot. I have a lot of watching to do but I can’t imagine it getting bumped out of the to past 3 or 4. My hope is that Chicano/MS-1 works its way up my list as I watch it more. Right now I would include it the way some people talk about including Citizen Kane on their top movie list: The reason it’s there to give the list a sense of credibility and completeness instead of there being a passionate recognition of its greatness. But those people are wrong about Citizen Kane and I hope I’m wrong about Chicana/MS-1.

Taking Cap's questions one at a time.

What are other people's thoughts on these matches?
Two of the best matches ever. Chicana vs MS-1 is my pick for the best match ever. And I can't see that changing. I'm a huge fan of these sort of grizzly violent brawls and this stands out as the best. I think Chicana's performance is the single greatest performance I've ever seen to the point that it almost obscures how great MS-1 is in it. Almost. MS-1 is brilliant as the slimy pretty boy piece of shit. But Chicana is just beyond everything in this. His selling and timing is pitch perfect and makes this a transcendent experience. Just the best.

Hokuto vs Kandori is one of the best matches ever. I don't even know what to say about it after all of these years. It has everything you could ever want in a wrestling match. Big charismatic performances, brutally stiff striking, suplexes and bombs, dives, blood, a hot crowd and two of the best wrestlers ever peaking at the same time. Required viewing.

Where will they rank?
Chicana vs MS-1 is comfortably my #1 ranked match. The only way it isn't #1 by the time we vote is if some crazy unreleased 80s Lucha match or some nuts 70s 80s territory shit comes out.
Hokuto vs Kandori is probably going to be my highest ranked Japanese Singles match. It is a strong candidate for my top 5 and could easily be my #3 match.


Which will rank higher?
Chicana vs MS-1. I would love to put Hokuto vs Kandori #1 but I just can't because Chicana vs MS-1 happened and we can watch it.

What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of each?
Violence violence and more violence. I mean that's really the thing with these two matches. They are violent as fuck with incredible selling. Hokuto vs Kandori "does more" in terms of moves, but I don't think that makes it better. Any "weakness" I could come up with for either match would be grasping at straws for me. Chicana vs MS-1 is perfect and I wouldn't change a nanosecond of Chicana vs MS-1. I could the video quality could be HD? That doesn't seem like a fair criticism. I guess if I tried really hard I could find one second from the Hokuto/Kandori match I would change or cut out or whatever. But really. These matches don't have weaknesses for me.

Like I said before, there is a legit chance these matches are 1 and 2 for me, but the vote right now has to go to MS1 and Sangre Chicana. That is the match to unseat for me. Kandori/Hokuto is one of only a hand full of matches that I think could do it.

Both matches have incredible violence and incredible drama. I honestly don't have anything bad to say about either one.

Kandori/Hokuto takes you on an emotional journy as Hokuto tires to survive. It plays into real life injuries and concerns about Hokuto. They hit a high point early and more or less slug it out for the remainder of the match. it is pure drama and storytelling on a level that is just so rare. You can watch this in a complete vacuum and understand why everyone loves it so much. The real strength of this match is that as it extends it never loses its a step. Sometimes matches extend themselves too far when they try to go this long or when they try to achieve this type of match. They never once did. When other matches might seem excessive, this match still feels like the drama grows.

MS1/Sangre Chicana starts with a world class ass beating. Again, you don't have to know anything about this match to get it. You know Sangre Chicana is getting beat on and you want him to survive. This is pure storytelling. It has its share of insanity and technique, but there is a minimalist feel. What they accomplish with what they are doing is absolutely incredible. The real strength here is timing. My favorite move in all of wrestling might be SC's haymaker left hand. When he hits it it elicits such reaction. These two just get and embody the art of wrestling in a way that is special. I am sure they had no idea when they went out that some dork in NC would sing their praises years later, but that is what makes it special. This is organic.

There will come a time in this process (maybe this summer) when I watch anywhere from 5-10 of top matches back to back to really pick that top tier apart. I am really looking forward to putting these side by side and seeing what I make of them in the final judgement.

MS1/Chicana has a camera shot of Chicana's mother smoking in the crowd concerned about his son, so that single thing puts the match in the category of something like Lawler/Dundee.

Anyway, both matches deserve to be in the Top 10 or 20 at least.

Hokuto/Kandori easily. I need to rewatch it but right now it could be anywhere from my Top 10 to just outside my Top 25. The ultimate battle of attrition in wrestling history with the initial arm injury setup putting it over the top for me. It was a genius decision that really enhanced the drama as Kandori was simply able to apply/grab an arm hold out of nowhere at various points in the match and the crowd completely bought a submission finish.


Chicana/MS-1 right now is not a lock though it could easily sneak on. I will say I think it's the best executed version of the classic lucha brawl formula. Fantastic brawl.

Both are great, Shinobu Kandori vs Akira Hokuto is the greatest match of all time so you can't compete against that.

Chicana/MS1 formula has been done over and over again since. It is still one of the greatest examples of said formula (specially thanks to la tercera caída), definitely a great match and a contender for anyone's list, but that's about it. There's nothing like Hokuto/Kandori in joshi, at least nothing that I know. There are a lot of brawls and bloodbaths but no match is worked like this one. Most of the brawls feel exactly like they were supposed to be brawls from the very beginning, like, yeah they're going to work that style of match and you can tell inmediately. And that's good. But this was a random, in theory regular interpromotional, exhibition match that turned into a bloody brawl just because those two's characters clashing as much as they did. You need that Kandori and that Hokuto to make that match work. I feel like any talented mexican wrestler could do (and have done) what Chicana and MS1 did.