Rey Bucanero and Ultimo Guerrero vs El Hijo Del Santo and Negro Casas for the CMLL Tag Team Titles - Arena Mexico, 11/02/01

Neither team comes to the ring with the belts; the general agreement (among, well, me - and what I've read) is that while the titles were held up from a disputed finish the previous month - Satanico, wearing a Mascara Magica mask, ran in and DQed GdI to cause them to lose the titles - we're still considering Rey and Ultimo as champions coming into this match.

I recapped this match back in 8. Depending on where you end the year, it's either the best match in '01 or th best match '02. I 'only' gave it a 92, but I'm pretty sure it's the best match I've seen since I started recapping this show. I gave a match directly before this a 90, and while I'm sure it deserves a high number, it's a match that doesn't look as impressive when you see two years of the similar formulas. This tag title match is a different, epic match, and it holds it's own two years later.

Santo and Casas win the titles clean here.

Rey Bucanero and Ultimo Guerrero vs El Hijo Del Santo and Negro Casas (c) for the CMLL Tag Titles - 05/31/02, Arena Mexico

This is the rematch. Santo and Casas only had one Arena Mexico defense (against Juvi and Nicho, who didn't come off as a great challenge) before this match, and Santo hadn't been around much; just a trios on the previous television to set this up.

I recapped the match on 38, and though it just felt like it had less than the really good Fall match. It's a good match (87) that's stuck in a comparison versus a great match and knows it can't live up so it tries to break Negro Casas' next. Nice try! Between this and the Shocker/Magica vs Takemura/Masada double hair match, this is the best/my favorite show.

In between falls, a valet invites people to the Father's Day show in her own special way. It's effective, to say the least.

Santo would team with Shocker and Magica to pass along the tecnico mantle to them the next week, then appear sparingly from then on out; a cibernetico, and the mini-feud with Blue Demon Jr. that seemed to set up an impossible mask/mask match. In hindsight, I wonder how much Santo's part time status with the company had to do with dropping the titles here.

Vignette: Rey meets Ultimo as he drives into the company parking lot; they're going to get revenge on those Familia de Tijuana cheaters for turning on them in an eight man match the previous week and keep the titles.

Rey Bucanero and Ultimo Guerrero (c) vs Familia de Tijuna (Damien 666 and Halloween) for the CMLL Tag Team Titles - Arena Mexico, 07/05/02

As alluded to, Halloween and Damien attacked Rey and Ultimo at a the tail end of the main event, the result of usual rudo team work gone bad. Halloween and Damien came in throwing out challenges for all the belts, so this turn of events wasn't a real surprise to anyone.

I watched this back in 41. Not quite as good as the Fall '01 title match, but a great challenge none the less. I gave it a 91; that's about right (the difference from it to normal is right, the difference from the Fall '01 match isn't right, so that may need to go a point higher).

If I were Halloween - and I am not - this is the one match I'd make sure I'd have a DVD of someplace, so if I made to being a grandfather, I'd be able to show the grandkids that at one time, he was a really good wrestler. Damian's case isn't so strong, and he better hope that no one still has a tape of the match vs Satanico. The moment where Halloween says to himself "[Screw] This! I'm killing that man and ripping off my shirt", is the most serious I've taken Halloween ever; he comes across as a legit top player.

This match has the effect of me expecting any combination of FdT to pull another great match out again, and causing me great disappointment when every iteration of Infernales vs FdT seemed to struggle to get good. Maybe next time around. Maybe I'm just expecting too much.

Rey Bucanero and Ultimo Guerrero (c) vs Shocker and Vampiro for the CMLL Tag Team Titles - Arena Mexico, 09/13/03

Not only do Rey and Ultimo come in Aztec warrior gear, this is also The Greatest Shocker Entrance Ever, transforming from pimp to dancing fool. Vampiro does not participate in the control entrance parade, though they give him fireworks.

The match aired on 53, but was very clipped. An unclipped version is out there, but I don't have it; this version I give a 90 and figure the other one would be a challenge to the FdT and Casas/Santo matches. A lot of that depends on your view of Vampiro, I'd guess. I have less of problem with him then most.

Rey Bucanero and Ultimo Guerrero vs Ultimo Dragon and Dragon Kid - 12/20/02

Before the match, two guys in Ultimo Dragon outfits pose on the stage. The lights go out, they take off and the real Dragon goes to the ring. Okay. We only get Dragon's entrance, which is fine. I take it that this is one of his first matches back in Japan. Not a title match, but Rey and Ultimo are wearing their kilts. Gee, they weren't kidding about Toryumon having a large female fanbase by the looks of it. With two Ultimos and two Dragons, this is not an easy match to recap, but hopefully it'll make sense.

Rey and Dragon Kid start. Lockup, Rey gets in a chop, Kid falls but kips up and armdrags Rey down. Rey up and into an another armdrag. Kid kicked away when he tries to follow. Open hand slap, corner whip, reversed, Rey stops short and tries to get his feet up for a scissors, but Dragon backs up and REY drops to the mat. Cover one tow no. Corner whip by Kid, reversed, Kid goes for the corner kip up headscissors but Rey throws him down. Rey goes for the Camel Clutch, Dragon Kid slips through his legs and goes for his own, but Rey slips through his legs. Standoff. Rey adjusts his bandana. Circle. Tag in the other guys. Crowd seems to give an "Ultimo [clap clap clap] Ultimo" chant. Test of strength, UG with a legsweep, tries to pull UD to his feet but UD uses UG to get up. UG gets on armbar, twist, Ultimo with forward roll, forward handstand to reverse, then speds up even more to step over the armbar and hit an armdrag. Looked really great and really quick. Lockup, UG with a waistlock takedown, headlock reversed to an armbar, UG with a single leg, grabs UD's legs, UD with a headscissors from the mat and a corkscrew takedown. UG manages to get back to his feet but Dragon spins and takes him down again. Dragon claps for UG's effort. Circle. Lockup, UD with an under arm lock, armdrag into a armbar. UG tries kiping up but UD spins him over by the back of arm to drop him in the same position. Kip again, over again. Kip again, Dragon spins around and and armdrags him down. Armbar, Dragon floats over to a reverse facelock, UG with a headscissors reversal. UD setting up for it - there's the kip up escape, which has looked more impressive but gets respectable claps. Tag to Rey, tag to DK. Rey rushes DK with a back arm, then does the forearm celebration. Open hand slap, scoop and Dragon's slammed out over the top rope. Another forearm celebration as Dragon pulls himself to the apron. Rey meets him there with foreamrs, Dragon stops him with a high kick to the side of the head, springabord headscissrso on the way in. Rey misses with a clothesline, DK off the ropes, Rey tries a flpajcak, reversed to an armdrag. Rey misses with the clothesline again, DK hits the dropkick to the knee. DK immediately over for a seated abdominal stretch. UG breaks it with a dropkick, Rey tries to say something to him about his knee but is surprised with a kick to the back by UD. Everyone not supposed to be in kept out, as DK puts on a half crab. UG arguing with the ref, so UD sneaks in and stomps Rey in the back. Rey trying to move it - UG in and back elbowing UD before he can stop it. Rey escapees the half crab and his DK on out of the ring. I guess the referee is allowing the switch with no tag - lucha rules? UD is hitting hte jumping snap mare on UG,. Armdrag, off the ropes, UG bakhist UD lands on his feet, Rey catches UD in a facelock, UG charges into a double boot, UD escapes and hit sa double kangaroo kick on Rey. UG is run into his his, then recovers to shoulderblock UG only to take a handspring elbow, knocking Guerrero out of the ring. Ultimo slingshots to the apron, tries a back kick to stun UG but Rey sweeps him off the apron and to the floor. DK over to help, but Rey slaps him and runs him into the post. GdI lift UG up - and crotch him on the post. Over to DK now, and they're dragging him into crowd. Chops to keep him stunned, double press lift and dropped on the steel barricade! Yow. Back over to collect UD now. He's still out of it. Wait for the fans to move out of the way (they're less used to this then the lucha people) and a double suplex into the chairs. UD thrown back in, with both GdI. Double whip back in, UD with dropkick to the knee on Rey, kick catch spinning legsweep on UG, kick catch enziguri on Rey. DK in - inside out Asai Moonsault on Rey! He just barely made that. UD's knocked UG out of the ring and is battering him in the crowd with strikes. He's thrown over the barricade and into the bleachers. {} Rey and DK back in the ring - Rey with a corner clothesline, powerbomb lift and thrown backwards into the corner. Forearm celebration. Corner whip, reversed, Rey takes a drop toe hold into the middle buckle. DK charges, spinning headscissors into a crucifix armbar. Ultimo in to stop UG with a crossbody, but UG runs him into the submission hold to break it up. UG corner whip, UD side steps the charge. CHop, headlock, looks like we had stereo bulldogs and push off, and the home crew spins each other and takes out the competition with kicks, DK's dropkick taking Rey out. UD sets up UG on the top rope and waves to DK. Running boost into a top rope 'rana. UD with a suicide tope on Rey! DK covers UG, one two NO. DK off the ropes, right into the Ultimo Bottom one two NO! Ultimo going up? Second rope, DK meets him there with a slap. Top rope 'rana is blocked! What's he going to do - off the second rope (throwing) bomb! one two UD breaks it up. Rey in, but only to take him and UD back out. UG recover,s then picks up DK. DK set on the top rope. UG yells at the crowd, for it's time - GUERRERO SPECIAL one two UD breaks it up with an elbow again. DK rolls out, UD with a whip, reversed, UD back with a 'ana one two NO reversed one two NO. UG off the ropes, into a sleeper, then down into the Dragon Sleeper. Rey back in, rolls by and then breaks it up with a dropkick to UD's head. DK kicked back down off the apron. GdI double suplex on UD, Rye covers one two no. Double suplex again? No, they're pulling him on the ropes. Ultimo backs away as Rey goes up - and DK slips in to dropkick Rey out of the ring. UG with a big boot to take out DK, and how he'll go up. What's he going to with Ultimo facing toward the ring. Top rope superplex? No, UD reverses it to a top rope front suplex. La Majistral one two Rey breaks it up. Rey covers one two no. Rye with an open hand slap, corner whip, reversed, UD charges into a boot, Rey with a back elbow, DK jumps up and hits a 'rana, no rollup. Both men are down, but UD is up and going up first. Rey moves as UD tries the moonsault, so UD lands on his feet, but right in UG's grip - release German Suplex! Rey clothesline! One two NO! UG blocked off DK at the last second there and now he's pushing him out of the ring. Rey on UG - setting him up facing out.Is he trying a second rope German? UD won't go anyway, with back elbows to block, then escaping for a off the second rope sunset powerbomb. Everyone in the ring is down, but Rey's not done. Both slow up. Rey with a shoulderblock, off the ropes, over into a monkey flip that takes him to the floor, but Rey lands on his feet. Ultimo with the slingshot set up, but UG breaks the Asai before it can get started by knocking UD off the apron. DK off the ropes, handspring move is caught and tossed out by UG - Rey catches him and drops him. UG notices UD back up and ducks the wheel kick. Powerbomb is reversed into the Dragon Sleeper, but UG escapes with something to the face we don't see. Whip, and Dragon with the Quebrada to knock UG down. THere's the Ultimo 3 Kick Combo, and now the Dragon Sleeper. Rey must be busy, because that's it. (14:56) This was pretty good. 90, maybe? Ultimo gives a speech post match and hands out plaques and none of it makes sense to me. Everyone's out to watch so it must've been important.

unclipped - 1857

Ultimo Dragon and Rey Bucanero vs Ultimo Dragon and Kazu Hayashi

Wrestle One

Wow, what a set up. It seems inspired by the second to last Nitro set - the one with the new logo and moveable TV set entrance. The music is loud. The arena is pitch b alck dark - I'm sure there are people out there, I just can't anyone. It could be outdoors with no moon and lit by spaceships for all I can tell.

Rey wears his mask (and puffy shirt and coat) to th ering, taking off the mask when he gets there. They bring the CMLL Tag Team belts as well. They seemed very pumped up for this show. Rey's hair has grown back into a buzzcut by this point. Ultimo and Kaz get an epic entrance and, with entrance video. Kaz's tights say "I'm Here". When they turn on the house lights, you can see close sections - enough to know that people might actually be in the arena to be watching this - but the only thing really lit is the ring.

Kaz and Rey to start. Kaz with an armdrag out of a lockup, follow up is kicked away. Rey with a chop. Corner whip, reversed, Kaz charges into a boot but blocks it and punches the chest. Right, right. Corner whip, Kaz kips up, Rey pulls him off the corner, tries for the camel clutch, Kaz slips between his legs and tries for his own, Rey tries to make this not completely being a repeat by trying to hip leverage Kaz out of the ring but Kaz get the bottom rope and hangs on. Circle. Lockup, no Rey straight to waistlock takedown, front facelock, reversed into an armbar, spinning on the mat for another, Rey reverse to his own and stands up with a wristlock. Kaz with a forward handstand and a single leg. Cover for zero. Kaz taunts with a forward hand stand as they stand off. Tags to the Ultimos. Slowly circle. Test of Strength. Same sequence as the previous match, with UG getting a legsweep but UD using UG to roll to the top rope. This time, UD breaks a wristlock, jumps over the other one to get in an armdrag, UG with an armbar and down into the Fujiwara armbar. UG lets off to a wristlock so he can work the shoulder. Up to their feet, and UG twists. UD with a forward roll, forward headstand and reverse the armbar. Step over into an the left handed armdrag. Claps as they standoff. Circle. Lockup, UG with a waistlock, takedown, UD reveres to an armbar, tight on the shoulder. Now down to a wristlock, UG forward rolls to to escape into a single leg, and grabs it for a standing legbar. UG puts on the the headstand from the mat and uses the corkscrew takedown into the hold. Fans are impressed by that one - we get A replay as UG does it again. UG manages to stand a second time, so UD pulls him so he's balancing on UD's feet again, pushes UG back to pull UD up, monkey flip while holding on to the wristlock. UD rolls backwards to use UG's feet to stand him back up, but UG falls back for the monkey flip and UD lands on his feet. That looked neat, a little staged and tough to describe. Tags again. Rey wastes no time, double leg on Kaz and punches to the head. Stomps, off the ropes no Kaz trips him up. Kaz elbow drop but no one's home. Rey goes after him and gets an armdrag. Rey with a hiptoss, elbow drop and no one's home. Kaz with a partially blocked kick, double middle finger and but his wheel kick is blocked. Rey with the forearm celebration. Rey charges, clothesline is caught by Kaz, Kaz misses a short clothesline, Rye iwht ma double leg but Kaz kicks him off, and over the top rope to the floor! Kaz seems a bit surprised by that. He reaches out for Rey and gets pulled out. OPen hand slap battle with no real edge - they both point to the ring and go back in. The slap battle continues, with Rey taking the shortcut headbutt. Rey off the ropes, but Kaz hits a spectacular looking wheel kick. Reverse figure four- Ultimo partially breaks it up with a kick to Kaz's head, though Ultimo get sin a stomp to Rey and he doesn't seem free. 5 minutes have passed. Kaz regains form to keep the hold in, and UG's protest leaves Rey open for more sneaky stops from UD. UG makes a move in, UD starts in after him but he's caught this time. He apologizes to the ref, and UG levels him with a back elbow. Stomp finally breaks up the reverse figure four. Kaz is rolled out, Rey out after him. UG with a hammeroclock, UD with the jujmping snap mare. Armadrag, off hte ropes, backdrop but UD lands on his feet. Rey with the waistlock on UD, UG runs into a double boot from UD, Dragon with the double kangaroo kick to escape Rey, and Guerrero's waved by into to his partner. GUerreor tiwh a back elbow for Dragon, off the ropes and right into the handspring elbow. Continuing this replay, Dragon slingshots to the apron, kicks at Ultimo but gets swept off the apron by Rey. Replay of the handspring as we watch Ultimo press Rey (!), but hten drop him on his feet? Oh, so Rey can hit an apron missile dropkick. Back over to Ultimo - he'll take the double team post crotching. Rey celebrates wiht the forearms. As Kaz revoers in the ring, GdI set up UD's bad arm in a folder chair - and smash that chair with another one! Well, he's otu of it for now. Both of the away team in the ring - double whip, double leapfrog, double hiptoss over rotated into a faceslam. One two no. Kaz picked up, double whip, double press, and swung back into a double side slam. Grabbing an arm, and rolling over the botdy for a straight jacket - ther'es the double boot to the the face! This needs a name, but UD is back inot tattack Rye before we can go any further. UG puts on a cross armbreaker on Kaz whiel that's going on, and Rey treist ot break it up unsuccsefully. Rey takes him off and works him ove rnear the ropes - Kaz is able to turn adn get a foot on the roeps. Rey working that bad arm with kicks as Kaz rolls out. DOuble armbar, with Reyu cranking hte bad arm over his shoudler. Double armbar again, kicks to the misection, kicks ot the the hamsrstings, doubel armbarke takedown. Dragon is holding that bad shoulder. Rey: "VIVA MEXICO!" Double whip, double drop toe hold, double elebow drop. Doube whip, double dropkick to take him out ot the ramp. Rey and Ultimo with their secret handshake celebration. They are ON tonight. Kaz crawling back in as the ref reree checks to make sure Dragon is amon the lving. UG with the Gory Special, and Rey off the ropes with a bulldog. UG with catapult, Rey clotheslines him back along UG's knee, and then to the top rope for a spinning senton to Kaz! One two NO! Replay. Dragon back in. Double whip (10 minutes), Dragon ducks the double clothesline, dropkick t ot he knee on UG, chop by for Rey, whip, leapfrog by Uutlom and he monke flips Rey to the floor. UG misse sa clotheslien on Kaz, KAz off the ropes, flapjack reversed to ad ropkick. Kazz of the rope agina - topre on Rey takes out the camera man! UD going up - off the top rope headscissors on the stage! Everyone gettin gcoutned out - Rey tumbled intot he crowd ans has to crawl over the first barricade. Kaz and Rey in and echanging open hand slaps. No one gtting a big advantage, though Rey tdoes try winding up. Rye with ahealdocks, hot off, back with a shoudlblock but isi n't enough. Kick by Rey slows down Kaz. Rye with the foreamr cleberation and a clothelsien one two NO. Rey wiht a chop, covere whip, rey stops short in the corner, Kaz charges in and gets spun into crucfix lift. Crucifx Bomb to the ouside? Rey thinks about it, turtns and Kaz reveres to a 'rana one two NO - UD cutting UG off with a top rope cors body again, but UG stopping more from him with a cltohesline. Rey and Kaz battling out to hte apron now, with Rey trying to powerbomb Kaz to the floor. Blocked once, blocked twice, halfway up but Rey would kill Kaz if he droppe dhim loiked htat, kz blcosk cokmplete and backdrops Rey overht epring post and to the floor. ULTIMO DRAGON TOPE! That was from mowhere and ropped Rey over the barricade again. They don't seem ot have much ringside area here. Back in the ring, Ultimo is trying to shoulder slam Kaz, but Kaz reverses into the Eye of the Kazicane. One two NO foot on the ropes. We watch Rey and Ultimo recovering. UG with a whip, handpring back kick, okay. Kaz hops on UG's shoulders, spins around and hits a 'rana one two no. Kaz with a kick, setting Ultimo on the top rope. Right, but Ultimo shoves him off. Kaz springboards back up to Ultimo, but the top rope 'rana is blocked. OFf the second rope powerbomb, cover one two NO! Kaz is fired up for escaping. I think that throw Ultimo is doing makes it safer (throwing him ahead instead of down), but I'm not sure. Ultimo decides to try and set up for it gain - Guerrero Special One two Dragon breaks it up again! We had a replay of the powerbomb seconds agian, and here' sthe Guerrero Special. UG with a whip on UD, UD tossed up and down with a 'rana one two reversed one two no. (15 minutes) UG misses a clothesline but hits a kick. Powerbomb? You can't powerbomb Ultimo Dragon! Dragon sleeper on but Rey in quick to break it up. Double corner whip, corner clothesline by Ultimo, roling corner back elbow by Rey. Rey to the top rope, Ultimo backs off and Kaz sneaks in to dropkick Rey to the floor. Guerrero with a big boot to Kaz, and now he's going up. Top rope superplex is pushed off (no top rope front superplex, although Ultimo lands much that way), Ultimo off and La Majistral one two Rey breaks it up. Rey with chops. Corner whip, reversed, UD runs into a boot, a boot, doublebotos. Rey out and he takes a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. UD quick to the top rope, moonsault but Rey moves, UG iwth a clothesline from behind, Rey with the forearm celebration clothesline one wo no. THose tow orll out of th wya as UG tries for a tiltla-wrhil backbreaker and takes an armdrag isntead. Kaz off the ropes, over hte top rope somersault plancah! They have no room and Kaz almost caught his leg in the barricade and broke it. Rey and Dragon back in the ring, Rye with a curcfifc lift but Draogns lips out the back. Chop, to the ropes for a Quebrda, paritally caught but that laves Rey open for the Ultimo Five Kick Combo. Dragon sleeper on - and Rey gives. (17:41) Kaz and Dragon celerbate. Guerrero helpfully tries to realign Rey's neck. We watch Kaz and Ultimo take a long walk to the back, posing for pictures along the way.