Don't Play To Win, I Play To Show, Yeah I'm The Maestro

Blue Panther VS Atlantis - CMLL Copa Victoria Finals 5/12/1997

JJZ: Atlantis is a luchador I got familiar with over the last couple of years from NJPW's Fantasica Mania. He actually teamed up with his son Atlantis Jr. Blue Panther seems to have an endless list of matches available so I definitely watched a few before deciding to play this one forward. I feel like most of the lucha stuff I watch has so much heat and venom behind the match that my interest was peaked most from what I can tell is just a technico VS technico hold for hold move for move match. Very nice back and forth. I couldn't tell which way it was going which I loved. Hope you enjoy.

CJD: We definitely have a maestros throwdown here, focusing on the artistry of lucha more than the spectacle. It's the finals of a tournament where Blue Panther has a one fall advantage. He only needs to win one fall to to take it which factors heavily into the way Atlantis wrestles this. He has counters for counters, always pressing, refusing to stay on his back. There are so many little things about this match, like the most convincing lucha leg sweeps I've ever seen, and one of the strangest sells on a DDT. Overall really beautiful technical wrestling that I wish I had a better appreciation for decades back when I first tried to get into lucha. But am so happy to dive into now. This is one I'll come back to again for certain. Nice pick!