[Lucha] Triplemania XV, part one

Now, featuring the least likely Match of the Year candidate.


Of course, realize that, as Triplemania XV is currently airing, this was held on July 15th. In fact, AAA is presently gearing up for a tournament to crown a heavyweight champion. I'm finding myself completely disinterested in WWF now (except when it gets recapped by SGM's own Jake Palumbo), and TNA & AAA are totally where it's at.

Gran Apache & Laredo Kid d. Super Calo & Super Fly
Okay, this much I figured out: Gran Apache & Super Calo are buddies. Laredo Kid & Super Fly are a tag team. Why the partners are on opposing sides, I have no idea. But Gran pins Laredo Kid with a "piggyback bomb" (I guess), and now, later in the show, Super Calo must face the Super Fly in a mask vs. mask match. Some really kick-ass outside the ring work here, from Calo's plancha to nothing, to Laredo Kid's twisting leap to the floor, and Calo KILLS Laredo Kid with a powerbomb onto the guardrail. Plus, any reason to see Sexy Star and Faby Apache is very welcome.

Juventud Guerrera d. Fuerza Guerrera (Street Fight)
Son defeats father in a very good match. A brawl, from bell to bell. Blood, weapons, fighting into the crowd ... at one point, Juventud was thrown into an ambulance, which was a nice symbolic touch, only to emerge on the top of the ambulance and score a cross body on his opponent. Octagon and some dude in Fuerza's camp were involved, but only to earn the main attraction some breathers. Can't beat a good father vs. son storyline, and Juvy was able to beat some respect into (or out of, depending on your vantage point) his padre, as Fuerza went for (and was subsequently denied) the match-ending handshake. Very strong match.

Headhunter I, Ron Killings, Sabu & Rikishi d. La Parka, Latin Lover, Zorro & "The Animal"
How totally goddamn random can one match possibly get? I thought only TNA was able to bring the incredibly random tag matches (see, Sting & Samoa Joe vs. Jeff Jarrett & Scott Steiner).

Rumors floating around have Sabu getting signed to TNA soon, probably in an effort to get RVD signed as well. And while getting RVD into TNA would be just swell, they'll probably rush him into world title program, when I'd be just as happy seeing him vying for the X title, or going after the tag straps with Sabu (XXX vs. Sabu/RVD = goo). Anyway, back to the Mexicans. El Zorro is wearing a belt that I have no idea what it represents, and outside of the tag belts, it's now the only other title I've actually seen in AAA. "The Animal" is NOT Road Warrior Animal, and I'm actually disappointed in this; he looks like the villain in "Night of the Bloody Apes."

Sabu, looking old and flabby as fuck, starts this off with La Parka, which was a dream match in the late 90's, and I wouldn't sneeze at a singles match between them now. Hell, howsabout a Raven/Sabu vs. La Parka (LA Park)/Psicosis match, TNA? Almost everyone in the match dances off against their opponent ... that's pretty damn odd, like an episode of Soul Train gone horribly tits-up. Headhunter I apparently got Bam Bam Bigelow's ring gear in his will.

The Foreign Legion (Sabu, Killings, et al.) take this one home, but not without some opposition & some strong effort by their opponents. The sequence between Zorro & Ron Killings was especially nice; classic tag team dynamics (the ref not seeing the face's tags, cutting off the ring, etc.); a satisfying ABSENCE of "the stinkface" from Rikishi; and Konnan moves great for a guy with a pissed-up kidney.

Next week will see the second part of Triplemania XV, which will include a tag team title ladder match (Cuervo & Ozz (c) vs. Joe Lider & Crazy Boy), the cage match main event (X Pac, Kenzo Suzuki, and Mesias vs. Cibernetico, Charly Manson, and Chessman), and assorted other conflicts.