alexxx
Superstar
Joined on: Dec 27, 2008 15:54:38 GMT -5
Posts: 782
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Post by alexxx on Feb 6, 2023 5:33:00 GMT -5
My next pick is Viscera
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Post by The Brain on Feb 6, 2023 13:03:31 GMT -5
So far we got El Matador,Mantaur and Vis at one apiece
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Post by MKSavage on Feb 6, 2023 13:05:33 GMT -5
Of those three, I'll go with El Matador AKA Chico...
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nibs92
Main Eventer
Joined on: May 29, 2008 5:47:21 GMT -5
Posts: 2,240
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Post by nibs92 on Feb 6, 2023 14:01:31 GMT -5
I caught the tail end of them. Was watching WCW recently from Hall’s entrance onward so great to read a bit of the history of them. I’m a huge fan of the bizarre so these guys sound right up my street (also what makes VKM’s brand of wrestling so appealing).
Hulkamania as we once knew it was on its last legs and they seem the ideal foes for him. Big and weird and cartoonish. Big enough names to justify a Hogan feud but expendable enough for baldy to roll over without any serious career damage.
Am I right in thinking that the yetaaaaaayyyy was Ron Reis? He was an odd looking fella.
In wwf, Barbarian and Haku always seemed like a thrown together team. But as the Faces of Fear they seemed to fit so much better together.
Excellent write up as always Brain. I have such a long list of eras to catch up on. So tempted to go back and watch them from the beginning.
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nibs92
Main Eventer
Joined on: May 29, 2008 5:47:21 GMT -5
Posts: 2,240
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Post by nibs92 on Feb 6, 2023 14:04:52 GMT -5
Oh and I vote for country singer Ms McIntyre’s Brother, El Matador!
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Post by The Brain on Feb 6, 2023 14:16:26 GMT -5
I caught the tail end of them. Was watching WCW recently from Hall’s entrance onward so great to read a bit of the history of them. I’m a huge fan of the bizarre so these guys sound right up my street (also what makes VKM’s brand of wrestling so appealing). Hulkamania as we once knew it was on its last legs and they seem the ideal foes for him. Big and weird and cartoonish. Big enough names to justify a Hogan feud but expendable enough for baldy to roll over without any serious career damage. Am I right in thinking that the yetaaaaaayyyy was Ron Reis? He was an odd looking fella. In wwf, Barbarian and Haku always seemed like a thrown together team. But as the Faces of Fear they seemed to fit so much better together. Excellent write up as always Brain. I have such a long list of eras to catch up on. So tempted to go back and watch them from the beginning. Yeah that was Ron Reis. They actually gave em a ninja gimmick right after the Yetay for a brief spell then few years later he was in the Flock as Reese. The Yetttttaaayyy stuff will always be what fans most remember em by Wouldve love to seen Faces of Fear get a run with the belts And as far as going back,go for it brother. Tons of good stuff during those times
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Post by The Brain on Feb 13, 2023 16:17:31 GMT -5
Gimmick #135 coming up...
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Post by The Brain on Feb 15, 2023 20:46:56 GMT -5
''El Matador'' Tito Santana
It was during the Fall of 1991 in which ol' Chico Santana would be repackaged as ''The Matador''.They would show em in vignettes learning the art of the trade. These were also shown on a coliseum video put out in 92 but forget which one. I remember on the tape they built it up as ''at home with El Matador''. He would debut on TV right before the SSeries with a whole new attire and theme music. His finisher would still be the flying forearm which he would call''El Paso Del Muerte'' or as Bobby Heenan called it ''extra hot paste picante''. His first PPV under the gimmick would be SSeries in which he would be on the winning side with Duggan,Tornado and Sarge as they clean swept Mustafa,Herc,Skinner and Berzerker. Following this he would team up with Virgil to battle Ted Dibiase and Repo in a losing effort at This Tuesday in TX.He would then get into a brief feud with the money man into early 92 but the feud was quietly dropped not long after with no proper end. It was then onto the Rumble in Albany to crown a new WWF Champion. Matador would have a lil run in the match before being eliminated by future Mania opponent HBK.This would set up a showdown at WM VIII in the Hoosier Dome with him coming up short in the end. Way to lose in front of your sister Arriba McEntire there Tito! For the remainder of the year he was just used as a veteran on the roster.Getting some wins here and there but also putting over other talent as well.He would compete at SSlam that year but in a dark match loss to Papa Shango.By 93 the gimmick was on its last legs. He would get a late draw in the Rumble but would be eliminated by eventual winner Yokozuna. I liked how he interacted with Martel here.Good continuity there. It was then on to a rematch with Shango at WM IX in Vegas in once again a dark match but this time he would pick up the W. His last noteworthy match would be in a KOTR qualifier in a losing effort to Razor Ramon.He would stay on TV until right before SSlam that year in which he would leave the company and with that the end of El Matador. Overall...Gimmick aside, This is still Tito we're talking here so as always he was still a solid hand in the ring.He always claimed he was in line for a big push to the World Title during this run but I just cant see it.Right choice all the way with Bret. What are your memories of El Matador? Share em below!
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Post by The Brain on Feb 15, 2023 20:47:40 GMT -5
Gimmick extra! Beware the Bull!
Challenge 11-3-91
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Post by MKSavage on Feb 15, 2023 23:06:18 GMT -5
I didn't mind the gimmick, he wasn't getting anywhere with what he was doing prior, so a new look didn't hurt. Unfortunately for him, he didn't get a lot of wins right away, so it hurt the new gimmick and him going further. I believe he lost to Flair at the taping at the Royal Albert Hall just before Survivor Series, then they lost to DiBiase and Repo at Tuesday in Texas, then he lost to HBK at WM8 and Papa Shango at SSL92, not a great start to a new gimmick. I think he lost to Flair at the Summer Slam spectacular as well. Also, I think his new finisher wasn't the flying forearm, it was something similar but different. Instead of hitting them with a forearm, he would punch them in the face/back of the head while they were bent over.
The new finisher comes up at 7:35:
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Post by The Brain on Feb 15, 2023 23:10:14 GMT -5
I didn't mind the gimmick, he wasn't getting anywhere with what he was doing prior, so a new look didn't hurt. Unfortunately for him, he didn't get a lot of wins right away, so it hurt the new gimmick and him going further. I believe he lost to Flair at the taping at the Royal Albert Hall just before Survivor Series, then they lost to DiBiase and Repo at Tuesday in Texas, then he lost to HBK at WM8 and Papa Shango at SSL92, not a great start to a new gimmick. I think he lost to Flair at the Summer Slam spectacular as well. Also, I think his new finisher wasn't the flying forearm, it was something similar but different. Instead of hitting them with a forearm, he would punch them in the face/back of the head while they were bent over. The new finisher comes up at 7:35: That match with Flair in the UK he was still working in the white trunks no Matador yet.Great chemistry between the 2 I might add. Loved both matches And it was still a forearm shot but yeah instead of in the face he'd hit em in the back of the head
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Post by hbkjason on Feb 16, 2023 4:01:05 GMT -5
I loved Tito Santana as a kid, however, my memories of him as El Matador are all to do with my grandfather. My grand parents had a place in Spain and my grandfather was really into Spanish culture so even though, Tito was representing Mexico, he got such a kick out of he whole bullfighter gimmick that he had and would always have a smile on his face when he was wrestling on TV.
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Post by The Brain on Feb 16, 2023 12:26:34 GMT -5
Looking back, they def shouldve ran him vs Flair at Wembley.Wouldve been a nice addition to the card
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nibs92
Main Eventer
Joined on: May 29, 2008 5:47:21 GMT -5
Posts: 2,240
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Post by nibs92 on Feb 16, 2023 13:13:56 GMT -5
To echo MKSavage, the gimmick was hurt by the run of losses on PPV. Getting the fall over Repo at This Tuesday in Texas would have helped. Throw in a filler match at the Rumble (Brawler, Hercules, Repo) and he might have had better momentum.
That being said (and contradicting the above) I thought he played it well. A good hand to give a rising star a victory and entertaining in the ring. Great bout against Shawn at WMVIII and there was a match against Terry Taylor on Prime Time I enjoyed (and if I remember rightly it ended in a time limit draw).
And of course the Bobby line regarding his sister will always be a favourite of mine!
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Post by The Brain on Feb 16, 2023 13:20:18 GMT -5
Bobby was gold ripping on em but could you imagine Jesse? He wouldve had a field day with this gimmick
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Post by AndrewR85 on Feb 16, 2023 14:03:28 GMT -5
El Matador was the first "version" of Tito Santana that I ever saw - I believe it was at Survivor Series 1991 and I enjoyed watching him perform. I liked him in the 1992 and 1993 Royal Rumble matches as well, and his match against Shawn Michaels at WM8.
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nibs92
Main Eventer
Joined on: May 29, 2008 5:47:21 GMT -5
Posts: 2,240
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Post by nibs92 on Feb 16, 2023 17:57:46 GMT -5
Not sure if it’s too early for votes but my next is Badd Company.
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alexxx
Superstar
Joined on: Dec 27, 2008 15:54:38 GMT -5
Posts: 782
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Post by alexxx on Feb 17, 2023 18:06:49 GMT -5
My next pick is Vader
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Post by AndrewR85 on Feb 18, 2023 13:32:28 GMT -5
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Post by The Brain on Feb 21, 2023 22:43:34 GMT -5
Looks like Vader it is...
Now question for you humanoids, is there a particular part of his career you want covered ala WWF,WCW, Japan etc? I ask because I covered a part of Takers career a while back.Usually with the bigger name guys that long runs I like to break it up.
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