Phil Schneider Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 El Hijo Del Santo vs. Espanto Jr. (4/10/88) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim. Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 Another great pre-match mobbing of the ring with kids jumping around the apron trying to get Santito to sign autographs. This was sort of disappointing to me because I recall watching this some years ago and thinking the matwork was really high end. Maybe I was thinking of a different match because although this was no doubt good stuff, it wasn't on the level of other stuff we've seen on this set. Still some darn good stuff overall and the ending stretch of the first fall is really great. The end stretch of the third fall though is one of the great end stretches of all time. Starts with Espanto taking another big Feurza bump -- the camera angle makes it look like he just flies off the edge of the Earth -- which Santo follows up with a big top rope dive and the fans jump on the apron as Espanto narrowly beats the countout. Then we get a big run of Santo roll ups that are all fantastic and has the crowd, especially the front row opposite the camera, going nuts, followed by a great struggle over the camel clutch. Ending is great with Santo going to slam Espanto to set up for the senton but it gets reversed into a roll up and soon after Espanto has a nasty submission locked on which he wrenches with the help of the ropes for the win. This was very good throughout, though disappointing at times as I was expecting a title classic on the level of their mask classic, but the end stretch really sucks you in. Not quite top 20 I don't think but not terribly far out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Crackers Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 This isn't the spectacular matwork of their 1992 title match but this is still another great match in a great rivalry. We have had better matwork in individual falls of other matches but there haven't been many matches with this much matwork throughout that have been this consistent or had a finish this fantastic. I love watching these guys work together and I still think this is a potential top 20 contender but I'm not married to that ranking yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt McGirt Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 Man the kids love Santo. There's for the first time some intro music, with a spiffy '70s sounding theme playing that has a neat guitar solo. I wonder if it was from one of his pop's films. If anyone knows what that is please let us know if there's a Youtube of it floating around. We go straight to the mat with some back-and-forth but mostly Santo dominance. He busts out the Fujiwara headscissors spin twice which I dig. This really looks to be a showcase for him as a worker. Espanto might be the champ but he's just getting eaten for dinner tonight. Finally he comes back with some clotheslines, but the crowd boo him and the ref acts like he punched him instead! Tercera caida and Santo is spazzing on the mat from an injured arm. Lucha limb work, surprise surprise! Of course it doesn't really matter cause this is the Son of the Saint we're talking about here. Espanto does a dive then does the Chris Hamrick bump followed by a massive Santo plancha that is truly impressive considering the size and height of the ring. Espanto CHEATS TO WIN and we have cops storm the ring to keep people out. There are so many wagging fingers on the apron it's ridiculous. Super solid match and like I said a total Santito showcase. Espanto was more than game but the man in the silver mask could wrestle Khali and get a good match out of him. Maybe. Anything on this set that has a little kid jumping straight up in the air for a nearfall so far is top-shelf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee B. Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 I thought the first-fall matwork was pretty cool, with a lot of quick reversals and some cheating by Espanto as he uses the ropes for leverage. The sequence that ends the second fall, with the quick Espanto headbutt on the apron, followed by Espanto's powerbomb-y move and submission, is great. Santo's selling of the arm at the beginning of the third fall is super. Things really got crazy as the kids started to fill the ring after Santo hit the splash to the floor off the top turnbuckle. The final submission with the ropes is mighty fine. I was thoroughly impressed, and I think this could end up in my top 20. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goc Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 I really liked this, I feel like this is just as good as the mask match...I might have liked it more. Really liked the finish and I did not see that coming at all. I liked how much Espanto fought out of the last submission attempt by Santo, seeing as that was what cost him his mask. The out of control kind of helped the atmosphere of this too with it turning into a huge mob after the Santo dive. I also liked the matwork in this more than just about any other match on the set. So yea, this could finish pretty high for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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