10 Awesome Times Wrestlers Learned From Their Mistakes
1. Penta El Zero M Gets Smart
As a luchador who holds his mask in sacred regard, Penta El Zero M is always susceptible to the heel d*ckhead intent on removing it.
When this happens, in the moment, the U.S.-based lucha superhero, unwilling to expose their identity, is frozen in place - and vulnerable to one of very few instances of an acceptable roll-up finish. At All Out 2021, Matt Jackson attempted to do precisely that. After puncturing his forehead with a thumbtack-coated sneaker, Jackson attempted to rive the mask from Penta's forehead in a superb moment of anxiety informed by the risk of the spot going wrong as much as the element of disrespect. The fabric just about stuck to his head, held in place, ironically, by the sticky blood pouring from his forehead. He was lucky. He couldn't rely on luck next time 'round.
When the Lucha Bros defended their newly-won AEW World Tag Team Titles just under two weeks later, the Butcher attempted to improve upon Matt's trick. He tied the tassles to the rope. Instead of desperately attempting to hold onto his mask, sensing that his brother was in danger of being pinned, Penta voluntarily removed it, covered his face, and struck the Blade with a blind thrust kick.
He nearly made the mistake of protecting his identity at the cost of his title dream. Not long after, he worked out how to account for the heel ruse.