10 Cult Wrestling Matches To See Before You Die
4. Eddy Guerrero & Art Barr Vs. El Hijo Del Santo & Octagón - WCW/AAA When Worlds Collide Hair Vs. Mask
The perfect vehicle with with to introduce lucha libre to the North American audience in the 1990s, the action, psychology, and sweltering heat more than compensated for the unfamiliar rules, which Mike Tenay does his stellar best to decode.
Pro wrestling, at its best, is capable of evoking genuine euphoria through catharsis. This stunning cult classic is one of the most seminal examples of it.
Art Barr and Eddy Guerrero, their eyes glowing white in hatred for the Mexicans in attendance (or something else altogether), mime swimming on the way to the ring in a blustering, no-f*cks-given entrance that incenses the immigrant-heavy LA crowd. They control the match early, building the heat expertly. They aren't just obnoxious d*ckheads: they back it up with state-of-the-art double team aerial moves and Barr's innovated, jaw-dropping frog splash, which secures the first fall. This frames the plight of their babyface opponents - something that is conveyed to them when Barr swims - drowns - across the canvas like the outrageously offensive heel he was. He isn't just drawing on racism for the cheap heat; he's telling the crowd that their rising support is futile.
In a great babyface comeback, El Hijo Del Santo and Octagón perform a perfectly-timed stereo suicide dive, reminding the crowd that unity is the key to victory.
In a superb byproduct of strict rule enforcement, Barr's outlawed piledriver - which boils the blood of the earnest crowd - is avenged in one of wrestling's all-time awesome "get f*cked" moments, leading to the unforgettable visual of Barr and Guerrero's tears falling alongside their locks.