Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 50: Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Psicosis (Nitro 1/6/97)

Lucha viewing is such a tricky deal with me. I respect Lucha as a great dance of wrestling style. However, if they go to fast it doesn’t have time to sink in and just looks like a collection of (high) spots that don’t hurt and aren’t sold. If you go to slow though, Lucha can look overly choreographed with men waiting in place during a “fight” for the other performer to hit a move. Basically, I grade Lucha tough sometimes because of the intricate style.

Psicosis blows a high spot early, and almost blows another a minute later. Rey looks pretty spot on, and it doesn’t kill the match as they go with it, in both cases Rey taking the advantage momentarily. Lots of nice roll up combos, which is to be expected. The WCW announcers booth doesn’t have it together tonight, as Heenan and Tony are fighting again. I think Psicosis moves to his big stuff and goes spot to spot with Rey in there with him. Rey is a great babyface in peril, and they have the obvious size difference, so it’s a bit annoying when Psicosis goes from high spot after high spot at times. They were more fluid in their short ECW run. It should be mentioned by me for the hundredth time that the one exception is Psicosis top rope leg drop. This isn’t bad though once he settles down and starts actually doing some damage to the smaller Rey Jr.

The highlight of the match is Rey’s comeback and quick win. That 30 seconds of the 6:30 minute match is what brings this match up, and a PPV style match where he has more comebacks and gets cut off would be the ticket for anyone loving these two in there together. Unfortunately, this is a Nitro matches ballot. 3 stars and 5.8/10.