Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 74: Dean Malenko vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. (Nitro 10/27/97)

This is the night after a pretty famous Guererro vs Mysterio match on PPV. Rey Jr. is the new cruiserweight champ. His first defense is a tough one. Multiple time former champ Dean Malenko. These two had a classic earlier in the set (Match # 38). No more hype. This one sells itself.

Some nifty hold-counterhold stuff early. Lots of mat work and Lucha thrown in with Malenko as a great base and Rey doing all his flying practically from Malenko’s shoulders. Raven’s Flock enters through the crowd during a rest hold. Mysterio’s quickness gets him the lion share of pin attempts, which are always fun variations. Malenko does a gutbuster that pops the crowd and gets a near fall. I dig that Mysterio grabbed the ropes instead of kicked out. Only downer in this affair is the walk through pace at times when they move spot to spot at times. It’s a nitpick, mostly of Malenko who is to obviously trying to be a base for moves at moments.

Killer finish as Mysterio goes for his springboard rana (finisher), Malenko catches for the powerbomb, he goes for his Texas Cloverleaf submission (finisher), and Rey twists for a cool roll up in 4:40. To short to really over rate it, but a fun little match. Rey was so good in ’95-’98, these Nitro matches are like 5 minute gifts from wrestling Gods. 3 and 6/10.