This volume of The Suicida Slate is done in the memory of Hijo del Perro Aguayo. You will be missed by not just the guy writing this column but by countless other fans who you have touched through the years.

Perro Aguayo Jr. vs. El Dandy December 14, 2003 (Lucha Libre Azteca de Nuevo Leon): One of the most underrated Lucha stars steps into the ring with a young Perro who was coming into his prime. Perro makes Dandy look like a million bucks and all Dandy does is arm wringers and submissions while being a wily veteran. Perro is fantastic here, selling the agony from all of Dandy’s torturous stretches. I also love how Perro is disgusted by Dandy’s second interfering in the match and complains to the fans who just shrug, he was so far advanced of his peers. La Lanza (running double foot stomp) captures the 2nd fall for Perro and he looks to have Dandy on the ropes but Dandy still has a surprise or 2 up his sleeve. We get near falls down the stretch and they exchange submissions that have a real sense of struggle. Dandy almost pulls off an inside cradle but Perro kicks out only to run into a vicious piledriver. In the end Perro is too ambitious for his own good and Dandy gets La Magistral to win this round and teach the young punk a lesson. This showed Dandy still had plenty to offer Lucha Libre even though he had slowed down exponentially and Perro was a young force to be reckoned with which would be true for the next 10 years. ****

El Hijo del Santo vs. Perro Aguayo Jr. August 13, 2004 (CMLL): You want to know how to have hot feuds? Aguayo Jr. told El Hijo del Santo that Perro Aguayo was more of a legend than El Santo and we have heat baby! Perro goes after Santo like a wild dog slamming him into chairs, the ring post and having his way with him. Perro wastes no time in getting the 1st fall after a Falcon Arrow and La Lanza and Santo is barely in the match at this point. Santo retaliates with 2 high knee lifts and throws Perro right into the corner and finally puts Perro away with a Camel Clutch that Iron Sheik would be proud of to get the 2nd fall. The fans are blowing the roof off the building, they are ridiculously smoldering volcanic hot for all of this. Santo gets his offense rolling and hits a dive to the outside onto Perro and we get a tease that Perro may tap out to the Cavernaria. They are exhausted and any kind of move takes everything out of them. Santo with the dropkick that sends Perro to the floor and we get an amazing tope suicida from Santo that collapses Perro over the front row. Negro Casas and Hector Garza have to pull them apart as they are brutalizing each other in the crowd and we end up with a double count out. There are matches that transport you to a time and place. This is one of them as all the pieces of a classic match fell into place and anyone lucky enough to be in Arena Mexico that night is someone I’m jealous of. ****3/4

https://youtu.be/jls_cS8GRQY

Perro Aguayo Jr. vs. El Hijo del Santo August 26, 2006 (CMLL): Perros Del Mal mania was running wild and Perro was on top of the world, his swagger and aura had unlimited presence. It also helps that he was going up against one of the best tecnicos of all time in El Hijo del Santo and that they had a classic match in 2004. Perro absolutely decimates Santo throughout and finishes him off with La Lanza to get the 1st fall. Did the same hot crowd from 2004 somehow get informed that this match would be taking place in 2006? Santo is great at linking moves together with purpose as he gets headscissor submissions, flying headbutt and a submission I can’t even describe to pick up the 2nd fall. Basement dropkick and a seated senton to the outside open up the 3rd fall for Perro and then he starts untying the mask of Santo, how dare you Perrito! Santo with another huge dive to the outside on Perro and he still cannot put Perro away with an inside cradle. We get some near falls and I cannot get over how smooth and aggressive Santo is with his dives. Perro with La Magistral and his feet on the ropes still does not put away Santo and Perro gets so upset that he goes after Santo’s mask and the ref ends up getting dropkicked by Perro. Perro does yank off Santo’s mask and gets the pin but while the ref is recuperating, Santo employs a rudo trick and lands a foul on Perro and ends up winning the 3rd fall. The hate was still there as Santo even stood on top of his fallen rival after the match was over. These 2 had chemistry that was second to none and both knew their roles like the back of their hand. As good as 2004? No but even a good match between Perro Jr. and El Hijo Del Santo is better than most. ****1/2

Dos Caras Jr., Dr. Wagner Jr. & Mistico vs. Damian 666, Perro Aguayo Jr. & Hector Garza April 15, 2006 (CMLL): You gotta love how Hector Garza kisses the hand of Mistico and Perro slaps him around to just say come on man we are rudos, what are you doing? Perro was also great at elevating veteran talent as he knew when to give and when to take. There is a funny moment when Perros Del Mal try to stand united atop the ring post but Perro falls and blames it on Garza and it can also be noted how great Mistico was at taking bumps in this match. Perros Del Mal pick up the 1st fall quite easily and in between kick a mini luchador in the face, truly the work of heartless rudos. The tecnicos crack open the match with a pair of dives from Mistico and Dr. Wagner Jr. and then Caras Jr. gets a military press into a modified Falcon Arrow to pick up the 2nd fall. While celebrating the victory the tecnicos form a human totem pole which is quite impressive and a great visual. Mistico does get another tope suicida and then we come down to Caras Jr. and Garza and he singlehandedly takes out all 3 members of Perros Del Mal. In the end Mistico and Dr. Wagner Jr. simultaneously get the victory over Perro and Garza with a Wagner bomb and an inside cradle. This match was all about chemistry, not just between the tecnicos or rudos but the pairings and it showed why CMLL was doing bang up business in 2006. Great talent far and wide-Perro and Mistico just so happened to be at the top of the card and I was quite content. ****1/4

Perro Aguayo Jr. vs. Hector Garza Hair vs. Hair March 21, 2008 (CMLL): They start wailing on each other to start the match but Perro gets the better of it and unleashes a flurry of offense to batter Garza. Perro uncorks 2 backdrop drivers and hits La Lanza to pick up the 1st fall and it seems Garza is hopelessly outmatched. Perro has Garza on the ropes with chops until Garza gets a flying clothesline, military press power slam and a standing moonsault to get the 2nd fall. Now it is time for the meatiest fall of them all the 3rd fall-tercera caida!!! Near falls, chemistry and some unbelievable back and forth between friends who are now rivals. Garza tries to dive onto Perro but ends up wiping out El Terrible and Perro seems to be in control until Garza nails the same combo that ended the 2nd fall but Perro kicks out. La Lanza but Garza kicks out and both men are attempting to gain the victory at any cost. The fans are uproarious with their love for Perro! Perro! Perro! Garza goes for one last desperation dive from the top and hits nothing but empty canvas and then we trade La Magistrals for near falls and the fans are exploding. Garza rolls through a moonsault, hits a pair of arm drags and a kick to the face only to get distracted by El Terrible and then Perro sneaks in the foul to win the 3rd fall. Some may hate that finish but Perro is a rudo and he is just living the dream. These fans are crying for their hero Hector Garza and voicing their approval of Perro Aguayo Jr., it truly is an amazing scene. 2 wrestlers who made this look seamless and effortless without blood or weapons plus tons of heart and passion from their beloved fans. It truly is everything you could ask for when it comes to hair vs. hair matches between rivals in Lucha Libre. ****1/2