Video link to the match over at Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU2bD3X9bOk



Cagematch page for this match/event.

Who’s Who?

Atlantis

Atlantis made his debut in 1983. He hit the ground running winning his first mask at a EMLL Anniversary the year after in September of 1984. Atlantis had held 11 titles by this point in his career and won many masks, but we’ll go more into masks in a little bit. Atlantis is fairly akin to CMLL’s Undertaker or Sting like worker. A guy who never left the company even despite most people leaving in the 1990′s for AAA when that opened and was the hot new place to work.

Atlantis is also the picturesque babyface/tecnico. He has even been called el ídolo de los niños(The idol of the children) with him being a superhero like figure who did no wrong. While he was very respected and a big star for CMLL by the year 2000, I wouldn’t say at this point that he had quite reached the legendary status he has now in 2018 and the twilight years of his career. While by 2000 he already had a 17 year career plenty of masks and titles under his belt.

It should also be noted that Atlantis didn’t have family ties to get into lucha or at least any big ties. Think he became sorta son in law to Satanico when his brother who wrestled briefly as Atlantico married Satanico’s daughter. That might have helped him a little bit, but you’d think if someone was going to curry favor for anyone it would have been for Atlantico.

Atlantis had been CMLL World Light Heavyweight title before he lost the title to Villano III in early 2000 which was the catalyst for this feud. Despite both working in Mexico for the last almost 20 at this point, they didn’t meet in 1 on 1 competition until 1999 when Villano came to CMLL. While the first time they worked a match together was being on the same team in UWA way back in 1985. These years and records coming from Cagematch.com and with Mexico they may have teamed/worked together even earlier. Since UWA records are far from complete, even CMLL records of the time aren’t complete.



Villano III

Making his debut in 1970 Villano III was born into Lucha. His father being old school… way old school talent Ray Mendoza. Who was an important figure during lucha’s golden age of the 50′s and 60′s.

Despite starting in 1970, Villano III’s career didn’t really take off until his father’s promotion took off. That promotion being UWA(Universal Wrestling Association) which launched in 1975. Villano III hit the ground running in that promotion when at the tail end of 1975 he became the UWA World Welterweight Championship which would be his first title as far as I know, but district/local/indie titles of mexico aren’t very well documented in online even today, even more so for titles of that value 40 years ago.

Over the next 20 years the UWA promotion would be open. Villano III was one of the most decorated stars of the promotion. Being the obvious main eventer of the 5 Villano brothers, being trained by his older brothers Villano I & II. He would hold various team titles too with brothers IV and V, but never with I or II. Both of whom sadly passed away young. Villano II in 1989 killed himself at the age of 39 while Villano I passed away after his health took a turn for the worse after surgery in 2001 when he was 50. While the other 3 Villanos III, IV & V are still all very much alive.

This might be the peak of Villanos, although about 8 years later Villano V would have a good last run in CMLL as well. There is also Los Villanos unmasking all 3 Los Brazos in one fell swoop in the late 1980′s. Which was a big moment and probably the most important team unmasking in lucha history. Since both trios of brothers were a big deal at the time and 3 on 3 lucha de apuestas are fairly rare occurrence even if mask vs mask and trios matches are both very popular.

Much like yesterday’s match this is considered a Lucha classic, getting a 4.75 from Meltzer and also being called GOAT by Lucha Wiki on their list of the greatest lucha matches of all time.



With the main story being Villano III the now defunct UWA Posterboy vs Atlantis the company this is happening in CMLL Posterboy. Could Atlantis beat the invader who had been wrestling in CMLL over 1999 coming in from his short stint in AAA to be one of the most valuable masks in that company. He had taken Atlantis’ title, but could he also capture his mask?

How is the match?



Great, it’s hard to say things about this match that haven’t been said elsewhere. while I think Wagner/Solatario was lucha libre defined as was Felino/Ciclon Ramirez this match helped kick off the 2000′s with a lucha libre match that set a bar for other mask vs mask matches to match. Some might say that it hasn’t been match yet. I don’t know it I would go that far, but it’s hard to make something as electric as this was. Arena Mexico packed to the gills with an estimated 20,000 fans with two iconic guys with nearly 50 years of shared experience between them.

The early dive by Villano III sees his head clash with Atlantis’ own and both men take quite a while to get back in the ring and continue the contest. Earlier Villano had already torn the mask of Atlantis and taken his time breaking a hold in the ring. So things had already heated up before heads clashed and blood boiled out of veins and all over the chest and mask of Atlantis.

Despite both men feeling the effects of the dive neither stops or tries to take things easy. When getting back in the ring you see Villano knee and headbutt Atlantis while on the apron before Atlantis suplexes him into the ring so the two can get back trying to end each other.

At Lucha Libre’s core and to go a step further wrestling in general’s core is a drama told within the ring… sometimes comedy, but for main event matches and mask vs mask matches normally drama and the drama here is one of the most well told ones in the sports history. The old rudo in his bright pink beating down the posterboy of the company his father worked back in the 1950′s and 1960′s.

Villano III trying to prove that UWA was every bit as good or better than CMLL and their horse Atlantis. Making him bleed in front of the packed house. This would be the swan song for a great career that cemented it in the history books. A cry that UWA was here, that the Mendoza family was here and most importantly Villano III was here. A gladiator who gave his body to the drama and sport that is Lucha Libre. One of the greatest matches to ever happen.

I’d highly recommend checking out JR Goldbergs writeup on the match. He does lots of great lucha write-ups for Voices of Wrestling. I’d also recommend following him on twitter. I know I do! @wrestlingbubble you can follow me too @lostinyourears