AAA When Worlds Collide 1994 (Retro Review)

Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, humanoids of all ages, welcome back to Rest Hold Party! I am your Local Hero, your Review Guy himself, Cameron McDonley and I am here for what should be a very special review this evening as I review one of the greatest and most historic shows in all of Professional Wrestling history. As you see in the title, I will be reviewing AAA's When Worlds Collide event, which was live from the sold out LA Sports Arena on November 6, 1994. Two huge main event matches, plus other matches of historical significance on this show so without further ado, let's get straight to the action!

The show kicks off in a very unusual way compared to other promotions' pay per views at that time, as Mascarita Sagrada teams up with Octagoncito against current world minis champion at that time period Espectrito and his partner Jerrito Estrada. From an casual wrestling fan's standpoint watching this PPV, most of them had to have been thinking that this match was gonna have some comedy in it and would be more of a fun, light-hearted affair compared to the other matches on this show, but this match was nothing but, as all 4 wrestlers delivered on this night to kick off the PPV. Very high flying as commonplace in Lucha Libre, but also hard-hitting and very competitive. Sagrada was very impressive as always in this match, as he showed off his athleticism as well as his wherewithal to look very fluid inside the ring with his movements as well as his very solid-looking arm drags. This was indeed a very interesting way to kick off the show, nevertheless a very good match.

Match Rating: 3/5

The next match was a very notable one, as we would see a very young Rey Mysterio Jr, Heavy Metal and Latin Lover face Fuerza Guerrera, Madonna's Boyfriend and another incredibly young, up-and-coming luchador in Psicosis. As you would expect from the competitors involved, it was a solid match for sure. It started off with Psicosis and his team attacking the Technicos (faces) from behind, turning this athletic competition into a battle for respect. Mysterio would take some very serious bumps in this contest, as he would be lifted overhead and thrown into the crowd and also suplexed onto the floor by Madonna's boyfriend. Heavy Metal would take a beating as well, being ganged up on by the Rudos (heels) numerous times over the course of this match. There was also a pretty devastating spot in which Rey would hit a senton to the outside on Madonna's Boyfriend who was laying down on the outside. All of Rey's body would land square on the head of Louie Spicolli. Ouch!

There was also a part where Latin Lover would have a staredown with Madonna's Boyfriend who were about the same size as each other before they would lock horns and trade moves for a good 5 minutes. Seemed to me like there was a definite teaser for a match or feud between those two down the line, and although I have admittedly not seen much of AAA from that time period, a match between those two probably ended up happening at some point. After the conclusion of the match, the Rudos would retain their focus on Heavy Metal, proceeding to attack him in order to infuriate the audience, as their unfortunate victim's father was one of the officials for this match. Overall a very good showing from all six men.

Match rating: 3/5 

Our next matchup was the second and last six-man tag team match of the night, as Chris Benoit, 2 Cold Scorpio and the legendary Tito Santana go up against Jerry Estrada, La Parka and Blue Panther. This match was another one that was highly competitive, as all six wrestlers were able to show their strengths in this one. Other than this GIF worthy moment above this text, this match had very notable spots involving Chris Benoit, as he suplexed Blue Panther on the apron, hit a German Suplex with a bridge on La Parka and had a nasty spot when he jumped off the top for a flying headbutt attempt, missed the target and landed square on the top of his head. I can only imagine the pain that must've caused, considering his now infamous history of concussions.

2 Cold Scorpio looked great here as well, having a bit of an exchange between himself and La Parka for a good duration of the match. Tito Santana surprisingly had a great outing here, as it seems he adapted to the Lucha Libre style very quickly. He didn't come off looking bad at all here, rather pretty great. Really makes me wonder why he never had a lengthy run in either AAA or their rival promotion CMLL, I feel he could've done exceptionally well. Overall another very solid battle on this fine show.

Match Rating: 3/5

Now this may be a very, and I mean a VERY bold statement to make, but this match might just be the best wrestling match of the entire 90s. Now before you come at me with pitchforks ready to riot just like this LA crowd did, let me just tell you who is all involved in this match:

You have the team of Los Gringos Locos, which had the two best wrestlers in the world at that time in Eddie Guerrero and "Love Machine" Art Barr in one corner, and in the other corner you have two legendary luchadors, the team of Octagon and El Hijo Del Santo. One of those men is one of the most respected wrestlers in Mexico and the other is the son of the iconic El Santo. Now tell me this match isn't going to be great!

Anyway, this match was the only one out of the entire night to be the traditional two out of three falls and had a stipulation, a Lucha De Apuestas so to speak, as it was a Hair vs Mask match. With that said, imagine this passionate crowd witnessing a match like this. Every time a single move or near fall took place, the crowd either raged immensely at the thought of seeing their heroes unmasked or the delight of seeing the heels having their hair cut off with a pair of shears.

Drama was incredibly high throughout the contest, but it reached a fever pitch late in the third fall of the match as Eddie would distract the referee and Art Barr would pick up Octagon for one of the most devastating Tombstone Piledrivers I have ever seen. The crowd was in a frenzy with heat coming towards the direction of the AAA World Tag Team Champions, as Octagon would be shortly eliminated from the match, leaving El Hijo Del Santo alone with these dastardly villains. The near falls became more and more frantic towards the end, as this raucous LA crowd were on their feet in anticipation for Del Santo finally getting revenge on Eddie for unmasking himself and betraying him in Arena Mexico just short of a year before this. And that he did, as he ended up putting both Eddie and Art in a school-boy, pinning both of them with their shoulders on the mat for the three count and being able to wear his mask for another 20+ years. Not to mention Blue Panther reciprocating that Tombstone Piledriver on Art while the referee's back was turned.
Overall easily the best match of that entire decade.

Match Rating: 5/5

While the last match was notable for many reasons, this one was notable for many different other reasons. Main reason being the things that took place in this match. Billed as a Steel Cage match in the "biggest steel cage ever", longtime rivals Konnan and Perro Aguayo would take all the hype heading into this match and certainly live up to it. Seeing this for the second time I can safely say two things: One, this is the second best match of the entire PPV, Two this might be just the bloodiest, most goriest match I've ever seen in a wrestling ring that wasn't in Japan.

These two mainly brawled for most of the match, going everywhere around the cage from pillar to post with seething rage and radiating anger. However the tone of the match completely changed when Aguayo charged towards Konnan with speed ready to take him down with a clothesline when Konnan picked him up and launched him headfirst into the beam holding the cage together. Just as that happened, Aguayo's head looked like a red Fruit Gusher. Also I heard Dank Memes Melt Steel Beams, but that's a myth, apparently Konnan does. :)

Anyway, from then on the match was all Konnan for the next 20 minutes and continued that way when Art and Eddie came out and passed brass knuckles to the already smug and confident Konnan. However, fortunes changed for Aguayo when Los Dynamite Brothers chased off Los Gringos Locos and Cien Caras punched Konnan off the cage as he was escaping, allowing Perro Aguayo to climb over the top for the win. Overall a very good main event to end the show.

Match Rating: 4/5

Overall Show Rating: 4.5/5 

After reviewing one of the most fun shows I've ever had the pleasure of viewing, I can safely say that this was one of the best PPV's of all time, with easily the best match of the entire 90s as it's co-main event. To all who haven't yet seen this show, I urge you to as soon as possible, it's a masterpiece of a show.

Anyway that should do it for this review! Until next time, this is your Local Hero and your Review Guy known as Cameron McDonley saying goodbye everybody!