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Lucha is wildly over-rated just ftr. If I had to rate each style in the world it would come in under Memphis 101. For the record dont expect some big debate from out of this as EVERY BIT of it is personal preference. You can't really be wrong or right in these matters. also want to note I wasn't watching the WWF too much at this point as it had grown VERY stale for me. But I will say HBM was almost the only thing redeemable about the product at that point.
Anywho:
Rey- Why isn't he in the WCW/ECW category here? He spent more time in 96 working there, At the time Mysterio was making waves in a big way, bringing a style not many had seen at that point in the states. But since I had, I wasn't caught up in cruiser-fever. Rey went out and does what he always did, run spots. Sorry not impressed. Rey has never, and will never, be only the level of an HBM/Bret Hart/Dragon/etc. He doesn't have the mind for it, but to be fair, Lucha doesn't require thinking, just a good memory.
Protip: Funniest thing in the world is watching a multi-man lucha match and one of the guys forgets the next part of the spot, you'll see 6 guys standing around having no clue what to do. It's awesome.
-Psicosis: Again, spent over half of the year in the states as a curtain jerker. Actually one of my favorite Luchas. Watching him wrestle Rey was extremely enjoyable seeing him play up his (despite the fact he isn't a large man) is something that's always fun. And you have to admit the he and Rey were drawing pretty big at the time. But better workers than HBM? Not by a mile. HBM could've drawn in Mexico in 96. (To be fair the WWF brand could have, but the point is he would have be hailed as a top tier star.) Could Psicosis come here and do that? No. When you add the fact his matches had psychology it's a no brainier who I'm going to side with.
- Dandy anything after Satanico vs. El Dandy hair vs. hair in 92 wasn't worth two shits. Sorry, that was the end of prime if you ask me.
- Juventud Guerrera again spent half of the year in WCW. They need their own bracket. You have throw a shout out to the Rey/Juvi matches that year (I've heard people claim the match between them in Tiawanna of that year was one of the greatest of all time. I hunted it down probably 6 months ago and wasn't THAT impressed. Way over hyped) and his title win over El Hijo del Santo, which was probably the biggest win of his career and a good match (great for the style.) But comparing him to HBM? HBM was carrying people to good matches at that point. Juvi couldn't carry someone to save his life. And for that HBM will always be > Juvi.
- Fuerza Guerrera he spent like what? Half that decade tagging in trios? Hard to compare a tag guy to a singles guy. At least for me.
- Blue Panther- Pretty sure he was running his won company in 96...cant remember the name of it for the life of me. But I'm VERY sure he didn't go back to triple A until 97 after their rosters had been raided by WCW. And there wasn't anything memorable from that promotion. Which is why it failed so quickly. The Mexicans didn't even like it.
- Apollo Dantes- he was in a downward slump in 96 as well. HBM was on the top of his game (well, until his come back I suppose.)
- Silver King- Another guy who was tagging in 96, hard for me to make a comparison to a tag guy.
- Felino- I can't remember him doing anything of note in 96. Now I remember his run in NJPW but I'm pretty sure that was 98. SO I know he was in CMLL. SO that probably means he too was tagging with Either Blue Panther or Olympico. But still not on HBMs level.
- Bestia Salvaje he's only on this list due to his recent death. It's laughable that he would even be mentioned and belongs on the maybes. And the only reason he isn't is becuase he's foreign and less people would complain.
- Atlantis- he was tagging, I have an automatic disposition to view singles guys as superior to tags. It's a thing.
- Volador- please tell me what qualifies him to even be considered.
- Lizmark see Atlantis AND Volador.
- Dos Caras- 96 was so far past his prime it's stupid to put him on here. He was having classics in 96 the same way Hogan was.
- Cicloncito Ramirez- Damiancito El Guerrero- Bunching these two together cause if you had asked this same question about 1997 these two would be a yes for obvious reasons. You didn't and they weren't.
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Just for the record I'm not a fan of Lucha. I think it's some of the worst wrestling you'll find this side of Jack Evens (conversely I think if you remove Lucha I wouldn't have to deal with the Jack Evans' of the world [so fuck you Lucha]) I think it's shit. I'll take the hardcore style over Lucha, it's not for me. So if you ask me if a bunch of Lucha guys were better than HBK in 96? Hell. no.
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