Train wrecks, car crashes call them what you will but these matches that fall between raw and sloppy entertain me immensely. One such bout is L.A Park vs. MASADA at Lucha Libre Boom’s Hardcoreween from November 2016.
It’s the Train Wreck Theater where we look spotty matches or hardcore matches—bouts that tend to fall under “car crashes” or “train wrecks” and see if they’re mild and over maligned or if they’re truly as awful as people say.
Now this bout was never really maligned but seeing a ton of brawls, hardcore matches, and deathmatches from both men, I can say that they get wild and unruly. Is this match “Safe for Viewing”, “Cause for Concern”, or “Unsafe for Viewing”?
Yes, it’s a rarity in wrestling reviewing where getting a low score is actually good. Let’s dive in!
Tale of the Tape: L.A Park vs. MASADA
Most wrestling fans would know of L.A Park whether it was as OG La Parka in WCW and AAA or while tagging with his sons in MLW, AAA, and elsewhere. His main stomping grounds are Florida and Mexico.
MASADA is a different case. He’s an icon in modern death matches having competed in them in the U.S, Japan, Canada, Germany, and Mexico. If there’s a brawl, MASADA will be there but his native Texas is his main stomping grounds at the moment.
L.A Park has done deathmatches but he usually does brawls and hardcore matches.
The Extreme Match
I want into this match expecting a mostly straight-up brawl. There might be some weapon spots here and there but it wasn’t going to be overly violent or anything—not that it’s a problem, I love deathmatches.
This bout had your light tube blasts and chair shots but the flow of the match was awkward for the most part. I don’t know what the hell was going on when they brawled into the crowd.
When they went over the rail I got stoked because I love a brawl in the crowd, folks. It’s great for those in the general area and for those watching on TV but blows for everyone else.
It’s like WCW putting the Tower of Doom Cage near the entrance. No one can really see anything but in the case of a match featuring a hardcore, rowdy crowd it doesn’t matter much. You could say that it comes with the show.
The match was leaned towards a brawl than a hardcore match, it was a direction both guys are very comfortable with but there were times when things were a bit sloppy.
Not so much moves but just…navigating the arena. There were times when they just clumsily made their way around the outside. The clumsiness in the ring seemed more because of miscommunication at times when doing stuff beyond brawling.
There was a chair spot where L.A Park just kept taking chairs from the fans to set them up in the corner. This set up a short ducking counter exchange before L.A Park GORES MASADA through them and into the corner!
It looked dangerous as hell not because of the chair but the turnbuckles and ropes that the back of MASADA’s head appeared to hit.
Train Wreck Theater Verdict: Safe for Viewing (3.5/10)
As a match, I enjoyed this one. I’d probably put it in the Mid-Tier between 5.5 and 6 if I was reviewing it as part of an entire show.
The pacing was an issue as well as general clumsiness however, this wasn’t a match that was utterly in shambles or anything. It was an above-average hardcore match.
Far from a deathmatch but rawer than extreme rules matches in larger companies.
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