El Satanico Catches Pirata Morgan Between Two Worlds

Sometimes being yourself means being the meanest bastard there is.

The nerds and sickos know: El Satanico is one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. Simple as that. There’s a good chance that if you’re subscribed to this kind of newsletter, you’re probably on the nerdier side of the spectrum that already ascribes to this particular idea. If, however, you’re unfamiliar with the charms of one of the best wrestlers Mexico’s every produced, this is an ideal little entry point for what he brings to the table.

Here, we get Satanico against a former partner. He and Pirata Morgan teamed for much of the late 80s and early 90s in the Los Infernales trio alongside MS-1. I couldn’t tell you exactly what led them to this point that they’re now fighting to win each other’s hair, but it does speak to the kind of history these two have between them.

The first fall of this match is basically all El Satanico, and for that reason it’s probably the best of the three as well. Satanico doesn’t wait for the bell and is already attacking and mauling Pirata. He unloads a series of perhaps his most famous offensive maneuver: the punch. Boy, are these beauties that Satanico’s throwing. They’re not the big wild swings of a Perro Aguayo, but they’re these much meaner short jabs that still look vicious as hell. It’s a neat little distinction between the two styles of punch actually, Satanico’s approach suits his rudo character far better. He’s not punching like a big hero wiping out evil, he’s jabbing with a precise malice.

It’s the fact that Satanico gets his whole body into the act too. It’s not a cartoonish, big wind up, but you can see him rear back to focus that energy right where he’s aiming. Even on the brief occasions that you catch his fist whiffing, he puts so much damn commitment behind each blow that you let yourself get worked by it anyway.

It helps too that Pirata gets the blade out real early in this. The wound gives Satanico a nice target, and also put a lot more threat behind each punch. As with any great rudo of this time, Satanico’s not content to just throw hands but gets right in there to bite at the wound too. Even when he’s got Pirata in a chinlock down on the mat, Satanico keeps grinding his teeth into the skin. He’s so persistent with it that after celebrating winning the first fall, you can still see the blood stain Satanico’s mouth. Fuck yes.

AAA

Pirata Morgan’s strategy in this match seems to be more about using speed and technique to try to overwhelm Satanico. In the first fall, when he’s finally able to create enough space, he uses it get the two to start running the ropes while attempting submission holds and pinning combinations. He’s a little too beatdown in the first fall to make it work, but he’s able to build enough steam in the second fall to get Satanico into a figure four for the submission win.

I’m a fan of Pirata and I enjoy him a lot more when he’s working as a rudo. Cast in the tecnico position here, I don’t think he has quite the fiery righteousness of other contemporary Satanico opponents. It feels like a bit of a compromise here, using the more tecnico-style rope running and grappling to try and get the better of Satanico and only later on finding the more the violent stylings that made him a successful rudo.

It’s fair to perhaps read this as a character and strategic failing on Pirata’s part. He loses this match, and it’s possible that his compromising between a tecnico he aspires to be and the rudo he spent much of his time as might have cost him in that regard. I will say that it does put a little bit of ceiling on this. Something more aggressive on Pirata’s part and more violent could have really kicked this into the next gear.

That being said, they still do some beautiful stuff together. Satanico especially knows how to make the most of the tiniest moments. When Pirata attempts that figure four again, watch how Satanico punches at Pirata’s ribs and midsection to try to prevent him from sinking it in. Satanico wrestles like a cornered animal at all time, rabid and wild, and I love that.

It’s not the most violent apuesta you’re bound to see, but as a first dip in the pool, it’s well worth the time.

Rating: ****1/4