A blog that used to be about things

Thursday, January 4, 2018

2017 MOTY Countdown: #15 Lucha Brothers vs. Besties in the World

There is an idea, which I agree with, that people will rate matches higher when they are in attendance (or sometimes this is even extended to watching an event on live TV). I don't think this is a valid criticism of a match, though. While I have rolled my eyes during more "this is awesome" chants than I have participated in, I don't think that saying you liked a match more because you were in attendance is anything but a legitimate point. Wrestling is done for the live audience (well, mostly). If a match gets a reaction out of the live audience that it did not get out of the video audience, it still worked (again, mostly). Knowing what the audience wants/playing to the audience is a skill, not a criticism., similar to working different match styles/paces based on your position on the card. A well booked show will have just as much of a good rythm as a good match.

The point of all of this rambling about live performances is that I was in attendance for this match and am very aware that being in attendance live is probably why this is the only Top 20 MOTY list you will see this match on, but I don't care cuz this is match is fun as hell. Fenix and Penta 0M have shown that they are as good as anybody at the fast-paced, spot-oriented US indie style with their matches in PWG specifically, but The Besties often work a bit slower, more traditional tag team style that builds to a hot tag. This match combined both, with all 4 men running in and out of the ring. The story is pretty a straightforward answer to a legitimate question: The Lucha Brothers are awesome so can The Besties hang with them? Reader, they tried. Lots of intricate spots and reversals and just an excellent example of the fast-paced style which was able to snoothly work in trademark spots. One thing (wrestling) logically led to another until finally one team was able to keep the other down, satiating the live crowd, Author included. Would this get over in a crowd not as invested in The Besties? Not likely, but working the best possible match for this crowd is worth something.

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