#114: Atlantis vs. Villano III, CMLL Homenaje a Dos Leyendas 2000 Juicio Final (3/17/2000).
This is a Mask vs. Mask Match. The loser must unmask, and shall be banned from ever donning it again.
This is one of the most famous matches in the history of Lucha Libre, and is considered by many to be a benchmark in the genre that hasn't been surpassed or matched since.
Villano III is a legendary figure in Mexican wrestling, having been a mainstay in the scene since the 1970s. One of three siblings, he opted to stay in Mexico and not seek international success like his brothers. He searched for pride, honor and respect. By this point, he had earned all of that by competing in Apuesta Matches, or matches with a wager - mostly a mask. He was 58-0 in these kinds of matches.
Standing across from him on this night is his newest rival, the man known as Atlantis. He was in the prime of his career, and both men had battled often throughout Mexico. They beat each other in tag team matches, and trios matches. Now, the time had come to put a stamp on the feud once and for all, and there was only one way to do it: Mask vs. Mask, the ultimate wager in Lucha Libre.
For losing your mask in Mexico means you have become nothing.
The match begins, and the crowd is white hot for this. Both wrestlers are having trouble hiding their excitement. Arena Mexico is packed to the rafters for this one. Both men circle, looking for that first opening. Atlantis takes control of the back, and then Villano does the same. They transition around each other, before breaking off. Atlantis hammerlocks the arm on the mat, and Villano flips out of it and kicks Atlantis in the face.
Atlantis with a hip toss right into an arm lock. Villano tries to kick himself up, but Atlantis quickly snap mares him back to the mat. Villano with a head scissors, and now he tightens the grip around Atlantis’ head. Atlantis flips his head out of that hold, and we are back to a stalemate. Villano is egging Atlantis on for more. Villano extends the arm, and stretches it as far as it will go. Atlantis touches the rope and gets the hold broken. Atlantis shoves Villano, who responds by punching him to the mat. Now Villano tries to rip Atlantis’ mask off! What a heel.
Huge gap in the mask now, as the fans boo this act. Villano clotheslines Atlantis to the outside, then hits a Tope onto his prone body. Looks like Atlantis got busted open on the way down. A doctor comes to ringside to attend to Atlantis. The replay shows that the two made head contact during the Tope. Villano is busted open too! In the ring, Villano hits Atlantis with a knee to the face and a headbutt. Atlantis fights back with strikes to the midsection, then brings Villano into the ring from the apron with a suplex, which Villano counters into a small package for a close 2 count.
Villano pushes Atlantis back to the floor, and eggs him on more. Atlantis with a sunset flip roll up from the apron gets a 2 count. Villano sends Atlantis to the turnbuckle and kicks him stiff in the chest. Villano with a surfboard submission, as he digs his foot into the spine of Atlantis! Villano with the Camel Clutch next, as he also tries to wipe the blood from his eyes. Atlantis forces Villano off of his back to break the submission.
Atlantis ties the legs up and stretches Villano’s whole body across his knees. Villano escape and does a nonchalant pin on Atlantis for 2. A backslide also gets him a nearfall. Villano locks in the abdominal stretch next, as the crowd are losing their minds. Atlantis tries to escape, and Villano turns it into a roll up for 2. Villano applies the Muta Lock next. Villano sends Atlantis to the apron. He elbows Villano, then comes off the top rope with a crossbody, and Villano rolls through into a pin for a close 2 count.
Atlantis with a standing West Coast Pop for a 2 count. Atlantis dropkicks Villano in the chest, sending him to the outside. He baseball slides Villano, then scales the top rope. Another crossbody – or plancha – from Atlantis that drops both men on the floor. They return to the ring, and Atlantis makes the cover. Villano somehow is able to kick out. Villano is right back to his feet, and he traps Atlantis in the Octopus Lock! Atlantis escapes and locks in the Numero Dos, but Villano quickly escapes, and now...I don’t even know how to describe this. Atlantis has Villano’s arms locked behind his legs, and Villano’s legs are in Atlantis’ arms?
Villano rolls through, and gets a sunset flip roll up for a close 2 count. He looked frustrated off that one. Atlantis with a hurricanrana, but Villano rolls through again into a pin, and Atlantis kicks out. Atlantis has Villano upside down on his back, cranking away at his legs. Villano uses his upper body to stand himself, and roll Atlantis up again for a nearfall. Clothesline by Villano, followed by a leg drop that puts Hulk Hogan to shame. A standing senton follows, and Villano looks to put another submission on Atlantis, but he’s able to counter it into a roll up for 2. They both briefly stand across the ring from one another, eye to eye. Villano rushes Atlantis, who catches him with La Atlantida, the reverse torture rack! The crowd goes wild! Villano rakes the eye of the open mask to escape. Big lariat to the back of the head by Villano. Atlantis’ mask is soaked in blood. You can’t even see the blue and white anymore. Atlantis ducks a clothesline and dropkicks Villano in the back.
Villano rushes Atlantis again, and he’s caught in La Atlantida again! This time, it’s too much to handle, and Villano submits! Atlantis saves his blood soaked mask, while Villano must lose his. Post match, there’s a nice ceremony for Villano’s unmasking, and the crowd is very respectful for all of this. Villano just looks like a dad, which is kind of wholesome. He and Atlantis show major respect for one another.
My knowledge of Lucha Libre is very limited, but with matches like this, I definitely want to seek it out more! This was almost the Lucha equivalent of a Ric Flair/Ricky Steamboat match. These two didn’t do many fancy high spots, and what they did do was very basic. But because they are two fantastic workers, they made everything count, and wasted no motions. Everything done here mattered, and that’s because there was so much at stake. Losing your mask in Mexico is no different than shaming yourself anywhere else in the world. You won’t be the same again, and it’s considered the ultimate humiliation.
Both men wrestled with the knowledge that if they lost, their careers would be altered for the remainder of it. But, unlike a lot of modern pro wrestling, they didn’t need to rely on theatrics, or crazy death defying moments, or hooplah. These two wrestled, pure and simple. It was a battle of wits, a battle to see who was the better man. Villano was the crafty veteran, always having an answer for any offense thrown his way. Atlantis was the man in his prime, giving explosive offense to Villano to try and keep him slowed down.
The crowd helped this a ton. They were hot for every single thing that happened, and you can tell from the various shots of individual members of the audience that this match meant a lot to them. Many sat in bewilderment, in shock, and some were even in tears. One of their favorites was about to lose their identity. That kind of weight adds a lot to a match, and here, CMLL executed it to near perfection.