A full hour! Imagine that.
As I note in the recap, this was Warrior’s first (TV) match without the mask, and this is the first time I’ve seen Pantera wrestle without the mask. You could not give more opposite impressions – Warrior has an aura, Pantera is just a guy in cat pants.
Pantera seemed like as good worker as always, but it loses something when he just looks like a guy off the street. He didn’t communicate with his facial expressions; he seemed the same as he would if he was doing this in an empty arena as a training exercise.
Warrior did a great job of adapting to his new set up right away – he had the hair style planned, and he’s been working hard on tinkering and adjusting his look. As I write this, we’re about 9 months out from when he lost his mask, and he’s stopped fighting Mistico every show (though there’s still a lot of that), yet he still seems at that same star level (or the segunda on Dos Leyendas wouldn’t have been a big surprise). I think figuring out a unique star look has played a big part in his success. He deserves credit for seizing on his opportunity.
Opener was fun – Sangre, Virus, and pants ripping can do that. Main event would’ve been remembered fonder if it was seen before the three straight months of matches with similar finishes, instead of after. We’ve had enough of a break from it, I’m no longer immediately tuning out when Warrior and Mistico are in the same ring, so that’s progress.
There will be no recap for #10 – it’s not on my DVDs.