Classic Match of the Week- Rey Mysterio vs Psicosis ECW

As of today, each Monday will feature an article detailing a classic match from the archives of professional wrestling across various promotions world worldwide. This week, we begin with a classic match from ECW's heyday.

Rey Mysterio vs Psicosis

Mexican Death Match, ECW November to Remember, 1995. 

Available to watch here. 

The loss of Dean Malenko, Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit to WCW in the summer of 95' left Paul Heyman with a sizeable hole in his roster to fill. Unperturbed by WCW's poaching of talent, Paul Heyman looked to shores afar to solve this crisis. Under the epithet Extreme Luchadores, Paul Heyman was the first to bring the likes of Rey Mysterio Jr, Psicosis and Juventud Guerrara to US audiences. Unsurprisingly, the move was a success as the Extreme Luchadores captured the imagination of US audiences, albeit a short term success due to WCW once again poaching ECW talent.

The fall of 95' produced an immensely entertaining trifecta of matches between two Heyman's finest imports. Tied at one a piece going into November to Remember, Rey Mysterio Jr and Psicosis met in the rubber match befitting the intense rivalry between these two men; a Mexican Death Match. The rules of a Mexican Death match stipulate that once an opponent has been pinned or submitted, said opponent has ten seconds to answer the referees count. If he fails to return to his feet, his opponent will be declared the winner. 

So, The Millionaire of Tijuana, Psicosis, met The Technical Kid of San Diego, Rey Mysterio Jr, in what would be their final match in ECW before heading to WCW in early 96'. 

Before the match got under way, Rey Mysterio Jr flips off Psicosis who immediately attempts a drop kick as Mysterio ducks out the way to get the match under way. A beautiful hurricanrana by Rey Mysterio sends Psicosis reeling before a second drop kick attempt misses. Taking advantage of Psicosis' unbalance, Mysterio connects with a second hurricanrana, this time off the top rope, into a roll up to secure the first three count of the match. 

Psicosis, though, doesn't remain on the mat too long before returning to his feet.

An attempted vertical suplex is reversed by Mysterio into another hurricanrana that sends Psicosis to the outside. 

Rey, after repositioning the guardrail, is sent hurtling into the steel barricade before a chair shot incapacitates Rey further. After rolling Mysterio back into the ring, Psicosis delivers a moonsault from the top rope to secure his first pinfall of the match. On the stroke of the ten count, Mysterio manages to pull himself to his feet before Psicosis continues the punishment with another drop kick followed by a pop up powerbomb for another three count. Again, Rey Mysterio returns to his feet at the latest possible opportunity before Psicosis continues the assault with a snake eyes variation. 

After teasing a chair shot to the rabid Philadelphia crowd, a tease that was inevitably greeted by boos, Psicosis drives Mysterio gut first into the turnbuckle followed by a one and a 1/2 moonsault into a senton to secure another three count. Again, Rey Mysterio returns to his feet before Psicosis delivers a ddt on the chair. After positioning the chair over Mysterio, Psicosis delivered the third moonsault of the match to secure yet another three count. 

Perhaps playing possum, Psicosis attempts a second moonsault on the chair but Mysterio raises his knees to block the attempt. Following a fierce chair shot to the face, Mysterio delivers a springboard clothesline that sends Psicosis staggering to the outside. A springboard cross body over the guardrail and into the crowd unbalances Psicosis before a beautiful slingshot moonsault plancha grounds The Millionaire of Tijuana. After locating the nearest chair, Mysterio delivers a chair shot to the back as the luchadores battle through the raucous ECW crowd. Another chair shot to the back allows Mysterio to head to greater heights to jump 10 ft from the production area through the air into an incredible hurricanrana on to a chair. Rey Mysterio Jr returns to the ring before the referee completes the ten count as Mysterio emerges the victor in a thrilling, high velocity encounter between two of the greatest luchadores of all time. 

This incredible match is not only testament to the outstanding ability of both Rey Mysterio Jr and Psicosis but also testament to Paul Heyman's ability to identify fresh talent and bring it to a wider US audience. Not to detract from the performance of Mysterio and Psicosis, though, this match was not only a precursor to the Lucha invasion of the Counterweight division in WCW but an early indication of the success Rey Mysterio would enjoy in his WWE career. 

ECW's Extreme Luchadores represented a counter-cultural movement unseen before in the US whose spirit lives on in the temple of Lucha Underground.