Tag Archives: La Fiera

Atlantis vs. La Fiera
CMLL
04/03/1992
NWA World Middleweight

Year: 1992
Type:  Title Match Style
Other: n/a

Synopsis:

Originally this was match was to be Atlantis vs. Bestia Salvaje with Salvaje – who was being pushed heavily in 1992 with two hair wins already under his belt – ending Atlantis’ long title reign. Unfortunately, Salvaje blew out his knee after they set up this match for the Arena Mexico Anniversary show and Fiera was substituted in his place. Unlike Salvaje, Fiera was not being pushed hard at the time, resulting in a match where Altantis was clearly and consistently portrayed as being at least one level above his opponent. There is some action in this match while at the very least, the structure provides for an interesting and unique match.

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• Lucha Libre Weekly (April 14, 1992)

  The rest of the card, however, was pretty good. The semifinal saw Atlantis retain the NWA Middleweight Championship for the 32nd straight time by defeating La Fiera (Arturo Caaco Poblano) two falls to one in a total elapsed time of 19:02. Atlantis won the first fall in 6:48 with a Lizmark-like spinning tope en reversa from off of the top rope and a cover. The second fall went to La Fiera in 3:13 via count out of the ring when Flera hit Atlantis with a swan dive over the top rope (just barely grazing the top rope) and Atlantis “hurt his shoulder” when he hit the wooden floor and could not make it back in in time. The first two falls had been wrestled pretty clean (the referee was Rangel). They particularly did a lot of switch advantage apots on the mat, which was technically fine but not overly exciting as was the Blue Penther/Attantis match in a similar vein. The third fall was more exciting. but not as good as they could have done. Atlantis got two near falls & before putting Fiera (and they nearly botched this up), in Atlantis’ normal finisher, the torture rack. Fiera struggled but gave up at the 9:11. mark of the third fall. Atlantis only had a couple of near falls and Fiera had none. It was technically sound but not very exciting. There was a lot of crowd heat – they particularly got into counting up to twenty when a wrestler was near being counted out of the ring. Fiera apparently was one of the very best luchadores in the world in the early- to mid-1980’a and he’s not bad now, but he’s chubbier and out of shape a bit and gets by more on heel charisma than heel action. Atlantis as always wrestles at right about the level of his opponent, which means he can have a negative star match with Kung Fu and a four-star match versus The Blue Panther. Here, I gave this ***.
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter (April 20, 1992)

  Atlantis retained his NWA world middleweight title in 19:02 winning 2/3 falls from La Fiera (subbing for Bestia Salvaje who missed the card because of his ankle injury–Salvaje was scheduled to win the title in this match) **3/4.

Accolades:

• n/a