ULTIMO DRAGON © VS. REY MYSTERIO JR.
(J-CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP)
WCW World War 3 (24th November 1996)
This match is available on the WWE Highest Flyers DVD.
This is a return match from September's Hog Wild Pay-Per-View, last time it was for the WCW Cruiserweight championship at the time held by Rey Mysterio Jr. He then lost the championship to Dean Malenko at last month's Halloween Havoc. Rey enters the match first wearing Spider-Man themed gear.
Sonny Onoo accompanies the champion to the ring. The J-Crown championship is 8 separate belts, unified in a short tournament running concurrently to the G-1 Climax in 1996 for New Japan Pro Wrestling, featuring Jr heavyweight champions from 8 companies around the world. at one point Ultimo Dragon held 10 simultaneously, there's a fucking meme for him.
Still, WCW calls him “Ultimate Dragon” as does Schiovane.... Due to there being 8 belts we get the awesome visual of Sonny Onoo having to help Dragon bring his belts to the ring. Tony Schiovane, Dusty Rhodes, Bobby Heenan on commentary for this match and Dragon goes straight in with some kick attempts, but Rey weaves back, avoiding them. They circle and lock up, and Ultimo Dragon gets a side headlock, Rey gets the headscissors to counter and Dragon kicks out. Ultimo Dragon controls Mysterio's arm as they get back to their feet. Dragon takes Rey down and forces his knee into Rey's elbow. He locks both arms behind his back. Dragon releases the pressure and Rey takes his chance, shooting the leg and attacking Dragon's knee. Advantage quickly back to Dragon with a drop toehold going for the armbar again. He brings Rey to his feet before slamming him back down on the mat. Rey immediately kicks out of a cover and Dragon applies a chinlock. Rey reverses into a hammerlock. Dragon gets to his feet, but Rey Mysterio Jr. still has the wristlock, Dragon quickly rolls out of that and applies one of his own. Rey falls back and kips himself up, but takes a pair of chops. Dragon sends Rey across the ring, Schiovane says Dragon tries to headbutt Rey but he just dives over a baseball slide, Rey springboards off the second rope, moonsaulting and landing on his feet. Ultimo Dragon tries a leg lariat whilst Rey takes a high back bump that might have meant to have been a dropkick before both men scurry to their feet and we get a standoff.
Dragon misses a spin kick but a combination of kicks sends Rey to the mat. Dragon hits an overhand chop in the corner before Rey reverses an irish whip, Rey charges and Dragon avoids it, but Rey leaps over to the apron. Ultimo Dragon hits a triangle dropkick sending Rey to the floor where Sonny Onoo gets a cheap kick to the ribs. Rey gets back on the apron but Dragon meets him with a pair of forearms. Rey lands on his feet behind Dragon from a suplex attempt but Dragon with a standing switch, Dragon hits a bridging german suplex for a nearfall.Dragon sends Rey across the ring and lifts him overhead, leaving him to freefall. Dragon kicks Rey on the mat, Rey sent across the ring when he gets back to his feet and Dragon locks him in a backbreaker across his shoulders. Dusty Rhodes says they need Mike Tenay. Dragon drops Rey to the mat and Rey tries to roll away. Dragon brings him to his feet and hits a rib breaker, locking in a single-leg boston crab. Dragon releases it as Heenan mentioned he's dictated the pace of this match. Dragon hits a powerbomb and holds Rey down for a 1 count before lifting him back up and hot-shotting him off the top rope!
Dragon gets a nearfall from that, Rey starts fighting back, but Dragon headbutts him and sends him to the corner, Rey gets sent off the ropes and Dragon catches him in a standing spinebuster. Giant swing by Dragon sends both men dizzy and Dragon leans on the ropes, as Rey rolls out to the floor. Sonny Onoo tries to sneak up on Rey, but Mysterio gets back in the ring too quick. Dragon right there to meet him with a fisherman brainbuster for a nearfall, another brainbuster has the same result, with Schiovane saying Dragon covered slowly. Dragon tries for the trifecta but Rey knees his way out of it and reverses into a small package 1! 2! No! Dragon right back on offence stomping at Rey's head and kicking him in the back. Rey tries to kick Ultimo Dragon off but Dragon locks in a legbar. Dragon brings Rey to his feet after working the leg for a while and hits a tombstone, but he can still only get a nearfall. Dragon sends Rey across the ring and hits him with a standing dropkick sending him out of the ring. Dragon fakes a 619 over Rey's head and dropkicks him through the ropes. Rey lunges but Dragon skins the cat. Dragon leaps over the top rope onto Rey and sends him into the barricade.
Dragon hits a tombstone on the floor and hits a slingshot body press on the floor keeping both men down. Dragon sends Rey into the corner and puts him on the top rope before hitting a spinning hurricanrana! STILL a nearfall. Dragon hits a running powerbomb but still can't put Rey Mysterio Jr. away. Rey sent into the corner but he boots Dragon in the jaw. Second boot by Rey and he hits a leg lariat. Rey goes out to the apron and barely connects on a springboard seated moonsault. Rey only gets two and it's because he over-shot it. Ultimo Dragon sends Rey across the ring but Rey flips over the ropes to the apron. Rey hits a springboard dropkick sending Dragon out to the floor. Rey kips up in the middle of the ring. He springboards off the second rope in the ring and dives over the top with a somersault senton. Rey's slow to get to his feet, but he rolls Dragon in the ring beating the count. Rey springboards in with a sunset flip but only gets a nearfall. Dragon Rolls Mysterio up for one of his own. Dragon kicks Rey, but Rey cartwheels as Dragon picks up speed off the ropes and jumps on his shoulders. Frankensteiner by Rey! 1! 2! No!
Rey hits a forearm but Dragon ducks a second and hits a Dragon suplex. He doesn't rely on the bridge and covers but only gets 2. Dragon calls for the end and picks Rey up for a powerbomb but Rey rolls all the way through and rolls Dragon up for a nearfall of his own. Dragon grabs a waistlock but Rey runs to grab the top rope, he elbows at Dragon, releasing his grip. Rey goes out to the apron and signals for something much to the fans delight. Springboard seated senton by Rey! No! Dragon caught him and powerbombs him down! 1! 2! 3! Dragon retains the title.
WINNER: ULTIMO DRAGON (STILL CHAMPION)
Besides WCW's botch of “Ultimate Dragon”, this was a good match. It went at a nice pace, with both guys getting a chance to shine. This was the first match of the event so they didn't do too much but they kept the crowd invested mixing high flying with mat-based wrestling, and some moves on the outside. Rey kept fighting back looking like a worthy contender but Dragon had his number throughout the match. Very solid match showing two of WCW's cruiserweights. – Rating: 7.8/10
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