This match opened Hog Wild 1996 and is available on the WWE DVD release “Rey Mysterio: The Biggest Little Man”. Dusty Rhodes, Bobby Heenan, Tony Schiovane and Mike Tenay crowd the commentary booth for this match. This is the first annual show at Sturgis motorbike rally, the next year the name would be changed to Road Wild. Ultimo Dragon enters first with Sonny Onoo. This is “Ultimate Dragon” (as WCW wrongly calls him)'s Pay-Per-View debut. He wouldn't get another match (a rematch of this, reviewed here) until World War 3 in November. Rey Mysterio Jr. enters in Spider-Man based gear as they talk about Kevin Nash using Rey Rey for javelin practice recently on Nitro and Tony Schiovane says goodnight to TBS viewers, from now this show is on Pay-Per-View.
REY MYSTERIO JR. © VS. ULTIMO DRAGON
(WCW Cruiserweight Championship)
WCW Hog Wild 1996 (10th August 1996)
The bell rings and Rey avoids a kick from Dragon. They circle before locking up as Tenay mentions this is a first time meeting between the two. Ultimo Dragon takes Rey down in a headlock but Rey uses a headscissors on the mat forcing Dragon to kick out. Ultimo Dragon takes the champ down with a waistlock, dropping down into a front facelock on the mat. Rey turns it into an arm wringer and brings it to their feet, but Dragon counters into one of his own. Dragon wrenches at Rey's shoulder and drops to one knee to add more pressure. Rey rolls through and arm drags Dragon across the ring to the second LUCHA STANDOFF! Well technically Dragon's on one knee for most of it, but he does get to his feet and they circle. Dragon gets caught in a waistlock, Rey Mysterio Jr. trips Dragon, tying him into a cloverleaf. Rey uses his leg to keep Dragon in place but it costs him. Ultimo Dragon trips Rey as he looks to turn it into an STF. Ultimo Dragon snapmares Rey over and rolls him into a pin for 2. Rey Mysterio Jr rolls through and trips Dragon, going back to his leg but Dragon gets a chinlock on the mat. Dragon sits Rey up for a rear chinlock and wrenches the neck.
Ultimo Dragon slams Rey Mysterio Jr and goes back to the chinlock as we see Sonny Onoo talking to the camera. Ultimo Dragon elbows Rey's head in the chinlock and is forced to release it for some reason. The fans chant USA even though Dragon's from Japan and Rey is from Tijuana in Mexico. Rey complains to the referee about mask pulling and choking before focusing back on the challenger. Ultimo Dragon looks for a test of strength then kicks Rey in the gut. Rey Mysterio is sent off the ropes and slides under Dragon but runs into a spinning heel kick. Dusty Rhodes just about calls that right and is ecstatic. Ultimo Dragon chops Mysterio and sends him off the ropes, Dragon lifts him for a slam but Rey slides out the back and gets a waistlock, standing switch by Dragon so Rey grabs the top rope, Dragon releases and Rey uses the middle rope to spring back for an Asai moonsault but lands on his feet. Dragon copies, Rey trips and covers so Dragon does the same and they both kip up for another Lucha Standoff. Rey Mysterio Jr. leads a USA chant as Mike Tenay makes a Junior Heavyweight timeline from Jushin Thunder Liger to Dragon, finally to Rey Mysterio Jr.
Ultimo Dragon hits a combination of kicks on Mysterio and he crumbles to the mat. Dragon picks him up and sends him off the ropes, Rey Mysterio runs into a standing dropkick. Rey Mysterio Jr is sent from corner to corner, Dragon follows and sandwiches him against the turnbuckles with a cartwheel back elbow. Rey Mysterio rolls under the bottom rope so the referee checks on him. Ultimo Dragon calls for the end as Rey wants to continue the match. Ultimo Dragon hits the running sitout powerbomb but sits there taunting. “Too much time, amigo” - Bobby Heenan, to the man billed from Japan. Dragon locks in a figure four leg lock, Rey's shoulders go down for a nearfall but he tries to turn over the pressure, his shoulders go down for a second nearfall before he crawls his way to the ropes. Ultimo Dragon gets another nearfall before Mysterio is able to grab the bottom rope. Dragon keeps it locked in until the referee physically intervenes as Mike Tenay talks about Ultimo Dragon's success in the 1995 Super J Crown in Japan, including facing Jushin Liger and Shinju Otani.
Rey Mysterio Jr rolls out to the platform that the ring stands on. We have to endure more of Onoo as Rey gets back in the ring, as we go back to the action Mysterio is caught in a modified torture rack, Ultimo Dragon spins him around then drops to his knees. Commentary agrees that Dragon should have covered as he applies a surfboard hold on Rey. Rey gets one leg free and is able to drop himself onto Dragon for a pair of nearfalls. Ultimo Dragon kicks Rey in the back before he can get to his feet. As he does Dragon kicks him in the chest, knocking him into the corner. Dragon chops Mysterio and sends him across the ring, Mysterio avoids a cartwheel back elbow attempt, Dragon sends Mysterio overhead on the charge but Mysterio lands on the apron. Ultimo Dragon is knocked down with a springboard dropkick and rolls out of the ring. Rey Mysterio Jr dropkicks Dragon from the platform to the floor and hits a springboard plancha onto him! That must have looked awesome to the people that saw it. Rey Mysterio takes it back into the ring as commentary talk about the ring having to be elevated tonight for television, adding more height and risk to the move.
Rey Mysterio Jr climbs onto to the top turnbuckle and hits a hurricanrana on Ultimo Dragon. Ultimo Dragon reverses an irish whip but Rey climbs over the top rope to the apron instead of rebounding, he challenges Dragon who charges into a shoulder tackle through the ropes. Rey Mysterio Jr springboards back in the ring into a dropkick. Ultimo Dragon uses the Tiger Feint Kick (Rey Mysterio's 619) and dropkicks Mysterio through the ropes. Ultimo Dragon knocks Rey down with a slingshot plancha. They stay down for a while so I think they're teasing a countout but I can't hear the referee. Ultimo Dragon takes it back in the ring but Mysterio reverses an irish whip. Ultimo Dragon hits a bridging german suplex for 2. Dragon runs into Mysterio and knocks him down with an Asai moonsault. Ultimo Dragon slams Rey Mysterio in position and hits a moonsault from the top rope for a nearfall. Rey Mysterio Jr counters a running powerbomb with a hurricanrana but gets sent into the corner. He catches Ultimo Dragon on the monkey flip and places him on the top turnbuckle. Ultimo Dragon shoves off a hurricanrana attempt by Rey Mysterio Jr, Rey springboards up from the middle rope and hits a Frankensteiner, covering Ultimo Dragon for the win.
WINNER: REY MYSTERIO JR. (STILL WCW Cruiserweight Champion)
For all I've heard of this crowd not liking WCW shows and that `The Boys' considered it a paid night off on the calendar, this match was well received. Besides the USA chants the fans seemed into the match, the cruiserweights had a “Steal the show” mentality no matter what the occasion and it showed here, leading to a surprisingly good result. However I would like to see the rematch at World War 3 to see it in front of a real audience, so to speak. Missing one of the biggest shots of the match was also unforgivable in my opinion, knocking the match down slightly. – WORKRATE: 3.25/5 PERSONAL ENJOYMENT 2.75/5 OVERALL 6/10
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