FanPost

Reflecting on Sexy Star vs. Mariposa

Sometimes we forget that, at its core, professional wrestling is a performance art. A performance art where athletically gifted men and women balance physical ability and acting to put on fun, exciting, and memorable shows for the fans. Sure, sometimes wrestling misses the mark and matches may not always be in front of a crowd of thousands, but art is art, wrestling is art, the ring is the stage, and all the wrestlers are merely players.

This past Wednesday, Lucha Underground aired the Sexy Star vs. Mariposa (Cheerleader Melissa) No Más match. The "I Quit" match, which was the culmination of the winding storyline between Sexy Star, Mariposa, Marty the Moth, and Willie Mack, was one of the most violent nationally televised women's wrestling match in recent memory. It was the perfect resolution to a complex storyline that featured elements of sexual abuse, stalking, torture, bullying, revenge, and empowerment.

While most of the attention in regards to women's wrestling has been focused on WWE, the Sexy Star/Mariposa bout was a real watershed moment, proof positive that women wrestling a masculine match can be entertaining, artistic, and gratifying. Moreover, it shows that fans are willing to invest in a storyline with a lot of depth, even though I'll admit it was not perfect -- in my opinion, the angle could have used one or two more confrontations.

The match was a visceral experience. It's not like women haven't had violent, aggressive matches before (both WWE and TNA have put on hardcore and cage women matches); it's not even like women haven't bladed before (Veda Scott and Candice LeRae blade more often than others). It was, however, a violent performance that really served the purpose of the story.

On a side note -- that's really a lost art in professional wrestling these days, especially in WWE, TNA, and even ROH. Good wrestling angles evolve with the matches serving the purpose of the angle. "Workrates" should serve the purpose of the match and the angle. I hate gimmick matches that are made just to have a gimmick match to sell at an event; I can't stand performers doing moves just to do the move. But that's just me.

Anyway...

By no means Sexy Star and Mariposa's match was a wrestling classic, and that's fine: it wasn't meant to be and it shouldn't have been. It is was a clinic, however, in what it means to put the story first.

Cheerleader Melissa's portrayal of Mariposa was perfection -- a movie-like villainess that was a fantastic complement to Sexy Star's heroic, warrior nature and helped create the cinematic feel of the battle. The match was something closer what you would see out of a movie than a run-of-the-mill wrestling promotion, especially with the fight being taken throughout the crowd, in the lighting area, scaffolding, ringside...you name it. It was a brilliant exercise in choreography.

And of course, I must mention what will probably be one of the most memorable lines ever uttered in a professional wrestling match: "Fuck you, Mariposa!"

It was an emotional rollercoaster that would make the most hardened smark turn into an absolute mark for Sexy Star. Moreover, it really was Sexy Star's coming out party as a heroic character. Sexy Star had been widely criticized by some fans by being flat; I always gave her a pass because of the fact that she is working in unfamiliar territory as a face, because she has been a heel for most of her career.

Is it a historically significant match? Yes and no. Yes, it is one of the greatest women's matches anyone will ever seen when taking into consideration everything that went into it -- and I'm saying this after the hype has worn off. On the other hand, Lucha Underground is a television series, not a promotion, and it would be very difficult to see this replicated by any traditional professional wrestling promotion. There have been much more violent inter-gender matches in the indies (see Scott and LeRae's controversial matches from 2014), and this match is unlikely to break any new ground on the scene.

Regardless, the Sexy Star and Mariposa match will forever leave a mark on me as a professional wrestling fan. I have not seen a women's match with such brutality, emotion, and dramatic storytelling -- and that includes Sasha versus Bayley at Brooklyn. They put on a performance that serves as a fine reminder about how wonderful of a performance art professional wrestling really is. It has become my favorite women's match that I've seen in my lifetime, and it would be hard to top that. But personal opinion aside, what a show these two put on.

The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Cageside Seats readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cageside Seats editors or staff.