This match on WCW Monday Nitro on October 2, 1995 was a crisp, athletic TV-level encounter between two rising technical stars, Eddie Guerrero and Dean Malenko, early in their WCW tenures. From the opening bell they engaged in quick chain wrestling and counters, with both men reversing holds, executing shoulder tackles, monkey flips, and dropkicks, showcasing their chemistry and technical prowess despite Nitro’s national audience not yet being accustomed to their style. Guerrero was often aggressive, scoring a big top-rope cross-body to the floor and hitting a brainbuster back in the ring, while Malenko answered with calculated grappling and even blocked Guerrero’s frog splash with his knees. After an exchange of standing switches and reversals, Eddie caught Dean in a roll-up for the pinfall victory in around five-and-a-half minutes. Following the match, Malenko expressed frustration at the loss and asked for a rematch, which Guerrero accepted, and they shook hands, laying the groundwork for future battles between the two cruiserweight-style competitors.
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