| 1 | 09.02.2024 | tlaustin | 8.0 | Man, I really liked this match. I think it's realistically more of a 7/10 but I think there's a few things really special here that want me to bump it up a bit. The story here is pretty simple: Two chain-wrestling babyfaces are put to the test to see who will break the rules first. They both start out good sportsmen, then, as they find themselves equally matched, struggle with whether to take shortcuts to the win. Neither give up on their ideals, though, and they're rewarded... with a time limit draw. That outcome will probably not satisfy a lot of people, but as a break from the hell/face dichotomy (and the run time is honestly short, it's a 10 minute match) I find it fascinating. Johnny Mantell looks like the most Joe to ever Schmo, but both wrestlers have great ring psychology and deliver a great tug of war between relatively simple moves. Most of the match is built around Chic Donovan's suffocating headlock, and the many ways Johnny tries to break out. This probably isn't for everyone, in the end, but if you like creative escapes from holds, babyfaces struggling to stay babyfaces, or just a big beefy guy doing big beefy things (Chic Donovan is a brickhouse, and there is a certain humor in pairing him against Mantell, I think, ) you'll probably like this match. |
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