Gianni vs Giant

Not just the air but even the light is smoky. The camera veers wildly, but basically it's strategically positioned, close to the ring, looking up at the action, fans' heads (children and adults) crowding the foreground. Cybernic Machine, 6', 268#, dubbed Hell's Frightful Creature, aims to destroy his cocky young challenger, punk-hawked Gianni Leone, about half the size of the European Champion. This is a wild and woolly David-versus-Goliath match for Wrestling Stars in Montereau, France, 28 February 2014. Decked out like extras in a Mad Max movie, black leather, tats, chrome studs, the two set out to destroy each other. The staging and frenetic atmosphere suggest a bullfight as much as traditional catch-as-catch-can wrestling. Over and over Gianni takes big risks in attempting to topple the big man. Cybernic wants to cripple the upstart--and, apparently, succeeds. You can watch this short but fascinating match here on YouTube. It's thrilling, packed with intriguing contrasts: youth versus experience, agility versus bulk, hero versus masked heel.