Haruki Unmasked

For Halloween, Krushco released this killer doubleheader in which faux-Asian arch-villain Haruki Hatori submits Krush after a barrage of chopsocky moves and gratuitous video effects. Haruki then unmasks himself to reveal that he is Lionel, whom Krush first fought in a round robin match almost ten years ago, though under another name that apparently is copyrighted or something by a rival video company. The two wrestlers then lock up in a real submission battle for four falls, minus the comic-book trappings of the first.

For me this is stupendous news because 6'2" Lionel is that rare combination of great looks and fearless aggression that unfailingly charges me up. I am, quite frankly, huge and messy all over the news that Lionel has signed on to the Krushco brand minus his mask. He is a high quality grappler, physically distinct from Krush's brawn and blunt brute force but no less a valuable addition to the roster. Their run-in here is as tense and tight as even I could hope for, both decked out in form-hugging singlets and as combative as a couple of cranked-up bettas in a teacup.