Quinntessential


 





Quinn Harper has been part of UCW for close to three years. His debut in the spring of 2013 came as something of a shock to me because he arrived out of nowhere as a fully formed character. Usually it takes new hires a half year or longer before their wrestling personas and stories take shape as something more than "the oft-abused rookie." Quinn showed up with a dynamic and fully realized heel character already in place. Before him, only Eli Black and Joker had come to the company with comparable force and presence.

In his latest match [#439], Quinn breaks in a potential new addition to the UCW roster, Kenny Star, a fresh-faced newcomer with an impressive physique. Quinn introduces himself to the kid, saying that he is "no longer the guy [he] used to be," an odd introduction unless he thinks there's a good chance that Star has heard bad things about him. As a matter of fact, there is a very good chance of that, and this is not the first time Quinn has given an assurance like this to a new hire--and then gone on to prove himself worse than anyone could have possibly imagined.

Quinn stalls for time, giving himself, he says, a moment to "channel" the "nice guy" version of himself ... or else "you'll never come back," though he might have meant to say "you'll never get out of here alive." Kenny smiles, genuinely amused by the over-the-top banter. He has, he admits, "no idea" who Quinn Harper is. In the collar and elbow lockup, Quinn finds the recruit more of a challenge than he had originally expected, grudgingly admitting that Star is "strong as a fuckin' ox."

Quinn dominates but barely. About five minutes into the fight, Kenny cuts loose all over Quinn, going all sharknado on the guy and revealing the fight he's capable of. Quinn retaliates with all he's got: scratching, biting, hair-pulling, scrotum-twisting, wedgies, the works! Kenny fights back, kicking Quinn in the balls, almost as if to declare that he's ready now to buy into the UCW ethos. Before the match's midpoint, he almost chokes Harper out in a headscissors.

Almost.

Kenny makes the rookie mistake of not capitalizing immediately on his advantage or his opponent's fatigue. He's new still, and despite his muscle and fighting instincts, he's basically a decent guy, eager to please and accommodate, even saying "please" the first time he tells Quinn to tap out. Quinn works him for a good ten-minute squash, but fast learner that he is, Kenny rallies and pays the heel back tit for tat for the preceding abuse. He even gets in touch with his inner sadist, working Harper like a real dungeon master. As we reach the closing minutes of the fight, the wrestlers are in equal reach of the win, almost unheard of in a rookie debut.

Recently I wrote about another impressive rookie debut (Derrick Cole's in #441), noting that, like Quinn and Eli, the new guy takes to the UCW piranha tank like he was born for it. Unlike bad-boy Derrick, Kenny is the quintessential babyface: honorable almost to a fault, but ready to aim low if that's what the situation calls for, tough as nails and sexy as fuck, but apparently unaware of his true strength and beauty. Like Derrick, Kenny will probably do great at UCW. Derrick and Kenny both have the skills set to succeed at the company, though in markedly different ways, and they sell the tumultuous mat action like a couple of pros, rare for beginning wrestlers their first time in front of the camera.

In response to my assessment of Cole's debut, a reader ("AH") commented,
"I enjoyed Derrick's debut as well. Like how UCW seems to be finding guys that are a bit beefier and more rough-around-the-edges. Hope Derrick's obsession with the belt leads to a match and a complete beatdown of Axel. Any thoughts on Kenny Star?"
Do I have any thoughts? Well, yeah, AH, I think I do:  

Kenny Star versus Derrick Cole! Rookie Death Match!

How is that for a thought?


Comments

  1. I'd rather the rookies fight over me, but your idea seems just as good. At least you know if it is a sanctioned UCW match, the cameras will be rolling.
    And, I think it goes without saying, however temporary it is, welcome back to the blogging world!

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  2. thank you for the review! good to have you back

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  3. checked out the match after reading your commentary. great action. star definitely gave qh a work out. i must say that qh looked a little thin. star brought the muscle. ucw as you reported is bringing in rougher and more beefed up guys. i'm loving it. razor, nero, star. will also check out derek. great reviews joe!

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