Slick

Aryx Quinn vs Stefan, Boston Clash 6 (Wrestlingmale)

Details make Aryx vs Stefan stand out from other oil wrestling matches. The fight is shot in one continuous 35-minute long take - no edits - so (1) what we see has the impact of watching a live event and (2) every second counts: the wrestlers (and cameraman) must be at their best because there are no retakes. (3)  It's both oil wrestling and a three-fall ring match - the first time I've seen this combination - and the ropes and turnbuckles play a role in the contest's direction and progress. (4) The zoom lens permits the sort of tight closeups an oiled tarp would otherwise preclude. (5) Trunks are the stakes - the loser forfeits his to the conqueror. (6) Stefan's increasingly blood-stained knee bandage underscores the toughness of this brawl.

Then, there are the competitors. I doubt Aryx has ever in his life looked anything less than hot as hell. Right now, the guy looks better than ever. To my eyes, mannishness agrees with him, both physically and mentally. The former rude boy is now the razor-sharp image of a man acquainted with high-risk situations - a fireman, a soldier on the front lines, a cop, probably a slightly corrupt one. The years have added gravity and focus, with no diminishment in his spirit or the sharpness of his tongue. Stefan stands in stark contrast - easygoing, approachable, unpretentious. He exudes the kind of modest self-assurance I associate with the late Bill Paxton. Like Quinn, he's in his thirties now - my favorite decade of manhood since I was 13 or 14. He's heavier than Quinn, and the weight advantage influences the turns this match takes.

Stefan takes charge from the start, taking Aryx down to the mat and subjecting him to a long run of scissor holds, bear hugs, and chin locks. Quinn strikes back with increasing creativity and success. Two-thirds of the way through, it looks like victory is in his back pocket. The last fall, however, is a hard fight for both men and takes a hard toll on both. The final eight-minute stretch shows Stefan and Aryx at their most ingenious and resilient. It's a coin toss who gets the decisive win - along with the other guy's trunks.

Visit Wrestlingmale here.