The Devil in Pink and White
Justin Wylde vs Angelico, Mystery Mayhem 2019, Berlin (German Wrestling Federation)
Again I have Dr L to thank for pointing me to a match that is the definition of top notch, which I suppose makes him a top-notch friend, though one (like so many of you) I have yet to meet in person. Here is a challenge for the GWF Berlin Title, held at the time by Angelico (South Africa, 6'3", 213#). His opponent, the second of four ???'s providing the evening's elements of mystery, is heel extraordinaire Justin Wylde (Hungary, 6', 188#), who surpasses expectations in providing the evening's mayhem.
This May 4th match is another one I wish I had caught live and in person, ideally from a front-row seat so I could sniff the mayhem wafting through the ring ropes. Angelico is my type, a tall (extra tall), handsome fighter, sportsmanlike and highly skilled. However, his hands are full with Justin, one of the few men who could draw my attention away from the strapping Berlin champion. Justin combines the best parts of Kip Sabian and Guido Genatto - parts consisting of both physical characteristics and heel energy.
The sequence below - a crucial turn of events in this challenge match - is a work of pro-wrestling genius. It manages to be fresh while pushing all the required buttons. Besides the energy and pulchritude, the first thing that makes the fight as great as it is, is the timing - close to perfect, as seen in these shots of Wylde, who initiated the fight and set its tone by jumping Angelico and pinning him to the mat for a Pier-6-style face-drubbing. Just before the events below, Wylde choked his opponent on the top rope and crooked the champ's left arm around the corner rope, the ref intervening in both instances. In the first GIFs, he further assaults Angelico's arm with brisk, brutal strikes, almost mechanical in their timing, before focusing on the fingers and wrist - the kind of delicate detail work that distinguishes a high-caliber heel from run-of-the-mill. Angelico suffers exquisitely. And again the ref intervenes.
This May 4th match is another one I wish I had caught live and in person, ideally from a front-row seat so I could sniff the mayhem wafting through the ring ropes. Angelico is my type, a tall (extra tall), handsome fighter, sportsmanlike and highly skilled. However, his hands are full with Justin, one of the few men who could draw my attention away from the strapping Berlin champion. Justin combines the best parts of Kip Sabian and Guido Genatto - parts consisting of both physical characteristics and heel energy.
The sequence below - a crucial turn of events in this challenge match - is a work of pro-wrestling genius. It manages to be fresh while pushing all the required buttons. Besides the energy and pulchritude, the first thing that makes the fight as great as it is, is the timing - close to perfect, as seen in these shots of Wylde, who initiated the fight and set its tone by jumping Angelico and pinning him to the mat for a Pier-6-style face-drubbing. Just before the events below, Wylde choked his opponent on the top rope and crooked the champ's left arm around the corner rope, the ref intervening in both instances. In the first GIFs, he further assaults Angelico's arm with brisk, brutal strikes, almost mechanical in their timing, before focusing on the fingers and wrist - the kind of delicate detail work that distinguishes a high-caliber heel from run-of-the-mill. Angelico suffers exquisitely. And again the ref intervenes.
Having battered the champ beyond either necessity or rules of fair play, Justin pauses for some deep breathing. He looks to the fans for the respect and appreciation they denied him during his entrance. The shot gives me time to admire Wylde's torso, not so chiseled and defined as to be washboard, but fleshy and warm to the touch. With contempt, he smashes his boot down on the just-recovering Angelico and gets a gut full of knuckles in return. Justin retaliates with a perfectly timed punch.
I emphasize timing because of its importance to the dance that great pro wrestling entails. It can be an aspect of meticulous move-by-move staging, or it can be an aspect of ring psychology by which highly skilled wrestlers (or action performers - a more accurate term in the post-wrestling era of pro-wrestling) decide in the heat of a moment the best way to thrill the crowd. Justin and Angelico play their respective roles like the maestros they are.
The GIF below is not necessarily a spoiler, but it could be. The caustic affectation of the blown kiss stokes the audience's appetite for Wylde's defeat.
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