Sunset Grip

Ollie Watts vs Nathan Sargent, Backyard Brawls 13 (BG East)

There's something about BGE's outdoor evening shoots that stirs me up. The coming of the night mixed with an itch to kick somebody's butt is almost a poem - or at least lyrics worthy of a Merle Haggard.

Add to that Nathan Sargent's military gear - camo pants, infantry cap, and dog tags - and a tone is set. Shirtless, Nathan is a swaggering bully. The hint of country twang adds spice. When a fed-up Ollie Watts swats the cap off Nathan's head, you know a fight's a-coming. "That was a mistake right there," Nathan says. Soldier boy's obviously ready to heat things up. "Don't start what you can't finish," Ollie warns, echoing the wisdom of the ages.

Ollie shoves Nathan. Nathan smiles a now-we're-cooking smile, scoops Ollie up, and slams him onto a conveniently placed wrestling mat. The scene is set for grappling and taunting. Six minutes into the back-and-forth fight, Ollie peels off Nathan's pants. A few minutes later, Nathan cranks the first submission out of Ollie. 

Coming into this match, what both wrestlers lack is an impressive win record. Without  fancy textbook holds and reversals, Ollie and Nathan rely on spontaneity and total commitment to kick ass. Messy roughhouse like this provides what a lot of fancy-pants acrobatics lack - gumption and daring. Nathan's especially fun to watch because he so clearly enjoys a good tussle. He's agile and strong, but it is his exuberance - along with hairy thighs and forearms - that gives sex appeal to this Backyard Brawl. Later in the match, Ollie Watts  proves his prowess against his taller and heavier opponent, but Nathan Sargent delivers the goods with vitality and pizzazz for miles. 

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