Rough and Ready
Kevin Harris vs Mikey Hanlon (NHB-Battle)
I haven't followed Mikey Hanlon's post-NHB-Battle career. He still wrestles (under a different pseudonym) at NRW No Rules Wrestling, but it's been quite a while since I have bought a match there. If any of you have recommendations, I'd be glad to hear them. He was quite a fixation of mine some years ago. His handsome face, his taut muscular body, his cockiness, and especially his fearlessness attracted me.
He was sometimes (but not always) outclassed by his opponents. He has what looks to me, as an outsider, a decent set of grappling skills. What, if anything, he lacks in technique, he makes up for in ballsiness. In this 2010 match against Kevin Harris, his fearlessness is evident not just in his willingness to take on a bigger, heavier, and more adroit adversary but in his choice of gear - for this contest very tight, very skinny, and potentially translucent white trunks.
He's strong at the start of the match, but Kevin is perhaps leading him on. Later, Kevin exerts his weight and knowhow advantage to effect a couple of curt, almost disciplinary submission holds, thus taking the wind out of Hanlon's sails - but with a certain appreciation for the titillation value of making Mikey's muscled body twitch and thrash and ultimately shut down in plain view of the camera.
I haven't followed Mikey Hanlon's post-NHB-Battle career. He still wrestles (under a different pseudonym) at NRW No Rules Wrestling, but it's been quite a while since I have bought a match there. If any of you have recommendations, I'd be glad to hear them. He was quite a fixation of mine some years ago. His handsome face, his taut muscular body, his cockiness, and especially his fearlessness attracted me.
He was sometimes (but not always) outclassed by his opponents. He has what looks to me, as an outsider, a decent set of grappling skills. What, if anything, he lacks in technique, he makes up for in ballsiness. In this 2010 match against Kevin Harris, his fearlessness is evident not just in his willingness to take on a bigger, heavier, and more adroit adversary but in his choice of gear - for this contest very tight, very skinny, and potentially translucent white trunks.
He's strong at the start of the match, but Kevin is perhaps leading him on. Later, Kevin exerts his weight and knowhow advantage to effect a couple of curt, almost disciplinary submission holds, thus taking the wind out of Hanlon's sails - but with a certain appreciation for the titillation value of making Mikey's muscled body twitch and thrash and ultimately shut down in plain view of the camera.
Hanlon is sporting enough not to be humiliated by the defeat - it was perhaps even expected - and the two shake hands in the end. Mikey's gameness and resilience are, quite apart from his physical assets, a turn-on for me. I like a feisty man who enjoys rough play, regardless of who wins and who loses. This is the spirit of wrestling I most admire - a taste and love for aggressive play for its own sake.
Visit Movimus here for other classic matches from the NHB-Battle vault.
His NRW matches are not bad if you enjoy scripted performances. To me his best matches are all from Movimus.
ReplyDeleteI similarly love Mikey Hanlon. His matches with Kevin, as well as those with Max Anderson, Brock Hammer, Aron Stokes and Connor Flynn are especially wonderful, for all the reasons you describe. He also, thankfully, wrestle many wrestlers several times (Max I think 4 times), winning and losing both. I love seeing an ongoing rivalry, intensifying with each successive match.
ReplyDeleteAs for NRW, as always with them, compelling, attractive guys are thrown into generally lame and formulaic matches. On the plus side, there are lots of matches dedicated to certain holds or outcomes, so niches can be explored. He has wrestled my NRW love Flash many a time, which has led to repeat viewing by yours truly. Of note, too, are his numerous matches with NRW's Jinn, who is NHB's Brock Hammer. SPOILER ALERT Mikey Hanlon beat Brock Hammer in a legit submission match, which makes for fun watching Jinn exact revenge many times in NRW's more scripted affair.
Lastly, a note on Movimus/NHB-Battle. I emailed them earlier in the year about their inactivity. As it turns out, the lead producer (John, I think) passed away unexpectedly early this year. Whoever is running things now explained that they do intend to regroup at some point and produce videos again. In the meanwhile all the old content will remain available. I do hope they produce again, since the quality was generally quite good and the matches unique in underground wrestling. And I sincerely wish them the best, offer condolences for John's passing, and a thank you for keeping the terrific archive around.
Joe, I occasionally buy Mikey and Jeff Clark from NRW, only when they’re getting dominated. While I do load up on those types of videos (when they discount to $5 a download) there’s none I could recommend to you based on reading your reviews. I don’t see anything I’ve seen as being your taste. It’s the fakest action, so for me, the appeal is really the ability of the studs and scenarios to activate my imagination.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Movimus will come back. Someone should make a backup of their website, including its pics and videos, for achieve purposes. They can go offline forever without prior notice.
ReplyDeleteThey replied me today saying they don't have time and resources to produce new stuff.
I believe that, while they can maintain their website for a long time without updates, we never know what may happens.
Giulian1, I am sad to hear that Movimus won't be returning to action. Nobody else really does what they did. Painfully, over the years so many wrestling companies have vanished suddenly. To their eternal credit, Fightgarage posted that they would be closing and deeply discounted their downloads, allowing fans the chance to stock up. I suppose at some point revenue will slip below the cost of maintaining the website, although I hope that isn't soon. W-and-L has been inactive now for years, but their stuff is gratefully still fully available.
DeleteI speculate that the biggest problem has to do with legal issues that arose with John's passing. Who detains all the copyright now? Did he leave heirs? Had a partner? The person currently maintaining the site is legally entitled to do so? Can you continue to market all the videos of all those contract fighters? I don't think John prepared for it.
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