Heavy Lifting

Daniel Bernal vs Dimitri, Matmen 28 (BG East)

Both wrestlers are new to BG East. Both joined the roster in 2019. This is Daniel Bernal's second release with the company, Dimitri's fourth, which goes to show how heel-crazy BGE is. Bernal is a dedicated mat wrestler.  Dimitri has experience both on the mat and in the ring, but this is his first time on the mat here. Both men have reputations for making opponents tap out. Daniel has a thing for cutting arrogant heels down to size. Dimitri's thing is slaughter.

Bernal initiates the contest. The two men lock up collar and elbow. In just seconds, Daniel has Dimitri waistlocked and down on the mat, riding him, rolling him, ultimately getting him in a full nelson and figure-four body lock. Dimitri won't give although it's obvious he can neither move nor break the hold. So Bernal shifts positions - with a body scissors and Dimitri's left arm cocked behind the head. Dimitri struggles and gets on top, only to find himself hiked up as we see him in the top photo.

It takes Dimitri half a minute to get back down and trap Daniel in a headlock. Daniel isn't buying it, though, and throws some punches into the Frenchman's gut. Soon enough, Bernal is man in charge again, sticking to his opponent like Oobleck. This is real submission wrestling, with a slow but intense pace that wears on both men. Dimitri is used to this sort of sweaty deadlock, but he probably wasn't expecting it from Bernal.

Shortly after the four-minute mark, Dimitri manages to shove free of his wiry opponent, but the two get right back to business, locking up head to head while on their knees. Dimitri is quick to take over, choking Bernal in a headlock. Bernal tries to force a release by stretching Dimitri's thighs out wide. It's good strategy, but he immediately finds himself in the position illustrated in the second photo above.

These are two remarkably good matmen, and there's nothing kayfabe or showy about their sweaty struggle. It's a rough and tenacious scrap, especially for Dimitri, who probably underestimated the strength of Bernal's wiry body. Surprisingly, though, Dimitri manages to take over and submit his opponent shortly after the nine-minute mark. Heel that he is, Dimitri maintains the excruciating hold several seconds after the tap-out. Now just twenty-one more minutes to go!

Bernal is eager to even the score, and he succeeds about four minutes later. The fight gets showier from this point on, but it remains relentlessly aggressive and seemingly unaffected. These guys really want to mess each other up - and they do! Through the welts and fatigue, they persevere, desperately committed to not just defeating but also punishing the other guy. Whatever artifice is at work here is seamlessly tied into the sporting competition, making the sleeper finisher both believable and thrilling.

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