alt.rec.pain
Eli Black vs Zack Reno, Match 704 (UCW)
I have to confess I had forgot Zack is (or was?) the UCW champ. His last title defense was two months ago. Admittedly he's a busy man, fighting in multiple promotions, and one of the most laid-back wrestlers at UCW. Indeed, he could be the Bruno Mars of underground wrestling. Like most other laid-back guys, though, he is irresistibly pretty. But if any wrestler has it in him to chip off Zack's veneer of ultra-casual composure, it's Eli Black, one of the edgiest fighters in the biz.
Besides the contrasts in character type, Eli and Zack are excellently matched in build and ring psychology - with Eli having the added advantages of MMA training and a bent for merciless pummeling. To be sure, Zack knows the ropes and maintains an impressive playbook of holds, but Eli has the raw instincts - in fact, his muscle memory for crippling assaults is second to none.
Reno's astoundingly fast leap to the championship is no fluke. The guy's inner grit is more than enough to fend off Black's bully tactics and acid body blows. The question is how long can he hold up under Eli's inexhaustible strikes, and for how long can he turn the tables on one of the finest fighters at UCW? In Zack's favor, Eli has cut his appearances at UCW down to four or five a year since 2017. How hungry is he, then, for the championship? and - just spitballing here - even if he were to win the belt, now or in the future, how likely is he to defend it on a regular basis?
Belt or not, this is a fine match, not either man's best, in my opinion, but certainly living up to my high expectations and full of low blows and bad-ass attitude I now expect of UCW. As always, UCW lives up to its reputation as the low-rent capital of mayhem and recreational pain.
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Nice commentary as usual Joe. This is one of the best matches so far this yea.r and the most exciting that I've seen in awhile. Eli brings the grit and excitement to the ring. Both wrestlers are well matched physically. Zach is gentlemanly but knows how to handle Eli's attack. Highly recommend this match. Can Zach defend his belt? Does Eli even care- he has his own.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the match, although I think I prefer Eli in mat matches, not ring matches. And I will say I like Reno a lot more at UCW than at other promotions.
ReplyDeletewe need another reno vs eli pro-wrestling style match. eli needs to be tombstoned a couple times and reno too. i would like to buy that match.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my UCW match ever!!
ReplyDeleteReno even try to do a destroyer to Eli. I'm a huge fan of piledriver. Its sad that Eli is now focus in his mma career and left us without new matches. Hope to see him back to wrestling even pro wrestling cuz he has credibility.