Inconclusive

It's been a while since I've posted a block of mini reviews like this. I said at the end of 2023 that I wanted to have better time management skills so I could dedicate more time to blogging. As you can tell by my post history I'm not doing well but hopefully that improves as the year progresses.

Anyway, this post was inspired by a comment I received from the one and only Robert Foley on my Featured Move: Knockout post (which you should definitely check out). In his comment he mentioned how he was a fan of the multi-KO gifs I used. I'm very much a fan of those too—I'm sure any avid readers of mine will be well aware of how much I like these particular endings. To be perfectly honest, it's probably my favorite way to end a match. The way two people can pour everything into a fight and neither of them come out on top is so exciting to me. They're understandably not for everyone, of course, but everyone has their niche interests and this is definitely one of mine.

For those of you that don't like spoilers, look away now. I will be spoiling the ending of the matches I discuss here. This is your warning. As some random inspirational movie quote says: 'the joy is in the journey, not the destination'.

Match 364: Axel vs Eli Black - Oil Match

At the time of this match's release Axel and Eli Black had UCW's, and possibly the whole of gay wrestling's, biggest rivalry. They had many matches against each other before Eli Black left the company to pursue a different career, with both sharing numerous victories and defeats. This match was their only oil match, and it's definitely one of my favorites amongst their matches, and perhaps amongst UCW's entire catalog.

Already equals in many aspects, the introduction of oil to this match adds a new layer of difficulty to their battle. Traditional holds are much harder to pull off and easier to escape from. It's clear from the off that these two are viciously equal and would do anything to upset that balance.

364 is a high bar for any oil match/catfight hybrid. The match seems to start almost playfully but it's pretty apparent a third of the way in that they would rather tear each other limb from limb than be good friends. The energy is high throughout, the action is riveting, Axel and Eli really look like they're tearing the absolute shit out of each other. Even though I knew how this match would end I was excited (in more ways than one) from start to finish. As Axel and Eli coil around each and tumble around the slick mat room I was fully in for the ride.

This match was reviewed over at Ringside at Skull Island. You can check it out here.

Deadlock vs Phantom - Custom Video Series 174

One of Thunders' many custom matches, this customer wanted hefty hunks Deadlock and Phantom to lock horns in a battle of knockouts. The fun starts outdoors when Phantom sneaks up on Deadlock, knocks him out cold, then carries him to the mat room and strips him down to his shiny blue briefs.

It's not long before Deadlock gets his own back and Phantom finds himself knocked out! These two are well-matched, constantly reversing each other's holds and choking each other out. There are a lot of choke outs in this match now that I think about it, many of which end in a knockout for at least one of these studs.

Much like my thoughts on many Thunders Arena matches, the highlight for me lies in the second half of the battle. It's especially true of some of the newer hires (Deadlock and Phantom were fairly new when this came out) that it can sometimes take a moment before the nerves settle and they get into the rhythm of things. The same is true here. Phantom and Deadlock up the ante in a great way and the ending is wonderful.

This match was also reviewed at Ringside at Skull Island. You can check it out here.

#127 Dog Collar Match: Kayden Keller vs EC Extreme

This fun match pits UKWH's resident heel, EC Extreme, against underground superstar, Kayden Keller. This was filmed during the latter's visit to the UK in mid-2023 which also saw him face a whole range of other UKWH wrestlers. If you haven't already, I'd highly recommend checking some of those out too. Kayden and EC are both wearing dog collars connected by a chain, meaning that there's no escape for either man, much to our benefit as viewers.

Match #127 is one hell of a ride from start to finish. After some brief shit-talking/banter, EC and Kayden throw everything at each other in a true back-and-forth battle. They have some great ring chemistry and play well off of each other. They also make excellent use of the chain as a weapon, using it to choke, crush balls, and keep the other man close for more punishment. Kayden and EC throw each other around the ring (and the rest of the gym!), and even into the changing room for a surprise guest appearance.

All of this action culminates in a great double knockout finish that left me wanting a rematch. Should Kayden ever visit the UK again (or EC travel stateside), I sincerely hope they schedule a meeting to settle their unfinished business. My only gripe with this match is that it was a little short. The video itself clocks in at around 20 minutes, but trailers for other matches aside, match #127 was around 17 minutes long. It really could have benefitted from an extra 5-10 minutes, but this is genuinely just a small complaint.

As a side note: UKWH disappeared over the last few months—their socials were deactivated and their website had vanished. However, they're back! They will be releasing new content this April. Visit their new website here. Also give their new Instagram and X/Twitter accounts a follow here and here, respectively. All of their previous matches from their site are still available on their Watchfighters page here.

If you know of any more matches that have similar endings to this then please let me know. I'm always looking to expand my collection. Similarly, I'd be happy to make some recommendations of my own if you're looking for more.