Tortured Men Do Kneel, 2 of 2

When we last discussed this talented team — known as “The Mighty Don’t Kneel” — they were engaged in a battle in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Poor Shane Haste, the tattooed partner who often portrays the Face-in-Peril was suffering a long, painful beating at the hands of his cruel Japanese torturers.  The little black trunks that he tends to favor sure added to his appearance of exposure and vulnerability.

I love it when the Baby-Face allows his arm to be draped over the ropes, as if he is too weak to lift the arm to defend himself.  Then he allows his flesh to be brutalized as he slumps against the ropes, as limp as a dishrag.

It appears as if the ropes are the only thing holding up his body while at the same time, the ropes are restraining his useless arm.  It is the subtle little flourishes like this that make a Tag Team exciting to watch and help to tell the story of helplessness and defeat.

The Japanese brutes try to snap Haste’s neck, even using the old Twister move where you stand with your ankles against both sides of his head and suddenly twist your upper torso.

They suplex his upper vertebrae into the turnbuckle.  They kick him in the head about 500 times.  They kick his ass both inside and outside the ring.  Damn — the Japanese understand the psychology of wrestling and give us what we love!

And Shane Haste delivers some amazing moves of his own so that we will remember him as a talented Bad Ass and not just a jobber bitch.  For example, he places Takashi in the dreaded Tree of Woe, and then JUMPS THE ENTIRE DISTANCE ACROSS THE RING to dropkick the helpless man in the face.  WOW — never seen THAT before!

His use of high-flying offense — a staple of the exciting Baby-Face — further cements his position as a Good Guy, a loveable risk-taker, rather than a ground & pound Heel.

Finally Mikey Nicholls tags in and rescues his suffering buddy.  We get to enjoy some powerful offense from this tough stud before he is eventually beaten down and dominated by the crafty Japanese veterans.

This Australian team sure left me itching to see more of them in action — especially if they keep those little black speedos as their uniform.  I hope an American federation signs them soon and puts them on every episode.

The teams continue to battle inside and outside the ring and the fight gets a little chaotic.  Finally pretty-boy Shane Haste suffers one neck-breaking attack too many and is folded up for the pinfall.

Are the Japanese fans proud to see their countrymen flexing in victory, or do they feel compassion for the handsome Australian victim, left suffering and dazed in the center of the ring?  I’m not sure what the Japanese fans are thinking, but I am loving Mr. Haste.