Here is a heated confrontation that occurred during the 1/15/16 episode of Future Stars of Wrestling, available on YouTube. Wearing the leather jacket, Kevin Kross is the current FSW champion (and pretty much a total stud.)
Kross notifies the audience that he recently injured his neck. This is the First Man Law — to tell the truth and to be honest and straight-forward even if it means your downfall. He also calls his nemesis Partain a “scum-bag” for having deliberately injured other wrestlers — which is a violation of the Second Man Law: always fight fair. Partain’s tag team partner in the red t-shirt, Rush, tries to prevent the men from coming to blows.
The Third Man Law is to respectfully shake any man's hand.
Kross accepts Partain’s hand — leaving his face unprotected — so Rush drops him with a stiff Sucker-Punch to the mush!
Accepting his enemy’s hand, as the Third Man Law requires, has left Kross vulnerable to this assault! But our take-away is that it’s better to be a Real Man in pain than a devious “scum-bag” like Jason Partain (who looks awesome in his red trunks by the way.)
And you thought your neck hurt BEFORE...
Knowing about the spinal injury that Kross foolishly disclosed, the villains focus their double-team attack on the back of his neck. They apply a Double Chinlock, and then drive some knees and elbows into his cervical vertebrae — it’s really brutal looking and hot.
They’re hoping to further injure Kross so that Partain can challenge him to a match and easily defeat him.
Sure enough, Kross is forced to defend his belt against the sadistic Jason Partain later that evening. Although his neck is damaged, the Fourth Man Law dictates that a Real Man can never back down from a fight, so Kross is forced to suffer more agony at the hands of Partain and Rush.
A Stone Cold Stunner ruins Kross's neck (again).
You may be thinking: I wonder if Partain will be a scum-back and target that injured neck?!
Yes, the beefy Heel certainly does not disappoint. He assaults the neck of Kevin Kross using every move and hold he can think of, and it is glorious. And Kross sells the pain beautifully, working the “Oh-No-He-Keeps-Going-After-My-Injury” gimmick like a boss.
Wow -- he either needs a backboard or a hug.
I am digging Kross as the suffering victim. He normally portrays the ruthless Heel — I blogged about Kross brutalizing fan-favorite Dan Joseph on 10/12/15 and Kross was great as the bad boy. But my oh my, his selling in this match is pure gold. Memo to Kross, you need to stay Baby, baby.
Rush gets involved in the fight.
When Kross falls out of the ring, we see Partain’s tag team partner attack. He drives Kross’s noggin right into the steel corner-post — totally unfair and a major violation of Man Law.
Actually Rush gets involved several times in the match, tripping Kross when he gets too close to the lurking villain, and distracting the ref while passing a Foreign Object to his boy Partain. I guess when you’re watching your friend get it on with a total stud like Kross, it’s hard to keep yourself out of the mix.
That thick tree-trunk leg decapitates Kross.
Probably Kross would like to stop the match and go seek medical attention before he is paralyzed by this Fireplug in the sexy red trunks. But sadly for Kross, the Fifth Man Law is that he must never surrender.
The story being told in this match is that it ain’t easy being a Real Man. Many of the Man Laws that every Real Man must obey leave him vulnerable and helpless — forbidden from using dirty tactics that a less-manly villain is able to employ at will. But our take-away is that it’s far better to be a Real Man in agony than a devious bitch in victory. Masculinity remains the ideal even if the laws are difficult to obey.
Have I mentioned how good Partain looks with his beefy build and red trunks? If the goal of a pro wrestling match is to turn us on to both opponents, this match definitely succeeded. I need to keep my eyes open for more Partain matches…
Oh Kross. How did a Real Man like you learn to look so helpless?
Look at the fear and dread in Kross’s eyes. He raises his head tenderly, trying to minimize the strain on his damaged neck. And those outstretched fingers, his hands conveying his pain and worry. THAT is how you sell neck pain, all you rookies out there reading this blog. Damn, Indy wrestling is hotter than porn.
