The Dominators

The last time we saw the spectacular Tag Team of Riddick Moss and Tino Sabatelli was the debut of their partnership on the 10/12/16 episode of NXT, which I blogged about in my “Fresh Meat” article.

We finally saw them again, seven months later, on the 5/10/17 episode, and once again, they were awesome.

Moss & Sabatelli, whom I will refer to as the “Dominators“, faced the popular team of Ciampa and Gargano — Team DIY.

One thing I really enjoy about the NXT brand is their focus on great Tag Team wrestling.  Also the bodies they show off every week — jeez!

If any of these four studs really got me jeezing, it was the spectacular Tino Sabatelli — the only one with the confidence to strut to the ring wearing no vest or jacket.

If the point of pro wrestling is to display ideal male bodies, then Tino ought to appear on every episode!  Not just once every 7 months!

This was my favorite hold of the entire match.

The Dominators isolate Ciampa and work him over.  This is rare — usually the cuter Johnny Gargano plays the Face-in-Peril for Team DIY.

My focus, however, is solely on Tino and his big muscles, which he always finds ways to show off.  This Headlock gave me dizzy spells.

With most really buff and attractive wrestlers, I want to watch them suffer — to see them humbled.  Tino, however, is one of those buff dudes that I prefer to see in control and dominant.

I actually hope Tino wins — I actually care.  This may be simply selfishness, knowing that if he scores more victories, then he should get more screen time each week for my viewing pleasure.

But my support for Tino’s success involves more than just a selfish desire to see him in the ring more often.  You see, I believe a loss in pro wrestling is meant to be humiliating to the losing wrestler, to emasculate or shame him.  For many wrestlers, that really trips my trigger.  But Tino is one of those rare, perfect specimens who I feel shouldn’t be desecrated, tarnished, or disrespected.  Did you ever feel that way for a wrestler, or you just want to see them all punished, harmed, and degraded?

Tino tags in his partner, Riddick Moss, who stomps the bejesus out of Ciampa.  The Dominators are really laying in a beating – I love it!

Usually Ciampa is on the giving side in this situation — destroying his opponents in the corner like this.   He often lowers his kneepad to drive that bony knee into the cornered victim’s jaw.  You can see a good example of that killer move in my 3/19/16 article, “Official Whipping Boy” where Sorenson was the victim.

The reason I decided to refer to Sabatelli and Moss as the Dominators is because of these frequent victory poses they perform over a fallen opponent.

Check out cocky Riddick Moss, arms outstretched as Ciampa suffers at his feet.  The Doms performed these same poses over TM-61 back in the 10/12/16 article.

At least it was Riddick and not my Tino.

DIY is hot with the fans right now and they’re getting a push, so eventually they begin to dominate the Dominators.  Here Riddick Moss is set up as the Sitting Duck, kneeling in a daze (when have you ever seen a pro wrestler just kneel motionless like that?) so DIY can execute their awesome “Meeting in the Middle” maneuver to finish him off.

So my wish did not come true — Tino did not taste victory this time.

Oh well, better luck next time, Tino — which I’m hoping won’t be 7 more months from now.