England vs. Grey

I recently checked my Blog’s traffic statistics by country, and I was a little surprised.  Obviously, the most visitors were from here in the USA, but the second most were from little old England.  Wow, y’all Brits must loves ya some pro rasslin’!  (Sorry if that last sentence made no sense to speakers of the Queen’s English!)

In honor of the many British checking out this website, I decided to feature some more classic “World of Sport” Brit Pro wrestling matches.  Lets delve into the meanings behind the matches and contrast it with American wrestling.   And to really honor England, I’ll start with a match featuring “Mr Muscles” Johnny England.

Johnny England is the total stud in the baby blue speedo.  He isn’t 100% gorgeous and massive by American standards, but he is 100% confident and cocky, which makes him a total stud in our minds.  If we love him half as much as he loves himself, we will be head-over-heels for this cocky hottie.  He spends plenty of time in every match providing a gun-show, making his opponent wait while he flexes every bulging muscle in his hard body.

In America, Johnny England would probably be a beaten and broken muscular Baby-face, like a young Tom Zenk or Marcus Bagwell.  But in England, conspicuous displays of raw power by brutish show-offs are reviled rather than respected.

Therefore, on the other side of the pond, Johnny England plays the powerful, ruthless Heel, using his superior strength to work over and humiliate the Bloke-Next-Door, handsome Steve Grey.  Grey comes off as respectful, classy, and keeps a stiff upper lip in the face of adversity, everything the Brits love and respect.

In America, strength and power were the most desirable features in a pro wrestler in the 1980’s, and our wrestling heroes were huge.  In Japan, the fast, high-flying Ninja wrestlers were beloved, and would frequently use high speed attacks to overcome the imported behemoths from the West.

In Britain, the talented, clever wrestler is favored over the muscle stud.  Grey is repeatedly trapped, with England pouring on the pressure using his rock-hard brawn, yet Grey magically disentangles himself from the relentless embraces.  The fans clap in appreciation of Grey’s sneaky, unusual, clever escapes as if he has solved some complex mathematical equation or split the atom.

The most obvious contrast between their relative power, the ultimate demonstration of England’s brawn, was during a “Test of Strength.”  Grey is absolutely humbled, force to get up and then kneel down repeatedly.  Seldom have I ever seen such a one-sided Test of Strength in the States!  But the point being made to the British fans is that the clever but small wrestler (or nation) can out-smart a Super-power.

The humiliating destruction of the fan-favorite continues as England hoists Grey across his shoulders and slams him to the mat, an impressive display of power.  Grey then provides some beautiful suffering.  The British love when their heroes are destroyed by impossible odds, like when George Mallory tried to climb Mt. Everest with little more than a rope and a pair of mittens his grandma knitted.

In the end, the smaller but more clever wrestler outsmarts the super-power, rolling him up in a crucifix hold for the pinfall.  Bully, old man!

Grey won the match despite the impossible odds thanks to his persistence, his knowledge of escapes and pinning holds, and his stiff upper lip — a trait highly revered in British culture.