Back to Basics

I think the reason I am enjoying the current season of WWE NXT is because it gets back to basics.  The young wrestlers are delivering squash matches again, applying actual wrestling holds down on the mat, shocking us with classic Heel tactics — many of the good old scenarios that got me hot and bothered about pro wrestling in the first place.  It’s refreshing to see some of that energy back in the ring — and it’s being performed by the buff, muscular young studs in fantastic gear which typify modern pro wrestling.

By the way, I don’t think this show is available on television in the USA, but you can catch episodes on-line.

Even though Jinder Mahal has already launched a successful career in the WWE, he is often seen on WWE NXT beating up the Rookies trying to make a name for themselves.  I thought WWE NXT was meant to showcase the talents of the rising stars, so I’m surprised to see a veteran being sent to destroy and humiliate the up-and-comers.  Oh well, it’s always exciting to watch a retro-80’s squash job, and these rookies need to develop their talents for suffering as much as for dominating.

Here we see Jinder Mahal strutting around in his little blue trunks, using his crotch (his superior masculinity) to crush and strangle the long-haired young Derrick Bateman.  But the climax of any Jinder Mahal match is his picture-perfect Camel Clutch, which he locks on and refuses to release until long after the victim has tapped out his submission and the bell has rung about 20 times.  Like I said, its so nice to see classic Heel tactics in play again!

So Mahal has established his dominance, destroyed the young man’s pride with the Camel Clutch, and won the match.  Why won’t he leave the ring?  Why is he just standing there looking down at Bateman with disdain?  IS HE GOING TO REAPPLY THE CAMEL CLUTCH??   YES, GO JINDER MAHAL!

It’s so nasty and unfair, to see Mahal bullying the less-experienced young man for no reason.  Clearly some fans in the audience are enjoying poor Bateman’s humiliation, raising their arms in victory to mimic Jinder’s victory pose.   I haven’t witnessed such one-sided punishment and vicious post-match abuse like this since about 1990 (except for when I’ve watched old pro wrestling videos or classic matches on YouTube, which is like every single day…)

Here is another recent Jinder Mahal torture session…

The vicious Indian is beating up a muscular jobber named Percy Watson or something.  I don’t always get the jobber’s name correct, just like back in the 1980’s when I would call Red Tyler by the name Rhett Taylor or something.

Apparently the producers of WWE NXT are throwing us Old-School wrestling fans a bone — getting back to basics, training their next generation of Superstars in the classic style.  This certainly gives me hope that main-stream pro wrestling is going to revert, at least a little bit, to the hotter, more suggestive, slower paced, highly sadistic sort of matches I grew up on.

Jinder Mahal delivers a humiliating one-sided beating that Austin Idol would be proud of, followed by a legitimate, long held Submission Hold — and it’s even the Camel Clutch, made famous by the Sheiks of yore, one of the most beautiful and agonizing holds a jobber can be placed in.  And Watson (I believe his name is Watson) taps furiously while sadistic Jinder Mahal ignores his plea for mercy, just like Mark Lewin would’ve done.

THANKS WWE directors, bookers, NXT trainers, coaches, and athletes — I am liking what I see here!

So Jinder starts to exit the ring following his victory, and he hesitates and looks back at the broken Percy Watson.  What is he thinking?  Oh hell yes!  Is he going to go back in and Camel Clutch the loser again?!   Oh man, if he goes back in the ring, long after the match is over, and re-applies his finishing hold on the already-injured victim, I think I will become a life-long fan of Jinder Mahal and WWE NXT.  YES!   Do it Jinder, be as nasty as you wanna be!