[1986-10-05-Heiligengeistfeld, GER] Franz van Buyten vs Dave Taylor (Chain)

[Jetlag]

This is a "Pirate Fight" - a chain match where the goal is to climb the opponent's turnbuckle and remove his flag. For my money it's the best match from germany on tape, and a real contender for the best euro match ever.

 

The battle is pure stylistic weirdness as it's a chain match that goes nearly 40 minutes, filmed like a documentary style handheld, worked like a PWFG bout. Lots of grappling, elaborate chain tricks. It seems absurd but it totally works thanks to the great filming and both guys doing a fantastic job in their roles. Taylor is the grimacing heel laying a huge beating on Van Buyten, who is an incomparable babyface here. It really is the camerawork that pushes this to the next level as you get lots of great shots and closeups of their faces. The match itself is very minimalist, as they struggle for minimal position changes as if it were a shootstyle match to which the crowd reacts accordingly (the crowd is incredibly loud throughout this, by the way). Both guys do all kinds of chain chokes, inbetween beating the fuck out of eachother. Taylor dishes out some heavy punches, Franz smashes into him with reckless elbows. The "nearfalls" consist of guys tugging on the chain while trying to get the flag, and you won't believe how compelling they make it look. I don't think there was a single wrestling move or big bump in here, but the whole match works as a battle of wills and endurance and as such is done as well as any other wrestling match in history.

[Microstatistics]

A wonderful match. It's long but never feels repetitive or bloated. Creative spots, lots of drama and struggle, a nice heel-face dynamic and violent strikes. **** 1/4

[paul sosnowski]

Is this CWA?

 

[Jetlag]

17 hours ago, paul sosnowski said:

Is this CWA?

 

Catch auf dem Heiliggeistfeld, promoted by Sven Hansen.