This review was commissioned by Pro Wrestling Outsider over on my Ko-fi account.
It really doesn’t get much more meat and potatoes than this. The footage we have includes a pre-match promo introducing Sam Steamboat to the NWA Hollywood viewing audience, which seems to hint that this match is meant to act as an intro to his work instead of seeing him at the height of his powers. To that end, it functions extremely well as he comes into the territory here against a real mean customer in Mike Sharpe.
Going back to watch old footage like this, especially when we have minimal context about who these two are outside of this, it always strikes me how effective the basic grammar of pro wrestling is here. We have the promo at the start, sure, but even without it, they tell us who’s the hero and who’s the bully in seconds. Sharpe immediately makes a play for using Steamboat’s tights for leverage, and it’s a strategy he sticks to for the entire match. He uses the tights to position Steamboat against the ropes, to get more leverage on pinfall attempts, and when trying to work his way out of Steamboat’s holds. It’s so simple, such a disdainful little trick to turn us against him.
Outside of that Sharpe, favors these real nasty looking holds that have none of the slick technique a babyface might utilize. Things like a real gross neck crank or a straight up choke. Vicious little choices punctuated with short body shots and grabbing the ropes.
Steamboat for his part, spends much of this selling, and working his way out of Sharpe’s clutches. There’s a fair amount of problem/solution style stuff here. Not nearly so intricate as the best stuff we have from this time period–this is no French Catch, nor is it even one of the better Thesz NWA Title matches–but it gets the job done. He even throws a few blows of his own which always feels nice as well. There’s also a nice touch of him being just sporting enough to avoid cheap shots which can’t help but endear me to him. Perhaps his best moment is very early on in the match when he reaches for Sharpe and you can actually see the heel flinch. So fucking good, fully got his ass.
This is just simple enough and never quite kicks into a second gear that I don’t think I can call it great. But that’s fine, because quality is not defined by overwhelming greatness. In fact, it’s often in the vain hunt for greatness, that the joy of the simple can be lost. This is a very good match that does exactly what it needs to and not much else, and that’s a hell of a lot better than one might find elsewhere in pro wrestling. People often characterize humility in wrestling as a mere matter of accepting wins and losses. Sometimes humility can be found in the simple wisdom of knowing about time and place. The when and the why of things, more than just the what and the how.
Rating: ***1/2
