Post by problematic on Sept 28, 2017 3:04:34 GMT -5
I'm going to have Royal really high this year.
Objectively you could argue that he might have had a better 2016 in some respects, or at least a more impressive one as he had matches with people like David Starr, Donovan Dijak, Chris Hero, Trevor Lee, and Andrew Everett that were all good to great, but I really feel like this is the year where we can answer all questions about Royal and definitively put to rest any bullshit claims about it all being his opponents (yes I saw a moron say this last year).
Sure he got to work Fred Yehi at Nova and they had a very good match, and he's had a couple of very good matches with Trevor Lee this year too, but by and large this has been a year about Arik feeling like the star himself. In CWF he's the shit talking heel, who trolls the crowd, audibly calls that he's going to do a nervehold and then does it, bumps around, stalls, and then when it's time to work lays people out with his deceptively strong offense that is utterly unconventional and unique in a way that is rivaled only by Yehi and maybe one or two other people in wrestling. It does take a while to fully buy in to Royal's offense, but once you go all on in on it, it is right there and it's as convincing (or more) than anything in pro wrestling.
I have loved him as part of the All Stars with Roy Wilkins. NO they don't have a slate of classics, but it's a complete on point heel unit for CWF, and they have delivered in every big match and angle they've had this year. That's especially interesting because they've often had to carry the heel side of shows while losing, and yet they've never lost their heat.
He was a real standout at the SCI where he had the most unique and logical match of the first round v. Dominic Garrini, and a match I loved with Curt Stallion in round two that saw him take a finish I would have bet a thousand bucks he would have avoided.
In NOVA they gave him his first loss at the Commonwealth Cup which was really just table setting for his big match vs. Logan Easton LaRoux at NOVA Project 3 which was a blowaway excellent match, probably the best in promotion history. He's really proven in the process that he can deliver huge matches in terms of quality and feel against another homegrown talent for that promotion which is big.
He probably had more matches at this point last year that I really liked and stood out, but I just feel like the range of work we've seen from him this year is more impressive and demonstrative of his skills. I wish indie wrestling had more guys like him
Objectively you could argue that he might have had a better 2016 in some respects, or at least a more impressive one as he had matches with people like David Starr, Donovan Dijak, Chris Hero, Trevor Lee, and Andrew Everett that were all good to great, but I really feel like this is the year where we can answer all questions about Royal and definitively put to rest any bullshit claims about it all being his opponents (yes I saw a moron say this last year).
Sure he got to work Fred Yehi at Nova and they had a very good match, and he's had a couple of very good matches with Trevor Lee this year too, but by and large this has been a year about Arik feeling like the star himself. In CWF he's the shit talking heel, who trolls the crowd, audibly calls that he's going to do a nervehold and then does it, bumps around, stalls, and then when it's time to work lays people out with his deceptively strong offense that is utterly unconventional and unique in a way that is rivaled only by Yehi and maybe one or two other people in wrestling. It does take a while to fully buy in to Royal's offense, but once you go all on in on it, it is right there and it's as convincing (or more) than anything in pro wrestling.
I have loved him as part of the All Stars with Roy Wilkins. NO they don't have a slate of classics, but it's a complete on point heel unit for CWF, and they have delivered in every big match and angle they've had this year. That's especially interesting because they've often had to carry the heel side of shows while losing, and yet they've never lost their heat.
He was a real standout at the SCI where he had the most unique and logical match of the first round v. Dominic Garrini, and a match I loved with Curt Stallion in round two that saw him take a finish I would have bet a thousand bucks he would have avoided.
In NOVA they gave him his first loss at the Commonwealth Cup which was really just table setting for his big match vs. Logan Easton LaRoux at NOVA Project 3 which was a blowaway excellent match, probably the best in promotion history. He's really proven in the process that he can deliver huge matches in terms of quality and feel against another homegrown talent for that promotion which is big.
He probably had more matches at this point last year that I really liked and stood out, but I just feel like the range of work we've seen from him this year is more impressive and demonstrative of his skills. I wish indie wrestling had more guys like him