A special thanks for this amazing review from Joe at Ringside at Skull Island Blog
I can almost hear Frey groaning as he snaps the waistband of his Calvin's, "Another pretty boy to break in, another dollar." And it probably doesn't make him feel any better that the new guy has a cutesy name: Scrappy. Where does Mr. Mike find these guys, anyway? Kentucky. This one, at least.
Scrappy is a keeper. At first he looks like a Disney prince crossed with another Disney prince, but once he breaks a sweat, we see the rudeboy and bully that lurks under the surface. He arrives shrink-wrapped in Marco-grade attitude, with curly hair that begs to be pulled (Frey doesn't even try to resist), and like every white boy his age, he speaks the dulcet monosyllables of Lil Wayne.
But can he wrestle? He makes Frey work, if that answers the question. Of course Frey takes him down right quick and mounts him, the international sign of male dominance. But Frey rules uncontested for less than a minute; then Scrappy fights back. Even so, Frey is top dog for most of the match, delivering up an array of power scissors, carries, and figure-fours (which Scrappy reverses in the classic manner).
At the match's midpoint, Scrappy shows his stuff, with crab holds, head scissors, schoolboy pins, and gut punches. Frey breaks a sweat at this point, but as the time nears for the tables to turn back, it appears that Frey is only testing the Kentucky recruit and perhaps using the steady volley of attacks to psych himself up for a comeback.
I'm impressed with Scrappy's wrestling ability, considering a wrestler's first match at the Arena is usually (with a few exceptions) a de facto hazing. He absolutely must fight Tak and Marco (and soon!) to fully demonstrate his chops. I figure Eagle, Profiteer, Steel, and Viggo are going to want a crack at this guy too. In time he may even get tossed to Cage or Dirty Daddy for a squared-circle drubbing.
I want to see more of Scrappy, more matches, skinnier gear, maybe even some more muscle packed on (or not--he looks fine, as is). The Arena could be a great home for him, and based on his debut, I'd say he has a lot to give back.
