Pro Wrestling Chronicle

1.5.88 Dave “Fit Finlay vs Johnny Saint

In honor of the great Johnny Saint finally making his way to the U.S. this week…

Finlay is from Ireland, so of course he’s the big heel here. He comes out with this ridiculous female manager who is wearing a Native American head dress for some reason. Her over coat, or whatever it is, doesn’t quite match so it really gets your attention. Fun stuff.

This is a catch weight match. This is an eight round contest. I’m really liking the way that British wrestling would have rounds, first to two falls or submissions, and focused on the weight classes. Saint is an underdog as he’s a “lightweight”, and according to Finlay he eats lightweights. He’s also the British “Heavy middle weight champion”. I have no clue, but he’s got a belt.

Finlay acts like a bully before we even get underway. Crowd is all about Saint. First round is made up of every Finlay hold imaginable with his typical magic tricks. It never gets old for me. Hold-counterhold or hold-escape stuff. Finaly gets real frustrated. I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but Finaly LOOKS and acts like a heel Eddie Guerrero here.

Finlay uses his manager and his facial expressions to maximize the heat he gets from the crowd. He tries a chicken wing and a headlock, failing at both. Saint is so damn smooth, but Finlay really helps the flow and movement of this thing. Seconds round builds just like the first.

Finlay places a fist in Saints stomach for the advantage. Really solid work on the mid section. Saint makes a comeback and Finlay ends it with a big Samoan drop. That’s the finish to the third fall as Finlay gets the pin. Really fun round and Finlay’s manager gives Saint the bad mouth after.
Not sure who he is, but I’m loving British announcer.

Round four is short and sweet. Fit beats on Saint heavy, but Saint comes back with a flurry for the roll up pin. We’re tied 1-1.
Round 5 was just a sprint of motion and bumps, all near perfect timing. Throw in a few near falls and this was a round that reminded me of (GASP!) Steamboat and Flair when they’d turn it up and bring it down for a hold. I’m not saying it’s as good, just that this is hidden treasure and you should be tracking this down by now.

Odd finish that I have seen pulled off better – with Johnny Saint playing the same role. Not terrible, but an odd choice by Finlay. He received a second “public warning” between the fifth and sixth rounds for throwing Saint over the top rope after the bell. I guess a third warning is a DQ. Anyway, they ring the bell as Saint rolls back in, but unlike in his match with Jim Breaks where the exact same thing happens, Saint doesn’t sell the leg. Not only that, Finlay grabs him and puts him in an early for of Nigel McGuiness’ London Dungeon. The ref calls the match almost right away. Not terrible, as I said, but a weird ending to an awesome match. Go find this. 3 ¾ stars.