2019 Ongoing MOTY List: PQ vs. CW

26. Preston Quinn vs. C.W. Anderson AML 10/27

PAS: Two long time Segunda Caida favorites match up for the AML title. Haven't seen PQ in a while, and he is working a heel MAGA gimmick now (not sure how that works in a Southern VA fed), although this match was worked tough guy face vs. tough guy face. Lots of talk in the commentary about how these guys were ex-tag partners and good friends, and I really liked how this was worked with both guys coming right up to the edge of snapping but never getting there. It was a body part match with Anderson having a bad lower back as a result of an accidental low blow headbutt on a leapfrog, and Quinn popping out his shoulder when he blocked a super kick with a forearm smash. Quinn even stops the ref from throwing up the X, and pops the shoulder back in by smashing it into the turnbuckle. We had some great punch exchanges from two all time great punchers, and a very cool finish with Anderson hitting a Sliding D on the knee and floating over into a sitting armbar. So glad to see both these guys show up, and this was a trip.

ER: This was so good! I don't think I've watched a match from either of these two all year, and that's just stupid. This was an old man fight with both of them working great old man injuries. CW's back goes out on a "botched" leapfrog, Quinn gets his shoulder knocked loose by trying to block a superkick, and within minutes it's clear that these guys have more interesting ideas on how to let a match unfold than almost every wrestler I've watched in 2019. This is not two guys going through signature offense, this is two experts finding fresh ways to incorporate the moves they're known for, and it's the best. You have Quinn hitting a spinebuster early, an almost mocking warning shot that makes CW want to beat his friend's ass even more. Brad Stutts on commentary was good at pointing out how a scrap between two friends can quickly turn more violent, years of history bubbling up beyond friendly competition. The theatrics around Quinn's shoulder were fantastic. CW throws the best superkick in wrestling, pinpoint accuracy, and Quinn sold this as a guy instinctively trying to catch a 98 MPH fastball even though he forgot his glove. He rams his shoulder into the post to clumsily fix it, bit CW uses that shoulder as a Get Out of Jail Free card the rest of the match, yanking on Quinn's arm to create space, even bending it over the ropes. We get a killer moment where CW has Quinn dead to rights but his back can't support the superkick attempt. Both guys are so good at selling very believable injuries, and it just made it too easy to get sucked into this match. We get a great stand and trade section, and it made me fully realize that I'm going to need guys like this to make me care about a stand and trade section in 2019. No flimsy elbows and dumb facials here, this is CW throwing great punches and elbows from both sides, Quinn throwing his phenomenal worked punches, CW adding in blistering overhand chops, no smooth timing, no clean angles, just slugging it out. The finish is great, super nasty, with CW sliding straight into Quinn's patella, dropping him down immediately to his stomach, and bending that bad arm high behind Quinn's head. Well, I'm gonna go watch all the CW and Quinn stuff that I've foolishly not been seeking out all year. These guys get me.


2019 MOTY MASTER LIST