Tuesday is French Catch Day: Sola! Bibi! Labat! Duranton! Debusne! Asselin! MOISE BESCH!

Jo Labat vs. Ami Sola 7/31/58

PAS: This is our second Jo Labat rematch, and it is fun to see how he varies his game a bit against the same opponent. This was a little chippier then their first match, as they broke into slugfests earlier, and the matwork was similarly nasty, with some manipulations of knee joints, and Sola grinding Labat's face into the mat with a arm scissors crucifix. We had some really moments of incongruous athleticism (although at this point it isn't really incongruous anymore) headscissors, ranas, a kip up missed double dropkick spot, and even an incubatory code red. The slugfest section near the end was harrowing, there were a couple of direct forearm bone shots to the jaw which looked like they crossed eyes. Great stuff.

SR:1 Fall match going a bit over 20 minutes. We get pretty much two main events on this episode of catch, which is good. This wasn‘t as good as their first match, but that is a high bar. For most workers, going 20 minutes would be challenging, but these guys just roll it out. The wrestling wasn‘t a ton different from their first match, they didn‘t grind out the holds as much, but these guys will do enough neat stuff to keep it interesting. In this case there were some nasty kicks from unexpected angles and some back rakes that makes this kind of match different from your typical scientific context. Once again, when it was time to do the forearms they just clubbed the living hell out of eachother with some of these forearms landing square in the face. Add another neat finish to make this a really satisfying matchup.

MD: When last we saw Labat face Sola, it was a technical spectacle, with holds and escape attempts, with Labat sneaking out a win by turning Sola's running 'rana attempt into a twisting powerbomb. In 1958. This was a few months later and more of the same. Just excellent stuff. By this point, we're more than familiar with the style, but you can still be impressed by the amount of effort that goes into the holds and into the prevention of escapes. They were so equally matched here, which was evident in the holds but even more so in the bits of escalation. They'd trade dropkicks or throw them both at the same time. When things did get more heated (something only really teased in the last match and more paid off here) you never knew who'd win a strike exchange. As always, Labat had those amazing shoulder blasts out of a cravate postion while Sola had both a bit more flash and athleticism and generally was the first to get mean (much to Labat's frustration). Another great finish and another win for Labat. Is there was a third match where Sola finally gets his day, we don't have it. The next time we see these two, it'll be tagging, and that should be something to see.


Robert Duranton vs. Michel Chaisne 7/31/58

SR:1 Fall match going about 25 minutes. I get the sense Duranton was perfecting his arrogant dipshit act here. It‘s really entertaining, he is not quite flamboyant, but he will make sure to let everyone know that he thinks of his opponent as less than him, that he is very concerned with his appearance, and that he generally thinks he is above all this. This was one of those crowd pleasing romps. Not a ton of hold for hold work and a surprising amount of impact moves, made interesting by the fact that something like a backbreaker is a nearfall in 1958. Chaisne is solid at his role of fired up guy who won‘t let this snob step on him, although I would‘ve liked to see him unwind and kick ass some more. Duranton pretty much carried this for the most part, even when doing holds he kick at Chaisne like a dipshit or try to sucker Chaisne in. One of the things I like in these old french matches is that they will almost always do another basic hold right before the finish, I guess to condition the crowd to keep paying attention.

MD: So, Duranton was very effective. He was super over. He helped Chaisne get over. But compared to almost every other wrestler we've seen in this project, he wasn't smooth all the time. There was a moment right at the start where Chaisne just had to linger for a few meaningful seconds before Duranton locked headscissors on and it was like nothing we've seen in 50s Catch so far. It was the first moment where we really, really saw the strings. And you know what? It probably didn't matter in the grand scheme of things, because Duranton was so haughty, so strong, and so quick to react or look to the crowd or muss his hair or step over his opponent, that the fans were a constant buzz here. There was even a "Michel" chant which was certainly rare for the 50s, from what we've seen, with Duranton (currently in a hold) making sure to pantomime a mouth with his hand to try to tamper it down to the crowd's delight. Everyone else in France may have been on holiday but these folk got their kicks from watching Chaisne lock in a rear stranglehold and elbow Duranton on the skull. 

One thing we've seen so far is that it doesn't matter if you're a former boxer or King Kong Taverne: you had to work the style, and Duranton has to work the style, even if, on sheer effectiveness alone, he was fine without it. And he hits about 2/3rds of what he's going for smoothly enough, which is less than average, certainly, but it's enough to not lose the crowd. Chaisne wasn't the most memorable guy we've seen but in the two occasions, he had these great kneelifts, so I was waiting for them, and they came after the ref pulled Duranton off him for blatantly choking. They, followed by double sledges and uppercuts, were worth the wait. Though Duranton, in his usual style, immediately went through the legs, scored a trip, and shoved his foot in Chaisne's face; when they ended up tied up together shortly thereafter, he managed to feign sporstmanship and break it again and again until Chaisne tripped him from for a big pop. Later on, after another ref break (this time for hanging onto the ropes while on top of Chaisne), Duranton snuck in a quick kick and then decided to just leave. Chaisne caught him. Just a few examples. He may have only been partially accurate, but he was always on, and thus a perfect foil to anyone who could manage everything smoothly.

PAS: I loved Duranton in this match, he had so much sauce. At one point he slams Chaisne and steps right over him like Iverson after crossing up Ty Lue. Chaisne is a good foil for these kind of flamboyant heels, he isn't super colorful himself,  but has great fire and isn't afraid to bang on someone or choke them out. I didn't mind the lack of smoothness, in a promotion where everyone is smooth, it is good to be rough sometimes.


Cheri Bibi vs. Paul Debusne 8/16/58

SR: 1 Fall match going about 25 minutes. This was a brutal fight. Debusne wasn‘t exactly a twig, but he looked like a child next to Cheri Bibi. And what do I know, Debusne looked damn great here crafting a match around Bibi. I can‘t tell if Bibi is actually good aside from being an absolute crowbar, if his detached mannerisms are intentional or not. But Debusne looks fantastic working holds and takedowns and selling the physical challenge. He was bending the fuck out of Bibis fingers and wrist, which is exactly how you would try to fight a physical freak like this, and at one point they did a test of strength which was sold as well as any test of strength in wrestling history. By the end Debusne was trying everything to beat down the bald guy, eye gouging, throwing punches, punt kicks, ground and pound, and Bibi responded with the kind of forearms, punts and headbutts you‘d expect in FUTEN or WAR. The match ends up being thrown out, which feels like a waste as this is the last full length from Debusne we got outside of the Humez match. But damn, what a show.

MD: I always feel like they put Bibi against the wrong guys. He always needs to just be up again an Ami Sola type guy, or more accurately, a Van Buyten. Someone who can take a beating and then come back big. They just don't really have that formula (your Tito Santana style shine-heat-comeback) in 50s French Catch though, so it probably doesn't matter anyway. But, on paper, Debusne really wasn't that guy. Last we saw him, he was a mugging heel trying to survive Humez with hairpulls. Here, he started out a lot the same, though he maintained more control with finger manipuation and wristlocks. Bibi's not the most dynamic guy in the world but he did put a lot of struggle into getting out of these holds and often sold a bit afterwards which I generally credit. He'd go to cheapshots during and after. The problem for him there was that Debusne would come right back with shots of his own. Therefore, they built and built, with more meanness and more shots and both guys getting shoved out, finally building this serene, beautiful moment of Debusne on top of Bibi, giving a thumbs down to the overjoyed crowd before hitting Bibi again and again and again. Bibi returned the favor by headbutting and hairpulling and choking his way back for more. It devolved into an outright brawl at that point, with the ref getting in the way. Debusne and his reactions and high emotion drove this but Bibi, like a moving brick wall with some deep suppressed feelings, played his part as well. In the end, it was all quite entertaining.

PAS: I thought this was a pretty great opponent for Bibi, I like contrast matches a lot, but I also appreciate mean motherfuckers beating on each other, and this was almost like a French version of Killer Karl Kox versus Dick Murdoch. I loved how Debusne tried to crack and break fingers early, but eventually just had to dispense with the trickery and just come straight at him. The finish run was about as brutal and awesome as you are going to see in wrestling, and Debusne giving the thumbs down before pounding on Bibi was a pretty iconic moment, some real Stone Cold Steve Austin shit. I have no problem with the match being thrown out, what the hell was the ref supposed to do?

Rene Asselin vs Moise Besch 8/16/58

SR: 1 Fall match going something between 15 and 20 minutes. We‘ve seen Moise Besch before, and he still looks weird as hell with his big head, bony body and teeth gap. He actually has his wife and kids watching this and kisses the kids before the match. Then goes on to be a total ham in the bout. What a mad bugger. This had some of the fast exchanges you‘d associate with the French lightweights, and Moise looks like an insect when he scrambles around landing on his feet or pulling his opponent into a sleeper. Asselin looked like a competent worker here but you‘ll be too busy gawking at Beschs eye gouging, dick punching lunacy.

MD:  Besch was a real character, the sort of guy the fans obviously loved to hate. He had his kids in the crowd and kissed them before the match and then went right on to utilizing strangleholds, goozles, and hairpulls a'plenty while complaining whenever a break didn't go his way or the ref stopped him from cheating. He also really threw himself into Asselin's offense, both the forearms and the takeovers, all of which generally looked great. He was opportunist but without being quite as cowardly and craven as some others we've seen. While this match did have its share of holds and escapes, I liked how a number of the counters were preemptive, things like Asselin ducking under another stranglehold chinlock attempt or Besch hanging on to the rope to prevent a throw. Honestly, Besch looked good enough to anchor a small-late 70s territory against various cycled-in babyfaces. He was engaging the crowd, the announcer, the ref, and his opponent that much. It's a shame we don't have more of him. I honestly wouldn't mind seeing Asselin pummel and throw guys either. This is it for both though. Ships in the night on our Catch journey, but at least they beat the hell out of each other.

PAS: This was a blast. I am bummed we don't have more Besch because he feels like an all time great wrestling oddball. He looks like a War Boy in Fury Road, and shows shocking athleticism for such a mutant. I loved the huge bump he took into the ring ropes trying to dive on Asselin, and there were several escapes where he just spun around the ring like a top. Asselin was another in the line of touch guy French babyfaces and he definitely took umbrage to Besch's horseshit and kicked his ass around the ring.