NXT UK Worth Watching : Ohno vs. Starz!
Kassius Ohno vs. Jack Starz NXT UK 1/18 (Aired 2/26/20)
ER: I watched and wrote about this match a couple years ago without having seen much other NXT UK, I was just seeking out Ohno and Kendrick matches. I had never heard of Jack Starz when I first watched his Ohno match, but that was two years ago and before I had watched over 80 episodes of NXT UK. So now, I have...essentially still zero idea who Jack Starz is. Sometimes he's on NXT UK, most of the time he's not. He shows up, loses quickly, and then comes back 15 episodes later. So of course Kassius Ohno is going to come into town and give Starz his longest match (to this point) in NXT UK. This is only a 5 minute match but it's just about the most complete match you can get in 5 minutes. Ohno is so great at Ric Flairing himself through Yorkshire and making it seem like anyone can beat him, while also demolishing those same people. He is so good at finding plausible ways to be pinned by 170 lb. Brits, and then punishing those Brits for almost beating him.
ER: I watched and wrote about this match a couple years ago without having seen much other NXT UK, I was just seeking out Ohno and Kendrick matches. I had never heard of Jack Starz when I first watched his Ohno match, but that was two years ago and before I had watched over 80 episodes of NXT UK. So now, I have...essentially still zero idea who Jack Starz is. Sometimes he's on NXT UK, most of the time he's not. He shows up, loses quickly, and then comes back 15 episodes later. So of course Kassius Ohno is going to come into town and give Starz his longest match (to this point) in NXT UK. This is only a 5 minute match but it's just about the most complete match you can get in 5 minutes. Ohno is so great at Ric Flairing himself through Yorkshire and making it seem like anyone can beat him, while also demolishing those same people. He is so good at finding plausible ways to be pinned by 170 lb. Brits, and then punishing those Brits for almost beating him.
I liked the way Starz fought in close with Ohno, tripping Ohno up during his multiple kip ups, foiling him with a wristlock, getting a snug crucifix nearfall, and countering a rolling elbow with a tabletop trip to take Ohno out at the knees. He also wasn't afraid to sneak in uppercuts when he could. I couldn't really tell if Starz had nice uppercuts, but due to the height difference they looked nice as he had a perfect shot under Ohno's chin. But, as many of these NXT UK appearances have gone, you knew that eventually this was going to be about Ohno wrecking some guy. And I like how Ohno almost acted *offended* by getting occasionally outsmarted by Starz, so kept his punishment swift. Starz went for a handstand in the corner, Ohno considered the situation, then just kicks at Starz' hand, keeping his boot there to grind his fingers. Ohno rips at Starz' arm and bends him around by the wrist and fingers, still leaving some openings for Starz to come back, but working quick toward the finish. I loved how Ohno sank in the Kassius Clutch (a trapped arm cravat) and just basically won the match by sheer size. He doesn't make it pretty, he just taps Starz because he can.
Labels: Jack Starz, Kassius Ohno, NXT UK
posted by EricR @ 10:00 PM
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