UCW Wrestling's Ethan Axel Andrews vs. Jax Briggs: S&M Bromance

  

     Move aside, Brangelina. Sports entertainment now has a relationship that can rival anything you've ever displayed. Make way for Jaxel.
     You can pretty much gauge the chemistry between two wrestlers by how they interact during a videotaping. For example, My Beautiful Precious Johnny Deep (MBPJD) never seemed to form any strong alliances in UCW (with the exception of C.J. Devastation during one taping), and that just increased my feelings of protectiveness and affection for the young grappler. MBPJD was a highly competitive, combative Taurus and his conflict-prone personality (along with, of course, his ethereal physical attractiveness -- and the presence of his girlfriend on the set) seemed to inspire mainly envy among his underground wrestling peers. (By the way, the reaction of many UCW fans toward Johnny seems very similar -- a mix of lust, jealousy, and sadism. To this day, I see comments concerning Johnny posted on UCW related Facebook accounts that make me cringe and send chills down my spine. No wonder MBPJD was shy about receiving public "attention.")
     In sharp contrast to Johnny's tenure at UCW, newcomer Jax Briggs received a genuinely warm welcome to the federation, via this match against Ethan Axel Andrews (the company's top wrestler and 50% owner). From the opening scene of this video (#353 available here), when a charmingly obnoxious Jax interrupts Ethan's calisthenics to propose an arm wrestling contest, there's an obvious warmth and sense of camaraderie between the two supposed adversaries.
     Indeed, this whole videotaped wrestling session has a big brother / little brother feel to it. 28-year-old Ethan has traditionally been in charge of "hazing" UCW rookies, putting them through the paces and subjecting them to a plethora of painful wrestling holds, testing their endurance and dedication. When Ethan did this to MBPJD (in three introductory matches -- #'s 269, 277, and 295 -- a virtual trifecta of torment, in addition to the impromptu bullying of Johnny in "lost video" #316), Ethan morphed into Axel and treated MBPJD in a totally ruthless manner. However here in #353, Ethan remains Ethan (except for two momentary exceptions which we'll discuss later) and engages Jax in a display of athleticism, not a beatdown.
     That's not to say that Ethan displays any leniency with Jax. As a matter of fact, if UCW had rules, this match would have ended at the ten minute mark. At that point, Ethan had Jax in an excruciating armbar and Jax uttered, "Alright! I'll do it with that one. I'll submit on that." A disappointed Ethan asked, "Really?" and Jax answered, "Yeah." Unyielding, Ethan responded, "Come on. You can't think of any way to get out of here?" Jax just continued to groan and gasp in agony. "Come on," Ethan repeated, and then rolled forward, seemingly propelled by Jax's arm strength. "There you go!" Ethan exclaimed, and the match continued.

 

     Despite the sincere friendship evident during the videotaping, this match is actually as brutal (from a standpoint of pure physical pain) as anything you'll be likely to see in sports entertainment. In order to appreciate what is actually happening during this match, you really have to view it in slow motion. Ethan's pro trainer rhetoric ("What did I teach you? How do you reverse this? This isn't high school. You just can't wait. You don't want to be a jobber like Oliver Wood, do you?") successfully camouflages the cruelty to which Jax is subjected.
     The Boston Crabs and leglocks in particular must be studied in slow motion silence to be appreciated. You can see Jax's hands touching Ethan to communicate the degree of pain he's experiencing. You'll notice Ethan rise up a bit to alleviate some of the agony for a few seconds, and then force Jax to experience the full blown torment once again. The facial expressions and the body language tell the true story.

(By the way, the most horrendous torture that Jax endures in this match comes via a single leg leglock, during which Axel attempts to make the rookie's toes touch the back of his head. The circulation is totally cut off to that leg and it becomes cadaver-like white, like a disembodied limb.)
     However, the leglocks and armbars aren't the extent of Ethan's repertoire, and the fed's head honcho uses every weapon in his arsenal to dominate young Jax. There are bear hugs...

...backbreakers administered in a variety of styles...

...in addition to rapid snap suplexes (more back pain for the aspiring UCW star) and a multitude of gut punches -- all of which leave poor Jax thoroughly exhausted.

     Yet, because the UCW bosses seem to have a fondness for Jax, Ethan does give the young man ample opportunity to demonstrate his aggressive side. In all honesty, some of these maneuvers are somewhat awkwardly applied and do not stand up well during slow motion studies (even though Ethan is "selling" for all he's worth).

     However, after being roughed up severely, Jax seems to lose his temper during the application of a headlock. Jax (who had already been chastised for releasing holds without asking for submissions) asks Ethan if he wants to give up. Ethan can't even respond because the hold is cinched in so tightly and his neck is being bent backward to such an extreme degree.

     That's really the only display of meanness that we see from Jax during this bout. Other than that, Jax seems like a humble young man, willing to roll with the punches and pay his dues for a chance to make his mark in the pro wrestling world. The persona that Jax presents in this tape is quite a contrast to the image he projected during his recent "Inside Scoop" appearance. That interview demonstrates Jax's mic skills and acting ability, but is no indicator of the sports entertainer's true personality (take it from a blogger who was recently called "sir" by this young gentleman during a Facebook conversation).
     Ethan, on the other hand, sinks down to the depth of his thin-skinned, narcissistic, alter-ego Axel on two occasions. Both acts of revenge are in response to low blows by Jax (one of which seemed totally accidental -- a rookie mistake, if you will). In the first instance (reacting to the apparent mistake), Axel not only grabs Jax in that highly sensitive area of his anatomy, but also delivers several punishing slaps before letting go. In the second instance, after beating up Jax thoroughly with a barrage of gut punches, Axel remembers how his adversary had turned the tide of the match earlier via a deliberate low blow. This recollection prompts a knee in the groin from Axel and the comment, "Now we're even," before continuing to work Jax over with more above-the-belt fisticuffs.

     At the end of this match, after having proven himself to be UCW material, Jax clearly bears no grudges toward his erstwhile tormentor. Born under Aries, the sign of eternal optimists, Jax is probably already dreaming of mat stardom as he shakes Ethan's hand.
     "There's hope for you yet," Ethan observes somewhat haughtily.
     "That's because I've got you teaching me," Jax replies.
     Jax's generosity seems to momentarily fluster and embarrass Ethan.
     "Yeah, you better thank me," Ethan mumbles.
     "Let's go get a beer, man," Jax suggests.
     "Yep. First let's hit the showers," Ethan responds.

     ...and so this S&M bromance comes to an end (or moves off-camera, as the case may be).
     My frenemy Joe, blogger for "Ringside At Skull Island," already reviewed this match and you can see it here:
Ringside at Skull Island: Jax: An arm-wrestling challenge is no way to draw me in to a wrestling match. It's sedentary, the drama is minuscul...
     Once again, this match is #353 -- here's the link to UCW's "Latest Video" page, on which this particular video is currently listed: http://www.ucw-wrestling.com/videolatest.html.
     (On a personal note, UCW founder "Bodyslam" Michael underwent open heart surgery today -- and according to Ethan Axel Andrew's Facebook page, he's doing fine. Wishing you nothing but the best, Michael -- with respect and in gratitude for the wonderful gift you've given all of us.)