Match 3: Sha Samuels vs. Fred Phillips
Sha looks like a bad ass, big 'n' burly, a broad barrel hairy chest, with a menacing scowl all the more frightening due to his facial hair, and tree trunk arms & legs. It seems unfair that rookie Fred Phillips has to make his debut match against such an experienced wrecking machine. It is unfair. You need to earn your stripes somehow, and it'll either be sink or swim for poor Mr. Phillips in another classic blue-eye/villain UK pro actioner. Right from the get-go Sha hammers Fred all over the ring. Powerful clubbing forearm smashes ricochet off Fred's back as he screams for mercy. Fred does try to fight back, however Sha's experience and ring savvy are too much for a young trainee to handle. After a big fall-away slam, Fred rolls to the outside to regroup. You can see the gauntlet of emotions on Fred's face: fear, anxiety, pain, nervousness, uncertainty, but suddenly something clicks, as if somebody hit the go button for Fred. Fred makes it back into the ring at the count of 7 and proceeds to outmaneuver his bigger opponent and capitalize with a big flying cross-body block and running STO. With the momentum shifted in his favor, the doubt is replaced by confidence, the pain is replaced by determination. Freddy has evolved right before our eyes! Now Sha is the one with doubt, uncertainty and pain expressed on his face. Can the burly veteran regroup and knock the rookie off his high horse, or can Fred Phillips pull off the upset victory and prove to this NewPro locker room he is a force to be reckoned with?