Review: Lane Hartley vs. Nick Justice (W4H)

One of the reasons I subscribe to Wrestler4Hire is for seeing indie pros in more private, slower and generally more interesting matches than youTube offers. Indie pro often moves too fast and lacks a coherent storyline. I've equated modern pro to basketball where they just keep going back-and-forth, but only the last minute really matters.

So when Lane Hartley vs. Nick Justice came up for viewing, I had to watch it. How did it go?

Nick pinches an inch as he and Lane
go at it hard in this big boy battle.

Lane and Nick are beefy pros that I have featured multiple times before. I loved Lane when he debuted as a fit, preppy heel. I still like him, even as he's gotten scruffier* and skipped the second part of bulking-and-cutting. Fans of big boys will like the look, especially as he proudly wears tight black trunks. (*although, if you follow him on social media, you will know that he has cleaned up nicely recently, looking more like classic Lane ...)

Nick's actually not as beefy as he was. In fact, tanned and more toned, Nick is pretty hot now. Just look at him in the second last image - I love it. Personality-wise, he's confident and determined, more of a badass face than the goofy heel he was in previous matches.

I like this combination of big pro studs.

Big Lane on display.

Nick looks better than ever.

If I went by past matches, I would assume that Lane squashes Nick. He does not. This is a back-and-forth battle. Nick might actually dominate more. Actions starts fairly quickly as Lane tricks Nick, launching the fight. These two talk a lot through the match. Nick sometimes talks instead of sells, but for the most, part, the soundtrack works.

Nick really works this leg scissors.

No comment.

Nice reversal from Nick.

As you'd expect, there are some nice pro moves here. It's cool to see Lane on the receiving end, as he's usually the dominant one. And this new version of Nick keeps the playful side, but wraps it in a sexier shell. I like the return of the atomic drop, as well as the classic, like sleepers and scissors.

Nick hams it up after an atomic drop.

So sexy. Does Nick finally win one?

Or is Lane the big winner.

In the end, this is a cool beefy pro battle. The guys are engaging and the action is crisp. Nick is the real surprise. He's got the right level of playful and serious, plus he looks better than I've ever seen him look. This is bulking caveman Lane, which is not my fave look, but he's still got great charisma in the ring.

So that's my take. What's yours?

Alex