Review: Duke Russo vs. Robert Biggs (Movimus)

So, Thursday is the cutoff for the 2017 Cavey Awards. If I haven't watched a match by then, it'll be eligible for next year, not this year. Duke Russo was co-winner of my Favorite Wrestler for 2016. So far, 2017 has been a quiet year for him with just 1.5 videos, but now he's back with a scorcher, getting in right under the wire.

Duke is back.

Movimus Wrestling gave me something to be thankful for this year when they released Duke Russo vs. Robert Biggs a couple of weeks ago.

Last time I saw Duke Russo was in the injury-shortened encounter with Dario Espinosa back in April. He's back, looking incredible and with a full coat of sexy body hair. My attraction to Duke has always been primal, so seeing him ripped, ready and unshaven is a thrill. The guy is a living, breathing superhero on the mats.

Robert Biggs is the brave rookie hunk who gets to face Duke. He's bigger, bald and smooth. I love contrasts between wrestlers and this is a good one. Robert seems like a serious stud, but my mind puts a layer of Lex Luthor on him. I'm just wired like that. Anyway, he's got a nicely muscled physique and looks solid enough to be a real threat to Duke. Is he?

Movimus' resident superhero returns.

Can Biggs play Lex to Duke's Superman?

Biggs makes a great contrast for Duke.

Imagine you're a really good player at whatever sport, but your first pro tennis match is against Federer. First at-bat against Kershaw. First filmed submission match against, well, Duke Russo. Yikes. While Biggs is a rookie to Movimus, he's likely not new to wrestling. However, he's still in front of the cameras against the best on his first try.

Can he make this a battle? Here's a clue: the loser is asked how he feels and his response is a smirking, "Like I just got whupped." I'll let you figure out who would say that.

Duke's impossibly resilient, methodically aggressive and deceptively mighty. Biggs is down fast while he's getting acclimated and Duke isn't a guy you want to give an advantage to. However, it's all amazing and compelling because Duke is amazing and compelling. Plus, he's expanded his repertoire to include a few new tricks ...

Can Biggs seize his opportunities?

Duke's eyes burn through my soul when he
glares at the camera with that intensity.

Duke challenges my expectations. He got nicely verbal and cocky a couple of matches in. His cockiness is still here, like when he tells "Bobby" to show him what he's got or suggests his name should be Smalls, not Biggs. Duke wants a real challenge, even if it means encouraging his opponent. This is obvious physically, too, as he leaves himself open at times. I think it's just to see if he can reverse things.

And now he's adding some power moves into the action. In my experience, submission takedowns are like trips, tackles and toppling. Especially with a bigger opponent. For Duke, Bobby's 195-lbs is not an obstacle. It's an invitation to prove himself. Duke doesn't just take Biggs down, he lifts, spins, flips and throws him around. Below are just a sampling. No wonder Bobby lies down at times. He's probably stunned by the whole thing.

The rest of the action is classic submission. A lot of body work, stretching and submission holds. Duke's calm, cool and collected no matter what. He knows how to own a guy and how not to get owned. Eventually, Robert does get the Movimus superstar into a good spot, but so did CT. Can anyone ever close the deal?

Lex is the one to fly in this match.

Duke pushes the bounds of 'submission' wrestling.

An over-the-knee backbreaker? In submission?

And an airplane spin? Wow, get this man in a ring!

In the end, Duke is just magnetic. As a man and wrestler. Biggs provides a solid foil for the superstar, mainly because of his size. He's big enough to make Duke work hard, regardless of the outcome. I like the new flashes of power from Duke as he continues to add new elements to his matches, this time the aggressive pro-mission type moves.

The big question is will Duke's final pitch to win a 2017 Cavey be enough? Find out starting 12/17 (shameless plug). No matter what, though, the hairy hunk definitely makes me happy he tried.

What are other bloggers saying?

RINGSIDE: FIGHTER

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

Alex