Review: Cason vs. Cap (Custom Series) (Thunders Arena)

Alex: It seems to me that a lot of custom video commissioners like seeing their favorites squashed. Is that your experience? If so, why do you think that is?

Marco: I would agree with that. They usually focus on the guy that they want to be the jobber. I think they connect with how the wrestler sells the pain, or on the other hand, how the jobber secretly loves the pain and asks for more in a non-verbal way.

We sure do like to hurt the guys we love, don't we? In my Q+A with Marco, he confirmed my long-held belief that commissioners are way more focused on who the jobber is and how he'll get crushed than they are about heel. Obviously, there's an art to punishing a guy that most of us appreciate, but when our money is on the line, it's all about that suffering stud.

One of my favorite thing about Thunders' commissions is the frequency of revenge themes. Guys love to use their money to bring down the big boys at the hands of the little guys. And so, when a Cason fan plunks down his hard-earned money to see him take a dive, it's a perfect scenario to give Cap his revenge on his bigger alpha male bro Cason.

It's a relationship reversal as Cap gets to own Cason.

I like that these two were introduced as friends with Cason basically squashing Cap and toying with him. You could tell that their friendship is completely uneven. Cap considers Cason a rival, but Cason wouldn't think of Cap as one. Kind of like how the Bills might consider New England their #1 rivalry, while the Patriots wouldn't even list Buffalo in their top ten.

From the start, though, Cason vs. Cap (Custom Series) is different as Cap is wearing Cason's trademark gold trunks. They're saggy on the pint-sized powerhouse, but whether it's an intentional signal of a power shift or not, it is one. These buff boys have traded trunks and maybe it's the power of gold, but Cap's got some swagger about him. Or, maybe it's the phone call where he promised to do anything the person on the other end wants if they can put down big Cason. Ooh, sneaky and provocative. Imagine getting to bring down Cason AND have Cap doing anything you want?

Naturally, when they meet up, Cason isn't worried. He's more amused than threatened. After all, gold trunks or no gold trunks, he's crushed Cap multiple times and is clearly the bigger and better man. Threats of revenge and guarantees of a knockout are just idle threats from a little man. The word bitch is thrown around a lot, but Cason laughs at his buddy and reminds him exactly who the bitch is in their relationship.

Cap's ready to put the big man in his place.

Cap opens Cason up wide.

From bottom to top, Cap delivers the
most bang for the video sponsor's money.

So the scenario is set. Now, these types of David vs. Goliath videos often hinge on the action. How can little Cap suddenly compete against mighty Cason? How? Here, we don't know exactly and yet we do know in general. See, about six minutes into the video, Cason has his little buddy in a killer bearhug. I'm thinking, "Someone paid for all this Cason domination? You could just buy one of the existing matches."

Then it happens.

Power failure.

And there's a double meaning to that expression in this video. The lights fail for 30 seconds then Cason's mighty muscles fail for another 12 minutes.

When the lights come on, things are swapped and it's Cap who's got the upper hand from this point on. Oh, vile chicanery! Cason can't figure out what happened as Cap convinces him that he blacked out. Cason is weak, wobbly and confused. As any conniving young punk would, Cap takes advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to destroy his arrogant buddy. The Cason-crushing is relentless and really hot before he's left unconscious and humiliated.

Even early on, Cap's showing more gumption,
even though Cason blames sweat slippage.

I cut out 30 seconds of black screen,
but you get the point.

Ordinarily, Cason would laugh this off,
but his power is failing him in this one.

Action-wise, it's all about domination pre- and post-power failure. With his all his strength intact, Cason easily dominates his little buddy with a nelson, crab, cradle and bearhug. Cap is feisty and breaks a full nelson, but that's thanks to slippery, sweaty bodies. Cason clearly manhandles him as usual.

After the lights go out then come back on, Cap does all those same moves to Cason in a nice bit of symmetry to prove who's in control now. The smaller stud knocks the big guy out multiple times. In addition to Cason's moves, Cap also scissors him and adds in some body punching. The smaller stud also uses some fan service forced flexing and even does push ups on the helpless Cason. And there's a revenge-based forced bicep kiss, which is pretty much Thunders' equivalent of a money shot.

A bulldog is a great way to bring down the big dawg.

Cason's reduced to being an exercise mat.

Poor Cason. He doesn't look too happy
at having to kiss that puny bicep.

In the end, if seeing roles reversed with Cason being crushed by Cap is your thing, this is a good one. I like the mysterious premise with provocative overtones. It was smart to leave the origin of Cap's dominating turn to my imagination. Cason is so great as a jobber, while Cap relishes the switch in their usual roles and finally having the upper hand on his buddy.

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

Alex