Review: Kirk Donahue vs. Elite Eliot (BGEast)

I'll state this right upfront. The images in this review of Kirk Donahue vs. Eliot Elliot might be deceiving. Kirk Donahue gets lots of time on top, but you will see almost none of it here. And so, let me say that Kirk is not squashed. However, his suffering is what I most remember, so it is what I pulled for this review. While both guys are very skilled, I think they're at their best and have the most chemistry (and they have a ton) as a babyface jobber (Kirk) and nasty heel (Elite Eliot). 

Kirk's more experienced, but can he handle this heel?

I've now watched two of the three matches on this compilation and I can say that BGEast definitely made the right call giving Kirk a Wrestler Spotlight. Not only is he a talented cutie, but he's shown growth as a persona since he started. Kirk was a rookie against Kid Karisma (reviewed here), but in this match (likely from 2018 Wrestling with Pride time period), he's clearly a ring veteran.

Kirk gets it. He knows how to move, suffer, and position his assets for maximum benefit. To be clear, for OUR maximum benefit, not his. Speaking of guys who get it, I just love Eliot. What a stud. He's a rising superstar, so I'm glad we have these opportunities to see him in our videos. In his black shiny trunks, he's looking sexy as fuck. And he makes a great foil for Kirk, because he's around the same size, but he's a completely contrasting personality. It's classic good vs. evil, with Eliot being a dastardly fiend from the opening bell and never letting up.

See, Kirk fights back. And Eliot has a great ass.

Mighty Eliot calls his shot.

Eliot finishing pose after this DDT is perfection.

While it is back-and-forth and both guys get submissions, it's not equal. Kirk's a fighter, but Eliot's a badass heel. When he creates a weakness, say a knee or an ankle, he's going to exploit it until Kirk is whimpering and crying in the ring. So more of the match is spent with Eliot dominating, just not as a squash. And really, that's what works best for me. Eliot's so awesome when he's evil.

Eliot: "Do you regret coming in here now? Huh? Do you?"

Beating Kirk is never that easy.

Eliot: "Are you going to keep fighting?"

Action-wise, things are really solid. It's non-stop from the opener and these guys keep the pace and energy throughout. Once again, I had way too many options to post, which is why I went one-sided. It has a very classic pro feel with the opening armbars and such. That same pro feel continues throughout. There are a lot of submission holds and they're all applied well. The guys are convincing in either role, but like I said in the opener, Eliot really owns his heel persona and Kirk is a spectacular jobber.

The closing two minutes are especially great as they include one of my favorite pro wrestling tropes in the the world. So evil, so contemptible and so sexy.

Eliot: "You know, Kirk, I was going to leave, but I'm
having way too much fun with you."

That's how you break down a feisty jobber.

Eliot: "He kicked out! He kicked out!
Kirk's still alive! Until I say so."

In the end, this is a really good back-and-forth contest. Both guys look great and they're perfectly attired to suit their roles. I like how it's staged with the pro-style scenario and the face-heel rivalry. It's like the old pros in private kind of deal with the setup that they know each other and the casual banter between them.

What are other bloggers saying?

RINGSIDE: KIRK DU SOLEIL

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

Alex