Review: Dash Decker vs. Rex Bedford (88Wrestling)

SPOILER ALERT. THIS IS A SPOILER-FILLED REVIEW.

I don’t know how much I’m actually spoiling anything, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. It’s just impossible for me to talk about this video without revealing certain key plot points. For example, I can’t honestly call this 88Wrestling match anything other than a humiliating takedown. It actually felt like a squash my first times (yes plural) watching it (it took three tries, so it is a very hot match).

Rex Bedford is so casually ruthless throughout, both physically and verbally. Technically, it’s only 60/40 the reigning king. It’s just that his 60% includes bigger talk, bigger moves and greater dominance. Challenger Dash Decker has one killer move that could’ve earned a fall, but it doesn’t. None of the rest of his 12 minutes on top gave me the feeling he had Rex in any real trouble.

Rex: “You’re a washed-up never-was.” (Ouch.)

Dash: “You seeing stars, yet?”
Rex: “I’m not seeing a star.” (Rude.)

Two of my three favorite RHW matches are Dash Decker KOTR matches. Dash Decker vs. Alex Waters is my absolute favorite and Dash Decker vs. Ethan Andrews is third. They were epic five-round battles between fierce established winners that felt really big and surprising. In this case, this is a dominant two-round demolition that firmly establishes Rex as the better man.

Dash is still muscular. Still handsome. And he’s in smaller (better) gear than usual - skimpy black trunks. He sweats and sells like a pro. Rex is shorter and more compact but built beautifully with broad shoulders, sculpted pecs and chiseled muscles. In his skimpy burgundy trunks, he’s absolutely gorgeous, especially as he pumps up and sweats.

I still think of Dash as the unstoppable Terminator of RHW. He only lost when he was finished with them. Now, he’s much more vulnerable. I always enjoyed Dash’s rare moments of weakness in RHW, because they were preceded and followed by unmatched power. This is different. Dash is different. This shift was a surprisingly big mental adjustment for me.

Rex: “One. Two. There will only be
two rounds this match.” (There are.)

Rex: “You’re big and cheap.
A fucking value meal.” (Cutting.)

Rex: “You did submit, right? You did quit? You are a quitter?”
Dash: "Yeah." (Humiliating.)

Action-wise, Rex breaks down the big man with easy confidence. He lets loose with vicious trashtalk, but always calmly. Basically, the King of RHW 1.0 is treated as a joke by the King of 88W. Just look at the quotes. The formerly formidable hunk is degraded by the smaller stud. Even worse, Rex repeatedly calls his shots and then follows through with humiliating precision. Dash has no answer because there is none. He really is nothing compared to Rex.

Rex: “Good thing [you gave].
I didn’t want to really break you.” (He could.)

Rex: “I want to call you a has-been,
but what have you ever been?” (Nasty.)

Rex: “You’re gonna go to sleep. You’re gonna wake up.
And you’re still gonna be a nobody.” (True.)

Once Rex’s domination really kicks in around the five-and-a-half minute mark, it took me time to shift my old perspective, because of my history with Dash KOTR videos. I was even a little put off before I embraced this new paradigm. If you’ve never seen one of the RHW Dash KOTR matches, you can jump in and be like, “Rex is amazing; Dash is his bitch.” I was slower to get there. But I did. After that, I was able to enjoy seeing sexy Dash treated like trash.

The fading superstar’s moments on top exist but only once are they a convincing threat. The rest are hot because Rex is a hot victim but that’s different than what I’m saying. So yes, there is back-and-forth, but only functionally, not emotionally.

Rex: “This time I won’t make you give up. You won’t have to.
You can just go right to sleep, Dash.” (He does.)

Rex: “You reaching for it? You reaching for that gold?
It won’t be there when you wake up.” (It isn’t.)

In the end, I loved Rex Bedford vs. Dash Decker once I let go of the past and got into it. I finally appreciate Rex, seeing the potential that’s been said but not shown. And I can handle this new version of Dash. He’s still hot as fuck, his trunks are on point and he makes a hot jobber for a young punk. This match definitely served its purpose multiple times and the climax of each fall is really hot.

What are other bloggers saying?

Joe’s take is quite different than mine. Oh, we both liked it, but you will see our very different perspectives. Joe praises the give-and-take nature of the match, Dash’s “many moments of Grade-A whoop-ass” and was still guessing what would happen until the end. His commenters seem to agree, so there you go.

RINGSIDE: FOR THE BELT

So that’s my take. What’s yours?

Alex