Review: Lane Hartley vs. Kelly King (BGEast)

It's interesting watching a BGEast "Pros in Private" match in the context of the current climate. It's on trend and relevant, given that the big guys are basically featuring "pros in private" matches on TV nowadays, making the guys adapt to working without crowds. Lane Hartley vs. Kelly King is a complete match that could easily be featured on TV and be one of the hottest matches on any show.

Kelly and Lane don't need a crowd
when they battle for top ... stud.

Lane Hartley and Kelly King are familiar faces by now. And what faces. Hartley is TV star handsome while King is cute and adorable. Their looks hide their menacing heel-ish personalities. And they're familiar bodies, too. Awesome bodies. They both have powerful, perfect-for-pro-wrestling bodies. King is thick with abs, rocking pink trunks. Hartley is beefy and beautiful in purple.

To me, these guys are absolutely perfect for the "pros in private" series. A lot of guys are pro-trained nowadays, but these two look and act like old school pro wrestlers. It's no surprise they've both been champions in the indie circuit. I gotta say that the whole compilation looks great with the return of Devil Devitt and fan favorite Paul Hudson, plus the reliable super-studs Brute Baynard and Zach Reno. I might actually watch all three.

King doing his best classic sell.

Big bodies hit the ring hard.

That's a big leg crashing down on you, boy.

This isn't the first time I've seen these two together, but the other times have been teaming up at Wrestler4Hire. Here, they've never met and are both arrogant pro wrestlers looking to rumble. There are rules for this match ... to win, you need a pin, a submission AND a knockout. So three different types of falls to be top man. The action is back-and-forth and both hunks earn falls with a final winner.

More of King's selling. Love it.

A near-perfect GIF.

Yeah, bridge them hips up, big boy.

Action-wise, it takes some time for them to hit their stride but it works. The furious finish is great as it leads up to a ten-count knockout and ultimate bragging rights. Even without an audience, it feels very classic pro, from the moves they use to the long-held holds that you never see anymore. A 45-second sleeper would seem endless in pro wrestling nowadays, but I love the lengthy struggle.

The power moves are big, ring-shaking maneuvers. There are a great combination moves, which separates the pros from the joes. The hits feel hard. The muscles pump. One guy isolates the leg. The sweat flows. And King's exaggerated reactions to the big moves (which you see a little of in the GIFs) reminds me of old school Curt Hennig or Rick Rude. So, it all works, especially the final ten minutes.

BOOM!

The sweatier they are, the rougher the wrestling.

Climbus interruptus.

In the end, this is a solid pro match between two big buddies (acting like enemies). I like how the sweatier the studs get, the more intense the action gets. The moves are well-executed and the selling is terrific.

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

Alex