Why Sam Sawyer Can Win the X*Crown (NOC RP 3)
Jul 25, 2023 12:25:30 GMT -5
Mongo the Destroyer, Dave D-Flipz, and 2 more like this
Post by Sam Sawyer on Jul 25, 2023 12:25:30 GMT -5
Voices of Wrestling
WHY SAM SAWYER CAN WIN THE X*CROWN
Posted by Marissa Clark | Jul 25, 2023 | Columns, XHF
It's pretty obvious the two favorites to win the X*Crown this Sunday are Steve Awesome and the champion Bloodied Fox. A strong case can also be made for each of the other three, but that's kind of true of anything. Nothing is certain in this sport. And it's tempting, and fun, to pick whichever underdog you think is going to be the next breakout star. But I honestly don't see anybody in this match as an underdog. Particularly not Sam Sawyer, the biggest “underdog” of them all.
Sawyer has had a frustrating run since joining the XHF two years ago. They've always been showered with praise, touted as a future champion, someone with promise, potential, the talent to do big things. But with their continuous failure to win when it really matters, as far as most people are concerned all that that praise really amounts to is “good for a teenager.” XHF fans who just skim through Tap Out shows will wonder what Sawyer is doing in this match. And even Tap Out's fans, who have watched their strong showings against the likes of Jack Diamond and Poena, wouldn't have picked Sawyer as their number one.
But Cross Recoba and his board know what they're doing. They're in the gambling business. They don't care about emotion or charity; they're motivated by money. Tap Out didn't put Sawyer in this position so they could have a star-making performance, they put them there because they believe they can win.
The least of Sawyer's worries is probably Florida Man. His two biggest achievements are owed to luck. Both his Junior Heavyweight title victory over Bloodied Fox and his Overheated victory over Esmur came as a result of a blackout. As long as there are no freak occurences like that, Florida Man is my pick for the actual biggest underdog. Not that he can't hang with the best, or his unpredictability won't be a huge threat, but compared to the others his talent is lacking. As are his gym hours and match time, I'd guess. And most obviously, Sawyer has already proven they can beat him. They've also lost to him, taking a fall and finishing two points behind in a 6-person Penalty Box match, but it wasn't exactly in convincing fashion. One-on-one, they survived Florida Man's chaos, pulverized him and submitted him in a no rules fight. That's Florida Man's element, and although the Throne of Gold match isn't one-on-one, Sawyer has had almost two years since the Penalty Box match to grow wiser and shrewder. I'm not convinced Florida Man has done the same. They probably have his number.
No one in their right mind should count out BEEF. He was the Iron Man of the Rumble, lasting almost two hours and getting multiple eliminations, including Sawyer's biggest scalp Aiden Merric. He was terrifying in that match, as he was in the 60 minute match where he qualified for Overheated. He's being trained by the best of the best in DTF, and by former X*Crown Champion El Rey. But while he has so much going for him - his presence and his recent performances almost foreshadowing huge trouble for the other four - he's also lacking. A part-ladder match is no Rumble. And compared to the other represented companies, DTF is small time. His opponents there just aren't of the same caliber. Sawyer spent a year in FIRESIDE and a year in Tap Out fighting some of the best wrestlers in the world. BEEF is just getting started.
Sawyer is self-trained for the most part. They've even trained some wrestlers themselves. To me that says they want this more. BEEF might think he wants it that much, he might genuinely want it that much, but the fact is he debuted twelve years later in life, and his passion can't be as deeply rooted. He says he doesn't “need” to win like it's a strength, but honestly it's a weakness. Sawyer is under massive pressure from Tap Out, true. They don't have a comfortable slot on the card to fall back on. But they have two years worth of experience of dealing with pressure. And if BEEF is comfortable, hopefully for him that doesn't reflect in his training.
Steve Awesome meanwhile could never be described as comfortable. He wants this badly. He's going to be pulling out all the stops like it's his last chance. And after everything he went through with Zoran Sainovic last year, I think he's going to be more dangerous than he's ever been. When he says he's going to become an animal, he's not lying. But as determined as he is to win his third X*Crown, it's like he's burning the candle at both ends. You can see it in his promos. Beneath the cocky front he puts on you can sense the desperation. He's really going for it, but he's not in the zone you need to be in if you want to give yourself the absolute best chance. He'll make mistakes, fight with his heart and not his head. I think that even more than the X*Crown, Awesome wants a Hollywood Ending. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I mean you could argue the X*Crown is fool's gold just as much. Either way, I don't think Awesome will be able to resist putting on a show in his Hardcore Title match earlier in the night, at whatever expense.
Like Awesome, Bloodied Fox vastly outshines the others when it comes to pure wrestling talent, and being battle-tested. But as he proved in his match with Death Trap, he's far more dangerous than Awesome. And if he uses the services of King Submaxiswear and SEIRIOS again, fair or not that could prove almost impossible to overcome. Sawyer is no stranger to that kind of predicament though. The most obvious evidence of a potential Sawyer victory is the biggest win of their career: a 7-person ladder match to earn a shot at the X*Crown. Evan Valentine Jr. interfered in that match to take out Sawyer with a burning hammer to no avail.
It seems like there might be no depth too low for Fox to sink to. He's turned his back on his fans, surrounded himself with evil, mutilated Death Trap and would have gone further if he could... if the X*Crown is that important to him, that much of a “fuck you” to his former fans, then I'd guess that when he's most in danger of losing it, it's going to bring out the absolute worst in him. Sawyer may seem to lack that killer instinct. Wrestling will always come second to their family: they've said so on camera. But deficiency in psychopathy aside, as they proved in their match with Poena, they don't run from danger. Their family isn't a hindrance, they empower Sawyer. If their family didn't encourage them to take risks, to follow their passion, to make sacrifices: they wouldn't be a wrestler, much less have made it to the main event of Night of Champions. Sawyer will stand up to Fox. And if it comes down to who wants it more, I like Sawyer's chances. Fox might look unstoppable, laser-focused on his mission, but the utter hatred inside him that's always evident in his promos may come back to bite him. That bitterness in the forefront of his mind, the focus on his former fans: it can drive you forward, but it can also give you a false confidence, a tunnel vision where you miss the small details. That can go both ways, but I don't think the support Sawyer will get in New York will matter. Despite their polite promos, they're not doing this for the fans.
Sawyer's desire to win goes deeper than that. They said once in a promo that they were inspired by the wrestlers they watched growing up: by their never say die attitudes and respect for tradition. But I've yet to see evidence that Sawyer isn't one of them. They're not just a fan, they're not just walking in their footsteps... they're as passionate and motivated as the most heroic superstars and grittiest workhorses to ever do it. Look at their match with Esmeralda von Krauss. Look at their match with Aiden Merric. Forget wasted motion, Sawyer went after those two like a heat-seeking missile. They might be an underdog in this match, but they don't fight like an underdog. They might be lacking in big match experience, they might be undersized and trailing behind Fox and Awesome in pure talent, but they make up for it in brute willpower and intelligence.
That cold determination might just be enough to get it done. That's what everyone else might be missing. Florida Man probably has a bunch of other stuff going on. BEEF was a slow starter and is possibly complacent. Steve Awesome despite all his promises might not be able to resist his lifelong habit of showing off. Bloodied Fox might have another lapse in judgment like he did when he placed a single foot on Death Trap's chest after hitting the Leviathan Suplex, and let the rule he claims will never end slip through his fingers. Maybe that lapse is the sympathy he has for Sawyer. He claims he won't hold back, but it's an uncharacteristic sign of weakness, and a sign that he may be underestimating them.
With four opponents, you have to prioritize: spend more time preparing for who you think are the biggest threats. It's obvious, but if the others fail to do that correctly, that could be Sawyer's biggest advantage of all.
WHY SAM SAWYER CAN WIN THE X*CROWN
Posted by Marissa Clark | Jul 25, 2023 | Columns, XHF
It's pretty obvious the two favorites to win the X*Crown this Sunday are Steve Awesome and the champion Bloodied Fox. A strong case can also be made for each of the other three, but that's kind of true of anything. Nothing is certain in this sport. And it's tempting, and fun, to pick whichever underdog you think is going to be the next breakout star. But I honestly don't see anybody in this match as an underdog. Particularly not Sam Sawyer, the biggest “underdog” of them all.
Sawyer has had a frustrating run since joining the XHF two years ago. They've always been showered with praise, touted as a future champion, someone with promise, potential, the talent to do big things. But with their continuous failure to win when it really matters, as far as most people are concerned all that that praise really amounts to is “good for a teenager.” XHF fans who just skim through Tap Out shows will wonder what Sawyer is doing in this match. And even Tap Out's fans, who have watched their strong showings against the likes of Jack Diamond and Poena, wouldn't have picked Sawyer as their number one.
But Cross Recoba and his board know what they're doing. They're in the gambling business. They don't care about emotion or charity; they're motivated by money. Tap Out didn't put Sawyer in this position so they could have a star-making performance, they put them there because they believe they can win.
The least of Sawyer's worries is probably Florida Man. His two biggest achievements are owed to luck. Both his Junior Heavyweight title victory over Bloodied Fox and his Overheated victory over Esmur came as a result of a blackout. As long as there are no freak occurences like that, Florida Man is my pick for the actual biggest underdog. Not that he can't hang with the best, or his unpredictability won't be a huge threat, but compared to the others his talent is lacking. As are his gym hours and match time, I'd guess. And most obviously, Sawyer has already proven they can beat him. They've also lost to him, taking a fall and finishing two points behind in a 6-person Penalty Box match, but it wasn't exactly in convincing fashion. One-on-one, they survived Florida Man's chaos, pulverized him and submitted him in a no rules fight. That's Florida Man's element, and although the Throne of Gold match isn't one-on-one, Sawyer has had almost two years since the Penalty Box match to grow wiser and shrewder. I'm not convinced Florida Man has done the same. They probably have his number.
No one in their right mind should count out BEEF. He was the Iron Man of the Rumble, lasting almost two hours and getting multiple eliminations, including Sawyer's biggest scalp Aiden Merric. He was terrifying in that match, as he was in the 60 minute match where he qualified for Overheated. He's being trained by the best of the best in DTF, and by former X*Crown Champion El Rey. But while he has so much going for him - his presence and his recent performances almost foreshadowing huge trouble for the other four - he's also lacking. A part-ladder match is no Rumble. And compared to the other represented companies, DTF is small time. His opponents there just aren't of the same caliber. Sawyer spent a year in FIRESIDE and a year in Tap Out fighting some of the best wrestlers in the world. BEEF is just getting started.
Sawyer is self-trained for the most part. They've even trained some wrestlers themselves. To me that says they want this more. BEEF might think he wants it that much, he might genuinely want it that much, but the fact is he debuted twelve years later in life, and his passion can't be as deeply rooted. He says he doesn't “need” to win like it's a strength, but honestly it's a weakness. Sawyer is under massive pressure from Tap Out, true. They don't have a comfortable slot on the card to fall back on. But they have two years worth of experience of dealing with pressure. And if BEEF is comfortable, hopefully for him that doesn't reflect in his training.
Steve Awesome meanwhile could never be described as comfortable. He wants this badly. He's going to be pulling out all the stops like it's his last chance. And after everything he went through with Zoran Sainovic last year, I think he's going to be more dangerous than he's ever been. When he says he's going to become an animal, he's not lying. But as determined as he is to win his third X*Crown, it's like he's burning the candle at both ends. You can see it in his promos. Beneath the cocky front he puts on you can sense the desperation. He's really going for it, but he's not in the zone you need to be in if you want to give yourself the absolute best chance. He'll make mistakes, fight with his heart and not his head. I think that even more than the X*Crown, Awesome wants a Hollywood Ending. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I mean you could argue the X*Crown is fool's gold just as much. Either way, I don't think Awesome will be able to resist putting on a show in his Hardcore Title match earlier in the night, at whatever expense.
Like Awesome, Bloodied Fox vastly outshines the others when it comes to pure wrestling talent, and being battle-tested. But as he proved in his match with Death Trap, he's far more dangerous than Awesome. And if he uses the services of King Submaxiswear and SEIRIOS again, fair or not that could prove almost impossible to overcome. Sawyer is no stranger to that kind of predicament though. The most obvious evidence of a potential Sawyer victory is the biggest win of their career: a 7-person ladder match to earn a shot at the X*Crown. Evan Valentine Jr. interfered in that match to take out Sawyer with a burning hammer to no avail.
It seems like there might be no depth too low for Fox to sink to. He's turned his back on his fans, surrounded himself with evil, mutilated Death Trap and would have gone further if he could... if the X*Crown is that important to him, that much of a “fuck you” to his former fans, then I'd guess that when he's most in danger of losing it, it's going to bring out the absolute worst in him. Sawyer may seem to lack that killer instinct. Wrestling will always come second to their family: they've said so on camera. But deficiency in psychopathy aside, as they proved in their match with Poena, they don't run from danger. Their family isn't a hindrance, they empower Sawyer. If their family didn't encourage them to take risks, to follow their passion, to make sacrifices: they wouldn't be a wrestler, much less have made it to the main event of Night of Champions. Sawyer will stand up to Fox. And if it comes down to who wants it more, I like Sawyer's chances. Fox might look unstoppable, laser-focused on his mission, but the utter hatred inside him that's always evident in his promos may come back to bite him. That bitterness in the forefront of his mind, the focus on his former fans: it can drive you forward, but it can also give you a false confidence, a tunnel vision where you miss the small details. That can go both ways, but I don't think the support Sawyer will get in New York will matter. Despite their polite promos, they're not doing this for the fans.
Sawyer's desire to win goes deeper than that. They said once in a promo that they were inspired by the wrestlers they watched growing up: by their never say die attitudes and respect for tradition. But I've yet to see evidence that Sawyer isn't one of them. They're not just a fan, they're not just walking in their footsteps... they're as passionate and motivated as the most heroic superstars and grittiest workhorses to ever do it. Look at their match with Esmeralda von Krauss. Look at their match with Aiden Merric. Forget wasted motion, Sawyer went after those two like a heat-seeking missile. They might be an underdog in this match, but they don't fight like an underdog. They might be lacking in big match experience, they might be undersized and trailing behind Fox and Awesome in pure talent, but they make up for it in brute willpower and intelligence.
That cold determination might just be enough to get it done. That's what everyone else might be missing. Florida Man probably has a bunch of other stuff going on. BEEF was a slow starter and is possibly complacent. Steve Awesome despite all his promises might not be able to resist his lifelong habit of showing off. Bloodied Fox might have another lapse in judgment like he did when he placed a single foot on Death Trap's chest after hitting the Leviathan Suplex, and let the rule he claims will never end slip through his fingers. Maybe that lapse is the sympathy he has for Sawyer. He claims he won't hold back, but it's an uncharacteristic sign of weakness, and a sign that he may be underestimating them.
With four opponents, you have to prioritize: spend more time preparing for who you think are the biggest threats. It's obvious, but if the others fail to do that correctly, that could be Sawyer's biggest advantage of all.