Mad Dog Connelly vs. 1 Called Manders (6/2/2026) {English}
"The Truth is sometimes ugly."
Mad Dog Connelly vs. 1 Called Manders (6/2/2026)
Photos from: @NickNrichard
this was that real shit.
i usually call wrestling matches i like "Dances" especially if they are between 2 wrestling soulmates, but this wasn't a dance at all. this was a FIGHT and what a fight it was.
These 2 set up the stage early on in there striking, even Nick knowledge addresses it on commentary, this isn't a match that you would find any collar and elbow tie ups or headlocks in, this was a challenge from mad dog to Manders to live his truth, but what does "Living your truth" really mean?
Mad dog isn't really known for being a "technical" wrestler, his matches aren't always layered or structured, they ALWAYS look like fights, they are ALWAYS chaotic, and that didn't change with how different his opponents are his style never really changed, it adapted, he rarely came on matches with any tactics, he was always true to himself, he lived his truth in and out of the ring, i like to think that it always started with his match against Jake Lander, Mad dog was reborn as a monster in that match, he never felt more alive, and he wanted the entire world to feel what he felt.
in their past matches, Manders always came with a plan. and THAT is one of the reasons mad dog hated Manders, he wasn't living his truth, but more importantly... he was a fucking cowboy, he wanted to beat the living shit out of that cowboy, and force him to drop the tactics and live his truth.
i don't really like to talk about the "action" in these type of matches, so just know in mind that the action was indeed violent, the way those 2 rushed into eachother looked like they wanna kill eachother, and what proved that was the most important weapon in wrestling... BLOOD.
The art of the blade is really important on how you use it in matches how it portrays emotions, sometimes it's used for empathy, sometimes it's used for frustration, but here... it was used for anger, and these 2 got more angry with each punch, and there were ALOT of punches in this match.
Manders was trying to target mad dog's barefoot in the first 10 minutes of this match, but whenever he felt on top, mad dog always fought back, we aren't used to watching mad dog fight from underneath, but that didn't matter to him as long as he kept fighting, and that was the breaking point for manders, no matter how many headbutts, punches, or Lariats he threw, the monster was still breathing, even when he tried to used the dog collar while he was on top to kinda play some mind games on mad dog, trying to prove at him that he is better than him in his own game, Mad dog still fought, mad dog is mostly known for his dog collar matches, but that wasn't what made mad dog special... what made him special was that he has been always living his truth, it was never about the dog collar, and Manders realized that.
the dumb cowboy realized that for once... he had to live his truth.
and the truth was ugly, The greatest wrestlers are the ones that make you feel what they are feeling, and when manders finally dropped his tactics and decided to FIGHT, i FELT how mad dog was happy, and how Manders felt in trouble, scared of living his truth, but he had to anyway.
and then that 2nd striking exchange came... it was manders who started throwing headbutts, in the first one he always tried to get on his feet, but in the 2nd one... he didn't care, he was uncomfortable but that didn't matter, the one thing that differentiates the 1st striking exchange from the 2nd was the uglyness, the 1st was fun but the 2nd was UGLY. and oh boy do i love me some ugly wrestling,
when the piledriver didn't work for mad dog, he had a Lariat/Elbow ready, or maybe a headbutt? it doesn't really matter it never really mattered with this unpredictable bastard. he had something ready to finish the match, and just before he ran to manders... he said his famous words, and i popped like a kid watching a movie where they namedropped the title in it.
"LIVE YOUR FUCKING TRUTH BITCH."
well... the thing is that Manders lived his truth... and just like Mad dog one day, he got pushed past his limits- and he never felt more alive, was he ready? yes. did he have a plan? fuck no.
he could've said a catchy catchphrase before slaying the beast- but he just said what he felt. ANGER.
"FUCK YOU BITCH."
- 1 Called Manders.
this wasn't just good- this was almost perfect, this was ugly. scary, DISGUSTINGLY GOOD, it's just 2 monsters being true to themselvs and beating the living fuck out of eachother, which is my favorite genre in wrestling, 1 Called Manders and Mad Dog Connelly are not dancing partners, they are not wrestling soulmates, they are monsters, born to fight forever.
but this match also had a life lesson in a way (like all good art has)
win or lose, no matter how ugly it is, always LIVE. YOUR. TRUTH.
4.75*
this was that real shit.
i usually call wrestling matches i like "Dances" especially if they are between 2 wrestling soulmates, but this wasn't a dance at all. this was a FIGHT and what a fight it was.
These 2 set up the stage early on in there striking, even Nick knowledge addresses it on commentary, this isn't a match that you would find any collar and elbow tie ups or headlocks in, this was a challenge from mad dog to Manders to live his truth, but what does "Living your truth" really mean?
Mad dog isn't really known for being a "technical" wrestler, his matches aren't always layered or structured, they ALWAYS look like fights, they are ALWAYS chaotic, and that didn't change with how different his opponents are his style never really changed, it adapted, he rarely came on matches with any tactics, he was always true to himself, he lived his truth in and out of the ring, i like to think that it always started with his match against Jake Lander, Mad dog was reborn as a monster in that match, he never felt more alive, and he wanted the entire world to feel what he felt.
in their past matches, Manders always came with a plan. and THAT is one of the reasons mad dog hated Manders, he wasn't living his truth, but more importantly... he was a fucking cowboy, he wanted to beat the living shit out of that cowboy, and force him to drop the tactics and live his truth.
The art of the blade is really important on how you use it in matches how it portrays emotions, sometimes it's used for empathy, sometimes it's used for frustration, but here... it was used for anger, and these 2 got more angry with each punch, and there were ALOT of punches in this match.
Manders was trying to target mad dog's barefoot in the first 10 minutes of this match, but whenever he felt on top, mad dog always fought back, we aren't used to watching mad dog fight from underneath, but that didn't matter to him as long as he kept fighting, and that was the breaking point for manders, no matter how many headbutts, punches, or Lariats he threw, the monster was still breathing, even when he tried to used the dog collar while he was on top to kinda play some mind games on mad dog, trying to prove at him that he is better than him in his own game, Mad dog still fought, mad dog is mostly known for his dog collar matches, but that wasn't what made mad dog special... what made him special was that he has been always living his truth, it was never about the dog collar, and Manders realized that.
the dumb cowboy realized that for once... he had to live his truth.
and then that 2nd striking exchange came... it was manders who started throwing headbutts, in the first one he always tried to get on his feet, but in the 2nd one... he didn't care, he was uncomfortable but that didn't matter, the one thing that differentiates the 1st striking exchange from the 2nd was the uglyness, the 1st was fun but the 2nd was UGLY. and oh boy do i love me some ugly wrestling,
when the piledriver didn't work for mad dog, he had a Lariat/Elbow ready, or maybe a headbutt? it doesn't really matter it never really mattered with this unpredictable bastard. he had something ready to finish the match, and just before he ran to manders... he said his famous words, and i popped like a kid watching a movie where they namedropped the title in it.
"LIVE YOUR FUCKING TRUTH BITCH."
he could've said a catchy catchphrase before slaying the beast- but he just said what he felt. ANGER.
"FUCK YOU BITCH."
- 1 Called Manders.
this wasn't just good- this was almost perfect, this was ugly. scary, DISGUSTINGLY GOOD, it's just 2 monsters being true to themselvs and beating the living fuck out of eachother, which is my favorite genre in wrestling, 1 Called Manders and Mad Dog Connelly are not dancing partners, they are not wrestling soulmates, they are monsters, born to fight forever.
but this match also had a life lesson in a way (like all good art has)
win or lose, no matter how ugly it is, always LIVE. YOUR. TRUTH.
4.75*
Comments
Post a Comment