[1972-02-12-Joint Promotions] Adrian Street vs Jim Breaks

[Jetlag]

This is (I believe) one of 3 Adrian Street singles matches from WoS that we have at the moment and a total super classic. Not only do you get that special sort of great british grappling, but also a great match story with a ton of aggression and pissed off-ness.

 

Adrian Street was not as bizarre as later on, but already a surely, vivacious exotico. He starts the match prancing around and trying to get a rise out of Breaks. After Jim gets fed up with the antics he just tries to snap Adrian's wrist. Street gets a serious chip on his shoulder, drops the antics and goes after Breaks like a demon. Since they are both heels (getting mixed reactions in this match), there is nothing off limits for them and they just try to fuck eachother up the whole match.

 

The grappling in the match was fucking great. It was not fancy or pretty (despite the nature of Street), just a brutal amateur style scrap. Both guys are really great at making simple moves look painful, and were utterly vicious. I especially loved all of Street's headlocks including an almost D'Arce choke like neck chancery, and how he would just yank at Breaks' chin or fishhook him when he tried a move. When Breaks goes for his trademark armlocks you can see his fingers clawing into Street's arm, and he shows some spectacular variations. Despite the rough nature of the bout, there were also a handful of swift go-behind or takedown wrestling moves, all done very neatly. Just great wrestling.

 

Then you also get these great Street comebacks to get that weasel Breaks. Attacking his face by shoving his fist into it, bashing the nose with the forearm and just plain stomping on Breaks face aswell as his aggressive armwork were all great. Breaks was a total fucker including handing his irate opponent a towel in really condescending fashion and Street is almost like a 50% babyface with how he sells and he gets some nice reactions accordingly. By the end Street looks like a beaten dog, his pretty hair in a mess, and he just starts prancing again and that last desperation assault.

 

Great great stuff, absolutely at the top of the list of great WoS matches and a serious MOTDC. The best exotico performance ever, technically brilliant and snug like a shootstyle match and heated and violent like a top flight US grudge match.The weirdest thing is that it goes 25 minutes and still feels like it ended early. Never slowed down and kept the tension up while still leaving plenty on the table for a rematch.

[Jmare007]

This lasted more than 20 minutes and I couldn't find 1 wasted motion by both Street or Breaks, that pretty mind blowing. The subtleties used for the match to start escalating were awesome, and so was the grappling, so smart and violent at times. I don't see the "MOTD" praise but this was certainly a fucking great match, could watch these two grapple for an hour and not get bored.

[Microstatistics]

Outstanding grappling mixed in with both guys constantly trying to cave each others faces in. Very violent and gritty. Really liked the heel vs heel dynamic as well. ****1/2

 

[Shrike02]

Just watched this and was tremendously impressed. I really must see more of both guys.

[Makai Club #1]

Adrian Street is known for having a rather effeminate gimmick designed to get a rise out of his opponent (or sometimes the crowd depending on where he was). And that character was on display for sure. The 1700s dress, the prancing/skipping around and the glamorous way Street let the ref touch him down for weapons, extending his legs in an exaggerated way. Breaks would bite at his antics by screaming at him in his typical cry-baby ways, and it was always great when that happened. Street would get a kick out of the rise himself which would make it better. The match wasn’t just Street getting his gimmick over however. The match was focused around serious grappling that was both rough and snug. There were a lot of violent holds that could’ve easily snapped a hand if they weren’t careful. Breaks is no-nonsense unlike Street so most of that was initiated from him but Street was a match for him technique wise and was able to rough it up just as much. Any time Breaks would look to break Street’s wrist, Street would reverse it and lock on a bone crunching hold in return. Breaks was the de facto face, I think, but he was still a real cunt, snapping at Street’s arm after one of the rounds had ended. Street would get some revenge in the next round by ripping at Breaks’ mouth and nose whilst he had Breaks in a side headlock. The match was full of little things like that. I loved Jim Breaks getting a submission (British rules needs two sub wins to win the match or one pin overall) off a Jim Breaks special (lifts opponent by the wrist) and then says to Street “If you can’t carry on, get out!”. It’s so awesome. The final round was tremendous too. Street needed to win that round to cause a draw, so he increases the intensity and urgency of his wrestling, overwhelms Breaks and stomps on his arm while he’s on the floor. One great final flurry from Street before he got the submission win via the Double-Arm Chicken Wing. The match is declared a draw but what a great match it was. Terrific bout. ****1/2

[Wahoos Leg]

I love the style of this. It's very mat-based and hold for hold of course, but everything comes off as legitimate, nasty, and inspired by ill intent. Loved seeing Street here get serious and down to business as the match elapsed. I didn't rate it as highly as some of the people here but it's still highly recommended. 

Here's a link to my full review of the match, as part of the 365 Wrestling project.

 

[cactus]

Street's gay panic gimmick might not have aged well, but he's at least presented as a legitimate wrestler who just happens to be very flamboyant. The exchanges we get here all are very rough and ready. I love Breaks countering Street's flying body scissors by flipping him over into a Boston Crab. I used to have an issue getting into World Of Sport as I found that the round system stopped the action from flowing well, but I thought they made great use of it here. Breaks would constantly get close to locking on his Jim Breaks' Special, but the round would expire before he could fully lock it on and he'd have to break the hold. They built up the tension well, with things getting more aggressive and violent as the match went on and as they got more and more frustrated with each other. Breaks is a great visual seller, loudly groaning in agony whenever Street would get a hold locked in. For those who find World Of Sport not gritty or violent enough for their tastes, I urge you to give this a watch. ★★★★¾

[Rjhabeeb]

Thank you Loss for tipping this one!!!

This might be one of my favorite matches of all time after the first viewing. Just an absolute master class of two guys who break the rules and in doing so absolutely get under each other’s skin. It’s brilliant how well these two get across the absolute hatred for each other as the match builds. It feels like a legitimate fight, and I’m very curious how these two would look in a modern American style. Breaks gets the first fall with a Jim Breaks Special in the 5th round, only for Street to tie it up and end it in a draw with a double armbar chicken wing in the 6th. This is magnificent. ****1/2