[1980-03-25-Joint Promotions] Johnny Saint vs Steve Grey

[SAMS]

1980-03-25
Joint Promotions
Johnny Saint vs Steve Grey
World Lightweight Title Match
Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom

After winning their two previous bouts Saint agreed to this title match. The footage starts and we’re already at the start of Round 10, which is such a bummer.
These two continued where they left off back in January. Really amazing work, I’m not sure if the stuff in their previous match was sharper than what we saw here in about 3 rounds worth of footage, but this felt big. It had that title match feeling, a sense of epicness that I haven’t felt much in the WoS footage so far.
The thing that really stood out to me was, that while I think Saint is the more technically proficient (by a hair), Grey is the one you’re drawn to when you watch. How he sold on the mat is the best in WoS hands down. Most guys lie there, perhaps presenting that they’re composing themselves before they start again or whatever, but Grey is writhing around, his body is moving, it really seems like he’s hurting, not in the injured way, but in that push yourself through your threshold kind of way. He looked exhausted throughout and that just added to the drama of him clinging on to his lead and trying to overcome Saint and take his World title. Unfortunately for him, Saint came back with 2 falls to retain and keep Grey nipping at his heels for now.