This match had the potential to be epic and the refs blew it. Matt was just getting started! Same thing happened to Sarah @ KOTT 3. Let these athletes fight!
Matt, I watched the match and was yelling at my phone. You looked really strong and your stamina was great. I am sad the referees hijacked the match and didn't let you guys battle.
That's the damn PAL rules, not so much the refs. That last foul was definitely suspect though. They claim there was some daylight, and I saw just a tiny bit in the video from that side angle, but not enough to ever call a foul in any other ruleset. PAL and WAF rules are brutal, especially if you don't pull in WAF-style tournaments often. It's a horrible ruleset for super match formats. Good for large tournaments though, because the micro fouls mean matches can end quickly for almost no reason.
@@maxxxmodelz4061 I get it when you have huge tournaments and the volume of people to weed out. But for super matches I say just let them at it. I mean, the guys in super matches they are training for that specific person. You know what you are walking into. I actually felt bad for both Matt and Tim because eventhough he got the win I am sure that was not how Tim wanted to end that.
Tim bresnan is a beast , those fouls were bullshit though, I think Matt had tim figured out and he could have won if he didn't get those ridiculous fouls
Can someone fuckin explain to me what the fuck an elbow SLIGHTLY popping off a pad on the initial shock of the hit even does? CLEARLY lifting an elbow later in a match vs initial hit is two totally differnt things altogether...
The problem with refereeing as John Brzenk said is the unpredictable delay before the go. PAL should make sure it's roughly the same amount of time after grip is deemed satisfactory and especially no mumbling from ref until the actual go.
When I see the commentary videos I get to see the human that Matt is, in the competitions I get to see the warrior that Matt is. Same as Devon Laratt. Love 'em both. I've never even looked at arm wrestling until a few months ago! They're both great ambassadors.
I have admiration for all athletes that accept a difficult fight under any set of rules, even when they aren't in ideal conditions. Matt Mask in particular here, but also Tim Bresnan and several others who I've watched competing over the years. The greatest legacy is being remembered as a fighter, somebody who'd rather lose than wait - or hide, in some cases.
Man that was a tough and frustrating watch... and I can't even imagine what it must have been like being in that fight. There was no winner in that match. Armwrestling as a sport lost big time.
These rules suck *and* the referees didn't apply them fairly because it's almost impossible. Microfouls ruin armwrestling, both as a sport in itself because of their inconsistency, and as a spectator sport because they frustrate everyone watching.
5:44 was such a bs call, then 12:45, was the smallest lift, but elbow never went off the back as the call was made, 17:27 ref said elbow lift before slip, elbow was a bounce from the slip, 22:30 elbow was down
I would love to here your opinion about setup how difficult was for you Tim and why you couldn't explode at the go as always? Personal opinion I think was a great performance from you both!! a little disappointed by ref...
Okay we are going to have to see a rematch of this! I don't blame either of you but the refs. These slow starts and hairline fouls where we can't see them from multiple camera angles is awful.
This sport will never grow if refs are like this, the only way it grows and these arm wrestlers get paid what they should is to make arm wrestler faster, more action less BS, it's the only way these guys will ever get 7 figure pay checks
It's not the rules. It was the ref. It was the "ready go" style by the ref. If the ref just closed the hands and immediately said one word, "Go!", it would have been a great match, most likely in Matt's favor. But that ref screwed it up with his slow, agonizing "Reeaadyyy...Go."
No one wants to watch 30 mins of re grips and micro fouls and 3 mins of actual arm wrestling. Stop killing the sport with all the rules, go straight to the strap if ur gonna be so picky
The refs are the reason this sport isn't more popular , nobody wants to watch all the BS, surely not a novice to arm wrestling, 30 seconds to get a grip then go to the strap, might not be what everyone wants but if we want this sport to grow it has to be faster, more interesting to watch for everyone, more arm wrestling less BS
Matt for sure this is not a loose! one of the best match that show something is not yet working with the rules and/or it application. Maybe we needed that match exactly like it was to settle the debate on the rules and how they apply. ;) Any way great match and i enjoyed a couple of minutes of it for sure :)
This was the first IFA event I'd ever been to & it was a blast. That room, however, needed some ventilation 😄 Nothing but sweaty man ass filling the air.
