Adam Priest vs. Daniel Makabe and the Morality of Leg Work

Southeast first, baby.

I could watch Adam Priest against anybody.

Readers who are familiar with my work, whether here or on YouTube or just Twitter, have heard me bang this drum for over a year now, but it’s something that bears repeating. The fact of the matter is that I don’t know that any independent wrestler of this generation understands traditional North American pro wrestling psychology better than Adam Priest. Put another way, I think Adam Priest is the best television wrestler not working on TV. He has demonstrated such a stringent commitment to the foundational elements that make old school heel/face television wrestling work so well. Adam Priest is a southern rassler through and through.

Daniel Makabe is a similarly detail oriented wrestler, but his influences seem to come from a broader range. His extensive experience as part of the backyard wrestling scene along with a copious study of international wrestling has created this rather distinct style for Makabe. It’s heavy on chain wrestling and grappling built around these small details of selling, counters, and learned psychology. It’s a different flavor to what Priest offers, a much nerdier take on match structuring.

Together, they form something of a dream pairing for fans of the southeast indies. Despite primarily making his name in the Pacific northwest, the southeast had become something of a second home for Makabe in recent years. Winning the 2019 Scenic City Invitational paved the way for regular appearances at ACTION, SUP, and TWE, often being presented as a top level outsider technician.

Priest, meanwhile, has made a steady climb to being recognized as one of the best in the region. I first came to know him in 2021, but it was last year that he truly ascended to greatness through his feuds with Kevin Ku and Anthony Henry, as well as a highly regarded run as the central figure of the Southeast First Uncharted Territory season.

These two had wrestled before at the 2021 SCI, but it’s decidedly different when they wrestle here at the ACTION 5th anniversary show. Priest’s ascension in both importance and ability makes this a much more exciting match up this go around, and there’s a much more interesting character dynamic because of it. Though Priest seems to be most comfortable working as an old school heel, the ACTION crowd has adopted him as their own, transforming him into a local hero at this point. Makabe, meanwhile, often portrayed as an adopted hero in his own right, now becomes more of an outside invader coming after the region’s top guy.

As with all the best pro wrestling, these character dynamics needn’t be expressed verbally or through overt gesticulating, but rather it uses the grammar of wrestling itself to expand on the ideas. The early grappling is mostly clean, if somewhat competitive on Priest’s end. The champion takes a clear enjoyment from trying to rile up Makabe, seemingly trying to make a point of just how far he’s come since their first meeting. It’s Makabe that takes the turn into antagonism though when he goes after Priest’s leg while the champion is in the ropes. The transition into Makabe’s attack comes in such an underhanded manner that it allows Makabe to tap into the smarmier heel persona that defined his 3-2-1 Battle! Solid Steel (Solid Steel!) title run in 2018.

Makabe controls much of the match from that point, but Priest applies himself wonderfully to the Steamboat rule of babyfaces constantly fighting back regardless of their success. There’s always a struggle from Priest here, throwing some sweet chops, or searching for a way to trip up Makabe, sometimes literally. It makes Makabe’s control even sweeter as we see how the groundwork he’s laying could potentially undo the champion. At one point, Priest goes for a big brainbuster on Makabe—an impressive enough feat given the size difference between the two, made even better by Priest selling his own leg after completing the bump, emphasizing the physical toll required of him as he tries to get back into the fight.

As with any great heel performance, Makabe suffers some delicious karmic justice in this match. In going for his trademark dropkick in the corner, Priest is able to dodge, sending Makabe’s leg crashing into the ropes. From there, it becomes a leg vs. leg match with Priest now able to capitalize on the challenger’s newfound injury. There’s a cleverness to how they go about introducing the leg work on Makabe here too. Where the challenger used an underhanded attack to go for the leg, Priest capitalizes on the circumstances of Makabe’s on failures. Having spent the match having his leg worked over, by the time Priest gets to return the favor, it’s infinitely more satisfying.

It’s a real great marriage of the best strengths both men bring to their work. Makabe’s laser focus towards something like limbwork comes through here, but combining it with the classic morality of Priests’s old school philosophies makes for a title match that isn’t only mechanically sound, but spiritually sound as well.

Easily, one of the best championship matches on the US indies this year.

Rating: ****1/4