Former WWE NXT UK Star Wild Boar Names Part Of Dog Collar Matches That Suck

Answering a question on the "Ringsiders Wrestling" podcast about his NXT UK Dog Collar match against Eddie Dennis this past spring, NXT UK alumnus "Wild Boar" Mike Hitchman wasn't complimentary of the chain when reflecting on the match. "Oi mate, those chains suck!" said Hitchman. "You can't work with a chain. Its a weird thing to say but they do what they want."

The Dog Collar match on the May 19 episode of NXT UK was the first (and only) match of its kind on the brand, as well as the culmination of Hitchman's program with Dennis. In preparation for the match, Hitchman studied the Roddy Piper/Greg Valentine Dog Collar match from Starrcade '83 and pointed out that while you prepare for the match as best you can, knowing the chain will be used against you and on your opponent, the chain is still the x-factor in the match.

"The chain always wins," said Hitchman, "because one thing you don't think about is ... when you fall over, right, and you fall on your back; you slip and you go and then the chain goes; and then, well, the chain is coming right down on you. But you don't think; you're getting thrown, land on the mat, but you don't just land on the mat, the chains hit the mat first so you're landing on the chain. You also don't think about getting laid up in the chain when you're trying to maneuver, trying to pull or whatever, and you don't think about your legs tied up in the chain."

Despite the obstacles of the chain, Hitchman is proud of the match as well as the fact its only one of three Dog Collar matches in WWE history. The other two WWE dog collar matches were Junkyard Dog against Don Muraco at the Philadelphia Spectrum on July 26, 1986; and Vader against Davey Boy Smith on the November 3, 1997 episode of "Raw."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Ringsiders Wrestling" podcast with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.