After all the big news, I think one thing that is getting pushed out of the top stories is the first number one contender’s match of the year. Jeff Sneider vs Dan Murrell is something that is, to many, a dream come true style of match.
Whether it was bad timing or them just barely missing each other in tournaments or whatever the case, this has been a match many have wanted to see. Finally, the fates, the stars, and whatever else has aligned for us to get this match. The guy who held the belt for most of the year, Dan Murrell, and the guy who almost stopped the freight train known as Adam Collins, Jeff Sneider. Not only do I feel that both of them are at the top of their games respectively, but I also feel it is an amazing thing to have at the start of the season. I mean the season is called WAR and we are going to be able to have that feeling from the start.
Dan Murrell is literally the dangerous one, the guy who brings fear into the hearts of most competitors in the league. I feel that sometimes Dan Murrell wins matches even before the match begins. It’s funny how one of the guys you would consider to be one with the light side of the Force uses fear when it comes to matches. The special part to all of that is the fact that it isn’t him trying to do it on purpose, people just know what he can do and it makes them realize the mountain they have to climb to beat him in a match. People have to dig deep to even notice a weakness in him. One of the biggest chinks in his armor people pull up a lot is him getting beat by Andrew Ghai, but come on folks, that happened a long time ago. Dan Murrell is not that Dan anymore. The guy won the belt and kept it for two defenses this year alone all while playing Ben Bateman and Ethan Erwin to keep it. He isn’t the player that came back into the league so long ago.
Then you have the man Jeff Sneider coming in with his teams prowess. He is the best teams player of all time. He has been a multiple-time champ with different people on his team, one of those teams being the Patriots who still have one of the best runs in Schmoedown history. He has always been solid in singles but would seem to drop the ball just when you thought he was going to cross the goal line. But this last season, you could see him put it together just a little more, and with every match, he seemed to be getting better and better with the final result being him coming within one victory away from playing for the title at Spectacular. And we all know who was in his way. Can Sneider keep improving and stay focused throughout this time away as the season gets closer and closer to starting again? That is the biggest X-factor he has in his way. If he can then we are going to see a match of the year candidate on one of the very first matches we see next season.
In closing, I think Dan has this one, but it is by a much slimmer margin that you would think. To be honest, it is just very difficult to bet against Dan. I will say this though. If I wanted to make quick money, I would take the bet on Sneider in a heart beat just because the pay out would be bigger. And to be honest, making the Sneider pick as an analyst could be sweet if he pulls it off, but in the end, someone in this match is more consistent and someone in this match has dangerous in his name for a reason. So I have to go with Dan, the dangerous one, and so will a lot of you.