Matt Mask beat Leonidas Arkona 4-0 at EVW 26, but Arkona did manage to slow him down. Twice.

Those brief stops were the real test. Arkona dropped into a King’s Move in rounds three and four. Mask stayed calm and pinned him both times.

This was more than a speed win. Mask controlled the fast rounds, then proved he could finish when Arkona made him work near the pin pad.

Arkona Finally Got His Stop

Before the match, Arkona’s best chance looked simple. He had to stop Mask’s first hit before his wrist opened and his arm stretched out.

That chance arrived in round three. Arkona dropped low and made Mask work through his open arm. He bought himself some time, but Mask still had the better hand position. Arkona could slow the pin. He could not turn the match back toward center.

Mask even talked to him during the stop. That little detail says plenty. A puller under real pressure usually saves his breath and searches for an escape. Mask looked comfortable enough to recognize the position, keep working, and finish.

The 11.9 kg gap at the weigh-in made that finish more impressive. Arkona had the heavier body and the defensive position he wanted. Mask still kept enough control to drive him to the pad.

Mask Made One Good Correction

Round four gave Arkona a firmer stop. Mask rushed the first finish and let the match stick for a moment. That can happen when a fast puller sees the pad and starts pushing sideways before the hand is ready.

The restart showed how quickly Mask understood the mistake.

He went back to the same basic attack, but his timing was cleaner. Arkona had less time to sink into the King’s Move and stretch the round out. Mask hit, kept his hand moving, and put him down fast.

No fancy adjustment was required. Mask simply stopped forcing the finish and let his hand control lead the pin. That is good table sense. He felt where Arkona could hold and took that spot away on the next start.

Arkona deserves credit for making Mask adjust. The match still exposed the limit of his defense. His King’s Move worked as a brake, but it never gave him a route back into the round.

Michael Todd Would Be a Different Test

Mask joked that Arkona’s position reminded him of Michael Todd. The shape looked familiar, and the comparison made sense in the moment.

Todd brings far more experience to that position. His current game has grown beyond the old King’s Move label. He can attack the hand, transition into a press, and make small changes while the match is stopped.

A December match between Mask and Todd has been floated, but it remains matchmaking talk. This result gives Mask a useful piece of evidence rather than a guaranteed answer. He showed that he can stay patient against an open arm and finish once he owns the hand.