Doug, your situation is not uncommon for those who live outside of the areas where tackle stores carry serious popping gear and you will need to either travel to hold a rod or rely on opinions.
As for certain brands of rods being better for fighting fish or better for whatever, you will find a lot of differing opinions. You will also find a lot of brand loyalty, especially right at the top end.
I remember well my first serious popping rods which were Smith and Patriot Design. I then moved on to using Carpenter and Ripple Fisher about equally and then became very much a Carpenter user with a Ripple getting an occasional outing. That does not mean that there is necessarily anything wrong to my mind with Smith, PD or Ripple rods. It is just that like quite a few others in our sport, I do believe Carpenter are the best rods... at least they are for me and my fishing styles.
For your chugging rod I don't think you would be disappointed with a Hammerhead Faube M+, a Smith HIIB Rocket or a Ripple Fisher FS 79H. I just personally prefer the Carpenter equivalents.
Also, I kind of assumed when reading you have an Ultimo, that you were looking for a high end chugging rod. Should also have said that there are some very good value for money mid-priced chugger rods out there like the Kaiser El Toro 150 and 180, and Yamaga Blanks Atlas 76/8.
I have never held a Race Point rod so cannot comment on that option.
Both the Monster Hunters and the FS79H are all tough rods with heaps of power, but they are manageable by a moderately fit and strong, normal human being, i.e. they are sensible rods, certainly not over-heavy or too stiff.
Barry, Carpenter certainly make what you might call "finesse" rods for stickbaits (eg the EP range, Coral Viper 79/40, the TBL range). Neither of the ones suggested in this thread are that - Monster Hunters are rods primarily for chuggers or massive stickbaits, with huge power down low. I do use Monster Hunter 80H for stickbaits, but only 200 grams or heavier. It does make for a good all- round rod, but I don't think anyone would choose to use MH80H for stickbaits lighter than that. As for MH79XH, you would need to be truly desperate to put a stickbait on that rod!