Spartan Warrior

I'm sure you all know that Marco from Thunders Arena started his own wrestling production company called Underground Wrestler.  I'm just getting around to checking it out.  I know, bad on me for taking so long.  But I think I picked a good time to see what UW has to offer.  A recent addition to its roster is one of my favorite wrestlers, Tanner Hill (who goes by the name Cena at UW).  Tanner made a name for himself at Rock Hard Wrestling at 88 Wrestling, and I'm stoked to see him expanding his portfolio by wrestling for Marco's company.  Recently released is a match called War of Empires featuring Tanner/Cena against Kasee, another dude I like to see wrestle.  It starts with both guys in costume, ready to do battle.  I like the costume idea.  A big feature of pro-style wrestling is role playing, so I like how this match tips its hat to that concept.  Have one wrestler dress up like a Spartan Warrior?  I like!  Have that Spartan Warrior be Tanner Hill?  I really really like!

The role-playing and costumes really don't overpower this match.  Instead, it just adds a little extra flavor to it.  Kasee is dressed in an emperor's robe, and after a few moments of playful sword fighting, the robe gets ripped off.  Tanner mocks Kasee for wearing a dress while Kasee whines about losing his favorite robe.  After that it's all wrestling.  But while Kasee looks like any other wrestler at this point, Tanner remains in his Spartan warrior outfit.  Wow.  As I said above, I like.  And I think Tanner likes it, too.  It seems to give him just a little bit of extra swagger (as if he needs any).  Tanner goes Spartan warrior all over Kasee's ass in this match.  Of course, I've learned that you never count Kasee out, but this match is like many of his others where Kasee almost seems to offer his body up to his opponent.  You know, I think Kasee likes Tanner in his Spartan warrior costume, too, especially late in the match when the Spartan scoops him up and delivers a glorious OTK backbreaker.  Well, to be honest, I can't be sure Kasee actually enjoyed it, but I sure loved it.  Wow.

Tanner Hill in a wrestling match dressed as a Spartan warrior . . . I hate to say it out loud, but this is the stuff of fantasies.  And to help out your own personal fantsies, here are some more pics of our favorite Spartan wrestler:

That's right, Tanner.  Flex those big biceps of yours like the Spartan muscleboy you are!

Lucky for us, it being Backbreaker Monday, Tanner is happy to oblige us by showing how a bad-ass Greek warrior gets it done:

Over the knee backbreaker . . . Spartan-style!

For more pics and commentary, be sure to visit Joe at Ringside.

Zman and the "Dad Bod"

It was about a year ago that the "Dad Bod" was all the rage.  Personally I didn't get it.  But what got me thinking about it again was a recent match from 88 Wrestling featuring one of my all-time favorite wrestlers, Zack Jonathan.  His real name is Zack Vazquez, and of course, we know him better as the Zman.  The dude has been around the wrestling ring for years.  It was three years ago when I paid tribute to his ten year anniversary as a star in the world of underground wrestling.  At the time I figured Zman's wrestling days were numbered, but he just keeps coming back.  Cameron Matthews once commented about how much he liked working with Zman because the guy just loves to wrestle.  Zman loves any opportunity to be in the ring.  That's good news for us, because I love seeing Zman in the ring. 

So, this recent match at 88 Wrestling has Zman facing off against a newcomer named Jake Mason.  88 Wrestling describes the match up as "an intriguing dichotomy between two wrestlers at opposite ends of the spectrum in their wrestling careers."  Sounds like 88 Wrestling has some new college grad writing up its match summaries, but in this case it's pretty much on point.  Jake is just a kid with his pale, smooth body, which while athletic still looks like it's at least a few years away from its full physical potential.  It's not hard to imagine the peach fuzz on the newbie's face.  This contrasts with the seasoned veteran we have in Zman, with a face full of manly stubble and a tanned, shredded physique.  I mean seriously, has Zman ever looked better than this?  I don't know if Zman is a father or not, but looking at these two wrestlers, it's not too far fetched to imagine Zman being old enough to be Jake's father (assuming a young teenaged Zman sowing some wild oats in his high school days, perhaps).  That's why I'm stunned about how amazing Zman still looks.  That's the kind of "dad bod" I want to talk about!  Holy fuck!  And with age comes experience, which Zman uses to his advantage early in the match to school Jake in the world of underground wrestling.  As Zman dominates Jake with bodyslams, bearhugs, and abdominal stretches, you can't help but shout out "Whose your daddy!" to the computer screen to taunt the suffering kid.

Yet, as glorious as Zman's "dad bod" is, age does eventually come at a cost.  How long can a seasoned veteran last against the seemingly limitless energy of youth?  Jake may just be a kid, but stamina and endurance work in his favor, so don't count him out just yet.

Several years ago I was wondering if it was time to mark the end of Zman's wrestling career, but here we are in 2019, and the stud is still going strong.  I've learned not to count the Zman out yet, either.

The "Dad Bod" faces the onslaught of Youth.

Be sure to check out Joe at Ringside for additional commentary about this match.