Trent Novak Immortalized

A big reason why I like Rock Hard Wrestling (and its current reincarnation as 88Wrestling) is the quality of the talent on the roster.  There's no doubt most of the wrestlers are fitness models or budding bodybuilders, but clearly they are also athletes.  They are more than just pretty boys because most of them actually put on a good pro-style wrestling show in the ring.  I'm sure they receive training before filming their matches, but it takes athletic skill not only to execute the moves but to also sell the action.  I'm not saying it's WWE quality (and I don't expect that), but it's still a commendable performance by good looking jocks in a wrestling ring.  When it comes to these online wrestling productions, that's really what sells me on these matches.

One wrestler I really liked from the RHW days is Trent Novak.  I wish I knew the details of how he hooked up with RHW.  Around the time he was a wrestler there, he also appeared at All American Guys as a young model from Georgia named "Jason V".  It seems like All American Guys is a good source of wrestling talent for companies like RHW, 88Wrestling, Thunders Arena, and probably others.  Besides Trent, other wrestlers I've seen at AAG include Rex Bedford (Talon), Cody Nelson (Ray Santiesteban), Eagle (Quinn B.), and Jake Jenkins (Clayton), just to name a few.  I guess fitness models like these guys like to make the rounds with AAG and the wrestling companies, and for that, we can be thankful.

So, back to Trent Novak, a strapping young guy (21 years old according to AAG), standing in at 6 feet tall and 175 pounds.  Unfortunately, he appeared in only four matches at RHW, and this was back in 2012 or so.  Who knows what happened to "Jason V" or where he is today.  He'll be in his late twenties now, maybe back in Georgia.  Life moves on, and so did he.  But because of RHW, he'll live on forever as Trent Novak.

You're probably wondering why I'm suddenly so sentimental about Trent.  The two beers I drank tonight probably have something to do with it.  But I also have to give thanks to a recent blog post by W.R. Screencaps which tipped me off to a sale on Trent's matches at RHW, and I had to check out Trent's match against Cliff Johnson.  I think this was Trent's fourth and final match at RHW, and after losing his first three, he goes into this one determined to prove that he's no mere jobber.  Cliff Johnson apparently is in the same boat, and the two guys are wrestling for pride if nothing else.  It goes three rounds with back and forth action before one stud finally prevails, but my highlights here focus on Trent being the heel.  When you watch this and his other matches, you notice Trent can be a noisy little bastard in the ring.  He's verbal and expressive both when he's dishing out punishment and when he receives it.  But Trent does so in a way that exudes feistiness and cockiness on his part, a high level of energy that makes him fun and entertaining.  Trent comes across as all jock.  He's out there to compete and to win because he's an athlete, and that's what athletes do.  But I also get the impression that when Trent is done beating up on a guy like Cliff, he's ready to go to a bar to hang out and get drunk with him.  Trent is your competition, but if you're also a jock, he's your buddy when the competition is over.  This describes a lot of guys I knew in high school and college.  I'd like to think that Trent and I would have been friends, too.

You know I like to include a GIF in my post when I can, although I can't decide which GIF I like best for this one.  But it's my blog, so why do I have to decide?  Why not show all three of Trent Novak proving to Cliff Johnson who the real alpha wrestler is?

Thanks to RHW, Trent Novak lives on forever!

Trent Novak

Not long ago I had a post about fitness model Will Grant who wrestled for Thunders Arena as Jackson.  It made me think about some of the other fitness models who have graced us with their presence in the world of wrestling.  One in particular that came to mind is Trent Novak who wrestled at Rock Hard Wrestling a few years ago.  Here he is looking particularly studly as he bodyslams and racks some of his competition.  It's a shame that Trent appeared only in a few matches.  I wish there had been more of the dude in the ring.  He's just my size, too.  I would have loved to wrestle him.  Anyway, even though Rock Hard Wrestling billed him as making a splash in the fitness model industry, my only exposure to him is through RHW.  Can anyone shed any light on the state of his modeling career outside the ring?  If we can locate him, maybe we can convince him to step back out onto the wrestling mat.  Trent, your fans are calling for you!

Spring Break

I've been doing this blog for almost three years now.  At one time I had the idea that I should blog every day, but even blogging a few times a week has been difficult.  I'm impressed with guys like Joe at Ringside and Bruno at Beefcakes who can produce so much material on a regular basis.  For me, some months the inspiration is there, but other months it is a struggle.  My decision to do a blog just focused on bodyslams doesn't make it any easier, either.  Luckily there are several sources to inspire me, like the wrestlers at Rock Hard Wrestling, and a lot of times I probably should just let the action photos speak for themselves.  For now, though, I think it's time to take a break from blogging, at least until the wrestling muse reappears.  And when he does come back, I better take a hold of him like these dudes at RHW are doing to their opponents.  I'm going to shake him as hard as I can until I get every last drop of inspiration out of him.  See you guys in a few weeks.

Own That Dude

There are many things I like about the bodyslam, but one of the best parts for me is the very beginning when I reach in between my opponent's legs to grab him. There's just something about sliding my arm in through his crotch to secure a deep and tight hold. If he's got a muscular butt, I make sure to grasp it. Just before I begin lifting him up there's that moment where I like to clench my hold of his body and pull him tightly into my chest. Usually I pause a second so he can feel my arm in his crotch and my hand squeezing his butt. I know I'm gripping him just right if he lets out a little gasp. It's that moment when I say to myself I own this dude.

Cliff Johnson

A few days ago I posted some good action shots of Jake Jenkins in a wrestling match against Cliff Johnson. Although Johnson ultimately came out on the losing end, he still got in several good bodyslams against the smaller muscle boy. All in all, Johnson looked pretty good despite the outcome. Sometimes in wrestling you are going to lose a match, but there's nothing wrong with that so long as you fight hard and walk away with the respect of your opponent.

Jake Jenkins

Jake Jenkins appeared in a recent wrestling match in Rock Hard Wrestling against Cliff Johnson. The muscular Jake ends up winning the match against his larger opponent, getting in a few good bodyslams and a powerslam in the process. According to his bio on RHW, Jake was a high school wrestler, and at 155 pounds, he's a little smaller but pretty close to my size. It would be cool to exchange some bodyslams with him. But even better, I'd love to meet him on a wrestling mat and have a real match to see who is the better wrestler. I'd like to think I would probably beat him, but even if I didn't, I bet it still would be a fun match.