MATCH 1
Jax Holland Vs. Bryan Hollister
Jax Holland 6' 190 19yo
Bryan Hollister 6' 193 19yo
Jax (red speedos) and Bryan (black speedos) played football together in High School - both Texas boys. When Jax told Bryan about wrestling for NHB, Bryan totally challenged Jax to match and Jax was ready. Jax is as tough as they come - with a mean streak on the mat. He can be as tough as it takes to lay a beating on his opponent. Bryan seemed like a really nice kid. He looked to be in great shape, but he had very little wrestling experience. We were afraid that Jax would completely dominate his buddy and beat him badly. WRONG! We've learned at NHB to let the guys set up their own matches - they are the best - and there is no exception to that rule.
Bryan learned very quickly. At first he tried to escape Jax's powerful holds - pushing Jax off him. He let Jax go a couple times when he could have begun to work him over - inexperience at work. In one of the "time outs" NHB showed Bryan some basic moves, told him to wrestle offense, not defense - told him to stay on the mat and wrestle - and begged him to use his super powerful legs. Man did this kid learn quick. He began to pound on Jax. He stayed on top, used cradles and wicked head locks, kept control and made Jax fight with everything he had just to keep from taping out.
Even when Bryan was totally exhausted, he managed to wrap Jax in a killer head scissors and get the tap. This is great wrestling. We promised Bryan that we would continue to train him. It's going to take a few trips to Texas to do it, but it will be done and it will be worth it.
MATCH 2
Kerry Bond vs. Enrique Tallos
Kerry Bond 5'7" 157 19yo
Enrique Tallos 5'6" 139 18yo
Enrique (sliver speeods) has been challenging Kerry (green speedos) ever since Kerry wrestled on REC ROOM BATTLES 23. Enrique really wanted this muscle boy. Kerry is short, but huge. Just look at his legs. He benches 230 as a workout and does 750 with his legs. NHB thought there was no way Enrique could handle the muscle boy. Well, Enrique took a pretty good pounding, but he got one or two good submission out of Kerry. Enrique is an avid runner with super powerful legs - so, if Kerry made the mistake of letting Enrique get behind him and squeeze him in a scissors, he was in trouble. Kerry thought that he would be able to power out of anything that Enrique got him into. Kerry soon found out that that was not the case. Enrique is much too strong and determined for that.
So it was 100 times more even that we ever expected it to be. There is not holding back Enrique - he is out to win at all cost, as he always is, and a couple times he proved just too much for Kerry to handle. Kerry sure manages to get Enrique in some awesome moves and pours on the pressure, but Enrique ,as always, doesn't tap unless he really has no other option. Kerry is not used to that.
Enrique got off the mat ( and it was a 3-2 decision in favor of Kerry) already challenging for a re-match. You can bet that Enrique will put on some bulk and a lot of practice time on the mat so he can eventually beat the MUSCLE BOY !
MATCH 3
Michael Salerno Vs. Matt DiNapoli
Michael Salerno 5'7" 133 32yo
Matt DiNapoli 5'8" 144 22yo
Michael (blue speedos), visiting NYC from Florida, asked NHB for a match against Matt (Green speedos) after seeing him on BATTLING BODIES 6. Michael has a lot of wrestling experience and thought he could handle the young, tough-guy - Matt. What Michael didn't know was that since BATTLING BODIES 8, Matt has been working out at the NHB studio and wrestling guys over 200 pounds, older, with a great deal of wrestling experience. Matt likes a really tough challenge. He was to someday be able to wrestle guys much bigger than himself and get them to tap.
This turns out to be a total squash job. Michael simply can't even come close to handling Matt. Matt gets two easy submissions right off the bat, then he plays around with Michael for the next fall. Michael is wrestling as hard as he can, trying to break moves and holds, working to get on top of Matt or to get any kind of a submission move on the young kid. Matt is just going along for the ride. He has Michael so wrapped up at times, that Michael can do nothing but lie there and take the punishment - or tap out. Michael is not a quitter, so it is awesome to see him struggle and just get pounced on.
Matt is working to be one of the best at NHB. He's putting on pounds of muscle and wrestling some of the really tough guys. Look for him to take on some very tough challengers in the future.
MATCH 4
Stephano Artega Vs Cal Fairchild
Stephano Artega 5'7" 142 23yo
Cal Fairchild 5'9" 145 23yo
Stephano (light blue speedos) came to NHB asking to challenge the toughest wrestler his size that we had. Stephano is a gymnast - an excellent gymnast. He works on all five gymnastic events at least three times a week. He's competitive. He's been in no less than eighteen gymnastic competitions and done very, very well. His muscular definition and form is unbeatable. His power is unquestionable. He's not a trained wrestler , but he felt he was ready to take on the best NHB has to offer. So we put him up against the undefeated Cal Fairchild (Purple speedos).
Call too is not a trained wrestler, but he is a personal trainer by profession and keeps himself in awesome shape. Cal was not intimidated by Stephano at all. He welcomed the challenge and looked forward to the match. This is one of those rare matches that goes a full twenty-five minutes with just one submission - at the very end. These guys are not about to quit. They are both incredibly strong and can toss the other around. They have a very even exchange of moves and holds throughout. Neither wrestler is taking it easy, but both are wrestling very cautiously. They both know that at anytime the other wrestler can clamp on a move or hold that could get a submission. They both have very strong legs, and use them well, but each is very leary of the head scissors. Body scissors are real common because both wrestlers are afraid of the other guys legs.
At one point, Cal - completely on top of Stephano - asks if he wants to take a break. When Stephano says "yes". Cal says "great - just tap out". The loser taps at the end more out of shear exhaustion than from the submission hold. We'll give you a hint - Cal is still undefeated - but you can bet that Stephano is bound and determined to put an end to that statement.