Review: Mike Columbo vs. Blaze (BGEast)

I've never fully reviewed a Mike Columbo match, but he's one of my all-time favorites. After my quick summary of his match in BGEast's Hunkbash 3, it's been in the back of my head to give Mike his due. It's tough with a mega-superstar, because there are so many choices. After some debate, I finally decided on one of my favorites, Blaze vs. Mike Columbo from Demolition 4.

When is a ring match not a ring match?

Mike Columbo is one of those guys that can play any role. More than half his videos are on Fantasymen compilations. FM is home to back-and-forth battles between the best looking and best built guys in BGEast. Perfect for Mike. However, he could seamlessly move into the squash-focused product lines like Demolition or Hunkbash, playing dominant or victim.

No matter what, Mike brought a fireplug physique and superhero good looks. His pecs and ass are mountainous, his legs tree trunks and his midsection trim and chiseled. Mike had a calm demeanor, but he was never boring to me. I think it was his solid, sculpted body that made him such a compelling jobber when he played that role.

Blaze had only five matches, but he was one lucky heel. Just look at the five studs he got to wrestle: Kid Brock, Mike Columbo, Kieran Dunne, Joshua Goodman and Justin Pierce. Wow, that's a fantastic group. The big, ripped heel was listed at 6'2", which made him a veritable giant against the diminutive bodybuilders, like Columbo and Kieran, while being big enough to hang with a muscle monster like Kid Brock.

Importantly, Blaze isn't just an incredible body with a penchant for destruction. He's a good wrestler. His abilities in the ring (and out, as this match showed) are impressive and more than worthy of admiration. He's underrated as a heel, because of his limited production, but well worth a look in any match.

Kneel before Blaze!

Mike's almost too beautiful to be treated like that.
Almost.

Blaze shows some skills.

Let me start by saying that this review was hard to do, because there is so much going on. The amount of hotness I left out is better than 90% of the best of other videos. However, I have to be fair to BGEast and that means limiting what I share. I chose more storytelling images and left a lot of the actual wrestling action for you to discover. And I hope you do.

Mike enters confident and cocky. I mean, he'd been around for a long time at this point and destroyed his fair share of opponents. However, Blaze is no ordinary rookie. The first 13 minutes take place outside the ring. Wow, that's fun. I loved the break with formula. The guys play beautifully around the ring area, including the sofa, the floor and the closet door.

This rookie ain't your usual rookie, Mikey.

Mike can't get his shirt off. He can't get in the ring.
This is a massacre and it's only been three minutes!

Even sitting down, Blaze is more man than
Mike can handle! THUD! CRACK! OOF!

Blaze really takes it to Mike. He treats the superstar like he was a total jobber, manhandling him with abandon. There's a lot of creativity and performance in this first part. Mike shows his suffering skills and they're incredible. The GIF below of his slow, helpless slipping down the door is literal perfection to me. Once in the ring, there's more brutality, including a brutal body slam and lots of body work. There's a spinning full nelson that it killed me not to GIF.

Just when you think we're winding down to the climax of this brutal and brilliant squash, Mike finally puts up a fight with a few minutes left. He pulls a couple of cool reversals then gets in some good licks as he flips the match. It's perfectly timed to break up the relentless destruction and reinforce Mike's standing as one of BGEast's best and most versatile studs. It also elevates Blaze. He must be damn good to completely destroy a man like Mike.

WHACK! SPLAT! I can't express in words how much
I love Mike's slow stunned slide down the door.

ONE! TWO! No, Blaze doesn't think so!

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! C'mon, Blaze,
that's no way to treat an icon.

In the end, I view this as a classic squash job. Mike has over 20 matches and there are a lot of great performances, but I really like this one for the unique action and the quality of his opponent. Blaze is a super-hot powerhouse and underrated as a heel, even though he was a one-weekend wonder.

So that's my take. What's yours?

Alex