The Cast: Who's Who (January 2018)

Only one new face this month and he's not exactly a new face, just a superstar in a new role. As I said in my year-end round up, this year is heavy on familiar faces as I try to give some favorite characters their due with new storylines and more depth.

The Cave 20

Cody/The Bat = Leighton Stultz (model)

Review: Elite Eliot vs. Garrett Thomas (Wrestler4Hire)

I recently checked out Elite Eliot vs. Garrett Thomas via streaming on Wrestler4Hire. This fits right in W4H's wheelhouse, featuring two independent pro wrestlers putting on a private match for our enjoyment.

Hey, Eliot. Nice to meet you.

Review: Jonny Firestorm vs. Lane Hartley (BGEast)

For the second year in a row, my Cavey award-winner for Favorite Match also won the Best Overall Match award at the BESTIES. Not that I'm saying the Caveys are responsible. It's just a fact. However, some of my other choices didn't fare nearly as well. Like the match I'm reviewing today. I voted it first for Best Squash on my ballot, but it wasn't even nominated.

I do have a theory on this. Jonny Firestorm vs. Lane Hartley is one part of Custom Combat 2 from BGEast. It's intended to be watched as an interactive DVD where you're deciding the holds and order. So maybe other nominators didn't view it as comparable to more traditional options. Or maybe they chose wrong and didn't make a great squash.

Anyway, as you know, DVD's are not something I do, so I couldn't watch it when it came out almost a year ago. At some point, BGEast made the action available as a non-interactive VOD. That's what I'm reviewing, a linear and one-sided squash. Lucky for you, both Bard and Joe were referencing the DVD version (links at the end of this post). Maybe it'll give you some context on that experience.

Jonny gets on top in his Match with Lane.

Review: Shirtless Bear Fighter (Image Comics)

I'm not the buyer of comics I once was, but I do keep track of things that come out. I mainly follow the X-Men, but occasionally something else catches my attention. Like a comic called Shirtless Bear Fighter, which naturally features a super-strong mountain man who fights bears and loves flapjacks. Yeah, that caught my attention.

The first cover for
Shirtless Bear Fighter

Review: Carter Alexander vs. Kayden Keller (BGEast)

When I saw Carter Alexander vs. Kayden Keller, I was really excited. Carter's competitive match against Kid Karisma won my Cavey for Best Outdoor match in 2016. However, surprisingly, this is completely one-sided and focused entirely on ab attacks. I assume it would've been a Gut Bash and was maybe filmed as such.

The question is, did I like it? Will you?

Carter lies down for Kayden's relentless ab attack.

BIGBeast: The New Guy 4

This story is based on a reader commission

At the Home for BIGBeast Wrestling

"Oh fuck, is it really my turn again? It's only -"

"Who told you that you could shave?"

Steve. New Guy.

Steve rubs his face, "Oh, I don't know. I just wanted a change after -"

Jimmy interrupts again, "Save it, rookie." He stares at the handsome face, appraising the clean-shaven look. "Well, on my list of crap to deal with, your face is the least of my worries."

The rookie smirks, "Thanks, I guess. So, I'm up again? I just got showered from -"

Review: Steel vs. Eagle (Thunders Arena)

The most recent Steel vs. Eagle meeting from Thunders Arena doesn't need a ton of explanation, but I'll give it to you anyway. That is what I do around here. You should know the guys and the action follows a classic Thunders model. I think you'll know if you're going to like this by the end of this post, if you don't already.

Big boys have fun.

Review: Nick Flex vs. Alex Costa (Muscleboy Wrestling)

Full disclosure: This video was sent to me by Muscleboy Wrestling.

Nick Flex: "This is what I do. Anyone who comes in here is mine. Ain't that right, prettyboy?"

I've been a Nick Flex fan since I first watched him crush Bruno in a wonderfully erotic match that was certainly a contender for a Cavey. So, when I saw he was up against a stunning hairy muscle hunk, I was all in. As luck would have it, MBW actually shared Nick Flex vs. Alex Costa with me before I got around to buying it. That's clean living for you. :)

Review: Ronnie Pearl vs. Nick Sparx (Wrestler4Hire)

Simple is often a really good thing. Some people equate simple with boring, but Ronnie Pearl vs. Nick Spark from Wrestler4Hire shows how good simple can be. The guys, gear and action are all simple, but they work incredibly well together to make an exciting and enthralling wrestling video. I really enjoyed the simple, straight-forward squash.

It's a basic and beautiful battle
when Ronnie squashes Nick.

Review: Ty Alexander vs. Bruno LaBestia (BGEast)

Continuing on with the second BGEast match I VOD’ed from Ringwars 28, checking out Ty Alexander vs Bruno LaBestia was a no-brainer. Unfortunately, I watched this after I submitted my BESTIES nominations, but luckily other voters didn't as it made the top six for Sexiest Match and Best Overall Match (vote on the BESTIES here).

Bruno and Ty know what they want right from the start.

Review: Chase Addams vs. Toney Rico (BGEast)

Chase Addams: "You're a generic, everyday, 'save-the-day' superhero. And I really hate people like you."

I don't think that BGEast had even posted VOD's for all of catalogue 123 when they launched catalogue 124. It's made me confused about what to watch and review. Anyway, I'm jumping into the latest catalogue, even though I think I've missed something I wanted to see from the previous one.

In total, there are five matches from 124 that I'm interested in. The Ringwars 28 matches featuring Chase Addams and Ty Alexander, the Carter Alexander and Kirk Donahue matches from Kayden Keller's Spotlight and the Florida Fights with Cole Cassidy facing Tyrell Tomsen.

Chase Addams vs. Toney Rico was the first one of the five on VOD release, so it's the first to review here.

And we're off to a good start.

My BGEast BESTIES Ballot

Last year, I declined an offer to nominate anyone for BGEast's annual awards. This year, when asked, I decided to just go ahead and do it. It was fun and it makes a nice blog post.

The ballot had 15 categories on it, which I divide into three areas: Action, Wrestlers and Body Parts. I was asked to rank my top three in each from catalogues 117-124 inclusive. Some of this mirrors my Cavey choices, but some doesn't. I don't do body awards, for example. And it's BGEast only, of course. Some of these matches and wrestlers I have reviewed this year. A couple I still plan to review. And a couple I never got to reviewing. Still, I don't think most of it will surprise any regulars readers of this blog.

Action: Outside of the Best Overall and Best Ring Match, this was challenging to pick this year. I had to just suck it up and make some hard choices, but if I was doing it again, I might change my mind. I'll be interested to see if Cole vs. Josh does well. One of the biggest BGEast fans I know agreed with me, but will the rest of the nominating committee?

Best 2017 Overall Match:

1. Joshua Goodman vs Cole Cassidy (reviewed here)
2. Kid Karisma vs Jobe Zander (reviewed here)
3. Jonny Firestorm vs Lane Hartley (reviewed here)

Last year, my Cavey Fave Match winner won it all
at the Besties, too. Will we match again in 2017?

The Cave 20: The Bat vs. Ram 2

My Bedroom.

“Cody? You're late tonight.”

“Yeah, sorry, Jae. Practice ran long.” I walk over to the bed and give my boyfriend a kiss. He's already washed up, stripped down and chilling with his iPad, waiting for me. I peel off my clothes, toss them in the hamper then head into the bathroom to clean up.

Me. Cody. The Bat.