Official blog of the Living Room Wrestling federation (aka LRW Wrestling). "Wrestlers with photogenic appeal..." featuring Fratboy Francis Franklin (aka "Triple F"), Kyle O'Connor, Nathaniel Noel, Cameron Murphy, Shane Saunders, Joltin' Juke Jason, Sean Evans, Kurt Mendelsohn, Joshua Lonergan, Hayden Beaulieu, the Masked WhoDat, Adam Nowak, Austin LeGrand, Adrian Wisniewski, and Peter O'Rourke. Based in Connecticut and hosted by Old Freddie Young.
Our newest addition to the LRW Wrestling roster just might be that "face" we've been looking for -- the handsome, young hero who will give the "heels" of our federation their long overdue comeuppance!!!
Standing at a height of 5' 10" tall, weighing in at 174 lbs. and hailing from the rural community of Sandwich, New Hampshire -- LRW Wrestling is proud to present Joshua Lonergan!!!
Joshua removes his red-white-and-blue ring jacket
Joshua just finished a stint serving our nation as a paratrooper with the 425th Infantry Division (Airborne), jumping out of C-17's into combat zones. Stationed at Fort Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, Josh had no difficulty adjusting to the frigid climate -- he's originally a farm boy from Sandwich, New Hampshire who has ten years of experience in growing crops and raising poultry!!!
Young Joshua comes to us with four years of theater experience, but now he is primarily involved in film work. The Devil Knocks Twice, Calling in Demons, and Don't Let Daisy Die are three of Joshua's most recent film credits, which makes us worry that our patriotic hero may be getting typecast as a villain in slasher films!!!
In addition, like so many LRW Wrestlers, Joshua is involved in the modeling industry, having been featured in advertisements for Reebok and New Balance sportswear, plus G-Star (a Dutch designer clothing company).
A photo from Joshua's modeling portfolio
Joshua bears a striking resemblance to James Dean, and he has consciously emulated the silver screen icon in many of his modeling pics. Oh, and Joshua is also a huge fan of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. What's not to love about this guy???
No, that's not Joshua. It's James Dean from "Rebel Without A Cause."
Astrologically speaking, Joshua is a Leo -- which means that three of our four most recent hirees (Joltin' Juke Jason, Sean Evans, and now Joshua) have been Leos!!!
The fourth new member of our roster (and the sole "heel" of the group) is, of course, Kurt Mendelsohn -- and Joshua has no love for him whatsoever!!! Joshua had harsh words when speaking of Kurt's most recent match (against Sean Evans): ""a shame...very spiteful...it says a lot about who he is as a person...to see what he was doing to that poor guy, it honestly pissed me off..." Then Joshua discarded his red-white-and-blue ring jacket to flex his muscles and give Kurt an idea as to what he'll be up against!!!
Joshua's impressive physique may spell trouble for Kurt Mendelsohn
Well, we here at LRW Wresting are overjoyed that Joshua is "pissed off" at Kurt, and we've signed the two to a contract. The next LRW Wrestling presentation (Video #7) will feature Joshua Lonergan vs. Kurt Mendelsohn -- and we certainly hope that the nefarious Boston Bad Boy gets everything that's coming to him!!!
You have to keep looking over your shoulder when you're dealing with Kurt Mendelsohn
(Note: The LRW Wrestling Locker Room page has been updated to include the addition of Joshua Lonergan to our roster.)
In Kurt Mendelsohn, the generally genteel LRW federation has acquired a different sort of wrestler. Mendelsohn is a tatted up ruffian from the wrong side of the tracks who seems more intent on crushing an opponent than on merely gaining a victory in a sporting endeavor. Kurt enters the mat area to the tune of "All of the Lights" by Kanye West (a bombastic celebrity whose personality mirrors Kurt's in many respects).
In stark contrast to the egomaniacal Mendelsohn, Sean Evans is a well-bred, cordial, articulate young man who simply wants to display his athletic prowess. Wearing his white wrestling trunks emblazoned with the word, "Mizfitt," Sean makes his entrance to the ambient noise music of "Bone Scissors" (one of Sean's own compositions). Basically, this match will be a clash between a creative rebel and a bullying brawler.
Sean sets an incredibly fast pace at the onset of this contest; clearly the slender grappler plans to tire out his larger, more muscular opponent (in much the same manner that Triple F defeated Kyle O'Connor for the LRW Wrestling Super-Star Championship in our inaugural match-up). However, unlike Kyle O'Connor, Kurt Mendelsohn reacts to his opponent's frustrating speed and endurance by utilizing short-cuts and taking cheap shots (including frequent tugs on Sean's shoulder-length hair).
This extremely fast-paced video is 17 minutes and 4 seconds long. That includes the 12 minute, 13 second actual match (along with wrestler introductions), plus a brief, postmatch interview with each combatant.
To purchase the HIGH DEFINITION, 1.56 GB, 1920 x 1080 version of this video in the PC-friendly .wmv format for a mere $13.99 -- utilize the BUY NOW button below... NOTE: If you do not have a top tier, ultra high speed internet connection, the download time for this version may be considerable. Also, a successful download via moderate or slow internet speeds may require several attempts. Those without extremely high speed internet connections may wish to download the Standard Definition version available via the link below. (At any rate, it is always recommended that you close all other programs when downloading video files.)
To purchase the STANDARD DEFINITION, 748 MB, 1920 x 1080 version of this video in the quickly and easily downloadable, hugely popular .mp4 format for a mere pittance of $9.95 -- utilize the BUY NOW button below... NOTE: This is actually a rather high quality .mp4 video, similar to the version we produced for our last LRW Wrestling offering. It's a really excellent deal!!!
When it comes to pure physical power, Kurt certainly has the upper-hand over Sean (as evidenced by each wrestler's attempt to execute an arm bar submission maneuver). Will agility and tenacity triumph over burliness and brutality? Buy this video and find out!!! (P.S. You can see a gallery of 70 promotional stills taken for this video here: Paparazzo Photography.)
Old Freddie Young is proud to announce the signing of Shane Saunders to the LRW Wrestling roster. Yes, you heard it right, ladies and gentlemen -- Shane Saunders, perhaps the most popular wrestler in UCW Wrestling -- will now be competing in my federation. (Shane claimed to appreciate the opportunity to "wrestle for a good company," but he did seem unable to keep a straight face after that display of blatant flattery.)
A bit of awkwardness ensued when I questioned the validity of Shane's UCW billing as a Los Angeles resident. Like me, Shane is a Cancer -- and we are notorious about maintaining our privacy. Shane immediately became defensive, asserting that his pro wrestling persona hails from L.A., and I basically had no right to break kayfabe on the matter. Therefore, Shane's current UCW profile on our Locker Room page lists him as being "Billed from" Los Angeles (the biographical info about all of our other wrestlers is 100% factual).
To Shane's obvious chagrin, I could not offer him an immediate chance to win Triple F's coveted LRW Wrestling Super-Star Championship title. Since Cameron Murphy (ironically, yet another Cancer) had joined LRW Wrestling prior to Shane's arrival, I felt that it was only fair to match the two of them against each other, with the winner getting a title shot. Therefore our next video will feature the battle of Cancerians -- Shane vs. Cameron -- to determine number one contender status in LRW.
As usual, Shane's fans can correspond with him c/o UCW Wrestling -- however, they can now also send fan mail c/o LRW Wrestling, if they prefer. Just put "Shane Saunders" in the subject heading and address your email to lrw-wrestling@comcast.net -- we'll forward all of your messages to Shane in a timely manner.
LRW Wrestling proudly presents its next participant -- another young man from the Granite State aka New Hampshire -- Cameron Murphy!!!
Hailing from the great northern New England town of Concord, Cameron may not have a wealth of wrestling experience; however, this handsome, 6'1" young man does have a plethora of acting experience, and the silver screen's "Sexy Teenage Werewolf" plans to be on a "rampage" here in the Living Room Wrestling federation!!!
We wish this deceptively slender but powerfully-built, former competitive swimmer all the luck of the Irish in his quest for Triple F's championship gold!!!
(NOTE: LRW fans wishing to correspond with Cameron can email him at lrw-wrestling@comcast.net . Just put "Cameron Murphy" in the subject heading, and we guarantee that Cameron will receive all of your messages!!!)
Nathaniel is from Nashua, New Hampshire, and we're delighted that this handsome young man (who is studying chemistry at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, by the way) made the trek from northern New England to entertain our LRW fans.
Nathan will be wrestling the controversial Fratboy Francis Franklin aka "Triple F" for the LRW Wrestling Super-Star Championship in a soon-to-be-released videotaped match-up. As we can personally attest, Nathaniel is a bona fide master of the sleeper hold, and Triple F's championship reign just may be in serious jeopardy!!!
It is indeed an honor to have Nathaniel in the ranks of LRW grapplers. We wish him the best of luck in his upcoming championship bout with Triple F, and in all of his future wrestling endeavors!!!
(NOTE: LRW fans wishing to correspond with Nathan can email him at lrw-wrestling@comcast.net . Just put "Nathaniel Noel" in the subject heading, and we guarantee that Nathan will receive all of your messages!!!)
The top photo was taken seconds after the bell rang, signifying that the match had reached its fifteen minute time limit. Kyle isn't injured; he's merely exhausted.
The video below the photo features Muhammad Ali after utilizing his "rope-a-dope" strategy to defeat the physically more powerful George Foreman and regain his heavyweight championship title. There's a clear parallel between the two matches, but first let me impart some boxing history to you young whippersnappers.
When Old Freddie was a mere youth (a towheaded lad in high school, actually), Ali attempted to make a comeback after being stripped of the heavyweight title for refusing to serve in the military during the Vietnam War. The current champion was George Foreman, a devastating puncher who was sort of like my generation's Mike Tyson.
The fight took place in Kinshasa, Zaire and was billed as The Rumble in the Jungle. Ali was basically a finesse boxer who relied upon speed and superior boxing instincts to bob and weave and avoid punches. The common wisdom was that, if Ali had any chance of victory, he would spend the entire fight dancing, slipping punches, and dazzling George with his fancy footwork. Foreman was expected to try to "cut the ring in half" and trap Ali in a corner. Everyone pretty much agreed that if Foreman had Ali in the ropes, the fight would be over in a few seconds.
Even Ali contributed to this scenario, asking his fans if they were ready for "the Big Dance" during pre-fight interviews. Then, to everyone's shock and amazement, Ali began the fight standing flat-footed in the ropes, daring George to hit him. Of course, Foreman went crazy, throwing punch after punch, pummeling Ali as hard as he could, as Ali leaned back in the ropes and taunted him.
This went on for seven rounds. By round eight, the stronger, more muscular Foreman was so arm-weary that he could barely swing his fists. At that point Ali, with his superior cardiovascular conditioning, danced away from the ropes, threw a few powerful jabs, and sent a thoroughly fatigued Foreman plummeting toward the canvas. Against all odds, Ali regained his title and Foreman began selling grills.
Of course, years later, some ethical questions arose concerning the fact that Ali's ring crew loosened the ropes before the fight, allowing Ali to lean back, far away from George's powerful punches, but the issue is relatively moot. Ali was always a Machiavellian character, loved by many and despised by many, who believed that the ends justify the means. Ali had George pretty much psyched out before the match anyway, hiring a witch doctor to sprinkle "hoobie dust" in the ring to rob Foreman of his power (when asked how to spell "hoobie" during a post-fight interview, an exasperated Foreman exclaimed, "How can you spell it when you can't even see it?").
That brings us to the Triple F vs. Kyle O'Connor fight for the first-ever LRW Wrestling Super-Star Championship. Truthfully, I didn't believe that Triple F, the lean, wiry, boastful kid from Fairfield County, had much of a chance. Kyle O'Connor is your stereotypical jock, a former varsity lacrosse captain, high school soccer star, and surfing instructor in Southern California.
Kyle has a muscular physique of which he is justly proud. By contrast, Triple F has what would commonly be called a swimmer's build. As you can see by the stats posted at our newly created "LRW Wrestling: Locker Room" page, Kyle is 5'10" and weighs a solid 176 lbs. while Triple F stands 6'0" but weighs a mere 142 lbs.
When I wrote the rules for the LRW Wrestling federation, my goal was to create fast-paced matches (and marketable videos). For this reason, I imposed a 15-minute time limit and allowed matches to be won via a point system similar to that which exists in high school wrestling. In the absence of a referee, a wrestler would have to make the call himself when he was forced out of bounds, and his opponent would have to break the hold and back off within five seconds or lose the match. Furthermore, in order to eliminate long, boring, ineffectively executed submission holds, I awarded points whenever such a hold was executed. A wrestler could pile up points by trapping his opponent in multiple, rapidly released, submission maneuvers.
Unwittingly, I created rules tailor-made for a Triple F victory.
The first half of the match is fairly even, with Triple F dictating a fast pace and Kyle attempting to match his slender opponent's speed and stamina.
Time and time again, Triple F manages to apply pro wrestling submission maneuvers, letting go of Kyle quickly, and then continuing his attack. The strategy (whether planned or instinctive) was wise for two reasons: a contest of endurance favored Triple F, and Kyle wasn't about to say "I quit" while in the clutches of any painful hold (that was obvious to me when I was going through some routines with Kyle before the taping began).
Kyle's fatal error in this encounter was wrestling in accordance with Triple F's style. Whenever Kyle trapped Triple F in a painful hold, he failed to go for a submission. On more than one occasion, Triple F seemed to be in desperate straits, then displayed huge relief when the hold was broken.
As a matter of fact, during one such episode near the end of the match, Triple F is in so much pain that he reaches for his frat paddle while locked in a modified Boston crab. Kyle prevents the deliberate disqualification by dragging Triple F to the center of the mat. Then, inexplicably, Kyle releases Triple F. By then, Triple F had accrued an insurmountable lead in points via multiple takedowns, escapes, near falls, and reversals. There was no way that Kyle could have won on points that far into the match, and his only hope would have been to torture Triple F into quitting. However Kyle, a consummate gentleman, seemed to lack a "killer instinct."
Triple F feeling immense lower back pain while being bent in half
That was the about the only offense that Kyle was able to muster during the match's latter stages. Early on, Kyle began breathing heavily while Triple F seemed fresh and full of energy. By the time the match had reached its time limit, Kyle was really huffing and puffing while Triple F seemed ready to run a marathon.
When the bell rang, Triple F didn't even wait for me to officially announce a winner. Triple F just strutted across the living room and claimed his championship belt. The match had been so lopsided that Kyle didn't utter a word of protest.
Triple F pulled off a stunning upset victory and he almost earned my respect (and Kyle's, too, for that matter). However, in the proverbial manner of "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory," Triple F then chose to conduct himself in a thoroughly boorish manner. Grabbing the frat paddle (which Triple F had assured me was only a theatrical prop) he struck Kyle with a few light (almost timid) but humiliating blows as Kyle tried to collect himself following the unexpected loss.
LRW rules clearly state: "Any action which deliberately embarrasses or humiliates an opponent will be considered unsportsmanlike conduct and will be grounds for disqualification at the referee's discretion." However, the rules also stipulate, "A wrestler's prematch and postmatch conduct will certainly be considered when determining future bookings, but such conduct will have no bearing on the outcome of the match." Triple F's actions were disgusting (Kyle later typified the incident as "childish"), but the champ adroitly waited until after the bell rang to figuratively rub salt in Kyle's wounds. Therefore, the decision couldn't be reversed and Triple F now represents my federation.
It's rather ironic that I formed LRW, in large part, as a reaction to UCW's anarchic "no rules" approach to wrestling and the championship reigns of notorious "heels" like Eli Black and Quinn Harper. Of course, Triple F would be considered a saint by UCW standards (even UCW's "faces" behave more like "heels" than anyone I would ever allow into LRW); the Fratboy is a "heel," but he's a classy "heel." Still, Kyle would have been a dream-come-true as my first LRW champion and Triple F was unbearably bratty during his post-match interview (during which I dutifully presented him with the title belt).
As for Kyle, he initially seemed somewhat distraught when I talked to him, but began to brighten as I assured him that he still represented an ideal champion in my eyes, regardless of who is wearing the belt. Kyle had kind words for the state of Connecticut (which he was visiting for the first time) and promised me that he'd continue to compete in LRW.
On a side note, I would like to point out that the more I learn about Kyle, the more impressed I am. Only one city or town had two schools listed in Business Insider's "24 Smartest Boarding Schools in America," and that was Ojai, California -- Kyle's hometown (and yes,one of those schools was Kyle's alma mater). Oh, it breaks my heart that Kyle isn't my champion.
In typical fashion, it was Kyle who took initiative to resolve his differences with Triple F after the taping. The two young men had a long and generally cordial conversation and both agreed to pose for a series of still photos (which were included in the DVD recently auctioned on eBay). If you want photographic proof of just how much of a "class act" Kyle O'Connor is, simply take a glance at this:
At any rate, as I said in the last blog entry...
"This piece of underground wrestling history is now available for download as a standard definition, 1920 x 1080, 1.41 GB video in the popular .mp4 format. The video is 19 minutes, 10 seconds, featuring 15 minutes of wrestling (including ring introductions, in accordance with the LRW rules) plus post-match interviews with both wrestlers, including the awarding of the LRW Wrestling Super-Star Championship belt!!! All this for only $9.95, people -- so click on this BUY NOW button and download this amazing match between two awesomely photogenic wrestlers now!!! Enjoy the match, people!!!
Old Freddie wasn't joking when he promised that LRW Wrestling would present "Wrestlers with photogenic appeal..." As proof, here's Kyle O'Connor, the first young grappler slated to compete in our fledgling fed. Kyle seems like somebody who Freddie created, custom-made to order -- but Kyle is real, and all of the biographical facts mentioned about him are 100% accurate!!! (Oh, in case anyone missed the name of Kyle's Southern California hometown, it's Ojai Valley, and you can read about it here.)
One thing that Freddie somehow failed to mention was Kyle's astrological sign. Yes, Kyle is a Scorpio!!! Oh, it just doesn't get any better than this!!! (Old Freddie has a special fondness for Scorpios, as anyone who read his recent Facebook comments on a Skip Vance post already knows...)
In our new federation's first match, Kyle wrestles for the coveted LRW Wrestling Super-Star Championship belt. Who will Kyle's opponent be? Keep checking this blog to find out!!!
