There is just something about gay wrestling from the late 90's/00's that will never come again. I can't quite place what makes this era so great - it could be the wrestlers, it could be the action, or it could all well be in my head. But with that, get ready for a long read about this era - gay wrestling at the dawn of the millennium.
What is it about gay wrestling from this era?
The Backstory
I discovered gay wrestling on the internet around the year 2000. Things were very different back then with few gay wrestling sites out there and sparse matches to consume. Every match I could get eyes on was special and the wrestlers were all true legends. Names like - the Brooklyn Bodywrecker, Kid Leopard, Jimmy Dean, Brian Maxon, Flyboy, Shane McCall, Brad Rochelle, Brigham Bell; to name a few - all created something fantastical whenever they stepped into the ring.
We really are spoiled now to have a new match released on a weekly (and on sites like watchfighters - daily basis). Back then a new wrestling match was a major event. I still have vivid memories about refreshing the bgeast or can-am home page and finding a new catalogue, something that would make my day-week-month.
Now with that said, lately I have noticed that gay wrestling is not quite up to the standards I witnessed back then. So what is it about wrestling from that era that is simply inimitable, something that is so impossible to recreate?
Is it the guys? This is the weakest argument as the men out there now are still hot as ever except... I still find myself longing for that certain look. Not overly muscled or sculpted, not over built or abs for days, but rather athletic, in shape, and somehow miles hotter than some of the contemporary models out there now.
Exhibit A: Flyboy - a guy hot enough to be in a soap opera, slasher film, afterschool special from the late 90s.
Exhibit B: David Charvet from Baywatch - someone shirtless every week(90s)
Exhibit C: Adam Brody from the early 00's - everyone's college crush
Maybe it's the wrestling? I've read other posts from fans out there that share this same feeling. That somehow the wrestling has become less raw. Maybe the guys are just not as good at selling as the legends were. Maybe there is less emphasis on the wrestling and more on gimmicks. I will say that like movies and shows, there is much more wresting content out there now and that the quality has inevitably suffered.
Brad Rochelle 90-00s - Legendary Stud (bgeast.com)
Maxon v Dean - Two legends from the era (can-am.com)
Ron Masters v Beau Bradley at Hockey Havoc was pivotal to my education to wrestling (can-am.com)
Maybe it's all sequels and Marvel movies from here on out. I do get a sense of deja vu when I watch wrestling, that I've seen all this before rehashed, sometimes with the exact same performers, but more importantly, without any notable elements to make it stand out. Whatever the reason is, there was just something going on back then that isn't happening now.
The nostalgia: Maybe it's all me. It's all in my head. They say you have an age when you hit peak music, that is when new music becomes less appealing and perhaps this is the same thing. I will admit to having that butterflies in my stomach feeling whenever I discover a low res wrestling video that is clearly from the 90's - a lost video perhaps? Something converted from VHS? Finding said video takes me back to those heady times.
The internet was truly a magical place back then - where all the things you didn't know you liked could be found and a place where you could find others out there; where I felt a sense of freedom. I contrast this to today's internet where it unfortunately feels like a lonely place.
I vividly recall stumbling upon Bgeast and being introduced to Brigham Bell
The Moment
All that to say that those times (90's - early 00's), will always be peak wrestling for me. But the point of this blog is to figure out why I like the things I like so here goes - I have to admit that it's mostly due to the nostalgia with a bit due to the quality of wrestling content. There's just an excitement that used to be there whenever I found a new gay wrestling match, an excitement that is now sorely missing. That said, I can't deny that the push to produce more and more wrestling content has degraded a lot of what I liked - a surprising finishing move and a genuine competitiveness between fighters that is no longer there. Wrestling was always phony, but it still needs to feel real.
So there you have it. If you've read up to this point, then hopefully part of this resonated with you as it did for me and hopefully it helps you to figure out why you like some of the things you like as well.
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