Back in the matroom all was silent as we looked each other up and down. Shifting into the stand off position. Both of us raised fists then circling.
I'm no brawler,or boxer so this was pure defence on my part. I needed to get him on the ground, on the mats and then I could take him apart.
He threw a couple of punches, none of which landed. I was thinking to myself that perhaps this wasn't going to be that hard after all. But in my smugness I hadn't noticed that I had been moved from the centre of the room and was now closer to the wall.
I was offguard when he charged me and pinned me against the wall . He came low so I couldn't punch on his advance and he grabbed at my legs so effectively picking me up and smashing me into the padded wall
Taking the wind out of me and making my back alive with pain. He was quicker then I expected him to be. And this was clearly going to be a lot rougher then usual.
I needed to change up, be smarter, be harder and put this little prick in his place. I needed to stand my ground.
I was angry but I needed to be cool. He charged again before I could finish my thoughts or get some air ...
The Beast sent me the details of where and when his fight was going to take place. It was a new location I had never been to before and couldn't get too easily so it was arranged that we would travel together in his car.
So day of his fight, I'm waiting outside my house looking for his arrival. He pulls up dead on time. I hop in, and notice that he's not shaved and is sporting a rather rugged beard. It makes him look tougher then normal.
"So, what's the story then?" I ask once I have settled in, "what are we getting ourselves into?"
The Beast laughs and never takes his eyes from the road as he begins to fill me in.
"Meeting the guy, Sam. We go way back. Back to the time when Globalfight was Vangar, when Meetfighter wasn't even allfighters."
I want to point out that I am four years older but guess that my interruption would not be welcome and to be honest. I've only been wrestling two years so he gets seniority on this.
"Both of us were in our early twenties and not too far from each other so met up a lot. Both of us equally strong so if I lost one match, it'd be fair to say I'd win the next. Pushed each others limits, I have fond memories of a dog collar match.
But time and then life got in the way. Don't meet up so much, and he messaged me last week telling me he is moving to Germany with his work, and do I want one last go around? And of course I do. It'd be a great way to say bye and thanks. He asks if he can bring his partner along to watch.
Not going to say no, just wanted to ensure no funny business"
I know that he meant this in both ways. Wrestling the Beast was just that, wrestling. He was a straight guy from the child seat in the back of his car to the Top Gear compilation albums playing on his car stereo.
Whenever I have lost focus and got a bit aroused wrestling, a quick half joking half menace 'behave' whispered in my ear was warning enough. Usually followed by a slight tap to the ribs to get my mind back on the game.
"So," I interrupt, " I'm there to watch the other guy. Nothing more. This isn't going to be a tag thing?"
" No, not st all. No tag. Sam says his partner doesn't wrestle and anyway I want it just us. Best of three and see who the better fighter is settled once and for all."
For the only time in the whole journey, he took his eyes off the motorway momentarily to hold mine.
" If you interfere in any way to help me,I will twat you into next week! If his guy tries to help,I expect you to twat him'
Eyes back on the road. Message received.
The rest of the journey was just easy small talk and chat about other matches with me often giving the PG version of my matches rather then R-18 The Beast giving me tips on how to wrestle better, and who on Meetfighters I should challenge.
"You won't beat them, but you'll have fun and learn whilst trying."
We pulled off the motorway and the sat nav was now directing us through a collection of industrial units. Till it told us to turn left and that we were now at our destination.
Looking from the outside, it had none of the charm of Barnet or Pippas. Just a metal shutter down on what was once clearly once a garage workshop. A man stood in front and nodded greeting at us both. I guessed this was my first look at Sam.
He stood at about around 6'2" so had a bit of height on the 6' Beast. It was hard to tell much about his body because he was draped in a tracksuit but I noticed it hung well on his square shoulders.
I'd guess he was lighter then The Beast but wouldn't know as clothes hide a multitude of sins. I was however draw to his face.
I'm never sure what to expect when I meet a fellow fighter. The stereotype of sloping forehead, broken noses and scary scarred face always springs to mind even though I know this isn't the case. However I wasn't expecting Sams face.
Blonde hair,blue eyes and baby face looking. I was expecting him to be a bruiser not a model who wrestles.
The Beast must have noticed this because as he got out of the car, he leaned across and whispered, "Roses have thorns."
Once we were both out of the car, Sam and The Beast advanced towards each other.
hephaestion2014 (46)
05/1/2015 06:05Back in the matroom all was silent as we looked each other up and down. Shifting into the stand off position. Both of us raised fists then circling.
I'm no brawler,or boxer so this was pure defence on my part. I needed to get him on the ground, on the mats and then I could take him apart.
He threw a couple of punches, none of which landed. I was thinking to myself that perhaps this wasn't going to be that hard after all. But in my smugness I hadn't noticed that I had been moved from the centre of the room and was now closer to the wall.
I was offguard when he charged me and pinned me against the wall . He came low so I couldn't punch on his advance and he grabbed at my legs so effectively picking me up and smashing me into the padded wall
Taking the wind out of me and making my back alive with pain. He was quicker then I expected him to be. And this was clearly going to be a lot rougher then usual.
I needed to change up, be smarter, be harder and put this little prick in his place. I needed to stand my ground.
I was angry but I needed to be cool. He charged again before I could finish my thoughts or get some air ...
The Beast sent me the details of where and when his fight was going to take place. It was a new location I had never been to before and couldn't get too easily so it was arranged that we would travel together in his car.
So day of his fight, I'm waiting outside my house looking for his arrival. He pulls up dead on time. I hop in, and notice that he's not shaved and is sporting a rather rugged beard. It makes him look tougher then normal.
"So, what's the story then?" I ask once I have settled in, "what are we getting ourselves into?"
The Beast laughs and never takes his eyes from the road as he begins to fill me in.
"Meeting the guy, Sam. We go way back. Back to the time when Globalfight was Vangar, when Meetfighter wasn't even allfighters."
I want to point out that I am four years older but guess that my interruption would not be welcome and to be honest. I've only been wrestling two years so he gets seniority on this.
"Both of us were in our early twenties and not too far from each other so met up a lot. Both of us equally strong so if I lost one match, it'd be fair to say I'd win the next. Pushed each others limits, I have fond memories of a dog collar match.
But time and then life got in the way. Don't meet up so much, and he messaged me last week telling me he is moving to Germany with his work, and do I want one last go around? And of course I do. It'd be a great way to say bye and thanks. He asks if he can bring his partner along to watch.
Not going to say no, just wanted to ensure no funny business"
I know that he meant this in both ways. Wrestling the Beast was just that, wrestling. He was a straight guy from the child seat in the back of his car to the Top Gear compilation albums playing on his car stereo.
Whenever I have lost focus and got a bit aroused wrestling, a quick half joking half menace 'behave' whispered in my ear was warning enough. Usually followed by a slight tap to the ribs to get my mind back on the game.
"So," I interrupt, " I'm there to watch the other guy. Nothing more. This isn't going to be a tag thing?"
" No, not st all. No tag. Sam says his partner doesn't wrestle and anyway I want it just us. Best of three and see who the better fighter is settled once and for all."
For the only time in the whole journey, he took his eyes off the motorway momentarily to hold mine.
" If you interfere in any way to help me,I will twat you into next week! If his guy tries to help,I expect you to twat him'
Eyes back on the road. Message received.
The rest of the journey was just easy small talk and chat about other matches with me often giving the PG version of my matches rather then R-18 The Beast giving me tips on how to wrestle better, and who on Meetfighters I should challenge.
"You won't beat them, but you'll have fun and learn whilst trying."
We pulled off the motorway and the sat nav was now directing us through a collection of industrial units. Till it told us to turn left and that we were now at our destination.
Looking from the outside, it had none of the charm of Barnet or Pippas. Just a metal shutter down on what was once clearly once a garage workshop. A man stood in front and nodded greeting at us both. I guessed this was my first look at Sam.
He stood at about around 6'2" so had a bit of height on the 6' Beast. It was hard to tell much about his body because he was draped in a tracksuit but I noticed it hung well on his square shoulders.
I'd guess he was lighter then The Beast but wouldn't know as clothes hide a multitude of sins. I was however draw to his face.
I'm never sure what to expect when I meet a fellow fighter. The stereotype of sloping forehead, broken noses and scary scarred face always springs to mind even though I know this isn't the case. However I wasn't expecting Sams face.
Blonde hair,blue eyes and baby face looking. I was expecting him to be a bruiser not a model who wrestles.
The Beast must have noticed this because as he got out of the car, he leaned across and whispered, "Roses have thorns."
Once we were both out of the car, Sam and The Beast advanced towards each other.