Bobby Beverly

I can't get enough of Bobby Beverly, 24, 5'10", 185#. He's on the rosters at Pro Wrestling Ohio and Absolute Intense Wrestling, and shows up at Beyond Wrestling and elsewhere from time to time. I've seen six or seven of his matches so far, and I'm hooked. Every one of them kicks ass, mainly because Beverly kicks ass. Who else can you call on to stomp a man with cerebral palsy in the teeth? Okay, the man happens to be the "Crippled Crusader" Gregory Iron--tough as nails and capable of giving as good as he gets--but still you get the point--not every heel can do such dastardly deeds without flinching. Beverly not only doesn't flinch but also doesn't hold back, his eyes brimming with cool, sadistic joy. He has boyish good looks--but the boy in this case is the neighborhood bully. No, make that "sociopath." Beverly--the name a vestige of an old (and, I assume, now defunct) gimmick tagging the Ohio-born wrestler as hailing from Beverly Hills--has given Irons, Sonjay Dutt, Matthew Justice, Johnny Gargano, and (sometimes partner, sometimes nemesis) Eric Ryan their best fights ever. 

Selling points: He smolders with arrogance and malice, not a flashy clown of a heel, never overplaying the role the way some heels do as a way of letting the crowd know that it's all just make-believe and they aren't really bad or scary. Beverly doesn't blink at the prospect that the audience might genuinely hate him. Without prancing around or screaming for a microphone, his aloof demeanor conveys egoism and disdain for his opponents and the fans. Beverly accentuates his arena entrances and successful throws with a crotch thrust that's reminiscent of '90s sensation Alex Wright. He exudes intelligence--every move looks calculated and he almost always lands on his feet. And, on a personal note, it doesn't hurt that outside the ring the man wears glasses--and he looks hot in them--in fact, I say it's too bad he doesn't use them as part of his ring persona.

(Photos: Wayne Palmer, Rix Pix, Jillian Harbison)