Reno

Physically, for me, BG East newcomer Zach Reno is about perfect. Dark curly hair (it just begs for tugging) and a full but neatly trimmed beard are features I too rarely see in wrestling. He looks like a young hero in a 1960s peplum movie, maybe Hercules' little brother, ... or an L.L. Bean model. His face pretty much tells us all we need to know about him--genial, optimistic, earnest. More dark curly hair on that chest, those forearms, and those thighs wouldn't hurt, if you ask me, but he's plenty hot enough as is.

His debut on BGE's newly released Tag Team Torture 17 is auspicious, if a little low key. A couple of born scenery-chewers overshadow him and his partner Nate Walsh: the never-at-a-loss-for-words Lon Dumont and his partner, Brute Baynard, at 5'10", 210#, a giant compared to the other three men in the ring. Who could possibly compete with a couple of steamrolling showoffs like these two? The mayhem is entertaining, thanks largely to Lon's slick, snappy asides, and TTT17 is certainly a must-see for Dumont fans. And the three new talents in this match reaffirm BGE's knack for scouting well-built athletes who know the ropes, pro-wrestling-wise.

The two teams, created on the spot, almost as an afterthought (reportedly, Zach was scheduled to wrestle Lon one on one) are not really in sync for most of the match. (Lon and Brute are supposedly better rehearsed, having concocted a super-duper finisher they coyly refer to as "the thing," finally unveiled at the match's climax.) The bout is a briskly paced and comically entertaining squash job, but it skimps on insights to the three newbies' personalities, which get lost in the hubbub. Zach has some good moves, though. I suspect there will be more of him to see and appreciate in the future, and he deserves a second look even in this, his debut. I want a second look, at any rate. And I'd love to see what he can do against Austin Cooper or Kid Karisma ... or even against Dumont, in a rematch, next time in singles competition.