Warren/Vencini

Doug Warren vs Tony Vencini, Mat Hunks 12 (BG East)

I like mat wrestling. Doug and Tony know how to do it right by mixing scientific-style holds with sweaty grunt-and-groan grappling. My early BG East purchases included quite a lot of Doug Warren wrestling wanna-be up-and-comers. I honed plenty of wood back in those days, back when the BGE catalog arrived in the mail and there was a wait (always a dependably brief one) before the box of VHS tapes arrived.

Warren looks military to me, and that is a turn-on, too. I have no idea what his work life actually consists of, but the idea of a staff sergeant wrestling buck privates in the base gym is still a frequent fantasy of mine, all the more so because of the double entendre. Warren knows how to grapple, and that is the basis of my fascination with and respect for him. I was delighted to hear that he was a part of Catalog 156.

This is legit wrestling. I can be fooled about such matters, but if this is not fair and square competition, it is an amazingly convincing facsimile. One tell-tale sign of authenticity is the way Vencini and Warren egg each other on, wanting nothing less than the best an opponent has to offer. Once a fall has been achieved, they get right back into a wrestling crouch and wrestle some more. Breaks are brief. There is none of the scripted tough-talk patter that pro wrestlers use to recuperate between falls. Sweat and heavy breathing attest to the battle's intensity.

Both wrestlers stand at 5'10", and only five pounds set them apart. They fight for submissions and make clean breaks between the falls; then, they get back to work on each other. No ref is needed for these two gentleman-fighters. As I write this, I don't recall who wins in the end. What I remember is the struggle. That's all that matters. Bring me more.

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