Nice armbar by Steamboat. I recently came upon an old wrestling magazine with an article describing a match between Ricky Steamboat and Randy Savage. As you will see, it included some nice photos of the patented Armbar that Ricky used about a half dozen times per match. I also couldn’t help noticing how wonderfully vulgar and raunchy the old rassling magazine images were — bare flesh and sweat and dominant sexy poses everywhere. These images illustrate how pro wrestling hides its blatant sexuality and provocative homo-erotic images in the perfect place, where no one will suspect a thing — in plain sight.
How could anyone walk down the magazine aisle at the supermarket or grocery store and not catch a whiff of steamy, sexy lewdness from the wrestling magazines on the rack? Especially when gorgeous photos like this appeared on the cover — Steamboat’s dark flesh coated in shiny oil and sweat, his chest, shoulder, and arms flexed tight as he grinds on that Armbar, that intense look on his face as he bears down on his submissive opponent.
Then you read some of the provocative captions: “Two against one!“, “We’re here to rule!“, “Steamboat wants your hide.” All this sexiness is right there in plain sight — not even covered with a foil wrapper like other forms of soft-core pornography for sale!
Inside the magazine, we find Steamboat straddling Savage between his thighs and gripping his big stiff arm. Maybe my brain is permanently in the gutter but in my view, this is clearly an image of sexual predation and ownership.
The caption says that Steamboat told Savage that he wants his belt and his “hide.” Telling another man you “want his belt” makes it sound like you want to take his pants off him. Telling him that you “want his hide” is an unusual and provocative term that we saw on the front cover as well.
What does the phrase “I want your hide” imply about Steamboat and Savage?? It sounds as if Steamboat is stalking or hunting Savage, or wants to skin him. Or maybe it just indicates that he is angry and wishes to harm Savage — the sexual implication is there but not there…
The name “Randy Savage” always struck me as sexually suggestive as well. The word “randy” means lustful, aroused, or depraved. So another term for “Randy Savage” is “Horny Beast.” Using the nickname “Macho Man” serves to add a butch Village People vibe.
I always found it interesting that this randy savage became a famous mainstream personality who was forever Snapping into a Slim Jim, and yet nobody seemed to notice the blatant erotic lewdness of his name. Just like pro wrestling itself, the sexiness was hidden right there in plain sight.
It’s time to start the Gun Show as Steamboat squats down to apply one of his glorious Armbars. His skin glistens, his thick bicep utterly engulfs Savage’s extended arm in muscle. The hero presents his chest to the camera to show us the impressive width of his upper body, his sculpted shoulders and pecs.
The effectiveness of the hold, the power and masculine aggression of Ricky Steamboat, is presented in the caption where the Macho Man is described as being “in some serious pain” due to Steamboat’s big, hard arms.
A good wrestling magazine always provided some indecent imagery such as Bondage. Here we see our bare-chested hero with his arms pinned back over the ropes, apparently restrained. We read that he is “in trouble” as if he is being punished for some wrongdoing. Is he being choked by his own headband?? (Mmmm, I hope so!)
Steamboat is described as being “hung up to dry” as if he is nothing more than laundry — an old wet blanket tossed over the clothesline to flap in the breeze — his strength and power negated.
His face is contorted in agony as we contemplate his situation… What is Savage going to do to our poor helpless Dragon? Maybe punch him in the curve of that exposed stomach? Maybe whip him or bite him? Savage can inflict whatever savagery he wishes because Steamboat is totally helpless.
Maybe all this sexual content was in my head. Maybe the magazine articles — and the entire sport of pro wrestling itself — were not trying to be deliberately provocative with all this symbolism and innuendo. Maybe — but I can promise you that I never seemed to be as excited by football or baseball magazines as I was, every single time, by pro wrestling magazines. The only thing that shocked me was that nobody else apparently could see how damn hot pro wrestling was.