If, in a hundred years time, a chronicle of pro wrestling were to be preserved based solely upon the footage that the WWE and WCW chose to highlight on their “Best of” compilations, then a whole important chapter of pro history would go missing—namely, the weekly squash matches in which one of the “name” talents of the federation would decimate a rookie grappler in short order, often within the space of a minute or two.
Though these bouts seemed to be regarded as little more than filler by the producers, squeezed before the main event or tagged on the end of a broadcast (as today’s bout was when it originally aired), these, in fact, were the matches that I was tuning in to see, week after week (and that I gladly would shell out big bucks for today if I could find them included in DVD compilation sets.)
Though often these squash matches featured one of a reliable stable of jobbers enlisted to do the weekly honor of allowing the heroes and heels of the pro wrestling world to shine, just as often they featured newcomers who disappeared from the scene as quickly as they arrived upon it. Such was the case with Johnny Wild, the cute Doughboy featured in this mid-90’s bout against Steven Regal. (Here’s a YouTube link to this match: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGKgx9eMQF8).
In contrast to Johnny Wild, Regal’s career in wrestling has spanned over twenty years, employed a half dozen stage names and utilized his varied skills as a grappler, producer, commentator and writer. In his prime, when this match aired, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more enticing piece of British beefcake. This dude was (and still is) a stunner.
Yet my interest and allegiance was (and still is) in the Doughboy’s corner. Viewing a scene like this, in which the young helpless guy is backed into the turn-buckle, grabbed by the hair and a handful of spandex at the ass and then hurled from the ring is, for me, a turn-on.
Then get the bystanders, the wrestler’s agent and handler, get involved in the jobber punishment, slapping and pounding the poor guy.
Follow that up with another tug of those stretchy tights up the rump as the defenseless rookie is hurled back into the ring, and you’ve amped up the appeal.
Though most wrestling fans might favor the lean, muscular athlete on the left, I’m all for the guy that he’s dominating. Wild has all of the traits that many of the jobbers from that era seemed to share: the silky mane, the soft white skin, the ample spread at the midsection…
…those snug tights hugging that fine rump, effectively reflecting the arena lights to display the guy’s impressive posterior to its best advantage.
The red spandex that Wild sports is as royal a fabric as anything worn by Regal.
The bout takes a sadistic turn as Regal, the Doughboy firmly in his grip, begins to pound and pummel the jobber to demonstrate to the camera (and to the wrestler Sting who, presumably, is watching the match at home) the punishment that he has in store for his rival when next they meet in the ring.
Though it’s difficult to make out the exact wording of Regal’s raves, I’ve paraphrased the general tone of his rant in the word balloons above. Suffice it to say that it’s a hot scene, the Doughboy suffering at the hands of an increasingly agitated Regal while the ref looks on with growing concern that builds to a panic and a call for the bell to end the bout.
In spite of the ref’s firm reprimands to Regal and his manager, the wrestler and his lackeys defiantly return to the corner of the ring where Wild, still dazed and disoriented, attempts to rise to his feet…
The nasty heel and his manger kick the stunned Doughboy from the ring. Regal follows after and continues to punish the lad at ringside as the weekly episode of WCW Saturday Night comes to an end.
Finally, a rarity for the days of jobber squash matches, an era during which Doughboys often were all but ignored; a parting shot of young Johnny Wild, in close-up, face down at ringside.