Ultimate Show of Strength

I recently came across this photo somewhere on the webosphere — a buff and dominant hard-body pressing his victim overhead.  Looking at that ripped physique in action, every muscle flexed, left me pondering this showy move and what it represents.

Clearly the purpose of the “Gorilla Press” is to emphasize the strength and power of the “Gorilla” applying the press — and the relative helplessness of his suspended victim.  His body language says: Look at my power — I am so strong, I can press him up here for as long as I want. The victim, meanwhile, just wants to escape this predicament with as little pain and humiliation as possible.

So here are some more great photos from my archives of this “ultimate show of strength” — the dreaded Press Slam.

While many wrestling moves draw our attention to the poor victim and his agony, this move seems intended to focus all eyes on the power-house, the Alpha Male fucker with his big muscles and the power to do whatever he wants to his plaything.  And the longer he holds his victim on display, slowly strutting around the ring, the more he clearly wants to check out his body and enjoy the sight of it.

When the “Gorilla” is dressed a long black bodysuit, and the jobber in just a pair of underwear, we get the sense that the Clothed Male is somehow molesting or violating the Naked Male by lifting him up and holding his body on display.  It just seems sexual somehow.

Here is what I really appreciated about Ric Flair and his body of work.  In his interviews prior to his big matches, he would mind-fuck us hard by telling us repeatedly how fabulous, powerful, and unbeatable he was.  His long, arrogant, self-promoting speeches were enough to give you a boner, even when he kept his suit and tie on!

Then when he finally stripped down to trunks and “walked that aisle”, he would sell his inferiority and helplessness like the weakest, most submissive jobber who ever wore pink trunks.  He would willingly allow his limp body to be lifted and thrown all over the arena — a fuckin blond Raggedy Andy doll.  That shift in power, that loss of prestige, from cocky, trash-talking dickhead to total bitch boy, is what makes pro wrestling in general (and Ric Flair’s matches specifically) a turn-on to watch.

So if you want to put a wrestler over as powerful and invincible, if you want the audience to feel and believe in his strength, just have him apply plenty of Overhead Press Slams.

This long-haired show-off, for example, appears somewhat effeminate in his shiny silver speedo.  But when he gets the other man fully in control, using his brute strength to hoist the dude up and hold him there like a helpless kitten, an undeniable sense of masculinity and strength is conveyed to the viewers.

The audience will now have the understanding that this dude is tough, a punishing Alpha Male who clearly has a sufficient strength advantage to be able to sweep the other man off his feet and toss him around at will.  (Plus he looks swole and hot while doing it…)