The opening moments of the 11/14/12 episode of WWE NXT featured Jinder Mahal in an interview, boasting about his power and dominance. “Never before has there been a Superstar of my stature…”
Soon, young Bo Dallas (who Jinder had out-wrestled in a match the previous week) steps up to challenge the veteran to a rematch. The two men engage in a homo-erotic stare down and threaten each other with comments that sends chills down a wrestling fan’s neck and spine. Jinder snarls: “You want to be beaten unmercifully? You want to be embarrassed? I accept!” Bo responds confidently: “I’m looking forward to it!” (Kinky!)
You better believe I won’t be touching that dial (or mouse…) Way to go, NXT, once again getting inside our heads and building heat for the Main Event.
So in the main event, Jinder Mahal squares off with the young challenger to teach him a lesson in obedience. Bo Dallas, grandson of Blackjack Mulligan, wears a leather glove on one hand just like his gramps. However, he lacks the killer instinct, the raw masculinity of his grand-dad — Mulligan was a rough hombre who wore all black and kicked everyone’s ass. The wearing of the leather glove emphasizes (ironically) the lack of manly power and dominance, the failure of Bo Dallas to live up to his grand-dad’s legacy.
So Jinder Mahal is established as the Real Man and Alpha Male in this match-up (his sparkly purple briefs notwithstanding.)
Great minds think alike as Bufflover also captured the open-mouthed Headlock by Bo Dallas in an animated GIF on his blog…
The stare down and challenge at the beginning of the show created a promise — the promise that we will get to see Bo Dallas suffering and humiliated. His success early in the match added to this promise because now he deserves to suffer, and soon Mahal takes control (as we knew he would) and begins to harm the cute kid in those incredible white boots.
As usual in pro wrestling, the story told in the ring is the story of masculine success and domination. The man with the more masculine physical traits (beard and hairy chest) is depicted as stronger and more powerful than the pretty weakling with the long, effeminate hair. The message is that manliness is next to godliness — the amount of testosterone in your veins determines your ferocity and ability to dominate and control other men.
The promise they made at the beginning of the program, when Bo Dallas dared to get in the macho man’s face, is fulfilled as his body is bent and tortured in numerous punishing positions. The message being sent to the viewers is that Real Men stand at the top of the power structure, and wimpier guys had better NOT try to buck the system.
To Be Continued…