I recently saw Ryan Howe in a match on YouTube and enjoyed what I saw. Known as the “Wrestling Rockstar,” he wears the long golden hair, headbands and wrist cuffs of a late 1980’s Glamrock lead singer. But it’s that swole body that got me interested, no matter what costume he is wearing.
In the 1980’s, the fashion of heavy-metal rock merged with the fashion of pro wrestling, and many wrestlers used the “Rock ‘n Roll” gimmick. The hard-jamming and hard partying lifestyle of the rocker was co-opted by wrestlers who wanted to portray that vibe.
The long pretty hair, jewelry, and sometimes make-up worn by rock stars was meant to challenge gender roles, blending masculine attitude with feminine flirtation. Wrestlers could see this was a turn-on for the fans and quickly incorporated flamboyance and sissified antics in their matches.
So this “Rockstar” Ryan Howe is a throw-back and I am digging it. He reminds me of a young Triple H or Chris Jericho, who both got me off in their younger days.
Howe’s opponent in this recent Ohio Valley Wrestling match is this well-built baldie in all white gear — Randall Floyd. It seems I need to start watching more of OVW on YouTube if they have talent like THIS these days!
One nice thing about Howe is that he doesn’t wear the jeans or long tights favored by most Rockstar wrestlers. Instead he wears these snug little trunks made of a thin stretchy fabric. And spectacular silver boots — I am digging his look.
His muscular physique adds a lot to his visual appeal as well.
Maybe my appreciation of Howe’s gimmick stems from the many Young Rockers who looked just like this, and who I watched obsessively. He’s got the classic wrestler look. He looks like Mickey Roarke looked when he played the archetype of a veteran wrestler in the movie, The Wrestler.
The commentators tease Ryan Howe’s finishing move — the “Whammy-bar” — each time he twists Floyd’s arm. I love how the Rockstar uses a music related term for his patented Killer Move and I can’t wait to see it.
This is the Whammy-bar, with Howe bending his victim’s shoulder against the joint. The move is meant to resemble a guitar player tweaking the lever on his electric guitar to distort the tone of the music. I think it’s a sexy move, with Howe playing Floyd like his instrument.
I like both these guys and definitely want to see more of them.
