VeVe's Bondage Wrestling Challenge

Tonight we shot VeVe's very first Bondage Wrestling match ever to be caught on video.

VeVe is fairly experienced at this art form she calls "bondage wrestling," and she has practiced it several times in the sessioning realm. And while I've heard VeVe talk about this wrestling style before, tonight was the first time I got to witness her bondage wrestling skills in action. You see, that's me right there:

Yes, dear readers, I had the pleasure of facing off against little VeVe in this challenging sort of match. Clobberetta handled the camera on this one, and she did a great job of it.

The match ran for 20 minutes total, made up of two 10-minute rounds. VeVe's objective: to tie and capture me, all while wrestling for position and control. My job: don't get tied! Now, that's easier said than done when your opponent has loops and lassos pre-set all over the mat space. If we rolled near a rope coil, you bet that thing was coming into use real quick.

VeVe is pretty smart when it comes to bondage wrestling. I have to say, she did a fine job of distracting me and using that distraction tactic to slip quick-tie coils on my wrist and ankles. The ankles ties were the absolute worst. Not only were they considerably painful (rope bites), but they were considerably immobilizing. Go ahead, you try wrestling while your feet are tied together; legs are very important in this game.

I was able to get a few sweeps in, despite my bound ankles, and I even nearly got a one-armed rear naked choke while I had both legs and one wrist tied. Not too shabby!

Despite my thrashing attempts to shake her off, VeVe kept her cool and went about her business like a pro. It's a tough fight when your opponent can get great grips and you and you can't really grab her back.

So, there's my little run down as I simultaneously work on the editing for this video, set for a release tomorrow.

What do I think of bondage wrestling with VeVe after this experience? Well, I certainly think it leads to a very frustrating situation of immobility! Her quick-tie roping neutralized my strength advantage, making the struggle a tough one for me. All in all, it was pretty damn fun!

And on that note, if you like struggle, I do indeed recommend you give this style of bondage wrestling a try!

Making match compilation DVDs

It took an unexpected phone call about a month ago to get me thinking of this. Or maybe I had thought of it before, but it took that phone call to actually get me to put this seemingly obvious idea into action: the creation of multi-match DVDs.

You may be tempted to say "Duh, Mr. D, that's just so obvious!" But allow me to explain.

When we produce a new match video, our turn-around time is very quick; the match is filmed and released usually within a day or two. While that works excellently for downloadables - people can get the download quickly, with the full excitement of the match still lingering fresh in the air - it isn't that great for DVDs.

To release a match quickly on DVD typically means the release of a single-match DVD. Unless, of course, multiple related matches are shot within the same week, such as two F v F or two mixed matches of the same style. However, since we didn't stack shoots like that in our earlieryears, that led to the production of many single match DVDs.

This is the way it went for some time.

Then one day I received a phone call from someone asking for a printed list of our DVDs. Since we had never received that sort of request before (most people use the internet listing), I thought it might be interesting to assemble a printed listing. And that is when I realized just how many single-match DVDs we had. Whoa, now that had to be tightened up.

Luckily, I had the raw files and footage for a number of the single-match DVDs, so I have been slowly assembling the related matches onto single discs. My latest compilation DVD, for example, has been all of Jay's mixed matches: Jay vs VeVe (Oct '09), Jay vs Kim (Jan '10), and Jay vs Jenny (June '10).

One thing I like about making the compilation match DVDs is that it gives me, as editor, an opportunity to see the evolution of certain wrestlers over time, in the various matches. The DVD viewers would also get to have that comparison experience.

So, in an effort to provide greater value for DVD viewers and fans, I am going to include at least two matches on each new DVD produced. And I am also working to combine as many of the pre-existing single-match DVDs as possible. Unfortunately, I do not have the raw files for a few of our older single-matchers, so they will remain as singles. Also, our 40-minute long matches will remain as singles.

One of these days we will get a 60-minute long match, but I digress...

Future releases will be speedy on the download, but will have a slight delay on the DVD, as I also assemble other footage to add to the disc.

So, there is a little bit of talk and insider info on why I do what I do and have done what I've done. More to come, as always!

VeVe Lane battled Julie Squeeze this morning!

And what a battle it was!

We've been trying to get these two ladies to meet on the mats for some time now. And they finally did. Just this morning. For a 20 minute competitive match (two 10-minute rounds)... which was preceded by an arm wrestling bout and push up contest.

And special conditions: no straight arm bars or rear naked chokes allowed. All other submissions were legal.

The video is being processed this very moment! Coming soon! I'd write more, but I am exhausted from a loooong day and ready to hit the hay.

VeVe to London and then to fight Julie Squeeze

I just bid safe travels to VeVe, as she stepped out the door to the airport on her way to London this weekend to wrestle at Monica's. She'll be away until late Tuesday night.

And while VeVe was making her London travel preparations this week, she was also negotiating for her next match here in NYC. Upon her return next week, VeVe will be gearing up to face a travelling wrestler who's in town lately:

Julie Squeeze

All negotiations seem to be set, and we are aiming to shoot late next week. Perhaps next Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. We have a sponsor involved for this match who has also requested some special conditions for VeVe to observe: VeVe is not allowed to use straight armbars or the rear naked choke (choke from behind). This should pose an interesting challenge for the Petite Powerhouse and will force her to think fast during the fray. Julie has got the size advantage and is very athletic, so, get ready for an exciting fight.

And that's what's new from over on this front! If you're in the UK and near London, swing over to Monica's and say hello to VeVe.

Last week's heavyweight bout!

My goodness, I have to apologize for not blogging in a while. Between the travel and the barrage of work, I just haven't had a moment to commit some quality thoughts to e-paper.

I just noted that my last entry included the trailer for the VeVe vs Orlandoe intra-company lightweight battle. So, I wanted to take a moment to include the trailer for the intra-company heavyweight match of Amazon Annie vs Clobberetta.

This was a really exciting fight to film. Everyone kept asking me which of these ladies I thought would win. Going into the match, I really couldn't give a definite answer. While Annie had been training for a longer time, Clobberetta trained a whole lot in preparation for her June match with the Bulk, and she stayed on her roll from there. Clobberetta had the weight advantage, but Annie had the reach, leg crushing-power, and speed.

I was thinking that whoever got taken down fight would be the one on bottom until a submission took place. I was right to some extent, but often too, the bottom lady made great work of replacing the guard and/or escaping the mount and progressing from there. Impressive!

And very competitive. The holding of the grudge did make me smile. I like it when they fight for sakes.

Anyway, so we currently have a heavyweight and a lightweight title holder here.

More to come. I love these rivalries.

Intra-Company Rivalries!

Just a quicky for now:

Last Friday, I shot the first of two "Intra-Company Rivalry" matches. That one was the Doom Maidens lightweight division battle of VeVe vs Orlandoe. I'd like to write more about this great and dynamic match-up, but I am unfortunately very short on time right now.

I'll mention that the video started with a bit of a "glove slap" from Orlandoe to VeVe. Well, actually, it was something more like this:

Ouch!

And while I have your eye, here's a little outtake from that "glove slap" -

Now, this ACTUAL trailer from the match sure gives a better idea of what went on that evening between these two speedy grapplers:

Tomorrow I'll be filming the heavyweight match up between Amazon Annie and Clobberetta. No upper limit in that weight division. Amazon Annie is giving up 100 lbs to Clobberetta, but Annie's got those crushing long legs and more speed.

This should prove an interesting battle.

And I expect it might be a bit different from the VeVe vs Orlandoe fight. But, you know, who knows what to expect?! Those Annie and Clobberetta have a grudge to settle, so anything's possible!

Boston Trip, More Fit Photos, and Upcoming

Today is Wednesday, and it's time for my first blog entry for August 2010. And there's a good bit to blog about!

First off, this past weekend I took a road trip up to Boston with VeVe and Clobberetta for a combined session tour and visit to KGB, Boston's new wrestling party. We were joined by fellow NYC wrestler Miss Juliette, who rode up with a colleague of mine and met up with us at the Friday night wrestling party.

This was KGB's second official party, so we New Yorkers came up to lend moral and physical support. We all fought a number of matches, with VeVe taking on the Boston wrestling party's top female wrestler.

As a meeting of the tribes clash, I rolled with the party's 6'4", 200 lb host, my friend JoeJitsu, for a close match that ended in a draw. And Clobberetta fought a mighty battle against a male wrestler who outweighed her (!?!).

Following the party on Friday night, which took place in the south area of Boston, we headed down to Providence to crash with the party's hosts for the evening. And than on Saturday it was back up to south Boston for sessions. As irony would have it, the hotel was only 10 minutes away from the wrestling party space.

We concluded the tour with a Sunday afternoon session at the wrestling party space. That's pretty full-circle. And then add to that the fact that we went around a particular traffic circle a million times coming and going from the space and scoping the surrounding area...

Anyway, after a busy tour, we headed back to NYC. We ran through some horrible traffic that added an hour and half to our trip. But considering it was a Sunday evening heading back into town, I wasn't too surprised.

On Monday, I got busy with one of VeVe's new photo galleries, which she has dubbed "Fitness in the Park." These photos were from a shoot she did about two weeks ago with a photographer from FitShots (www.fitshots.com).

These were shot in Central Park here in NYC. This set joins VeVe's "Posed" galleries. And now we've got the gallery up and running at VeVe's site, here: VeVe Lane Fitness in the Park

And VeVe just had a classic pin up photoshoot last night, as I hear. So that looks like more gallery-making work coming into my inbox soon.

Future projects are also in the works for the rest of this month. We are setting up a much-anticipated video match between Amazon Annie and Clobberetta. That will come up in later August. And, thanks to a special request, we are looking to set up a rematch between VeVe and Blazin' Ben, wherein VeVe is wearing dancewear: sheer hose and a black leotard. That should create some interesting imagery.

And there you have my update for this week!

Vacation is coming up for me next week.