RhodyRaybo's blog

Something caught my eye as I was looking for something to watch while eating my breakfast sandwich. Destination America is airing something called "Underground Fight Clubs". That caught my eye so I tuned in to see if it is reporting on what we do here on Meetfighters. All I can say is "HOLY MARY, MOTHER OF GOD!!!!". These clubs are seriously OUT FOR BLOOD. I just saw a snip of a fight involving breaking chairs over each others heads. These guys actually WANT blood and injuries. They are fighting with chains, chairs, fake knives, ....HELL, they are even hitting each other with computer keyboards! Some clubs they are covering are saying that blood is mandatory! Wow! Whenever blood is seen with matches I've been to with the wrestlers here, we immediately stop! I thought I was over the top because I love getting into next to nothing and make Pecs44 or Rassle4fun or Twisterman or KEVINJ8664 (who is overdue for a serious beating!!!!) feel my muscles and sweat subdue them and render them helpless. But smashing each other with object, TRYING to extract blood? I'm afraid that's just a little too much for me. I gotta show up for work the next day. I gotta teach little kids at Sunday School. I got neighbors and non wrestling friends to face. I love what we do, and gonna keep doing it as long as I can. But that's one level I can do without. The special I am watching is going onto MMA, so that might be more of what we like to do. Have a great day guys! God bless!

It's been almost 2 years since I wrote a blog entry. A lot has happened since then. As you can tell by my videos, I am still actively wrestling, especially with my mentor, my buddy "Ron" (not his real name), Kevinj8664, Rassle4fun,and a couple of new guys that I love rolling with. But many of you know I had a setback when a guy came to learn some wrestling moves in my basement about 18 months ago and proceeded to have a heart attack while there. That night was the worst night of my entire life and almost ended me wrestling forever. But I bounced back, with the help of friends like Pecs44, Twisterman, Rassle4fun, and Average Joe. But I have a main reason for writing this and hopefully everyone reading it will take it to heart.

A couple times in the last couple weeks, 2 very nice guys who are decent wrestlers have either decided to call it quits or came very close to calling it quits, and I known others in the past who have done so for similar reasons that I am about to go into. It seems there are just too many guys here who regardless if they are active or more observers to our sport seem to have no problem toying with the guys here. It seems there are guys who promise to wrestle and meet when they have no intention of doing so. Another reprehensible act is when they start spreading rumors about sincere wrestlers that are not true in the least. I am guessing the reasons for this is that some are getting a "charge" out of just talking to these guys, then when they get their thrill, they move on. Another reason could be because they have expectations from guys that go beyond their boundaries. Other reasons could be just plain rivalry for each others' affections. (that seems to be a problem in the Boston area)

Is there something we all can do? Absolutely! As a man of faith, I believe our Lord's command to "do unto others as you would have them to unto you"...in other words, treat others the way you want to be treated. For those of us who have been hurt by some of these clowns? I have found there are ways to avoid this. If someone expresses interest in wrestling and asks for specific details on what you would do, I always stay general. If they press for more, then I just tell him to schedule a match so I can SHOW him. If the conversation ends, then the guy had no intention of meeting. He just wanted to get off. Another way is if a guy seems to just want to talk about it, don't lead him on thinking you can change his mind about meeting. I have found that if they have no intention of meeting, all the begging and pleading and telling them what they want to hear will NEVER change that. Do each other a favor, tell him you're not interested. There are plenty of guys here who are more into verbal than physical. There's no need to waste each other's time. Also, my final recommendation is that you should do your best to make friends with the guys you actually do wrestle. Quite a few men are not interested in friendship. I've wrestled guys who just come in, don't discuss anything more than wrestling, and after the match, they go home. There's nothing wrong with that, and I'm perfectly ok with that. Some guys you can become friends with, others not so much. Make wrestling the priority and friendship a benefit that some will be happy to provide. The others, just enjoy the body contact.

Now regarding those that I have been able to be friends with, I make the most of it. One wrestling bud I text regularly just to say hi and see how things are going. One buddy that I have wrestled many times since I began is an example of how to become and STAY friends. Like myself, he's a man of faith, very active in his church, though our churches and approach to scripture is significantly different. So what to do? I've found that the best way to relate to each other is to avoid the controversial differences and find our common ground, and you know what? It works! We have had many, many encouraging, spiritual conversations even though we may not always agree, there's plenty we do agree on. There's one wrestler, and he knows who he is, I've only wrestled once years ago. The reason we haven't wrestled since was because of some health issues he's had and his moving even further away, but we kept in touch. We text, we talk on the phone, and he's always kidding with me about how "hot" I am. (I think he's kidding, he knows I'm not leaving my wife for anyone else). We're hoping to meet up in the spring at a halfway point. But even if we don't meet, we will remain good friends from a distance. One guy that I do meet up with in hotel rooms when he's traveling is also a very close friend. when we're not rolling around trying to torture each other, we have meals together, we talk about our families, current events, or just joke around. I absolutely LOVE this guy.

One other thing I recommend is when communicating either in person or through messaging, try to avoid controversial topics or anything that might set the other guy off. I actually have to do this with certain non-wresting friends. I'm a registered Republican in a very Democrat part of the country. So guess what? I generally don't discuss politics. One former opponent refuses to have anything to do with me for that reason. oh well, no big loss here. There are guys I that I can't discuss with them too much about other matches. Sometimes I wrestle a guy another friend can't stand. That can get sticky if I say too much. There are a few guys that I have no problem staying with in a hotel room overnight or staying at their house, but others I'm not comfortable with doing that. This can cause significant rifts with some guys knowing that I will do all nighters with some guys but not them.

I could go on, but I will stop here. I guess because I've been wrestling for so long in these circuits, I've acquired a lot of experience and have much to share. If anyone has any questions or insights to this blog, please feel free to message me. Peace out and God bless.

Wish I could write this guy a review. As much as I love Meetfighters, I
do try to get matches from one other source .... Craig's List. What can
I say? I got fed up with the nickel and dime policies of Globalfight,
plus I hadn't gotten any matches through there in months, so I left.
Bearhuggers isn't that active, sadly. And Wrestlemen is just another
money making site. So I often get matches from Craig's List and hope for
the best. I can say, it's not always bad. Most guys lately have been
"one and done", but at least they are willing to try it at least once.
This brings me to my most recent CL opponent. I will call him "Mike".
Mike was visiting the Providence area from Florida to attend a
conference for his job. I guess he did frequently use CL to meet guys
for various reasons, but in his initial response he told me that
wrestling sounded like fun and he could host at his hotel, which was
only 10 minutes from me. I told him I was game.

Anyway, after exchanging texts all day long on the day of his arrival, I
got to his hotel room not quite sure what to expect. I was greeted by a
man about my height, a couple years older than myself, with salt and
pepper hair. He was about 25 lbs heavier than I am, though I am the
more muscular one. He wasn't in the greatest of shape, but he did have
a lot of stamina for someone who hadn't wrestled much. Anyway, we
greeted each other, chatted a few minutes, then when he was sitting on
the bed, I ATTACKED! I had him pinned and scissored in a matter of
seconds. (insert more here). After we were in appropriate attire, we
continued for over an hour of exchanging holds with me showing him some
holds and letting him administer a few to me. It was fun and sweaty. He
loved my scissors and my bear hugs. He cried for mercy, I gave him
none. He pinned me and I showed him how I have learned to get out of
various holds. I had a lot to tell him and show him. Time seemed to go
by quickly with him. Anyway, His stay was for about 4 days, so I
managed to meet him two more times for more wrestling. It was fun,
though he had a couple of physical issues that caused us to have to go
at a slower pace than we began with.

I wish I could write a review of "Mike", but seeing he was a Craig's
List guy and not on Meetfighters, I can only blog about him. But we hit
it off quite well. I don't know if we will ever see each other again.
The conference he was in Providence for is in a different city each
year. But nonetheless, he really enjoyed it and told me we would
probably be meeting again sometime down the road.

I just had a wrestling session with a new guy. He's not on Meetfighters, though I hope he does sign up someday. He answered my CL ad. He was 70 lbs lighter than I was, admitted he had never wrestled before, and doesn't work out. When we stripped down I noticed his 150 lb frame was nothing but pure muscle. When I told him to try to take me down, boy, DID HE EVER take me down. I showed him some moves and he used some on me that I didn't teach him. YIKES! Was I being conned? Or was he just a natural at it? I see no point in him conning me. He wasn't trying to rob me or take my money or place a bet. So I think he's a natural. I sure hope he is able to wrestle some more in the future. Unfortunately, like most married wrestlers, his wife doesn't know. So it could be months before I see him again. Anyway, I am so glad I had a brief time of wrestling with the small, yet strong and scrappy, "Mario".

Since I began wrestling in July 2011, I began keeping records of how many matches I have had. Last night I had an "all nighter" with a wrestling bro. He lives 4 hours away, so every once in a while we meet at a hotel halfway between our homes. When we do this, I count our wrestling in the evening then the wrestling we do first thing in the morning as a second match. Anyway, our morning match was to be my 750th match since I started almost six years ago.

That evening we had the usual agenda, some intense wrestling, go out for a bite, make a video, then a massage, then bed (for sleeping). I'm a fairly light sleeper with an internal alarm clock that awakens me most mornings and this morning was no exception. So this morning I wake up and see the clock reading 5:45 a.m. Hmmmmm, I knew I needed to start wrestling. I wanted him to be my 750th, he is a special wrestling bro and friend, but he's sleeping peacefully and I'm groggy....we got to wrestle, we got to do it soon....come on....let's get going....yawn.......finally 5:53...I reach over and grab his pec and nip...he moans...HE'S UP! Match 750 is on!

For the next hour we are putting each other in holds, subduing each other, and doing some cuddling....and all before we even have said anything to each other. We're smelly, sweaty, and rolling around on the bed pinning each other. It was a fabulous 750th match. Then it was time to get up and get cleaned up, ready to get on with our lives.

We will most likely do another all nighter again in the next couple months, but I'm glad we could make this match my 750th.