Have you guys heard of this indy wrestler...

[Guest art_vandelay]

I SHIT YOU NOT.

 

You might be laughing at the thought of a one-legged wrestler as you're reading this right now, but as you scroll down this page to reveal the picture below in its entirety, NOTICE as your chuckles of amusement turn into GASPS of ASTONISHMENT:

 

 

*GASP*

 

 

His name is Zach "TENACIOUS Z" Gowen. A 19 year old indy wrestler based out of Michigan.

 

from Tenacious Z's Official Website:

 

Tenacious Z is a HUGE up and comer in the wrestling world. Only halfway into his rookie year, he is touted as the next mainstream breakout star from Michigan. He lost his left leg to cancer when he was 8, but the amputation has not hindered his wrestling ability at all. He's an "un-natural" high-flyer and risk taker who will do whatever it takes to get the win. Mix in the fact that he has a solid mat game from his amateur days, and he is almost unstoppable as he is good-looking. He is truly one of a kind!

 

from the Q&A on the website:

 

 

I do all sorts of high flying moves. I do hurricanranas, every moonsault imaginable (i invented the side-winder: it's like a sideways moving shooting star press), shooting star press, 450, sentons, dozens of planchas. I really have to take to the air a lot because me suplexing and throwing bigger wrestlers around really isn't sellable. My favorite move that I do would have to be the one-legged figure four.

 

In his commentary, Tenacious Z states that he has a try-out dark match for NWA: TNA later this month.

 

If anyone has more info about this guy, or if anyone has seen him in action, please reply.

[Guest DragonflyKid]

Seems like a good, inspirational story but I don't see him lasting or being anything more then a novelty wrestler. Having only one leg means all the impact that would normally be absorbed by two legs will be felt entirely in his single leg. I see him getting his only leg injured pretty quickly.

 

He looks like he would be a spot monkey anyway since he is limited in what he can do. The aerial moves he lists as being in his repertoire do seem impressive for anyone let alone a one-legged man.

[Guest bob_barron]

Well you know what they say about a one legged man in a buttkicking contest...

 

He needs to be called up right now so JR can say that

[Guest AM The Kid]

One-legged hurricarrana?! Are his opponents crazy? I'd never take that.

[Guest papacita]

How the fuck would you do a one-legged huracanrana???

[Guest Lord of The Curry]

Must not make jokes about him having a "leg up" on the competition.......must not.

 

Ahhhhhhhhh shit! Too late.

[Guest Youth N Asia]

I hate to dis a guy with one leg...but that's about the only thing he has going for him. I can't judge him fairly since he's given more credit right off the bat for being disadvantaged. He's just ok though

[Guest dreamer420]

I appreciate the guys efforts but I really don't see how he can hold a decent match together.

[Guest Downhome]

I bet he takes one hell of an Irish Whip, heh. I'll look into this guy, and see what I can uncover, if anything.

[Guest Downhome]

Check this forum out, he posts here offten...

 

http://www.thebigboard.tk/

 

...I have contacted him for a one on one interview for this site, so we'll see soon.

[Guest HartFan86]

All I can say is "..the hell?"

[Guest Mattdotcom]

He could have a kickass intro angle. Comes out in a wheelchair, talks about his dreams and losing his leg, heel belittles him, heel gets his ass kicked by a one-legged man.

 

I can't see him playing a heel. There's a disadvantage.

[Guest Downhome]

Ok guys, I have landed the one on one private interview with Zach, I'm talking to him online right now as I type this.

[Guest Downhome]

How the fuck would you do a one-legged huracanrana???

From my talk with him tonight...

 

haha....i jump on the guys shoulders, wrap my leg around his head, hook the leg with my left hand and pull back!

 

...and there ya go!

[Guest Youth N Asia]

I don't have it out for the guy...but can he win a believable match? I mean couldn't his opponent just throw him off balance and kill him with submissions

[Guest Downhome]

Here is what I told him that I was wanting to do...

 

I'll wait untill I have the tape, so I can better talk to you about your work, you know, make sure I know exactly what I am talking about. After that, we'll do the interview, I'll get a few guys to work with me on getting it put together, and we'll do it on here. I'll put together an article with the Q & A's, and a review of the Best Of Tape, all in one tight and clean package, and we'll post it up for you.

 

...the tape I'm talking about is his Best Of tape, I'm sending for it tomorrow. If ANY of you care to chat with me on AIM sometime for ideas for questions for me to ask him, or anything like that, just let me know.

[Guest Downhome]

I don't have it out for the guy...but can he win a believable match? I mean couldn't his opponent just throw him off balance and kill him with submissions

I'll see soon enough when I watch the tape. I can't wait to view it, as it will be very interesting. He's a great guy personally though, from what I've talked to him so far.

[Guest AM The Kid]

Hmm, I'm now interested in his work. If he can pull off a hurricarrana I'm very impressed. Looking forward to the interview!

[Guest art_vandelay]

I don't have it out for the guy...but can he win a believable match? I mean couldn't his opponent just throw him off balance and kill him with submissions

Believable match or not, can anyone seriously say they aren't interested in seeing a ONE LEGGED WRESTLER, who's specialty just so happens to be high spots? I mean, I've never seen the guy wrestle, but even if he can't work a good, believable match, the WWE has made tons of money off of guys who can't do shit inside the ring.

 

<--- Looking forward to the interview as well. Downhome, if you haven't yet, please ask him how his opponents have to prepare when they are working with him. I imagine that they might have to alter their movesets in some cases. I have to wonder how he may take a military press or a fisherman's suplex (since it's the opponent's left leg that is hooked most of the time).

[Guest Downhome]

<--- Looking forward to the interview as well. Downhome, if you haven't yet, please ask him how his opponents have to prepare when they are working with him. I imagine that they might have to alter their movesets in some cases. I have to wonder how he may take a military press or a fisherman's suplex (since it's the opponent's left leg that is hooked most of the time).

You've got it!

[Guest Rob Edwards]

Hmm if it's not too insensitive can you ask him how he manages to realistically vary any storyline in hi smatches, seeing as it would always make sense for the opponent to go after the healthy leg?

[Guest Ace309]

If I remember correctly, they did a story on him in Reader's Digest a year or so ago when he was wrestling in high school.

 

I'd love to see him work.

[Guest Edwin MacPhisto]

See, I'm interested in this, but I'm wondering: how does he even walk across the ring? Maybe a complicated system of levers and pulleys?

[Guest Ace309]

I assume he hops.

 

His strategy in high school was always to belly down, grab the ankle and lever it upwards to sweep the other one down, although that might have been Digest-sanitized.

[Guest DerangedHermit]

Well, for one thing, you can't do a double-leg takedown, Sharpshooter, or Figure-Four on him. Although, an ankle lock = death.

[Guest oldschoolwrestling]

Well, for one thing, you can't do a double-leg takedown, Sharpshooter, or Figure-Four on him. Although, an ankle lock = death.

Can't powerbomb Kidman, can't figure-four Tenacious Z.

[Guest AndrewisyourHero]

I'm suprised you guys are so interested, really. I mean, HHH has been wrestling with one leg for over a year now! *ba-dum-ching*

 

Don't say you didn't see this one coming..

[Guest IDrinkRatsMilk]

I just want to know how he can ever kick out of a pin attempt. If you hook the leg, he's only got one, so there's no way he can kick out.

[Guest deadbeater]

He must torque his body very well.

[Guest Ace309]

He can squirm or, god forbid, bridge out. I assume the one leg is wicked strong.