There's nothing amateur about the ink on Randy Blue's latest flame, Kenya. The tattoo artist knows what he likes and where he wants it. He's got a shark and jellyfish on one sleeve, and a craggy, Gorey-esque tree on his other, I'm as scared as I am attracted. I'm not normally a guy for solos, but Kenya's hand-worked body (he eschews the gym in favor of actual activity) and rough scruff is a little bit more than enough for one trip to his outside lands.

While Blackovich, a competitive cage-fighter and 2-time season champion, is widely regarded as one of UltimateSurrender's best wrestlers, Zerva, an ex-Marine and student of judo, has quickly proven that it's possible to go from being virtually unknown to virtually unstoppable, even in one's first season.

"It's going to be a good match," said Ultimate Surrender director Matt Williams. "Zia's big and strong—heavier. Syd is lighter, faster, more knowledgeable and has better experience. Is size going to overtake knowledge? Will it be quicker younger faster, or bigger stronger heavier? It's like David and Goliath."

I don't think people who leave caustic, anonymous comments on blogs necessarily need to be acknowledged, let alone responded to. But something strange happened in the comment thread for some pictures I posted on Chi Chi's upcoming bi flick Shifting Gears. A lot of people expressed their excitement for the movie, but there was an undercurrent of dissent. and much of it was focused on Blake Riley, for reasons I'm having a hard time understanding.

I don't think Blake needs me to come to his defense but I will say that -- in addition to having an ass like two ripe melons and being one of the most-handsome performers working today -- Blake also happens to be an incredibly nice person. I interviewed him a few months ago and also got to spend some time with him on the set of the NakedSword Knockout shoot, and I was really taken by this completely down-to-earth charmer.

As the first dual exclusive for a studio (Channel 1) and a website (RandyBlue), Blake's rise -- culminating in winning 2008 GayVN Best Newcomer -- was meteoric. But did you know he was living on the streets when he started doing porn and that he credits porn with saving him? Or that he's studying to be a chiropractor? Get to know more about Blake Riley in our interview, after the jump.

Steve Cruz is one porn star we never tire of writing about. When I heard that he'll be co-directing his first movie, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to probe him deeper on the subject (I love chatting with him but I always got the feeling he enjoys being probed anyway).

We discussed his directorial influences, if he's still a Raging Stallion Exclusive, and what exactly it is that a porn director does anyway. "Blue Movie" (an homage to 1970s and '80s porn which he's co-directing with Leif Gobo for Mustang) should be released in December but until then check out the interview after the jump ...

As soon as Matt Williams announced that he would be stepping down as the Director of Hogtied.com in order to make time for his new role as Creative Director, the task of finding a qualified replacement became the company's number one priority. After a careful search and audition process, Kink.com has officially extended the offer to award-winning fine art bondage photographer and rigger Lochai.

"Hogtied was our first site and we still consider it our flagship," said Kink.com founder and CEO Peter Acworth. "We're very pleased to bring Lochai on to continue the Hogtied tradition. He's one of the best-known bondage riggers around and for years he's been out there in the community, both as a photographer and as an educator. Most importantly, he really gets what's fun and beautiful and hot about women in bondage — he understands the Kink.com aesthetic. I'm very much looking forward to working with him."

Lochai's inaugural Hogtied update, a sizzling 56-minute scene featuring 22-year-old beauty Isobel Wren, was shot last month when he was auditioning for his new role. In it, Wren is placed in Lochai's trademark Japanese-influenced rope bondage and subjected to a stunning number of screaming orgasms, including a copious squirt. Throughout, Lochai's sardonic humor tempers the intense bondage and stimulation.

Lochai observes: "Everything that's done in any of the Kink.com sites is real, so it's not like I'm acting a part. I'm actually being myself. I'm sarcastic, I'm a smart ass, I laugh during scenes and I also console when someone's upset. I'm going to be doing my real play, my real life, within the walls of the Armory because that's what's expected by the customers — and that's what's expected by Kink.com. I'm going to be super comfortable there, because I feel like I'm home."

A longtime Florida resident, Lochai will be relocating to the San Francisco area in September in order to be close to Kink.com. He says he'll continue his work teaching bondage and SM lifestyle classes, both at the half-dozen conferences he traditionally attends annually, and in the San Francisco area.

Lochai expressed great enthusiasm about being offered the position. "Every person who's ever sat down in front of me in a classroom, or who has surrounded me out in a club to watch what I'm doing, has wanted this job. They want to get paid to tie up beautiful women and get them off — and that's my job. It's a wonderful feeling, and an affirmation that my kink pays off."

Yes, it's that time of the year again -- already! -- when we take pause and humbly reflect upon what makes GayPornBlog readers better than the readers of all those other blogs out there.

Yes, Mike and I do it all for you. How could you ever possibly repay us? Why, funny you should ask! Why not take a second to vote for us for Best Adult Blog at the 2009 Cybersocket Awards? You'll be glad you did!

Have you lost weight?

After a rather amusing dress rehearsal for Kink.com's potential new fantasy role-play site Midnight Takedowns, Founder and CEO Peter Acworth teamed up with Harmony Rose and Barry Meikaukener to put the controversial concept to the test. While still at the beginning of what is sure to be an ongoing creative development process, this initial test shoot has already spurred an interesting debate regarding fantasy, reality, and the ability and responsibility to know the difference. The shoot, available for preview here on Behind Kink, can be seen in its entirety by visiting KinkOnDemand. Don't forget to tell us what you think by posting your comments here and in the Forums.

When I was in high school, wrestling was the dominant sport and on weekends we'd all head to watch guys in singlets dry hump for top while bathed in sweat. Not surprisingly, the wrestlers also had a reputation for a somewhat looser interpretation of proper heterosexual behavior. Or so I would tell myself as I filed away mental snapshots.

Ahem. So when director Jett Blakk told me he was producing a wrestling-themed feature with the guys from Active Duty, I was more than a little intrigued. The movie takes place in some sort of amateur wrestling circuit where the men, you know, end up having sex with each other. I'm particularly taken with Kaden Taylor who Blakk seems to have drafted directly from my dorm room memories.

I ran into Wolf Hudson this weekend at a going-away party for Mr Pam (she's leaving San Francisco to take a job as Creative Director for Michael Lucas). He's been taking it on the chin a bit over the recent straight-for-pay movie but understands that it goes with the territory. I told him not to worry too much, since GPB readers tend to be about as humanitarian as Robert Mugabe when it comes to issues of sexual fluidity (as Zeb Atlas or Ricky Sinz). All joking aside, Wolf's actually a stand-up guy (and, if you're his type, a lie down one as well), so I thought I'd pass along this video of him hamming it up in the valley with Jett Blakk, who directed him in Mug Shots.

Related:
Zeb Is Wet and Wild On Set, But Readers are Rabid Wolf Hudson, Pool Boy (TheSword.com)

-- Mike

I got humble my start in the gay porn industry by writing DVD reviews for a site that paid $5 for each 3000 word review, but I was glad to have the work. Mike and I barely ever post formal reviews on here anymore so I was glad when longtime GayPornBlog reader Rob J. offered to write up some reviews of classic movies, all of which have definitely withstood the test of time, and all of which are available to watch on NakedSword.

For our first installment, we have Powertool, Weekend Lockup, and The Young And The Hung. Check them out after the jump.