By Shauna Scott Rhone
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Queen City Wrestling student Andre Davis (left) of Mount Healthy demonstrates a hold on his friend and fellow student, Richard Phillips of Bond Hill. (Brandi Stafford photo)

Step aside, king of the ring.

The next Rock or Stone Cold Steve Austin could be practicing slams right now, right here in Cincinnati. That's right - the next new finishing moves might be happening at Queen City Wrestling training school.

The booming "let the bodies hit the floor" sounds coming out of the Spears Gym in Mount Healthy for the last few weeks are rattling the building's windows while the training school is in session.

All that foot stomping and body slamming has piqued the curiosity of passersby like a raucous recruiting tool. Head trainer and wrestling veteran Kenny McGuire says it points out why professional wrestling is still delivering the smackdown to millions of fans worldwide.

"Sometimes we get so loud," says McGuire, 48, of Colerain Township, "people on the street will poke their heads in the door to see what's making all that noise. When they find out it's a wrestling school, some of them want to know how to join."

The QCW school opened last month. It enters an already crowded ring of professional wrestling schools in Greater Cincinnati: the Heartland Wrestling Association, Intense Wrestling Inc., and the Northern Wrestling Federation.

Alex Marvez, who writes online for The Wrestling Observer e-zine (www.liveaudiowrestling.com), says the city has a good reputation for developing talent.

"I wouldn't say that four schools is unusual," says Marvez. "The (Cincinnati) area has a good-sized fan base that is willing to support younger performers cutting their teeth in the wrestling business."

McGuire, listed on wrestling show cards in the 1980s as "The Heartthrob of America," was a journeyman wrestler with the United States Wrestling Association (USWA), American Wrestling Federation (AWF), World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and other organizations.

A variety of injuries pinned McGuire outside the ring, ending his career. To stay in the game, he did a couple of stints as trainer at other schools. When he decided late last year to open his own school, he recruited friends and family to help make his dream of opening a top-flight school a reality.

Owners are students, too

The school's owners - and students, as well - are friend Stan Byrd, 46, of Florence, and McGuire's 18-year-old son, "Twisted Angel" Zach McGuire.

Byrd, who wrestles under the name of Phoenix, says he's been wrestling locally for three years.

"We want to bring back a measure of respect to wrestling," says Byrd. "Respect and to elevate the quality of training in Cincinnati."

Zach McGuire says he grew up watching his dad perform live and on television. A grueling touring schedule, with McGuire sometimes doing six shows in different cities within a seven-day period, kept father apart from Zach and his 19-year-old brother, Brandon Kuntz. Still, Zach says being exposed to the backstage side of pro wrestling never deterred him from wanting to get in the ring.

"It was kind of cool watching him wrestle" when dad's matches were televised, he says. "Sometimes I went in the locker room with him, but I never heard him talk bad about anybody."

Like the WWE's legendary McMahon family, headed by owner Vince McMahon, Zach, Brandon and Kenny now work side by side building their own empire.

Queen City recently hosted its first live show at Spears Gym. The transformed building, which used to be a bowling alley, is now "action central" for neighborhood kids and QCW's home.

In one corner of the cavernous hall is a boxing ring building owner Jim Spears says was built from donated materials he harvested "to help keep kids off the streets" by teaching them boxing.

In the other corner is the wrestling ring where Queen City holds court.

Ten students make up the current crop of future pros at QCW, including its two owners. Instructor McGuire puts them through their paces, from running the ropes (running the ring from side to side and finishing with a fall to the mat) to gymnastic head flips (a take-down move involving the flipping of an opponent to the mat) to twirling reverse holds (wrestlers take turns holding each other's arms behind their backs).

At $1,500 for a year's worth of instruction, the casual inquirer better be serious when he or she shows up in leotard or T-shirt and sweatpants for the first day of class.

"I tell them, when you step in the ring, I won't guarantee you'll make it all the way to the pros," says the elder McGuire. "But people pay me to learn wrestling, so I show them everything I know, the right way. When they leave here after a year, they'll be able to go anywhere and work with the best."

Friends learning together

Two students paying close attention to the lessons are Andre Davis, 21, of Mount Healthy, and Richard Phillips, 20, of Bond Hill. In the ring, they grapple and throw each other like fierce warriors. Outside the ropes, they're enjoying a friendship that started when they were students at Heritage Hill Elementary School in Springdale.

"We've known each other for 12 years," says Davis.

"We're friends who support each other 100 percent," says Phillips.

Both say they signed with Queen City to realize their dream of becoming pro wrestlers. Davis, whose stage name is Sweet Sexy Sensation, and Phillips, also known as Deję Vu: Mecca of Manhood, plan to become tag team partners as they work, choke and slam their way to the top of their game.

"This is my love," proclaims Davis of his fascination with the sport. "I'm in this forever."

E-mail srhone@enquirer.com