FIGHTS: Adrien Broner/Gavin Rees Recap/Notes

by Bowie Ibarra

Adrien 'The Problem' Broner, WBC Lightweight Champ of the world, put his title up against Welshman Gavin Rees at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  Rees claimed he didn't think much of Broner, and this was his chance to grab the gold.

--  'Champ' Adrien 'The Problem' Broner came out to a unique entrance.  Broner likes to rap on his way to the ring, so tonight he came out to his rap tune, "We Niggas, but we Loud", which was a pleasantly rhythmic urban tune.  He seemed pretty happy with it, though it made me uncomfortable.  That might be part of the point.

-- That loud 'ch-ching' noise you might have heard at 10:49pm central was the million dollars going in to Micheal Buffer's bank account yet again.  Forget meteors falling in Russia.  That deposit is always fun to hear.

--  Rees started the first round very aggressive, unintimidated by Broner, who seemed to be letting Rees do his thing.  Broner ate a lot of punches in the first round, even punches in the back of the head as Broner weaved.

-- Broner woke up in the second round, getting cocky and landing some solid blows in the midst of showboating, but the Welshman kept the pressure, and the punches, on the champ.

-- In the third, Broner was able to take advantage of his reach and bring the power against Rees, even seemingly dazing the Welshman and working him up against the ropes until the spirited European came back.  First solid round to Broner.

--  Fourth round found the cocky Broner finally brought some power, knocking Rees down with an uppercut.  But Rees got back up and into the fight and stayed on the inside, giving back as much as he could and making it through the round.  The knock down puts Broner up on points.

-- The word was Gary Lockett, the trainer for Rees, was ready to throw in the towel for Rees in between rounds.  But Rees was still ready to go in the fifth, and came back to give it all he could in a great display of heart and courage.  But a serious body blow put Rees down, and though he got back up and gave all he got, he was overwhelmed by the confident Broner.

In the end, Broner's reach, power, and championship experience were too much for Rees, and his trainer decided to call off the fight by waving the towel.  Ref stopped the fight in the fifth.

It was a great test for Broner, and a good showing from Rees, who had never been knocked down before.  In the end, Broner had his fun and put on a good show for his fans and is a good rep for Golden Boy.

Pundits are ready to put Broner with Mayweather and Ward, but its ZBF.com's assessment that its still to early to put him up there just yet.  He's good, but not at that level just yet.

However, in regards to arrogance and trash talking, he's cut from the same cloth as Mayweather.  Broner is a boxer that's pretty good with a confidence that is annoying.  Like Mayweather, I look forward to watching his next fight, if not to watch his slick technical skill and strong chin matched up against another opponent, but to watch that other opponent knock him down a notch.

Check this fight out if you get a chance on HBO, or online.  It's a good showing by Broner as well as Rees.

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BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuester. 

His combat sports themed book, PIT FIGHTERS: BAPTISM BY FIRE, features a luchador from Mexico who transitions to mixed martial arts competition.  It is available in paperback and on Kindle for .99 cents.

Enjoy the blog?  Share it with your friends using the 'Facebook', 'Blogger' and 'Twitter' buttons below.

Agree?  Disagree?  Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.

You can network with Bowie and explore his other titles at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.

ZOMBIES: #WalkingDead Wild Speculation for 'Home'

by Bowie Ibarra

The first episode of the second part of the third season of 'The Walking Dead' has come and gone, and as we head into the next episode, 'Home', zombie enthusiasts and Walking Dead followers have some wild speculation about what we might see in the coming episodes.

>>>JACKIE DRUGA, author of the Permuted Press title, The Flu

 

Opinion: Really? Daryl is gone and Rick takes a nosedive in the pool of insanity waving a gun and they push away the only guy (Tyrese) who could do a take down on Rick should he start shooting .

Tip to the writers: redeeming a character who went bad is a lot easier than redeeming a character who lost their mind.

Speculation: Rick leaves and Michonne follows to protect him. Garnishing her group status. Rick leaves to not only find himself but he finds the Dixon brothers in the process. After he meets the governor and discovers his 'whoops my bad' for getting rid of every strong person. Merle will be allowed back.  While Rick's gone, Tyrese helps the prison group when his guys turn on the group.

Wishes: On Talking Dead, Kevin Smith coyly indicted the missteps in writing. My hope is for better writers who actually work and depend on being good writers in this genre. Not just Hollywood writers with a distorted vision of what PA fans want. Kirkman clearly has stepped back.

>>> ARMY ED, ZombieBloodFights.com weapons advisor

It will be interesting to see how Merle and Daryl discover how each of them has changed.  Having had a strong role within Rick's group, I'm interested to see how Daryl will respond to his big brother's bullshit after growing as a leader.  That will be something to watch for.

I also feel that although the Dixon brothers want to go their own way, something will compel them to return to Rick's team.

>>> BOWIE IBARRA, ZombieBloodFights.com

I brought it up a few blogs back, but with Lori being mentioned several times during the episode before the big moment when Rick was haunted by her ghost, I still believe we're going to see 'Zombie Lori' sometime soon. 

Think about it:  Her body wasn't there when Rick found the place.  The Zed he stabbed all to hell didn't eat her up.  There was evidence of her body being dragged away.  I truly believe she's walking around the prison somewhere, and before the end of the season, Rick is going to have to face her and put her down.

What do YOU think?  What is your 'wild speculation' for the show?  Let us know in the comment section below.

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BOWIE IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuester.  His latest zombie story, The Fall of Austin, tells the story of military, police, convicts, and citizens of the Texas capitol as they deal with the zpoc.  It is available in Kindle and Paperback.

Enjoy the blog?  Share it with your friends using the 'Facebook', 'Blogger' and 'Twitter' buttons below.

Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.

Follow Bowie on Twitter @wingback20

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You can network with Bowie and read about his Tex-Mexploitation stories and check out his book trailers at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.

ZOMBIES: Notes on #TheWalkingDead 'Suicide Kings

by Bowie Ibarra

Sideliners in San Antonio was hosting a 'Walking Dead' viewing party. I had no idea, I just needed a place that had a buttload of TVs and hope they would let me watch it on one.  I'm glad I gave Sideliners a chance, because I got to see the second part of season 3 premiere of 'The Walking Dead' there.  Here are some notes from the show.

-- Daryl vs. Merle I
The Governor booked the classic 'brother against brother' matchup for the people of Woodbury, selling out Merle to prove his faith to him by killing Daryl.  Andrea tried to stop it to no avail.  Merle made it look good, but quickly made it clear to Daryl they were breaking out.

Thanks to an assist from the WD Crew fire team, who laid down suppressive fire, the brothers made a break for it.  The chick that gave Andrea a hard time on the wall a few episodes back got plugged as well, much to Andrea's dismay.

-- Andrea outed
Merle reveals to Rick that Andrea is now in The Governor's pocket.  Glenn does not favor keeping Merle around, and neither does Maggie, as you might imagine.  So Daryl gets the choice to stay with the group or go with his brother.  It's an easy choice for him, and Daryl joins his brother to journey into the Zpoc together again.

-- Glenn stomps the s**t out of a Zombie's head
This was a great moment, with Glenn letting off some steam on a zombie that almost jumped him.

-- Some members of the new Prison Population have trust issues
Even thought they are being allowed to bury their killed mate, two members of Tyrese's contingent are having trust issues with the WD Crew.

-- Tension in Woodbury

After the debacle at the ZombieBloodFights.com arena, some members of Woodbury want to bail on the town.  They are denied by members of The Governor's death squad. 

Having been an articulate orator only days before and still dealing with the death of his zed daughter, Penny, has made The Governor a little disconsolate.  So Andrea steps forth and cuts a promo for the people of Woodbury.  Her stump speech convince people to stick around, and in this moment, a new 'character' seems to emerge:  The People of Woodbury as a collective character.

The problem is that some zeds snuck in from the night before and attacked a member of the community.  This is where Phillip finally appears and shoots the dude in the face in front of the city.

Andrea tries to motivate The Governor to no avail.

-- Rick's remaining team returns
Carol waxes nostalgic about the past, evoking the memory of the Sophie and Lori with Carl.  Its then she gets the news of the departed Daryl from the returning Rick. 

Glenn and Maggie keep the violation by The Governor a secret from Hershcel.

Herschel recommends working together with Tyrese and his team.  But when Rick is about to make a call, he is haunted by the memory of Lori, who he sees in a white dress in a stairwell in the prison.  This is the third time Rick has been afflicted with hallucinations.

Lots of fun things getting set up.  We'll see how the rest of the season plays out.

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BOWIE IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuester.  His latest zombie story, The Fall of Austin, tells the story of military, police, convicts, and citizens of the Texas capitol as they deal with the zpoc.  It is available in Kindle and Paperback.

Enjoy the blog?  Share it with your friends using the 'Facebook', 'Blogger' and 'Twitter' buttons below.

Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.

Follow Bowie on Twitter @wingback20

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You can network with Bowie and read about his Tex-Mexploitation stories and check out his book trailers at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.

ZOMBIES: Wild Speculation on the return of 'The Walking Dead: Suicide Kings'

by Bowie Ibarra

Photo courtesy DEAD TALK and
ZOMBIE SAFE AREA

We've been 'Made to Suffer' for over two months now since the mid-season of the 'Walking Dead'.  You can get the full ZBF.com recap here.

Lots of loose ends to manage.  So I've asked several 'Walking Dead' fans and enthusiasts to give me there predictions for how this return episode is going to play out, and what they expect for the season with the next episode, 'Suicide Kings'.

Here we go!

WILD SPECULATION:  DL SNELL, author of the Permuted Press titles 'Roses of Blood on Barbed Wire Vines' and 'Pavlov's Dog'

Like most fans of THE WALKING DEAD, the cliffhanger mid-season three has left me fearing for Daryl Dixon’s life. As Rick Grimes has implied, the god of the TWD universe is ruthless (a sentiment echoed by creator Robert Kirkman). So while it would surprise me if they killed Daryl—arguably the show’s biggest sex symbol and fan-girl favorite—it’s certainly within the realm.

What I think will happen, though, is that somehow something will intervene. Rick’s team is just outside the walls; Merle will probably land squarely in Daryl’s corner of the ring; and Andrea is right in the Governor’s blind spot. But I don’t know if Daryl’s allies are enough, here. I think it might take an inventible zombie infiltration to get Daryl out of that arena and over the town walls.

The question is, who will let the zombies in? Rick? Andrea? Or will it be an act of God?

WILD SPECULATION:  THOMAS, VW Tech Guy

How ya'll doing fellow Walking Dead Fans?

So tell me something:  Does anyone out there loathe Andrea as much as I do?  Whose side is she on?  She pretty much turned her back on Michone.  The reason I talk about her is because judging from the previews, she looks to be the main focus in the premiere.  Looks to me like she's doing some recon for the ol' Governator, who I think is a good guy trapped in a bad world.  But that's another post.

So what do you think, fellow ZombieBloodFighters?  Will Merle die in the premiere?  If not, then who?

WILD SPECULATION:  ZombieBloodFights.com

The Governor seems to have sold out Merle to fight his brother, Daryl.  So, my prediction is that when the WD Fire Team, still outside Woodbury, makes a move to save Daryl, Merle helps his brother out, only to get shot by the governor and his people.

As for the season, I think the governor will make a move on the prison with his deathsquad in the coming episodes.  We shall see.

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Enjoy the blog?  Share it with your friends using the 'Facebook', 'Blogger' and 'Twitter' buttons below.

Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.

Follow Bowie on Twitter @wingback20

Follow Bowie's Facebook page.

Bowie Ibarra is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuester.  His latest zombie story, The Fall of Austin, tells the story of military, police, convicts, and citizens of the Texas capitol as they deal with the zpoc.  It is available in Kindle and Paperback.

You can network with Bowie and read about his Tex-Mexploitation stories and check out his book trailers at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.

FIGHTS: Royal Rumble '13 Road to Wrestlemania notes from ZombieBloodFights.com

by Bowie Ibarra

It was pretty much WWE going 'lets return to the status quo, back to what everybody hated before' so they can pander to the people who are only going to stick around for 'mania and abandon them for the remainder of the year.  Ah, well, it had its moments.

DEL RIO VS. SHOW - WORLD TITLE MATCH

It was about two Rumbles ago now that Del Rio won the entire event.  And at that event, he was the 'Mexican Aristocrat' that was a not-so-subtle angle similar to the immigration issue that was at the forefront of politics at the time.  Now, with the issue being buried and only recently resurrected again, it was a good time for Del Rio to be a smiling good guy.  Either way, I've been a fan and will always be a fan.

Del Rio and Ricardo Rodriguez made show look stupid by taping his leg to the ring rope and having Del Rio humiliate him, taking the victory.  But Del Rio paid a steep price for it on Raw the next day.  We'll see how this progresses on the road to 'mania.

Photo courtesy WWE.COM

THE ROYAL RUMBLE

It was a good time.  I didn't mind it, and thought it was better than last year.  Here are some notable moments:

  -  Jericho returns at the number 2 spot - My buddy Brandon Stroud made sense of it on his review (which you need to read and follow to get his great 'Best and Worst' blogs).  But for me, it was just whatever.  He showed up before, and I thought it was cool.  But then he bailed afterwards.  I support him, bought the DVD, etc.  I just hope more comes from this run than just getting a check to finance his rock career.

-  Goldust vs. Cody Rhodes aka Brother against Brother - It was a confrontation the Twitterverse was calling for for years, and it went down finally at the Rumble.  It was great, with Cody getting the advantage on his brother and throwing him out.

- Kofi gets kicked out of the Rumble by Rhodes - After taking the time to hop back to the ring after being placed on the announce table by Tensai, Kofi hopped on a chair back to the ring.  But his return was short lived as Rhodes drop-kicked him the f**k out of the Rumble.

- Shemus getting kicked out near the end - I took great joy watching the fans cheer for that POS Shemus before getting kicked out near the very end.  I swear, if that turd won again, I was going to be mad.  So it was great to see him get thrown out at the very end and cheer in front of his supporters.

- Cena wins Rumble - And, for a minute there, I thought someone else was going to win.  This has definitely turned into a Hogan 'I'm sick of you always winning' run.

Photo courtesy WWE.COM

PUNK VS ROCK - WWE TITLE

Wild match up that ended strangely.  But it started strong, with Punk getting in the Rock's face with the title and the announcement like a pro-boxing title fight.  That was cool.

-  Rock 'breaks the count'  - I have to admit, I absolutely positively 'LOVED' Rock going old school and breaking the refs count during some crazy action outside the ring.  I wish I could see this more these days.

- Heyman needed to help pace Punk - I was upset at all the highspots Punk was taking to defeat Rock.  Lots of top rope maneuvers were killing me and taking a toll on Punk.  He grabbed at his knee several times, a clear sign he was not at 100%.  I've had knee surgery and it sucks.  It also takes time to heal.  I didn't want to see Punk re-injure it.  And for that, I felt Heyman needed to pace him on those risks.

- Rock gets jumped in the dark - Rock gets jumped in the dark, somehow, by mystery people, and Punk pins him for the win when the lights come back on.  That was a crappy finish to what was a pretty good match up to that point.  Then it got even more craptacular.

- Rock wins WWE Title - Rock calls off McMahon, who wants to strip Punk of the title with no definitive evidence of The Shield interfering, and gets back into the match and wins it.  I have to admit, I was okay with that, because Punk taking the win that way was kind of crappy.  I hoped he had enough to put a hurting Rock away, but a healthier and stronger Rock got the best of a recovering from knee injury Punk.

Considering that, I would have liked to see a 100% Punk against a 100% Rock.  I think Punk not having a match that pushed him like this one, a tune-up match so to speak, really played to Rock's advantage.  Rock's a beast when it comes to training, and even though he'd not been in the ring for months in a match like this, I think his strength, conditioning, rich WWE main even experience, and healthier overall fitness helped him out.

You got to respect Punk's title run, which is the longest run in recent memory.  And you've got to respect him stepping into the ring running on half a tank to defend the title he earned, loves, and has shown the most respect to.  Rock was just too much for an unhealthy Punk, and he takes the WWE Title down the road to WrestleMania.

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BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuester. 

His combat sports themed book, PIT FIGHTERS: BAPTISM BY FIRE, features a luchador from Mexico who transitions to mixed martial arts competition.  It is available in paperback and on Kindle for .99 cents.

Enjoy the blog?  Share it with your friends using the 'Facebook', 'Blogger' and 'Twitter' buttons below.

Agree?  Disagree?  Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.

You can network with Bowie and explore his other titles at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.

FIGHTS - Texas Indy standouts need votes for 'Gut Check'

by Bowie Ibarra

ZombieBloodFights.com is an avid supporter of the Texas Indy scene.  Author Bowie Ibarra participates in the hallowed tradition of rabid wrestling fan as often as he can, making many friends along the way.

Recently, TNA Impact Wrestling has given independent standouts from across the nation the chance to have a contract with their nationally televised product.  Many names from the Texas Indy Scene are on the voting list.  Say what you want about TNA, but if you consider yourself a fan and want to see the wrestlers you enjoy earn a good payday that's more than $25 bucks and get exposure they deserve across the nation and the world, then you need to vote for them.

This blog is dedicated to members of the Texas indy scene who have chosen to participate in the TNA Gut Check.  Below you will find the wrestlers who ZombieBloodFights.com endorses.  If you are wondering who to vote for, this is the place to find an answer.

The participants are split into 16 brackets and randomly thrown together in what amounts to a popularity contest, with the winner from each bracket picked as the winner for the bracket and entered into the competition.  With all the fans I see at events, there's no excuse for the following people to not be the top winners of their brackets.  I just hope the idiots at TNA don't go against the fans decision like they did when they asked us to vote who the champ should be:  Nigel McGuinness or Hardy.  Nigel won, but Hardy got the shot.  Stupid asses.

Anyway, I encourage you to vote for all of the people I've listed below.  Here is the link to vote:  Gut Check Voting.

BRACKET 4 - CHRISTOPHER VALENZUELA, AKA ANN DROMEDA

Christopher Valenzuela has been the backbone to one of San Antonio's most dominant wrestling promotion:  River City Wrestling.  Known as Don Juan at first, he eventually took on the persona of Ann Dromeda, one of the most popular, charismatic, and skilled pro-wrestlers to ever grace the Texas Indy scene.

I'll never forget realizing how talented she was when I watched her wrestle JoJo Bravo a few years back.  Chris has charisma, charm, and true pro-wrestling skill that easily sets him apart from other competition.  If you cast one vote, do it for Ann Dromeda/Christopher Valenzuela, who receives full-ZombieBloodFights.com endorsement.




BRACKET 12 - MICHEAL DELAVECHIA

Another Texas Indy stalwart has been Micheal DelaVechia, or 'One Man' Mike Dell as we might know him.  The guy has the bad guy looks and physique to make him a superstar if the public were to see him.  He loves talking, loves himself, and actually has a bit of a brain, too.  He's posts constantly about his schooling.

The guy is a complete pro-wrestler and deserves a spot on the Gut Check.  Full ZBF.com endorsed.




BRACKET 13 - ADRIENNE REECE

A female who has been on the scene in Texas and around the country is Adrienne Reece, otherwise known as Athena.  Skilled, great looking, and talented in the ring, Reece brings intensity and skill a Skandar Akbar-trained wrestler will.  And her 'O-Face' finisher is one to behold.

Vote for her now.

BRACKET 11 - RASHAN PHILLIPS

Texas fans know him and boo him as the obnoxious and disgusting Nemesis.  But all that aside, the guy has wrestling chops.  I might not like to cheer for him when he wrestles, but he deserves a chance to shine on the big stage.  Vote for him.












BRACKET 9 - DAVID CONOVER

San Antonio fans know him as 'Honkey Kong', the RCW newcomer.  A big guy, he's been saddled with a silly gimmick.  But what I've seen from David is a true commitment to his character as he builds his skills.  He's new, but he's doing what it takes to take a step in the right direction.  Give him a vote.

BRACKET 7 - GREG WEBSTER

Greg Webster is known to people in SATX and ATX as 'Too Much Metal' Gregory James.  The guy is quick, athletic, and energetic, and deserves a shot to grow with TNA.  Vote for him.

Readers of ZombieBloodFights.com have also recommended the following Texas Indy standouts.  I do not have knowledge of their abilities, but readers vouch for them.  So vote for them.

BRACKET 5 - JASPER DAVIS
BRACKET 11 - SCOTT HARDY
BRACKET 14 - ANTHONY MARTOCCIO

Readers, if you love your indy pro-wrestling, then there's no excuse not to go out and vote for these people who you enjoy when you go see them.  Without sounding cliché or like a DVD disclaimer, they put their bodies on the line for our enjoyment, for us to cheer or jeer.  They deserve taking 2-3 minutes out of our day to vote for them so they might reap some benefits from the career field they have chosen to pursue.

So vote for the people above, then share this blog with others who need to vote.  Do it today.

VOTE, THEN SHARE THIS BLOG!

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BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuester. 

His combat sports themed book, PIT FIGHTERS: BAPTISM BY FIRE, features a luchador from Mexico who transitions to mixed martial arts competition.  It is available in paperback and on Kindle for .99 cents.

Enjoy the blog?  Share it with your friends using the 'Facebook', 'Blogger' and 'Twitter' buttons below.

Agree?  Disagree?  Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.

You can network with Bowie and explore his other titles at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.

(Gun)FIGHTS / (Lots of) BLOOD - 'Django: Unchained' delivers

by Bowie Ibarra

 

Quentin Tarantino's 'Django: Unchained' delivers the cruelty of pre-civil war America with a great story and outstanding acting.

The story revolves around the union of dentist cum bounty hunter Dr. King Schwartz (Christophger Waltz) with liberated slave Django (Jaime Foxx).  Schwartz uses Django's knowledge of several killers he is searching for to fetch their bounty.  When Schwartz discovers Django's wife has been sold away, he promises to find her with him.

The movie is another Tarantino masterpiece of action, violence, and respect to the movies that inspired it.  Django was an Italian spaghetti western from the seventies that spawned several sequels.  This movie follows in the tradition of the previous movies filmed decades earlier with its gritty western action and storyline.

Christopher Waltz delivers an amazing performance, as well as Foxx and DiCaprio.  The supporting cast is fantastic as well.  The film even features a cameo from the original Django, Franco Nero.  Tarantino also has a hilarious cameo that provides one of the biggest laughs of the film.  And Tarantino seemingly provides tribute to another classic film maker, Sam Peckinpah, in a big gunfight near the end.

All in all, its a great movie and ZombieBloodFights.com approved!

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BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuester.  His combat sports themed book, PIT FIGHTERS: BAPTISM BY FIRE, features a boxer from Scotland who transitions to mixed martial arts competition.  It is available in paperback and on Kindle for .99 cents.

Enjoy the blog?  Share it with your friends using the 'Facebook', 'Blogger' and 'Twitter' buttons below.

Agree?  Disagree?  Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.

You can network with Bowie and explore his other titles at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.