Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Any fan of wrestling knows how engaging wrestling can be as they are drawn into the drama of wrestling teams pummeling their opponents. Such is the sport of wrestling, and Central Florida is home to two young Israeli wrestlers - in fact, one of them is the youngest wrestler in Israel's history.

In the world of wrestling, Hadar Horvitz and Ori Gold are known as the "Better Together" tag team. Horvitz, 23, is from Tel Aviv. Gold, 21, is from Kfar Saba. Both were drawn to wrestling at very early ages. Horvitz said he discovered wrestling "at a late stage" in his life - the age of 10 - when a friend showed him the video game "Smackdown Vs. Raw 2007." Later he realized that wrestling isn't just a video game, but a real sport that he could watch on TV and he became obsessed with it.

Gold became interested in wrestling when he was three or four years old while watching matches with his father. Small in stature, he realized that if the small guy he happened to be watching can do this, he can too. He began to train when he was 12 or 13, and has wrestled in three continents - Asia (Israel), Europe (Germany and Italy) and the United States (Memphis, Orlando and Chicago so far). His future plan is to get to the highest level of professional wrestling. At this point, he isn't thinking of any other career, just focusing completely on chasing his dream of wrestling.

Horvitz is the youngest wrestler in Israel's history and started wrestling when he was 13. Back in 2017 he showed his skill in the ring in Hadera, Israel. Horvitz participated in two matches, the first was a tag team contest, he was the main attraction of this match and he showed a lot of great techniques, and later at the same event he was an entrant in the N1C Rumble where he eliminated more than most of the people and he managed to get into the final four of the match. He was acclaimed to be one of the most gifted talents in the wrestling scene in Israel.

In addition to Israel, Horvitz has traveled the world culling his craft. "I love the hustle and the journey that my wrestling career has put me through," he said.

Both men trained under the best wrestlers in the world including Shawn Spears, a Canadian professional wrestler and professional wrestling trainer signed to All Elite Wrestling; former NXT tag champion and currently signed to WWE, Tyler Breeze; and the current WWE intercontinental champion, Gunther, who is an Austrian professional wrestler and trainer in Germany. Horvitz and Gold represented Israel and the Israeli Wrestling League at the Westside Xtreme Wrestling Academy, which is a German professional wrestling promotion based in Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. wXw has been one of the leading professional wrestling promotions in Germany.

In an interview with the writer of ogwrestlingreview.blogspot.com, Horvitz was asked about his experience training at the wXw Academy. He said it was one of the best experiences of his life. "...the people there, the place and the crazy passion all the people who came across the continent have in common it's something special, it surrounds you with your own love for business and other people's love for the business at the same time. The knowledge and experience I have accumulated there is significant."

The two wrestlers met at a wrestling show where they were the only ones carrying Israeli flags. Shortly after that they discovered that they are "better together" and teamed up.

When I started this interview, I had to admit I didn't know much about wrestling. I didn't get why grown men would pounce on each other and twist each other into knots. I thought it was the same as boxing, which, to me, is just as gory. Pro-wrestling is not like boxing at all.

"We are story tellers," explained Gold. "We know who is going to win [the match], but it's not rehearsed. We are characters, like in a TV show."

And of course, they do their own stunts - and they do get hurt on occasion. They've been very lucky. Horvitz dislocated a knee once, but neither have had major injuries.

In essence, Horvitz and Gold are actors playing parts. Gold is the feel-good, overly touchy, best friend character playing to Horvitz's stoic character who is always bugged by touchy-feely stuff, often saying to Gold, "Get off of me!"

Often the first of the team in the ring, Horvitz realizes begrudgingly that he needs help and there is Gold outside the ring eager to help his friend. Thus, Horvitz's character shamefully admits that they are better together. Get the picture? The fans love it.

Asked if women follow them, they both laughed, then Gold (who has gorgeous long flowing hair - think Fabio) paused and said, "Now that I think about it, there are more girls following us."

(Side note - Horvitz is engaged.)

Catch their characters in action on YouTube as the Better Together tag team promote an upcoming exhibition at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuFuG2cPNDk

And as they talk strategy at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reCBPekG4x4 or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=335087232073582

At the end of one promotion, Gold bear hugs Horvitz, and exclaims with a huge smile, "[We] are always and forever Better Together!" to the chagrin of Horvitz.

In real life, both men are good friends and are very supportive of all the other wrestlers they compete against.

The team performs all over Florida and across the states in independent promotions. Coming up is Thunder Championship Wrestling in Winter Haven, Jan. 13, 2023 and they just finished an exhibition in Chicago.

Both wrestlers want to stay in the States and are working on getting their visas. They plan to settle down in Florida, after all, the heart (and unofficial home) of wrestling is Orlando!