Wrestling bonanza features local man

The two will fight for the Capital Championship, currently held by Garnell on the night, but six other fights will take place.

Mr Reynolds, who works at clothes store Burton, in Staines, and used to attend Matthew Arnold School, said: "Danny is a tough guy, but I am looking forward to fighting him. I have had feuds with him because he broke up one of my interviews recently so we will be having a cage fight in October in Margate.

"This is the first fight I have had in my area, so all my family and friends are coming. My mum does worry about me a bit though."

Mr Reynolds first got into wrestling four years ago when he saw an advert for trainees in a wrestling magazine.

He applied and was trained for three months before fighting his first match.

He said: "I have been watching wrestling my whole life so when I saw this advert I applied. It is quite hard to get into so I've had to work quite hard but it's worth it.

"I always saw it as so fun. Wrestlers always get annoyed when people say it's fake. It's not fake, it's pre-determined, but wrestling is an art form, and you still get hurt.

"We do hit each other, but you have to learn how to fall and use the ropes. After a fight your body aches so much, and I still get pains in my stomach.

"I have had street fights when you are hitting each other with chairs and breaking through tables, and I must say they are fun."

Mr Reynolds said a wrestler must be fit, because a 15 minute bout can be strenuous with the jumps and falling.

He goes to the gym four times a week to do intensive weight training and cardio-vascular work.

He said: "For the first three months my training consisted of a 45-minute warm up of sit-ups and running, followed by bump drills, where you learn how to fall. Then we learnt how to use the ring.

"A lot of wrestling is about image, having the perfect body and looking good. I actually have two tattoos so I stand out."

To book tickets, call Egham Leisure Centre on 01784 437695.