5 Star Wrestling brings live TV wrestling show to Plymouth

5 Star Wrestling has announced a live TV wrestling special at the Plymouth Pavilions on Thursday, February 22.

Tickets have gone on sale for a huge event to be headlined by Plymouth wrestler 'The English Lion' Eddie Ryan and former WWE superstars Rey Mysterio, Rob Van Dam, Carlito and Jake Hager (Jack Swagger) and ITV Love Island reality star and pro wrestler Adam Maxted.

The Plymouth show will be screened live on new all-sport UK channel FreeSports – the first time a British wrestling company has aired a live TV series on prime time television available throughout most of the country.

Plymouth born and bred, 32-year-old Ryan said he was thrilled to be headlining such a huge show at the Pavilions - a venue where he used to watch wrestling as a kid in the days of ITV World of Sport legends Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks.

Now the Plymouth University business admin graduate gets the chance to spearhead a new generation of TV wrestlers in his home city.

“It’s always been a passion of mine to grace the Plymouth Pavilions where I saw my very first wrestling show back when I was a little kid,” he said.

“Plymouth means everything to me so to take 5 Star to the biggest venue in Plymouth is huge.

“I know Big Daddy came to Plymouth because my dad Vince and grandad used to watch him. I first went in the late 80s and I remember all the action, the flying around, and I was hooked from that day.

“I come from a very working class family. I’m the eldest of five, one brother, three sisters. We struggled growing up so I know the value of money. I was taught my work ethic by my mum who is an absolute saint. Everything I want in life, I know I’ve got to work for.

“I graduated from Plymouth University in business administration, moved to a training school and went training five days a week just to get myself better, and to get myself in the condition I needed to be in to be a professional athlete in this country. Now nine years have passed and I’m glad to say I’m one of the busiest wrestlers in the country. And now 5 Star Wrestling has taken a look and given me an opportunity and I’m going to take that with both hands.

“You couldn’t keep my family away from the show on February 22. My parents Vince and Debbie, my brother and three sisters, their kids, my friends from Ridgeway School in Plympton where I used to go, they will all be there. There could be 100 people from my friends and family because they’re going to want to see me on the biggest stage they’ve seen me on.”

Ryan made national news headlines earlier this week when he stood up for British wrestlers in an argument with the 'All-American American' Jake Hager which turned violent at a press conference in Sheffield.

Ryan is furious with Hager – a dual sports star who has also signed for Mixed Martial Arts group Bellator - after their scuffle on Monday.

‘The English Lion’ said he got in Hager’s face after the American showed no respect for British wrestlers and called the former amateur wrestling stand-out’s attitude “disgusting”.

“I got a little fed up with the garbage he was spouting and obviously he didn’t like what I was saying. So sparks flew and it got a bit wild.

“I appreciate fully that the American companies are the ones who get the press and sometimes we get overlooked but I’m proud to be from England. I’m proud of the wrestling culture that we’ve developed in this country. And for him to come here and bypass us, and say he’s just going to walk past us and become champion without giving us any credibility whatsoever, it’s disrespectful. It’s disgusting. It’s a typical dismissive American attitude. By the end of all this he will have a new-found respect for British wrestling.”

Ryan will face former WrestleMania star Hager one-on-one when the 5 Star Wrestling tour kicks off at Liverpool Echo Arena on Thursday February 1, live on FreeSports which is available in the UK in 18 million households on Freeview, Freesat, Sky, BT TV and Talk Talk TV.

‘The English Lion’ is excited about his big TV chance and looking forward to getting his hands on Hager once again.

“I’ve got just over three weeks to brood and think and contemplate exactly what I’m going to do to him.

“He’s already looked past me and thinks he’s going to walk over me in a few minutes. I’m going to show him otherwise.”

Tickets are now on sale for 5 Star Wrestling LIVE at the Plymouth Pavilions from  https://5starwrestling.co.uk/events/plymouth