Jensen Theory: Portsmouth wrestler explains how city fell in love with sport ahead of live show this weekend
For years, wrestling has been seen as somewhat of a niche interest.
But all that has changed over the past few years, with the WWE partnering up with Netflix and catching a second wind in the mainstream media, having fallen out of popularity in the early 2010s.
For those who want to see some wrestling closer to home, there is now an abundance of options to choose from.
There are shows taking place across Portsmouth and the surrounding area, on an almost weekly basis - all drawing in sell-out crowds who want to watch their favourite local stars in action.
Jensen Theory, real name Andrew Frewing-House, is not only one of those wrestling stars, but one of the founders of Venom Championship Wrestling, one of the wrestling companies based in Portsmouth. He started his wrestling journey at Quality Wrestling in 2019.
He said: “The UK indie wrestling scene is booming again and the visibility of wrestling through streaming platforms has hugely increased the fan base. There are also more local shows which provide an experience the whole family can enjoy.
“When I was at school, I always said I wanted to be a wrestler and start my own promotion one day, so it’s always been a dream of mine. I ran a show for a charity and the reception was so positive, I thought it was time to start a promotion.”
This weekend, Venom’s wrestlers will take to the ring at Stamshaw Community Centre in Wilson Road, Portsmouth on Saturday, April 11. The event, dubbed Path To Glory, will see beloved local stars like James Cena, Noah James, Ash Slade and more compete to take home championship belts.
Jensen added: “There’s so much that goes into a show. Booking the matches are often the challenging bit of planning. Deciding whom will face who and how they can the best out of each other and how those matches fit into future shows often takes a lot of thought.
“I would say it’s our innovation and storylines that help us stand out. We also showcase new talent and we like our shows to be unpredictable with a few shocks to keep the audience thrilled.”
For tickets to the event, people can click here for the Venom website, or pay for entry on the door at 5pm.