A BRADFORD district-born WWE wrestler says it will be surreal to compete at the same UK stadium he recalls watching Bradford Bulls play at in a final nearly 20 years ago.
Luke Menzies, otherwise known as World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar Ridge Holland, is hoping to be included in a match at the Clash at the Castle event in Cardiff next month.
This will be the first time the WWE has held a major stadium show in the UK since Summerslam at Wembley in 1992.
Clash at the Castle will take place in front of 70,000 fans at the Principality Stadium on Saturday, September 3.
Liversedge-born Menzies remembers watching Bradford Bulls defeat Leeds Rhinos 22-20 at the same venue in the 2003 Powergen Challenge Cup final.
He was a teenage Bulls fans at that time and fondly recalls cheering on the side which included Robbie Hunter-Paul and his favourite player, Stuart Fielden. Menzies went on to become a rugby league star himself with clubs including Batley Bulldogs.
Although he has yet to be announced as wrestling at the event, Menzies says he will be travelling to the Welsh capital and hopes to be involved in some capacity. He added some of his relatives will be cheering him on in Cardiff.
The show will be headlined by a WWE Undisputed title match between champion Roman Reigns and challenger Drew McIntyre.
Menzies is one of the rising stars of the WWE, appearing on their weekly Friday Night Smackdown TV show, where he is teaming up with Sheamus and Butch as the trio known as The Brawling Brutes.
The Yorkshireman may get involved when Sheamus challenges for the WWE Intercontinental title against champion Gunther at Clash at the Castle.
Menzies said: “The last time I was there it was known as the Millennium Stadium and I was there to see my boyhood favourite team; Bradford Bulls. It’s kind of come full circle in a way.
“That Bulls team of the early 2000s were good to watch. They used to steamroll teams.
“It’s surreal about Clash at the Castle. There is always something special about the UK wrestling fans. The way they come together to support us.
“Even though it’s not legitimately my hometown, it has a homecoming feel.
“It’s going really well. We are only a few days away from Clash at the Castle. It’s exciting. I’m going to be there.
“It’s really exciting for Sheamus, Butch and myself to get out there and send the crowd home happy. We are quite underhanded as a group.
“The Brawling Brutes are always up for a scrap. I still don’t think we have scratched the surface as a group.
“I’ll be in and around Bradford and Leeds and seeing family and friends too. I’ll be catching up with people when I come over and having a laugh.
“It will be good just to be normal for a bit. It will be nice to have a cuppa at my grandma’s.”
Meanwhile, Menzies has called for the WWE’s showpiece annual event, WrestleMania, to be staged in the UK as a thank you to the nation’s loyal fans.
He said: “Clash at the Castle is 30 years in the making. If it’s a success, maybe we could do a major pay-per-view in the UK every year, that’s what I’m hoping for.
Somewhere down the line there could be a WrestleMania here (in the UK). There are plenty of good stadiums, plenty of good arenas there. Hopefully it’s a catalyst for that change
Meanwhile, Menzies has targeted tag team championship gold with his partner Butch and has looked back at his year so far as a Smackdown superstar.
He added: “It’s been a bit stop-start for me. I have had a couple of injury setbacks, I broke my nose and had to have my knee cleared out.
“Me and Butch would love to start tagging. We want to run through the tag division.
“My goal is to wrestle more and show people what I can do.”
Menzies says competing and winning his debut WrestleMania match in Texas last April was an ‘unreal’ experience for him. He added it was mind-blowing to stand near WWE legend ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin at the organisation’s biggest event of the year.
Menzies was a former Spen Valley Sports College in Liversedge student who stays true to his West Yorkshire roots in his wrestling persona.
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