A PROFESSIONAL wrestling company and the brainchild of one Tavistock alumni is putting on a special one-night show for local residents.

Reach Wrestling was formed in July 2018 by Matt Bradbury-Molloy from Tavistock and Jason Clarke from Plymouth — and following the celebration of its first anniversary the pair are putting on a ‘Homecoming’ show at Tavistock Town Hall.

The pair had trained together and worked as pro-wrestlers for many years but became disillusioned with the quality of professional wrestling in the South West and started their very own company.

The company, also known as a ‘promotion’, started a training centre for aspiring wrestlers and has already had successful shows in Devon and Cornwall — but a show in Tavistock will be a highlight for Reach as one of its star wrestlers is also from Tavistock.

Jake Phillips, a former Tavistock Rugby Club player, has risen the ranks in wrestling within one year under his ‘college sweetheart’ alter-ego Joey Seven, and has already won his first title as Reach Academy Champion.

‘Shortly after starting Reach Wrestling, Jason and Matt started a training centre to run alongside. I began training with them and I’m the first graduate of that school to appear on shows across the South West,’ he said.

Jake has always had an interest in the business and thanks to a friend he was able to start the journey as Joey Seven: ’When I started I had a massive advantage following a life of being a sportsman — but that’s only half the job. It doesn’t matter how good or bad you are, if you can’t connect to an audience then you won’t be able to give the magic of wrestling to the people watching.’

Look up the term ‘professional wrestling’ and you are met with videos of wrestlers displaying their specific physical art form — but being strong was not the only talent a wrestler needed to have.

‘A good wrestler can get a crowd to suspend its disbelief and buy into the story being told,’ said Jake, ‘It’s storytelling with your body!

‘The history of wrestling started in fairgrounds and carnivals where there were prize fighters who were literally paid to fight but if they fought every night then they would get injured and not get paid so they quickly discovered that if they looked after each other then they could continue to fight and get paid.

‘Everything we do is real but we just look after each other and we do it in a way that means we can work the next day. It hurts — you can hear the impact, the slam or the kick but we hit hard in safe areas. If everyone is injured then there are no fights.

‘It’s a real craft, walking out in front of hundreds or thousands of people, some of whom won’t be wrestling fans. If by the end of the match they are screaming and involved in the show then you know you’ve done your job, that’s the real buzz of being in this business!’

Jason said from day one he knew Tavistock was a town where he wanted to hold a show.

‘It is as important to me and Matt as Plymouth and we are really hoping to bring something special to the people there.

‘The thing I am looking forward to the most is both Matt and Jake having their own “homecoming” — it’ll show the people of Tavistock what can be achieved with hard work and the right attitude.

For more information on Reach, visit www.reachwrestling.com