A SCHOOL sports coach who insiders say could be the next best thing in British wrestling is preparing to step into the ring for his debut bout in his own backyard, writes Simon Stiel.

Ashley Reid, 26, of Rayners Lane, South Harrow, works as a sports coach at St Teresa's Catholic Primary School and Nursery in Long Elmes, Harrow Weald, and will be swapping the classroom for the canvass to take part in his first ever wrestling match at LDN Wrestling's evening of entertainment on Saturday April 19 at Harrow Borough FC's Earlsmead Stadium in Carlyon Avenue, South Harrow.

Since September he has been training at wrestling company LDN Wrestling’s academy in Totteridge, north London.

 “It’s intense training, four-hour sessions,” he said.

“There’s one hour warm-up in the ring, 10 pushups, the duck-walk - it’s like boot-camp.”

A wrestling fan since childhood, Ashley was inspired after watching a LDN show in Ruislip last summer.

Sanjay Bagga, LDN Wrestling managing director, said: “He came to our show at the Queensmead Sports Centre and asked me how to get into wrestling.

 “In training he’s blown me away.

"He’s picks up stuff in weeks that takes other people five or six months to pick up.”

An appearance on BBC early evening programme The One Show sparked interest and a big crowd is expected at the fight with Ashley’s old school friends forming a large part.

“I feel sorry for my opponents, it’s going to be a biased crowd," he said.

Ashley is starring in a tag-team match with current heavyweight champion, and coach, Alan Lee Travis and their opponents will be tag-team champions Team Hate.

Luckily, he has got special moves like Total Knock-Out and the drop kick ready for them. “It’s more fun,” he said.

He’s also prepared for the pain.

“It’s not something you can mentally prepare for, you have to take it on the chin.”

Ashley is working on a nickname and there is a hope he could be named the ‘son’ of European champion Johnny Kincaid.

Sanjay said: “He was the first black wrestler to come on television and he inspired other black wrestlers.

"We hope to meet him to get his permission for Ashley to use his name.”

Ashley’s favourite wrestler is Dwayne Johnson from WWE, who went under the name of The Rock.

Ashley said: “He retired to go into the movie world and he came back.

"I went to New York last year, I had to see his last match.”

Ashley’s first match could be the beginning of a career.

“It’s about a better future and my daughter Scarlett to see her dad do something he loves."

Sanjay said: “Ashley could be a big star. I honestly think that.

“We’ll see how it goes but he could do really well and be a future British champion.”

The main event of the night is the Rumble, a mass every-man-for-himself scrap involving 10 athletes including Zak Knight, The Zebra Kid and The Dark Lord.

Two fighters begin in the ring and one wrestler will enter each minute thereafter and the object is to toss opponents over the top rope to eliminate them in order to be left the last man standing.

Sanjay said: "its live theatre and very much a family show with plenty of audience involvement.

"There's Richard Parliament who says he happily takes all his expenses and the adults boo.

"Then he proclaims that he wants children to go to school seven days a week and it's their turn to boo. It works on all levels.

"It's all about fun, excitement and atmosphere.

"The children bring signs for their favourite wrestlers."