Zookeeper Matthew Huntley is indulging his passion for wrestling by organising a spectacular show in Kent this weekend. Kathryn Tye found out more.

Matthew Huntley has loved wrestling since he first saw American star Hulk Hogan as a young boy.

The 29-year-old said: “When I was about seven or eight, my dad introduced me to some tapes of American wrestling matches he had recorded off the TV, and I just fell in love with it.

“My favourites were Hulk Hogan, ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage, Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels.”

When Matthew got older, he decided to try it for himself, and has been wrestling for more than a decade, performing as Van Wicked.

He laughed: “I came up with Van Wicked when I was 17. A lot of people use a variation of their own name but I wanted something unique and I think I achieved it. Hopefully, it stands out.”

He said: “I am working in the zoo’s hoofstock section, with animals including zebra, antelope and deer, and I absolutely love it. I studied wildlife conservation at university, then did a variety of placements before getting this job. It is something I have worked towards for the past few years and I feel very lucky - but I really missed wrestling in my spare time.”

Originally from Swindon, Matthew moved to Folkestone two years ago to take a job as a zookeeper at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, and was disappointed to find that there weren’t any wrestling opportunities in the area.

So this summer, Matthew decided to remedy that by starting his own company, Pitbull Pro Wrestling, to stage shows in the county. The first is taking place this weekend at Hawkinge Community Centre, and will feature 15 wrestlers, including heavyweight champion JD Knight, tag team duo the Lion Hearts, and Canterbury’s own young fighter, Zack Sabre Jnr.

Matthew said: “It is going to be an action-packed family event suitable for all ages. Some people might still think of characters like Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks when they think of British wrestling, which was great at the time and had its place, but it is much more athletic now. There is a real sense of drama. I can only liken our line-up to recent Marvel movie the Avengers Assemble – totally awesome, a real force.”

And Van Wicked will be among those making an appearance.

Matthew said: “I will be performing at the show, and I have been back in training for a month or so now. But I will be playing a small role as there are a lot of guys who do it a lot more regularly, so I don’t want to bring down the standard.”

If it goes well, Matthew hopes to hold another show before Christmas, and is considering offering training in the new year.

He said: “In the future, I would like to start offering lessons, as wrestling doesn’t just help people develop as athletes, but also develop in confidence. It is something I have always loved, and I really would like to share that passion with others.”

Pitbull Pro Wrestling's Summer Spectacular is taking place at Hawkinge Community Centre on Saturday, August 10. Doors open at 6.30pm and the show starts at 7pm.

Tickets are £10 each or £35 for four people. They can also be bought in advance priced £8.50 by calling 01303 894857 or visiting www.skiddle.com