BY DAY, police community support officer Adi Wright pounds the beat in Kennington.
But at night, the 25-year-old dons a yellow and black lycra suit to dish out another form of justice.
PCSO Adi stars as professional wrestler Mr Efficient – whose job it is to be as annoying as he can...and he’s rather good at it!
Mr Wright, of Ock Street, Abingdon, is the current holder of the British All-Star Wrestling Alliance DVD belt, and faces one of his biggest tests when he defends his title against five other wrestlers in a clash in Kidlington next week.
He has served with Thames Valley Police as a Pcso for two years and has risen through the ranks of professional wresting since he began training at the age of 16.
“The wrestling management wanted colourful characters so decided they wanted me to be annoying and a proper little pip-squeak character,” he said.
“They said ‘go out and be as annoying as possible’. So I’m the bad guy.
“It is quite a novel role for me because during the day in my normal job I am the friendly face of police and have to be a mediator.
“I am a much nicer person at work, but then when I go wrestling I become as nasty as I want to be. I try to keep the two lives as separate as possible.
“Some of the kids I deal with say ‘don’t mess with him, he’s a wrestler’ and think it’s quite cool.”
After spending three years being trained and the past six years as a professional wrestler, Mr Wright has suffered a broken nose twice and cartilage damage to his knee and ankle.
But he has never missed a day on the beat.
Weighing 12 stones and with a history of mixed martial arts, he won his first belt from the British All-Star Wrestling Alliance (Bawa) at a show in Bicester in March.
Hundreds are expected to see his first title defence and signature move, the Fisherman’s Buster – which involves grabbing an opponent by the legs, turning them upside down and crashing to the ground – at Exeter Hall, at Kidlington, on Sunday.
“It seems weird, but it’s very good for stress relief. I’m able to portray a character where I can be as nasty as I like and hurl abuse at people. But it is also for the great friends I’ve made. It’s a bit like someone playing Sunday league football,” he said.
“I like to think of myself as a creative person and wrestling is a canvas and we consider ourselves artists and it’s a form of expression, an art form. It’s not just about going in hitting each other – it has to be structured and entertaining.”
The show, billed as Mind Games starts at 6pm.
Ticket information can be found at bawa-online.co.uk mwilkinson@oxfordmail.co.uk
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