Double delight as Sysum wins two titles in one day

Heavyweight hero Justin Sysum has made history by winning two major pro wrestling singles titles in one day – including one shown on UK television.

The grappling star defeated Rampage in a classic battle many fans are calling a ‘match of the year candidate’ in the final episode of WOS Wrestling on ITV.

Then just a few hours later the 33-year-old from Gloucester beat ‘The Showstealer' Nathan Cruz to capture the NGW Undisputed Championship in front of a raucous crowd at Hull City Hall.

Sysum’s double win – which happened within a seven-hour period on Saturday - capped an astonishing rise to prominence for the man nicknamed ‘Superhuman'.

The former hammer thrower and American football player only turned pro as a wrestler six years ago and was unknown outside British wrestling circles when WOS began on ITV in July.

But his turbo-charged performances on the 10-part weekly series – which marked British wrestling’s return to ITV for the first time in 30 years – have earned him legions of new admirers.

Sysum said the bout with the villainous Rampage was “like a WrestleMania match”.

“I had to make sure I stepped up to get on Rampage’s level because he’s the best in the country," he said.

"We went all-out and I am proud of the match we had.”

Wrestling fans and Sysum's peers bombarded social media with praise for the climactic match with Rampage after it aired on Saturday afternoon.

Luke Owen from WrestleTalk website said the match “could be in the running for one of the best matches of the year” while WOS general manager and commentator Stu Bennett said it “rounded off the series in style”.

Meanwhile Sysum’s win over Cruz came right at the end of NGW's Ultimate Showdown event on Saturday night.

Fans in the City Hall leaped to their feet in delight and raised the roof with cheers as Justin ended the reign of Hull’s local wrestling villain.

NGW is one of the UK’s top wrestling promotions and hosts events in front of thousands of fans all over the country including at Butlin’s.

Now Sysum, Rampage and Cruz will all be part of the WOS Wrestling UK tour in early 2019.

“Being WOS Champion going into the tour is a huge privilege,” said Sysum.

“I know I will have a huge target on my back now, as champion, but I work best under pressure!”

The WOS Wrestling tour comes to Southampton Guildhall (January 18), Newport Centre (January 19), Bournemouth BIC Solent Hall (January 20), Victoria Hall Stoke-on-Trent (January 25), Blackpool Tower Ballroom (January 26), BHGE Arena Aberdeen (January 27), Scarborough Spa (February 1), Derngate Theatre Northampton (February 2) and York Hall Bethnal Green (February 3).

Tickets are available from https://www.gigsandtours.com/tour/wos-wrestling/. See www.woswrestling.co.uk , facebook.com/woswrestling and @WOSWrestling on twitter for more.