Chris Royals, 40, became a professional wrestler at 23 and now runs regular wrestling shows across the county.

Coming from a Romany Gypsy family, he said boxing has always been part of his culture.

His grandfather was a professional fighter who worked on the Boxing and Wrestling Booth for Ron Taylor.

Chris Said: “He was no longer competing by the time I was born, but he still refed a little and gave a helping hand to local shows and clubs.”

“I remember him and my father taking me to the Boxing and Wrestling Booth at Gloucester Fair.

“It was the very first show I saw live, and I suppose the dream was installed in me then.”

Chris’ grandfather was called Byrom Royles and boxed professionally as Sammy Royals (Image: Chris Royals)

His father was an amateur boxer, and there is a photograph of his great aunt sparring in the hop fields in the 1950s.

Chris’ great aunt Alice (left), she wasn’t a boxer but it shows the culture of it in the family (Image: Chris Royals)

Chasing the Dream

Raised in Sutton St Nicholas and a former Aylestone School pupil, Chris said that although wrestling was what he loved most, there was no wrestling scene in Hereford at the time.

He said: “It came to the Shire Hall once a year growing up. I went every time.

“At 23 I decided to stop dreaming and start chasing my dream.”

To do that, he travelled three hours by train to a weekend bootcamp in Swindon.

“Over three days I was put through it in the wrestling ring and frankly, I was terrible.” he said.

“But I still wanted it.”

Chris went on to wrestle across the UK, sharing the ring with major names and childhood heroes, appearing on television and radio and even featuring in a short film that premiered at a German film festival.

Bringing Wrestling Home

Chris’ next event is Saturday March 21 at the Richmond Club in Hereford (Image: Chris Royals)

Eventually, he wanted to bring wrestling back to Hereford.

After a modest show in the city, he aimed to build something bigger.

He said: “I learned to book shows there’s an art and skill to it.

“You can’t just put two people in the ring and tell them to wrestle.”

Now, in 2026, his company PRIZE Wrestling runs sell‑out shows in Hereford, Leominster, Ledbury, Bromyard and Evesham, featuring a mix of local talent and top UK performers.

“I’m not a millionaire and I’ll never headline Wembley.” he said.

“But I get to wrestle in my hometown and train the next generation.

“As far as I’m concerned, I’m living the dream.”