- Will make his PWA debut in October
- Tag Team Match vs Australian Champion
- Comes after a sled on the football
What started with beers at a Newtown Jets match has culminated in former NRL wrestler James Graham taking on the challenge of taking on professional wrestlers at their own match.
The former Bulldogs and St. George Illawarra prop will officially make his professional wrestling debut on October 13 at the Metro Theatre in Sydney with Pro Wrestling Australia [PWA].
He will team with Jack J. Bonza in a tag team match against The Regime, consisting of Ricky ‘The Example’ South and Backman Lex.
And that happened after some pleasant conversations on the football field took a sinister turn.
Graham enjoyed a short break at the Beer Footy & Food Festival at Henson Park in July this year, where he was introduced to the PWA organisers, who encouraged him to give it a go.
Graham didn’t take the conversation entirely seriously and half-heartedly agreed, which angered Australian heavyweight champion South, who said he “couldn’t last two minutes” in the ring.
“I can’t imagine what it’s like to actually train for something,” Graham said on his podcast with a wink.
“I really don’t understand.”
The situation was further inflamed when South was told during a radio appearance on Triple M that Graham had rejected his comments.
Australian heavyweight wrestler Ricky ‘The Example’ South has called on former NRL enforcer James Graham to step into the ring
Graham has never taken a step back in his playing career and has no plans to do so now, ahead of his wrestling debut.
And suddenly the former NRL star was called upon to make his wrestling debut and turn his words into action.
“I was called out on this. I had to get in the ring, always and everywhere,” he said.
South posted the challenge on Instagram.
“I heard from Triple M Sunday Scrum that a guy named James Graham decided to do some nonsense about the PWA and The Example Ricky South,” he said.
‘Listen, buddy James Graham, you may be one of the greatest prop forwards of all time, but I’m the best pro wrestler in the world.
‘Graham, if you ever want to step into the ring with The Example and explore the world of PWA, you have an open invitation from The Example.’
South had initially ridiculed the suggestion that Graham could make it in the wrestling ring
Graham has been a wrestling fan all his life and wants to show he has ‘the minerals’ to make his money worth it
Graham then invited South onto his podcast, where he was officially invited and accepted the challenge.
“He’s challenging me. And if you want to challenge me and if you want to wrestle and put your money where your mouth is and see if you got balls. Let’s do it,” South said.
“Do I have balls?” Graham laughed. “Then let’s do it. Let’s do it.”
“I’m not the type of person who says I’m going to do something and then backs down. I’m not going to bottle it up,” he said.
South stood by his original comments, saying he did not believe Graham could live up to his words in the ring.
“There will be cruelty,” Graham said.