A WORCESTER-born wrestler who has fought in the US, Africa and Japan returns to the city after six years this weekend.

Born and raised in Vincent Road, Worcester, ex-Nunnery Wood student Jonny Rose has spent the last two decades wrestling around the world and makes his return at The Swan Theatre on Saturday.

Mr Rose was seven years old when he attended his first wrestling match at Perdiswell Leisure Centre on April 11, 1987 and still has the programme.

Despite hating the first half, his grandad urged him to stay and the match between Big Daddy and Scrubber Daly changed his life.

Whilst working at Butlins in 1997, Mr Rose met a number of wrestlers who held a weekly event and his interest peaked.

He completed the season and joined up with ex-wrestler Steve Logan at his club in Perry Barr, Birmingham.

A year later, Mr Rose wrestled in his first singles match at Worcester racecourse. It was a bout that didn't exactly go to plan.

"It was absolutely awful," he said.

"I didn't have a clue what I was doing, I was just this skinny kid that thought he was going to be the next big superstar.

"My ego was bigger than my actual ability."

Mr Rose travelled to the US for the first time in 2002, taking in Pennsylvania before later wrestling in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia.

"It was very daunting, I was still learning, not really sure what I was doing," he admits.

In the decade that followed, Mr Rose moved to Kidderminster and continued to travel the length and breadth of the country, waiting for a big break.

On a free half an hour slot on BET, an African-based TV channel, Mr Rose found a new audience not only in the UK and Europe but in Africa.

Based on the show's popularity, promoter Petey Crockett took a small group to Jinja in Uganda.

The trip, according to Mr Rose, was huge for him.

Not only did he enjoy wrestling in grand ballrooms, he met promoter Rikki Tensu and quickly agreed to wrestle in Tokyo.

Within ten days, Mr Rose had wrestled in front of 100 people in Kidderminster to winning in Uganda to landing the knockout blow in front of 10,000 people in Tokyo.

"I have been to see shows and bands in arenas and I never thought that I would be part of that kind of show," he said.

Mr Rose now wrestles at weekends across the country and is looking forward to returning to Worcester.

"I had a choice between going to wrestling school or getting a set of drums and I've never regretted it for a second," he said.

"When I hear the crowd, whether they're cheering or booing, that is the best thing for me.

"I am very excited and very proud to be back in Worcester in front of the great people of such a great city."

The show starts at 7.30pm.