Dream bout for Lewes wrestler

Winter will top the bill on a show on Friday night at Lewes Town Hall, where his grandfather began promoting and his father and uncle wrestled during the hey-day of the sport in the Sixties and Seventies.

The show will herald the revival of Winshaw Promotions, more than 60 years after fans first flocked to see the giants of the grappling game battle it out at the town hall, where the Winters, Jason’s father “Dropkick” Johnny Winter and his brother Richard, who wrestled as Ricky Silver, ruled the ring.

Johnny ko’d many of the big heavyweights of the day, while Richard’s career included an appearance at the Royal Albert Hall against Rollerball Rocco and a televised bout against Mick McManus.

Today’s fans can see a display of memorabilia from those days in the window of the Lewes Tourist Information Centre.

Explained Jason: “It’s been something I have dreamed about, appearing at the hall where everyone knew the Winter family and wrestling. The town is buzzing. So many people know me, and the interest in the show has been huge. I think we will sell out, and then I will look at doing another show later in the year.”

Jason is a well-known figure in Lewes, and Friday’s show is being staged in conjunction with the bonfire society, of which Jason is a prominent member.

The main event will pitch him and his tag-team partner, Brighton favourite Barry Cooper, against Londoners The Masked Dragon, who weighs in at a massive 25st, and Freddie Idle.

The supporting card features a knockout tournament for the Winshaw Trophy between two Premier Wrestling Federation champions, Peacehaven’s Cameron and David Lovejoy from Worthing, and two more contenders, Casey Bitout from Brighton and another Peacehaven wrestler, Isaac Freyda.

The highlight finale of the show will be an all-in American Rumble in which the wrestlers are eliminated by being thrown out of the ring over the top rope, and the last man standing is the winner.

To book for the show, go to lewesbonfire.onlineticketseller.com, including family tickets and discounts for advance bookings.