Adam Maxted was already training and running the ropes as an aspiring wrestler before one of television’s most popular dating shows, Love Island brought him instant fame in 2016. Despite the glitzy parties and the offers of modelling contacts that followed, Maxted maintained his ultimate dream of ruling the ring. Now, the bodyslammer from Belfast is gearing up for the resurgence of British-style wrestling, and as he tells M&F, it’s all about commitment and consistency.
British wrestling has been through a number of iterations. While the circuit in the 1980s brought in millions of television viewers, some of the stars of that era, like Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks, were negatively received by the serious sports fan who knew that UK and European wrestling was, at its core, a highly skilled and technical form of pro wrestling rather than the pantomime that it became.
When North America’s WWE (then WWF) began its global domination of the genre in that same decade, superstars like Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, and “Macho Man” Randy Savage replaced Britain’s home-grown stars, and the local scene was cancelled from TV screens and banished to small halls filled with die hard fans. This month, however, British wrestling is back with its biggest shows in years, with the famed World of Sport (WOS) promotion at the helm.
“We’ve got the comeback coming up on September 14,” says Adam Maxted, who is one of the featured wrestler’s on those return events. “The pressure is on. I always pride myself as a wrestler, trying to look like an action man, obviously trying to look in shape. For me, it’s really important.”
Adam Maxted is following in the footsteps of wrestling legends
While Maxted may be known for appearing in season two of Love Island (UK) in 2016, and returning as an All Star to make a return to the Island in 2024, his true love has always been pro wrestling rather than reality television. Because of his notoriety, however, many grappling fans saw him as an outsider to the wrestling scene. This challenge made Maxted work even harder to gain their respect, however.
“Anyone in my position, I believe, would have done exact same thing,” he says of joining the Love Island cast, noting that he was advised by his friends in wrestling to pursue any avenue that would help him make a name for himself. “8 years on, I’ve still been wrestling fulltime, I’m still in the industry, I’m busier than ever, I’ve stuck at it,” he says proudly.
One British wrestling tradition that fans must give Maxted credit for, is that he’s currently gaining match experience by working shows in Holiday camps. It’s a right of passage that many of his predecessors have followed, like Steven Regal and even Bryan Danielson. “These are the reps, again, that I am staying on top of,” he says.
For this muscle-bound mat man, British wrestling is a unique artform. “I think the British style is a bit more athletic,” he explains. Several years ago, when WWE began its NXT UK program to develop up-and-coming talent, new British stars emerged, like Pete Dunn and Tyler Bate, highlighting the aforementioned athletic style, also known for its hard-hitting, technical nature.
As a result of its renewed popularity, the term ‘British Strong Style’ once again entered the wrestling fan’s lexicon, but since WWE disbanded it’s NXT UK division in 2022, a gap has emerged for local talent to shine once again. To that end, World of Sport will run two shows in England in September with the goal of wowing fans and television executives alike.
“I’ve stepped up my training, stepped up my cardio, because I know that it’s a real important opportunity for us to do the World of Sport again, and see if we can make something lasting happen this time,” says Maxted.
Adam Maxted grappled with being a hard gainer
The 6-foot-3-inch wrestler says that building his enviable physique has not been an easy process. Like so many before him, the idea to get stronger was first motivated by a desire to defend himself against bullies. But, as a hard gainer, Maxted got himself jacked by eating around 20% more calories than he burns, and looks to big lifts like heavy presses, rows, and squats to stimulate his nervous system and force those muscle to adapt and grow back bigger.
Maxted makes sure to eat 1.5g of protein per pound of body weight, and these days looks every inch the wrestling superstar. “It’s almost like a shield of armour,” the warrior says of getting in shape.
Gearing up for these big WOS shows, Maxted will be heading to the ring with one of the most impressive physiques on the scene. “I’ve set myself a standard that I hold myself to,” he explains, opening up about the trial and error that he’s experienced along the way. “I was really skinny,” he shares. “There was a time when I was younger, that I was trying to stay lean as well, and I was like ‘I’ve gotta have a six-pack,’ and so, I probably wasn’t eating enough to get those calories in, to build that muscle,” he explains.
When it comes to the issue of steroids, Maxted says that he tagged along with friend and experimented as a teenager but wasn’t convinced that they did anything for him, and wanted to avoid the bloated look that his friends were beginning to develop.
Now as a personal trainer between matches, Maxted is more fulfilled by those little wins that he can gain for himself and his clients. “Everyone’s looking for instant gratification, and a quick fix,” he notes, teaching his clients that results come from commitment and consistency. For this buff Brit, that’s also true of the strides he is making in his pro wrestling career.
WOS Wrestling – The Return, will take place on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024 at the Epic Studios in Norwich, England with 2 massive shows (1pm and 7pm).
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