Something To Wrestle With
Rushing home from his day job as a recruiter in the education sector to join our FaceTime call, Behind Every Kick marketing volunteer Luke Harbidge looks every inch a polished young professional - immaculate white shirt, smart trousers and easy smile. Every inch, that is, discounting the prominent purple-black shiner below his left eye, his outlandishly excellent mullet haircut and the residue of the copious amounts of fake tan he'd caked on the previous weekend.
For the uninitiated, the hair and fake tan are key components of his professional wrestling alter ego Luca 'Tainted Love' Romeo, the black eye - sustained in the ring - Luke confesses, "comes with the territory."
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It's fair to say that Luke, who graduated from the University Campus of Football Business with a degree in Football Business and marketing in 2020, has been on a journey. "It was tough when I finished my course. The pandemic was at its height, and getting a break in sports marketing felt impossible because companies and sports teams were cutting back left, right and centre. There were no opportunities. Then, I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, so it felt like one setback after another."
Luke, however, refused to tap out to this tag team of adversity. "I remember looking on LinkedIn and seeing the volunteering role with Behind Every Kick. Loads of the companies I'd applied to fed back that I needed some hands-on experience in marketing, and that's just what Behind Every Kick needed some help with. The charity appealed to me because it's all about creating opportunities for young people and giving them the skills they need to make and take those chances when they come. It also helps that it's based around sport."
"The diabetes diagnosis was a massive spur for me to take a step in my life. With a condition like that, you know - potentially - there's a time coming in your 40s when your life changes dramatically, so I want to make sure I make the most of life and do something I'll be proud to look back on."
Luke resolved to pursue his passion. "I've loved wrestling since I was a kid. My older cousin got me into it. My parents have lost count of everything I destroyed by either jumping off or landing on it around the house. I'd never had the confidence to try and actually get into wrestling. I'm not 6ft 4" or muscled up to the gills, but I didn't want to have any regrets."
"I didn't know anyone in wrestling to ask how you break into the business. I'd watched WWE's Tough Enough [a reality show following aspiring wrestlers through their training, with a professional contract on offer to the winner] and thought I could do what they're doing. So I researched wrestling schools and found one not too far from where I live in Stoke. Those first classes were brutal but so much fun. I decided to do whatever I needed to stay around, learn and get show-ready." Luke's typical day is not for the faint-hearted. His job as a recruiter sees him work from 7am to 5pm. He then heads for the ring, where he trains for two hours four nights a week, honing his headlocks, hip tosses, and hurricanranas ahead of his matches at the weekend.
Luke is modest about his progress in his first year on the pro wrestling circuit. The past weekend, he grappled for the Welsh title in front of a raucous crowd in Tredegar. Several times in our conversation, he refers to "being lucky". It's abundantly clear, however, that he's made his own good fortune. "I've travelled up and down the country, volunteering to help as part of the ring crew for all sorts of wrestling promotions. I've learned to introduce myself to every single person backstage. That's not easy. It can be daunting, and I still have to work myself up to doing it. But I reckon, what's the worst that can happen? Someone doesn't shake your hand - that's ok, not the end of the world. But usually, a handshake leads to them asking your name, what you're doing there and, most importantly, what you might like to do? People remember your face and your name. Then, when they might need someone to wrestle on a show, there's a chance that they think of you or mention you to another promoter looking for talent. You've got to make those connections to people, especially when you're following your passion in something so competitive."
That's precisely how one of the most significant opportunities Luke has had to date came about. "I was volunteering as part of the ring crew for Progress Wrestling [the leading promotion in the UK] on a televised show, and Aiden English [who has performed for the WWE] was on the card. Through talking to him, he asked if I'd like to be involved in an in-ring sketch they were filming that night, which was an incredible experience. I've wrestled shows for free in the past, too - paying my own travel - to get that foot in the door. I believed it would pay off, and now when I get booked, the promoters pay me in line with the other best talents, so those sacrifices have been well worth it."
"It can be rough when a match goes badly, and you've made mistakes - despite putting all this effort in. But I've been lucky [there's that word again] to have the chance to learn from guys like Flash Morgan Webster [another WWE alumni]. They explained that even those at the very top of the game make mistakes and that as long as you're giving it everything you've got, the audience doesn't even notice. That's been so helpful, as has seeking out feedback from the most experienced person on the show about my matches. It can be hard to hear criticism when you've literally put your body on the line, but as long as it's constructive, that's how you get better."
"It can be strange in my day job where my two worlds collide. People will ask about my haircut and spot the eyeliner - it's a nightmare to get off! They look baffled when I explain about wrestling. Not many people do it. But I'm determined to go as far as possible with it - whatever it takes. I've set myself goals - I'd love to wrestle in Europe and Japan within the next two years. I know what I need to do: wrestle X amount of matches against the top British talent until I'm considered one of the best 30 wrestlers in the country, and from there, who knows.
It's WrestleMania later this month - given how Luke/Tainted Love approaches life - including his tremendous work for Behind Every Kick - it wouldn't be a surprise to one day see him doing his thing on that grand stage.
