Glamour, games and hard graft: life of a young pro wrestler

STEVEN BARNES spent a day with Josh Fikret, aka JXT, a Melbourne professional wrestler with dreams of becoming a WWE superstar. For now he's with Melbourne City Wrestling, loving the mix of athleticism and entertainment his sport offers. He's also a graphic artist and designer and has his own YouTube channel, JXTV. 

“Getting up at 5am and sticking to a strict diet sucks,” says Josh Fikret, AKA wrestler JXT.  He stretches before he begins working out to prevent injury.

“People look at the glamour muscles like the biceps when you wrestle, so that’s what I train on the days I perform,” JXT says.

It’s usually a pretty hectic day for JXT when he wrestles, having to go to the gym fulfill promotional commitments then travel to venues all across the state.

"When you enter a locker room you shake everyone’s hand to let them know who you are, it’s a code. Then you begin prepping for your match.”

JXT calms his body down with a massage before getting mentally prepared for the match ahead.

As the referee talks to JXT, fans cheer as his theme song plays in the background. He takes in a few deep breaths as he fight is about to begin.

A grappling match begins as JXT is forced into the corner by his opponent, while he claws at his face. The referee begins a five count and then separates the men.

JXT reverses the opposition’s momentum and get his competitor in a headlock, yelling to the crowd: “I bet I can keep him in a headlock all night!”

After a three count, JXT celebrates with the crowd as his music hits.

As JXT recovers, he talks about wrestler’s depression. “You go from a high feeding off the crowd and people chanting to your name and suddenly you are alone. Your adrenaline is gone and you start to hurt, and you feel empty.”