TASMANIA is the only Australian state without a professional wrestling circuit.
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But former Queensland heavyweight wrestling champion Leigh Barber hopes to change that and has launched Tasmanian Championship Wrestling schools in Launceston and Hobart with a view to nurturing home-grown wrestling talent.
Now living at Perth, Barber said that he came from the fourth generation of Australian professional wrestlers that started in the 1950s and 1960s with World Championship Wrestling import ``Killer'' Kawolski and former on-field Collingwood enforcer Murray Weideman.
``Killer Kawolski actually trained King Curtis and King Curtis trained my trainer Peter Ball (The Hawk),'' Barber said.
``I spent 10 years on the Gold Coast doing professional wrestling and I loved it - my biggest passion was being able to teach people and I had five boys and one girl who went to the US and were invited to wrestling icon Lance Storm's academy,'' Barber said.
Barber was coy when asked if bout results were predetermined, but said that one fact was indisputable.
``For all the show business, you still have to be able to wrestle,'' Barber said.
``It annoys me when people call professional wrestling fake because I've had countless injuries - I've lost a tooth, had black eyes, had a broken nose and even a hernia from lifting big fat guys over my head.
``It's not particularly dangerous, but it is real.
``I've trained guys who are just as good as the WWF and WWE wrestlers, but simply are not as well known.''
Barber said that the aim of his schools was to establish Tasmania as a wrestling centre and tour the state with his athletes.
Barber coaches at the Launceston school and fellow former heavyweight champion Braithe Priest moved from Melbourne to coach at the Hobart school.
Further information about Tasmanian Championship Wrestling is available from Barber at twclaunceston@ hotmail.com