THERE’S a shark in Madora Bay but it’s not the type you’re thinking of.
Andrew 'The Shark' Carter has been a professional wrestler for the past nine years and this weekend will compete in the biggest match of his career.
The 27-year-old Madora Bay resident will come up against four-time WWE World Champion Alberto Del Rio at the All Action Wrestling Anniversary IX show on Saturday at the Mike Barnett Sports Complex, Goddard Street, Rockingham.
Carter said it all started when he was a “young kid flicking through the channels” on the television.
“I stopped on an interview with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson [a former wrestler and now actor]," he said.
"It was a captivating interview so I stayed on the channel until his match was on and from there I was hooked for life.
“I was always an athlete. I was part of the Perth Glory’s development team, and I always loved drama and entertaining people so [wrestling] seemed perfect for me.”
Carter began searching for how to get involved in wrestling but found there were no options in Australia for his preferred style of wrestling, which led him to take up Olympic wrestling.
“I ended up winning two state gold medals but still wanted to get into the other type of wrestling,” Carter said.
Carter soon stumbled upon his solution to do this.
“Lane Storm had just retired from the WWE and in a magazine interview said he would start up his own wrestling school in Calgary, Canada,” Carter said. “I kept checking his website and finally he put up the details and I applied.”
Carter was accepted and traveled to Canada to follow his dream.
He trained for three months with Storm and then spent an extra three months wrestling in different locations across Canada and the United States, where he won several belts.
“I’d never experienced anything like it before; the fitness and physicality of it was intense,” he said.
“You get slammed into the ropes but you have to get up and keep going.”
Carter returned to Western Australia as 'The Shark', a name he said relates to his fighting style.
“I start off slow but more aggressive as the bout keeps going,” he said.
Upon his return he also took the up the opportunity to set up his own wrestling school, All Action Wrestling (AAW), for others wanting to become involved in the sport.
AAW is the group behind the Rockingham show and is set to host its biggest fight show this weekend with Carter’s match against Del Rio the main event.
“I’m going to be a little bit star struck,” Carter said.
“Even fighting on home soil I think he will still be the crowd favourite,” said Carter, who is known to be a love-to-hate wrestler.
“It’s going to be a good match and a good fight show.
"The crowd will see what some of the best fighters WA and Australia have to offer going up against former WWE super stars.”
Chris Target, another local wrestler competing in the show, goes by the name 'The Foundation' and has Carter to thank for his introduction o the sport.
“After watching my first wrestling show and seeing someone get smacked and take a big hit I wanted to be involved,” Target said.
“I signed up for the AAW in Port Kennedy and Andrew was my head trainer.
“He was a pretty hard trainer; when I started there were 14 people, by the end there was just five left.”
Target will compete in a Fatal Fourway against Mr Anderson, Australian Sensation and Danny Andrews.
“It’s going to be a spectacle,” Target said.
The show will feature seven former WWE wrestlers. Doors open at 6.45pm with the wrestling starting 7.30pm.
Tickets are $40 for floor seating, $30 for adult general admission and $20 children for general admission.
For more information call 0423 676 023, email info@aawperth.com or go to aawperth.com