Full house at Thrash Wrestling event in Nelson last week.

Image Credit: FACEBOOK/ Thrash Wrestling

The fights are choreographed but the toils of professional wrestlers are real.

For professional wrestling fans in the Okanagan, Thrash Wrestling’s Battleground Tournament in Penticton is the biggest event of the year. The event is going to be at Penticton’s Trade and Convention Centre on Nov. 18.

Thrash Wrestling is also organizing several other events before then like the 20th Super Evil Bloody Death Hell Elimination Tournament in Armstrong on Oct. 28.

Thrash Wrestling founder and lead organizer, Nick Szalanski, says wrestling is thriving in the Okanagan, and the pain wrestlers go through is worth it for the fan reaction.

“I wrestled for about 16 years. It’s hard on your body but it’s definitely worth the glory and the camaraderie,” Szalanski said.

He says making a living as a professional wrestler is a constant grind.

“The wear and tear is real. You’ll be putting on a fake smile for everybody but afterwards your body is aching,” he said. “The hustle of making your own t-shirts, making your own merchandise. That’s a lot of what people do and travelling around trying to get your name out. As a wrestler it’s quite an ordeal of shameless self-promotion.”

These days Szalanski makes most of his money from promoting wrestling while he also works part time at a cabinet workshop. But they don't necessarily do it for the money.

“I would say it’s all about the love for the sport,” he said. "Working with your opponent to put on the greatest match possible."

Thrash had humble beginnings but has grown over the years to have a fan base throughout the interior of B.C.

“I got into it 20 years ago as a backyard wrestler and I just kept at it until some professionals from the coast came down and helped us get our foot in the door. Helped us sharpen up and make sure we weren’t killing each other, trained us and helped us develop our product to where it is now,” he said.

Szalanski says hundreds of people come to see wrestlers perform in every town in the Okanagan, and these two upcoming events showcase the different styles of wrestling.

“The Penticton one is grandiose, it’s our Wrestlemania, the matches are going to be tight, the wrestling is going to be top notch and the card is going to be off the wall. Super Evil is going to be full of broken tables, chairs, barbed wire, light bulbs and thumb tacks,” he said.

Check out more on Thrash Wrestling’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

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