Lionheart’s roaring to be back as the headline act
A wrestler who was told he may never walk again insists breaking his neck has put him in BETTER shape than ever.
Ayr grappler Adrian McCallum has vowed to crown a three- year comeback in front of thousands at Glasgow’s Hydro this Sunday.
And the confident star believes fans are just starting to see his real potential.
McCallum, aka Lionheart, shattered his neck in two places during a 2014 match with American AJ Styles – now WWE champion.
But he has defied medics to return to the ring sharper than before, playing a key part for Scottish independent giant ICW, which stages its tenth anniversary Fear & Loathing show this weekend.
McCallum, 34, said: “It’s impossible to describe that feeling of lying in a hospital bed hearing you’ve broken your neck.
“People try and tell you everything will be fine, but it’s not what I wanted to hear at the time.
“From that point on, nothing in your life is a guarantee and it was a horrible place to be.
“It was just a case of going back to the start and working harder than ever before.
“That spot I had once earned in British wrestling was no longer there and it’s been one small step at a time to reach where I am now.”
McCallum will clash with the world- renowned Rob Van Dam and English star Zack Gibson at the Hydro.
It’s a match that has the ICW hardcore, who will descend in their thousands, revelling in the rebirth of the Ayrshire man as one of the main stars.
He said: “I’m arguably in better shape now than ever before. And ironically, I’ve been enjoying some of my best times with the company since I sustained the injury.
“The last couple of years has seen me adapt my style and a lot about our industry has now changed.
“Gone are the days when you hit 30 and you’d reached your peak.
“I’m now 34 and have never felt or worked better in my life.
“It’s an exciting time to be around in ICW, and I see myself as being a key player in their future.”
With a comeback from a broken neck already in the bank and more headline matches surely in the offing, Lionheart is not a name about to disappear from the limelight.
He added: “The last few years have taught me that anything is possible, you just have to go out and achieve it.
“Being part of ICW is a huge buzz considering where we are as a company right now and long may it continue.”
Tickets for ICW Fear & Loathing are available from Ticketmaster priced £ 39.75.