Lion to roar again after neck agony
He once faced a battle just to walk again, writes Stuart Wilson.
Now, just days from the biggest night of his pro wrestling career, Adrian McCallum is ready to lay demons to rest.
Four and a half years ago, the Ayr grappler lay in a Preston hospital bed fearing for his future.
Injury sustained in the ring against now- WWE superstar, AJ Styles, threatened McCallum’s career.
But this Sunday, a journey back to the top culminates with the performer known as Lionheart lacing up his boots at Scottish wrestling’s biggest night of the year.
Adrian, 35, has become main event material for independent giant ICW, who stage the latest incarnation of their Fear & Loathing spectacular at the Hydro this weekend.
Thousands will descend to see McCallum write one more chapter of a heated rivalry with Jackie Polo.
And the winner leaves Glasgow with the coveted ICW Heavyweight Championship.
Adrian said: “It does feel like I’ve been building to this night for the last four years.
“When I broke my neck, my whole life went through a period of uncertainty.
“I had people telling me I would never walk again... that wrestling would just be a dream.
“So to reach this point where I now feel at the peak of my career shows I have proved a lot of doubters wrong.”
McCallum has made himself a staple of the hugely popular ICW brand, forcing himself into the title picture during the last 12 months.
And the company, which started out by running shows at community halls in Glasgow, is now flirting with the industry’s biggest names.
Adrian said: “The ICW phenomenon is a hard one to explain to those on the outside.
“The company has got itself to the point now where it has the biggest name value of anyone in Europe.
“And WWE have sat up and taken notice.
“They now do business with us and treat us with a hell of a lot of respect.
“It’s not bad for a company that started out putting on shows in Maryhill Community Hall.
“I wrestled my first match for them there in front of 30 people – now I go to the Hydro on Sunday in front of thousands.”
And he added: “The ICW title is the one that has always eluded me in my career, so I’m determined to make the most of this.
“That’s what keeps you going during the long, hard hours in the gym.
“And there has been a lot of those for me over the last few years.
“But I always tell myself I’m just lucky to be in the gym at all.”
• Tickets for ICW Fear & Loathing XI are available from www. thessehydro. com.
I had people telling me I would never walk again... I have proved a lot of doubters wrong Adrian McCallum