Ready to rumble: Norlane’s Danny PsycHo, also known as Daniel Gibbons, prepares to defend his title in his home town next week.
JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
He’s been knocked out, had more stitches than Joel Selwood’s lip, suffered torn back muscles and fractured ribs.
Norlane pro wrestler Danny Psycho smiles when it’s pointed out that he appears to be living up to his stage name.
Danny – also known as Daniel Gibbons, laid back panel beater – happily concedes the game is staged.
“But when you see the blood, it’s real,” he said.
Danny had a year off due to a shoulder dislocation problem, working hard in the gym to build it up so he could wrestle again.
The holder of two championship belts will defend his Professional Championship Wrestling Entertainment state title in Geelong next week.
Danny gave a wry smile when asked to rate his chances of retaining the title.
“Pretty good,” he said.
Would he know beforehand?
“Yes.”
Danny started wrestling when he was 12 after play fights with his brother in the backyard threatened serious injury.
His father enrolled both at Slam Training Academy, which was normally restricted to students aged 18 and over.
“They took us because we already knew all the moves. We were the first kids allowed to join the academy,” Danny said.
Ten years later he is one of a new breed of young wrestlers in the resurgent sport.
“People like watching wrestlers get thrown around. It’s also part of the popularity of kick boxing and UFC on television,.” Danny admitted.
Danny had his first professional bout at 14, wearing a mask to hide his youthfulness.
That was also when he gained his Psycho nickname, he said, “because of all the crazy stuff I would do”.
“We did little shows in front of 30 or 40 people to get used to performing in front of people and learning how to play to a crowd.”
Danny now wrestles in front of crowds of 400 or 500, although he conceded the financial rewards were still low.
“I do it for fun. You couldn’t live off the money wrestlers make.”
Danny said he spent most nights in gyms working on his fitness and flexibility with kick boxing and Brazilian ju jitsu while avoiding alcohol and nights out on the town.
Danny said the fragmented administration of wrestling, with its multiple promoters all working independently, was holding the sport back.
“I doubt it will ever be unified but, without it, the sport won’t kick ahead.”
Danny defends his title against Jacko Lantern at Norlane’s Centenary Hall on April 9.
