By Jack Crawford

Life in wrestling has its ups and downs, as Ross Watson knows all too well.

The 32-year-old owns Premier British Wrestling, which was in Dumbarton this past weekend.

The show was a success. The crowd was up. And Watson could sit back and enjoy the action with a cold beer.

Yet even a week ahead of the show at the Meadow Centre on Saturday night, Watson was gearing up for a very different kind of wrestling event - competing as Kid Fite in a ladder match at Insane Championship Wrestling at the SSE Hydro.

He said: “When you’re a promoter you’ve got a lot more riding on it financially. On Saturday, due to the advance ticket sales I knew I was okay and I was on schedule for a decent crowd.”

“But when you’re a performer it’s bad enough most of the time because all eyes are on you, but obviously at the Hydro it feels like the Champions League final. One mistake and everyone is right on you.

“So it’s a different kind of pressure but I don’t mind saying it - I sat back and watched most of the show tonight with a wee can of beer!”

2017 has been a busy year for PBW, but it’s not all been plain sailing.

Watson added: “2017 was the year where I’ve had more shows than ever before.

“What we’ve got now is a lot of schools and community centres are buying shows off us and selling the tickets, so they raise money for their respective clubs.

“Up until Dumbarton the crowds were actually down ever so slightly. The crowd was 50 people busier than the last three Dumbarton shows so I’m dead happy with it.”

PBW prides itself in being a family show, rather than the adult promotions that the likes of ICW and Progress offer.

He said: “We’re spreading the word into communities and areas that we wouldn’t normally get to.

“I want it to be 10 years from now, kids when they’re at college saying ‘Did you ever go and see that PBW?’ That’s what I want. PBW to be part of your growing up.