Kenneth Thexeira is a mild-mannered writer for an interior-design magazine by day, but on certain nights his alter ego bursts forth in golden tights and a baby-blue cape: enter "The Eurasian Dragon."
The 27-year-old Singaporean is part of a small but growing community of Southeast Asians who trade drop-kicks and body-slams in a bid to build "pro wrestling" scenes similar to the pretend battles of the US's World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
"To me, it is one of the most challenging mediums of live entertainment," said Thexeira, who got hooked as a kid in Singapore watching broadcasts of stars like "The Rock" – known today as Hollywood actor Dwayne Johnson.
"The pressure, the high standards of fitness and showmanship required – it is an absolute rush. I love the rush. I love entertaining the fans," he adds.
The American WWE spectacles, with their pre-determined outcomes, tongue-in-cheek "hero-vs-villain" storylines and acrobatic smackdowns, have had a modest Southeast Asian fan base since the 1980s.
While Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and other true combat sports have taken off worldwide, including in Asia, WWE-style wrestling entertainment has largely failed to gain a regional foothold aside from an established circuit in Japan.
But over the last four years, fledgling wrestling schools, national federations and amateurish tournaments have mushroomed, mainly in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, allowing fans like Thexeira to leap from the bleachers and into the ring.
Jarring smackdowns
Thexeira, whose nickname references his Portuguese-Chinese roots, is a jovial character who packs a beefy 98kg (216 lbs) onto his 179-cm (5-foot, 10-inch) frame.
One of the "good guys", he burst into a small Kuala Lumpur arena during a regional event last month with a wide grin and his trademark high-fives around the audience, as lights flashed and music blared.
His scheduled bout soon degenerated into a rehearsed WWE-style free-for-all, in which Thexeira and some allies exchanged jarring smackdowns with adversaries including "King Michael" and "Bitman", drawing cheers and jeers from the small yet vocal audience of about 130 fans.
Attendance at locally-organised events is typically sparse.
But a handful of recently formed associations in the region have begun cooperating on international tournaments like the Malaysia gathering, which also brought a few pro wrestlers from as far as Russia and the United States.
Attendance has climbed into the hundreds at some of these events, say wrestlers, who hope more international gatherings can generate greater exposure.
"A lot of people in Malaysia don't know there's professional wrestling in Malaysia, they don't know where to go," said Ayez Shaukat Fonseka, a wrestler who in 2014 founded Malaysia Pro Wrestling, the country's association.
Wrestlers and organisers, often one and the same under the movement's DIY ethic, hope to eventually land the big prize of a television broadcast deal, though none is yet in sight.
"If everybody plays their cards right and there are people behind the scenes that really know what they're doing, the next big territory in pro wrestling is going to be Southeast Asia," said Sonjay Dutt, an Indian-American professional US wrestler who calls himself "The Playa from Himalaya."
'Like no other sport'
But much work remains, said Vadim Koryagin, a Russian who co-founded Singapore Pro Wrestling four years ago.
"Even 'The Rock' wasn't 'The Rock' immediately. It took some time for him to really develop and produce his talent," he said.
A few women in the region also are getting into the act.
Malaysia's Alydia Abdul Wahab, whose ring name is "Scarlet Lyd", interrupted one of the Kuala Lumpur matches between two male competitors only to be lifted off her feet and slammed head-first into the mat.
A local media company employee, she dreams of stardom in the WWE.
"Wrestling is different. It's like a performance unlike other sports, and I wanted to do something a normal girl wouldn't do," she said.
Insiders said established Asian wrestlers can make between US$100-US$500 (RM400-RM2,000) per match.
But many do it largely to live out their ring fantasies, performing for little or no pay. Injuries are not uncommon despite the choreographed sequences.
Organisers and wrestlers are harnessing social media to reach fans by uploading videos of matches, the over the-top trash talk, and "good vs bad" shtick, which sometimes bear a uniquely Southeast Asian flavour.
Thexeira once shoved a durian – the pungent fruit popular in the region and which is encased in a painfully spiky shell – into an opponent's backside.
"This is Southeast Asian wrestling. We all have our local spins on it," he said with a grin.
AFP RELAXNEWS
Wed Jun 15 2016
This picture taken on May 21, 2016 shows Malaysia's Alydia Abdul Wahab or "Scarlet Lyd" lying on the floor after being thrown outside of the ring during the Wrestling City Asia in Kuala Lumpur. - AFP Photo
Menteri Indonesia bincang isu pekerja migran dengan rakan sejawat dari Malaysia
Fauziyah harap Steven akan membawa penambahbaikan kepada dasar berkaitan tenaga kerja Indonesia.
Pahang peruntuk RM1.5 juta bantuan tunai bakal jemaah haji
Sebanyak 1,588 jemaah haji Pahang menerima sumbangan 'duit poket' berjumlah RM750 seorang bagi membantu meringankan beban bakal haji dalam melakukan persiapan melaksanakan rukun Islam kelima itu.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Pengundi jangan mudah percaya taktik fitnah - Ramanan
Ramanan berkata pengundi perlu lebih berhati-hati, dan sentiasa menyemak fakta apabila mendengar kempen politik yang dilakukan pihak lawan.
KEDA berhasrat tanam padi wangi, padi huma tahun ini
Lembaga Kemajuan Wilayah Kedah (KEDA) berhasrat membangunkan tanaman padi wangi dan padi huma di beberapa kawasan pertanian dalam wilayahnya, tahun ini.
Mesyuarat perundingan Enam Pihak Arab bincangkan perkembangan di Gaza
Mesyuarat perundingan Jawatankuasa Enam Pihak Arab itu membincangkan perkembangan serangan Israel ke atas Semenanjung Gaza.
Chegubard didakwa di Mahkamah Sesyen KL esok - Peguam
Badrul Hisham Shaharin atau dikenali Chegubard akan didakwa di Mahkamah Sesyen Kuala Lumpur esok atas pertuduhan memfitnah dan menghasut.
Pulau Pinang, kerajaan pusat bekerjasama tarik pelaburan semikonduktor
Kerajaan Pulau Pinang akan bekerjasama dengan Kerajaan Persekutuan untuk meneruskan usaha menarik pelaburan dalam sektor semikonduktor, termasuk segmen reka bentuk litar bersepadu (IC) di negeri itu.
Rakyat Malaysia di Jordan jadi duta produk PMKS negara
Menteri Pembangunan Usahawan dan Koperasi Datuk Ewon Benedick menyarankan rakyat Malaysia yang menetap di Jordan supaya memainkan peranan sebagai “duta” untuk mempromosikan produk perusahaan mikro kecil dan sederhana (PMKS) SERTA koperasi negara.
Mohamed Khaled tiba di Indonesia, dijadual bertemu Prabowo
Menteri Pertahanan Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin tiba di Jakarta hari ini untuk lawatan kerja rasmi sulung beliau ke Indonesia sejak memegang jawatan itu.
SPRM mohon maklumat dari Jerman
Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) memohon maklumat terkini daripada pihak berkuasa Jerman mengenai dana bon 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) yang dipercayai digunakan untuk membeli kereta mewah di negara itu pada 26 Okt 2022.