A Dundee teenager has told how becoming a mask-wearing wrestling hero helped him on his way to exam success.
Brandon Tierney, 17, from Fintry, started training with Scottish Wrestling Entertainment (SWE) while studying at Braeview Academy.
He made his debut as alter-ego ‘Spike’ Tierney after just 10 months and one of his matches helped him gain a ‘B’ in Higher Physical Education.
Brandon’s career is now going from strength to strength and he has just been named SWE Wrestler of the Year, an award voted for by the fans.
“I was a wrestling fan growing up and Rey Mysterio and CM Punk were my heroes,” he said.
“I went to SWE’s Hell for Lycra 9 in Perth and ever since then I’ve been hooked and attended every show.
“By the time I reached 15 I was watching guys like Scotty Riccio and JD Wilde and seeing their high-flying style of wrestling got me inspired to start training.
“I spoke to David Low after one of the shows and asked if I could start training.
“David and all the other coaches were very welcoming and encouraged me to do well.
“Training here has really helped boost my confidence and within 10 months I got to make my debut and started performing regularly on monthly shows.”
Brandon has never looked back and is now famous for signature moves like the Rolling Splash, the Swanton Bomb, the Ripcord Enziguri and the Salida del Spike.
He said: “I’ve just recently finished school at Braeview Academy where the PE teachers were really supportive and encouraging towards my wrestling, to the point where I got to use one of my matches towards my exam.
“It was my match against JD Wilde and it came around because my teachers all knew I did wrestling and they thought that would be the best way for me to get the best marks.
“They contacted the SQA to confirm if wrestling was able to be used and they were okay with it so one of my teachers came out to the show and filmed the match.
“I also went through a written exam and the final result was a B at higher PE.”
Brandon said it was a privilege to be named SWE Wrestler of the Year and praised SWE ambassador David Low for his guidance.
He said: “David Low has been a huge influence on my career as he has been wrestling all over the world for over 20 years.
“To have someone like that coaching me is amazing.
“I hope to constantly improve in the ring and maybe win a championship or two along the way.
“It was really great to win Wrestler of the year as this was fan voted so it shows that they really enjoy what I do and their support means a lot to me.”
He has been attending Helm Training since leaving school as he prepares for the next chapter in his life.
Mr Low said Brandon’s success was testament to his hard work ethic and dedication to his craft since getting involved with SWE.
SWE is also celebrating double success after winning Best Entertainment Business and the Community Award at the Scottish Business Awards.
