Harrow wrestler Ashley Reid is preparing to step back into the ring for what he says will be the final match of his career.
Ashley will return to LDN Wrestling on Saturday 17 October, taking on Jordan Nelson at Winston Churchill Hall in Ruislip. The match will mark a return to wrestling around five years after Ashley stepped away from the sport.
A wrestling obsession that started in Harrow
Ashley grew up in Harrow and attended Grange Primary School before moving on to Whitmore High School.
It was during his time at Grange that his interest in wrestling really took hold.
He said: “My wrestling obsession came in Grange, in the days where you would record on a VHS because the wrestling came on so late the night before. I would always go to a friend’s house after school to watch them.”
That interest eventually turned into something much bigger when he joined LDN Wrestling.
Ashley said he progressed quickly through training and was moved from the beginners’ group into the professional group within around a week.
He said: “I was moved up into the professional group from the trainees within about a week or so, mainly from knowing all of the moves, how to land and impressing the trainers. So I wasn’t in the beginners’ class for very long.”
His first proper match also had a strong Harrow connection, taking place at Harrow Borough Football Club’s ground.
Before that, Ashley had taken part in a taster match on the Isle of Wight. Away from wrestling, Ashley has also worked with Harrow Online as a content creator and musican.
Returning for a proper farewell
Ashley effectively stepped away from wrestling around five years ago, but says the timing meant he never really had the send-off he wanted.
He said: “I sort of stepped away from wrestling five years ago, but being around the time of COVID, it wasn’t quite the send-off that myself and LDN Wrestling thought.”
LDN Wrestling had contacted him a number of times about returning, but previous shows were not close enough to home. That changed when he heard about the Ruislip event.
Ashley said: “As soon as I heard Ruislip, I jumped at the chance.”
He will face Jordan Nelson, someone Ashley describes as the “new kid on the block” who has already started making a name for himself.
He added: “It may be a situation where there is a passing of the torch at the end of the night.”
A career full of memories
Looking back, Ashley says one of his proudest moments came during his debut.
He remembers standing backstage and hearing the crowd chant his name before his match had even been announced.
Ashley said: “I think my proudest moment was stepping out for my debut and hearing people chant my name for at least a minute before they even announced the next match was mine.”
One memory in particular has stayed with him. Ashley recalled spotting his daughter in the crowd, picking her up and giving her a hug as people around them cheered.
He also remembers the pressure of getting into ring shape and preparing for matches, but says the reaction from younger fans made it all worthwhile.
He said: “Once you get out there, all the kids are lined up like you’re a superhero to get your autograph. That’s probably the best thing I’ll always take away from it. And always follow your dreams.”
Ashley Reid takes on Jordan Nelson at Winston Churchill Hall in Ruislip on Saturday 17 October from 7pm.
Tickets are available through TicketSource.
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Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
He launched Harrow Online in 2010 as a Facebook page sharing local news and information. Since then, it has grown into a trusted source for breaking news, crime, council decisions, planning, transport, business and community stories across the borough.
Harrow Online reaches hundreds of thousands of readers each month and has a social media audience of more than 200,000 followers.
For news tips, press releases or enquiries, contact Chris at info@harrowonline.org.
