James Graham, the former top rugby league player with strong Cumbrian connections, is to embark on a bizarre career change.
After calling time on his career when he returned to St Helens and helped them lift the grand final in 2020, following his eight-year NRL stint, he is moving into professional wrestling.
He had previously played over 200 games for St Helens from 2003 to 2011 before returning for his last stint with them four years ago.
Speaking to the Saints Podcast after rejoining the club in 2020 after a successful stint Down Under, Graham had said there were only ever two options for him.
And although he has re-signed for Saints, he acknowledged his Cumbrian roots with a nod to Town.
Graham, whose father John hails from Maryport, said: “I don’t know if I really had a plan when I left.
“I did know that there would only be St Helens or, potentially Workington Town, that I’d only ever consider playing for if I came home.”
If it hadn’t been for his dad, John, who moved from Maryport to Merseyside, he may never have taken up the sport as he was more of a football fan when he was younger.
He said: “Being in Maghull there’s not much rugby but my dad’s from Cumbria and he’s rugby mad.
“He went to the 1993 Challenge Cup final on a Saints supporters’ coach. They stopped at a newsagents and he saw a flyer for St Helens Crusaders and that was how I got into RL.
“It’s strange to think what would have happened otherwise. Maybe I’d have played for Everton in the Premier League – or maybe not!”
Three years later in 1996, and gripped by the rugby league bug, Graham attended his first Wembley final when, thanks to the high bombs of Bobbie Goulding, Saints beat Bradford Bulls.
He became a Saints and rugby league fan after that – and the rest as they say is history.
@thebyeround ???? THE FIGHT IS ON ???? ???? October 13 ⚔️ PWA Colosseum ????️ Metro Theatre ???? James Graham & Jack Bonza vs Ricky South & Backman #fyp #foryoupage #nrl #rugbyleague #footy #wwe #wrestling #prowrestling ♬ original sound – The Bye Round Podcast
It’s been confirmed that Graham will make his official professional wrestling debut in just over a month’s time on October 13 in Sydney.
Graham will be part of Pro Wrestling Australia’s tag team match against The Regime, pairing up with Jack J Bonza to take on Ricky ‘The Example’ South and Blackman Lex.
Strangely enough, he is not the first rugby league player to make the move into wrestling with former Hull KR man Luke Menzies making the move to the WWF as Ridge Holland.
Graham was approached by Professional Wrestling Australia (PWA) to take part in the sport, something he jokingly agreed to.
However, it’s now official that he will take part and that’s been confirmed by both the PWA and Graham who announced the news on his podcast The Bye Round.
In his first spell with Saints from 2003-2011 Graham played 225 times and in Australia represented Canterbury Bulldogs 135 times before 51 more games with St George Illawarra, His swansong with Saints again in2020 lasted just 12 games but included a winning Grand Final appearance which was his final game.
