Ouch! Wrestling slams its way in to town

He stands six foot six inches tall and weighs more than 21 stone – most of which is solid muscle. And he has his foot forced down on my chest.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Mason Ryan, "The Porthmadog Powerhouse", a colossal brick tower of a man who has taken on some of the biggest names in the business, including Triple H, John Cena and Randy Orton.

And now the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Superstar is giving me – a novice – a taste of what it takes to become one of the greatest wrestlers in the world.

Apparently it involves headlocks, sleeper holds and slamming me on to the canvas.

Don't, whatever you do, tell him that all wrestling is "fake".

"People can say what they like about wrestling," says Mason, real name Barri Griffiths. "But there's no way you can fake being slammed onto the ground by a guy twice your size."

He's right. And you can take that from me.

We're in Welshpool Town Hall, where, on a Friday night, a Welsh Wrestling all-star event is taking place, featuring Mason, three-time Welsh Heavyweight Champion Stevie Starr, masked man of mystery Magico and larger-than-life behemoth Big Dog.

"We've been coming to Welshpool for years," says Welsh Wrestling promoter Alan Ravenhill. "It's one of our favourite towns to work in.

"The town hall crowds are always hot, and we were hoping that by adding a WWE star to the show, it will repay the fans for their loyalty and I think it's worked.

"Wrestling is still incredibly popular across the world – always has been and I hope it always will be.

"There is something about a good guy and a bad guy squaring off against each other which has always appealed to fans of all ages through the generations.

"Children and adults love it and whether you are watching the WWE or Welsh Wrestling, there is something for everyone to cheer or boo and it is something families can watch together."

It's certainly a popular sport, and has moved far away from the Saturday afternoon wrestling bouts of Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks that many of us will remember watching on TV.

Nowadays there is the likes of John "The Machine" Titan, another towering figure, but one with a real story of overcoming the odds.

In 2007, he was hospitalised with a bowel disease that saw him laid up for three months.

"I went from 17st down to 11st and they told me I was highly unlikely to put the weight back on or ever be able to wrestle again or take part in contact sports again," he says. "It just sucked all the life out of me."

But The Machine refused to accept the doctors' verdict, got back in training and worked his way back up the ladder to become one of the top wrestlers in Wales.

"This is what I want to do," he tells me. "I didn't want to go down the usual road and wrestling is what I love to do. I want to see how far I can take it."

If he follows the example of Mason Ryan, then he could take it very far indeed.

Mason first began wrestling in Wales for promoter Orig Williams, but was soon snapped up for Sky1's re-make of Gladiators in the late 2000s.

With his impressive physique and charisma Mason quickly rose to fame, before WWE boss Vince McMahon signed him to a long-term contract and he moved to America.

"It was an absolute whirlwind and I can't believe where the last five years have gone," he admits. "One minute I was wrestling with my colleagues here in Wales, the next I was making my debut in a main event match between the two biggest stars in the company, John Cena and CM Punk.

"All of a sudden I was thrust into the spotlight of 20,000 people in the arena watching me, and millions more across the globe. It was a surreal moment but one I will always treasure.

"I loved my time in the WWE, it is the pinnacle of wrestling and I'm proud of what I achieved."

During Friday's show at Welshpool Town Hall, Mason not only gave me a beating, but also pinned Kade Callous, who famously beat Lembit Opik at the same venue in 2012 and then went on to win a Battle Royale – a multi-competitor match in which wrestlers are eliminated until only one remains.

The fans loved all of it.

Gareth Jenkins, 37, who lives in Welshpool, says the sport has "an everlasting appeal. It is classic pantomime and the good guy wins and everyone goes home with a smile on their face".

And it seems the smiles extend to the competitors.

"It has been six years since I've wrestled at the town hall in Welshpool and since then I've wrestled all over the world with the WWE, but wrestling in front of my home nation is always a very special moment to me," says Mason.

Although he has been back in Wales for four weeks now, Mason is soon to return to America and his home in Tampa, Florida.

"It has been lovely to be back home," he adds.