Northern Wrestling’s New Favourite Villain

Goole teenager Evan Knite is making a name for himself on the northern wrestling scene and has been tipped as a possible future star of the altogether glitzier and more theatrical American shows.

Eighteen-year-old Knite explained: “I got into wrestling three years ago when my dad found me a club because I’d always enjoyed watching it. My older brother and I dosed up on wrestling early morning before school. I’d always been athletic, enjoying sports as different as gymnastics and rugby, and I’d been involved in musical theatre and music, so wrestling appealed given how it combines many skills. You can also show that you can handle yourself in what looks like a proper scrap.”

Knite has now appeared on about 150 local shows, sometimes having four matches over a three-day weekend. “A wrestler can be part of a team. I work mostly with a Batley-based promotion UKW, but you’re, in effect, your own manager and set your own rate. Then, hopefully, the promoters get in touch. The main thing to build your reputation is to be a crowd pleaser.”

Wrestling contests often tell a story, and it’s essential to get a reaction from the audience. It’s not staged but scripted, and the audience must be involved in it for it to work. Wrestlers are cast as either heroes or villains, and I enjoy being a villain, and I’m good at throwing a temper tantrum when necessary. Before a show, we’ll spend quite some time working out the moves with our opponent and planning how best to entertain. It’s as important to create a character as it is to be able to perform physically. I’ve been described as verbose and cocky. I love it when I enter the ring to a chorus of loud boos and the audience continues to shout insults. I enjoy shouting insults back, and I’m better at it. It’s all good-natured fun and family entertainment.”

“I was exhausted, but the roars of encouragement from the crowd showed it was highly entertaining.”

One of Knite’s favourite contests is the rumble. “It involves 30 wrestlers, starting with two in the ring joined by an extra wrestler every 90 seconds. The aim is to be the last man there, having eliminated other wrestlers by throwing them over the top rope in such a way that both their feet hit the floor outside. When it’s underway, there could be up to ten wrestlers wrestling at any one time, and the winner gets a reward such as a ‘dream ticket’ granting the holder a championship match of their choice.

“At a recent rumble in Batley named The Great British Bash, I stayed in the ring for an hour and regularly got chopped, which means that other entrants slapped me in the chest. I also fell victim to big moves like the Canadian Destroyer, in which a wrestler gets flipped over onto their head with the flipper flipping over them.  I got back at some of them with my signature move, which I’ve unofficially named Kite’s Blessing. It’s a spinning backkick to the head. Later, Joe Sedgwick joined in and kicked me well.  He’s a Wakefield wrestler that I’ve often competed with or against, and I know him well. Joe and I remained in the last five. I got eliminated by being clotheslined, which meant an opponent ran at me with his arm extended to take me down. I was exhausted, but the roars of encouragement from the crowd showed it was highly entertaining.”

“He’s an exhilarating entertainer and excels as an athlete and a storyteller.”

“Training consists of learning wrestling moves and developing physical skills. You can develop the showmanship element, but basically, you either have it or you don’t. Training concentrates on making the moves safely and avoiding injuries, especially to the neck. It’s vital because over a weekend I’ll lose count of how many times I land hard on the canvas.”

Liam Slater at Sheffield’s Pursuit Pro Wrestling is Knite’s wrestling coach. “Evan is highly talented and has picked up pro-wrestling very well. He’s got the potential to be a mainstay in the UK and beyond if he wants to. Evan is always totally engaged, takes all feedback onboard, and implements advice. We’re looking forward to seeing Evan grow as a wrestler over the coming years.”

Jacob Padgett runs New British Promotions in South Yorkshire. “I’d loved wrestling since childhood and set up the promotion in 2019. We do six shows a year and are always keen to welcome Evan. He’s an exhilarating entertainer and excels as an athlete and a storyteller.”

“For me nothing compares with wrestling,” concluded Knite. “It lets me prove what I’m made of and show that I’m tough and courageous. It’s central to my life.”

Knite will star on Wrestlerbration, UKW’s major summer spectacular, which will be held in Batley on 26 July. Those interested in purchasing tickets, booking Knite for a show, or offering sponsorship to help him develop his professional wrestling should contact Evan Knite on Facebook or by e-mail at evanknite@gmail.com.

Northern Life June/July/Aug 25