WWE: How a head teacher became a professional wrestler

A head teacher has swapped the school bell for the wrestling ring to become a WWE professional.

Eddie Dennis, who taught maths at Berkshire's LVS Ascot private school, has loved the sport since he was five.

The 36-year-old took a "risk" five years ago, trading his chalk board to follow his dream.

Now the 6ft 6in (198cm) mathematician is getting ready to rumble at the WWE Clash at the Castle - actually at the Principality Stadium - on 3 September.

According to the WWE, 230lb (104kg) Eddie has "a brutal dark side and a major chip on his shoulder" and anyone preparing to do battle should be aware "the towering Welshman is as dangerous as they come".

From Gwaun Cae Gurwen, Neath Port Talbot, he said it would be an honour to return to his native Wales for the WWE's biggest UK stadium event in decades.

"It was a risk giving up teaching altogether to pursue my dream," he said.

"It was pretty terrifying... I had a very much established a life, my fiancée and I had a mortgage. I was leaving that to go and wrestle independently."

Eddie, who went to Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera in Neath Port Talbot "loved the Ultimate Warrior and then later on Shawn Michaels came along and he captivated me".

"I would be trying to mimic their movements and characteristics and learning the way they speak.

"I watched [Shawn Michaels] in an Iron Man match in Wrestlemania 12 [in 1996], now [he] is giving me advice on my career and my profession. It's surreal."

But as a pupil in Wales, he said there was "no clear route" to a career in wrestling.

He did a teaching qualification at Cardiff Metropolitan University, then got a degree in maths before starting his teaching career, all while training in his free time.

He juggled his full-time career while performing in the wrestling circuit on weekends.

In his day job, he worked his way up to head teacher.

But in the ring, he had started to make a name for himself in NXT UK where wrestlers are coached by WWE's RAW and Smackdown superstars to become the sport's next big thing.

By 2017 he said the UK wrestling industry was "having a resurgence".

"They ran the first WWE UK championship tournament, loads of people I knew were on that," he said.

"I was sat on my sofa with my fiancée and cat watching my best friends perform on the stage we've all dreamt of and I wasn't with them because of the path that I had chosen.

"A month later I handed in my notice to focus on wrestling."

Delyth Spurway is the deputy head teacher at Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera and started her career as a teacher at the same time Eddie started as a pupil.

"It's really amazing that he's gone and chased his dreams and made it in that industry," she said.

"The children think it's really cool, the ones that watch WWE are saying 'wow, look miss, he came to this school'.

"He was quite a quiet and conscientious pupil. He's changed so much, looking at him now, I barely recognise him, but it's the eyes that look the same."

Pupils at the school are also big fans.

Year 7 pupil Olifer said: "It shows that even if you come from somewhere small like this area you can do anything you want to in life. You don't have to come from America.

Owen, a Year 3 pupil, said Eddie was an "inspiration", adding: "The WWE don't come to Wales often, the big shows are normally in America so this is really exciting."

And Eddie will be getting support from Year 7 pupil Ryan, who said: "He went to this school so he's my favourite wrestler. It's cool."

Eddie will be up against some of the sport's current superstars at the WWE's event in Cardiff, including Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Charlotte Flair, Finn Balor and Drew Mcintyre.