Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State at the weekend in Abuja said his government would ensure massive support for the promotion and growth of professional wrestling in the country.

Orji, who made the promise while receiving a delegation from the World Wrestling Professionals (WWP), said he was committed to the success of sports endeavours in Abia and Nigeria.

The WWP delegation included the body’s president, Mr Mark Beale, and two of their wrestlers, the Ultimate Commander and the Nigerian-born Kilimanjaro.

Also on the delegation were members of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the Commonwealth Heavyweight Wrestling Champion of Champions tournament dubbed the “Last Man Standing’’.

Orji said the state had shown unwavering support for all sports through the sponsorship of football club sides as well as wrestling.

“Abia has interest in sports generally, and not only in Enyimba and OUK FC, but we have a particular interest in wrestling.

“ This is because we know we have the wrestling talents that will do us proud in the sport.

“Our own Osita Ofor, the Ultimate Commander, has shown that he has the talent and he is still doing well to attain the heights the likes of the late Power Mike reached in the sport for Nigeria,” he said.

The governor, who acknowledged that the sport had not been doing well in Nigeria lately, noted that the feats of Ultimate Commander and Kilimanjaro at WWP deserved the support of Nigerians.

“With what Ultimate Commander did in Scotland last year, I know he has the potentials to do better and this is why Abia state will do everything possible to ensure the tournament holds in Aba this October,” he said.

Orji said it was the duty of all Nigerians as well as governments to ensure massive support for the October tournament as well as wrestling as a sport.

“It’s a duty we owe the likes of Ultimate Commander and other aspiring Nigerian wrestlers. Somebody must prop them up.

“They may have the muscles to wrestle, but they don’t have the financial muscle to stage their fight here in Nigeria.

“ Our own is to help him reach the heights of the likes of Hulk Hogan and the rest,” he said.

Speaking earlier, Chief Simeon Okeke, Chairman of the tournament’s LOC, expressed admiration for the governor’s interest and support for sports and the Ultimate Commander.

“We are interested in identifying and promoting sportsmen and your support for sports is a great help for us,” he said.

Beale, in his own remarks, reiterated his belief in the enormity of wrestling talents in Nigeria and his desire to help them through developmental programmes.

He said such programmes, such as the establishment of gymnasiums and the staging of fights, would help Nigeria become a wrestling powerhouse in Africa.

“We have a lot of talents in Nigeria and Africa as a whole and it is through good support that we can achieve our desires of tapping and making good use of such talents,” Beale said

Also speaking on the tournament, Chief Emeka Inyama, the Director of Organisation, said the event had been moved to October from August because of the FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa in June and July.

“The World Cup will slow down business in all sectors and we decided the tournament can help to add more glamour to Nigeria’s 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations,” he said.

The tournament, earlier scheduled to be held in many Nigerian cities over four weeks, is to feature between 12 and 18 top wrestlers from many parts of the world under the auspices of the WWP.