Wrestling fans in Lagos applauded the Africa Wrestling Heavyweight Champion, Osita Offor, aka De Ultimate Commander, for reviving professional wrestling in Nigeria.

In separate interviews with newsmen some of the thrilled fans said they enjoyed every minute of the fights at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, tagged “Gathering of Champions.’’.

The seven fights last weekend were a prelude to De Ultimate Commander’s World Heavyweight Wrestling title defence against Shelton Benjamin scheduled to hold at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

Some of the fans said that hitherto they had thought that professional wrestling bouts were staged to entertain the audience, but watching the fights live had changed their views.

They urged other wrestlers, who had benefited from the country, to emulate Ultimate Commander and support the revival of professional wrestling.

A banker, Abraham Gbadamosi, who said he had been a wrestling fan since his youth, told Tidesport soruce that because he could not get live wrestling to watch, he had resorted to watching them on television.

According to him, watching wrestling live gives him a lot of pleasure and this prompted him to bring his children to experience what they watch on television.

He urged governments and corporate bodies to rally round professional wrestlers like De Ultimate Commander to revive the sport. “I think we should commend Ultimate Commander for bringing world wrestlers to Nigeria in his bid to bring back the good old days of professional wrestling; others should emulate him,’’ Gbadamosi said.

Bukola Arowojobe, a fashion designer, said that when she heard about the championship, she thought it was a hoax.

“Until I got here and saw all these world wrestlers, I did not believe,’’ Arowojobe said.

She, however, wondered why no female wrestlers were featured in the championship, saying that female wrestlers should be given equal opportunity to exhibit their talents.

Kareem Salami, a sports lover, said that sports generally was on the decline in the country, adding that a lot more needed to be done to improve all sports.

He appealed to governments at all levels to shift focus from football and give other sports adequate attention.

“Sport is a lucrative business in other countries but people administering sports in Nigeria do not see it that way and that is why we are not reaping from the gold mine,’’ he said.

About  15 foreign and 13 African wrestlers took part in the championship, which was promoted by Universal Promotional Wrestling Federations (UPWF) in conjunction with The Ultimate Wrestling and Charity Organisation (TUWCO).

In one of the bouts, Reinforcer of USA, weighing 131.9 kg, defeated compatriot, Maximus Fury, 83.91kg; while Jimmy Palm (85 kg) of Nigeria also defeated his Nigerian counterpart, Black Heritage (85 kg).

In the tag team matches, Golden Twins of Congo DR (400 kg) defeated Nigerian Ring Riders (400 kg), while Shelton Benjamin and Val Venis (113.3 kg) USA, defeated Nigeria’s Ultimate Commander and Slam Shady (113.8 kg) of the USA.