Can you smell what the Baadshah is cooking?

Baadshah Pehlwan Khan speaks about his aspirations of becoming the first Pakistani wrestler to be signed by the WWE

KARACHI: Wrestling and Pakistan share a special relationship.

We as a nation have showed an affinity towards the sport for decades now. Teenagers have forever been obsessed with it but you could even find grandparents glued to their televisions when it aired on PTV. For some, it dates back to Hulk Hogan taking on Andre the Giant (at Wrestlemania III), for others it is the age-old rivalry between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hitman Hart.

Many Pakistani children spend the entirety of their childhood pretend-wrestling, dreaming to perform one of their special maneuvers on the big stage. But like all childhood fantasies, the fascination eventually fades away and dreams of having your very own finishing move and theme song goes up in smoke.

PHOTO: MANON POUPY

Read: Badshah Pehalwan Khan, bringing honour and dignity to Pakistan

But dreams can come true and Pakistan’s Baadshah Pehalwan Khan is a firm believer that his will come to fruition. Baadshah’s love for wrestling traces back to his childhood years. An 11-year-old Khan would rue the absence of Pakistani wrestlers in the international wrestling circuit – a sentiment that only spurred his passion and fueled his desire of representing Pakistan on the world’s most famous wrestling circuit, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

“When I used to watch wrestling on television, the wrestlers used to be American, European and Japanese but there were no Pakistanis in this field. So, when I was about 11 years old, I decided I wanted to be the first Pakistani in professional wrestling,” said Khan in an exclusive interview to The Express Tribune.

PHOTO: MANON POUPY

Unable to make the cut for WWE Tough Enough, a reality show where emerging wrestlers undergo professional training and compete for a WWE contract, Baadshah is still in high spirits. With time and talent on his side, the 21-year-old is hopeful of hoisting the Pakistani flag in major wrestling circuits like WWE and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW).

Hailing from Wah in Pakistan, it is in France where Baadshah trained in the Mexican style of combat Lucha Libre at wrestling academy APC Catch. He describes his style as being very aerial with moves like the ‘suicide dive’, ‘top rope splash’ and ‘tiger bomb’ being a common feature. He continues to wear his heart on his sleeve, something which is reflective not only in his wrestling attire, a green and white sherwani, but also in his entrance music – a dub-step remix of a bhangra song.

PHOTO: MANON POUPY

“People go crazy every time I leave the curtains for the ring, as they have never seen this before. Most wrestlers wear trunks, I am the only one in a shalwar and sherwani and the public loves it.”

Even his finishing move, Baadshahiat -- a spinning sit-out lifting double Underhook Facebuster -- has a somewhat desi ring to it. Terming his ring-persona a ‘responsibility’ of representing 180 million Pakistanis, he wants to get noticed in style. Baadshah shared how he was recently told by a French wrestler that he would love to be a Pakistani so that he could wear the sherwani as well. “This shows that my dressing and culture are impactful,” a proud Baadshah said.

That is perhaps the reason why, like most cricketers, his lifetime ambition is also to participate in a Pakistan vs India wrestling match. “I would like to challenge The Great Khali in the ring and create pro-wrestling history with an India-Pakistan match. Imagine the excitement of two billion people watching this match.” The prospect of facing WWE legends one day is also one that the emerging wrestler was not shying away from. Once signed by WWE, Baadshah would love to pin John Cena and Undertaker so that the whole world comes to know, in his own words, “Pakistani kissi se kum nahin.”

Even though his career in pro-wrestling is his utmost priority for now, Baadshah has already shown an interest in putting together a career in film and television after working in some short films in France.

“I would love to work in Pakistani or Indian dramas or films in the future. If there is any opportunity for me, I will take it for sure.”