A FORMER Bradford Bulls youngster is set for his first match at a major event for a wrestling company this weekend.

Luke Menzies is set to make his World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) pay-per-view debut tomorrow.

Competing under the character name Ridge Holland, he will join forces with Sheamus as they face Cesaro and Ricochet in a tag team match.

The bone-crunching battle will take place at the WWE's Day 1 event on New Year's Day. It will be held on the event's kick-off show, a preview ahead of the full show.

 

Since joining Friday Night Smackdown in October, Menzies, a former Spen Valley Sports College in Liversedge student, has teamed up with fellow wrestler Sheamus on the show. He has also beaten fellow superstar Cesaro in a high-profile match shown on TV earlier this month.

Born in Liversedge, near Bradford, Menzies wears a flat cap to the ring, calls himself the Bother Causer and uses Northern Grit as a hashtag on social media.

He was moved to WWE’s weekly Friday Night Smackdown programme as part of their draft last October.

Menzies had been making a name for himself on the WWE’s NXT show, but following a lengthy spell out injured this year is now making waves on Smackdown.

Menzies still has strong roots in the Bradford district as his father, Alan Menzies, who used to play rugby league for Odsal Sedbergh, lives in Shipley.

His Twitter page previously featured a black and white photograph of Albert Terrace in Saltaire.

Away from the wrestling ring in the States, Luke own sporting past in rugby league started in Bradford. He went on to play as a prop for clubs including Batley Bulldogs, York City Knights and Toronto Wolfpack between 2007 and 2017.