As we all know, good behaviour gets you nowhere these days, and that honest truth is never more evident than in a wrestling ring. Originally a carnival act in the 1800s, wrestling has seen a surge in popularity right here in Stockholm over the last few years. At the Sthlm Title Rumble in February, 30 wrestlers will enter the ring – but only one will eventually be left standing.

Sweaty men in tiny outfits, primal screams, evil and sudden death. Back in the day, pre-cable TV and internet, wrestling was a blood-stained, brutal world. A travelling circus of crazy hard men who grappled with each other in return for some money for booze and petrol to get to the next show. If the wrestlers happened to get embroiled in a bar fight they’d better win, or the promoters would give them the sack. A tough life, and if they managed to get famous and get involved in an international event in Puerto Rico or Mexico, there would be new challenges. Giant brawler King Kong Bruiser Brody was stabbed to death at an event in Puerto Rico.

Wrestling grew in the 80s with the rise of cable TV, and the poster boy of the era was Hulk Hogan. Commercial interests lead the way and it became a multi-million dollar business. While the popularity of the WWF grew across the globe it ironically coincided with the relative demise of wrestling in the UK and the rest of Europe. The only strongholds, apart from America, were Japan and Mexico.

Far from being early adapters in this case, Sweden didn’t catch on to the trend until the 2000s. A generation that had been fed on Hulk Hogan as teenagers wanted to stage their own bouts and in true Swedish fashion they have made a very professional effort and provide exceptional entertainment for an ever-growing, loyal band of fans.

“From an entertainment point of view, in terms of storyline and professional production, we are at the forefront in Europe,” says Christoffer Sahlgren. He was one of the people who founded Swedish Wrestling in Gothenburg 13 years ago. After staging the first bouts in illegal clubs they eventually went above ground and saw great success. When he moved back to Stockholm in 2010 he brought wrestling with him. “I was supposed to work with film full-time, but wrestling is impossible to quit,” he claims.

I ask him about the future of Swedish wrestling. Where does he see this scene in just a few years from now?

“In March we’ll begin a tour through 13 Swedish cities, one show every Saturday night and we might do that kind of tour every six months. In three years my guess is that we’re on TV with our own show and sell out everywhere we go. Well, we already do.”

Let’s get ready to rumble

Lucha Libre, Mexico’s colourful take on Wrestling, translates as “free fighting”. And free fighting is exactly what you’ll get at Göta Källare on February 6.

Perhaps you won’t see as many caped and masked characters as you might in Guadalajara, but you are going to see one hell of a spectacle.

Ahead of the first-ever Stockholm Title Rumble event, we spoke to both the Sthlm Wrestling president Messiah Hallberg and the reigning Swedish Champion Ken Malmsteen, to find out their take on it.

Messiah Hallberg

Your title is “president” – what exactly is your role within Stockholm’s wrestling scene?

As a president, I book the events, I do much of the media work and I network.

What are the most important ingredients in a good wrestling show?

It’s about the same thing as in stand-up, which is what I do otherwise – to get the crowd on your side. It has to be credible, athletic and to be a good show. Some people go there without really knowing what to expect, and you need to capture them and the rest of the audience.

A common complaint against wrestling is that a lot of it is staged. But you can still expect drama, right?

The injuries and pain the wrestlers sustain are real. And it’s a bit like going to the movies. You sit there for a couple of hours and hope that Tom Cruise will make it through alive and that he’ll beat the bad guys. You might not believe that Tom Cruise really is a secret agent, but right there and then you are completely invested in the character.

The next event is on February 6, what can we look forward to?

This is the first time we have ever done a rumble match in Stockholm. The wrestlers enter the ring one at a time every second minute and in the end there will just be one man left standing.

It’s the largest number of wrestlers we have ever had at an event, it’s mainly Swedes of course but we’ll also throw in a few surprises. We’re looking to get wrestlers from all over the world. It’s going to be exceptional entertainment.

Ken Malmsteen

Why did you become a wrestler?

Good question. It’s an outlet for a need to compete. A need to assert myself. To be seen as something that other people aren’t.

And are you?

Well, as the Swedish champion you would say I have been successful in that.

Yeah, the heavyweight champion, no less. Explain why you are the best?

There are several reasons. There are people who are bigger or quicker than me but I am at such a high level overall. Wrestling is a thinking man’s sport. It has a lot to do with intelligence and in that regard there’s no one even close to me. There’s always a plan.

Previously, Swedish wrestling fans had to settle for watching American wrestling on TV or the internet, but now that we have the opportunity to see the likes of you live I wonder how does Swedish wrestlers compare to international stars?

Most of the countries have their own particular style, like Mexico has its style for example. In Sweden we’re influenced by everyone, it hasn’t yet converged into a particular style. But we maintain a higher standard than what people would think, especially compared to other European countries. But it’s a different art form to what you get in the US.

As a Swedish wrestling star, how much fame do you enjoy?

Depends on what you compare it to, I suppose. You’re not in the headlines all of the time, just occasionally. It’s a growing sport, we’re still in the initial phase, a time of growth, it’ll grow bigger with time.

In February we have the Stockholm Title Rumble. You ready?

I’ll probably be made to defend my title. So I’ll take care of that first of all, and then I’ll be aiming for winning the Stockholm title in the rumble. Every second minute a new wrestler enters the ring and you eliminate the others by throwing them over the rope, out of the ring.

I’d like to tell the people of Stockholm that they should go watch this. I guarantee it’ll be something they have never seen before or will be able to see somewhere else.

Stockholm Title Rumble, Feb 6 at Göta Källare

Words Peter Steen-Christensen