Former WWE star Shanky Singh will attend the Western Bulldogs clash against the Sydney Swans at Marvel Stadium on 23 April night, as part of his visit to Melbourne ahead of a scheduled wrestling bout this weekend.
Singh’s appearance comes before his main event at the Thornbury Theatre on April 26, where he is set to face former WWE wrestler Parker Boudreaux. The Indian Sun will provide further coverage of Singh’s activities in Melbourne, including his preparations for the match and community engagements.
An exclusive segment on Sunday will feature Singh making a special entrance before competing, led by Richi Madan, host of Mumbai Masala and Retro Vibes.
Singh, 34, has spoken previously about his unconventional path into professional wrestling, describing a career shift that began far from the ring.
“I’m still on that journey in my wrestling career,” he said.
Before entering the sport, Singh worked as an accountant at a university in India. Wrestling had not been part of his plans at the time.
“I had never really thought that I would go into the wrestling business,” he said.
He said dissatisfaction with his work led him to reconsider his direction.
“The turning point was that everyone has something they truly like in life. When I was working as an accountant, I didn’t really enjoy it. So I changed my path.”
Singh built his career through local wrestling circuits across India, performing in cities including Karnal, Udaipur, Dehradun and Haldwani. Early roles also included a brief appearance in the Bollywood film Bharat.
His break came after multiple attempts to enter WWE. A first tryout in Dubai in 2017 was unsuccessful. A second opportunity in 2019 led to selection and a move to the United States in early 2020.
“It was a very big experience,” he said. “The journey has been amazing because I started out as an accountant and ended up in wrestling.”
Singh said Melbourne fans can expect a strong performance in the upcoming bout.
“Melbourne fans can expect proper entertainment — the kind of entertaining wrestling match people want to see.”
He credits discipline as a key takeaway from his time in WWE.
“If you have discipline in life, if you value timing, if you understand that timing is everything… For example, you gave me 9:30 and I was here before time.”
The physical demands of wrestling remain high. Singh recalled a match where he sustained repeated blows, describing it as part of the challenges of the profession.
“I faced many tough situations when I started my wrestling career,” he said.
Despite the risks, he sees his current tour as an opportunity to represent Indian talent on an international stage.
“It’s a big opportunity. Not many people get this chance,” he said. “It feels good to represent our people.”
Singh also pointed to structural gaps in the sport in India.
“India doesn’t have that kind of wrestling platform yet… India still needs a stronger wrestling platform.”
His message to audiences in Victoria remains direct.
“You’ll get the best, maybe even a championship-level performance, and you’ll feel proud that Shanky has come here to win.”
His appearance at the AFL fixture is expected to draw interest from both wrestling and football fans, linking his Melbourne visit with one of the round’s key matches.
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