As a youngster, Tommy Tanner always dreamt of being a wrestler. At school, he excelled at gymnastics and proved a natural at rugby, representing his university.
But he always felt there was something missing, and now he has filled that void. Tommy, known as the “Ultimate Geezer” in the ring, has had an electrifying first year, winning the European Championship at the Woodville Theatre in Gravesend, Kent, in April, the UKPW Invictus Cup, and qualifying for the Ignite Breakout Division final in November.
Although not signed yet, the 28-year-old looks destined for stardom under the careful tutelage of the celebrated coach Greg Burridge.
Burridge takes a holistic approach to coaching, aiming to develop not just athletes but well-rounded performers, a philosophy that the charismatic Tommy Tanner has clearly embraced.
A legend in the wrestling world, Burridge has trained and competed alongside WWE star Seamus and helped launch Will Ospreay’s rise to become a two-time AEW International Champion.
And Tommy’s trajectory looks set to follow the same path of success and stardom. His ambition: to be signed before turning 30.
Tommy Tanner: The “Ultimate Geezer” of Wrestling
Despite his fresh face, Tommy isn’t new to the grueling demands of dangerous full-contact sports. The well-toned wrestler started his athletic career as a rugby player, a game he has called a “pure war,” regularly competing for the University of Sussex.
But even before Tommy’s rugby days, while at school, he was developing fitness, flexibility and agility as a gymnast (I would mention here about being British Gymnastics champion at the age 10, rather than having sound like a hobby).
In fact, he’s next in line in a family tradition of athleticism, his father Paul having represented Great Britain as a hurdler in his prime and playing football for Watford Academy as a teen.
The generational culture of sport, which Tommy grew up around, bestows him with the perfect wrestling pedigree – the ability to dominate anyone in the ring.
But never one to rest on his laurels (or rest at all), Tommy Tanner doesn’t rely solely on the grit forged during his rugby days.
His intense training regimen includes four strength sessions a week in the gym, keeping him, in his words, “built for battle, banter, and benching more than your bloke’s bodyweight.”
He regularly shares his workouts on Instagram, offering a glimpse into the discipline behind the muscle. You can see that the young man knows what he’s doing in the gym, lifting not only to develop the wrestling aesthetic of a massive frame and tree-trunk legs to match, but also for functional strength to perfect his epic signature moves.
It’s clear from his Instagram gym instructionals that Tommy prioritises perfect form as the secret to locking-down the ultimate wrestling condition.
He of course brings this perfectionism to the training room too. Under Coach Burridge, Tommy’s in the training room three days a week, no matter what, crafting his technique and building the stamina to outlast any opponent.
Under pressure in the wrestling world, you don’t rise to the occasion, you sink to your level of training. And it’s that philosophy that means the crowd feels something every time he steps through the ropes.
To fuel his grueling training regimen, Tommy sticks to a disciplined nutrition plan centered around lean proteins, and high-quality carbohydrates.
His meals often include grilled chicken, steak, and carb sources such as potatoes, brown rice, and sourdough bread.
His secret weapon? The humble egg – he typically kicks off each day with at least seven, scrambled, boiled, or fried in unpasteurised butter. Maintaining such a demanding diet doesn’t come cheap; his grocery bill totals around £1,500 every month.
Currently making waves on the UK indie wrestling scene, Tommy has been touring the country, bringing captivating and high-energy performances to venues ranging from nightclubs to sports centres, with hundreds of fans of all ages.
His growing success and popularity has led to a demanding travel schedule, with late-night shows often followed by long and intense training sessions the very next day. But Tommy doesn’t back down from the adversity, saying that if you want to make it, you’ve got to “crack on.”
And crack on he does. Tommy’s rise through the ranks has been nothing short of explosive, racking up major wins and unforgettable moments along the way.
In April, he cashed in his contract in the case to take on Tate Mayfairs and successfully capture the Rumble European Championship in a commanding performance.
Ringside with Tommy T, it’s impossible not to get caught in the current of his energy; his presence is magnetic, his performance electrifying.
It’s all part of the “Ultimate Geezer” persona, a collision of North London swagger and unrelenting power. Channeling old-school British grit with a modern twist, Tommy struts to the ring to thumping housebeats, peppering his performance with cheeky taunts and crowd-pleasing bravado. And the fans lap it up, every time.
While he’s thrilled by the recent resurgence of British wrestling, his sights are firmly set on a bigger stage. Eager to take his talents global, Tommy is particularly excited by the prospect of touring in Japan; a country known for its intense, high-impact wrestling style. But above all, his ultimate goal remains unchanged: to become the one and only Ultimate Geezer of WWE.
Tommy Tanner is more than a wrestler, he’s a movement, a geezer on a mission, and proof that raw talent mixed with relentless graft can forge something special.
Whether it’s lifting ridiculous weight at dawn, hitting fans with high-octane performances by night, or carving out a new identity in British wrestling, Tommy Tanner is blazing a trail that’s impossible to ignore.
If he keeps this pace, it won’t be long before “Ultimate Geezer” becomes a household name, not just on the UK scene, but around the globe.
(Guest Blogged by Sebastian Dickie)
