Trent Seven's road to WWE Wrestlemania

Never in World Wrestling Entertainment's history have they featured a title exclusively for bone-benders on our shores,

But that will change this weekend when the inaugural UK Championship belt is contested in a 16-man tournament, between Brits not yet signed to their brand.

Trent - who is Ben Webb, 35, from Wolverhampton - is among the oldest participants for the sold-out two-night event, to be held at Blackpool's Empress Ballroom on Saturday and Sunday.

WWE released the bracketing for the competition this week, which has paired Trent with Peterborough's H C Dyer in the first round.

All of the action will be broadcast live on subscription channel the WWE Network, effectively making the shows a pay-per-view event.

And that's not the last PPV offering ambitious Trent wants to be a part of, with his ultimate dream to be a part of the industry leader's flagship extravaganza.

The American giants are the largest wrestling provider in the world, holding over 300 shows a year which are televised to around 36 million viewers in over 150 countries.

Trent was given his opportunity by British wrestling legend William Regal, real name Darren Matthews and born in Codsall, after attending a WWE tryout in Scotland.

He has his own wrestling promotion, too, called Fight Club Pro and regularly stages bills at the Fixxion Warehouse, on Skinner Street in Wolverhampton city centre.

He said: "Regal's dad lives about four doors up from my uncle in Codsall, but that didn't really have anything to do with it.

"Word had already spread back to Regal about me and he'd seen me perform. He had my number from when I was at the try out in Glasgow.

"When he called me, it was incredible. Things have seemed to move quickly and it's easily the biggest thing to happen from WWE in the UK.

"If you want to be in the main event at Wrestlemania, this is the sort of opportunity where it starts. I originally wanted to be an actor, but then it turned out I was pretty good at wrestling.

"I've wrestled with a few of the lads who are in the competition before. I've been in with Tyler Bate, Wolfgang, T Bone, Dan Moloney and Pete Dunn.

"My style is British strong, heavily influenced by Japanese heavyweights, which is strike and throw based. I've even took aspects from the old World of Sport wrestling.

"The working relationship WWE are building with UK promotions is growing and this is only the start. There must be some follow on, maybe even a regular WWE Network show.

"Whoever the first UK champion will be, they will defend their title on WWE shows. It's crazy just to be in the running. At the worst, I'll learn about the industry and the WWE machine.

"How exactly the shows will pan out I don't know, but I'd imagine whoever goes all of the way will wrestle once on the first night and possibly as much as three times the second.

"It's not just the crowd in Blackpool you have to please, there's the viewers on the WWE Network and then all of the feedback on social media.

"There's so many different levels where you need to perform at your best. Along with the wrestling, the way people, look, walk, speak and connect with the audience is important.

"There's been no decision on who is going to win the title, they may not decide until just before the last two walk out for the final. All I want to do is impress."

Trent has been a fan of wrestling since his teens, but didn't become seriously involved with sports entertainment until after he bought his own ring in 2008.

He now lives in Bradmore with his partner Lizzie Hartley, who has often become a wrestling widow when he's been booked for dates around the country, in the United States and Japan.

He held jobs in sales, business development and marketing and lived around the country before returning to settle again in Wolverhampton.

He worked with Wolves legend Steve Bull as the former striker opened his Italian restaurant, Bravaccios, in Tettenhall and even threw out the idea 'Bully' should get involved in wrestling!

Trent said: "I first started training in the late 1990s and a lot has been self-taught. I would practice on mattresses and the like, real backyard sort of stuff.

"We found out about a company, at the time, called Hammerlock UK in Kent and we headed down there to see what it was all about. One problem, my friends car broke down on the way!

"After that, we all became adults and worked, so it ended up being 2009 when I had my first bout. I've been wrestling full-time since last February, literally every weekend for the last three months.

"I've had a lot of jobs and lived all over the country. I helped 'Bully' open his restaurant and even tried to persuade him to come to a wrestling show and get involved. I don't think he was keen!"

Three of his closest friends are also in the WWE UK tournament. Tyler Bate, Pete Dunne and Dan Moloney joined him on the train to Blackpool, where they are staying in the Hilton Hotel.

Fellow Black Country boy Bate, just 19 and from Netherton in Dudley, is his best mate and tag team partner, with the two comprising the 'Moustache Mountain' tandem.

He could become a rival in the semi-finals of the competition, though. Brummies Dunne and Moloney are on the other side of the draw, so cannot meet Trent or Bate until the final.

Trent said: "Me and Tyler have never wrestled each other in singles before. If it happens, we'll shake hands and go at it like gentlemen. It would be an avalanche on Moustache Mountain!

"I've trained with Tyler for four years and he's the most talented 19-year-old in the world. He can do anything you want in that ring.

"His brain is a sponge, it just absorbs any information that you give to him. He probably could have been a UFC world champion or an astronaut if he wasn't a wrestler!"

You can watch the WWE UK Championship be decided live on the WWE Network. Subscription is £9.99, with the first month currently free.