BRITISH wrestling is heading to the small screen once again, and it's starting in Weymouth.

Fight Nation, which runs live events across the south of the UK, has inked a television deal that will see grappling action air on Sky TV and Freeview from the beginning of May.

The first matches for these new broadcasts will be recorded when Fight Nation comes to the Weymouth Pavilion on April 17.

With the exception of major American companies such as World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), professional wrestling has been largely absent from British television screens since ITV axed its popular World of Sport series in the late 1980s.

Fight Nation owner Billy Wood said: "The TV show will will feature all of the stars from Fight Nation, plus international performers like former WWE star Juventud Guerrera.

"I feel like we put on a great production and the show appeals to everyone from children as young as five or six to grandparents who used to watch World of Sport."

The card at the Pavilion will be headlined by British Champion Marty "The Villain" Scurll's title clash with Mark Haskins, who is known as "The Star Attraction".

There will also be a crucial grudge match, pitting young stars Josh Bodom and Ryan Smile against each other for the third time in a rivalry that has seen each man emerge victorious from one of the bouts.

The match will be fought with a two out of three falls stipulation, which means that the first man to pin the other or force him to submit on two occasions will have his hand raised in victory.

The third announced contest will see the debuting Guerrera, who was a cruiserweight champion in WWE, take on British villain James "The Anarchist" Castle.

Children's tickets for the Weymouth Pavilion show are free for the first time ever, with adults priced at £15.

Billy said: "We believed it was time to give something back to the local community in Weymouth that has really taken to us in the last year, turning out in strong numbers each time we come to town.

"We know how hard it is for families, so we want to give them a great night of entertainment at an affordable price."

Tickets for Fight Nation are available online at www.weymouthpavilion.com or by calling the box office on 01305 783225.