'I will be a WWE champion': Meet the young wrestlers dreaming big

For many wrestling fans growing up meant watching stars like The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin and John Cena on television.

But for anyone who dreamed of following in their footsteps, making it into the industry could feel a world away.

Now, those involved in the sport say opportunities are growing closer to home, giving aspiring wrestlers a chance to train, perform and begin building a career.

With a new generation setting their sights on some of the sport's biggest stages, could Northern Ireland produce the next big wrestling star?

Among those hoping to make it to the top is 16-year-old Eva, who only began training in January.

A lifelong wrestling fan, she grew up watching WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) with her family. Discovering she could train locally turned something she watched on television into a realistic ambition.

"The reason I joined is because it's so local, it was a great opportunity because I always wanted to do something like this," she said.

Eva hopes to study performing arts after leaving school, which she believes could help develop the character and performance side of her wrestling.

She also points to Irish WWE star Becky Lynch as an inspiration, saying her success gives her "hope and motivation" that where someone comes from does not have to limit them.

Despite being only months into her wrestling journey, she has already set herself the biggest possible target.

"In the future I will be a WWE champion," she said.

Eva is one of a growing number of people turning an interest in wrestling into action by stepping into the ring.

And she isn't on her own, with one coach saying the number of people interested in the sport has "grown exponentially" in recent years.

Five years ago, the number of people training in professional wrestling across Northern Ireland was believed to be in the 30s. Today it is more than 150.

For Lisburn's Amira Blair, who appeared in the ring at Wembley Stadium last month, the route into wrestling looked very different when she was growing up.

She first dreamed of becoming a wrestler at the age of 11, but pursuing it as a career from Northern Ireland seemed a very distant prospect.

"I never thought this was a goal that you could have. It seemed like something on the TV you see Americans doing," she said.

Blair is now a full-time professional wrestler, but growing it was such a "niche thing" that she did not feel able to talk about her ambition with others.

Following that dream also meant moving from Northern Ireland to London - a decision some people struggled to understand.

"They thought I was just losing the plot and why would I not go get a normal job with stability," she added.

"Why am I moving to London on a whim and pursuing something that's just so out there?"

She says the industry has also changed significantly for women, going "from having three minutes of time in matches to getting main events".

Damien Corvin believes the gap between starting out in Northern Ireland and building a career is beginning to narrow.

He is a full-time professional wrestler and head coach at the Relentless Pro Wrestling Academy in Larne.

Corvin says aspiring wrestlers no longer necessarily have to move away to turn wrestling into a career: "It's very, very possible to be a full-time pro wrestler, for this to be your full-time job while still living in Northern Ireland.

"You can travel the world as an independent pro wrestler."

Corvin has done that himself, wrestling in India, France and Switzerland, as well as across the UK and Ireland.

He says the opportunities available to those starting out in Northern Ireland have improved significantly in recent years.

"We're giving these guys a platform to try out new characters, to try out new moves, to see what works, and get them in front of an audience," he said.

"Just watching them get that little bit better every single week is amazing as a coach, but it also leads me to have high hopes for the future of what we can do in Northern Ireland wrestling."

Carrickfergus man Dylan Todd, known in the ring as DD Crooks, is among those hoping to turn wrestling into a career.

Growing up, he was more interested in drama and skateboarding than traditional sports and despite being a wrestling fan, did not realise it was something he could pursue locally.

He says being around wrestlers who have progressed in the industry makes it feel much more achievable.

"When you see those guys doing it and you're like, 'well, it wasn't long ago they were probably in my position'," he said.

Dylan believes the "immense" talent currently coming through across the island of Ireland could lead to more wrestlers making their mark in the ring.

"I'd sleep outside if it meant getting a job wrestling one day. Honestly, it's my dream job," he added.