With a background in American football, gymnastics and, most importantly, the hammer throw, Justin ‘The Hammer’ Sysum’s impressive athletic career has earned him a truly terrifying nickname. Using a uniquely versatile set of skills, the Gloucester resident has spent decades sculpting both his Herculean physique and a highly promising career in professional wrestling, stunt acting and action choreography.

Now famous for his trademark gladiator-esque shoulder pads and red cape, Sysum made his professional wrestling debut in 2012 for Pro Wrestling Pride, where his fast, powerful and acrobatic style caught the attention of UK industry giants Pro Evolution Wrestling. This chance scouting yielded a bountiful four-year relationshi, culminating in two Heavyweight Championship titles and a series of defenses which would solidify Sysum’s place in the upper tiers of the burgeoning UK scene.

Alongside fellow British mainstay Nathan Cruz, Sysum graduated to the industry’s highest stage in 2014 with an explosive tag team match for WWE during their UK tour, proving outright that his prowess on the mat was worthy of international recognition. Appearing in ITV’s World of Sport Wrestling reboot in 2018, Sysum joined many of his peers for dozens of primetime TV appearances, deploying his signature move, the infamously destructive “450 Splash”, to dominate his opponents and secure his third career championship belt.

With this portfolio of crowd-pleasing performances under his belt, it’s not surprising that Sysum is turning his attention to larger audiences. In addition to appearing as enigmatic marksman Hawkeye in the Marvel Universe Live! Arena tour in 2016/7, Sysum has put his training at the British Action Academy to use on a number of British action shorts and series, swiftly developing a promising career in stunt acting and directing.