Sean Thompson dislocated his knee in a recent wrestling match – but it has barely slowed down his day job as a property management team leader at Ray White Southbank.
By day, Sean is a mild-mannered property manager.
By night, he becomes “Showtime”, a wrestling persona he describes as “flashy and bold”.
“Technically wrestling came before real estate,” he says.
“I always watched it as a kid and thought one day I’m going to do that… but life happens. It was always in the back of my mind.”
That “one day” arrived during Melbourne’s COVID lockdowns.
At 27, with a background in MMA, Sean decided it was now or never.
“I didn’t want to live a life of regrets, so in July 2022 I started doing shows,” he said.
He began with induction classes, learning how to “throw yourself around safely”, and within weeks was announcing matches before stepping into the ring himself.
He now performs across four promotions on the Australian independent wrestling circuit.
Dylan Marshall
Website: https://themar.com.au/
Instagram: @themar00481
When a match goes wrong
His latest injury came during a multi-person match when a planned sequence broke down.
“Someone forgot the next spot, so they changed it in the moment,” he said.
“I got picked up and flipped backwards. The intention was to land on my feet, but I landed knee first.”
Despite the setback, Sean is pragmatic about the risks.
“It was probably a joint mistake… You have to fully commit to what you’re doing, but it all happens in a split second,” he said.
“I’m lucky it wasn’t worse. I wouldn’t recommend dislocating your knee – it’s not much fun.”
Already off crutches and awaiting MRI results, he’s aiming to return to light training within weeks, with shows booked for late August.
The ‘Showtime’ persona
The character itself came together almost by accident.
“It was something I came up with on a whim, and it just stuck,” he said.
“I enjoy playing a character that I’m hopefully nothing like in real life.”
As a “heel” – wrestling’s term for the villain – Sean leans into theatrics, embracing a personality far removed from the measured demands of property management.
Managing two high-pressure worlds
While the two careers might seem incompatible, Sean says they complement each other.
“Fortunately, property management doesn’t interfere too much because I don’t work weekends,” he said.
Most shows run Friday and Saturday nights, with occasional early departures from the office.
“When I’ve got a Friday show, I’ll leave around 4.30 pm and use the drive – sometimes up to an hour – to make calls and wrap up anything urgent before the weekend.”
The contrast between the two roles is what makes it sustainable.
“In property management there’s constant urgency, tenants and rental providers needing things resolved quickly,” he said.
“But when I’m wrestling, I have to be completely present. I can’t think about work at all.”
That forced separation, he says, is the key to staying balanced.
“If work is the only thing you have, it’s always on your mind. Having something else forces you to reset.”
Riding the chaos
Balancing both worlds isn’t always neat.
“Sometimes it’s a lot, but … I’m doing things I want to do, and it challenges me.”
His advice for others trying to manage competing priorities?
“Sometimes you just need to ride the momentum of the chaos and go with it, not against it,” he said.
“It can actually energise you if you let it.”
A niche within a niche
The Australian wrestling scene remains relatively small, and Sean believes he may be the only active professional wrestler working in real estate.
“It’s funny when tenants and landlords find out – they’re always surprised,” he said.
“I don’t really look like a wrestler.”
Back at Ray White Southbank, however, the reaction has been pure support.
Ray White Southbank head of property management, Alex Mees, said the team has fully embraced Sean’s second career.
“It’s amazing; our team has been to his shows before,” Alex said.
“We even have shirts made up.”