Adebayo Akinfenwa in shock new career change after WWE snub and ‘never again’ experience

EXCLUSIVE: The cult hero striker has made a surprise switch into a different field after giving wrestling a go following his football retirement

Adebayo Akinfenwa has become an interior designer after trying his hand at professional wrestling following a lengthy footballing career.

Akinfenwa was renowned for his incredible build as a striker, which earned him the nickname ‘The Beast’ for his impressive physical prowess and ability to find the net. Following a 22-year career which saw him play for the likes of AFC Wimbledon, Wycombe Wanderers and Millwall, he hung up his boots in 2022 and decided to venture outside the box upon his retirement.

The Liverpool supporter recently appeared on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins. However, the 43-year-old’s time on the Channel 4 adventure competition programme put him off any adrenaline-pumping shows in the future.

Speaking exclusively to Daily Star Sport, Akinfenwa said: “It was exhilarating, stimulating and painful. Yeah, that’s the best way to put it.

“I’ve always said that I wanted to try things that were outside my comfort zone, and that was very much so. I’m afraid of heights, and I’m not a fan of water. But it was a way of coming together.

“You know, there were 12 of us that we didn’t know, and we bonded very quickly. So, it was a good experience, never again, but it was a good experience.”

When asked if he would give Strictly Come Dancing or the I’m A Celebrity jungle a go, the ex-striker added: “I don’t know if my knee can handle that, and the jungle just finished. I get very angry when I’m hungry, so I don’t know.”

Akinfenwa was set to swap football for wrestling as he made his debut alongside friend Anthony Ogogo. The pair appeared at Progress Wrestling’s Chapter 145: Wrestling Witch Face – Trick or Treat in October 2022, where they fought against Malik and Kosta Konstantino.

The duo were meant to debut in a tag match a week later, but Akinfenwa snubbed the appearance due to a shoulder injury he couldn’t shake. On Progress Wrestling’s official X account, he said his “shoulder was at 95% and I’ve been called away,” putting an end to his WWE career before it even began.

Discussing his plans to join the WWE world, the former footballer said: “To be fair, I thought about going into WWE when I retired. I did actually have my first WWE, my first wrestling match, with Antonio Ogogo.

“He was my partner. Schedules didn’t align for me to continue. So, WWE was what I thought about tackling when I retired.”

Now, Akinfenwa is getting into the business of interior designing as he teams up with renowned TV property expert Stuart Douglas on a new project called Keys or Coffee.

The interactive property prize draw lets the public help various celebrities design homes, which they can win for just £3 – the average price of a coffee.

Akinfenwa will design one room in the home alongside the likes of Jeff Brazier, Natalie Johnson and Scarlette Douglas. The Beast has shared his excitement for this new career venture and revealed his best-kept decor secrets.

Akinfenwa added: “I think Keys or Coffee is a wicked idea because it fuses somebody who’s got the aspirations of a house design without the actual funds.

“It’s as simple as today’s modern society, when we’d go out and spend money for a coffee, and then now you’ve got the opportunity of getting a whole house the way you want it, the way you sometimes see it and fantasise it.

“So combining that together, I think that’s an immense idea. And in regards to my style, I’m a simplest. I like space, you know? I don’t like overly cluttered. I’m a simplest. I like colours and I like lights.”

Akinfenwa was speaking to the Daily Star on behalf of Keys or Coffee, the UK’s first interactive property prize draw – where you can win the property you design, for the price of a coffee.