The meaty clash of bodies slamming against the mat reverberated through Selkirk Stadium's foundations on the weekend after a unique convention came to town.
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It was a special four days for Ballarat's wrestling fans, as legendary WWE star Bret Hart led a cadre of talented performers to the city for global wrestling event Starrcast.
The convention saw Ballarat's Selkirk Stadium transformed into a wrestling area, complete with jumbotron, for an all-women's event HER on Friday night and Bret Hart's Stampede wrestling show on Saturday night.
Two-time WWE champion Lisa Marie Varon, known as Victoria during her time with WWE, said the shows were a roaring success.
"The people are so freaking nice, they are very laid back and very respectful. It has been an amazing weekend," she said.
"I get very emotional when I see women wrestlers. I am much older than these girls so I feel like a grandma, very proud of my kids succeeding."
HER was a show put on by women's wrestling pioneer Mickie James, and featured both local and international female wrestlers.
Varon was able to commentate on the event and present an award to its winner, but not without some trouble.
"I went to raise the champion's hand, and the bad guy came out and she pushed me, I had to get revenge, so I hit the Widow's Peak," Varon said.
The Widow's Peak was Varon's signature move during her time as a WWE Diva.
She said it was an honour to be able to share the ring once again with female wrestlers, who she hoped she had set an example for.
"Other girls paved the way for me, I hope I paved the way for some new talent. We all studied each other. It is a family," Varon said.
"It is incredible. When it first started, female wrestlers were at circuses as a freak, wrestling alligators and stuff like that, but now it is prestigious. You are a strong woman, a very independent, powerful woman."
Wrestlers were out and about in the city for the weekend's festivities, paying a visit to the Ballarat Wildlife Park among other places between engagements.
The biggest draw of them all was Hart, with many a fan in his iconic pink and black seen walking about town.
Managing director of Oceania Pro Wrestling Cam Vale was also impressed with the success of the weekend's event.
He said it was an example of why more international acts needed to come out to regional Australia.
"The feedback has been really strong and really positive from the most important people, and that is the fans and the talent," Mr Vale said.
The organiser said 503 people attended Selkirk for Friday night's event, and 1126 came out on Saturday night.
"The venues, with the Mining Exchange and Civic Hall, were outstanding for that fan engagement. Selkirk Stadium proved that it can be a very, very good multi-purpose venue for sport based on what we saw on Friday and Saturday night," Mr Vale said.
"A lot of people internationally really only know Sydney, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Melbourne. Therefore, showing other regional cities is a big part of that.
"That fans have been so thankful and welcoming to us and they want to see it."
Oceania Pro Wrestling, the company which put on the event, will be coming back to Ballarat's Civic Hall in August - for pre-sale tickets, head online.
