HEAVYWEIGHT wrestler Yokozuna can certainly pack a lunch.

The 45-stone mean, but far from lean eating machine, staged a ringside tummy rumble in front of 600 flabbergasted people at Brighton's Dome on Saturday night.

After the British Wrestling Federation bout, staged on a specially-reinforced ring to prevent the Dome's floor being damaged, Samoan-born Yokozuna spoke of his recipe for success.

His light afternoon snack consisted of three T-bone steaks, served with piles of potatoes, and two massive bowls of pasta washed down with several pots of coffee saturated with cream and sugar.

For dinner he has been known to plough through three or four main courses in one sitting.

Yokozuna gave rival wrestlers Skull Murphy and Blondie Barratt a licking, then told the Argus: "I absolutely love giant Snickers. You know the really big ones. If I'm craving chocolate after a win then four or five of them will do for starters."

Shane Palmer, master of ceremonies for the wrestling tour, said: "Every time I see him he's eating.

"When we stop off at a town to buy a packet of crisps, he's off in search of a spaghetti bolognese and loads of chicken.

"I can honestly say I've never seen such an eating machine in my life."

But 34-year-old father-of-two Yokozuna, who takes up three airline seats when flying, said: "I'm 6ft 5in so I carry my weight well. I'm very agile and when I see my opponents coming I swoop in for the kill.

"My whole family is large. It's in our blood. I've grown up being surrounded by the wrestling world and ten members of my family are also wrestlers.

"We call ourselves The Wild Samoans and we are all famous for our size.

"I've got a very chilled philosophy. I just go with flow, eat what I like, listen to what I like and hang out with people like my cousin Fatu, who is my wrestling partner.

"Nothing makes me mad. I'm so big that when I walk in the ring everyone else runs for cover. That's the secret of my success."

It is Yokozuna's famous Banzai Blockbuster belly-flop which creates ripples of fear among his rivals.

Promoter Nick Wilson said: "We had to modify the ring with steel girders. We didn't feel the canvas was strong enough and if it all collapsed it would be a disaster."

Darren Johns, 11, from Brading Road, Brighton, waved a huge sign saying "Yokozuna Rules" during the wrestling match.

Darren said: "He came over after the match and signed my programme. He shook my hand and I thought he would crush it. He was really gentle, but his fingers looked as big as my arm."

Yokozuna and Fatu will be shaking the foundations of Crawley Leisure Centre on May 1st as they continue their British tour.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.