Tattooed Brummie ‘doesn’t recognise himself’ in jaw-dropping pics before ink

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A chiselled fitness instructor who is covered in tattoos revealed how he looked without the ink.

Tauren Jay, 29, was first inspired by body art while watching his favourite WWE wrestlers like The Undertaker and The Rock on television.

He now has a similar physique to his former heroes and he has striking black and white inkings to match.

READ MORE: 'My look is so extreme people call me a murderer – strangers spit but I don't care'

But speaking to Daily Star, he shared transformation pictures and said he is much fonder of his appearance now.

Tauren, who is from Birmingham but lives in Manchester, told us: “I look back at the photos and it is kind of how you look back at your fitness journey, you think ‘oh my god look how much I have changed over the years’.

“I look back on pictures where I don’t have tattoos and it just doesn’t look like me.

“Tattoos have that meaning and it is a physical representation of your personality and looking back I think blimey because you see how much I have progressed.

“I much prefer having tattoos and I am still looking to add more.

“When I look at myself now, it is me. With the tattoos that is my personality and it is me.

“Without them it just doesn’t seem like me and that identity is not there as much.”

Tauren got his first tattoo aged 18 – an open and closed rose on his chest for his mum who was a single parent.

But his pals advised him not to get his dream throat tattoo in case it scuppered his job opportunities going forward.

He remembered: “I just always wanted a throat piece.

“When I was interested in trying to get bigger and I was watching these wrestlers with tattoos and I was also into alternative music like rock and metal.

“A lot of the artists were covered in ink and there was one in particular who had a throat piece and I thought ‘wow that is so cool’ and since then I wanted one.

“But from the age of 18 everyone I spoke to said ‘no you don’t want one of them because it might jeopardise your career’ etc.

“I said ok and held off and decided to wait three or four years but that interest never subsided so I went for it.

“I established myself in personal training and in the industry having tattoos is not discriminated against so I was pretty safe getting it done.”

His tattoos have been a big talking point when interacting with curious strangers and his most meaningful ones include a piece on his leg to remember his late brother and father.

And although he said his designs tell the story of his life – there was one he regretted.

He has since covered it up with a rose but initially it was a tattoo of his ex-girlfriend's lips on his lower abdomen.

“Obviously it wasn’t the smartest choice I have made in my life,” he laughed.

Despite the one ill-informed tattoo, Tauren is now pleased with his aesthetic and he shares throwback snaps to his 101,000 followers on Instagram.

Commenting on one, a fan replied: “You look lovely in both pictures, don't let anyone tell you different.”

Another said: “That’s your transformation I thought it was someone else, well congrats dude.”

A third added: “Beautiful transformation and wow, respect.”

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