Guest column: Smash vs Progress brings UK’s best to Toronto

Greg Oliver

16th September, 2016

By TYSON DUX and SCOTT HUNTER – For SLAM! Wrestling

Who says that there’s nothing new in professional wrestling? What about if you took two promotions, one based in Ontario and another based in the United Kingdom, and had them compete over a couple of nights? That’s the premise of this weekend’s Smash Wrestling versus Progress Wrestling. Add in the bonus of Zach Sabre Jr.’s semi-final appearance in the WWE’s Cruiserweight Classic, and it promises to be an interesting weekend. To preview it, Smash announcer Scott Hunter and a company regular, Tyson Dux — who was also in WWE’s CWC, and lost to Sabre Jr. — have penned their thoughts.

Scott Hunter – Smash Wrestling Announcer

At a time when professional wrestling is entering its next boom period, the two of the biggest independent promotions from Canada and the United Kingdom are set to do battle in a historic three-day event. Smash Wrestling vs. Progress Wrestling presents the largest stage either company has ever seen. There are no two ways about it, while the officials of both promotions have built this up as “three days of friendly competition,” it’s about so much more for members of both rosters. It’s about defending the honour of the respective promotion they bust their asses for year round. It’s about putting a company’s legacy in their hands and wearing a country’s flag over their hearts. This is no ordinary Smash Wrestling show. This is no ordinary Progress Wrestling show. This is the culmination of two promotions that have conquered their land in an incredibly short period of time and now look to conquer another.

The matchups gifted to the fans can’t be found anywhere else, no individual promotion would be able to put on anything close to this. Perhaps the most intriguing contest of the three-day event is Sunday’s matchup between Progress Wrestling’s Zach Sabre Jr. and Smash Wrestling’s Tyson Dux. Dux’s confidence has taken a hit as of late in Smash Wrestling thanks to a combination of some important losses and the antics of Kevin Bennett, but the world works in mysterious ways and now Dux has a chance to erase everything he’s been through this past year and avenge the biggest loss of his career when ZSJ forced him to submit in the opening round of the WWE Cruiserweight Classic. While Tyson Dux is prepared mentally and justifiably focused on his personal stake, the enormity of the event is not lost upon him.

This isn’t just a chance to witness to of the greatest promotions on the planet go head-to-head, this is an opportunity to witness history. This is a chance to say “I was there on that night!” three nights in a row. Both promotions will enter The Music Hall in Oshawa on Friday night eager and excited to showcase their brand, but rest assured, when all is said and done Sunday night in Toronto, neither promotion will ever be the same again. Limited tickets are still available for all three shows and further information about the events are available at smash-wrestling.com.

Tyson Dux – Smash Wrestling Competitor

So if it wasn’t a perfect enough scenario with just a simple match between two guys who pride themselves on their grappling skills, you get a rematch from the biggest stage on the planet. Straight off my loss of the WWE’s Cruiserweight Classic to Zach Sabre Jr., I get to avenge my loss with no handcuffs or restraints of the big company. I get to be the Dux you know and the one you have been following for years. I know his game but he doesn’t really know mine. This, more so than our match in the CWC, is my opportunity to show the world what they’ve been missing and why later in my career, I’m more relevant and dangerous than ever before.

What blows my mind with wrestling today, is something you’re about to witness this weekend with Smash vs. Progress. Take two independent companies with no “big money” backer, no TV time, and no former WWE, TNA or ROH stars to be the headliners and watch what sheer will power and determination will get you. In a day and age of “fly-by-night” promotions that end even before they start, it’s amazing to see both companies on opposite sides of the pond, doing so well and drawing as much buzz and fan base as they do.

What happens when you put both companies together who have given their all for the place they call home? You get magic! Talents from all over the globe will converge this weekend with pride for their own brand on the line. The winners are definitely the fans, who get to watch first hand as we battle it out to show that the way we do things is better and we have the best talent pound for pound. Progress gets to come over and witness the fans of Smash, in turn some of the greatest fans from the UK are actually flying over to lend a little support of their own. All I can say is that this is the new “Golden Era” of professional wrestling and it is an exciting time to be a part of this great both as a fan and as a part of the show.

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