PROGRESS Wrestling is the hottest British wrestling promotion. In 2025 the company put the wrestling world on notice and now in 2026 they have announced the first-ever women’s Super Strong Style 16 tournament.
PROGRESS Wrestling Makes History with First-Ever Women’s Super Strong Style 16 Tournament
Global-first tournament to feature first round matches taking place worldwide in Europe and North America.
PROGRESS Wrestling has announced that its iconic Super Strong Style 16
(SSS16) tournament will return on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd May 2026 at the Electric
Ballroom, Camden, and next year, history will be made.
The announcement was made at Chapter 188: UNBOXING VIII – In Search of Socks and, for the first time ever, PROGRESS will run two tournaments side by side.
Both male and female stars will be competing, marking a new era for one of the most prestigious competitions in independent wrestling.
The tenth edition of Super Strong Style 16 will see the launch of the inaugural women’s SSS16, cementing PROGRESS’ commitment to showcasing world-class wrestling talent on every front.
In another first for the globally recognised tournament, first round matches from both the female and male tournaments will take place across the globe, with promotions in Europe and North America hosting bouts as part of the opening rounds.
Confirmed partners include:
- Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw) – the German powerhouse celebrating its 25th
anniversary and renowned for helping develop international stars such as WALTER
(now known as Gunther, who has a rich history in PROGRESS too and recently
defeated legendary John Cena in his last ever match), Ilja Dragunov, and Aleister
Black. - Destiny Wrestling (Canada) – home to legendary alumni including Rey Mysterio,
Pete Dunne, Trent Seven, and Donovan Dijak, and current Women’s Champion
Gisele Shaw. - SAJ Wrestling (Italy) – one of Europe’s fastest-rising promotions, known for its
passionate fanbase and former PROGRESS World Champion, Luke Jacobs held the world title in SAJ. - Banger Zone Wrestling (BZW) (Belgium/France) – a thriving young promotion
famous for its electric atmosphere and standout matchups
More partnership announcements are expected soon, underlining PROGRESS Wrestling’s growing international pull and the strong relationships it shares across the wrestling world.
Lee McAteer, co-owner at PROGRESS Wrestling, said: “Super Strong Style 16 has always been a celebration of the best independent wrestling talent on the planet,”
“In 2026, we’re taking that legacy to the next level. For the first time, other promotions from all around the world and their fans will play a part in shaping the tournaments’ outcomes and
we’re thrilled to elevate women’s wrestling truly alongside our storied men’s competition.”
Both the men’s and women’s winners will earn a title opportunity at their respective
PROGRESS World Championships, currently held by Rayne Leverkusen and Man Like Dereiss.
Over the past decade, Super Strong Style 16 has been a launchpad for some of the biggest names in modern wrestling such as Will Ospreay, Zack Sabre Jr., Tyler Bate, Gunther (formerly WALTER), Aleister Black (Tommy End), Chris Hero, and Darby Allin, many of whom have gone on to become household names in WWE and AEW.
From its first tournament in 2015, which saw now global superstar Will Ospreay defeat Zack Sabre Jr, to recent champions like Luke Jacobs and Man Like Dereiss, the SSS16 has defined the PROGRESS brand by being fierce competition, surprise moments and unmatched passion.
Previous winner, Kid Lykos, said: “SSS16 was and is the UK’s most prestigious tournament. The list of and successes of previous winners speaks for that.
“Winning the tournament in 2023 was one of my biggest and proudest achievements, and validation of the (then) 16 years I’d given to this industry. It meant the world.”
As the landmark tenth edition leads into a new global and dual tournament format,
PROGRESS Wrestling is looking forward to the finale of Super Strong Style 16 which takes place Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd May 2026 at the Electric Ballroom, Camden.
the announcement of a former WWE superstar taking part in the first-ever women’s edition of the tournament.
Both the men’s and women’s tournaments will begin this month, with matches taking place across Europe:
- In Germany at wXw, Bobby Gunns battles Elijah Blum in the men’s opener, while rising star Zoltan faces his mentor Peter Tihanyi in a teacher-versus-trainee clash set to turn heads on 17 January.
- In Italy, the women’s bracket sees PROGRESS ace Kanji taking on hometown hero Irene in Milan – marking Irene’s highly anticipated PROGRESS debut.
- In Manchester, the action continues when former WWE superstar Shotzi Blackheart collides with former PROGRESS Women’s Champion Lana Austin in a blockbuster first-round tie.
You can watch live PROGRESS Wrestling events by signing up to Hooked On Wrestling TV.
Stay tuned to SW for the latest updates.
