In a Pro Wrestling Post article last week, it was noted that Smash Wrestling roster member Idris Abraham appeared on Monday Night Raw as part of a team that opposed the Viking Raiders in the WWE. In an effort to emphasize the imposing size and dominance of the Raiders, WWE has in recent weeks has featured Erik and Ivar in short matches where they have brutalized men categorized as ‘local competitors.’ It is reminiscent of how WWE television was in the 1980s, before the advent of prime time programs like Raw, when featured superstars would have short ‘squash’ matches against unsigned locals trained in the mat game. The goal of such matches was to demonstrate the ability, athleticism, and repertoire of the featured talent. Smash Wrestling Talent A Part of WWE weekend.
On the August 12 edition of Raw, the Raiders’ dominance continued, and this time they faced off against two more members of the Smash roster. In fact, one of them, Sebastian Suave, is the founder and CEO of Smash. His partner was Carter Mason, another standout with Smash.
Smash Wrestling Talent A Part of WWE weekend
Both men also appeared two days prior on NXT: Takeover Toronto as part of the security team that tried to break up the Killian Dane-Matt Riddle brawl. Mason was the unfortunate soul who went through the tables below the stage with Rain and Riddle. Video of that is here:
It was a big week for these two men. It was also a big week for Smash Wrestling, as the promotion presented numerous independent wrestling events in the days leading up to SummerSlam. Along with their own show on Friday, August 9th which saw Suave lose a match to Impact Wrestling’s Rosemary and Mason defeat Jason Kincaid and a long-time veteran and WWE Cruiserweight Classic competitor Tyson Dux in a triple threat, Smash presented two shows by the UK’s Progress Wrestling, two shows by Germany’s wXw and two shows by China’s OWE.
Suave and Mason were not the only independent talents from the Toronto area to get multiple opportunities on WWE programming. Eighteen-year veteran Stone Rockwell was also part of the security team on Takeover. He was also in No Way Jose’s conga line on Raw. Rockwell has wrestled all over North American, and in recent years has appeared in Windsor, Ontario’s Border City Wrestling. BCW is run by Scott D’Amore. Rockwell has had multiple matches on IMPACT Wrestling, for which D’Amore is a writer and producer. He also had a WWE tryout earlier this year. Rockwell was a competitor on The Amazing Race Canada four years ago.
Overall it was a big week for independent wrestling in the Toronto area. ‘Local competitors’ getting time on WWE broadcasts was a nice capper to a busy few days with Smash Wrestling talent.
