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London, England – May 6, 2025 – It’s official: Man Like Dereiss has been crowned the winner of the 2025 PROGRESS Wrestling Super Strong Style 16 tournament, triumphing in a thrilling finale at the Electric Ballroom in Camden.
Dereiss pinned his tag team partner and best friend, Leon Slater, in the tournament final on May 5th to capture the prestigious SSS16 prize. He sealed the victory with a spectacular Four Fiddy splash off the top rope, bringing the crowd to its feet as the three-count was made.
The hard-fought final – which pitted two members of the “Boisterous Behaviour” tag team against each other – was a match-of-the-year contender.
In earning this accolade, the Birmingham-born high-flyer – nicknamed “The Lyrical Dragon” for his charisma and lyrical flow – has etched his name in PROGRESS history alongside past winners like Will Ospreay, Tommy End, Zack Sabre Jr and last year’s champion, Luke Jacobs.
“Your #SSS16 winner is Man Like DeReiss. It’s coming home!!!” PROGRESS Wrestling announced jubilantly on social media as Dereiss celebrated his breakthrough triumph in front of a raucous London crowd.
En route to the final, Dereiss navigated a gauntlet of top competitors over the two-day tournament. On Day 1, he submitted Ethan Allen in the opening round. Returning on Day 2 with momentum, he scored a pinfall over Japan’s Masa Kitamiya in the quarter-finals, then defeated British powerhouse Charlie Sterling in the semi-finals to punch his ticket to the final.
Slater, meanwhile, blazed his own path to the final by overcoming Scotland’s Jack Morris, Spanish high-flyer Zozaya, and current Rev Pro Champion Michael Oku in successive rounds.
The field of 16 this year was stacked with international stars, wily veterans and rising prospects, making Dereiss’ undefeated run all the more impressive.
For Man Like Dereiss, 27, the SSS16 tournament victory is a career-defining moment that comes after years of perseverance. Just last year, his Super Strong Style campaign ended in heartbreak when Shelton Benjamin cost him a match and dashed his 2024 tournament hopes.
Beyond the prize and bragging rights, Dereiss’s SSS16 triumph carries major implications for his future. The Super Strong Style 16 tournament winner earns a guaranteed shot at the PROGRESS Men’s World Championship.
After years of establishing himself as one of Britain’s most dynamic and charismatic wrestlers, the former PROGRESS Tag Team Champion now stands on the cusp of the ultimate prize in his home promotion.
For more information and full results, visit progresswrestling.com or follow PROGRESS Wrestling on social media.
