Progress Wrestling set to make visit to Dubai this weekend that some consider controversial
PROGRESS Wrestling, the popular UK indie wrestling brand that’s reached international audiences through their inclusion on the WWE Network, are set to make an international trip this weekend. The London-based promotion will be heading to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates for Sons and Daughters of the Desert on December 10th to make their debut in the Middle Eastern mega-city at Warehouse Four in Al Quoz.
The initial announcement from PROGRESS about Sons and Daughters was met with some pretty intense negative backlash from a portion of the company’s fan base. Some warranted and based in fact, and some a result of jumping to conclusions that weren’t so grounded in reality.
First, we’ll address the valid concerns. Current laws in Dubai and the UAE prohibit same-sex relations and gender reassignment with very harsh penalties as a possibility for breaking these laws. This is certainly a valid concern for wrestlers that are members of the LGBTQ community that are on the PROGRESS roster. It is then the responsibility of PROGRESS to ensure that their talent is safe within the country and anything short of doing so would be unacceptable and a colossal failure.
So what does the current climate look like for members of the LGBTQ community in Dubai? One wrestler based in the area shared that the current situation is more of a “don’t ask, don’t tell” scenario. Statistics based on the enforcement of these anti-LGBTQ laws compiled by the US State Department seem to back up this claim as the study shows that there have been no arrests or prosecution for consensual same-sex conduct since 2015. However, there have been some reports of individuals being arrested under public decency laws where it was determined that they were wearing clothing “inappropriate for one’s sex” and it has reportedly led to deportation of foreign nationals residing in the country.
PROGRESS is teaming with Wrestlefest DXB, a local Dubai-based group of pro wrestlers, to bring their event to the UAE. For their part, Wrestlefest has booked LGBTQ talent in the past. Charlie Morgan, an out and proud member of the LGBTQ community, wrestled in Dubai for Wrestlefest DXB earlier this year as part of the first ever women’s match in the United Arab Emirates. Morgan wore a Pride wristband during the match and received a warm reception from the crowd at Warehouse Four, the same venue PROGRESS will be occupying for Sons and Daughters of the Desert. One Dubai-based wrestling fan remarked to WrestleMap following the event that seeing Charlie Morgan compete in her Pride gear was very cool and something that they supported wholeheartedly as it isn’t usually seen much around Dubai.
One thing to keep in mind is that not all citizens or residents of a country fully support all of their country’s rules and laws. From the previous actions taken by Wrestlefest DXB and their fans, they’ve done what they can to bring in LGBTQ talent and make them feel welcome while in their ring. As for PROGRESS, company owner Martyn Best responded to a WrestleMap inquiry regarding the climate for LGBTQ rights in the region and bringing an event to the region in the midst of that climate. Best stated, “we totally appreciate that there are some serious issues in that region which are very different to those we know about in the western world, but our view was that the best way to encourage and support change is to go there, and support those to whom change is so important. Support from afar, and keyboard fighting is nowhere near as staring a statement as turning up, even though it may be uncomfortable[,] and showing real support.”
Upon the initial announcement of Sons & Daughters of the Desert, some fans found it troubling that the Dubai Sports Council was listed as playing a part in the event. This came with accusations of PROGRESS taking a big money deal from the Emirati government and fears of sportswashing, or using sports to improve reputations tarnished by wrongdoing. In this situation, the belief being that PROGRESS had teamed up with the Emirati government to help minimize the inequality that women and the LGBTQ community face in the country by throwing a big pro wrestling event.
All of our inquiries into the possibility of a big money deal with the Emirati government, or any government money being involved at all, have shown this not to be the case. PROGRESS is adamant that this is an entirely self-funded venture, with Martyn Best telling WrestleMap “I can 100% […] confirm that we are receiving no funding from the Dubai Sports Council, nor any other government body.”
Wrestlefest DXB has also verified on their end that they are not receiving any funding from the Dubai Sports Council, or any other UAE government entity either. “There is zero funding from the government, the support from the [S]ports [C]ouncil is facilitating sports events approvals and promoting sports events on their calendars, not more not less. With Wrestlefest DXB[,] it’s as DIY & punk as it could get.” Another reason that the Sports Council has become involved with Wrestlefest and PROGRESS’s wrestling activities in Dubai that has been mentioned to WrestleMap is to legitimize the event in the eyes of the local fans. For much of the Middle East, pro wrestling is a new sport with promotions springing up in many countries only recently. Pro wrestling, as we all know as fans, can sometimes get a bad rap when mentioned alongside “legitimate sports.” For local fans to see that the Sports Council approves an event, that may help to “legitimize” the idea of trying out pro wrestling as a consumer for themselves. We also reached out to the Dubai Sports Council to inquire about any funding that they may be providing to Wrestlefest DXB but we did not receive a response.
The fact of the matter is that the pro wrestling scene in Dubai is very small. We’ve been following the happenings in Dubai over the last two years. We’ve seen Wrestlefest DXB spring up and put in work to establish a pro wrestling scene in the area. We’ve seen their wrestlers improve and venture out of the country for more experience. We’ve also seen Wrestlefest do their best to bring in some compelling international indie wrestling talent. But the fact of the matter is, this looks to be DIY indie wrestling to us. Wrestlefest is drawing their biggest crowds yet…but those crowds are still capping out at around 200 people. Two hundred seems to do a pretty good job of filling in Warehouse Four, the same venue that PROGRESS is scheduled for this weekend. These aren’t big arenas, or even government facilities as we had seen suggested by some angry fans online. These events are taking place at a music venue in the arts district of Dubai, Al Quoz. PROGRESS and Wrestlefest DXB have both expressed desire to continue to grow their fan base in Dubai, which is something that we would love to see here at WrestleMap as well as one of our favorite things to cover is the international growth of pro wrestling. However, it’s hard to see an attempt at sportswashing or a big money government deal when you have all the facts. A crowd of 200 indie wrestling fans doesn’t go very far in establishing that and outside of the fans and wrestlers on hand, and any fans that may watch the event if it does in fact become available on the WWE Network, it doesn’t seem like a worthwhile PR campaign for the Emirati government.
Instead, the Dubai-based wrestling fans and wrestlers, who have been unfairly slandered and even met with disgusting xenophobic remarks due to all of the conclusions that onlookers have jumped to surrounding this event, are going to be able to enjoy and participate in one of the highest quality wrestling events they’ve been able to experience yet. One that will hopefully go a long way in continuing to build a fan base and DIY indie wrestling scene in Dubai.
As for the wrestling at Sons & Daughters of the Desert, PROGRESS will be bringing all of their champions along. So far announced for the event:
Lana Austin puts the PROGRESS Women’s Championship on the line against Kanji
Sunshine Machine will defend the PROGRESS Tag Team Championship against Dubai-based wrestlers MK and Fayez
Big Damo will defend the PROGRESS Atlas Championship against Dan Moloney, who will be making his first return to Dubai since losing to Shaheen in a match to determine the first ever Dubai World Wrestling Championship
Shaheen will defend the Dubai World Wrestling Championship against Tate Mayfairs
Lizzy Evo and Session Moth Martina will meet in singles action
Spike Trivet will defend the PROGRESS World Championship against Axel Tischer
and Session Moth Martina will serve as the host of the night’s events!
