When I was asked about writing an article about the Super Smash Brothers, I was thrilled with the opportunity, as I'm very familiar with their work and consider them one of the best tag teams on the independent scene. The combination of Player Uno and Stupefied Player Dos took their admiration for classic video games and blended it with a passion for professional wrestling to form a Nintendo inspired tag team. However, long before the Canadian natives stepped inside of the ring, they watched their heroes and dreamed of pursing the sport. There's an extensive history of exports from Canada that have made their mark on the pro wrestling industry, including legends such as Bret Hart, Chris Jericho, and many others. The tradition of Canadian athletes finding fame in The United States continues today with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn being top prospects for the WWE's NXT division.
When asked about what influenced him to chase his dream and the sacrifices it took to make it happen, Uno's response spoke volumes as to how dedicated he is to his craft. "I always loved wrestling. My mom
raised me to watch it and it was my passion from early on in my
childhood. I never thought I’d get to be a wrestler, but when I was 14
and saw the opportunity to train for wrestling, I jumped in. I paid it
all by myself, with money I worked for. I had two jobs from my late teens,
all while handling a full time school schedule, paying an apartment,
going to training and doing shows. I was really dedicated to make it
happen."
Player Uno had his first pro match at just 16 and shorty after his debut, he met one of the new trainees at the small training center he attended. The new addition to the school was Stupefied, who would later become Player Dos after he and Uno became friends through their pursuit of wrestling. Ironically enough, the pairing was only supposed to last for a few months while Dos polished his skills, but nearly ten years later the duo is one of the most popular teams on the independent circuit.
Within just a few years of joining the pro ranks, Uno and Dos were building a fan following in their native country when Chikara pro, one of the more well known independent companies in the United States, offered them the chance to join the promotion in 2007. Chikara is known as a family friendly promotion that uses an array of colorful characters and some humor to create a unique atmosphere for their events, which suited the 8-bit influenced tag team perfectly. Another staple of Chikara Pro is the mixture of wrestling styles, including lucha libre, Japanese, and the traditional technical aspects that the organization presents its fans. Again, The Smash Brothers excelled and showed American audiences their action packed in ring skills, which elevated their profile in the United States. Their impressive ability inside the squared circle brought The Smash Brothers championship recognition when they had a brief stint as Chikara tag team champion in 2007 and the success continued as Dos won the Young Lions Cup in 2009 before the duo concluded their run in the promotion in 2010.
As the pair became more well known in America, Ring Of Honor, the third largest promotion in the country, asked the team to work with the company in 2009. The Smash Brothers appeared at ROH shows for about a year and performed several matches that eventually aired for the HD Net cable channel. The increased exposure led to an invitation to Pro Wrestling Guerrilla in 2011 and their trips to the California based promotion received rave reviews from the diehard audience at American Legion Post #308 in Reseda. PWG is considered among many to be the top independent group in the United States and thus, just the opportunity to wrestle there is seen as an accomplishment because of the amount of talent that inquire about a spot on the card. The Smash Brothers not only had a spot on the card, but also really flourished there as they became a fixture of the promotion and won the PWG tag team titles in 2012. During the run as champions, they were involved in a three way ladder match with Future Shock and The Young Bucks, which is regarded as one of the best matches in the company's twelve year history.
Just as Uno and Dos seemed to be at the peak of their career in early 2013, they suddenly didn't wrestle on their usual cards. It was later noted that The Smash Brothers weren't permitted to work in the United States and the exact regulations about what is or isn't allowed depends on individual boarder agents. Obviously, the Smash Brothers wanted to go through the right channels to get the proper paper work needed to continue working outside of Canada and they started the visa process immediately after they were told it would be a requirement for future travels. Uno expressed his frustration with the tedious application process, as it left their career somewhat in lingo and said, "It’s the most confusing process ever. It’s quite ridiculous the hoops you have to jump in to get a US Work Visa for pro wrestling. I never anticipated it being this difficult and this long of a process. It’s quite nerve raking."
Hopefully, the Super Smash Brothers will get approved and can continue wrestling internationally because it would be extremely disappointing to see this talented team not get a chance to work to their potential. As a commentator for a local Pittsburgh promotion, I can tell you how important it is that competitors are well rounded with in ring skills as well as a marketable character, and the Smash Brothers bring both elements to the table. In many respects, the solid in ring ability adds substance to a match and an entertaining character allows the character to become more versatile for different storylines. Obviously, the Smash Brothers have been entertaining crowds for over a decade and if they are permitted to wrestle internationally, they would probably be well received in Japan, as the tech savvy country would enjoy the Smash Brothers' character. Regardless of what country or city The Super Smash Brothers wrestle for next, you can expect a great match and a bright future for them.
Within just a few years of joining the pro ranks, Uno and Dos were building a fan following in their native country when Chikara pro, one of the more well known independent companies in the United States, offered them the chance to join the promotion in 2007. Chikara is known as a family friendly promotion that uses an array of colorful characters and some humor to create a unique atmosphere for their events, which suited the 8-bit influenced tag team perfectly. Another staple of Chikara Pro is the mixture of wrestling styles, including lucha libre, Japanese, and the traditional technical aspects that the organization presents its fans. Again, The Smash Brothers excelled and showed American audiences their action packed in ring skills, which elevated their profile in the United States. Their impressive ability inside the squared circle brought The Smash Brothers championship recognition when they had a brief stint as Chikara tag team champion in 2007 and the success continued as Dos won the Young Lions Cup in 2009 before the duo concluded their run in the promotion in 2010.
As the pair became more well known in America, Ring Of Honor, the third largest promotion in the country, asked the team to work with the company in 2009. The Smash Brothers appeared at ROH shows for about a year and performed several matches that eventually aired for the HD Net cable channel. The increased exposure led to an invitation to Pro Wrestling Guerrilla in 2011 and their trips to the California based promotion received rave reviews from the diehard audience at American Legion Post #308 in Reseda. PWG is considered among many to be the top independent group in the United States and thus, just the opportunity to wrestle there is seen as an accomplishment because of the amount of talent that inquire about a spot on the card. The Smash Brothers not only had a spot on the card, but also really flourished there as they became a fixture of the promotion and won the PWG tag team titles in 2012. During the run as champions, they were involved in a three way ladder match with Future Shock and The Young Bucks, which is regarded as one of the best matches in the company's twelve year history.
Just as Uno and Dos seemed to be at the peak of their career in early 2013, they suddenly didn't wrestle on their usual cards. It was later noted that The Smash Brothers weren't permitted to work in the United States and the exact regulations about what is or isn't allowed depends on individual boarder agents. Obviously, the Smash Brothers wanted to go through the right channels to get the proper paper work needed to continue working outside of Canada and they started the visa process immediately after they were told it would be a requirement for future travels. Uno expressed his frustration with the tedious application process, as it left their career somewhat in lingo and said, "It’s the most confusing process ever. It’s quite ridiculous the hoops you have to jump in to get a US Work Visa for pro wrestling. I never anticipated it being this difficult and this long of a process. It’s quite nerve raking."
Hopefully, the Super Smash Brothers will get approved and can continue wrestling internationally because it would be extremely disappointing to see this talented team not get a chance to work to their potential. As a commentator for a local Pittsburgh promotion, I can tell you how important it is that competitors are well rounded with in ring skills as well as a marketable character, and the Smash Brothers bring both elements to the table. In many respects, the solid in ring ability adds substance to a match and an entertaining character allows the character to become more versatile for different storylines. Obviously, the Smash Brothers have been entertaining crowds for over a decade and if they are permitted to wrestle internationally, they would probably be well received in Japan, as the tech savvy country would enjoy the Smash Brothers' character. Regardless of what country or city The Super Smash Brothers wrestle for next, you can expect a great match and a bright future for them.
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