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Exclusive: Michael Oku And Amira Open Up On Their Wrestling Journeys Ahead Of Progress Super Strong Style 16

Zack Heydorn|
Progress Wrestling Twitter

Progress Wrestling presents Super Strong Style 16 on May 4 and 5 — their signature tournament of the year — and The Takedown on SI exclusively spoke with two stars of the company ahead of the big event.

Michael Oku is sizzling on the independent wrestling circuit all over the world and spoke about his current run, what his goals are, what life is like on the indies, and how much winning Super Strong Style 16 would mean to him.

The Takedown: 2024 was a banner year for your career -- why do you think that was? What clicked for you?

Michael Oku: "I think every year of my career has been an improvement on the one prior. I can say I made a huge name for myself in 2022 and then the fact that I get a better idea of who I am as a wrestler every match, coupled with trying to make as much noise as possible, I make a bigger splash in the wrestling world yearly. 2025, I'd say so far, I'm proving to do the same."

The Takedown: What is life on the indies like at the moment? Can you speak on trends that you see? Good or bad?

Oku: "We're in a healthy state when it comes to the UK & European indie scene where talent is concerned. The way I always measure that is by how many wrestlers from these shores you're seeing around the world, and how much interest other companies are taking in our continent. AEW, WWE, and even GCW see it as beneficial to run shows in Europe."

The Takedown: Please talk about Super Strong Style -- how important is it for you to win this? Any opponents you’d like to face? How do you train for such a grueling tournament?

Oku: "I've been part of the biggest tournaments in independent wrestling: PWG BOLA, wXw 16 Carat. The glaring omission is SSS16 to the point where a lot of people don't realize this is my debut in the tournament. I'm now one of very, very few who can say they've been in all 3, and being remembered as a winner of this tournament will mean even more."

Oku's first round Super Strong Style 16 match is against Kid Lykos.

The Takedown on SI also spoke to Amira ahead of Super Strong Style 16. Amira has just a few years of experience under her belt, but has quickly moved up the ranks, working in various countries and for various promotions around the world.

Amira spoke in detail about what she's learned along the way in her career thus far, whether or not pro wrestling as a career has met expectations, and about some key career memories and moments.

The Takedown: You’re just a few years into your career, has it gone the way you thought it would? Why or why not?

Amira: "Honestly? Not at all — and that’s the magic of it. I thought I’d wrestle a few matches around Ireland, maybe hit the UK scene, but I never imagined I’d become the first Irish woman to wrestle in Costa Rica and then in arena Mexico. The journey’s been wild — I’m been blessed enough to travel round the world doing what I love. In this time I have also been on this amazing journey with Michael Oku being his valet that has changed our lives forever. I couldn’t be more grateful for my career exactly as it is."

The Takedown: What is your best memory yet?

Amira: "It has to be my debut in Mexico City. It was the first time I felt like I had finally done something and achieved a goal completely my own in wrestling. Representing Ireland meant a lot to me as well. I am forever grateful to CMLL."

The Takedown: What is the best piece of advice you’ve gotten so far?

Amira: “In a world where you can be anything, be it all and don’t dim your fire for anyone.”

The Takedown: How does working in Mexico compare to working in other areas of the world?

Amira: "Mexico is pure soul. The respect they have for lucha libre — it’s sacred. You feel it in the ring, in the streets, in the way fans live and breathe every moment. Compared to other countries, it’s less about flash and more about heart. The crowds are loud, loyal, and brutally honest — which I love. If they hate you, you’ll know. If they love you… you’ll feel it in your bones. I sobbed when I left because it felt so right to be there."

Super Strong Style 16 takes places on May 4 and May 5. You can view the event on Triller TV with the Triller+ subscription.

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Zack Heydorn
ZACK HEYDORN

Zack Heydorn has been covering the pro wrestling industry for a decade and writes news, features, and interviews for The Takedown On SI. He also hosts and cohosts a variety of WWE and AEW shows on YouTube. Heydorn is a former Assistant Editor of PWTorch and Managing Editor of SEScoops. Zack is also the author of the Hybrid Shoot book Stunning: The Wrestling Artistry of Steve Austin, which is available on Amazon. You can follow Zack on X and Bluesky.

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