Master of the Mat
2026
The time has come. SHOOT Project is proud to announce the full field for the 2026 Master of the Mat -- the annual tournament that has produced some of the most defining moments in this company's history. This year's field is the most competitive we have ever assembled, and the stakes have never been higher.
Sixteen singles competitors. Eight tag teams. Two separate brackets. One path to the top of SHOOT Project.
What's on the Line
Singles Tournament Winner
SHOOT Project World Heavyweight Championship Match
Tag Team Tournament Winner
SHOOT Project Pantheon Championships Match
Tournament Rules
Format
Single elimination. Sixteen competitors in the singles bracket. Eight teams in the tag bracket. The bracket will be drawn and announced prior to the first round.
Seeding
The SHOOT Project Premier Champion enters as the #1 Seed. The SHOOT Project Empire State Champion enters as the #2 Seed.
The Eliminator Rule
Any match in the singles tournament that involves the Premier Champion or the Empire State Champion is designated an Eliminator Match.
Should the champion be eliminated in an Eliminator Match, the competitor who defeats them earns a guaranteed future championship match for the respective title -- regardless of their continued progress in the tournament. The titles themselves are not on the line, but the opportunity to challenge for them is.
Singles Field — 16 Competitors
#1 Seed
Izzy Sia
Premier Champion
#2 Seed
Johnny Napalm
Empire State Champion
Jamie Johnson
Josiah Hudson
Ignatius Albert Martin
Vito Valentino
The Darkspade
Mike de los Huesos
Arthur Pleasant
Laura Seton
Madison Seton
KATSUMI
Holden Nobody
Aiden Vanity
Ricky Tenet
Yorinobu Sakai
Tag Team Field — 8 Teams
Spinebuster Island
The Moonshiners
Chad Kyle & PigPen
Michael Draven & X-Calibur
The World Warriors
Curtis Rose & Alex Vaka
Fear & Loathing
DeMONSTRANCE
UCA
FINAL TEAM: TBD
The bracket draw and first round matchups will be announced prior to Zenith 13. Every competitor in this field has earned their place. Only one will claim the prize.
Master of the Mat 2026
The Tournament Begins