For immediate release…
written by craig giovanni
While the 2026 Master of the Mat tournament grinds on to determine who is the true top contender for the SHOOT Project World Heavyweight championship, the question on everyone's mind has to be “who will be the champion that they face?”
As of right now, champion Corey Lazarus is without a challenger for the 2026 Master of the Mat event, but that hasn't stopped some fans from voicing their opinions online.
“It has to be Jamie Johnson,” says reddit user u/hooftndataynt78, “he's undefeated and leading the Grappler's Guild all the way to glory.”
“Laz wants a challenge,” @Schwifty4Life said on Spitter, “and [Yorinabu] Sakai is THE MAN.”
Others have had wilder ideas.
“Thunderwolf for sure,” YouTube creator JooseFlap recently said during a live broadcast, “his injuries haven't ever stopped him before.”
“I'd like to see Michael Draven have a shot,” commented Spitter user @h8crewdeathrole, “he held the EWA World title like a hundred times.”
Insider sources have revealed that this topic has been the driving force behind many heated debates within the Pinnacle offices. Talents both actively in the Master of the Mat tournament and even some names not currently under contract have been discussed, with the SHOOT Project CEO himself quelling some of the rumors.
“We've been considering at least 20 different names,” Real Deal said during a brief public appearance, “but the fact is that the champion has a reasonable right of refusal. We are currently negotiating with our Mr. Lazarus, our World champion, and I believe we'll have an announcement on the matter at Zenith 14.”
Be sure to keep checking NXS.tv for further details!