Putting a spotlight on diverse athletes in Montreal wrestling ring

The IWS Wrestling Federation in Montreal pushes to train and include women and 2SLGBTQ+ athletes in their shows.

“It looks like it’s a man’s world, but it is not,” said Melanie Havok, IWS professional wrestler and new IWS Womens Champion. “If you have passion, you can do anything.”

Havok gained her title at the recent IWS “Scarred 4 Life” show – which included the biggest IWS Womens Championship match ever.

“I think that more women just make things better. I think that more LGBTQ characters just make things better,” said IWS executive director, Andrew Stott also known as ‘Professor H’ Shayne Hawke.

“I think having those checks and balances of not just one single point of view makes for a better, stronger piece of narrative fiction,” he explained.

Melanie Havok, professional wrestler, is the new IWS Womens Champion. (Credit: CityNews)

Putting a spotlight on diverse athletes in their ring is something Stott was proud to spearhead.

“As we have these diverse voices, it puts together something that is much more multicultural,” he said.

“There was a time when it wasn’t like this and we didn’t have that representation,” explained professional wrestler, Dani Leo. “Now, if you look around all of us look so different, and we have different looks, and we come from different walks of life.”

Some of the IWS members posing together for a photo at the IWS training centre in Montreal North on Aug. 11, 2022. (Credit: CityNews)

Broadcasting their matches monthly on the Fight Network to over a million viewers, in 22 countries, the IWS has evolved since it was founded in 1998 at Montreal’s Dawson College.

“You’re going to have a lot of people that doubt you, tell you that you can’t do it,” said Dexter Haynes, IWS student. “But if you have that willing power and the Lord telling you can do it and believing it, you can make anything you want.”

“It’s a family, we’re all in this together,” added professional wrestler, Alex Maze. “We’re supporting each other.”

IWS executive director, Andrew Stott, in the IWS training centre ring with professional wrestler, Alex Maze on Aug. 11, 2022. (Credit: CityNews)

“You can have people eating out of the palm of your hand when you do some good storytelling,” said professional wrestler, Jessika Black. “And that’s just beautiful.”

The results of their diverse team, speak for themselves, as the IWS “Scarred 4 Life” show sold out Montreal’s L’Olympia.

Their next show, on Oct. 15 at Club Unity in Downtown Montreal.

“Breaking barriers,” said Vanessa Lapointe, IWS student. “Showing that, you know, women could do just the same as men.”

“Montreal is a multicultural city and a wrestling city,” added Stott. “So we have to do our city proud, and we’re trying to do that here at the IWS.”