One of the world’s leading wrestling organizations, PROGRESS Wrestling, is coming to Dubai – with a women’s title match as their main event.

While the UAE has seen female headline matches in the past, this will be an un precedented event as a title will be on the line for the first time ever in the country. The match will be part of the Sons & Daughters of the Desertevent on December 10 and will feature current champion Lana Austin taking on Kanji.

Speaking ahead of the match, Kanji hopes to inspire other girls and women, saying:“I think it is going to make a massive impact with the fans,” she said. “There is a lot of people so supportive of the event and the match – it is a great opportunity. The match can educate a lot of people around the world, and I am really looking forward to being part of that.”

While PROGRESS is based out of the UK, the wrestling program has acquired a global audience from its partnership with WWE, which sees shows available to millions of fans worldwide on the WWE Network.

Kanji sees the match not only as a chance to inspire other women, but also to represent them and show anything can be achieved given the right opportunity.

She said: “I think it (the match) is very progressive, I am so proud to be one of the women who can take that step forward and represent women around the world. I am so grateful we are being given this chance to show that women can do something like this – we just need the opportunity.

Kanji is also acutely aware of the responsibility that comes with being a pioneer and role model, and said it is not just enough to create a statement – it must be the right one in front of a new generation of young women.

“It is a huge responsibility we have to take care with it,” she said. “We are representing ourselves in front of the future and we have to do that in the right way.  The statement we are creating is so big. As a woman, and as a woman of colour, you can stand up there and be strong – and not be scared of being strong. You can be yourself and show what your identity is. I am so happy to have the opportunity to represent who I am and show others they can do the same.”

You can see Kanji in action as part of the blockbuster Sons & Daughters of the Desert show which will take place on Saturday 10 December at Warehouse Four, Al Quoz, Dubai. Alongside Kanji will be a host of top international talent, including former WWE superstars, along with some of the best independent talent in Europe, and homegrown UAE talent, Shaheen.

Tickets on sale at Virgin Tickets and in Virgin Stores across the UAE. For more information see: www.progresswrestling.com and www.instagram.com/wrestlefestdxb.