On Friday night, West Hartford hosted a series of wrestling matches presented by the East Hartford-based professional dojo Test of Strength.  

By Bridget Bronsdon 

It’s not every day West Hartford hosts professional wrestling matches, but on Friday evening, Test of Strength, a professional wrestling dojo from East Hartford, set up shop for a night of intense contests.  

Located at Warehouse 635 at 635 New Park Avenue, current and incoming wrestling stars faced off in the Rise Up event for a chance at glory. While sporting extravagant costumes, veteran and newbie athletes faced off in teams of two and individual contests. 

The crowd, energetic and animated as ever, cheered as the athletes made dramatic entrances, dueled in the ring, and ultimately went head-to-head in a test of strength. 

For several athletes, it was their biggest match yet, which was exactly the case for Jaybril Pagan, or “Young Boy.” 

For Pagan, the event was a dream come true. The young athlete wanted to be a wrestler since he was 6 years old but didn’t officially begin the sport until he was 19. 

“My first time training for wrestling was actually in 2021, I was just coming out from college. College wasn’t really working out for me, COVID hit, so I didn’t really know what to do. I found out TOS was here and ever since TOS has been my home, so it’s been really special to me,” he said. 

Since Pagan began the sport a bit later, his journey wasn’t a straight shot to success. 

“It was a struggle, I had a lot of mental breaks where I was struggling and wanted to quit because I didn’t feel like I was getting anywhere, but I was told by everybody else that I was, so I’m my biggest enemy. So it was worth the process and it was definitely a struggle, but I’m here now,” he said proudly. 

Despite the ups and downs, Pagan has remained dedicated to his training at TOS and has seen the payoff. “When we come in we’re taught to say hi to everybody and to me I was a really shy kid growing up, I still kind of am, but I’m growing out of it, so coming in it was tough to actually want to do that but now it’s so easy and they definitely opened me up.” 

Thanks to Pagan’s dedication, he has reaped the personal and professional benefits and officially put his training to the test for Rise Up. 

Contrary to the newbies, some athletes are seasoned veterans, such as Sammy Diaz who has been with TOS for seven years. 

“It’s a long and brutal journey, long car rides to a lot of different places, but the experiences are great because this is something I’ve been wanting to do since I was a child, four years old. To share the locker room with guys I’ve watched on T.V., that’s always been a cool experience,” he said. 

Diaz also remarked on the incredible friendships he has formed through the experience. 

“It’s a good experience, I love everything about it. You get what you put in,” he said. 

The night was a fantastic success for TOS as the wrestlers put on incredible performances and audience members were captivated by their strength, muscle, and resilience.

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