Josh Alexander is set to take on a major role in developing the next generation of Canadian professional wrestling talent. Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling announced on Friday that Alexander will be the head coach of its Can-Am Dojo academy when the training facility reopens in October.

The reopening brings the Can-Am Dojo back under the Maple Leaf Pro banner as a dedicated training environment for aspiring and experienced wrestlers. MLP head Scott D’Amore will serve as the dojo’s general manager, while Alexander will lead the in-ring and career-development side of the operation as head coach.

Maple Leaf Pro has described the academy as a state-of-the-art, 4,000-square-foot facility designed to provide training for wrestlers at varying points in their development. The program is expected to include beginner and advanced courses, allowing students entering the business for the first time to train alongside performers looking to refine established fundamentals and broaden their professional skill sets.

Alexander’s appointment places an active, high-level wrestler in a central instructional position. Known as one of Canada’s most accomplished modern wrestlers, Alexander will now be responsible for helping shape the curriculum and daily training environment for students at the relaunched dojo.

A New Chapter For The Can-Am Dojo

The Can-Am Dojo’s October reopening is positioned as more than a standard wrestling school launch. Maple Leaf Pro is presenting the academy as a full-spectrum developmental environment that will address both the physical demands of performing in a ring and the professional responsibilities that come with pursuing wrestling as a career.

In addition to routine classes, the academy plans to host seminars and clinics with prominent names from across the wrestling industry. Those sessions are intended to give students exposure to a wider variety of teaching styles and professional experiences while covering subjects that can be difficult to learn through match practice alone.

The planned areas of instruction include in-ring technique, promo work, character development, brand building, etiquette, and professional conduct. That broad approach reflects the modern reality of professional wrestling, where performers are expected to bring far more than athletic ability to a promotion, event, or training session.

For newer trainees, the chance to study fundamentals in a structured environment can be vital. For advanced students, specialized clinics may offer a chance to strengthen weaknesses, reconsider presentation choices, and gain a clearer understanding of what is expected in professional settings. Maple Leaf Pro’s outlined program seeks to serve both groups rather than limiting the facility to one experience level.

The focus on promotional ability and character work is particularly notable. Wrestling careers are built not only through moves and matches, but also through a performer’s ability to communicate, develop a recognizable identity, and understand how that identity is presented to crowds and within the wider industry. The academy’s stated goal is to prepare students for the business inside and outside the ring.

Alexander Brings Active-Roster Experience

Alexander’s position as head coach comes at a busy point in his own wrestling schedule. He returned on this week’s AEW Dynamite, where he attacked Darby Allin. The angle immediately put Alexander back into the conversation on AEW programming while the Maple Leaf Pro announcement adds another significant responsibility to his professional workload.

That combination gives the Can-Am Dojo a head coach who remains directly connected to the demands of major televised wrestling. Active performers can offer trainees a current perspective on ring pacing, television presentation, physical preparation, communication, and the constant need to adapt in a changing industry.

There is also value in having a coach who can discuss the difference between learning moves and learning how to apply them in an actual professional environment. A training session can establish the mechanics of a hold, sequence, or fall. A coach with contemporary experience can also help provide context about timing, safety, audience response, match structure, and the discipline necessary to build trust with fellow wrestlers.

Alexander’s role does not change the immediate uncertainty surrounding how the academy’s individual courses, schedules, instructors, and seminar guests will be rolled out. Maple Leaf Pro has confirmed the broad training vision and the leadership structure, but the October reopening will be the key moment for seeing how that plan takes shape in practice.

Scott D’Amore Oversees The Operation

As general manager of the Can-Am Dojo, Scott D’Amore will oversee the academy’s operations as it returns under the Maple Leaf Pro umbrella. The pairing of D’Amore and Alexander gives the school a leadership structure that combines organizational oversight with a head coach focused on the actual training experience.

The arrangement is significant for Maple Leaf Pro because a wrestling academy can serve several purposes at once. It can create a place for newcomers to begin training, provide further education for wrestlers already working independently, and establish a pipeline of performers who understand the promotion’s standards and expectations.

For a promotion building its identity, a dojo can also become an important long-term investment. Matches and events create immediate attention, but a training program can influence the talent landscape for years by giving wrestlers access to instruction, feedback, and opportunities to develop before reaching larger stages.

Maple Leaf Pro’s emphasis on etiquette and professional conduct suggests the operation will stress the culture of the business as well as the visible performance side. Those elements include how wrestlers prepare, communicate, conduct themselves around training and events, and approach the responsibilities that accompany working with promoters, opponents, coaches, and audiences.

That kind of training is difficult to quantify in a single class, but it can be an essential part of a wrestler’s development. The academy’s mission, as outlined by MLP, is intended to give students tools for navigating the entire profession rather than simply teaching what happens between the ropes.

What The Academy Plans To Offer

The Can-Am Dojo will welcome wrestlers at every stage of their journey through both beginner and advanced options. While Maple Leaf Pro has not detailed the exact structure of each course, the announced training topics outline a clear range of areas that students can expect the program to address.

  • Foundational and advanced in-ring instruction.
  • Promo skills and verbal presentation.
  • Character development for performers establishing an identity.
  • Brand-building guidance relevant to a wrestling career.
  • Industry etiquette and professional conduct.
  • Specialized seminars and clinics featuring notable wrestling figures.

The seminar component may be especially important for trainees seeking different perspectives. Wrestling is learned through repetition and coaching, but it is also shaped by exposure to people with varied backgrounds, styles, and experiences. A school that supplements regular instruction with guest-led sessions can offer students opportunities to absorb lessons beyond one core coaching voice.

At the same time, the presence of a consistent head coach is crucial. Students need continuity in expectations and feedback, particularly as they move from basic drills into more advanced work. Alexander will be tasked with providing that stability as the academy begins its new chapter.

October Reopening Creates A New Training Destination

The Can-Am Dojo will reopen in October with Alexander at the center of its day-to-day wrestling instruction and D’Amore guiding it as general manager. The facility’s 4,000-square-foot footprint and stated range of programming indicate that Maple Leaf Pro intends to establish a serious home for wrestling education rather than a limited short-term project.

For prospective students, the announcement offers a defined destination with a clear leadership team and an education model that reaches beyond ring drills. For Maple Leaf Pro, it creates an opportunity to cultivate future talent while strengthening its presence within Canadian professional wrestling.

Alexander’s return to AEW television after attacking Darby Allin ensures that he enters the coaching position as an active figure in the wrestling landscape. That visibility, combined with D’Amore’s role in the operation, gives the reopened Can-Am Dojo an experienced foundation heading into October.

More details on enrollment, course timing, and the academy’s first seminars have not been announced. What is confirmed is that the Can-Am Dojo is returning, Josh Alexander will lead its training program, and Maple Leaf Pro is aiming to provide students with preparation for every major aspect of a professional wrestling career.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.