Travis Banks has a shot at becoming the United Kingdom's top wrestler after winning a gruelling three-day qualifying tournament.

The man from Bulls, near Palmerston North, beat 15 other wrestlers from around the world to win the Super Strong Style 16 tournament and earn a title shot against WWE UK champion Pete Dunne.

Banks beat Tyler Bate in the qualifying final, who, at 19, became the second teenager in WWE history to win a title when he took out the first ever WWE United Kingdom Championship in January.

SUPPLIED Travis Banks salutes the crowd after winning the Progress Wrestling Super Strong Style 16 last week.

The victory adds to Banks' meteoric rise to fame on England's independent wrestling circuit, becoming the first New Zealander to challenge for one of the UK's most prestigious titles.

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Wherever he goes, English supporters have taken to Banks' exceptional, fast-paced performances, and this past tournament didn't deviate from the norm.

SUPPLIED Travis Banks, after winning the Progress Wrestling Super Strong Style 16.

His first-round match against Jimmy Havoc saw the two brawling all over the arena, throwing each other into ringside chairs – Banks even batted away chairs being thrown at him by Havoc.

After several counter moves near the end, Banks put the former Progress series champion away with a "Ki Krusher", lifting his opponent up and swinging him 180 degrees before dropping him on his back.

Four successful fights later, Banks, a pro wrestler, was crowned the Super Strong Style 16 champion for 2017.

The competition is an annual spring bank-holiday-weekend knock-out tournament, with competitors from around the world. As the winner, Banks receives a Progress Championship title match.

"It was insane. I've never heard a crowd like it before in my life," he said.

"Working out and going drills in the arena in London with all the lights and the stage... made me realise that this was exactly where I wanted to be."

His fight against "The Bruiserweight", Pete Dunne, is at London's Alexandra Palace on September 10.

It will cap off a luminous year for Banks, who was head-hunted in April for a WWE try out at Wrestlemania 33 in Florida.

"The WWE try out was great and as far as I can tell everything went well. They seemed to be genuinely impressed.

"The best part was just being there – a part of it."

Dunne will be Banks' toughest battle yet. The 23-year-old won the WWE United Kingdom Championship in May and made his professional debut aged 13.