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PROGRESS WRESTLING REPORT
CHAPTER 29: PRACTICALLY PROGRESS IN EVERY WAY
Sunday 24th April 2016, Electric Ballroom, Camden, London
After missing the previous show, regular announcer Jim Smallman is back and does his usual great job in warming up the crowd. He brings out former Number One Contender Mark Haskins, who asks to be inserted into the forthcoming Super Strong Style 16 tournament, and has his wish granted. He joins the previously announced Sami Callihan – making his PROGRESS début – and Mikey Whiplash in the SSS16.
The SSS16 is an annual sixteen man tournament, taking place over two days at the end of May. The winner gets a shot at the PROGRESS World Title. Last year's winner, Will Ospreay, used his title shot to defeat then-champion Jimmy Havoc. Last year's also featured PROGRESS débuts for many talents, including Roderick Strong, Big Daddy Walter and Tommaso Ciampa.
After the introductions, and Haskins' promo, we've got our opening contest and it's an Atlas Championship group stage match.
ATLAS CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP STAGE: MICHAEL DANTE vs. DAMO O'CONNOR
This is Dante's first match since the disbanding of his team with Tommy End. With End in a title match later, you can imagine Dante would be looking to impress.
This match was okay, unfortunately nothing special and rather short. With this show having eight matches – instead of the usual seven – a couple of matches felt rushed and this was one of them (or perhaps it was because Damo had an another match in Scotland in the evening). Dante hit Damo with a spear for the pin, earning two points in the group stage.
WINNER: MICHAEL DANTE
We then had our two qualifiers for the WWE Global Cruiserweight Series where we'd been begged by Jim Smallman not to swear whilst the cameras were rolling!
WWE GLOBAL CRUISERWEIGHT QUALIFIER: FLASH MORGAN WEBSTER vs. ZACK SABRE JR.
I don't think anyone expected Webster to win here, but that wasn't going to stop him attempting to win over the crowd. Unfortunately for him, he left the match with torn ligaments and an injured shoulder; which explains the couple of instances that didn't look as crisp as you'd have expected from these two.
Injuries aside, both men gave everything they had to this match; with a great mix of high flying manoeuvres (mostly from Webster) and incredibly technical submissions (mostly from Sabre). Sabre picked up the victory with a submission, and Webster was clearly in genuine pain.
WINNER: ZACK SABRE JR.
WWE GLOBAL CRUISERWEIGHT QUALIFIER: PETE DUNNE vs. JACK GALLAGHER
Pete Dunne is starting to come into his own as a hated villain and Gallagher is always over with the crowd.Another great cruiserweight match here, and one that wasn't marred by an injury! Gallagher used his superior mat skills to best Dunne, winning via submission and joining Zack Sabre Jr in the WWE Global Cruiserweight Series.
WINNER: JACK GALLAGHER
Three matches down, and the first half of the show ends with the final of the third Natural Progression Series. Usually, the NPS winner gets a guaranteed title shot and the chance to reinstate one of the wrestlers who lost in the NPS. This year, Jim Smallman announced that the reinstatement wouldn't apply as the next NPS would be to crown the first ever PROGRESS Women's Champion. After a video package highlighting the competitors journeys to the final, the music hits and and we're on.
NATURAL PROGRESSION SERIES FINAL: DAMON MOSER vs. PASTOR WILLIAM EAVER
Both men are graduates of the ProJo, PROGRESS Wrestling's training school, and this is the first time an NPS final has been contested by two ProJo trainees.
Both men were over here, but the Pastor more so. After a strong back-and-forth match, Eaver hits a quick Clothesline From Heaven and claims the NPS Trophy and accompanying future title shot.
WINNER: PASTOR WILLIAM EAVER
After being handed his trophy, Eaver thanked the fans and the promotion, and invited his tag partner Chuck Mambo and former ProJo trainee Ali Armstrong – who, due to injury, had to retire – to celebrate with him in the ring. Smallman asked for an indication as to when the Pastor might cash in his title opportunity, but Eaver said it would be whenever “he” told him to; playing off his gimmick.
After the intermission, we've got our women's tag team match, where each competitor can pick the partner of their opponent.
Black's partner TK Cooper is banned from ringside and – whilst he tried to enter the ringside area – was blocked from doing so by PROGRESS ring crew. Black announced that Pollyanna's partner would be Jinny, bringing out perhaps the most hated superstar in PROGRESS. The crowd chanted for Elizabeth – Jinny's much put-upon personal assistant – but Jinny informed us that Elizabeth was still exiled home to Italy so couldn't be here. Or so she thought. Pollyanna announced Black's partner was, surprise surprise, Elizabeth.
DAHLIA BLACK & ELIZAETH vs. POLLYANNA & JINNY
Jinny berated Elizabeth and demanded she didn't get involved. This match was far too short, but what we did have was very good. Black's selling is unbelievably good. From her tortured look when she couldn't have Cooper beside her, to her pained expressions after taking blows to the chest. Pollyanna – whose entrance now includes a Game of Thrones inspired throne – delivered as you'd expect her to. The main focus here was the interplay between Jinny and Elizabeth, which came to a head with Elizabeth eventually getting the pin over her 'employer' and Jinny going absolutely nuts afterwards and needing the crew to pull her off.
During the bout, Cooper ran down to ringside and motioned that he was going to strike Pollyanna, but Jack Sexsmith appeared and he and Cooper brawled to the back.
WINNERS: DAHLIA BLACK & ELIZABETH
Things have never been more heated between Jinny and Elizabeth; leading towards the all-female NPS tournament.
ATLAS CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP STAGE: JOE COFFEY vs. RAMPAGE BROWN
The Atlas Championship group matches all have a fifteen minute time limit, and this bout ended in a draw, and each competitor earning a point each. Before the end though, there was a great moment with both grapplers outside of the ring, charging at each other like monster trucks.
TIME LIMIT DRAW
Our next contest is a huge eight-man tag, featuring FSU and the London Riots taking on all four members of The Origin. If the Origin get the victory, all four men will be entered into the SSS16 tournament. If FSU/Riots get the win, whichever team scored the fall will become Number One Contenders for the Tag Team Titles.
FSU (Mark Andrews & Eddie Dennis) & LONDON RIOTS (James Davis & Rob Lynch) vs. THE ORIGIN (Nathan Cruz, El Ligero, Dave Mastiff & Zack Gibson)
Cruz and Ligero came to the entrance way and announced that their two partners were unavailable, so they would take on all four opponents themselves. After goading their challengers, Eddie Dennis ran to the entrance to be met by the huge Dave Mastiff, who pummelled him to a point Dennis was out of the match. Meanwhile, Zack Gibson snuck into the ring from behind and took out James Davis with a cricket bat.
The match began as a four-on-two handicap with all of The Origin competing against Andrews and Lynch, who worked really well as a team. Eventually both Eddie Dennis and James Davis would resurface and even the odds. The finish saw James Davis pinning Nathan Cruz to give the Riots a future shot at the Tag Titles.
WINNERS: FSU & LONDON RIOTS
PROGRESS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: MARTY SCURLL (c) vs. TOMMY END
After surprising everyone by knocking out the champion in a non-title match, Tommy End gets a shot at the belt. This was a good match, albeit another one hampered by a lack of time. That said, the main point of the match clearly was to start something else off as we soon found out.
The lights went off, and when they came back on Mikey Whiplash was in the ring with a steal chair. After whacking Scurll – causing End to be disqualified – Whiplash takes out End, yelling about how all of this should have been his, and how End took all of this from him.
WINNER: MARTY SCURLL
Tommy End demanded to be entered into the SSS16 to give him another chance at title match, and a potential chance to take on Whiplash. Having been entered, we now have four names entered into next month's Super Strong Style 16:
Sami Callihan
Tommy End
Mark Haskins
Mikey Whiplash
Current Atlas Championship standings:
Group A:
Group B:
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