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Hi all, I'm Clint and this is my 1st Progress Wrestling review as a new team member. Today I did an 8hr round trip for the graps. As a fan of this time of year as well as Progress, I was looking forward to the show. Not only for the wrestling but the vibe and it didn't let us down.
Jerry Bakewell was our host for this evening and was in fine form.
Spike Trivet opened the show with the Smoking Aces. Lykos Gym came out and all hell ensued. Lykos was determined to get a shot at the Progress Title and Spike said he had to prove himself again and he would get the chance in the Main Event tonight. If Lykos Gym could defeat Progress Tag Team Champions the Smoking Aces in a Street Fight then he would get another shot.
Charlie Sterling in double denim and Nick Riley were brilliant in this segment. After the chaos had calmed down they kept going back for more pretending to try and get to Lykos Gym through a wall of ring crew. On the stage, Spike said to the crowd at one point "They're worth every penny you know" which was amusing.
JB - "Thank god we didn't book a Main Event eh."
Crowd - 😂😂😂
JB - "We've got a fancy dress Halloween competition tonight where you can win £100 and Progress tickets for 1st place and £50 for 2nd place. It looks like there's about 5 or 6 of you competing"
Tate Mayfairs Vs Yoshiki Inamura
JB - Tom Scarborough is referring the next match. A loving Father and Husband.
Tate was introduced as being responsible for the highest selling show in Scandinavian history 🤷🏻♂️
Inamura's power meant he dominated much of the match but Tate Mayfairs not only won but did so without his usual sneaky tactics.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
JB - "In the words of Davina Mccoll, shall we have another?"
Sanity (Big Damo and Axel Tischer) Vs Paul Robinson and Malik.
Kosta Konstantino told Robbo before the match that his Proteus title had been stolen and he would find out by whom and deliver them to him.
The referee for the match was introduced by Jerry Bakewell as having won the 1997 Les Dennis award for bravery.
Sanity got a decent pop and started this match on fire. Robbo and Malik worked over Damo for a period of time before Axel got the hot tag. The crowd enjoyed singing "Shake that Axe for me". A throwback to when Joe Hendry did a parody video at Wrestle Carnival. (It's worth looking up). Sanity got the win with a Suplex/Powerslam combo. They then said they're coming for the Progress Tag Team titles and Eric Young would be joining them next month. An EY chant broke out.
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
JB - "I better do birthday shout outs. Non of us like it." He then asked where 2 people who had Birthdays were from and they both said London. "Imagine that. Do you know each other?"
A Cheryl chant broke out for the Birthday girl and JB said he'd have to put her in the Main Event if it was any louder. The crowd then upped the volume and JB announced the Street Fight Main Event as a triple threat including Cheryl.
Nina Samuels Vs Aleah James
The poor ref was introduced as a full time referee and part time lover.
I've seen Aleah James at NXT UK shows and was intrigued to see what she could do with more time and freedom. Nina Samuels is a great opponent to show that and they put together a match that will have fans wanting to see both again soon. Samuels came out on top. It is the Nina Samuels show after all.
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JB - "Give it up for Aleah James. Didn't she do well. That's my Bruce Forsyth. She will do well. That's my Bruce foresight. What about Nina Samuels hat? Hold me closer tiny.........
Crowd - "Hattttttttttt"
The title of this years Unboxing on Saturday 30th December (the end of year show where nothing is announced in advance that is usually fun, has returns, debuts and 1 off appearances) was announced as Unboxing VI and a Movie.
JB - "Anyone could turn up. Bobby Davro. Brian Blessed. The bloke from Homes under the Hammer".
We were also reminded Liverpool promotion TNT is now on Demand Progress.
JB - "Our referee for this match is Tom Scarborough. He's not from Scarborough. He's from Watford".
Nathan Cruz Vs Gene Munny
Billed as a match between 2 men on a losing run. Gene was introduced as being from the City of dreams, Milton Keynes. Munny hit plenty of offense including his Fat Morgan Webster roll but Cruz won the match after the referee had his eyesight obscured. Nathan put Gene Munny's foot inbetween both of his legs and made a long noise with his hands as though he'd been kicked low. The referee turned around and disqualified Gene Munny.
In my decades of watching wrestling I'd never seen that finish and was impressed with the idea.
With Cruz in the aisle, a second referee came out and the match was restarted. Gene Munny quickly won after the restart. VAR in wrestling?
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JB - "Are you ready for the Main Event Cheryl? I've got a Tenner on you"
The Halloween fancy dress competition was up next with entires of Skye Smitson, Rey Mysterio, Nina Samuels and Michael Myers amongst others.
JB - "I know we're having fun here but let's put some perspective on it. This is a grown man who has come dressed up today Vs a Child." The crowd were having non of it.
Shake Shake Senora played which is a sign at Progress that the 2nd half is about to start. A long conga line surrounded the ring to the song.
WARRIOR WRESTLING TITLE MATCH
KC Navarro Vs Brent Banks Vs Jack Bandicoot Vs Vaughn Vertigo
This was my match of the night. A fast paced and high flying affair. Brent Banks hadn't been in the UK since he was at Progress in 2019. He hasn't lost a beat and the crowd got more behind him as the match went. Jack Bandicoot impressed again and Vaughn Vertigo held his own. I hadn't seen KC Navarro before but on this showing I hope he's back soon. KC retained.
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Luke Jacobs Vs Warren Banks.
Banks stepped up to be Eddie Kingstons replacement after he announced he could no longer do indie dates due to his commitments and schedule. Jacobs must have been happy with this as he made short work of Banks.
⭐️⭐️3/4
After the match, Warren Banks announced that he was retiring soon and was finishing up his booked dates. Gene Munny came out and was having non of this. He praised Banks and said he should be performing all around the world. He told an amusing story from 'Good Wrestling' where they had a match that went to the car park. Warren whipped Gene into a van that was rented and not insured so they had to pay the £700 costs between them.
Banks asked if Munny would be his final opponent at next months Progress supershow. Gene said no. Banks said he's happy and the world would get to see him thrive. Just not in the ring. He asked Gene once more and Gene accepted before head butting Banks and leaving. It seemed like Gene was saying if we're doing this we're dojng it properly.
PROGRESS WOMENS TITLE MATCH
Lana Austin Vs Alexxis Falcon
The Lana Austin experience were banned from ringside for this match after Alexxis trapped Lana in a submission in Sheffield last month and got her to agree.
A video package played before the match which helped give it a big match feel.
Alexxis Falcon came out dressed as Chucky from Childs Play. It's been a big part of her development as a character in Progess this year that she'll no longer hide her love of things like Disney and Cosplay.
Rob Drake accompanied Lana to the ring as she stated he wasn't part of the Lana Austin experience.
A back and forth match ensued which included a suplex to Falcon on the wooden floor. The referee was knocked down and Rob entered the ring with a chair.
BOW DOWN TO THE TWAT echoed over the speaker and Charles Crowley came out also dressed as Chucky but from the oppsosite side to the entrance. He nullified Drake, fighting into the back and Falcon got some close pinfalls on Lana. The Champion withstood the onslaught and escaped by the skin of her teeth after hitting her impressive rolling forearm.
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/4
Or did she? Drake came back out to celebrate with Lana but Crowley wasn't far behind. Alexxis and Crowley left Lana and Drake knocked out in the ring.
Rheo's music hit as she won the key to unlock a Championship opportunity at any time.
PROGESS WOMENS TITLE MATCH
Lana Austin Vs Rheo
With Lana almost unconscious, Rheo made light work of her in seconds to become the new Progress Womens Champion much to the delight of the majority of the crowd.
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STREET FIGHT
Lykos Gym Vs The Smoking Aces
If Lykos Gym win then Lykos gets another shot at the Progress World Title
JB - "Let's bring out these crazy bastards"
This match started out frenetic and didn't slow down. It went all over the ground floor of the Ballroom.
Lykos II hung from the lower part of the roof and doing a Huricarana on the wooden floor. Lykos got injured towards the end of the match which is always a concern for those that have followed his career. Lykos II had to go it alone and Spike Trivet came out to make it a 3 on 1 contest. Lykos II looked like he had no more on numerous occasions but kept kicking out before eventually managing to nullify 2 of the trio long enough to get a pin. Lykos came out to celebrate with his partner.
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/4
Lykos stated that he was taking his shot at the next Camden show (Chapter 160 - Vendetta) and that it would be a no DQ match.
Spike said if Lykos is choosing a stipulation then he would accept but only if he gets to add one. He then challenged Lykos to put his mask on the line if he truly is prepared to gamble it all. Trivet stated it wouldn't be like Cara Noir. There would be no winning the mask back and he would have to lose it everywhere. Lykos agreed without hesitation.