PROGRESS returns to the United States with two must-see chapter shows on WrestleMania weekend, starting with Friday’s PROGRESS Chapter 66: Mardi Graps.
Match 1: Pete Dunne vs Mark Andrews vs Flash Morgan Webster
Three of PROGRESS wrestlings very best. WWE UK champion won’t be making too many appearances during the Mania weekend. This could be your only chance to see The Bruiserweight in action. Andrews has been making more and more 205 Live appearances. The PROGRESS original has been in a hot grudge feud with Eddie Dennis and is increasingly harder to see wrestle on the indies. Final competitor Webster is coming off an agonizing loss to Travis Banks. A promising talent that is sure to follow in the steps of his opponents and become PROGRESS World Champion.
Predictions: Pete Dunne to win
Match 2: Ringkampf (WALTER & Timothy Thatcher) vs Sexy Starr (David Starr & Jack Sexsmith)
It is always nice to see Ringkampf together. The two big hitters are so entertaining with Thatcher’s mat ability mixed with WALTER’s pure brutality. They take on everyone’s favourite pun Sexy Starr. The lovely David Starr teams with the Pansexual Phenomenon Jack Sexsmith. One team sums up goliath perfectly. And the other is literally David. Tag wrestling art it’s finest right here.
Predictions: Ringkampf to win
Match 3: Jinny & Mercedes Martinez vs Shazza McKenzie & Toni Storm
Jinny makes her on ring return from her hand injury. Despite being injured she has been the central point of the division. Her House of Couture stable has the strength in numbers and is full of talent. Here she teams with debutant and Mae Young Classic competitor Mercedes Martinez. Martinex has long been a cult legend in the US as one of the best female wrestlers in the scene. Their opponents both hail from the talent breeding ground of Australia/New Zealand. Australia has been producing some of the best women’s wrestlers in the world for a few years now. Storm has been the only women’s champion PROGRESS has ever known and her reign has seen the division grow and prosper. Mckenzie is another extremely talented wrestler that will aim to make the most of the opportunity here.
Predictions: Toni Storm & Shazza McKenzie
Match 4: Will Ospreay vs Mark Haskins
What needs to be said about this match? In the eyes of many Ospreay is one of the top 10 workers in the world right now. Haskins is one of PROGRESS’ best pure wrestlers. The technical aspects alone will make this match must see. Add to that the fact neither man is afraid to put their body on the line and this one could be an instant classic.
Predictions: Mark Haskins to win
Match 5: Matt Riddle vs Jimmy Havoc
Two brutal wrestlers square off. The deathmatch specialist Havoc knows far too many ways to hurt an opponent. And he is not afraid to utilize each and every one of them. The former MMA fighter Riddle is just as brutal in a very different way. He isn’t afraid to kick your head off or cave your chest in with a chop. Two men very closely associated to the history of the championship they once held. ATLAS division ace Riddle vs lingest reigning PROGRESS world champion in history Jimmy Havoc.
Predictions: Jimmy Havoc to win
Match 6: PROGRESS World Tag Team Championship Match: Grizzled Young Vets (James Drake & Zack Gibson) (c) vs Moustache Mountain (Tyler Bate & Trent Seven)
The two very best tag teams in PROGRESS meet once again. GYV have held down the tag division for months. The partnership of two very hated men has worked wonders for both men. They take on former champions and a team always in the title hunt Moustache Mountain. The added stipulation makes this one very interesting. If Moustache Mountain loses, they cannot challenge for the belts for 6 months. The GYV would love to eliminate another threat to their titles and cement their current reign. Moustache Mountain are the more experienced team and easily the UK’s best tag team. The grudge feud comes to a head in the US
Predictions: Moustache Mountain to win
Match 7: PROGRESS World Championship Match: Travis Banks (c) vs Shane Strickland
Another belt collector Strickland comes after PROGRESS’ most prestigious title. Banks has fully become the Roman Reigns of PROGRESS. After his controversial “victory” at Chapter 65 the fans have fully turned on him. The “King Of Swerve” is the kind of guy that would love to shock everyone and take Banks’ title away. The styles of these two clash very well. Both use a higher paced very athletic style. Whatever the outcome this is a fresh challenger for Banks and one who will bring out his best.
Predictions: Travis Banks to win and retain
Match 8: Thunderbastard: Austin Theory vs Joey Janela vs Jeff Cobb vs Rickey Shane Page vs Chris Brookes vs Darby Allin vs MJF vs Parrow
The first ever Thunderbastard outside of UK soil. The match is packed with some of the best EVOLVE names. The thunderbastard match is an elimination match where we have a new entrant every 2 minutes. Pinfalls occur by pinfall and submission, in the past this match has been used to set up feuds and further rivalries. Theory wrestled at PROGRESS Boston in a very underrated four way match. The young star has the potential to be a big star wherever he chooses. Janela is infamous for being one of the craziest men in wrestling, “Mr. Athletic” Jeff Cobb is going to be in his element throwing his opponents all around the ring. The only PROGRESS regular Chris Brookes is a good shout to win for a future CCK tag title match, or to kickstart CCK vs South Pacific Power Trip for the PROGRESS title. RSP is one of CZW‘s biggest fan favourites. He can mix it up in a deathmatch or in a more “normal” match if needed. Allin is going to jump off something as he really lives up to the mantle of a daredevil. Maxwell Jacob Friedman at 22 is the future of wrestling. He garners a hatred from crowds that only Zack Gibson could hope to match. Final entrant is Team 3D trainee Parrow. If you were to build a wrestler from the ground up, they would look like Parrow. He sums himself up best on Twitter “I’m just really F’N creative with violence”. Parrow gained some mainstream attention for coming out as gay, but he wants nothing to do with stereotypes and just is who he is. And he is a strong man that has any opponent quaking in their boots. The names in this match should have any fan excited about the chaos that will be unleashed when these men step into the thunderbastard.
Predictions: Chris Brookes to win
That is the first of two PROGRESS shows. The next show depends on results from this show so PROGRESS have yet to announce more than three matches for Chapter 67 yet. The main match of Chapter 67 is WALTER vs Zack Sabre Junior in a number one contenders match.
