By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Progress Wrestling “Chapter 179 – Progress Las Vegas”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
April 18, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Pearl Theater at Palms Casino
This is the sixth show of the 13-event Collective, featuring promotions from quite literally across the world. This began at 11:59 p.m. local time and was the final show of Thursday’s four-event lineup here. (I can’t say if it began on time; it was 2 p.m. here in the Midwest!) The ring canvas is clean, appears new, and has the Collective logo in the center. The lighting over the ring is really good. We can see more of the crowd; it is clearly a much bigger crowd than the other shows here so far.
* Sam Leterna was in the ring and she’s now in an elegant gown; gotta have a clothing change mid-day! Rich Bocchini, Jack Farmer, and Veda Scott provided commentary.
1. “Lykos Gym” Kid Lykos and Lykos II vs. “Boisterous Behavior” Man Like DeReiss and Leon Slater. Again, KL looks like Will Ospreay while L2 still wears a mask. Veda noted this was her third DeReiss match she has called today! Lykos II and Leon opened, and L2 hit a huracanrana. DeReiss whipped Kid Lykos into a corner at 3:00, and he stomped on KL’s fingers. BB worked over Kid Lykos in their corner. Lykos II got the hot tag at 6:30 and hit a top-rope crossbody block. DeReiss hit a German Suplex on Lykos II. Kid Lykos hit a springboard Sliced Bread. Slater hit a Flatliner. Lykos II hit a Spanish Fly for a nearfall at 9:00, then a doublestomp.
Lykos Gym worked over Slater. All four brawled. BB hit a team stunner move at 10:30. DeReiss went for a 450 Splash but Lykos II got his knees up. Kid Lykos hit a top-rope superplex. Lykos II hit a brainbuster and pinned DeReiss. A very good opener.
Kid Lykos and Lykos II defeated Man Like DeReiss and Leon Slater at 11:22.
2. 1 Called Manders vs. Tate Mayfairs vs. Marcus Mathers in a three-way for the wXw World Title. I’ve compared the smarmy Tate to Noam Dar. Bocchini noted that some guys are competing to see how many matches they can have over Mania weekend, as Mathers has already wrestled several times. Manders wore his wXw Title from Germany. Manders and Tate shoved Marcus aside, which ticked the kid off. Mathers hit a flying forearm on Tate at 1:30. Manders began chopping both opponents. Tate fired back with some punches. Manders dropped Tate gut-first on the top rope, then he bodyslammed Marcus onto Tate at 3:30. Manders missed an elbow drop and hurt his right elbow. Mathers hit a top-rope crossbody block on Manders.
Tate hit a jumping knee on Mathers, then a frogsplash on Manders for a nearfall. Mathers nailed a flip dive to the floor at 7:30 on Manders. Manders took off Tate’s head with a clothesline. He then hit a stiff clothesline on Marcus and pinned him. A very good match for the time given.
1 Called Manders defeated Marcus Mathers and Tate Mayfairs in a three-way to retain the wXw World Title at 8:19.
3. Mike D Vecchio vs. Kuro. Kuro is a Black man, similar in size to Kevin Knight; I recently saw him on a wXw show from Germany. D Vecchio is the “Belgian War Machine” and I always compare him to Brian Cage for his combination of muscle mass and agility (why isn’t his wXw Shotgun Title on the line?) Kuro attacked Mike as he walked to the ring, and Kuro hit some dives through the ropes onto D Vecchio. In the ring, Kuro hit a cannonball in the corner. He did a flip dive over the ropes, but Mike caught him and powerbombed him onto the apron at 1:30. They brawled at ringside. In the ring, D Vecchio hit a running Mafia Kick at 4:00 and was in charge. He hit a standing powerbomb that was so hard it earned a “holy shit!” chant, and Bocchini joked, wondering if Kuro owes Mike some money. Mike hit an impressive gut-wrench twisting sit-out powerbomb for the pin. I liked that a lot.
Mike D Vecchio defeated Kuro at 5:17.
4. Nina Samuels vs. Rhio vs. Vert Vixen in a three-way for the Progress Women’s Title. Nina wrestled in NXT-UK and she’s a heel; she won the belt from Rhio last year due to outside interference. Rhio and Vert fought to the back earlier in the day at the Defy show. Rhio and Vert immediately fought as Nina ducked to the floor to hide. So, Rhio dove through the ropes onto Nina! In the ring, Rhio hit a backbreaker over her knee on Vert at 1:30; Nina jumped in and tried to steal the pin. (Clearly, Nina wants to be a vulture and steal a win tonight, and not actually fight either opponent.) Vert hit an elbow drop on Nina for a nearfall at 3:30. Nina mounted Rhio, repeatedly punched her, and was booed. Bocchini said Nina has reached 110 days as champion; it doesn’t feel that long ago! Nina choked Vert in the ropes at 6:00 and hit a dropkick to the back for a nearfall.
Nina and Vert traded forearm strikes; Rhio hit a top-rope double missile dropkick at 7:30, then clotheslines on each opponent. She hit a twisting neckbreaker on Vert, then a headbutt on Nina and they were all down. Vert hit Blue Thunder Bomb on Nina for a nearfall at 9:00. Vert nailed a brainbuster on Nina for a believable nearfall, but Rhio made the save. Rhio hit a neckbreaker over her knee on Vert. Rhio hit a package piledriver on Nina for a visual pin at 10:30, but Vert pulled the ref to the floor! On the floor, Vert shoved Rhio into the ring post, then hopped in the ring but only got a nearfall on the prone Nina. Nina hit her version of a Go To Sleep and pinned Vert! That was really good. Rhio hit a package piledriver on Vert after the match.
Nina Samuels defeated Vert Vixen and Rhio in a three-way to retain the Progress Women’s Title at 11:45.
5. Simon Miller vs. Effy vs. Charles Crowley vs. Adam Priest vs. Paul Walter Hauser in a five-way for the Progress Proteus Title. Crowley is a carnival-style barker; I admittedly am not a big fan. Likewise, Hauser doing his best Super-Sweaty Shane-O-Mac of kicking out of every move thrown at him has really worn thin with me, too. Funny to have super-serious Priest in this match with a bunch of flamboyant over-the-top characters. Hauser hit a cannonball off the apron onto everyone on the floor at 2:00. Miller then dove through the ropes onto everyone. Crowley hit a top-rope moonsault to the floor, going down far short of his target, so everyone had to rush forward to save him.
Simon hit a second-rope flying shoulder tackle in the ring for a nearfall at 4:00. Hauser hit a second-rope diving headbutt for a nearfall on Effy. Effy bit Hauser’s nipple and hit a Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall. Effy hit a Whoopee Cushion buttdrop on Hauser’s chest. Priest hit a piledriver for a nearfall at 6:00. Effy hit a double noggin-knocker. Effy hit a flying leg lariat for a nearfall. Simon hit a spear on Effy. Crowley sprayed green mist in Miller’s eyes! Hauser hit a pop-up Samoan Drop. Priest turned babyface by hitting Hauser across the back with a chair; I kid, I kid. However, Hauser hit a Flatliner-style faceplant onto a folded chair and pinned Priest! New champion!
Paul Walter Hauser defeated Simon Miller, Adam Priest, Charles Crowley, and Effy in a five-way to win the Progress Proteus Title at 8:40.
6. Cara Noir vs. Minoru Suzuki. Noir is the flamboyant Black Swan ballet character. Bocchini said it’s just his third U.S. match. Well, no way this can be worse than Minoru’s match against Butterbean in this venue about three hours earlier! They tied up and the fans chanted, “Murder grandpa!” Suzuki applied a leg lock around the neck. They got up and Suzuki chopped him at 2:00, and they began trading chops. Suzuki applied a cross-armbreaker in the ropes at 5:00, and they fought to the floor.
In the ring, Suzuki applied a half-crab at 8:00 and he switched to an ankle lock. Cara hit some kicks. They got back up and traded chops again at 10:00. Suzuki dropped him with a forearm strike. Cara got up and hit some chops. Suzuki again dropped him with a forearm. Cara jumped and locked in a sleeper and they fell to the mat! Suzuki reached the ropes at 12:00. Cara hit a Rude Awakening standing neckbreaker and he again jumped on Suzuki’s back and locked in a sleeper, but Minoru flipped him forward to the mat with Cara hitting the top of his head!! Suzuki immediately hit a Gotch-style piledriver for the pin. That was really entertaining.
Minoru Suzuki defeated Cara Noir at 13:30.
7. Luke Jacobs vs. Michael Oku (w/Amira Blair) for the Progress World Title. This was Oku’s fourth match of the day (although if this show started at 11:59 p.m., it is now about 1:55 a.m. Vegas time.) This is Jacobs’ 11th title defense. The bell rang and they immediately traded forearm strikes! “No feeling out process, whatsoever!” Veda said. Oku hit a dropkick, then a Fosbury Flop to the floor at 1:00. Jacobs hit some LOUD chops as they fought on the floor. In the ring, Jacobs continued to hit chops and kept Oku grounded.
They got up and traded forearm strikes. Oku nailed a DDT at 6:00, then a tornado DDT for a nearfall. Oku missed a springboard Lionsault but landed on his feet. Jacobs hit a hard clothesline as Oku was on the apron, and Michael collapsed to the floor. Jacobs dragged Oku up onto a stage and hit a snap suplex at 8:00. Jacobs stood close to Amira and dared her to hit him. Oku leapt off the stage and onto Jacobs! In the ring, Oku hit a frogsplash for a nearfall. Oku hit a dropkick into the corner. Jacobs hit a stiff clothesline and a pop-up powerbomb for a nearfall at 10:30.
Jacobs hit a clothesline into the corner and some chops. He hit a leaping headbutt into Oku’s sternum, then a top-rope superplex at 12:30. Oku got an inside cradle for a flash nearfall; Jacobs immediately hit a German Suplex. Oku applied a half-crab (his finisher!); Jacobs got close to the ropes. Oku let go and hit a Poison Rana and a buzzsaw kick! Oku nailed a frogsplash for a believable nearfall at 14:30, and he immediately went back to the half-crab! Jacobs teased tapping out, but he reached the ropes. They got up and Oku hit some slaps to the face and a clothesline. He leapt off the ropes, but Jacobs caught him with a European Uppercut, then a hard clothesline but only got a one-count! Jacobs hit another stiff clothesline for the clean pin. WOW. That’s a top-10 match for this weekend.
Luke Jacobs defeated Michael Oku to retain the Progress World Title at 17:04.
Final Thoughts: A very good show, with Progress’ top five talents (Jacobs, Oku, Slater, Rhio, DeReiss) all in action. Sure, there are others I like, but those are a clear top five over the past year. (And Cara is probably No. 6.) A stellar main event. Keep in mind, they did legit begin at about 2 a.m. Vegas time but they sure delivered a great, buzz-worthy match. The women’s three-way was really good and I really thought a title change was possible, as Nina is such a weak, chickenshit heel. Cara-Suzuki takes third. Yes, there is a LOT of wrestling this weekend, but this show deserves to be checked out, especially the main event.
Attendance 608
Definately not bigger than all the other shows from this day as Bloodsport had a lot more