By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Progress Wrestling “Chapter 172 – Werewolves of London”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
October 27, 2024 in London, England at Electric Ballroom
Progress has just signed an agreement to air several of its shows on Triller+, and this is the first of those events.
* The show opened with a montage, showing several of the top UK stars.
* To the venue. Lighting isn’t as good as I hoped, and the fans are seated in the shadows. The crowd is maybe 400, but I’ll add that it’s hard to see them.
1. Kenta vs. Cara Noir for the Defy Title. Noir, the dark ballet dancer gimmick, just returned after a lengthy absence while recovering from leg injuries. He has the dark personality of Darby Allin but the flamboyance of Dalton Castle. Kenta has now had the Seattle-based Defy Title for 512 days! He’s brought that belt with him to Japan several times, too. Kenta hit him with the belt in the back of the head to open the match, and we got a “F— you, Kenta!” chant immediately. The ref called for the bell at 0:50 to begin, and Kenta immediately hit some running boots in the corner. They went to the floor, with Kenta playfully kicking Noir and was in charge. They got back into the ring at 3:00 with Kenta hitting some Yes Kicks to the chest.
Kenta hit a stiff kick to the spine at 5:30 and some kneedrops to the face. Noir fired up and hit a series of kicks. Noir hit a standing neckbreaker for a nearfall. Kenta hit a top-rope flying clothesline for a nearfall at 8:00. He hit a DDT out of the ropes for a nearfall, then a top-rope doublestomp for a nearfall. He hit a Tiger Suplex. They hit simultaneous clotheslines and were both down at 10:00. They traded forearm strikes while on their knees, then while standing. Kenta hit some open-hand slaps to the face and a spinning back fist. Noir hit a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall. Kenta stomped on Noir’s bare foot at 12:30. He set up for Go To Sleep, but Noir escaped and got a rollup, then he applied a rear-naked choke on the mat. Kenta flipped his body over, grabbed the ropes for leverage, and pinned Noir! A really good opener.
Kenta defeated Cara Noir to retain the Defy Title at 13:21.
* In a pre-taped segment, Lizzy Evo spoke outside the building.
2. Gene Munny and Will Kroos vs. “Sunshine Machine” Chuck Mambo and TK Cooper. Munny is the goofball, Colt Cabana-style dork with tape over his nipples. I’ve seen Kroos before; he is a young rotund kid; think Sami Callihan’s look but a body size closer to Bronson Reed. Sunshine Machine came out dressed like Batman (Mambo) and Robin (Cooper), and TK clearly wasn’t happy about being the Robin of the team. Funny. They flipped Kroos to the floor. When they hit punches, the commentary team and crowd shouted “Bam” and “Pow!” Batman and Robin dove to the floor at 1:30. Lots of comedy, as Mambo hit a flip and made a superhero pose. Kroos crotched Cooper in the corner. Kroos hit some loud chops on Mamba and a massive senton at 4:30. Mambo ripped the tape off Munny’s nipples. Munny hit a Whoopee Cushion buttdrop on Mambo.
Mambo hit a Meteora top-rope flying double knees at 6:00. Cooper hit a jumping knee on Munny for a nearfall. Cooper hit a wheelbarrow German Suplex on Munny for a nearfall. Kroos hit a powerbomb for a nearfall. Munny hopped on Kroos’ back and they hit a team rolling cannonball in the corner on Cooper at 9:00. Munny hit some superkicks. Kroos nailed a Gutwrench Powerbomb on Mambo. Munny hit a diving headbutt to Mambo’s groin to score the cheap pin. Ok comedy match.
Gene Munny and Will Kroos defeated TK Cooper and Chuck Mambo at 10:38.
3. “Smokin’ Aces” Nick Riley and Charlie Sterling vs. “The Experience” Skye Smitson and LA Taylor for the Progress Tag Team Titles. Taylor has long, blonde hair; I don’t think I’ve seen her before. Smitson has long dark hair and wore a black jean jacket, and she’s looking like a rocker. Taylor opened against Sterling, who has long hair and a thick beard. She tried a shoulder tackle but he didn’t budge. The commentators said Taylor is 6’0″ but she is still much smaller than Sterling. Smitson hit a doublestomp on Riley’s back at 2:30. Riley is leaner with short, curly hair. Smitson leapt off the top rope onto the SA on the floor. In the ring, the Smokin’ Aces began working over Smitson, with Sterling hitting backbreakers over his knee.
LA Taylor got the hot tag at 5:30. Sterling crashed into Riley in the corner. Riley accidentally hit Sterling with a Canadian Destroyer. Taylor hit a clothesline for a nearfall at 7:30 on Sterling. However, Smokin’ Aces hit a team stunner on Smitson and got the pin. Merely okay.
Nick Riley and Charlie Sterling defeated Skye Smitson and LA Taylor to retain the Progress Tag Team Titles at 8:10.
* Rhio was speaking backstage but she was interrupted by Lizzy Evo, and they had to be separated.
4. Luke Jacobs vs. Man Like Dereiss for the Progress Title. Dereiss came out first; Jacobs marched down the aisle and attacked Dereiss from behind, and I started my stopwatch at first contact as they continued to brawl at ringside. They got in the ring and the ref called for the bell at 1:00 to officially begin, but Jacobs kept Dereiss grounded. Jacobs hit a bodyslam and he removed a ring corner pad, then he hit a spinebuster for a nearfall. He applied a Boston Crab, switched to a half-crab, and remained in charge. He whipped Dereiss into a corner at 5:00. Dereiss got up and they traded forearm strikes. They fought to the floor and this time went into the crowd; it’s really hard to see out there.
They got back into the ring at 9:00, where Jacobs hit a standing powerbomb with a jackknife cover for a nearfall. Dereiss hit a superkick and a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall at 10:30, but he missed a 450 Splash. Jacobs hit a clothesline and a brainbuster for a believable nearfall, and he applied a rear-naked choke on the mat. Dereiss hit a German Suplex and a shotgun dropkick. Dereiss went for a plancha, but Jacobs kicked him on the way to the floor. Dereiss wrapped Jacobs’ left arm around the ring post at 12:30 and shoved him into the post. In the ring, Jacobs hit a second-rope superplex and they were both down.
They got up and traded LOUD chops. Jacobs hit a short-arm clothesline at 15:30 but Dereiss kicked out at one! Dereiss hit his kip-up stunner and his own clothesline for a nearfall. Dereiss tossed Jacobs’ head-first into the exposed turnbuckle. Dereiss hit the top-rope 450 Splash at 18:00, but a man in a hoodie pulled the ref from the ring! Dereiss hit a clothesline. The masked man removed the hood and it is Ethan Allen. He kicked Dereiss in the back, while Jacobs hit a piledriver for the tainted pin. A really good match. The heels continued to beat up Dereiss after the match.
Luke Jacobs defeated Man Like Dereiss to retain the Progress Title at 18:44/official time of about 17:42.
* Intermission
5. Connor Mills vs. Zozaya vs. Mike D Vecchio vs. Ricky Knight Jr. Zozaya is a young kid who has impressed me in a handful of matches I’ve seen this year; he has short, curly brown hair and a good physique. I consider D Vecchio to be a top star in the European scene. All four immediately brawled, and D Vecchio hit an Asai Moonsault to the floor. In the ring, D Vecchio and Knight Jr. brawled, and D Vecchio hit an enzuigiri. Mills hit some roundhouse kicks to Knight’s chest. Knight put two guys on his back and hit a double Samoan Drop. Knight then hit a forward Finlay Roll into a corner at 2:00.
D Vecchio hit a standing moonsault, then a top-rope moonsault for a nearfall. Zozaya hit a top-rope Spanish Fly for a nearfall, then a top-rope doublestomp for a nearfall. Connor put Zozaya in an anklelock at 4:30. Knight and D Vecchio hit stereo frogsplashes on them! D Vecchio hit a Poison Rana! Mills hit a top-rope doublestomp to the floor on D Vecchio at 6:30! In the ring, Connors hit a powerbomb move on Knight for a nearfall. Knight hit a top-rope Dragon suplex on Zozaya. Knight then hit a leaping piledriver to pin Zozaya! That was a LOT of action in a match that short!
Ricky Knight Jr. defeated Zozaya, Mike D Vecchio, and Connor Mills at 7:51.
6. Paul Robinson vs. Simon Miller for the Progress Proteus Title. Miller has some muscle mass, but he’s far more entertaining as a Youtube star than as a wrestler. Robinson also is bald but far more slender, and he wrestles in blue jeans. The bell rang, but Robinson rolled to the floor to stall. In the ring, Robinson tackled Miller, and they fought to the floor. In the ring, Robinson remained in charge. Miller picked him up and rammed Robinson’s back into the corner at 3:30. Simon hit a second-rope superplex at 5:00 and they were both down.
They got up and traded open-hand slaps. Simon hit a German Suplex and a clothesline. Robinson hit a basement dropkick to the knee and stomped on Miller. Robinson swung a chair but Miller caught it, and Simon whipped it at Paul’s head at 8:30. Simon hit a suplex and a Bulldog Powerslam. Robinson applied a rear-naked choke, then he hit a second-rope spear. Simon powerbombed Robinson onto a folded chair, then he hit a clothesline. Simon then hit a Falcon Arrow onto the folded chair. The ref checked on Robinson and determined he was knocked out and called for the bell! New champion! Robinson did not get pinned or submitted.
Simon Miller defeated Paul Robinson to win the Progress Proteus Title at 10:53.
7. “Subculture” Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster vs. Eddie Dennis and Tate Mayfairs. Tate and Andrews opened. Dennis is taller and he knocked Webster down with a shoulder tackle. Webster hit a dropkick at 3:00. Tate hopped off the apron and didn’t want to tag in! Flash dove through the ropes onto the heels, and Andrews hit a springboard flip onto the heels. In the ring, Subculture continued to beat up Tate. Dennis got in and dropped Morgan with a stiff forearm at 7:00.
Andrews hit an enzuigiri and a uranage on Tate. Flash hit a Falcon Arrow on Dennis for a nearfall at 9:00. Eddie hit a Samoan Drop-and-fallaway slam combo on Subculture. Tate hit a standing neckbreaker. Tate hit a coast-to-coast splash on Andrews in another corner for a nearfall. Tate hit a frogsplash for a nearfall at 11:30. Tate and Dennis argued some more! Tate slapped him! Andrews hit his top-rope Shooting Star Press to pin Dennis. Decent match.
Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster defeated Eddie Dennis and Tate Mayfairs at 12:29.
8. Rhio vs. Lizzy Evo for the Progress Women’s Title. Evo came out first; Rhio marched into the ring and immediately speared Evo to get the match underway. She hit a basement dropkick to the back and tied up Lizzy on the mat. Lizzy choked Rhio and kept her grounded. They brawled to ringside and fought for several minutes in front of the fans. Rhio hit a shotgun dropkick on Lizzy, who was seated in a chair, and they were both down at 8:00. In the ring, Rhio hit a backbreaker over her knee at 10:00 and she was in charge. Evo hit a superkick and an enzuigiri; Rhio hit her own superkick and they were both down at 12:00.
Evy hit a German Suplex; Rhio hit a German Suplex and a spin kick to the head. Evo hit a piledriver on the apron, and Rhio collapsed to the floor. In the ring, Evo hit a Poison Rana at 16:00. Evo hit a Shining Wizard for a nearfall and she argued with the ref. Rhio now hit a piledriver on the ring apron! Rhio hit a piledriver from the apron onto a table at ringside at 20:30 and she was fired up. She rolled Evo into the ring but only got a nearfall! Rhio hit a swinging neckbreaker. She applied a Dragon Sleeper on the mat; the ref checked Evo and called for the bell. A really good match.
Rhio defeated Lizzy Evo to retain the Progress Women’s Title at 22:52.
Final Thoughts: An entertaining show; not everything worked for me but more did than not. I’ll go with the intense Jacobs-Dereiss match for best of the show, but Rhio-Evo was really good for second. Kenta-Noir was really good as the opener and takes third. The four-way scramble coming out of intermission was short but it was non-stop action and was a blast and takes honorable mention. If you only have time to watch a few matches here, check out those four.
The intergender tag title match didn’t do much for me, and Gene Munny’s antics always wear thin for me, too. The rest of the show was fine. Good to see Flash Morgan Webster back in action; I know he was injured for a while and I haven’t seen much of him in 2024. Again, this show is available at Triller+. I really hope a long-term plan comes together to keep Progress on the Triller+ platform.
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