By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Progress Wrestling “Chapter 181: Far From Ordinary People”
Streamed live on TrillerTV+
June 29, 2025, in Manchester, England, at O2 Ritz Manchester
The attendance was maybe 500. The lighting was just so-so; I wish they would just leave the lights on.
1. Man Like DeReiss vs. Ethan Allen. DeReiss beat Allen last month in the first round of a 16-person tournament, so this is an immediate rematch. Basic opening, and DeReiss hit a back-body drop at 2:00 that sent Allen to the floor to regroup. They brawled into the crowd, with DeReiss stomping on him. As they re-entered the ring, Allen shoved him off the top rope, and he took control. Allen hit a bodyslam for a nearfall at 5:30. He hit a top-rope elbow drop for a nearfall and kept DeReiss grounded. DeReiss hit a kip-up stunner and a standing powerbomb at 8:00, then a Blue Thunder Bomb and a 619, then a 450 Splash and a jumping piledriver for the pin. A pretty decisive win.
Man Like DeReiss defeated Ethan Allen at 8:50.
2. Lana Austin vs. Kanji. Kanji is taller and thinner. The crowd dislikes Lana, who pretended she got punched and fell to the mat, but the ref wasn’t buying it. We got a bell, and Lana got a rollup with her feet on the ropes, but the ref saw that, too. Kanji hit some chops as Lana was tied in the ropes at 1:30, then she did a Sabre-style neck snap between her ankles, and she twisted the left leg. Lana tripped her on the apron, and Kanji fell face-first at 3:00, and Lana took control. (Lighting is exceptionally below average today; much worse than it normally is here. I feel I can barely see this action.)
They brawled around ringside. Kanji tied up Lana’s arms while Lana was trapped in a chair. They got back into the ring, where Lana hit a bodyslam at 7:00, then a basement dropkick, and they were both down. Lana hit a standing powerbomb for a nearfall. Kanji applied a cross-armbreaker and targeted the right arm, snapping it backward. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Kanji applied an ankle lock at 11:00, but Lana escaped. Lana hit a DDT out of the ropes for a nearfall. Kanji hit a Helluva Kick. Lana hit a headbutt, and they were both down. Kanji hit a Hidden Blade forearm to the back of the head, and she applied a sleeper, and Lana tapped out. Good action.
Kanji defeated Lana Austin at 13:11.
3. “Sunshine Machine” TK Cooper and Chuck Mambo vs. “Lykos Gym” Kid Lykos and Lykos II for the Progress Tag Team Titles. I have to imagine these teams have now met multiple times; they are both babyface squads, and they all shook hands before the bell. As I’ve noted before, Kid Lykos sure looks a lot like Will Ospreay. The masked Lykos II and Mambo opened, and they traded basic reversals and armdrags and had a standoff. Cooper battled KL. Mambo tied KL in a surfboard at 2:30. Kid Lykos hit a closed-fist punch, so Mambo struck him back. KL tripped Mambo on the top rope, causing him to fall and get crotched! “That was very unsportsmanlike!” a commentator said.
Kid Lykos tied up Mambo’s legs. He hit a standing moonsault, and L2 got a nearfall at 5:00. Kid Lykos began stomping on Cooper and kept him grounded. Cooper hit a release suplex, and they were both down at 7:00. Mambo got the hot tag and hit a top-rope crossbody block on Lykos II, then a bodyslam, and he was fired up. He hit a guillotine leg drop, then a springboard Meteora. Kid Lykos jumped in and attacked; the commentators protested that he hadn’t gotten a tag. Mambo hit a top-rope double Blockbuster for a nearfall at 8:30.
Cooper hit a team stunner move on Lykos II for a nearfall. Cooper and Kid Lykos traded blows, and all four brawled. They traded pump kicks. LG hit stereo superkicks on Cooper, then another one. SM hit stereo headbutts. Mambo hit a springboard frog splash for a nearfall at 12:00. Lykos II hit a Spanish Fly on Cooper, then a flip dive to the floor on him. In the ring, Kid Lykos hit a running knee on Mambo that knocked him out. A commentator said Kid Lykos had put a weapon in his kneepad! Lykos Gym hit a team brainbuster and pinned Mambo. New champs! The commentators pointed out that Mambo was already knocked out from that cheap shot from the loaded kneepad.
Kid Lykos and Lykos II defeated Chuck Mambo and TK Cooper to win the Progress Tag Team Titles at 13:15.
* A video package aired from Paul Walter Hauser. He has wonderful news for us! He’s injured and can’t compete and defend his Progress Proteus Title. But some bad news! He vowed to be there in August to defend the belt. He had to tell us all about the movie he is currently filming. (Yes, read my sarcasm; I’m not a fan of him standing toe-to-toe with pro wrestlers.) We then suffered through the preview for the “Naked Gun” reboot, in which Hauser has a role in. If they put all the funny spots in the preview… yeah this movie is gonna suck.
4. Nina Samuels vs. Shotzi Blackheart. As I noted the other day, Shotzi has a cast on her left wrist that extends almost to her elbow. Shotzi hit some blows before the bell and the ref called for the bell and we’re underway. Shotzi hit a second-rope crossbody block, then a snap suplex into the corner at 1:00. They rolled to the floor and fought at ringside. Nina hit an elbow drop on the cast, then pushed Shotzi’s back into the ring frame. Back in the ring, Nina targeted the left arm and kept Shotzi grounded. She tied Shotzi in the Tree of Woe at 5:30 and kicked at her ribs. Shotzi hit a spin kick and a modified bulldog.
Shotzi hit a rolling cannonball in the corner for a nearfall. Shotzi hit a Sliced Bread out of the corner for a nearfall at 7:30. The commentators pointed out she didn’t use the left arm. Nina hti a Death Valley Driver-style neckbreaker over her knee for a nearfall and she was back in charge. Shotzi hit a top-rope flying senton for a nearfall at 9:00. Nina hit a spin kick to the head. Shotzi missed a second cannonball. Nina hit a cartwheel kneedrop to the back for a nearfall. Nina stomped on the cast and hit a Starstruck (her version of Go To Sleep) for the pin. Nina has been on a winning streak here, but I expected Shotzi to win, so I’ll call this an upset.
Nina Samuels defeated Shotzi Blackheart at 10:42.
* Nina rolled to the floor and got a metal folding chair and she put the cast in it! She got on the mic and said that Progress needs her. She set up for a dive off the ropes, but Kanji ran to the ring to make the save.
Intermission
5. Charles Crowley vs. Adam Maxted vs. Jack Morris vs. Simon Miller in a four-way. With his goofball crown, Crowley always makes me think of the goat character in “The Narnia Chronicles: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.” I haven’t seen much of Maxted; he has muscles on his muscles and makes me think of EC3 or a young Chris Masters. NOAH star Jack Morris (think Drew McIntyre) hit an enzuigiri on Crowley. Maxted hit a spinebuster at 2:00. Miller hit a delayed vertical suplex for a nearfall.
Crowley danced… then slapped Miller and that ticked him off. They hit stereo clotheslines. Morris hit a frogsplash and got a nearfall at 4:00. He hit a Claymore Kick. Maxted hit a powerslam for a nearfall. They did a tower superplex spot out of the corner. Crowley hit a low blow mule kick. Simon cut Maxted in half with a spear, but Crowley tossed Simon to the floor and stole the pin on Maxted. Not bad… but my least favorite match of the night so far.
Charles Crowley defeated Adam Maxted, Jack Morris and Simon Miller at 6:12.
6. RPD vs. Charlie Sterling. My first time seeing the bald RPD who wore boxer’s trunks, and I’ll compare him to Karl Anderson. He’s giving up a lot of size to Sterling, who is a bit like Bear Bronson. Sterling ducked to the floor to avoid some punches. In the ring, RPD backed him into a corner and hit a series of gut punches, then a huracanrana and a dropkick at 2:00. They fought on the floor, and RPD crashed into the ring post, allowing Sterling to take over. In the ring, Sterling hit a back suplex for a nearfall at 3:30, and he jawed at the ref.
RPD got up and hit some more punches, then a spinebuster for a nearfall. Sterling hit a brainbuster for a nearfall at 5:30. He hit a running powerbomb for a nearfall, dumping RPD high on his neck. He mounted RPD and repeatedly punched him. RPD hit a hard forearm strike and got a nearfall at 7:30. Sterling nailed a top-rope back suplex, then a Key Crusher (similar to a Cradle Shock) for the decisive pin. Sterling’s singles run is off to a good start.
Charlie Sterling defeated RPD at 9:04.
* Progress Women’s champion Rhio joined commentary.
7. Hollie Barlow vs. Alexxis Falcon. Hollie wore pick and she came out to Blondie’s “Call Me,” and she’s a babyface. I think I’ve seen her once. Alexxis hit a basement dropkick; she’s bigger and clearly a better wrestler. She hit a spin kick and a Death Valley Driver. Barlow hit a top-rope crossbody block at 2:00. Lana Austin came out of the back and stood on the stage, distracting Hollie. Alexxis immediately hit a swinging faceplant for the pin! That barely got started!
Alexxis Falcon defeated Hollie Barlow at 2:45.
* Lana got in the ring and she struck Falcon. Lana barked at Hollie. Falcon got up and hit Lana.
8. Luke Jacobs vs. Cara Noir for the Progress World Title. Again, Cara is the Black Swan ballet dancer character and he’s beloved here. They circled each other and played to the crowd before locking up at 1:00, and Jacobs easily shoved him to the mat. Jacobs immediately went for a rear-naked choke, but Noir scrambled to the ropes. Jacobs hit a shoulder tackle, and they went to the floor at 3:00 and brawled at ringside. Jacobs accidentally struck the ring post. In the ring, Noir tied up Luke’s legs and kept him grounded. Jacobs hit a release German Suplex. He hit some stiff kicks to the spine and got a nearfall at 7:00.
He hit a snap suplex for a nearfall and he stomped on Noir’s bare foot. Cara bit his forearm! He hit a running kick, then some running shotgun dropkicks, then a standing neckbreaker on Jacobs for a nearfall at 10:00. He hit a German Suplex and a buzzsaw kick. Jacobs hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. He hit a suplex into the corner at 11:30, then a big superplex, and they were both down. Jacobs hit some forearm strikes as Cara was on his knees. Cara got to his feet and they traded forearm strikes.
Noir caught an arm and again bit it at 14:00. Jacobs caught a leg and bit a foot! He hit a thudding headbutt, then a diving headbutt for a nearfall. Cara hit a neckbreaker over his knee for a nearfall. Cara hit a shotgun dropkick to the back, then a running clothesline to the back of the neck. Cara hit some Yes Kicks to the chest at 16:30. Jacobs hit a decapitating clothesline, and they were both down. Cara hit a diving headbutt and a package piledriver, but Jacobs popped up at the one-count! Noir hit a backbreaker over his knee and a Tombstone Piledriver for a nearfall at 18:30.
This crowd was going nuts! Noir applied a rear-naked choke. Jacobs escaped and hit a Jay Driller for a nearfall. “What is it going to take?” a commentator shouted. We got a “This is Progress!” chant. Jacobs held both wrists and repeatedly stomped on the chest. Noir tried to get a package piledriver, but he instead re-applied the rear-naked choke, then some blows to the neck. Jacobs shrugged Noir off, with the top of Cara’s head hitting the mat! Jacobs hit a stiff clothesline to the back of the neck. Jacobs hit one more clothesline for a believable nearfall. Jacobs applied a rear-naked choke, and Noir tapped out. WOW. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen Cara Noir tap!” a commentator said.
Luke Jacobs defeated Cara Noir at 21:35.
* Man Like Dereiss appeared on the ramp and glared at Jacobs. He got in the ring, they brawled, and Jacobs scampered to the back to conclude the show.
Final Thoughts: A really strong main event that easily earns the best match of the show. I have often said that Progress has six top-tier wrestlers, and that includes Jacobs and Noir. Just an instant classic. I didn’t like Noir falling on the top of his head late in the match; that seemed unnecessarily dangerous. The tag title match takes second, and the Shotzi match takes third. Again, I fully expected Shotzi to win there.
I noted a ‘top six.’ Sadly, only one other (DeReiss) was in action. Rhio was here but didn’t wrestle, and no Leon Slater or Michael Oku tonight. Also absent was Will Kroos, who I think should be in that top-tier mix, but isn’t quite there yet. The first half of the show was really, really good. The second half, outside of the main event, didn’t really click for me. That said, Charlie Sterling is poised to go on a nice singles run now.
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