By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Progress Wrestling is under new ownership. Nikki Cross and Big Damo (f/k/a Killian Dain) have acquired the independent promotion and co-ownership of the Defy Wrestling promotion.
“We are delighted to be the new co-owners of PROGRESS,” Damo said via the Progress Wrestling website. “We both started in the UK and Ireland and fully believe this is host to the greatest talent pool on earth and PROGRESS is well positioned to showcase this generation and the next generation.
“We are also very excited to be the new co-owners of DEFY Wrestling. Home to the most feverish fan base in the Pacific North West. Nikki and I have an affinity with Seattle, and I always had an incredible experience wrestling on the DEFY shows in front of the Defyance.” Read the official announcement via ProgressWrestling.com.
Powell’s POV: I’m almost certain that I speak for Dot Net’s Chris Vetter in recommending that one of the first moves that new ownership should make is to upgrade the lighting at their shows. That said, it’s cool to see a couple so passionate about pro wrestling taking over the promotion.
(Jason Powell, founder and editor of ProWrestling.net, has covered pro wrestling full-time dating back to 1997. He hosts a weekly podcast, Pro Wrestling Boom, and also appears regularly on the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast. Reach him via email at dotnetjason@gmail.com and on social media via @prowrestlingnet.bsky.social or x.com/prowrestlingnet. For his full bio and information on this website, click here.)
Fascinating. We used to see this kind of thing in the territory days with wrestlers buying into the territory, and sometimes outright buying it. I like the idea of some of the folks who made a bunch of WWE main roster money spending a bit to get established indy promotions and hopefully get up and coming wrestlers experience in the aspects of pro wrestling that will actually make them some money.