PROGRESS: Orlando
It's the same place all the other WWN shows have taken place, except this one is actually full. Lenny Leonard and Excalibur doing commentary together!
Jim Smallman - Seems like there is a good share of British and Canadian people in the crowd, and there's also tons of new people, and since we're in the US today, DON'T. BE. A. DICK. Y'all!
Zack came out with this three titles around his waist, it looks awesome. Match stared with tons of hold-by-hold wrestling on the mat, where the story was that Sabre was bringing out the old technical side of Havoc out Jimmy was actually holding his own against Sabre, but eventually normal Havoc came out, which in return prompted Sabre get meaner in the level of punishment he was putting on his holds. At one point Sabre got a really nasty cut over his right eyebrow, he had half of a crimson mask in seconds, the match didn't last long after that. At one point Sabre had a submission on Havoc and the ref didn't see the leg on the rope, when he finally noticed, some fans chanted 'You Fucked Up', seriously, there is only one rule and this is the first match. Unfortunate, because was awesome, just cut short.
Post-Match - Havoc offers a hand shake, Sabre blows it off. I can believe he's pissed about the cut.
This may be an interesting match since i'm sure 50% of this crowd only knows Spud from Impact. Lenny and Excalibur actually did their homework for this show, they're putting over Drake breaking Moser's jaw and almost breaking Sexsmith's. I believe this will be the same as Spud vs Robinson, where Drake will have complete control of the match with little hope spots by Spud. Also, apparently, they may be building towards a James Drake undefeated streak. Match was ok, somewhat short too, Spud had a lot more offense that I initially expected, but at the end, Drake was just too much for Spud.
Post-Match - James Drake returns and knocks out Spud with an elbow on the back of the head.
Match was mostly heel vs babyface, back and forward, at one point Jinny getting heat on Storm by putting a black trash bag on Storm, and she still looks beautiful. Jinny takes the win by putting her feet on the ropes.
SPPT has really won the fans over, these guys fought themselves to becoming babyfaces. Callihan and Strickland have an awesome tag team look and entrance, this is my first exposure to JML, they feel like superstars. I don't think these guys ever did a tag, it started in chaos, and it ended in chaos. Soon after the match stared, these guys started brawling on the outside, and later proceeded to throw each other into the crowd, the guardrails, everywhere. There was an awesome tower of doom spot that ended with a Vanterminator from Banks on Strickland for a near fall! THIS FUCKING MATCH! Go watch it! JML put SPPT over after the match, standing ovation for all. Say what you will, but I think South Pacific Power Trip were the MVPs of the weekend.
Lenny Leonard and Excalibur have been really interesting together, a great combination. Interesting in the sense that Leonard has been more of the color commentary, but sometimes, when Excalibur goes on explaining moves, stories, or a wrestler's back story, Lenny cuts in and does the play-by-play, switching back and forward. I could get used to this team.
PROGRESS ATLAS Championship Match
It's barely hitting me that i'm about to see Seven vs Riddle. Match was tons of chops and suplex variations, and some piledrivers, Riddle kicking out of a twisting piledriver, and Seven from the tombstone one, but at the end, it's Riddle's submission game that gets him the wins. It was a great match, but I may have hyped myself a bit too much.
WWE UK Championship Match
So this is supposed to be historic since it's the first time in god knows how long that a WWE belt is being defended outside their promotion (1994, Nakano vs Blayze), I think it's historic because it hasn't even been defended on a main roster show. So why did Tyler Bate stop doing his hair? Is it his heel persona? After a match full of this and throws, we now have one full of submission and high flying, in a story where everything you can do, I can do better, we see Andrews go submission on Tyler, and Bate himself do some flippy shit on Andrews. Match went a bit long and it took a while to go full steam, at first the fans were somewhat out of it aside from the high spots, but as the match progressed, the wrestling got more high paced and the excitement grew. The ending sequence was awesome.
PROGRESS Championship Match
Dunne comes out with BSS and they do the Uncle Hunter entrance on the ring apron. For most of the start of the match, Haskins had deal with Seven and Bate interrupting or distracting him and the ref, he tried fighting them off with suicide dives but it wasn't enough, eventually the ref got tired and they were sent to the back. At this point, Pete already had the upper hand, so he continued to dominate the match for a while until Haskins got the strength to make a comeback. Match got hard hitting afterwards, Dunne going more for strikes, Haskins for kicks and throws. Towards the end of the match, Dunne worked Haskin's injured neck, which eventually led him to the victory, but not before a good set of really close near falls.
This had all the PROGRESS guys, and the PROGRESS style of wrestling, and the PROGRESS music, but it's just not PROGRESS without the amazing camera work and the UK fans. Needless to say, this was an awesome show, with probably my favorite match of all the weekend.
Jim Smallman - Seems like there is a good share of British and Canadian people in the crowd, and there's also tons of new people, and since we're in the US today, DON'T. BE. A. DICK. Y'all!
Jimmy Havoc vs Zack Sabre Jr - 6.5/10
Zack came out with this three titles around his waist, it looks awesome. Match stared with tons of hold-by-hold wrestling on the mat, where the story was that Sabre was bringing out the old technical side of Havoc out Jimmy was actually holding his own against Sabre, but eventually normal Havoc came out, which in return prompted Sabre get meaner in the level of punishment he was putting on his holds. At one point Sabre got a really nasty cut over his right eyebrow, he had half of a crimson mask in seconds, the match didn't last long after that. At one point Sabre had a submission on Havoc and the ref didn't see the leg on the rope, when he finally noticed, some fans chanted 'You Fucked Up', seriously, there is only one rule and this is the first match. Unfortunate, because was awesome, just cut short.
Post-Match - Havoc offers a hand shake, Sabre blows it off. I can believe he's pissed about the cut.
James Drake vs Rockstar Spud - 6.5/10
This may be an interesting match since i'm sure 50% of this crowd only knows Spud from Impact. Lenny and Excalibur actually did their homework for this show, they're putting over Drake breaking Moser's jaw and almost breaking Sexsmith's. I believe this will be the same as Spud vs Robinson, where Drake will have complete control of the match with little hope spots by Spud. Also, apparently, they may be building towards a James Drake undefeated streak. Match was ok, somewhat short too, Spud had a lot more offense that I initially expected, but at the end, Drake was just too much for Spud.
Post-Match - James Drake returns and knocks out Spud with an elbow on the back of the head.
Jinny vs Toni Storm - 6.5/10
Match was mostly heel vs babyface, back and forward, at one point Jinny getting heat on Storm by putting a black trash bag on Storm, and she still looks beautiful. Jinny takes the win by putting her feet on the ropes.
South Pacific Power Trip w/"Broken Ankle" Dahlia Black vs JML - 9.5/10
SPPT has really won the fans over, these guys fought themselves to becoming babyfaces. Callihan and Strickland have an awesome tag team look and entrance, this is my first exposure to JML, they feel like superstars. I don't think these guys ever did a tag, it started in chaos, and it ended in chaos. Soon after the match stared, these guys started brawling on the outside, and later proceeded to throw each other into the crowd, the guardrails, everywhere. There was an awesome tower of doom spot that ended with a Vanterminator from Banks on Strickland for a near fall! THIS FUCKING MATCH! Go watch it! JML put SPPT over after the match, standing ovation for all. Say what you will, but I think South Pacific Power Trip were the MVPs of the weekend.
Lenny Leonard and Excalibur have been really interesting together, a great combination. Interesting in the sense that Leonard has been more of the color commentary, but sometimes, when Excalibur goes on explaining moves, stories, or a wrestler's back story, Lenny cuts in and does the play-by-play, switching back and forward. I could get used to this team.
PROGRESS ATLAS Championship Match
"King of Bros" Matt Riddle (C) vs Trent Seven - 7.5/10
It's barely hitting me that i'm about to see Seven vs Riddle. Match was tons of chops and suplex variations, and some piledrivers, Riddle kicking out of a twisting piledriver, and Seven from the tombstone one, but at the end, it's Riddle's submission game that gets him the wins. It was a great match, but I may have hyped myself a bit too much.
WWE UK Championship Match
Tyler Bate (C) vs Mark Andrews - 8.5/10
So this is supposed to be historic since it's the first time in god knows how long that a WWE belt is being defended outside their promotion (1994, Nakano vs Blayze), I think it's historic because it hasn't even been defended on a main roster show. So why did Tyler Bate stop doing his hair? Is it his heel persona? After a match full of this and throws, we now have one full of submission and high flying, in a story where everything you can do, I can do better, we see Andrews go submission on Tyler, and Bate himself do some flippy shit on Andrews. Match went a bit long and it took a while to go full steam, at first the fans were somewhat out of it aside from the high spots, but as the match progressed, the wrestling got more high paced and the excitement grew. The ending sequence was awesome.
PROGRESS Championship Match
"Bruiserweight" Pete Dunne (C) w/British Strong Style vs Mark Haskins - 9/10
Dunne comes out with BSS and they do the Uncle Hunter entrance on the ring apron. For most of the start of the match, Haskins had deal with Seven and Bate interrupting or distracting him and the ref, he tried fighting them off with suicide dives but it wasn't enough, eventually the ref got tired and they were sent to the back. At this point, Pete already had the upper hand, so he continued to dominate the match for a while until Haskins got the strength to make a comeback. Match got hard hitting afterwards, Dunne going more for strikes, Haskins for kicks and throws. Towards the end of the match, Dunne worked Haskin's injured neck, which eventually led him to the victory, but not before a good set of really close near falls.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
This had all the PROGRESS guys, and the PROGRESS style of wrestling, and the PROGRESS music, but it's just not PROGRESS without the amazing camera work and the UK fans. Needless to say, this was an awesome show, with probably my favorite match of all the weekend.