Hello and welcome to the latest instalment of SLTD Wrestling’s coverage of the Progress Wrestling Chapter shows. Once again, this is Adam, one half of the Wrestling Brains, here to talk you through Progress’ next show which takes place on Sunday 13th October from Manchester’s O2 Ritz for what will be Jim Smallman’s last show in my beautiful home city. I’m looking forward to this one a little more than usual as I’ll be there in person to see how my predictions unfold. Let’s get to it!
Progress Proteus Championship: Paul Robinson (C) Vs. Travis Banks (Champions Stipulation: Knockout or Submission only) & TK Cooper Vs. Roy Johnson
There’s no real order to these predictions and we obviously won’t know the order of the matches until the show is in progress (pun?) but I have a sneaky suspicion that these two matches will ‘connected’ (so to speak) – so for that reason I have joined them together for the predictions. Starting first of all with the Proteus Championship match.
During the Proteus Rumble at Chapter 95, the South Pacific Power Trip (Cooper, Niwa & ‘Kiwi Buzzsaw’ Travis Banks) banded together to eliminate ‘Big Wavy’ Roy Johnson before Cooper & Niwa turned their back on Banks and eliminated him.
The eventual winner of the Rumble, and inaugural Proteus champion, Paul Robinson is squaring off against former Progress World Champion Travis Banks for his first defence of the new championship.
As is so with the new Proteus Championship, Robinson has declared that his defences will only be in Knockout or Submission matches which naturally means it falls into No DQ rules territory.
I’m fully expecting Robinson to retain here but the story coming out of the match will be that Banks’ loss will come after he is attacked by Niwa & TK Cooper during the match causing Banks to be ‘knocked out’ leading to the win.
Winner and STILL Progress Proteus Champion: Paul Robinson
Then, later in the show, TK Cooper & Niwa will return to the ring for Cooper’s match against Big Wavy. This one is being touted as Johnson’s revenge on Cooper and Niwa for eliminating him from the Rumble but I feel that it is simply an opportunity for the Kiwi Buzzsaw to head out and attack his former running mates for costing him the Proteus Championship yet again leading to a disqualification finish to the match.
Winner: TK Cooper (via disqualification)
I feel the order of the two matches is interchangeable and if it is a knockout finish for Robinson/Banks – maybe that’s the one we’ll see last. Having said that, Banks would be the fan favourite in this rivalry so I feel it’s more likely for Cooper/Niwa to strike first as the ‘bad guys’
Pretty Deadly Vs. Young Guns
An interesting one for me as I’m not overly familiar with either team. I know that Pretty Deadly recently made an appearance on NXT UK and Young Guns have been on the rise in Futureshock but that doesn’t help me decide a winner!
I’m going to go for Pretty Deadly as I feel (although I may be wrong) that they are the more experienced team likely to have a run in Progress much sooner than Young Guns. Guns will get a fantastic hometown reaction though.
Winners: Pretty Deadly
Toni Storm Vs. Dani Luna
While I’m looking forward to seeing Toni Storm live for the first time, this one has a Dani Luna win written all over it.
Storm’s been absent from the Progress Women’s Championship picture for quite some time now and in a division that is lacking in developed contenders for Meiko Satomura’s championship – A strong win for Luna will put her right in contention for a championship shot.
Winner: Dani Luna
Cara Noir Vs. Ilja Dragunov
I was definitely taken aback when I saw Cara Noir’s entrance at the Natural Progression Series last month – I thought it was going to be another case of style over substance.
That first impression of the Black Swan of Professional Wrestling was soon shattered as it became clear that Noir’s in ring ability is fantastic making him a great example of how well wrestling & theatrics can marry together.
Ilja Dragunov, on the other hand, is fresh off incredible matches with Jordan Devlin & Walter and an impressive showing in the Proteus Rumble. He’s been on the losing side of competition recently and I think a win here will set him on track for a future shot at either the Proteus or World Championships.
Dragunov takes the win after a hard fought battle in what ends up being match of the night and yet another strong showing for Cara Noir.
Winner: Ilja Dragunov
Progress Tag Team Championships: Jordan Devlin & Scotty Davis (C) Vs. Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake)
One of the big surprises coming out of Chapter 95 was Scotty Davis ‘cashing in’ his Natural Progression Series title match a mere day after winning it by teaming with mentor Jordan Devlin to join the Aussie Open/Grizzled Young Veterans match for the Progress Tag Team Championships.
In their first defence, Davis & Devlin are going up against former champions Gibson & Drake in what is sure to be a fantastic match for the Championships. A brief flutter of “What if Devlin turns on Davis” just flew through my mind but I think its far too early for any of that so I’m calling for the champions to retain in what I think will end up being the main event of the show.
But let’s face it, we’re all looking forward to Zack Gibson once again getting absolutely roasted by the Manchester crowd. Shoes off?
Winners and STILL Progress Tag Team Champions: Jordan Devlin & Scotty Davis
Unified World Champion Eddie Dennis in the building.
Following his surprise win at Chapter 95, new World Champion Eddie Dennis is confirmed to be in Manchester for the show but is not currently scheduled to compete. I don’t think this will turn into an impromptu match but I do think that David Starr will show up to attack Dennis only for the champions former FSU teammate Mark Andrews to appear and attack Starr leading to a match between the two at Chapter 97.
Who do you think will win in Manchester? Leave a comment below or follow me on Twitter – @xterblack – to let me know what you think!
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