Nerd Watch Wednesday: PROGRESS Chapter 55 Chase The Sun

Mar 4, 202019 min read

Updated: Jun 3, 2020

This week, nerd pick'em February champion Pete Hitchcock was in charge of picking the show and he went all the way back to Chapter 55 for PROGRESS Wrestling's debut event at the iconic Alexandra Palace.

Billed as the biggest show in the company's history at the time, the card featured a death match, a ladder match, a shocking heel turn, a major surprise and a brilliantly built main event between Pete Dunne and Travis Banks. You can watch the show for free on their YouTube channel below!

Pictures by Rob Brazier

PROGRESS TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP LADDER MATCH: BRITISH STRONG STYLE (C) vs. CCK

By JCH

We’re at Alexandra Palace for Chase the Sun and I was exceedingly hungover for this show. The day before had been the Beavertown brewery beer festival (£50 unlimited beer) followed by our very own Dom Van Dam’s 30th birthday party. I had had lots of beer and little sleep so was feeling sluggish for the start of this one.

CCK come out and Chris Brookes towers over the ladder. The Crowd are massively behind them here. It’s the peak of BSS' heel run when everyone still hated them. Not long after this they sort of crossed into cool heel territory, but on this show everyone hated them.

NO LOVE IS BLINDNESS. We’re in the ‘Hot Tag Media’ Era.

Trent gets called a Wanker with a towel, so he takes the towel off and is serenaded with ‘Wanker with no towel’. He picks the towel back up and it becomes ‘Wanker with a towel’ again. Tyler takes the towel throws it away and we get a chant of ‘Towelless wankers’. Lovely Stuff.

It’s a ladder match. So I will just mention some of the memorable spots

- Tyler catches Brookes in mid-air, holds him for a bit and deposits him with an Exploder suppler into a ladder in the corner.

- Trent has a ladder flat but on the narrow end and Dragon Suplexes Lykos neck first on to the ladder. This looked fantastically brutal.

- Bate hits a double airplane spin/Cesaro swing on CCK. The crowd respond with “Tyler you’re a c*&t’ Bate puts the ladder on his neck spins round and round taking everyone out including Trent, then Brooks grass the ladder, holds him still and Lykos twats the ladder from the front with a chair. Another brutal looking spot.

- Bate and CCK have a fantastic back and forth where Bate tries to hit all his bounce of the rope spots, that rolling kick which is awesome and that weird arm thing he does. Some are reversed, some hit and it ends with everyone down.

- Bate is holding a ladder about to set it up when Lykos starts climbing it. Trent picks up the other side of the ladder so Lykos is basically ladder surfing in mid air. BSS chuck him over the top rope where the ring crew save his life. Another fun spot I don’t remember seeing. Last we see of Lykos in the match.

- Brookes hits the sick Fucking Tag move using Bate to hold Trent. Trent rolls outside where Brookes literally launches a ladder at his face from over the top rope. Fantastic spot. Last we see of Trent.

Bate and Brookes battle at the top of the ladder (basically the first attempt to climb since a very small ladder early on that everyone bar Brookes was too small to use anyway). I like that they have waited til 2 men are incapacitated before trying to climb.

Bate tries to Tyler Driver Brookes from the ladder through another ladder that is setup between the ladder and the ropes. Matt Richards does an excellent job pointing out the ego of BSS is costing them from going for the belts. Brookes reverses the Tyler driver into a Back Body Drop on Tyler who bounces off the 2nd ladder.

Brookes retrieves the titles and we have NEW champions.

This match was really good. Some excellent unique (for me) spots in. Not a lot of aimless climbing. A good pace and I really enjoyed it. Probably more on repeat than I did hungover live. Top job lads.

WINNERS - NEW PROGRESS TAG CHAMPIONS, CCK BY TALL CHRIS REACHING THE TITLES

PROGRESS WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: TONI STORM (C) vs. DAHLIA BLACK

By Pete Hitchcock

Is this the start of #secondonthecard syndrome? For those not in the know, it has become somewhat of a meme that in PROGRESS if women wrestle on the show their match will be the second on the card.

Is there something inherently wrong with second on the card? It screams not enough trust to be in the opener, the match that has the most pressure to heat up the crowd or the match before the intermission, the equivalent of the semi-main in many cases in a WWE, AEW or NJPW PPV, or indeed the main event. It is the least important spot on the card and PROGRESS slotting their women in this spot on show after show after show didn't go unnoticed and has even followed the owners into their new day jobs running NXTUK.

Other promotions have their trends to a certain extent, RevPro for instance were really pigeonholing themselves into women going third on the card for a while but appeared to have veered back, but PROGRESS really set a bad image for themselves here that they haven't yet shaken off.

Dahlia Black, there's a name I haven't heard for a while. She's really over at this point in time coming back from her visa running out and making a triumphant return at the Electric Ballroom with then-boyfriend TK Cooper. Their pre-match smooch here has aged about as well as Cena's Wrestlemania proposal to Nikki Bella.

Chain wrestling starts us out and I have to listen to Glen Joseph's commentary but it's...not terrible yet? Matt Richards on colour commentary doing a good job of putting over the champion and he's come a long way too. Rope running sequence leads into Toni just kicking Dahlia over and this is starting to slow down. Shout out to the Mae Young Classic, the WWE influence had very much infiltrated the promotion at this point but it's still sad to hear.

Dahlia gains control and goes ham on Toni with knees in the corner but Toni is able to hit a nice leg trap dragon suplex and you remember why people were so high on her these past few years. Then...shiny shiny. Well, you had a good run. Dahlia's attempt...at a moonsault eats knees and Toni hits that Air Raid Crash on the knee you've seen in Okada matches.

Forearm exchange does not look good and Dahlia's kicks afterwards looks worse but the crowd goes wild as Dahlia kicks out of Toni's piledriver finisher! One good kick lands however with a nice spinning heel kick following a rollup attempt and Dahlia goes up top for another moonsault attempt, this one gets a 2 count and reminds me of Lita's and looks just as dangerous.

Toni rips Dahlia off the top and hits two fast piledrivers to take us home. This was fine. I mostly noticed that Glen got very squeaky throughout the match, so enjoy that...Oh look, Jinny!

WINNER - STILL PROGRESS WOMEN'S CHAMPION, TONI STORM BY TWO STORM ZEROS

MARTY SCURLL vs. ZACK SABRE JR

By Brum

Zack’s entrance sounds very subdued on this edit because they’ve overdubbed his music for copyright reasons.

His mystery opponent is…. MARTY SCURLL!!! This should be a lot of fun. This is the first time Marty had been in Progress for 8 months. Big pop. The previous 2 matches between The Leaders of the New School (at RevPro & PWG respectively) were bangers so no surprise the crowd is hype. However, I don’t think tonight’s affair, being third on, will quite reach the 35/40 minute epics of yore.

During the ring announcements, Zack gets twatted by Marty to boos. Marty starts on top. The commentary hype up their match from Progress 1. Marty is working the arm to hinder the windiness of the windy man. Back stabber sends Zack to the outside.

Marty goes to boot Zack from the apron but ZSJ catches his foot & starts repeatedly twisting his ankle. Ouch. Zack follows this up with a dragon screw leg whip. A European uppercut & floatover Northern Lights gives us Zack’s first submission attempt of the match, an armbar which he transitions into an ankle lock.

Marty breaks out and we get a nice back & forth between the two until Zack sweeps Marty (literally but probably not metaphorically) off his feet. ZSJ on top now. Marty tries to use his speed to escape Zack but ends up getting locked in an Octupus lock between the ropes.

Marty wriggles out though & Zack is caught in the ring apron. Scurll makes the most of this with a downward super kick from the apron. Back in the ring, Marty’s attempt at a Shining Wizard is caught in what looks like a heel hook transitioned into a single leg crab, and then an STF, and then an omoplata!! I know I wax lyrical about Zack a lot but watching him is an absolute delight.

Marty uses his villainous ways to break out with a rake of the eyes. It’s strike battle time with Zack’s kicks vs Marty’s chops, which leads to a pin battle & a slew of 2 counts. Both men are now back on their feet & we get some more nasty Marty chops. And now some more nasty Zack kicks!! Both men down again.

Zack roughs Scurll up a bit & applies a full nelson. This is reversed but not for long as Marty finds himself in an octopus stretch. ZSJ transitions into a standing omoplata! Lovely stuff! Marty reverses again though & goes for a surfboard stretch. This looks like a setup to the chicken wing. It is!! Marty locks it in but Zack gets to the ropes pretty sharpishly.

Marty goes to the top rope. Moonsault attempt but Zack catches him in a triangle! Marty picks Zack up and power bombs him. Single basement dropkick from Marty! 2 count! Marty then performs his patented finger snap & signals for the chicken wing in his iconic way. He goes for it but Zack reverses into the European clutch pin. 1..2..3! Zacky wins!!

Summary: Cracking match. Though no surprise considering the participants. Due to its card placement, it delivered exactly what it was supposed to. Would I have liked to see another 15/20 mins of this? Yes, I would. But then you wouldn’t get the following Haskins/Havoc review from Dan.

WINNER & BEAUTIFUL MAN – ZACK SABRE JR WITH THE EUROPEAN CLUTCH PIN

DEATH MATCH: JIMMY HAVOC vs. MARK HASKINS

By Daniel Wildash

Hello WSBF and what an absolute cracker I have to watch today. Havoc V Haskins from Chapter 55. I'll be the first to admit I'm a newbie compared to most of the lads when it comes to PROGRESS, so this promo video is going to help me see why this match happened.

Seems like both men love accidentally hitting each other with chairs and Mark Haskins simply doesn't like anyone but him touching Vicky. Right, I'm up to date let's crack on with the death match!

Havoc out first in all white wielding an axe. Fully prepared to behead Haskins it seems. No nonsense. Haskins follows and speaking of no nonsense he bursts into the ring gunning for havoc from the start! Flying dive to the outside and this is pure carnage already. Havoc picks up a crutch and goes to work on Haskins with it. How many obscure items will there be used in this match? Who knows but we're going to find out!

Havoc chucks a chair and then a baking tray at Haskins. Both men searching for more weird and wacky items under the ring to use. Havoc now wielding his trusty stapler and goes to work on Haskins with it but Haskins gets it back, staples Havocs head and smashes a guitar over him Double J style!

He places Havoc on a chair and launches into him with a massive kick to the jaw. Frying pan next for Haskins as he smacks Havoc's temple in. He takes a cardboard box full of 4 cups but opens it up and there is a nerf gun inside and a dinosaur. I have no words as Haskins shoots him in the dick and smacks him over the head with a dinosaur. Unbelievable.

We get out first pin attempt which is a kick out at 2. Havoc is bleeding a fair bit now as Haskins goes searching for more absurd things to destroy him with. He goes with the duel wielding staplers and straight into the back of Havoc's head they go. You sick fuck rings round ally pally. Speaking of sick things to happen, Watford ended Liverpool's unbeaten run in the premier league this weekend. Happy days.

Anyway, back to the match as Havoc looks to come back in with the use of the classic frying pan. They go amongst the crowd a bit and end up on the stage where there is a table set up to the side. Death valley driver by Haskins through the table. Gnarly stuff! Both men back in the ring as Haskins goes for another pin. Couple of knees from Haskins into the already bloodied head of Havoc and he goes searching for yet more weapons.

Cinder blocks. Fucking cinder blocks. Christ. Couple of chairs set up now too with the cinder block nestled in-between. Haskins looking to drop Havoc onto it but it gets reversed, he goes for a kick to the head, countered and OH MY GOD A POWERBOMB ONTO THE BLOCKS. How has Haskins kicked out of the pin? Maniac.

Havoc now has some tape and is tying Haskins wrists together. He grabs his things and a horrible looking cut made by Havoc. Could say that's vintage if I'm honest. He then goes for the tongue and you can see the blood spew from out of Haskins mouth. Mental. He then grabs some salt and pours it into Haskins mouth. 2 count again from the pin. Staple to the head from Havoc and then a DDT onto the cinder blocks followed by an Acid Rainmaker. Yet another kick out at 2. Wow.

Havoc pulls out a table from under the ring and lays it against the corner. He rests Haskins head against it, grabs his axe and goes to decapitate him but Haskins manages to roll away at the last second. Havoc comes back for more but ends up running shoulder first into the table. Vicky in the ring and she cuts Haskins free from the tape Havoc immobilised him with earlier. Haskins goes for the chair but Vicky says no. She goes under the ring and out comes a barbed wired baseball bat. Bit naughty that - just like Sarr's chip on the weekend.

Roberts gets a slap for telling Vicky to get out and Haskins goes to work on Havoc. Havoc gets out of an arm bar and both men rake each others eyes out. When will this end!?More barbed wire now in the form of board being introduced. Drop toe hold and Havoc goes face first into the board. Gets Havoc up and hits two rolling death valley drivers straight onto the board. Havoc somehow someway kicks out at 2. What. The. Hell.

Thumbtacks are out and littered around the ring. Haskins gets drop kicked into the board which is now set up in the corner but Havoc has done himself over and landed straight into the pile of thumbtacks! He gets up and hits Haskins into the thumbtacks twice and then drives Haskins back into the barbed wire board. Another kick out at 2.

How are these men not dead? Acid rainmaker reversal but Haskins stops the roll into the thumbtacks. Havoc hits an Acid Rainmaker into the tacks but yet another kick out. I'm starting to believe these 2 are immortal. As I say that, Havoc hits an Acid Rainmaker with the barbed wire bat and it is over. What a match. Absolute carnage from start to finish.

WINNER - JIMMY HAVOC BY BARBED WIRE BAT ASSISTED ACID RAINMAKER

PROGRESS ATLAS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: MATT RIDDLE (C) vs. TIMOTHY THATCHER vs. WALTER

By Matt Connolly

This week's Nerd Watch viewing has me watching three of my favourite wrestlers on the Planet. It's also for the Progress Atlas title, a title that I think had a great run and was replaced before it ran out of steam. Your champion here is Matt Riddle, and your two challengers are Ringkampf members Timothy Thatcher and WALTER.

Now usually having two people from the same faction as challengers would weigh heavily against a champion in terms of two on ones but I have a feeling the competitive nature of these German based brawlers will make it an even contest.

There is a hype video for this one but it just consists of the three men hitting massive moves and looking like the mean bastards they are. I have no problem with this. In fact, I endorse it. Out first is Thatcher. Using the Dvorak No.9 symphony music that all Ringkampf members use. This is then set for repeat as WALTER is next to the ring. The pop for the Austrian is arguably a little louder. His ring jacket is of course way better than Thatcher's but Thatcher is wearing his Ringkampf scarf which drags him one point back in style wars.

They both personify intensity with their entrance, something that cannot be said about the champ. Despite never wanting to question his bonafides it's fair to say that Riddle takes a more relaxed approach to the ring. Big smile and belt hanging loosely around his neck. Big pops for the champ and even a few streamers to welcome him. Jim introduces the three Monsters and once the ring is cleared of streamers we are set to go here.

It's Riddle who gets all the early strikes in. Clearly thinking that this could develop against him he nails super viscious kicks into his challengers before eventually the fighting on two fronts catches up with him and Thatcher catches him with an butterfly suplex into the corner. Champion out for the time being the two Kampf lads decide it's time to drop bombs on each other, but only after a very respectful handshake which I'll allow but deep down hate. Respect in wrestling... *spits on floor*.

Anyway, WALTER wins the whose chest is made of concrete contest but has allowed enough time for Riddle to wake up. Riddle gets on top but focuses too much on Thatcher and WALTER eventually gets his licks on Riddle with a mean German suplex the highlight of a flurry of moves. I can tell this is just going to be as good as I thought three giant meat machines trying to kill each other would be.

WALTER seems to be master of the German suplex. Thatcher prefers a belly to belly whilst Riddle is three amigo-ing Gut wrench suplexes. Different moves for different needs. The middle of this is just feats of strength on rinse repeat with a large portion of great athleticism for a big guy thrown in. Rather than me type out every move just go and watch. It's fast paced and the lack of selling actually contributes to the story of who is the hardest man in the pub mentality that the Atlas division offered. The highlight of all this is maybe the double German WALTER nails on both Men.

As we enter the finishing stretch it's WALTER who seems to have control. He powerbombs Riddle before collapsing in the corner, exhausted by the pace and brutality of this one, only for Riddle to kip up to a massive pop from the PROGRESS ultras! It's not the first time Riddle has no sold WALTER but it works so well for this contest for reasons explained earlier and the exasperation on a monster like WALTER's face does so much for the contest in that moment.

As Riddle is hulking up ready to nail WALTER with something he eats a humungous lariat that would of taken him out of his boots had he chose to wear any. This garners only a two count so the match goes to a chop contest that Riddle somehow manages to win after using three knee strikes.

Thatcher returns to the action but Riddle is handing out knees to WALTER for free so hands Thatcher one too. This leaves him stuck in the bottom rope and thus out of the finish of this one. Riddle gets WALTER up for the Tombstone in another incredible show of muscle but WALTER turns it over and hits the driver on Riddle for the three count. WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION!

This is great. As someone who isn't high on triple threats as a rule, I still highly recommend this one. There is no way a Pro Wrestling fan cannot have fun here.

WINNER - AND NEW ATLAS CHAMPION, WALTER BY SIT OUT PILEDRIVER

SCRAMBLE MATCH: EDDIE DENNIS vs. MARK ANDREWS vs. ZACK GIBSON vs. MORGAN WEBSTER vs. JAMES DRAKE vs. STRANGLER DAVIS vs. CHIEF DEPUTY DUNNE vs. JACK SEXSMITH

By Ross Casey

I know that these multi-man matches get a rough deal from a lot of wrestling fans, but I absolutely love them. Live, especially, I absolutely adore the madness that I see before my eyes.

I was there for this at the Alexandra Palace and I have to admit that my memory of it is hazy beyond what transpires at the end, so I am very much looking forward to watching again here. Cheers, Pete!

I'm going to try something slightly different for this review - let's see how it goes!

No Fun Dunne: Playing a po-faced heel version of his character and getting good heat. BEST BIT: Bringing out his tiny megaphone whilst on the top rope and no one being able to hear him. Classic.

Strangler Davis: Got the finger treatment from fans, a glowing appraisal for heels at the time. BEST BIT: His Gory Special and Boston Crab on Webster and Andrews at the same time!

Jack Sexsmith: Incredibly over, makes me grin seeing him again, but also sad he isn't working in-ring anymore. BEST BIT: Double Mr Cocko on GYV, whilst face fucking No Fun Dunne. Also his selling in general. Masterful!

Flash Morgan Webster: A decent ovation, but nothing compared to Jack. BEST BIT: Pinball Wizard to the outside. Mental.

James Drake: Gibson hands him the microphone, surprisingly. He gets decent heat, but not Gibson heat. BEST BIT: Grit your teeth dropkick to Sexsmith. Looked like it caved his head in!

Zack Gibson: Zack grabs the mic and garners a much bigger heel response. A true natural. He gets in the crowd and cuts a three minute promo, surrounded by a torrent of heckles, jeers and middle fingers in his face. What a bloke. BEST BIT: "I would love to see the size of the bandwagon that brought all you cunts here today."

Eddie Dennis: Much loved by the fans, but watching back now, you can see he is serious here - making the ending even better. BEST BIT: Powerbombing Dunne from the ring to the outside.

Mark Andrews: A bigger pop than Eddie. He didn't like that... BEST BIT: Winning the match.

The ending of this match came when FSU hit the double team Next Stop Driver on Webster. Andrews selflessly left Dennis to take the pinfall and therefore earn a title shot. Dennis took a few seconds to compute the act of selflessness. That allowed Webster the time to kick out. (He would later argue that he left it to Dennis because he didn't believe his partner could win.)

Shortly after, Webster hits a lovely version of the Destino on Dennis, but Andrews immediately comes off the top with his Shooting Star Press for the win on Flash.

Post-match, Webster applauds Andrews on his win and leaves him to celebrate alone, when Dennis plants his now former partner with a Next Stop Driver from behind! The crowd reaction is amazing, no one saw it coming - except Shafi who called it live. A shocking end to a brilliantly fun scramble. Loved watching this back.

WINNER - NEW NO. 1 CONTENDER, MARK ANDREWS BY A SHOOTING STAR PRESS

PROGRESS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: PETE DUNNE (C) vs. TRAVIS BANKS

By Ross Casey

Pete Dunne won the World Title at Chapter 39. This is Dunne’s eleventh defense of the title, breaking Jimmy Havoc’s record for most defences of the PROGRESS World Title. Banks earned this title shot by winning my favourite ever Super Strong Style 16 tournament. This was the culmination of a brilliant story and I am hype to watch it back for the first time since seeing it live.

The odds are stacked against Banks, as Dunne is joined to the ring by Moustache Mountain. Banks is right on the offence, showing no fear despite the skewed numbers and dives onto all three.

BSS respond by all of them reaching for their very own sledgehammer. A not so subtle nod to Uncle Paul over in Stamford, Connecticut, which brings jeers from the crowd. In a shocking turn of events, Chris Roberts actually does his job and ejects Severn and Bate to the back. The fight is then taken outside, with Dunne launching Banks into the crowd and taking out the ring crew - including O.J.M.O. Thankfully, Banks fights his way back into the squared circle at nine.

Dunne hits a pedigree to Banks on the apron and only gets two. Then a Tombstone on the outside followed by a Bitter End (which was still Dunne's finish back then) in the ring, but still, Banks finds a way to kick out! This irked me watching it back, but live, I was so emotionally invested in Banks getting that title of Dunne, I was cheering wildly.

Here, we see the birth of the unstoppable Banks that PROGRESS Ultras would grow to hate come the end of his reign, with kick-outs at one for many a move. Following a ref bump, Dunne hits a low blow and a second Bitter End, but again, Banks kicks out. Pete is getting angry just reading this, I know it. The “Terminator” aspect of Travis is something that would eventually turn him heel - especially as he was somewhat bizarrely booked against majorly over faces.

The near falls aren’t just saved for Banks though, as Dunne is also guilty of kicking out after monstrous moves too. Following ANOTHER ref bump, Moustache Mountain return to the ring to hit numerous finishers on Banks. Match over surely? NOPE! Banks kicks out again! To be fair, the crowd (including me at the time) eat it up.

BSS have had enough of Terminator Trav and they look to attack with sledgehammers. Just as all looks lost, the new PROGRESS Tag Champions CCK come out and the best boys even up the odds, but as it looks like a level playing field, the equaliser is brought back, and Banks is hit square in the jaw with a sledgehammer.

Our THIRD ref comes out but again, a kick out before three. The ref stops Dunne from hitting Banks again with the sledgehammer and as he throws it away, Banks finds his own and clocks Dunne right in the face and hits the Kiwi Crusher. He goes for the pin and Dunne kicks out at two, but Banks immediately locks in the Lions Clutch and The Brusierweight taps out!

We have our NEW PROGRESS Champion, Travis Banks. The fans are going wild as Dunne throws the title to the victor and CCK come to the ring to celebrate, before Banks introduces his parents for an emotional embrace, presenting them with the belt.

SUMMARY: Before I get all Ross and positive, let's address some of the complaints for this match. I didn't like that Banks used the Sledgehammer in the finish - but I can appreciate the symbolism - and the number of finishers that Banks took and still kicked out of took me a little bit out of this on tape. I can certainly listen to the complaint that along with all of the smoke and mirror ref bumps and interferences, it made this match too Attitude Era PPV for many.

OK, now onto the positive stuff! Against the dastardly British Strong Style here, and in front of his parents who travelled the world to witness this match live, who can begrudge him the win and the way he fought for it?

This is a fun watch and a reminder of PROGRESS at their best, ending shows on a high with streamers, tears of joy and the good guys winning in the end as the crowd goes nuts.

WINNER - AND NEW PROGRESS WORLD CHAMPION, TRAVIS BANKS BY LIONS CLUTCH