The nerds embark upon Camden high street on Sunday to witness the latest chapter in the history of PROGRESS. It's a card with plenty of fresh matches and feuds, and I am sure we will have a blast.
Don't forget we will be documenting it on our instagram - give us a follow on there!
Let's get into the five big questions heading into the show!
1. "Don’t overthink things, just sit back and enjoy the ride. 2019’s gonna be fun." What do you think PROGRESS will be like this year?
DOM - When Ring of Honor lost Joe, Punk, Dragon, Nigel and Aries within a year or so I thought I’d never be able to enjoy the company as much as I had and my fandom would die down. But then along came Kevin Steen, El Generico, Chris Hero, Claudio Castagnoli and the Briscoes to the main event scene and everything was A-OK. PROGRESS will be like that this year. It’s a rebuild and it’ll be different but we will love it if we give it a chance.
PETE - If you had asked me this question a month ago I would have been pretty negative but some interesting belt switches at Unboxing that definitely seem like a statement against all the contractual and booking issues floating around, plus the awesome announcement of Progress x Kaiju, have shown there is still life in Progress. More of this please! There’s always room for ‘different’.
JAKE - Exciting times. Changing times. Look at Southampton.
SIMON - PROGRESS gets better every year so I’m really looking forward to what they have in store for us.
ALEX - Hopefully PROGRESS will return to its roots now with all the WWE signed guys leaving. There’s a devoted fanbase and established brand so attendance will keep up despite the absence of established big stars. (Also the cynic in me looks on with a smirk at all of you Season Ticket holders; Jim could do his whole messiah complex opening spiel for 3 hours each show and you’d be powerless).
MIKE - To be honest, I wonder how much JJG know about what's going to happen this year! With WWE, RoH and AEW booking up people left, right and centre, the idea of a stable PROGRESS roster seems quite laughable. Who is going to stay long term? So, lots of title changes, lots of "plans changed", and probably loads of people we never thought we'd see show up in the Ballroom. Sounds like fun to me!
MAT - I think this is just flat out message to those in the fans group that think they’re bookers. I think it will be great for some people who got less spotlight last year.
DANIEL - 'm hyped for the next year! I'm yet to go to a progress show/watch one on demand that I've felt disappointed by. Hopefully WWE don't screw the schedule around too much with their own UK shows.
ROB - Needs a total reboot really. Everyone now belongs to someone so it's hard to get invested in a character or a story without thinking "well he'll be going to wherever in 3 weeks so he HAS to lose".
ROSS - They have let us know in advance that 2019 is going to be fun. BRING. IT. ON.
JAMES - I think it will continue to be a fun day out with my mates with quality in ring action. I think not using the WWE guys, it's what only Nina and Eddie on this card? Will see a fresher and exciting new company.
2. Which match are you most hyped for?
DOM - All 3 tag matches really interest me. But I’m going to go for the title match because I’ve never seen the Swords wrestle as a team before.
PETE - Ilja vs Thatcher. Two legitimately great wrestlers in their own right and one has to hope that enough of Walter has rubbed off on them for a potential classic.
JAKE - Swords v CCK.
SIMON - Unfortunately I won’t be there tomorrow so I haven’t thought about it much. I’ve taken a slight liking to DNR, despite me hating on them last month so I’ll be keeping an eye out for their matches.
ALEX - Angelico vs Jody Fleisch. When I first got really into wrestling back in 2015, I pirated Lucha Underground Season 1. Angelico was immediately one of my favourites. Fleisch is a British legend, been lucky enough to see him in some outstanding matches in the past few years. He’s still going strong.
MIKE - Not gonna lie, Dragunov v Thatcher sounds great, gonna be hard-hitting and can't wait to finally see Dragunov at the Ballroom, but Jody Fleisch vs Angelico is gonna be awesome. Flippy shit, high-flying moves all over the shop, both men trying to outflip each other for the biggest pop? Sign. Me. Up.
MAT - Hyped for Aussie open!
DANIEL - Dragunov v Thatcher. That's going to be absolutely brutal. I love how mad Dragunov is as a performer. Looks like he could murder a pack of dogs and not even bat an eyelid.
ROB - I'd be lying if I told you I could remember a single match that was happening. Which is normally the case AFTER the show, not before.
ROSS - Hyped for this card in general. It looks unpredictable and we get Dragunov and Ospreay in the ballroom. Should be a cracker!
JAMES - I think the Swords vs CCK. Ospreay is on another level right now. So any chance to see him in a small venue is awesome. Excited to see Mambo interacting with Aussie Open and Ilya and Thatch should be great as well. Oh shit Fleisch vs Angelico is on this card. That could be amazing. I'm excited for the card and live wrestling.
3. With Tyler Bate now gone for the foreseeable future - who do you think takes the title off WALTER?
DOM - Anyone but Ridgeway!
PETE - Don’t know. Depends on NXTUK. Eddie Dennis and Mark Davis both have title shots, right? It seems like they’ve started building Ridgeway which is a good move as I’ve definitely turned the corner on him for the better.
JAKE - Give it to the new naughty Jack Sexsmith.
SIMON - Tough one. I can see him holding it for a while so who knows!
ALEX - A debuting Josh Bodom (pls)
MIKE - I have been wondering this for some time. There is literally nobody that has been built up enough to believably beat Walter. So, it won't happen clean, but with his NXT UK contract, I expect it to be soon. Thunderbastard maybe? I know that didn't answer the question, but I don't think there is a legitimate contender...
MAT - David Starr, perhaps?
DANIEL - TRAVIS IS OUR CHAMPION! I'd love for him to get it back but if not him then Eddie for sure.
ROB - Jack Sexsmith in a 3 minute squash match. Sexsquash.
ROSS - Bloody good question I've asked myself there. I hope they payoff Dennis and Davis soon, but if WALTER gets past them both, give me Dragunov v WALTER please!
JAMES - Dennis has a title shot in his pocket? So does Mark Davis? Maybe Davis and Fletcher lost the tag belts so they can win the Title and Atlas title. I'm going to hedge my bets and say a member of Aussie Open.
4. Three tag matches on this show lads - what's the worst three drink concoction you could end up with?
DOM - Scotch, tequila, scotch.
PETE - Whiskey and any two other drinks. Bleuuugh!!!!
JAKE - Three shots of spit from Spike Trivet.
SIMON - I don’t think I can handle my shots anymore. Vodka would probably push me over the edge. All I say is good luck those of you who are there tomorrow...
ALEX - Three tags is worrying news for Dom. If you want to see a good whine, give him a shot of vodka. I don’t trust Pete to take the tube home after this as well, get him an Uber.
MIKE - In an odd, and I guess quite cruel way, I'm hoping Dom loses all three so we get three tasty Jagers (sorry mate). Shots of whiskey and vodka are just fucking nasty. Don't mind tequila or sambuca, but now that you've asked this question, I'm sure there are some nerds itching to get us all shots of some weird shit.
MAT - Tequila, Vodka, Tequila
DANIEL - Sadly I'm missing the show on Sunday but any shot round involving vodka would be bad. Couple that with tequila and then whisky...you're in for a great Monday morning hangover.
ROB - Blood, sweat and tears. (All from Abdullah the Butcher).
ROSS - Jagermeister - simply can't keep that shit down.
JAMES - Good grief. One that I pay for I think.....Or vodka....gin....absinthe.
5. Just three shows left in the pick'ems. How are you feeling about your performance so far?
DOM - I hate Pickems and I hate all of you. See you in February.
PETE - Get off my back, Ross! Always “the pick’ems” with you!!
JAKE - I'm fucking brilliant.
SIMON - It’s very open. I’m on 12 and the leaders have 14 so I’m pretty confident I’ll be there or thereabouts!
ALEX - Surprisingly strong for a man who refuses to watch wrestling anymore. If I get a Wrestling Observer subscription, you’re all doomed.
MIKE - I'm still annoyed at my last-minute meddling with WK13. I switched up to Ishii and Omega when they were clearly never going over. I'm where I always bloody am... five or six off the leader, with no hope of catching them. Europa league spot for me, I think. Spursy!
MAT - Very average.
DANIEL - Very hit and miss. I feel like I've left the club with a 10/10 and then realised walking home she's actually a 5. Long way to go yet but goes to show I need to watch more WWE!
ROB - I just want everyone to like me.
ROSS - Unspectacular, but solid. Just like my beloved Bristol City.
JAMES - I'm in the running. 1 off the lead. I'd be 2 clear if some Muppet hadn't thought Dave Mastiff beating Eddie Dennis was a good idea in 2019. No clue for this weekend tho and must remember to not do a Dom and actually make My picks.
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