3/27 PROGRESS 27 Results – Nine-man Progress Title match, Ciampa beats down Sabre, match set for WrestleCon, more

Progress Wrestling Results
Chapter 27: The Lost Art of Suffering
March 27, 2016
London, England
Report by David Green, PWTorch U.K. correspondent

The show started with an announcement that on April 23, two qualifying matches for WWE’s Global Cruiserweight Series will take place. Also, a new title will be introduced at the next show – the Atlas Championship, which is applicable only to grapplers weighing 205 pounds and over. An eight-man round robin tournament starts at the next show, with the champion crowned at the huge Brixton show in September.

(1) Pastor William Eavor beat Damian Dunne to advance to the finals of the Natural Progression Series. Nice opener between the two, with Eavor taking it appropriately on Easter Sunday with a Crucifix Powerbomb followed swiftly with the Clothesline from Heaven.

(2) Jack Gallagher beat Johnny Kidd by pinfall. This was a great World of Sport style bout that the crowd lapped up, showing great respect to the 37-year veteran Kidd, who is retiring very soon. Gallagher finally took it with a jackknife roll-up, and if you like clean technical wrestling, seek this match out.

(3) Dave Mastiff beat “Body Guy” Roy Johnson. Johnson is a champion powerlifter with a rapper character, making his main show debut after plenty of ENDVR appearances. This match was billed as a “Waste Man Challenge,” where the open challenge could be answered by either a match or a rap battle. Johnson cut a rhyme on Mastiff, which was answered by an all-out assault by the big man. Johnson got some hopeful moments in, including a Samoan Drop. However, Mastiff dominated and finished Johnson off with a cannonball corner senton.

Post-match, Mastiff made his intentions clear that he would become the first Atlas Champion.

(4) London Riots (James Davis & Rob Lynch) beat the Sumerian Death Squad (Tommy End & Michael Dante) in a TLC match where the losing team must had to disband in Progress. This match was an absolute war, including an insane moment where Tommy End was Tombstoned on a chair, which itself was suspended on a ladder in the corner. There were a few issues with a weak table and a difficult ladder, but the effort of all four men was worthy of the standing ovation they received. The London Riots eventually got the win, with Tommy End and Michael Dante having to go their separate ways, but showing respect to the victors on their way out.

(5) The Origin (Nathan Cruz & El Ligero) beat Zack Sabre, Jr. & Tommaso Ciampa to retain the Progress Tag Titles. The dream team of Ciampa and Sabre came oh so close to winning the titles on several occasions, with the crowd really buying the nearfalls towards the end. Eventually, The Origin cheated their way to a win, in what was a great tag match.

Post-match, the challengers argued over the loss, but seemingly made up. However Ciampa turned around down the aisle and viscously attacked Zack, knocking him out with a knee to the face. He told the crowd to “f— themselves,” then ragged on Zack for taking his spots in Evolve and PWG, before proclaiming himself to be the real Best in the World. He then challenged Zack to a third match between the two at the Brixton show in September, which was readily accepted.

(6) Thunderbastard match for the Progress Title – a 9-man match where combatants enter at regular intervals and eliminations occur by pinfall, submission, or DQ. The match featured – in order of entry – Mark Haskins, Paul Robinson, Zack Gibson, Will Ospreay, Mark Andrews, Eddie Dennis, Flash Morgan Webster, Rampage Brown, and the defending champion Marty Scurll.

This was a great main event, with a lot of big things happening. No eliminations took place until all nine men entered. Scurll spent a long time at the commentary desk, rather than get into the match. Gibson eliminated four men in a row, thanks in part to stablemate Dave Mastiff. Haskins eliminated Brown, whereupon Scurll entered the match to eliminate an injured Haskins with the chicken wing.

The final three of Scurll, Ospreay, and Gibson had a tremendous exchange for a good ten minutes. Ospreay pinned Gibson, and Scurll took advantage with a roll-up, hooking the tights on Ospreay for the title retaining pin. WINNER: Scurill to retain the Progress Title.

After proclaiming himself to be the greatest Progress champion of all-time, he stated he would defend the title at the next show in two weeks as he is in the USA. Co-owner Jim Smallman informed Scurll that we would in fact be defending the title at WrestleCon against Ospreay.

All in all, a good show. Not quite on par with the January show, but still worth seeking out on the Demand Progress website, which will be uploaded in the week, if all goes according to plan.