Progress #357 - ‘Survival of the Fittest 2020’

STRONG STYLE /strôNG/ /stīl/ 1. ‘... A style of wrestling evolved from Japanese Puroresu (プロレス) and traditional British Catch wrestling that incorporates full contact martial arts kicks and strikes with a strong emphasis placed on submission wrestling ...’ In Progress, the emphasis is more on the competition and the combatants fighting spirit rather than characters, and we settle things in the ring ....

William Regal starts the show off and welcomes the YouTube audience .... he explains the Survival of the Fittest concept, that the winner of the tournament will earn a Progress contract and receive a future title shot of his choosing .... he runs through some of the past winners, including 2018 winner WALTER and 2017 winner ‘The Villain’ Marty Scurll ....

Regal is interrupted by the arrival of ‘The Miracle’ Mike Bennett w/ Maria Kanellis .... Kanellis has the mic and she demands that Regal forego this tournament and give Bennett his job back .... she says Regal has the stroke to do it .... she demands he send all these people home because Bennett shouldn’t have to compete in some tournament .... Regal says Bennett will have the chance to prove it because he’s up first!


1. Jonah Rock (AUSTRALIA) def. ‘Miracle’ Mike Bennett w/ Maria Kanellis (UNITED STATES) following a 330 lb splash from the top rope ....


2. Austin Theory (UNITED STATES) def. Bandido (MEXICO) with the Ataxia (inside leg hook spun into a lifting flatliner) in a great back and forth match ....

POST MATCH: Theory and Rock have a face to face on the ramp to promote their 2nd round matchup ....


BACKSTAGE: we get promos from Jazzy Gabbert (Germany) and Dani Luna (Great Britain), who will face Mia Yim in a triple threat match for the Internet title tonight .... Both women say that winning the Internet title will ensure them of getting a full time contract with Progress, and that’s why they are going to win ....


3. Jordan Devlin (IRELAND) def. Lio Rush (UNITED STATES) with the ‘Devil Inside’ (pulling opponent off the mat into backdrop driver) ....  


4. Angel Garza (MEXICO) def. Noam Dar (SCOTLAND) after hitting a hanging double stomp while Dar is caught in the tree of woe ....

POST MATCH: It is time for the face off between Devlin and Garza for their 2nd round match .... Devlin is all business while Garza is all smiles and arrogance, ripping off his long tights and tossing them in Devlins face .... Regal keeps them separated ....


5. Zack Gibson w/ James Drake (UNITED KINGDOM) def. Kyle O’Reilley w/ Roderick Strong (UNITED STATES) .... this is a preview of their tag title match coming up this week on Progress, and its a stiff contest full of strikes and submissions .... Both Strong & Drake get involved, and the ref loses control quickly .... there is a ref bump, and the Vets take out Strong with the ‘Grit Your Teeth’ .... O’Reilley uses this moment to take out Drake with Axe & Smash, but Gibson strikes with Helter Skelter for 2.99999 .... Gibson transitions quickly into the Shankly Gates and O’Reilley is forced to tap out ....

POST MATCH: Gibson and Drake grab the tag titles and hold them up, signifying that they will win the titles on Progress TV this week ....


It is announced that there will be a ‘Beat the Clock Challenge’ for TV this week .... 6 women will compete with the winner facing the winner of tonight’s Internet title match at Champs vs. All Stars ....



6. Austin Theory (UNITED STATES) def. Jonah Rock (AUSTRALIA) after the unproven cutter (TKO) to advance to the finals of Survival of the Fittest .... Theory shows off his speed and power in this one, looking like a million bucks in the process .... He is able to avoid the 330 lb frog splash and have the strength to pick Rock up on his shoulders for the Unproved Cutter to get the win ....


7. Angel Garza (MEXICO) def. Jordan Devlin (IRELAND) with a hammerlock DDT to advance to the finals of Survival of the Fittest .... This is probably the match of the night and a good showcase of both high flying and mat wrestling from these two ....


8. INTERNET TITLE MATCH: (c) Mia Yim (UNITED STATES) def. Jazzy Gabbert (GERMANY) & Dani Luna (GREAT BRITAIN) after hitting Protect Ya Neck on Gabbert while she has Luna up in a Death Valley driver .... this is a battle where the title appeared to be in jeopardy on numerous occasions ....


9. SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST FINALS: Angel Garza (MEXICO) vs. Austin Theory (UNITED STATES) ....

These two close out the night in dynamic fashion with neither giving an inch in pursuit of the Progress contract .... good mix of brawling, wrestling and high flying from these guys .... Theory counters the slingshot reverse suplex into a rollup for a close 2, then scores with the rolling blockbuster for another near fall .... Theory heads up top, but Garza follows and hits an enziguri, then the Spanish fly gets a great near fall!!!!  Both guys are exhausted and start trading shots, then go crazy fists in the middle and then a double clothesline spot .... Theory fights off the wing clipper and hits Ataxia, but Garza instinctively rolls to the floor to avoid being pinned!  Theory goes for a suicide dive but Garza cuts him off with a superkick as he flies through the ropes!  Garza quickly grabs Theory and hits the hammerlock DDT on the apron!!!!  He rolls Theory back in the ring .... WING CLIPPER!  1 ... 2 ... 3!  Garza has won Survival of the Fittest!!!!



William Regal comes out and offers Garza his Progress contract and the Survival of the Fittest trophy .... ‘El Latino, esta en la casa baby!!!!’