Progress #374

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 ....

Atlas Champion: Finn Balor Hometown: Bray, County Wicklow Ireland Finisher: Coup De Grace Bloody Sunday Reign: 12/17/19

Interim Women’s Champion: Rhea Ripley Hometown: Adelade, South Australia Finisher: Riptide Metal Health (Full Nelson Slam) Prism Trap (Hanging Reverse Cloverleaf) Reign: 05/18/20

LOCATION: Cardiff, Wales (United Kingdom) ARENA: Cardiff Motorpoint Arena ANNOUNCERS: Mauro Renallo, Wade Barrett & Renee Young TV: Fox in United States; Sky Sports in United Kingdom

* Johnny Gargano & Candice LeRae made history by defeating Imperium and the Grizzled Young Veterans to win the Progress tag titles ....

* In a sit-down interview, Tessa Blanchard promised to win the women’s title from Rhea Ripley

* despite a breakout performance, ‘Hangman’ Adam Page lost to Atlas champion Finn Balor in a non-title match as Balor prepares to defend the title against Keith Lee at the Bash ....

* Drew McIntyre and Jacob Fatu battled to a no contest at the Great American Bash All-Star show on July 4th

* WALTER won the inter-promotional battle royal at the Bash All-Star show ....

*****


* We go to Mauro Renallo, Wade Barrett & Renee Young at the announce desk and they put over tonight’s show as we are ready for our first segment *


Karrion Kross w/ Scarlett (2-0) def. Drew Gulak in a squash after the Kross Jacket choke

Kross doesn’t even have time to celebrate before Shawn Michaels comes out of the crowd and attacks post-match with a chair! .... He smashes Kross, who no-sells and grabs HBK by the throat! HBK drops down and low blows Kross! Sweet Chin Music knocks Kross outside to the floor!!!! Kross is shaking off the cobwebs as HBK unfolds the chair and sits in it in the ring .... Kross starts to go after HBK but Scarlett gets him to think better of it and just gives HBK the signal that his time is running out .... tick tock .... HBK smiles and points at the Great American Bash sign ....



Jenn Decker (Sterger) brings out Genesis champion Drew McIntyre and they talk about the Great American Bash All-Star show .... Drew says nothing was settled .... MVP comes out to interrupt .... He says McIntyre tried to get himself disqualified on purpose ....  They want a rematch and he says if Drew wants to fight as bad as he says then he should have EC3 send over the contract .... He says Fatu is inside Mcintyre’s head .... Fatu will fight him, but on the biggest stage where the money is more .... they will see him at the Great American Bash .... Until then, no contract, no contact .... McIntyre says speaking of contact, he has a message that MVP can give him .... FUTURE SHOCK ON THE STAGE!  McIntyre leaves MVP laid out ....


Shayna Baszler w/ Marina Shafir & Jessamyn Duke (1-2) def. Bayley (1-1) by disqualification

Shafir & Duke interfere with the ref down, but Sasha Banks comes out of the crowd with a chair and makes the save for Bayley!  Banks & Bayley stand back to back and keep the Horsewomen at bay until they give up and leave ....


Imperium promo .... WALTER talks about winning the battle royal at the Bash, and then cuts a promo on Imperium wanting to win the 6 man titles .... WALTER says the mat is sacred and they always want to test themselves, and they want to do it against the Bar of Kings at the Great American Bash .... There, they will prove that they are superior .... Barthel cuts a promo on Candice LeRae & Johnny Gargano being the tag team champions and says its a disgrace .... it is clear that it falls to Imperium to restore the honor that the sport has lost ....


(Progress tag team
Champions) Johnny Gargano & Candice LeRae (1-0) def. The Briscoes (Jay & Mark) when the Grizzled Young Veterans interfere .... Jay is brawling on the floor with Zack Gibson & James Drake, causing Mark to be distracted and Johnny rolls him up for the flash pin!

Candice & Johnny wipe out everyone with dives .... This brings out Imperium to join the melee and we get a brawl between all 4 teams .... it is madness that takes everyone in the back to break up ....


(Women’s Universal Champion) Rhea Ripley (1-0) vs. Tessa Blanchard ....

This match takes up the final 15-20 minutes of the show, and these two ladies put on a classic .... It is apparent that Tessa is cocky early on, taking Ripley too lightly .... Ripley controls a good part of the match because of that .... Tessa rallies, but Ripley blocks the Magnum by catching Tessa in mid-air and hitting a spinebuster .... Tessa slips out of the Riptide and hits the Buzzsaw DDT!  Ripley kicks out at 2!  ‘THIS IS AWESOME!’ chants .... Tessa up top but Ripley cuts off the Magnum again and this time hits a big super-plex and both women are down ....

Suddenly the crowd buzzes as out comes ... RONDA ROUSEY!  Rousey takes off her jacket and squares up on Ripley, hammering her with strikes and pounding her down in the corner!  Tessa is up and she spins Rousey around, giving her the business for getting involved .... Rousey drills Tessa with a judo throw!  She turns her attention back to Ripley and locks on an armbar!  The ref is trying to pull Rousey off of Ripley and she finally lets go .... she starts to walk out but then sees Tessa starting to get up and she locks her in the armbar too!  Several refs are in now, and Rousey finally lets go .... she smiles at her handiwork and then walks away ....

Good stuff with Kross and HBK at the top, I hate the name Karrion. Killer Kross is much better. I refuse to just do whatever WWE says but that's just me.

Never been a fan of this whole phony Horsewoman thing. Its more WWE BS. Baszler is a legit beast the other two are worthless IMO.

Good Promo from WALTER. I would love a Mega-Push with him. I am shocked that I just said that but you have won me over with him.

Rousey may be the best heel in Progress.

Great Show