It was the only way it was going to end, after over a year of Spike Trivet decimating the PROGRESS roster, Kid Lykos finally managed to close the chapter on Spike Trivet ‘PROGRESS Champion’ in one of the wildest, bloodiest cage matches you are likely to see on UK shores anytime soon.
From the moment the cage door closed behind the competitors, signaling the commencement of this epic clash, the audience at the Electric Ballroom were transfixed. The air was charged with anticipation, as earlier in the evening the PROGRESS faithful had witnessed what could be the fall of Dominatus Regnum, with both the Smoking Aces and Bullit losing earlier in the evening. But it was clear that this was not just a battle, but a war of attrition between Trivet and Lykos a fued that has eclipsed even Trivet and Cara Noir.
The ferocity displayed within the cage was unmatched, with every strike, every slam, resonating with bone-rattling intensity. The blood poured, painting the canvas, the ropes, the turnbuckles and each other in crimson masks that flowed as freely as the unrelenting action unfolding in the cage. This wasn’t merely a match; it was a symphony of carnage, a ballet of brutality.
As the battle raged on, it became evident that neither Lykos nor Trivet would yield easily. They fought with the tenacity of warriors possessed, each refusing to relent even in the face of overwhelming adversity. The stakes were high, the tension palpable, and the outcome uncertain until the final bell.
In the end, it was Kid Lykos who emerged victorious, standing tall amidst the wreckage, after the cage was invaded by the Smoking Aces hoping to protect thier leader, however the locker room emptied with Kid Lykos II, Rhio, Gene Munny, Sanity and Man Like Deriess all charging the cage to remove any chance of another tainted victory, with Big Damo standing in the doorway of the cage to remind Trivet that he may have stolen the title from him, but he wasn’t going to escape so easily this time. And so it was, Lykos finally got the three count and the Ballroom erupted like it hasn’t done in a long, long time.
Now the question is who will emerge as Lykos first real challenger? Something tells us that a certain Tate Mayfairs may have something to say about it after Lykos beat him at Chapter 162, ending his winning streak. But time will tell…
Elsewhere on the card, there were some incredible battles. Most notably Kanji vs. Lizzy Evo in a 2 out of 3 falls match. If it wasn’t for the incredible main event this would have been the match of the night. The ladies absolutely battered each other and the ring (a brutal whip to the turnbuckles from Evo saw the top rope come off on top of Kanji midway throught the match) until Nina Samuels interference saw Evo walk away with the victory.
It was a bad night for Dominatus Regnum all round as Bullit was pinned for the first time in PROGRESS by Kid Lykos II and the Smoking Aces dropped the tag titles, not to Sanity who they faced, putting on yet another carnival of violence, but to the Cheeky Little Buggers (Alexxis Falcon and Charles Crowley) who challenged the Aces, who had just won via feet on the ropes. They thought they’d make light work of the ‘comedy’ duo. However, things didn’t go as the Aces planned and they were relieved of the titles crowning the CLB as the new champs and the first ever intergender team to do so in PROGRESS history.
The Cheeky Little Bugers were pulling double duty, because in the opening match of the night they faced Gene Munny and his mystery partner, who was originally meant to be Session Moth Martina, however her plane was delayed so instead he was joined by ‘The Kid With No Fear’ Danny (or as Gene referred to him Daniel) Black, in a fast paced and utterly hilarious affiar that ened with the CLB getting the win.
Rhio retained the womens title after Nina Samuels (Her again!?) interfered in the match against Emersyn Jayne, who was making her PROGRESS debut, causing the disqualification. Simon Miller gained a measure of revenge against Rob Drake picking up the win and sending Drake and a seriously upset Lana Austin packing. Man Like Deriess handed Yoichi his first singles loss in PROGRESS in another hard hitting affair and in a dark match Jack Bandicoot scored the win against Taishi Ozawwa.
Overall, this was an absolutely stellar show from PROGRESS. The company had been looking to make Vendetta it’s version of Wrestlemania, however this felt like a much bigger event overall. The crowd were rabid for Lykos, the final match delivered on a huge scale and the whole event just felt like it really meant something. Once again, PROGRESS proves why it’s arguably the best independent show in Europe. No one tells stories like PROGRESS and onced again the future is very bright, now if we can just get them into a bigger venue…
Oh and one last thought. Dominatus Regnum may have lost everything tonight, but those with nothing to lose become a very, very dangerous prospect. So something tells us, this isn’t the end of them, merely the beginning of something far more sinister…
