Progress Wrestling

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Progress Wrestling
AcronymProgress
Founded2011
StyleProfessional wrestling
Sports entertainment
HeadquartersLondon, England
Founder(s)Jim Smallman
Jon Briley
Owner(s)Lee McAteer
Martyn Best
Merged withDEFY Wrestling
WebsiteProgressWrestling.com

Progress Wrestling (stylized as PROGRESS) is a British professional wrestling promotion that was established in 2011 by comedian Jim Smallman, events and comedy promoter Jon Briley, and later, actor Glen Robinson (professionally known as Glen Joseph). The company is now co-owned by Lee McAteer, Martyn Best, and Matthew Buczek.

History

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Progress was conceived by Jim Smallman and Jon Briley in 2011, who were both wrestling fans. Smallman is a fan of "strong style" wrestling, Japanese in particular, and Briley was Smallman's agent.[1]

In 2015, Progress appeared for five nights at Download Festival.[2] In December of that year, they began running regular shows at The Ritz in Manchester.[3] On 30 September 2018, Progress Wrestling held "Hello Wembley" at Wembley Arena. Billed by the promotion as the largest independent wrestling show in England for 30 years, the event drew 4,750 people; making it the most attended event in Progress Wrestling history.[4]

In 2016, the company began working relationships with other promotions. At Chapter 29 on 24 April in London, Progress hosted two qualifying matches for the WWE Cruiserweight Classic.[5] In 2017, Progress wrestlers such as Pete Dunne, Tyler Bate, Trent Seven, and Mark Andrews participated in the WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament, culminating in Bate being crowned the first ever WWE UK Champion.[citation needed]

Smallman left Progress at the end of 2019 after Chapter 100. In June 2020, Progress reacted to reports of sexual harassment in the British independent circuit. After several accusations had been circulating of behaviour at other wrestling promotions, Progress decided to no longer work with David Starr, Travis Banks, and El Ligero, as well as suspending indefinitely then- Tag team Champions Jordan Devlin and Scotty Davis, who vacated the titles.[6] Ring announcer and creative team member Matt Richards also left the promotion.[7] On 21 June 2020, it was announced that Glen Joseph was stepping down with Michael Oku, Vicky Haskins and James Amner all taking prominent roles in the company.[8] By the time the company returned to running shows, only James Amner would remain involved, and Amner played a key part in the future ownership of the company.

In 2021, Progress announced its return amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, travelling to South London to set up a temporary home at Theatre Peckham for Chapter 104: Natural Progression on 20 February, eventually producing 23 shows behind closed doors which featured on the WWE Network. On 31 December that year, ahead of their return to live shows in January 2022, it was announced that Progress had been acquired by Lee McAteer and Martyn Best - taking over ownership from Briley.

On 9 February 2024, it was announced that PROGRESS Wrestling would merge with DEFY Wrestling, an independent promotion based in Seattle, Washington in the United States. It was created to bring a "global presence" to both brands and aid further expansion plans.[9]

Demand Progress Plus

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Demand Progress Plus is Progress' video-on-demand service that launched in 2023, replacing the previous service on Pivotshare.[10]

January 2017 had seen the first episode of Freedom's Road, a new series from Progress which would feature matches taped specifically for the show and have a heavy focus on characters and plots.[11]

Championships

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As of May 11, 2026.

Current champions

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Championship Current champion(s) Reign Date won Days held Location Notes Ref.
PROGRESS World Championship File:Man Like DeReiss in April 2024.jpg Man Like DeReiss 1 August 25, 2025 259+ London, England Defeated Luke Jacobs in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match at Chapter 183: Hundred Volts [12]
Progress Wrestling Atlas Championship File:Will Kroos in March 2025.jpg Will Kroos 1 September 28, 2025 225+ London, England Defeated Gene Munny at Chapter 184: Camden Lock Up. [13]
Progress Wrestling Proteus Championship File:20210526—Paul Walter Hauser, interview for "Cruella", LosCriticologos (05m21s) (cropped) (cropped).jpg Paul Walter Hauser 1 17 April 2025 389+ Paradise, Nevada Defeated Simon Miller, Effy, Adam Priest and Charles Crowley in a Five-way scramble match at Chapter 179: Progress Las Vegas. [14]
PROGRESS Tag Team Championship File:Connor Mills vs. David Starr.jpg
File:Nico Angelo in February 2025.jpg 		Diamond Eyes
(Connor Mills and Nico Angelo) 		1
(1, 1) 		26 October 2025 197+ London, England Defeated Lykos Gym (Kid Lykos and Kid Lykos II) and Sunshine Machine (Chuck Mambo and TK Cooper) at Chapter 185: Jump In The Line. [15]
Progress Women's Championship Rayne Leverkusen 1 26 October 2025 197+ London, England Defeated Rhio at Chapter 185: Jump In The Line. [15]

Reception

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Patrick Lennon, wrestling journalist for the Daily Star, has attended and reviewed Progress shows.[16]

Carrie Dunn, founder and main contributor of wrestling blog "The Only Way is Suplex",[17] published the book Spandex, Screw Jobs & Cheap Pops: Inside the Business of British Pro Wrestling.[18] Progress Wrestling features frequently in the book including opening a chapter regarding London based wrestling promotions.[19]

See also

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References

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