Posted on 5/26/126 by PROGRESS Wrestling
In a seismic shift for British and Irish wrestling, two
globally renowned figures are coming home. Damian Mackle,
known internationally as former WWE star Killian Dain and
Big Damo and his wife, Nicola Glencross, known as Nikki
Cross and Nikki Storm, fresh off a decade-long tenure with
WWE, are taking ownership of PROGRESS Wrestling, the UK’s
premier independent wrestling promotion, as well as DEFY
Wrestling, one of the biggest independent wrestling
promotions in the United States.
The couple, who first made their names in the UK scene
before achieving global fame, have vowed to ensure PROGRESS
remains a launchpad for today’s and tomorrow’s stars.
Big Damo, who wrestled in PROGRESS before and after his WWE
success, and is a former PROGRESS Men’s World, Tag Team and
Atlas Champion, said,
“We are delighted to be the new co-owners of PROGRESS. We
both started in the UK and Ireland and fully believe this is
host to the greatest talent pool on earth and PROGRESS is
well positioned to showcase this generation and the next
generation.
“We are also very excited to be the new co-owners of DEFY
Wrestling. Home to the most feverish fan base in the Pacific
North West. Nikki and I have an affinity with Seattle, and I
always had an incredible experience wrestling on the DEFY
shows in front of the Defyance.”
“We would like to thank Martyn Best and Lee McAteer for
being wonderful custodians and bringing new levels of
professionalism to our industry. They steered PROGRESS after
a worldwide pandemic, created an incredible wrestling
network in Hooked On Wrestling TV, created a phenomenal
working partnership with Pro Wrestling NOAH in Japan and
DEFY in USA and showed ambition, and an incredible drive to
give multiple talented men and women visas to compete in the
USA, and opportunities in so many other countries.
“Our job now is to guide PROGRESS through the coming years,
identify new talent and integrate them with the current
phenomenal roster. I’m proud to say we have some of the best
wrestlers in the world performing for us right now. Our
men’s World Champion Cara Noir and Charlie Sterling are
performing at the highest level. Our Tag Team Champions Luke
Jacobs and Ethan Allen are two of the best wrestlers in the
world under 30. Our women’s division is host to some of the
best women wrestlers alive. Women’s champion Alexxis Falcon,
Rhio, Kanji, Emersyn Jayne and so many more. We also have
Hollywood actor Paul Walter Hauser regularly walking the
Hollywood red carpets with his PROGRESS Proteus Championship
belt. Then there is Gene Munny, Charles Crowley, former WWE
star Axel Tischer, Hollie Barlow, Simon Miller, Man Like
DeReiss, Spike Trivet, Lykos Gym, and so many more.
“I could go on all day but Nikki and I want to continue to
give these amazing athletes a platform to create engaging
stories, while also leaving plenty of room for absolute
masterpieces in ring.
“We also want to capitalise on our great relationships with
talent and promotions worldwide, and create new partnerships
that not only bring phenomenal talent to our shores, but
also export our best talent to new ventures abroad.”
Nikki, a former WWE Women’s RAW World Champion, Money in the
Bank Winner and also WWE Tag Team champion with Alexa Bliss
and Rhea Ripley, becomes PROGRESS Wrestling and DEFY
Wrestling’s first female co-owner, bringing a completely
fresh point of view.
“It is not lost on me that there are few female owners in
professional wrestling, so I want to bring my experience and
insights to the table and elevate PROGRESS and DEFY to new
levels.
“We were deeply encouraged by the first PROGRESS Women’s
Super Strong Style 16 tournament. Rhio and Gisele competed
in an incredible main event, and Rhio proved to be a worthy
winner! We will soon be announcing that next year, in 2027,
we will host the first stand alone female Super Strong Style
16.
“We are also in the process of bringing PROGRESS to new
cities across the UK, and will be excited to announce those
details soon”
PROGRESS Wrestling has been a cornerstone of British
wrestling for 14 years, paving the way for stars like Pete
Dunne, Toni Storm, Gunther and Will Ospreay. Now, with Damo
and Nikki at the helm, the promotion is poised for its next
chapter.
Expect exciting collaborations, new talent initiatives, and
a renewed focus on the UK scene, all the while maintaining
PROGRESS’s gritty, intimate atmosphere, and building upon
their growing global presence.
PROGRESS was established in 2012, and dramatic and ground-
breaking growth came to a halt in 2020 with the impact of
the pandemic. Two years later, Martyn Best and Lee McAteer
revived the promotion and have since delivered over 70 shows
across the UK, USA, Germany, Canada and Dubai whilst re-
establishing it as the leading UK promotion with many fine
relationships across the globe.
Fresh from their success at the Collective in Las Vegas over
WrestleMania weekend and the annual Super Strong Style 16
two day event which featured both a Men’s and Women’s
tournament for the first time, Best & McAteer recognised
that the influence and impact of Big Damo and Nikki Storm
was needed to maintain this momentum.
Best added, “It’s been a fascinating and interesting journey
with PROGRESS and I’ve personally made some very fine
friendships. I’m so proud of what Lee and I have achieved
and as with every successful and growing business it’s now
time for its next chapter. Big Damo and Nikki Cross bring
that extra massive oomph of global credibility and
legitimate experience that PROGRESS now needs and I will
certainly be supporting them and following their “progress”
with huge interest.”
Lee McAteer said, “Being a custodian of PROGRESS Wrestling
has been one of the greatest honours of my life and with
fellow owners Martyn Best and Matt Buczek we have restored
and protected PROGRESS and leave it in a stronger place for
it to grow to the next level. I have been so proud of the
connection we have nurtured with our loyal fans and it will
be something I will always treasure.
“I am delighted that we are handing the company over to two
people I have great admiration for, and are highly respected
throughout the wrestling community. Big Damo and Nikki Cross
are British and Irish wrestling royalty and after hearing
their thoughts, I know that the most exciting chapter in
PROGRESS’s history is still to come.
“To all the PROGRESS fans, wrestlers, colleagues and
partners, thank you. I am incredibly excited for the future
of PROGRESS under Big Damo and Nikki.”
The first order of business? The next show is in Manchester
on 7th June at the O2 Ritz Academy, Chapter 195: Wonderbrawl
II followed by the undoubted excitement of a homecoming show
in London, at the Electric Ballroom.
Chapter 196: Scorchio! will feature Nikki making her first
UK appearance since leaving WWE in April. Damo and Nikki
will no doubt raise the roof with the PROGRESS faithful in
the iconic Ballroom home of the company and set the tone for
what’s to come. Tickets for those shows are available here.
Wrestling fans, both in the UK and worldwide, won’t want to
miss what promises to be a landmark moment in the industry,
and both shows will be available to watch live on Hooked On
Wrestling TV.