Progress Chapter 38 recap & review: Jinny advances in Natural Progression Series IV, Eaver loses control, Brown and Haskins retain

The show went up on Demand Progress this morning, so let's crack it open together, shall we?

Hunter Brothers (Lee & Jim Hunter) vs. New Nation (Alexander Henry & Jason Prime)

The Hunters dominate early with quick tags, working Alexander Henry over. Henry eventually gets some separation with a wicked powerslam and the tide turns with Prime coming in and chucking poor Jim Hunter around like a sack of potatoes. Lee comes in after a while, throwing strikes and dives to catch the larger men off guard.

Prime catches him on a springboard back elbow, however, right into rolling German suplexes, Henry punctuating the last with a diving European uppercut. Slingshot spike DDT from Jim but he can't lift Henry for a followup and so settles with holding him down over his knees for a neckbreaker from Lee. A diving double stomp across the shoulder gets a tight nearfall for the Hunters.

Prime gets cut off by double dropkicks but Henry connects with a diving moonsault on the outside! Hunters look for Doomsday Device but Lee turns the electric chair into a victory roll before it can connect...

Hunter Brothers win by pinfall with a superkick into an over-rotated schoolboy pin from Lee on Jason Prime.

Very fun opener, not terribly familiar with either team (Hunters I've seen once or twice but the New Nation is entirely, well, new to me) but they both impressed. Progress' tag division is heating up!

Jinny vs. Pollyanna (Natural Progression Series IV First Round Match)

Jinny puts the boots to Pollyanna before the bell even rings but she gets hers right back with a huge spear and some ground and pound. Back and forth they slug it out until Jinny cracks an advantage with a hammer whip hard into the turnbuckles. It's short-lived and they continue evenly matched as they are.

Discus lariat gets Pollyanna a tight nearfall early, she follows hanging Jinny up in the ropes but the wily fashionista is able to knock her to the apron and the floor before she can come crashing down on her. Jinny's happy to take the countout as Pollyanna writhes in pain, but she eventually gets to her feet and crawls back in to eat more abuse. Jinny eats some feet but is able to grab her out of the corner into a powerbomb clutch and catapult her throat-first across the ropes.

Pollyanna drops her with an enzuigiri and gets some separation, ducking a charge in the corner and firing double knees into her back for two. Pollinator reversed into an Alabama Slam into the turnbuckles for a nearfall and Jinny snaps, mounting Pollyanna and laying wild blows in before stomping her face to the mat twice in quick succession! Snapmare connects into a running boot to the jaw! A second, and Jinny gets in Pollyanna's face, jawing at her, and is spat at in return. A third boot but Pollyanna catches her into a powerbomb!

Jinny to the outside, Pollyanna looking for a dive but she gets clocked with a forearm. Slugging it out on the apron, jockeying for position, Pollyanna wins the struggle... DDT ON THE APRON! Back in the ring, Pollyanna climbs up top but Jinny gets to her feet quickly enough to cut her off. Pollyanna cuts her off again in return with a wicked series of headbutts and connects with the tree of woe double stomp and in for running knees, but it's not enough to put Jinny away.

Pollinator blocked, arm drag, Pollyanna repositions, a second attempt connects but she doesn't make the cover! Jinny flips her the bird, fireman's carry Michinoku Driver but she kicks out! Up top, struggling, Jinny has a handful of hair... AVALANCHE X-FACTOR SPIKES POLLYANNA ON HER DOME! NOT ENOUGH!

Pollyanna kneels defiant, throwing loose strikes, but it's not long now before she eats the Style Clash... but she kicked out?! Jinny up top, Pollyanna blocks, walks her out, Beach Break! Another! She's not breaking the clutch! Jinny slips out...

Jinny wins by pinfall with a schoolboy pin.

Holy hell, what an awesome match. Love the throughline of Jinny getting in Pollyanna's head, making her hot, and ending up costing herself a match she had won at least twice over.

Paul Robinson vs. Pastor William Eaver

Robinson ducks a lariat straight off and embarks on a hit and run campaign, picking his shots and raking the eyes. Pastor chucks him outside and lands a suicide dive, back in the ring Robinson tries to keep him off-balance with slaps but Eaver isn't having any of it. Double axehandle connects, Eaver follows up with hard whips but Robinson has elbows. Diving crossbody caught but Eaver can't deliver a counter.

A very fun exchange, dodging and slipping out of maneuvers, follows before Robinson puts the exclamation point on with a front Russian legsweep into punishing stomps and knees to the Pastor's back. Up to the top Paul goes for a diving elbow that gets two. Biting the hand now, probing punches and kicks give way to full force and Robinson presses his advantage, choking Eaver over the ropes.

More biting in the corner before Eaver catches a dive into the Irish Church backbreaker and then the Fisher of Men suplex! Looking for the crucifx powerbomb, Robinson slips out, looks for his curb stomp, Pastor dodges, folding crucifix powerbomb connects! Clothesline From Heaven ducked into a sunset flip, they trade roll-up nearfalls a minute before slugging it out, forearm-for-forearm. Eaver wins the exchange, pop-up Lawn Dart attempt, Robinson slips out...

Paul Robinson wins by pinfall with the running curb stomp.

Fun power vs. speed match with some good tight exchanges.

After the match Eaver sits in the middle of the ring as Sebastian comes out, in street clothes and neck brace. He gets in the ring and takes the neck brace off. He asks everyone in the arena practically why Eaver is booked. He assaulted him before the bell at Chapter 36 and could have killed him, he says. "Men Throwing Men At Men" is exactly what they are, expendable. No one could have cared less if he woke up that night, he says. He's looked at the footage, it's bad, and Eaver knows it.

He should have pressed charges, and maybe he will. He's one phone call away from ending Eaver's dream of wrestling around the world, and he tells him that he belongs to him as a result. Eaver will do his bidding, and if he so much as looks at Sebastian the wrong way, he'll call his solicitor and end his career there and then. He doesn't care what the people think, and Eaver had better put his lariat arm away, since his life is in his hands now.

Jack Sexsmith & Roy Johnson vs. South Pacific Power Trip (TK Cooper & Travis Banks) (Tables Match)

The Power Trip jump Sexsmith and Johnson before the bell rings! Roy Johnson manages to level the field by back body dropping Cooper onto Banks and following it up with a diving splash to the outside. Sexsmith follows up with a Swanton and grabs a chair, stalking TK Cooper and catching Banks with it on a dive! Full nelson into a powerbomb on Cooper, Sexsmith calls for Johnson to get the tables, but he doesn't want to play D-Von, so Jack does it himself.

Dahlia Black takes offense to the fourth table he gets out and Cooper bowls Sexsmith over. Banks going to town on Johnson with a chair as Sexsmith and Cooper fight up the entrance ramp accompanied by Black. Sexsmith with a slam on the stage and he asks the crowd to part. Dahlia gets into it, he kisses her and Cooper wakes up to chuck poor Jack off the stage into the void where there was once crowd!

A medic checks on Sexsmith while the Power Trip go back to Johnson, punishing him with chair and hands. The Bodyguy makes an attempt to catch Cooper in a powerbomb but he blocks and Dahlia runs interference. Johnson gets in her face, Cooper goes to deck him with that wicked right hand but he ducks and Dahlia goes off the apron and through a table! The table stands firm for Johnson on the first try but the second sends him right through.

Sexsmith comes back out with a wicked red mark across his ribs but he's game and throws a double dropkick into a Pearl Neckbreaker / DDT combo! Jack up top, Banks cuts him off and Cooper gets the table before joining him, thinking tandem superplex but Roy moves the table and picks the Power Trip up for a double Last Set! A 3D sends Banks through the table! It's an even game, one more will seal the deal.

Cooper throws a chair at Johnson for a wild haymaker Van Daminator style but his hand is jacked. He and Sexsmith slug it out, Jack seemingly taking charge but Cooper hits him low. Sexsmith with the big counter DDT before calling for Mr. Cocko... IT'S ON! COOPER IS TAPPING! Banks slips back in...

South Pacific Power Trip win when Travis Banks puts Jack Sexsmith through a table with a powerbomb.

Really fun match. Johnson and Sexsmith continue to come into their own and the Power Trip are excellent dickheads.

Bad Bones vs. Rampage Brown (c) (Atlas Championship)

They lock up and immediately go jockeying for position hard, first Rampage taking the advantage, then Bad Bones. Bad Bones presses as the pace quickens, hitting a low suicide dive that sends Rampage spiraling up the ramp. Back in the ring he connects with a missile dropkick before charging in with elbows. Rampage starts returning the favor with charging lariats before dropping Bad Bones to his knees with a Mafia kick.

Punch for chop now until Bad Bones catches him with an exploder suplex. Corner avalanche into a vertical suplex, Rampage fires back with a devastating lariat for a nearfall. A pair of hammer whips leave Bad Bones in agony, rolling to the outside to try and catch his breath. Rampage follows, Bad Bones defends himself with chops but Rampage throws a headbutt that sends him into the first row.

Back in the ring Bad Bones catches Rampage with a huge knee to the gut and a corkscrew slingshot spear for two before going back to the chops. Rampage returns in kind, sweat spraying off each man as they connect in turn. Rampage ducks a kick and connects with a throwing Rock Bottom but it's not enough to put Bad Bones away. Bad Bones looking for his Rebel Lock crossface, Rampage struggles away so he throws the superkick he calls Decapitation for a nearfall.

Bad Bones charges in, Rampage ducks him so he hops up to the second for a diving spear! Rampage gets a boot up and goes for a dive himself only to eat a lariat from Bad Bones. Rampage sets Bad Bones up top and drops him with the avalanche back suplex...

Rampage Brown wins by pinfall with the piledriver, retaining the Atlas Championship.

Good hoss action. The Atlas Championship has done wonders for my ability to care about Rampage Brown matches, I tell you what.

Mark Andrews vs. Matt Cross (Smash Championship #1 Contender's Match)

Light grappling early until Andrews hits a shoulder block and things get flippy for a bit. Andrews goes to work on the leg, spinning toeholds into a modified Indian deathlock and then the inverted Indian deathlock, falling back on it a few times before bridging into the Muta Lock. Cross escapes, ducks a lariat, and hits a huge springboard crossbody, then a whip into a pop-up Manhattan Drop and a neckbreaker that gets two, really cool stuff.

The attack continues, a back elbow that gets two, Andrews gets a jawbreaker for separation and then the wheelbarrow bulldog, northern lights suplex, flips through into a standing moonsault that gets him two of his own. Handspring back elbow from Cross, he goes up top, Shadows Over Hell style double stomp into a standing moonsault! Andrews firing kicks, Cross throws him outside and hits him with a suicide dive. He chucks Andrews back in the ring but Mark runs right back out with a tope con giro right across the back of Matt's neck! Cross ups the ante one more time with the Space Flying Tiger Drop!

Cross tries to springboard back in... COUNTER POWERBOMB! Both men in the corner, Cross throwing clubbing blows, Andrews keeps his head in it but Cross has the last laugh when he hits the avalanche Death Valley Driver! Cross going back up but Andrews cuts him off with a kick, avalanche poison Frankensinter but Cross lands on his feet and hits a bicycle kick, shooting star press but Andrews gets the knees up! Andrews sends Cross into the ropes but he rebounds...

Matt Cross wins by pinfall with an Ace Crusher.

Really good match, well-escalated and, critically, never outstaying its welcome.

Jimmy Havoc vs. Mark Haskins (c) vs. Marty Scurll (Progress Championship)

Havoc and Scurll start brawling before Mark Haskins even makes his entrance! He throws a suicide dive that wipes out both men and tosses Scurll in the ring to get to work. Low dropkick to the knee takes the Villain out a moment but Scurll blocks a back suplex only for Havoc to cut him off before the fakeout superkick and face the champion down.

Scurll chucks Havoc out the ring before anything can happen, a few exchanges later and Havoc trips him on the apron superkick and starts collecting chairs. Jimmy wedges one in the turnbuckles but Scurll starts punching him before he can capitalize. Whip, Havoc stops short of the chair and sends Marty into it when he charges after him. Chair on face, hesitation dropkick! Scurll returns the trip on the apron and connects with the superkick this time.

He skins the cat back in the ring only for Haskins to catch him and roll him through into a crossface. Scurll gets out and snaps the bad shoulder over the top rope, Haskins looking for a brainbuster but Scurll slips away and wrings his arm to the mat before doling a superkick to him in turn. A chair thrown into Jimmy Havoc's face and Scurll is clearly in control. Back suplex onto the apron for Haskins, followed by slamming his face into the apron and dropping a knee across his chest. A dropkick in passing keeps Havoc down and Scurll goes back to work on Haskins, throwing chops and a jumping kick to the head, leaving the champion covering up on the mat. He sends Havoc into the video wall and poses with the title before returning to Haskins for a Romero Special, but instead of locking it all the way on he hooks the nose a moment and stomps Haskins' knees in.

More punishment against the ropes, he goes for a whip but Haskins blocks and throws forearms and wild chops. A clothesline cuts Haskins' fire down and sends him outside but Havoc comes with a shotgun dropkick and a DVD that gets two. He signals the Acid Rainmaker, grabbing the Villain's wrist and cutting his throat with a thumb but that gives Scurll an opportunity to grab the hand and wishbone his fingers! Haskins back in, roll-through leg lariat on Scurll, scoop powerslam on Havoc, an uranage for Scurll and an exploder suplex for Havoc! Great stuff.

Haskins sets Scurll in the tree of woe and belly-to-belly suplexes Havoc into him before hitting a Psycho Driver on Scurll! But it's not enough to end the Villain! Scurll tries to catch Haskins off the ropes but Mark reverses to a tilt-a-whirl into the bridging Fujiwara armbar. Havoc's right there, Acid Rainmaker blocked with an elbow strike, so Havoc lands a Go 2 Sleep! Haskins kicks out! Scurll with an umbrella shot, he rolls Havoc up for a nearfall before firing a running knee that leaves him woozy. Havoc up into a forearm, three-way slugfest ends with triple knockout roundhouses! Back to their feet for more slugging, Havoc catches their wrists... DOUBLE ACID RAINMAKER!

Both men end up outside so he follows, setting up chairs. He slams Scurll's face into the apron and climbs up top, looking for a superplex but Haskins rolls up and interject himself. Havoc and Scurll toss Haskins aside and Scurll knocks Havoc into his own chairs with a headbutt! Scurll signals the end himself and drags Haskins to his knees, slapping him and yelling about how he's the "real" champion. Crash Landing but Haskins floats out and locks the bridging Fujiwara armbar on!

Scurll rolls through and goes for the chickenwing, Haskins rolls out himself, roll through into the Sharpshooter. Havoc comes in, Acid Rainmaker attempt on the champ, Haskins slips out! Haskins looking for the roll-through again but Havoc blocks, short-arm lariat connects! Scurll busts in with the crossface chickenwing on Havoc! Havoc rolls it into a pin for a nearfall, then looks for Acid Rainmaker but Scurll cuts him off and kicks him in the groin! Haskins gets the Sharpshooter in, leans back...

Mark Haskins wins by submission with the Sharpshooter on Marty Scurll.

Really good match. Was a bit trepidatious after how long and meandering the last three-way Progress Championship match was, but this delivered. So happy to have Jimmy Havoc back, too, that dude is tremendous.

Mark Haskins heads back out after the match, leaving the title in the ring and vacating it due to injury. Come back as soon and as strong as possible, sir.

Overall

Progress delivered another quality show with Chapter 38. We’re still clearly in a phase of building and rebuilding storylines, but the matches have been delivering. If you watch just one match, make it the women's match, but there wasn't really a bad one on the card, and in particular Andrews/Cross was also at least two hoots. Check it out on Demand Progress, folks, it's worth the time.