Progress Chapter 56 recap & review: British Strong Style are... good?, Conners is a Grizzled Young Vet, and Haskins and Havoc form an unholy alliance

Progress Chapter 56: La Danse Macabre went up on Demand Progress yesterday (with a shiny new intro and anti-piracy warning to boot-- although I do wonder how I'll remember not to steal Pastor William Eaver's bible now), so let's get right into it, shall we?

British Strong Style come out and Pete Dunne addresses the crowd. He says he could come out and give a big heart-felt apology but that's not really his style. But he will hold his hands up and admit to doing some bad shit, like attempted murder (multiple times), kicking a woman in the broken leg, kicking Callum Leslie in the nuts (but he's proud of that one!)...

He disrespected the company and the title, but all that said, he did some stuff he's really proud of. He and Tyler had sixteen thousand people in Chicago chanting "This is Progress!", and that was one of the most proud moments he's had in his career. So going forward, his time in the UK is pretty uncertain right now, and he's just going to leave us with a massive "thank you" for the last year.

Trent Seven takes the mic, but before he can speak, Grizzled Young Vets come down to the ring. James Drake and Zack Gibson get on the apron and spit on Moustache Mountain, who run them off up the stage. Pete waves... JOSEPH CONNERS BLINDSIDES HIM! Conners rolls him through and hits a back suplex lift dropped into an X-Factor! Trent and Tyler Bate come back as he runs off, statement made, and help Dunne up before taking their leave.

Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) & Omari vs. Connor Mills & Never Say Die (Alex Cupid & Dillon D'Angelo)

Fletcher and Cupid to start, Alex leading with some power moves and knocking Kyle to the floor. Omari in, dodging around the powerhouse and leveling him with a dropkick, a missile dropkick forces the tag and Mills is in. Up and over, wicked kick to the midsection, back drop to the apron but Connor stays in it with a springboard uppercut and Omari's out and Fletcher in.

Fakeout into a basement dropkick and a running neckbrealer, Kyle's fired up but D'Angelo comes in and nails him with a kick, a Tiger feint in the corner, diving forearm strike and now Davis is in at last. Dillon ducks a lariat, throws a few chops but Mark cuts him off with a palm strike that intercepts a chop and leaves him regretting it! Pop-up into a slam, Fletcher in but D'Angelo stops the double-team cold.

Clearing the apron, a knee for Kyle, boots in the corner, and quick tags rule the day as they keep Fletcher isolated and beaten down for a good while. Eventually Kyle reverses a whip and throws a chop hard enough to gat Omari in. Strike rush on Cupid, keeping both Never Say Die men isolated in opposite corners, enzuigiri on Dillon, big exploder suplex on Alex, tag to Davis.

Assisted cutter with Fletcher... NOPE! Mark pasting Cupid with chops, chaining elbows and boots together with Kyle, Omari in with the Doctor Bomb... NOT ENOUGH! D'Angelo slides under Omari, sweet flip into a Frankensteiner but Fletcher comes in, Michinoku Driver and the match breaks down into the "everybody do something cool" portion of the match. Mark Davis lands a HUGE one-arm deadlift powerbomb on Connor while keeping Alex Cupid wristlocked and pasting him with a forearm for good measure after!

Never Say Die rally, spike DDT on Dunkzilla into a running shooting star press from Mills... NO GOOD! Davis and Fletcher attacking Connor but he comes back with the Millshot, Dillon with a standing corkscrew moonsault... OMARI MAKES THE SAVE! Mark clearing house, stacking Never Say Die up for chops and they return the favor with added forearms. Davis catches two boots and his partners assist with superkicks!

Mark has a straight right hand that knocks Connor out, Kyle hits a falling kick, double-team slam, Omari with a swinging reverse STO before he and Fletcher clear the floor with dives! Davis grabs Mills by the legs and pops him up...

Aussie Open & Omari win by pinfall with a double leg pop-up piledriver from Mark Davis on Connor Mills.

Really good opener, exactly the kind of thing six new (or new-ish) guys need to have to start getting established and make fans. Certainly worked for me! Especially Aussie Open, who have a very slight mis-match vibe (Fletcher looking like he's set to raid the wasteland while Davis seems about ready for a barbecue) but gel together as a team really well in a way that reminds me a little of my dudes the Carnies, but more of all six dudes would be very welcome in the future.

Also welcome are the lucha tag rules that the match was contested under, always makes for a faster-paced, more exciting experience when leaving the ring counts as a tag as much as slapping hands.

Strangler Davis vs. Timothy Thatcher

Intense struggle in a collar and elbow to start, before an eyepatched Thatcher takes it to the mat and starts going after whatever presents itself, first the arm, then the leg once Davis gets a reversal, deathlock bow-and-arrow, into a nearfall! Continuing to press the attack, back on the arm and the Strangler counters with a headscissors. Tim with the sweet World of Sport headstand escape into a half crab, wrenching the knee unholy.

Davis rolls through and escapes, they engage in a test of strength that the former London Riot has the advantage in but he has trouble braking Thatcher bridge and gets monkey flipped! Knucklelocks still applied, Davis with a flip of his own and a headbutt to the injured eye gets the wrath of the longest-reigning Evolve World Champion raining down on him! Uppercuts and vicious palms, snap suplex for a nearfall into a rear chinlock to try and wear the Strangler down.

Escaping into uppercuts, Tim returns them in kind, wicked elbow right to the jaw staggers Davis and thus we progress into a Karelin lift, letting him really think about it in the air for a second. Butterfly, Strangler slips out and hits a Finlay Roll into a visceral knee drop to the face but it's only good for one. Modified camel clutch with a thumb to the eye, he keeps the arms trapped and turns it into a cross-leg stump puller!

Shifting to a pin, only a nearfall and Tim plays Inoki to his Ali until Davis lands a senton. Following it up with the British figure four leglock, Thatcher wrenching the ankles and toes to escape but Strangler turns around in it and tries to cave his skull in with forearms! To the apron, smashing Thatcher's face into the apron and clubbing away before taking him and setting him in a seat by the low balcony.

More uppercuts, Davis straight up sitting in a fan's lap for a breather, looking for a suplex but Tim reverses! Forearm, breaking the count, continuing to club him against the ringpost, back inside and Davis catches him with a kick and whiplashes him off the ropes before going to a standing surfboard. Thatcher to his feet, reverses momentarily but the Strangler gets it back and sits down in a Young Boy Killer.

Knee and a forearm when it looks like Tim is gonna break, he ducks some lariats... TIMOTHY THATCHER CROSSBODY! Off the ropes with the belly-to-belly suplex, short forearms, butterfly suplex into a bridge... NOPE! Davis to the apron, Tim trying to suplex him in but he blocks and puts the top rope into the good eye, exploder suplex, St. George's Cross... NOT ENOUGH!

Disdainful shoves as Thatcher's face fills with resolve, he rises to his feet and just pastes Davis with slap after slap, butterfly jackhammer... NO GOOD! Sleeper hold, Strangler from behind looking for his own stranglehold, Tim rolls him through, they struggle, Thatcher gets his again, Davis to the corner trapping referee Paz and hitting a kick to the gentleman's area....

Strangler Davis wins by referee stoppage with the stranglehold.

Great match. The story of Thatcher's eye throughout, Davis never exactly full-on working it but more than happy to go back to it to turn the tide whenever it looked like he was in danger, the sleeper struggle right at the end, there’s a lot to love here. Especially in context against their earlier match for Freedom's Road, where Davis came up with the same result with the same hold, but did so in a way that didn't involve him taking a hundred shortcuts.

#CCK and Grizzled Young Vets make their entrances for the tag title match but Chris Brookes gets on the mic. As much as he'd like to drop those "dickwads" with sick tag moves, Lykos still has a bit of a boo-boo. But... they have a replacement. Jimmy Havoc!

Zack Gibson throws a fit about the match being non-title but is answered by stereo kicks! Double hip toss for James Drake into stereo dropkicks and it's on!

Calamari Catch Killers (Chris Brookes & Jimmy Havoc) vs. Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson)

Gibson and Brookes to start, feeling each other out, and Zack heads outside only to run head-first into Havoc on the floor. Back in, Drake in, double whip into a low dropkick but Jimmy yanks Gibson away and Chris trips James up into a dropkick on his own partner! Camel clutch, Brookes stroking Drake's hair before giving him a Wet Willy, Havoc gets a finger full of his teammate's spit and jams it into Drake's eye!

Jimmy legal, all forearms and biting, Drake with a Flair Flip into a tag but referee Paz doesn't allow it! James takes advantage of the distraction and tears the bandage off Havoc's still not-quite healed shoulder laceration from CZW Tournament of Death way back in June! Ripping at the cut, Gibson tags in and takes it up and quick tags are the order of the day but the former Progress World Champion is wily and ducks and dodges and makes the tag!

Brookes dragon screws Gibson, forcing him to dragon screw Drake, Vets go for a back suplex, tag to Havoc. Duck an uppercut, headscissors takeover, Zack sets him up in the corner, rake to the eye and a Frankensteiner sets Gibson in James' arms to be DDTed with the assistance of a kick! Chris legal again, he back body drops Jimmy over the ropes onto both of their opponents!

Chris lands a tope con giro, Kid Lykos comes over and gives Havoc a mask, he puts it on and they hit the diving Codebreaker / senton combo on Drake only for Zack to break it up and turn Jimmy's mask around on his head. Brookes throwing Mongolian chops, Gibson takes him out, an unmasked Jimmy Havoc running wild, Chris in with an Ace Crusher, Havoc with a rolling elbow, Brookes with a double underhook piledriver... ZACK GIBSON YANKS PAZ OUT OF THE RING!

Attacking Jimmy's shoulder, double thrust to Chris' throat to counter a plancha, gamengiri into a superkick-assisted neckbreaker and the Grizzled Young Vets are running hot! Brookes back in the ring with a missile dropkick that wipes both men out but Gibson cuts him off in the corner, forearm and a dropkick into a Codebreaker, electric chair, Drake up top, Doomsday Device... LYKOS YANKS PAZ OUT OF THE RING!

Kid runs interference, Havoc hits a double Pele kick on both Vets, James ducks the Acid Rainmaker, Jimmy sidesteps a charge and Drake dives onto Gibson! Havoc follows and gets sandwiched with elbow strikes! Lykos isolated on the apron, Zack wrenches his injured arm! Jimmy from behind with a foreign object but he hits Kid's arm with it! Vets take advantage with Brookes checking Lykos on the floor...

Grizzled Young Veterans win by pinfall with Ticket to Mayhem on Jimmy Havoc.

Bit of a bummer that Lykos is still hurt and this couldn't be a title match, but whatcha gonna do, force him to wrestle with a busted paw? Anyway, I wasn’t super into this but it was a good match all the same thanks to the Vets' chemistry as a team and Jimmy's game willingness to step in and provide us with our allotted requirement of sick tag moves.

WALTER (c) vs. Wolfgang (Progress Atlas Division Championship)

Heavy struggle in a collar and elbow early, clean break in the ropes, and WALTER decides to take it to mat grappling but Wolfgang stalemates him relatively quickly. Side headlock, shoot off and we've got some bull moose strength testing here! WALTER pulls ahead with a lariat and for the first time in the match Wolfgang seems shaken. Capitalizing, kick to the gut into a slam, but Wolfgang nails him with a leg lariat in return!

And now the chops begin, the Scotsman game to fight (and indeed starting the exchange) only to fall to the Ringkampf man's heavy hands. Karelin lift gets one, and they proceed to trade uppercuts momentarily before WALTER goes back to the chops. Wolfgang tries to get him up for something, WALTER slips out, Gojira Clutch, the Last King of Scotland gets the ropes, Ringkampf break but he dodges the German suplex and hits a waistlock takedown of his own!

Another takedown from Wolfgang but the Ringkampf man blocks the third and hits a butterfly suplex to even the score. Body slam into an Earthquake splash, only good for two and the champion takes a moment to figure out what's next before going right back to those trusty chest-caving chops of his. This time Wolfgang has learnt better than to play along, throwing forearms and blocking chops, but WALTER is wily and shifts strategies himself, coming off the ropes with a big boot and a lariat!

Pressing the attack, up for the powerbomb but the challenger slips out and hits a fireman's carry front slam to try and set up the Howling. WALTER up before he reaches the summit, he heads over with those ham hocks of his... BUTTERFLY SUPERPLEX! NOPE! Champion lying in wait, beckoning Wolfgang to his feet, Mafia kick into a German suplex, off the ropes with a huge lariat, only a nearfall!

The Gojira Clutch is on but Wolfgang backs him into the corner and throws him off before charging out with the spear! The Last King of Scotland climbs again, WALTER is up but unsteady and bent over... HOWLING ONTO HIS BACK! The Ringkampf man rolls outside on instinct, Wolfgang composes himself... BIG LAD TOPE CON GIRO! Back inside, springboard moonsault... KNEES UP!

WALTER with a dropkick, he hoists Wolfgang up...

WALTER wins by pinfall with a powerbomb, retaining the Progress Atlas Division Championship.

Big lads wrestling! WALTER is on such a hot run right now, can't think of the last time I came out of one of his matches anything less than ecstatic. Wolfgang acquitted himself well in his debut also, good work all around. Particularly want to take note of the escalation in the strike exchanges, where WALTER's chops were deadly and Wolfgang learned from exchange to exchange not to go chop for chop, shifting to uppercuts initially and blocking chops the third time around, at which point WALTER, thinking one step ahead, immediately changed up his game plan himself.

Great storytelling, great match, and even in a promotion as good as Progress is right now there's an argument to be made that the Atlas Division is the best thing going.

Moustache Mountain (Trent Seven & Tyler Bate) vs. Sexy Starr (David Starr & Jack Sexsmith)

David Starr taking their team name to heart, trying to grab an armbar on Jim Smallman and break his arm during introductions.

Starr and Bate to start, feeling out with a little light mat grappling that inevitably stalemates. Back at it, this time trading pinfall attempts before stalemating, David offers a handshake and tags Sexsmith in with a kiss. Seven likes the idea of this and demands the same treatment. He gets it and slingshots in, but maybe that wasn't the best idea because he throws his back out a little in the process.

Anyway, Trent and Jack lock up and Seven's strength easily wins the day, forcing Sexsmith into the ropes and making a heart at him, which gets the Jewish Cannon hot, but cooler heads prevail. Back to the lockup, this time Jack forces Trent into the ropes for the break and tweaks his moustache, which makes Seven weak in the knees... AND SEXSMITH TAKES ADVANTAGE OF HIM!

Er, not like that, he just grabbed a cross armbar, calm down. Jack throws an overhand chop to no effect and immediately regrets it, falling over like a felled tree when Trent throws one back at him. Fireman's carry front slam, tag match, senton atomico and Bate goes to work, an Earthquake splash getting two at the end of a sequence. Sexsmith throwing desperate hands but he can't get any separation here and Moustache Mountain keep working him over.

Jack starts stringing strikes together, he gets a shiranui to neutralize Tyler and makes the tag! Starr under a crossbody, he clears the apron and has a violence party on Seven in the corner! Trent sidesteps one, up and over to the apron and David knocks him to the floor with a dropkick and passes Bate after him for good measure, closing the gap with a big suicide crossbody!

Back in, Tyler gets a Mafia kick off, Starr with a tilt-a-whirl slam in return, legal man Seven back in, Davey Wrestling cuts him off, Product Recall... NO GOOD! Thinking about an assisted Product Placement but Trent recovers and throws Starr into Sexsmith, Bate knocks his head off with a lariat-assisted Dragon suplex... JACK OFF THE TOP WITH THE DOUBLE STOMP TO BREAK IT UP!

Sexsmith tags in, chops and forearms one-on two style, Pearl Neckbreaker / DDT combo, only a nearfall! Back to the cross armbar, David takes Tyler down with a Fujiwara armbar of his own, shifting to triangle chokes... MOUSTACHE MOUNTAIN DEADLIFT POWERBOMB STARR AND SEXSMITH INTO EACH OTHER! All four men down and out on their knees and trading strikes, up to their feet and still throwing!

Moustache Mountain fire up and things break down, big German suplex on Jack, the Jewish Cannon DDTs them both onto the apron! Double stomp-assisted Product Placement... TRENT BREAKS IT UP! Keeping Trent and Tyler off-balance in the aftermath, charging forearms, setting them up top, thinking tandem superplexes but Bate slips out and knocks Sexsmith to the floor!

Seven slips out himself, Argentine backbreaker rack... BURNING HAMMER! Tyler isn't far behind...

Moustache Mountain win by pinfall with the Tyler Driver '97 from Tyler Bate on David Starr.

Really fun match, from the comedy early through the intensification and some of the crazy double-teams (the powerbombs out of the chokes, my god), not to mention the BURNING HAMMER! Depending on how much you enjoy kissing in your wrestling this may not be for you, however.

After the match, good sportsmanship prevails, as does a four-way kiss. Moustache Mountain take their leave and Jack Sexsmith gets on the mic.

He thanks the crowd and says it's been amazing when he's interrupted by music. Vicky Haskins comes out holding a bat studded with nails... MARK HASKINS BLINDSIDES STARR AND SEXSMITH FROM BEHIND! HE'S RAINING PUNCHES DOWN! Vicky gets in the ring and Jimmy Havoc comes down, chair in hand! He squares off against Haskins, they throw their chairs down and Havoc takes the bat from Vicky...

HE TURNS TO A RISING SEXSMITH AND CLUBS HIM WITH THE BAT! ANOTHER STRIKE, OVERHAND ACROSS THE BACK! ONE FOR STARR WHEN HE TRIES TO PROTECT HIS FRIEND! MOUNTED PUNCHES NOW, MARK JOINING THE FRAY BEFORE THEY SHIFT TO CHAIRS!

They take their leave as ring crew swarm the ring to check on Sexy Starr.

Charli Evans vs. Toni Storm (c) (Progress Women's Championship)

Probing kicks into light grappling in the feeling out, Evans locking Storm down for a bit with a cravate before the champion escapes. Toni turns the heat up, going after the arm, but Charli won't let herself get caught so easily and keeps things moving. Returning the favor, Storm shifts to strikes, off the ropes with a boot, going right for Strong Zero but not getting it and Evans steps up into an arm drag!

Kicks to the back, the champion reeling a little as charging forearms come in, up and over and a headbutt wipes her challenger flat! Action spilling to the outside, Toni taking her time and picking her strikes, keeping Charli off balance, clobbering her with a hip attack in a chair! Parting the waters, setting her up in the front row, the champion backs up but this time Evans gets away and Storm goes deep into the crowd!

Pressing the attack, chasing Toni around the ring and driving her back inside, Charli heads up top for a diving crossbody, following it with a running kick, charging forearm, whip reversed, up and into a headscissors into the turnbuckle and a Mafia kick! A facewash follows, into a cover... NOPE! Jockeying for position, Evans gets a back suplex, another nearfall!

Stomps to the back, double chickenwing applied... CATTLE MUTILATION! Shifting to a cover... NO GOOD! Again stomping away, clubbing, Charli trying to figure out what she has to do to take the champion out. Snapmare into a kick to the back, the cover's good for two but you can see resolve cracking the fatigue on Toni's face. Rolling solebutt counters a whip, headbutt, German suplex and Storm tunes up the band!

Hip attack in the corner, northern lights suplex to a kip-up and the champion is fired up! Climbing up top, Evans cuts her off with a forearm and climbs to meet her, trading forearms in the high rent district, Toni pulls ahead, slips down... buckle bomb! Another German suplex...

Toni Storm wins by pinfall with Strong Zero, retaining the Progress Women's Championship.

Really good match following up nicely on Evans' performance in the tournament that got her this title shot. There she repeatedly outlasted all manner of punishment only to eke the win out in the end, but here, against the champion, her best shot simply couldn't match up. But it did make for some fine viewing!

Keith Lee vs. Travis Banks (c) (Progress World Championship)

Lee, as so often is his wont, starting off by soaking in the atmosphere. Collar and elbow, Banks game to struggle but Keith easily shoving him back and pointing out that he is big and Travis is small. Kiwi Buzzsaw behind with a waistlock, Limitless One reverses to a wristlock, Banks reverses it right back and this time Lee picks him up like he's a child and shoves him away!

Squaring off against each other, Keith demands Travis bask in his glory, but the champion would rather throw an overhand chop... that does absolutely nothing. Lee piefaces him back into the corner and sets up the double chop, but Banks knows what's coming and would like to keep breathing, so he makes an absolute break for it! Back in, throwing leg kicks to cut down the big man, he gets him to one knee and knocks him down with the Busaiku Knee Kick!

Limitless One heads outside and the Kiwi Buzzsaw looks to take flight but notices Lee waiting and ready for him, so he stops short. Front kick knocks Keith off the apron and Banks flies, throwing a trifecta of suicide dives that knock his opponent up the entry! Clubbing blow, Travis staying on him and taking it back in the ring now, kick after kick, but when he goes for forearms Lee wakes up and knocks him right down with the double chop!

Clubbing blows to the back, giant step, Keith actually straight-up STANDING on Banks' chest with both feet! Trading strikes but Travis doesn't have much power behind his at all and Lee pulls ahead, one-arm slam into a sliding elbow drop and the Limitless One grabs a grounded abdominal stretch. Kiwi Buzzsaw breaks with knees and Lee makes it simple, grabbing a neck crank and looking to just pop the champ like a grape.

Asking again for him to bask in his glory, Banks answers with a double overhand chop of his own, which brings the wrath down on him! But the champion's chops did their damage and he keeps throwing 'em, sending Keith on the defensive! Lee blocks one in the corner, connects with a headbutt, and double chops the soul right out of the Kiwi Buzzsaw! Clutching his chest, Keith makes his way over, slowly and dramitcally setting up the chop and bringing it down, the blood blisters bright on the champion's chest.

GIANT biel from the Limitless One! Clean across the ring! Another one! AND A THIRD DUMPS TRAVIS BANKS ON HIS FACE! Corner avalanche, again with the chops but Travis had it scouted! Punches and kicks, staggering Lee, a drop toehold puts him face-first into the turnbuckles... CANNONBALL TO THE BACK! Thinking Slice of Heaven... COUNTERED WITH A HEADBUTT!

Off the ropes, a lariat connects... NOT ENOUGH! Banks fired up, rising to his feet defiant, Keith blocks a kick with a lariat, strike rush, Spirit Bomb... IT'LL TAKE MORE THAN THAT TO PUT THE KIWI BUZZSAW AWAY! Thinking about the Doomsault, Banks superkicks his knee, hits a lungblower, Air New Zealand... NO GOOD! Trading forearms, both men running low, Lee lets out a guttural roar and shotguns Travis into the corner with a forearm!

Boots up on the charge, Keith yanks him away anyway, the first shotgun dropkick doesn't do it but the second does, double stomp off the top but Lee finds the energy for another Spirit Bomb... NOT TODAY, SIR! Lying in wait as the champion staggers up, fireman's carry but the Kiwi Buzzsaw wakes up on his shoulders and throws overhead elbows. Lee fires up and throws him out but Travis lands on his feet, Slice of Heaven denied again, Ground Zero... BANKS ROLLS THROUGH INTO A PIN! STILL NO GOOD!

Sidestepping a charge, kicks, Limitless One fires back with the fireman's carry into the rolling elbow but he doesn't capitalize, choosing to go for another Spirit Bomb but Banks slips out... SLICE OF HEAVEN! LEE IS STILL ON HIS FEET! ANOTHER PUTS HIM ON ONE KNEE! SUPERKICKS! OFF THE ROPES, KEITH CATCHES HIM AND POPS HIM UP BUT THE CHAMPION ROLLS INTO A PIN FOR A NEARFALL!

Again to the fireman's carry, this time Banks takes his back and grabs a sleeper clutch to throw elbows. Lee flags but doesn't fail, more elbows, out, wristlock kicks to the face like he's trying to kickstart a motorbike! Fisherman's clutch...

Travis Banks wins by pinfall with the Kiwi Krusher, retaining the Progress World Championship.

Excellent match. The structure of Lee dominating early but Banks playing it safe, not wanting to fall in his first defense against a man who has beaten him already this year on through to both men emptying their entire playbooks and still not being able to pull out a victory. And that sheer brute force "I am the champion and you WILL go down for a three-count" finish!

Overall

I don't think this one is going to make anybody's show of the year list, but Progress' string of excellent shows continues unabated all the same. Match-wise, Banks/Lee II, WALTER/Wolfgang, and Thatcher/Davis were all really good to great, Storm/Evans delivered, the opener was a great intro to six new lads who we'll hopefully be seeing more of going forward, and the two straight pairs tags were fun but a little hit-and-miss in certain regards.

Storyline-wise, this was quite eventful as well, with British Strong Style making an about-face to fan favorites (well deserved, but slightly jarring, to be honest-- I'm not sure I can deal with a jaunty, happy Trent Seven in my Progress), Joseph Conners making his debut to align with the Grizzled Young Vets, and most exciting of them all, the resolution to the Havoc/Haskins story in the most thrilling way possible.

With a void on the rulebreaker side, Haskins/Havoc/Haskins (HHH? Nah...) are well-poised to take a dominant position opposite the Banks/#CCK/South Pacific Power Couple alliance and set the next great Progress story arc into motion. Plus, just on a sheer mechanical level I was really impressed with the nail bat. When I saw the spoiler reports I immediately flashed back to Abyss wielding Janice in TNA but never really swinging it at anyone for fear of actually maiming them, but in motion? That bad boy works!

Check it out on Demand Progress, folks.