Tuesday, May 23, 2017

The British Are Coming, The British Are Coming (To Queens)

Bate (left) and Dunne will be among the PROGRESS contingent coming in August
Photo Credit: WWE.com
The United Kingdom has become a hotbed for professional wrestling, and PROGRESS Wrestling is one of the scene's leaders. The promotion ran both a solo card and a co-promoted show with the WWN Live network during WrestleMania weekend, and it appears the staff and wrestlers liked America so much that they're coming back. One week before Takeover: Brooklyn III, PROGRESS will be descending upon the Elmcor Centre in Queens at 8 PM local time. The August 12 date will be the second half of a doubleheader with EVOLVE.

The promotion hasn't released a full talent roster yet, but the first announcements, via this press release (transcribed from Pro Wrestling Dot Net) confirms that British Strong Style, the stable consisting of PROGRESS/WWE United Kingdom dual Champion Pete Dunne, Trent Seven, and Tyler Bate, will be there. Which, duh. The release also said that some European roster members, US regulars, and American talents making their PROGRESS debuts will be on tap for the show. All in all, it sounds like a must-see event. If you don't make it there live, you can catch it and every other PROGRESS show on its event archive on demand service.

Of course, PROGRESS has similar ties to WWE that EVOLVE has, and the event happening in such close proximity to SummerSlam suggests WWE is attempting to have its own mini-Mania week in the summertime. If this means regular visits from the lads and lasses across the pond, I'm all for it.