PROGRESS and DEFY are now under new management

Last month, the wrestling world collectively blinked when news dropped that former WWE stalwarts Big Damo and Nikki Storm had bought PROGRESS Wrestling. Snatching the keys to the kingdom from Lee McAteer and Martyn Best, who held the promotion since December 2021, is quite the pivot for two people we usually see headlining events rather than signing payroll checks.

It turns out the acquisition didn't stop at the UK borders. As reported by Dave Meltzer, the couple also secured ownership of DEFY Wrestling. They are essentially buying up real estate in the independent scene while the rest of us are still trying to figure out if our fantasy bookings even matter.

The "Bingo Card" Reality Check

Damo himself admitted during a conversation with Tom Campbell that this purchase was completely off their radar. He told F4WOnline that running a promotion was never on the bingo card for them, which is refreshing honesty in an industry filled with corporate PR speak.

Look, transitioning from the controlled environment of NXT to the chaotic, sweaty, DIY atmosphere of the independent circuit is a massive leap. They have the pedigree as wrestlers to understand what makes a show tick, but playing booker is a thankless task that will age you five years for every missed spot on the card.

The Marketing Gamble

Bringing in mainstream names like Faraaz from *The Traitors* to appear at a PROGRESS show is classic indie promotion 101. It’s a transparent attempt to pull in eyeballs from outside the wrestling bubble, and quite frankly, it’s a brilliant way to try and boost ticket sales in a crowded market.

However, gimmicks have a ceiling. If you alienate your core base by veering too hard into reality show territory, you risk losing the people who actually pay for the streaming services. It is a razor-thin line between clever cross-promotion and looking desperate for a viral moment.

The Risks of the Indie Owner-Wrestler Life

Being an owner-wrestler is a trap that has swallowed better minds than Damo and Storm. When you are the one putting people over, but you are also paying all the bills, who tells you when the booking doesn't make sense? You lose the friction that creates actual art.

Look at the history of these promotions. PROGRESS has gone through several eras, from the peak of its UK cult status to the corporate-adjacent days of its partnership with WWE. If Damo and Storm want to avoid the burnout that plagued their predecessors, they need to build a structure that doesn't rely on them being the only stars in the room.

They have the passion, but they also have zero experience running a combined bicoastal beast like DEFY and a legacy brand like PROGRESS simultaneously. Taking on these promotions in June 2026 is an ambitious move, perhaps too ambitious. They are stepping into a pit of vipers where every booking decision is scrutinized by a fanbase that has seen it all.

As revealed by BodySlam.net, the duo is clearly energized, but optimism doesn't pay for venue rentals in London or Seattle. It will be fascinating to see if they can maintain their in-ring sanity while managing the fiscal reality of the indies.