Big Damo is targeting adding the PROGRESS Proteus Championship to his collection when he takes on defending title holder, Paul Walter Hauser, at Chapter 193: PROGRESS Las Vegas later this month!
PROGRESS heads to Vegas for an explosive show as part of GCW’s The Collective on Thursday 16th April, which will be held at The Horseshoe, Las Vegas.
Speaking exclusively to progresswrestling.com ahead of his bout against Hauser, the Beast of Belfast is raring to go as he bids to add to his Triple Crown in PROGRESS.
You’re heading to Vegas with PROGRESS next month. How much are you looking forward to the show?
“There always something special about the shows around the Mania week. You never know who might turn up. I’ve wrestled at 3am before, yet somehow fans are still up for anything all week!”
The opponent in front of you is Paul Walter Hauser, are you ready to take his belt?
“I am the first Triple Crown champion in PROGRESS history. Which means I have won PROGRESS World, Atlas and Tag Team Gold. Paul Walter Hauser carries the Proteus Title. To be a Grand Slam Champion would be both an honour and considering who holds it now… an inevitability.”
Paul is another example of a Hollywood star turned wrestler, are you ready to show him what being a professional wrestler is all about considering your CV and how strong it is?
“A strong CV? No, I have a CV/resume that’s on another level.
I’ve wrestled for every major company on earth. I’m a multi time and multi promotion champion. I have shared the ring with Hall of Famers, Indy darlings and some of the greatest of all time.”
“I’m well versed in European technical/catch wrestling. I can joint manipulate. I can brawl. I can fly. I can throw people around like wet towels.
“I’m 345lbs, fast, strong and fucking brutal. If anything I am amazed he’s taking this fight. Perhaps he does deserve a bit of respect for that.”
What is your message for Paul?
“Paul, for all the bluster, I absolutely respect that you have given wrestling a go. It’s proof that you are an actual fan and not someone using wrestling for visibility, but the truth is Pro Wrestling is just a fun hobby for you. Whereas Pro wrestling is EVERYTHING for me. It’s all I know. I have done this for 22 years and it has been my full-time job since 2008. This was my dream as a child, my obsession as a teenager. All my friends are wrestlers. My wife is a wrestler.
“While you were going to auditions, I was going to wrestling training. While you were waiting for callbacks I was in seminars with the greatest coaches alive. While your career started taking off on screen, I was amongst the top wrestlers in the world. Wrestling is a cup of coffee for you. For me it’s the air that I breathe.”
How much do you enjoy performing for PROGRESS in Vegas?
“I hate Las Vegas. I have been there many times. It’s full of the dregs of society, but I love wrestling for PROGRESS. So I’ll suck it up.”
How great is it that PROGRESS will form part of the collective and be part of Mania weekend?
“I think the collective will be incredibly happy to have PROGRESS as part of it. PROGRESS offers a roster that is quite unique and around Mania time they always pull out all the stops.”
From your own personal perspective, what are your goals for this year in PROGRESS?
“My goal is to wrap Paul Walter Hauser around the ring post. Take his Title. Take his money. I’ll donate the money to charity and deliver the Proteus Title back to the PROGRESS fans and take on anyone they want me to.
“Then begins the March towards the PROGRESS Tag Team Titles with my partner Axel Tischer. Luke Jacobs and Ethan Allen caught us napping and showed us they are amongst the best in the world. We now want to get in there and show them the very best of Sanity.”
Fans can secure their seats for the PROGRESS show at The Collective and watch The Mercenary vs. The Beast of Belfast for the Proteus Championship by clicking here.