Former PROGRESS Men’s World Champion Chris Ridgeway addresses his three-year absence from the company
“Northwest is strong – and I’m more dangerous than ever.” – Chris Ridgeway
It’s been three years since Chris Ridgeway last stepped between the ropes for PROGRESS Wrestling – three years since he stood atop the mountain with the PROGRESS World Title in one hand, the GHC Junior Tag Team Championship in the other, and the weight of the wrestling world seemingly at his feet.
But what we didn’t see was what happened when he left the venue.
In a candid message to fans ahead of his return match against Man Like Dereiss at Chapter 181: Far From Ordinary People, Ridgeway opened up about where he’s been, what he’s endured, and why he’s now more focused than ever.
“Some of my best memories, some of my best matches – they’ve happened in a PROGRESS ring,” Ridgeway said.
“But at the height of it – after I won Super Strong Style 16 and stood there with two championships – the reality was, I was living out of a suitcase. I was at rock bottom.”
The image of a triumphant Ridgeway at Super Strong Style 16 – having beaten Charlie Dempsey, Gene Munny, Warren Banks and more – has become iconic. But beneath the surface was a man quietly fighting battles outside the spotlight. He took time away, travelled the globe, and wrestled some of the very best across styles and nations — but his heart never left PROGRESS.
Now, in Manchester, he returns to face the current Super Strong Style winner in Man Like Dereiss, a man very much riding his own wave of momentum.
“You know what it’s like to be on top of the mountain,” Ridgeway said of Dereiss.
“You’ve got that fight in you. That fire. I respect that. I see that.”
But make no mistake: this is no warm welcome. Ridgeway has evolved — mentally, physically, and technically — and he’s not stepping back into a PROGRESS ring to relive old glories. He’s here to carve a new path.
“Don’t mistake honesty for weakness,” he warned.
“I’m more dangerous than ever. More scientific. More clever in the ring than I’ve ever been.”
Ridgeway vs. Dereiss goes down Sunday 29th June at the Manchester O2 Ritz – a homecoming for one, a proving ground for the other, and a clash of champions past and present that promises to be anything but ordinary.
UPDATED CARD FOR CHAPTER 181: FAR FROM ORDINARY PEOPLE
- PROGRESS World Title Match: Luke Jacobs (c) vs. Cara Noir
- PROGRESS Tag Team Title Match: The Sunshine Machine (Chuck Mambo & TK Cooper) (c) vs. Lykos Gym (Kid Lykos & Kid Lykos II)
- Pick Your Poison Match: Lana Austin vs. Kanji
- Pick Your Poison Match: Nina Samuels vs. Shotzi Blackheart
- Four-Way Match: Simon Miller vs. Jack Morris vs. Ethan Allen vs. Charles Crowley
- Singles Match: Alexxis Falcon vs. Hollie Barlow
- Singles Match: Man Like Dereiss vs. Chris Ridgeway
Chapter 181: Far From Ordinary People is shaping up to be anything but ordinary!
Tickets are now on sale for Chapter 181 – Far From Ordinary People, which will take place at the 02 Ritz, Manchester on Sunday 29th June, 3pm start. To purchase tickets for the event, please CLICK HERE.
