PROGRESS Wrestling Chapter 177 Review: My Own Destiny

PROGRESS Wrestling’s “Chapter 177: My Own estiny,” held on February 23rd, 2025, at the iconic Electric Ballroom, delivered a night of compelling matches and notable storylines. The event was streamed live on TrillerTV+ and DEMAND PROGRESS PLUS and showcased a blend of emerging talent and established names, contributing to a dynamic atmosphere at the My Own Destiny event.

SAnitY vs. Sunshine Machine

SAnitY charged the ring to jump-start the action, brawling with Sunshine Machine before the opening bell. TK Cooper’s hot tag rallied Sunshine Machine. He delivered explosive suplexes to both Tischer and Damo back-to-back, drawing a big reaction from the crowd. Sunshine Machine then dazzled with tandem offence: Chuck Mambo hit a Meteora and frogsplash on Damo, followed by Cooper’s top-rope shooting star press for a near-fall.

In a jaw-dropping display of power, the smaller Mambo even body-slammed the 300+ pound Damo. The frenetic finish came when Mambo caught Damo in a victory roll for the pinfall, clinching the win. After the bell, SAnitY feigned a sportsmanlike handshake only to flip off Sunshine Machine, drawing boos as they exited and signalling a new attitude in 2025.

Kid Lykos II vs Nico Angelo

Originally scheduled as Nico vs. Kid Lykos, the match took a turn when Nico Angelo ambushed Lykos during his entrance, slamming him into the ring post. Kid Lykos was deemed unable to continue, so his protege Kid Lykos II rushed in to fight in his place.

Lykos II nailed a slick tornado DDT and a Code Red for near-falls, while Nico answered with a rolling Death Valley Driver and a diving elbow drop to the back. The brawl spilled to the floor when Nico hoisted Lykos II on his shoulders and hurled him into the front row, crashing into the crowd. This chaos provoked the original Kid Lykos to jump in and attack Nico, drawing an immediate DQ. The abrupt interference ended a fun, fast-paced contest on a sour note – which is in line with their feud so far. All four men HATE eachother.

Post-match, Lykos Gym challenged Nico X Mills to an even more extreme encounter – a no-ropes, no-DQ “I Quit” tag team match – at the next Chapter, escalating their feud in what promises to be a brutal and groundbreaking match!

Proteus World Championship Match: Simon Miller (C) vs. Will Kroos

As per Simon Miller’s Proteus Championship rules, the fans decide the stipulation for all of his defences and this match was chosen to be a top rope finish match!

The champion came out firing on all cylinders – at the bell he levelled Kroos with a spear and immediately hit a top-rope frog splash, nearly winning in the first 30 seconds. The explosive start stunned the crowd and put the hefty Kroos on the back foot.

Accompanied by Gene Munny and Session Moth Martina at ringside, the challenger Will Kroos used his size to retaliate. The burly Kroos crushed Miller with a corner splash and a massive senton, then delivered a German suplex to assert his power.

Miller relied on resilience and power moves of his own. He fought back with shoulder tackles and even a second-rope superplex that shook the ring. When Kroos missed a top-rope splash, Miller capitalised – he nailed a second spear, then hoisted Kroos for a Jackhammer slam and followed with another flying splash to score the decisive pin.

Miller’s celebration was cut short as Gene Munny attacked him from behind immediately after the bell. Munny berated his “nephew” Kroos as a “disappointment” for failing, then led a beatdown on the Proteus World Champ.

Kroos, under Munny’s orders, crushed Miller with another big senton while Munny threatened to urinate on the title belt in a show of disrespect. (Miller snatched his belt back before that could happen.) This clearly set up Munny vs. Miller as the next title match at Chapter 178, with the crowd booing Munny’s vulgar antics loudly.

Man Like Dereiss vs. Myles Kayman

Kayman started aggressively, using his strength to hit back-to-back powerslams and a snap suplex on DeReiss​. He controlled the early minutes and even drew some light boos for his cocky demeanour while grounding the high-flying DeReiss.

DeReiss – who had impressively flown back from wrestling a TNA taping in the U.S. just 48 hours earlier​ – showed no signs of jetlag. He shifted momentum with a high vertical suplex that brought both men crashing down hard​.

After both rose to their feet, they stood in the centre trading stiff forearm strikes to the delight of the crowd. The athletic DeReiss wowed the audience with a top-rope Blockbuster neckbreaker. Kayman, determined to spoil the fan-favourite’s night, fired back with a Pedigree for a close near-fall, then argued in frustration with the referee when DeReiss kicked out!

In the closing stretch, DeReiss proved why he’s one of PROGRESS’s rising stars: he stunned Kayman with a superkick, hit a modified Death Valley Driver, and then sealed the win with a spectacular FOUR FIDDDY splash from the top rope​. The crowd erupted as he picked up the three-count.

This was a solid bout showcasing DeReiss’s resilience and showmanship. Despite having wrestled abroad days prior, DeReiss was on fire and kept his momentum going in PROGRESS​.

PROGRESS Men’s World Championship: Luke Jacobs (C) vs. Tate Mayfairs

A brutal, no-holds-barred war for the PROGRESS World Championship. Jacobs entered as champion and fought the Thunderbastard Champion Tate Mayfairs, with former champion Eddie Dennis at ringside as Tate’s mentor. What followed was a hardcore spectacle filled with weapons, blood, and surprising twists.

The fight was intense from the outset – Jacobs and Tate charged at each other throwing forearms from the opening bell​. They brawled out to the floor early, where Jacobs delivered a sick brainbuster onto a pile of chairs, drawing gasps from the crowd​. The champion’s mean streak was on full display as he later hurled a chair directly at Tate’s head then battered him with kendo stick shots and smashed a trash can over his head​!

.Tate absorbed tremendous punishment but refused to quit. He rallied with an Exploder suplex and a running neckbreaker on Jacobs, who introduced a ladder into the ring, which eventually led to a huge spot – the champ hit a superplex off the top of the ladder, driving Tate down and nearly putting him away.

The violence escalated further: Jacobs produced a staple gun and actually stapled papers onto Tate’s chest and back, a cringe-inducing moment that had some fans wincing and others cheering the insanity​. The ring was soon littered with thumbtacks as Jacobs dumped out a bag of tacks signalling more carnage to come.

Tate showed heart, countering Jacobs’ onslaught with desperation moves. To avoid a sledgehammer shot, Tate hit a low blow on Jacobs and then back-dropped the champion onto the thumbtacks – Jacobs’ back was riddled with tacks as he writhed in pain​. Tate followed up with a twisting neckbreaker and even climbed the ladder to deliver a big elbow drop through a table with Jacobs on it​ as his mentor Eddie Dennis held the ladder.

Each of these high-risk moves earned a huge near-fall that had the crowd on the edge of their seats, some chanting “You can’t beat him!” at Jacobs in amazement that Tate was still in the fight​.

In the climax, Eddie Dennis tried to slide Tate a pair of brass knuckles to use – a nod to his previous cunning tactics – but Tate hesitated to cheat, refusing to use them​. This hesitation backfired. Jacobs capitalized by decking Eddie and seizing the brass knucks himself and cracked Tate in the jaw with a brass-knuckle punch, finally putting him down for the three-count​

After 25+ minutes of mayhem, Jacobs staggered away still champion, having proven he can wrestle in extreme ways to keep hold of his gold, showing no mercy.

Emotions ran high after the bell. A devastated Tate Mayfairs shockingly low-blowed Eddie Dennis when Eddie tried to console him, then spat on his longtime friend​ – after giving so much in the match, this was cheered by many which Eddie Dennis was not pleased with, claiming he did nothing but support Tate.

In a heated outburst, Tate challenged Eddie to a Last Man Standing match, blaming him for the loss, since Eddie’s brass-knucks plan went awry, whilst Eddie claims it was simply Tate’s hesitancy.

This implosion of their friendship was an unexpected twist that left the commentators stunned and sets up a grudge last man standing match at Fix Your Hearts!

Women’s #1 Contender Four-Way – Rayne Leverkusen vs. Lana Austin vs. Alexxis Falcon vs. Session Moth Martina

Rayne Leverkusen defeated Lana Austin, Alexxis Falcon & Session Moth Martina to become #1 contender​

A four-way scramble to determine the next challenger for the PROGRESS Women’s Championship. Current champion Nina Samuels joined the commentary team to scout her potential opponents​, immediately hinting she had devious plans. The match itself was a fast-paced, chaotic showcase of four very different personalities in the women’s division. All four women brawled from the opening bell​ Session Moth Martina brought her trademark comedic style – at one point sipping her alcoholic beverage mid-match – only to eat a kick to the head from Alexxis Falcon for her troubles​.

The action spilled in and out of the ring frequently. Lana Austin hit a stunner on Falcon early​ and later when Lana fell out of the ring, Martina’s enforcer Will Kroos caught her only to slam Lana into the ring post, drawing boos for the interference​.

Rayne Leverkusen used her power – she delivered a German suplex that folded Falcon up​ and later caught Martina with another big German release suplex. Martina, an unpredictable brawler, speared Rayne and hit a twisting fisherman suplex for a near fall​.

Falcon showed off her agility with a German suplex of her own, and Lana drilled Martina with a lungblower backstabber, getting a two-count​. As the match progressed, two participants effectively took themselves out: Lana and Alexxis Falcon brawled off the stage and fought each other to the backstage area after Lana pulled Alexxis out of the ring as she was about to win!

That left Rayne vs. Martina with the contendership on the line with her allies (Munny and Kroos) at ringside, Martina tried to finish Rayne. Kroos even shoved the dazed Rayne back into the ring to set her up​. Martina hit a crucifix driver for a very close near-fall and she became irate when Rayne kicked out​.

In a decisive sequence, Rayne somehow sent Martina crashing into Kroos, disrupting the interference. Rayne then trapped Martina in a elevated Boston Crab. Martina held on for a moment but ultimately had to tap out, crowning Rayne Leverkusen the victor.​

The four-way was an entertaining mix of hard-hitting action and character work. Rayne Leverkusen’s victory got a big ovation – her gritty performance and submission finish established her as a worthy #1 contender. Meanwhile, Session Moth Martina’s antics (and Kroos’s involvement) kept things interesting for the next steps in their family. Nina Samuels’ presence loomed large; the champion smirked from commentary as Rayne celebrated, hinting that Nina wasn’t going to wait long to strike.

PROGRESS Women’s Championship Match: Nina Samuels (C) vs. Rayne Leverkusen

In a true blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, Nina Samuels turned the #1 contendership win into a nightmare for Rayne. Mere seconds after Rayne’s gruelling four-way triumph, Nina ambushed the exhausted challenger from behind as she was headed through the curtain​.

In similar fashion to how she won the gold from Rhio, the champion goaded Rayne into an impromptu title match on the spot, taking full advantage of her weakened state. Despite commentary protests that Rayne had “just been through a war,” the referee had no choice but to ring the bell​ as the prideful Leverkusen accepted the bout.

.As soon as the match officially started, Nina wasted no time. She immediately hit her finisher “StarStruck”  to Rayne’s face – and knocked the challenger out cold​. In under a minute, Nina Samuels arrogantly covered Rayne for the three-count, decisively retaining her PROGRESS Women’s Championship.

The crowd exploded with anger and shock at Nina’s underhanded tactic. Boos rained down as fans realized Rayne was being robbed of a fair fight. Nina soaked up the jeers, proudly holding her title aloft in what she dubs “The Nina Samuels Show”.

This established Nina as arguably the most despised villain of the night. Rayne Leverkusen, having fought valiantly to earn a title shot, was left laying and seething. As Nina strutted away, the audience was dying to see someone give her comeuppance… and they wouldn’t have to wait long.

PROGRESS Tag Team Championship Match: Smokin’ Aces (C) vs. Aigle Blanc & KURO

Smokin’ Aces (Charlie Sterling & Nick Riley) defeated Aigle Blanc & Kuro to retain the Tag Titles.

Smokin’ Aces came in as the cocky reigning tag champs, while Aigle Blanc teamed with Kuro, a newcomer making his PROGRESS debut as the underdog challengers​. This match pitted the Aces’ veteran savvy against Blanc & Kuro’s youthful speed and creativity.

The champions jumped the challengers before the bell, attacking from behind to gain the early advantage​, but Blanc and Kuro quickly turned the tables with their aerial assaults. Aigle Blanc hit a beautiful headscissor takedown and then wowed the crowd with a moonsault to the floor, wiping out both Aces at ringside​. Not to be outdone, Kuro followed with an acrobatic flip dive over the ropes onto the champs​, drawing a big roar for the newcomer.

One highlight sequence saw Nick Riley inadvertently hit a Canadian Destroyer on his own partner Sterling (after Blanc dodged), which got a huge reaction and a “holy s***” chant from the crowd​. Blanc & Kuro capitalized with a tandem superkick into a Dragon suplex on Sterling, almost scoring the three-count – the referee’s hand was milliseconds from the mat before Riley broke it up​.

In another close call, Sterling recovered to plant Kuro with a stunner, and Riley hit a frog splash, but Blanc dove in to save the pin just in time​. Moments later, Blanc himself hit a gorgeous 450 splash on Sterling for what looked like an upset victory, only for Riley to yank the referee out of the ring, stopping the count.

The crowd booed that dirty save, sensing the champs were in serious trouble. Running out of options, the Smokin’ Aces resorted to villainy. Sterling grabbed at Aigle Blanc’s mask and twisted it, briefly blinding the luchador​. In the confusion, Sterling and Riley nailed their tandem stunner finisher on Blanc to secure the pinfall. It was a tainted win – the champs retained by cheating – like they have almost always done in this reign.

As the Aces celebrated smugly, Sunshine Machine stormed out to confront them​. Fresh off their big win earlier, Sunshine Machine challenged Smokin’ Aces to a tag title match. They even raised the stakes: if Sunshine Machine loses that future title bout, they promise to never challenge the Aces again.​

This declaration got a big reaction, as it promises a high-stakes showdown between two of PROGRESS’s top teams. The champs looked taken aback but the stage is now set for an epic clash at the next chapter, with the crowd firmly behind Sunshine Machine to dethrone the arrogant Aces.

Rhio vs. Meiko Satomura

Meiko Satomura defeated Rhio.

This first-time-ever encounter was billed as a dream match and served as the main event. Meiko Satomura, a bona fide legend of Japanese wrestling (often called “The Final Boss”), was on her retirement tour and chose rising British star Rhio as her final singles opponent on UK soil​.

The atmosphere was electric – a respectful passing-of-the-torch mixed with excitement to see Meiko perform at the Electric Ballroom one more time.

Meiko received a hero’s welcome during her entrance – fans showered the ring with streamers and gave a standing ovation, underscoring the moment’s importance​. Rhio, couldn’t help but be emotional and respectful; she shook Meiko’s hand before the bell​.

The two competitors bowed, and the crowd buzzed, fully behind the legend but excited to see if Rhio could defeat her. In a surprising start, Rhio took control early, determined to prove herself. She used her power advantage to knock Meiko down with a shoulder tackle, then delivered a big Exploder suplex that rattled the veteran​.

The audience was impressed (and a bit astonished) to see Meiko on the defensive, as Rhio was unloading her arsenal fearlessly. Rhio’s confidence grew as she kept Meiko grounded. She hit a backstabber and even applied a Stretch Muffler leglock, trying to force a submission​.

For several minutes, Rhio looked every bit Meiko’s equal, and the crowd rallied with duelling chants. The ring general Satomura weathered the storm and gradually mounted a comeback. As Rhio climbed the ropes, Meiko suddenly sprang up and caught her with a Pele kick, knocking Rhio loopy​!

In true Final Boss fashion, Meiko had found a second wind. She nailed Rhio with a Death Valley Driver for a close two-count, then delivered her famous series of stiff kicks – including a Scorpion Rising step-up axe kick that dropped Rhio to her knees​. Wasting no time, Meiko hauled Rhio up and hit a second, emphatic Death Valley Driver, driving Rhio into the mat for the 1-2-3​.

In a lovely show of sportsmanship, Rhio – who had come very close to the biggest win of her career – bowed to Meiko and the two hugged in the ring​. The moment was emotional; Meiko had tears in her eyes, clearly moved by the reception. Suddenly, Nina Samuels (still Women’s Champion and ever the opportunist) slid into the ring and hugged Meiko… only to attack Rhio from behind!​

Nina stomped the already-spent Rhio, trying to steal the spotlight. Meiko, however, was having none of it – the legend blasted Nina with two stiff forearm shots, knocking Nina out of the ring​.

Meiko grabbed a mic and coolly declared, “PROGRESS needs less Nina!,” to a huge ovation​. Nina scurried away in fear, as the crowd laughed and cheered Meiko standing up for Rhio – telling her to reclaim her championship!

With the ring cleared of shenanigans, the entire PROGRESS locker room then flooded out to surround the ring and honour Meiko Satomura​. In a heartwarming scene, wrestlers and staff applauded and bowed to Meiko. Rhio herself presented Meiko with a bouquet of flowers, symbolizing gratitude and respect​.

Additionally, British wrestler Dan “Drilla” Moloney made a surprise appearance to present Meiko a special tribute​.

 The Electric Ballroom crowd chanted “Thank You Meiko!” while Satomura held her belt and flowers aloft, tears of joy on her face. She took a final bow to end the show. It was a truly emotional send-off for a living legend, capping off the event with a feel-good moment of respect and celebration.

UNBOXING VII is available to watch on DEMAND PROGRESS PLUS.

You can also watch the replay now on Triller TV+