Former WWE Superstars Nikki Storm, formerly known as Nikki Cross and Big Damo, formerly known as Killian Dain, have officially acquired both PROGRESS Wrestling, a United Kingdom independent wrestling promotion, and DEFY Wrestling, a Seattle-based independent wrestling promotion.
The news was announced by PROGRESS Wrestling on Monday, confirming that the husband-and-wife duo have stepped into ownership roles for both promotions in a move that could significantly shape the future of the independent wrestling landscape.
According to the announcement, the acquisition comes after years of involvement and passion for independent wrestling from both Storm and Damo. The two are expected to oversee the continued growth and creative direction of the promotions moving forward.
PROGRESS Wrestling has long been considered one of the most influential independent wrestling companies in Europe, helping launch the careers of numerous WWE stars over the last decade. DEFY Wrestling has similarly built a strong reputation in the United States independent scene, particularly in the Pacific Northwest.
In statements released as part of the announcement, both Storm and Damo spoke about their excitement for the future and their commitment to preserving the identity of the promotions while continuing to evolve them.
Storm stated that professional wrestling has always been about community and passion, adding that the opportunity to help guide two respected independent promotions was something she and Damo took very seriously.
Damo echoed those sentiments, noting that both companies have built loyal fanbases and unique identities over the years. He also emphasized their goal of creating opportunities for wrestlers while continuing to deliver high-quality wrestling for fans.
The acquisition marks a significant development for the independent wrestling scene, especially given the influence both promotions have had internationally. PROGRESS has hosted countless notable events and helped spotlight talent that later moved on to WWE, AEW, and other major promotions, while DEFY has become known for its blend of independent stars and major-name appearances.
Both Storm and Damo have extensive histories in independent wrestling prior to their WWE runs. Storm competed across the United Kingdom and Europe before joining WWE, where she became known to fans as Nikki Cross and captured multiple championships. Damo similarly built a strong reputation internationally before signing with WWE and competing under the Killian Dain name.
At this time, no immediate changes to either promotion have been officially announced.
You can read the full quotes from Big Damo and Nikki Storm about their acquisition of PROGRESS and DEFY Wrestling below:
“We are delighted to be the new co-owners of PROGRESS. We both started in the UK and Ireland and fully believe this is host to the greatest talent pool on earth and PROGRESS is well positioned to showcase this generation and the next generation.
“We are also very excited to be the new co-owners of DEFY Wrestling. Home to the most feverish fan base in the Pacific North West. Nikki and I have an affinity with Seattle, and I always had an incredible experience wrestling on the DEFY shows in front of the Defyance.”
“We would like to thank Martyn Best and Lee McAteer for being wonderful custodians and bringing new levels of professionalism to our industry. They steered PROGRESS after a worldwide pandemic, created an incredible wrestling network in Hooked On Wrestling TV, created a phenomenal working partnership with Pro Wrestling NOAH in Japan and DEFY in USA and showed ambition, and an incredible drive to give multiple talented men and women visas to compete in the USA, and opportunities in so many other countries.
“Our job now is to guide PROGRESS through the coming years, identify new talent and integrate them with the current phenomenal roster. I’m proud to say we have some of the best wrestlers in the world performing for us right now. Our men’s World Champion Cara Noir and Charlie Sterling are performing at the highest level. Our Tag Team Champions Luke Jacobs and Ethan Allen are two of the best wrestlers in the world under 30. Our women’s division is host to some of the best women wrestlers alive. Women’s champion Alexxis Falcon, Rhio, Kanji, Emersyn Jayne and so many more. We also have Hollywood actor Paul Walter Hauser regularly walking the Hollywood red carpets with his PROGRESS Proteus Championship belt. Then there is Gene Munny, Charles Crowley, former WWE star Axel Tischer, Hollie Barlow, Simon Miller, Man Like DeReiss, Spike Trivet, Lykos Gym, and so many more.
“I could go on all day but Nikki and I want to continue to give these amazing athletes a platform to create engaging stories, while also leaving plenty of room for absolute masterpieces in ring.
“We also want to capitalise on our great relationships with talent and promotions worldwide, and create new partnerships that not only bring phenomenal talent to our shores, but also export our best talent to new ventures abroad.”
Nikki, a former WWE Women’s RAW World Champion, Money in the Bank Winner and also WWE Tag Team champion with Alexa Bliss and Rhea Ripley, becomes PROGRESS Wrestling and DEFY Wrestling’s first female co-owner, bringing a completely fresh point of view.
“It is not lost on me that there are few female owners in professional wrestling, so I want to bring my experience and insights to the table and elevate PROGRESS and DEFY to new levels.
“We were deeply encouraged by the first PROGRESS Women’s Super Strong Style 16 tournament. Rhio and Gisele competed in an incredible main event, and Rhio proved to be a worthy winner! We will soon be announcing that next year, in 2027, we will host the first stand alone female Super Strong Style 16.
“We are also in the process of bringing PROGRESS to new cities across the UK, and will be excited to announce those details soon”
Stay tuned to Bodyslam.net for more updates on PROGRESS Wrestling, DEFY Wrestling, and the latest news from around the wrestling world.
