PROGRESS Co-Owners Jim Smallman And Glen Joseph On Landmark Wembley Show

Yesterday, we were fortunate enough to attend PROGRESS Wrestling's landmark Wembley show, Chapter 76: Hello Wembley. Before the event two of the promotion's co-owners, Jim Smallman and Glen Joseph, answered questions on a variety of topics.

A theme throughout the press event was the emphasis on praise being given to the wrestlers themselves - not just those on the Wembley card, but those who helped build PROGRESS from the ground up.

Joseph fielded a question regarding what makes wrestling so exciting, and cited the old saying that there's no off-season, explaining 'Wrestling is cyclical. The art of wrestling is to constantly reinvent itself.'

He then touched upon UK wrestling specifically, stating his belief that the UK scene is the most exciting in the world right now due to its melting pot appeal. 'These days there's something for everybody. It's not just reflections of what you see on TV.'

When asked about his thoughts upon first seeing the arena for the show, Smallman replied that he 'Did a little poo.'

On a more serious note, he revealed that he still marvels at the queues outside PROGRESS events before every show. Joseph touched upon a slight sense of frustration upon stepping into Wembley Arena, because in an ideal world he'd like to feature far more wrestlers from PROGRESS' history.

He again emphasised that the promotion's success doesn't just come from 'the three who built it' - himself, Smallman, and fellow co-owner Jon Briley - but also due to the hard work of many wrestlers, the continued support of the fans, and the help those behind the scenes who may not usually receive the credit they deserve.

Finally, Smallman was asked what lies ahead for PROGRESS. He explained that he'd still be immensely proud if the promotion never ran a show as big as Hello Wembley again, but admitted that there has been a precedent set. However, he explained that success isn't necessarily about how many tickets a promotion sells, but about responding to the fans and continuing to keep them happy.

Chapter 76: Hello Wembley will be shortly available on PROGRESS Wrestling's on-demand service, where a full back catalogue of shows can also be found: