7 Biggest Non-WWE Stories In Wrestling This Week

Neville returns, NJPW's last big show of 2018, and more!

Pac Neville Dragon Gate
Dragon Gate Network

The content never sleeps, and neither does the world of wrestling beyond the monied walls of Titan Tower.

A jam-packed week saw one independent promotion earn their largest ever crowd, an international juggernaut suffer the indignity of an unexpectedly small one, and several high profile scenesters openly put themselves back on the market following the most celebrated non-WWE American event of the last decade.

It's the norm in the industry now - the contemporary boom is not one driven by one particular star or storyline but the sheer awareness of action outside the auspices of Vince McMahon. Online fans once bullied for operating out of their parents' basements now make up the heartbeat of a community that grew whilst the monopolistic McMahons weren't really watching.

This is a cottage industry that has now sold 10,000 tickets for one show and sold out Madison Square Garden the weekend WWE will otherwise take over New York for WrestleMania 35. Wrestling's appeal in 2018 isn't to be underestimated by audiences, let alone a company that has severed relations with much of its "Universe" in favour of money from other sources.

These are the shows, 'superstars' and stories that stole all Raw and SmackDown's headlines this week...

7. PROGRESS At Wembley

Pac Neville Dragon Gate
Twitter, @ThisIs_Progress

In what can only be described as a massive objective success not just for the promotion themselves, but the British scene as a whole, PROGRESS Wrestling's Hello Wembley show drew 4,750 fans to London's Wembley Arena on Sunday night (30 September), knocking their initial projections out of the park.

Headlined by a PROGRESS Championship match between Austrian bruiser WALTER and WWE UK star Tyler Bate, the show is expected to be uploaded to the promotions streaming service imminently. Pete Dunne vs. wXw's Ilja Dragunov, Eddie Dennis vs. Mark Andrews, and Matt Riddle's last independent bout (vs. Mark Haskins) were among the other featured bouts.

Hello Wembley wasn't without its problems. A bloated runtime meant several fans had to leave before or during the main event to catch public transport home, but PROGRESS, to their credit, have found a workable solution.

Killed by their WWE affiliation, the "Punk Rock Pro Wrestling" tagline has never been less apt, with PROGRESS now bearing closer resemblance to Green Day than The Exploited. Regardless, this will go down as a landmark "independent" wrestling event. The Jim Smallman-fronted group are soaring, and along with the likes of ICW, firmly at the forefront of the British surge.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 7 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 30 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz", Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 50,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.