AEW's Jonathan Gresham Stripped Of PROGRESS World Championship
Jonathan Gresham is a dual World Champion no longer. Here's what happened...
All Elite Wrestling/Ring Of Honor's Jonathan Gresham has been stripped of the PROGRESS World Championship after 56 days on top of the British independent promotion.
PROGRESS declared its World Championship vacant following a title fight pitting Gresham against Gene Munny at Chapter 134: No Mountain High Enough this Sunday (15 May). Lykos Gym's attack on Munny before the bout led to the stipulation that Gresham would be stripped in the event of a disqualification, which ended up happening, as Kid Lykos and Kid Lykos II attacked the challenger during the bout itself.
Later, Munny defeated Kid Lykos to qualify for PROGRESS' signature Super Strong Style 16 tournament, continuing his undefeated streak in 2022.
The promotion is yet to announce its intentions for the PROGRESS World Championship now that it is vacant. Gresham had reigned since 20 March, when he dethroned Cara Noir, with his reign bringing successful defences over Warren Banks and Malik.
Whether or not the AEW-contracted Gresham will continue to be used by PROGRESS, whose content airs on WWE Network/Peacock, is currently unknown.
PROGRESS has issued the following press release:-
Jonathan Gresham stripped of PROGRESS Wrestling World Championship After Controversial Chapter 134 Main Event
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday 15th, May (London, England): PROGRESS Chapter 134: ‘No Mountain High Enough’ took place today at The Electric Ballroom in London and ended with the PROGRESS Wrestling World Championship being declared vacant as well as the fulfillment of one of the longest-held desires of the PROGRESS hardcore fanbase.
This surprising turn of events came as a result of the main event match between PROGRESS World Champion Jonathan Gresham and fan favourite, Gene Munny.
The stipulation of the match would see Munny qualify for June’s Super Strong Style 16 tournament if he were to defeat Gresham, with both men having not suffered a loss in PROGRESS in 2022.
Before the match, Gresham’s long-time allies, Lykos Gym, attacked Munny, leading to management inserting a stipulation that if Gresham was disqualified he would be stripped of the PROGRESS Championship.
Shockingly, not only did the Lykos pair attack Munny again later in the match, leading to the disqualification, they also did it in deliberate view of the referee, ensuring that Gresham was to lose the title he won from Cara Noir in March.
After Lykos revealed their deception was long in the planning, Munny demanded a match with one of the Wolves, not being satisfied with a place in the tournament unless he got a clean pinfall victory. Just minutes later, he got it, pinning Kid Lykos One’s shoulders for the 1-2-3.
Whilst this unexpected ending sees PROGRESS with a vacant world championship for only the third time in the title’s ten-year history, it also sees Gene Munny finally fulfil his long-stated ambition of being entered into Super Strong Style 16, which takes place in London over three nights, 3rd-5th June.
Whilst fans will rejoice at Munny being part of said tournament, they will be keen to hear from PROGRESS management in the coming days what this means for the immediate future of the championship.
Tickets for Super Strong Style 16 and other future PROGRESS events can be purchased now from www.progresswrestling.com/tickets