PROGRESS Chapter 193: PROGRESS Las Vegas II April 16th, 2026 Results & Recap: Man Like DeReiss Retains, Paul Walter Hauser Escapes Big Damo

PROGRESS brought Chapter 193: PROGRESS Las Vegas II to the Horseshoe in Las Vegas today as part of The Collective and delivered a show that felt more focused on reinforcing the company’s direction than creating one giant WrestleMania week shock. The card mixed two title matches, two Super Strong Style 16 first-round bouts, a women’s multi-person showcase, and a couple of shorter crowd-pleasing matches. By the end of the afternoon, the biggest takeaway was simple: PROGRESS kept its major pieces in place. Man Like DeReiss retained the PROGRESS Men’s World Championship, Paul Walter Hauser survived Big Damo to stay Proteus Champion, and both Lio Rush and Rhio advanced in Super Strong Style 16.  

Here are the full results

• Subculture def. Kuro and LJ Cleary
• Simon Miller def. Danny Jones
• Lio Rush def. Ethan Allen (Super Strong Style 16 First Round Match)
• Emersyn Jayne def. Mercedes Martinez, Shotzi Blackheart, Renee Michelle, and Lena Kross
• Paul Walter Hauser (c) def. Big Damo (PROGRESS Proteus Championship)
• Rhio def. Vert Vixen (Super Strong Style 16 First Round Match)
• Man Like DeReiss (c) def. Michael Oku (PROGRESS Men’s World Championship)  

Breakdowns & Reactions

The opener did exactly what it needed to do. Subculture beating Kuro and LJ Cleary gave the show early energy and a reliable starting point without overcomplicating anything. That is the kind of match that helps a WrestleMania week card settle in fast, and PROGRESS made the right call by letting a known, polished team set the pace.  

Simon Miller beating Danny Jones served a similar purpose. It was a straightforward crowd-pleasing result, and on a show like this that matters. Not every match has to be a major angle or a dramatic turning point. PROGRESS needed a few clean beats to keep the show moving, and this was one of them. Miller getting that win gave the crowd a simple, easy moment before the card moved into the more meaningful tournament and title material.  

One of the more important results on the entire card was Lio Rush advancing over Ethan Allen in the men’s Super Strong Style 16 bracket. That result instantly gives the tournament more profile. Rush is the kind of name who adds urgency and attention to the field, and that makes this feel like more than a routine first-round outcome. Allen losing is still notable, but this was one of the cleaner booking decisions on the show because the upside of Rush moving on is obvious.  

The women’s five-way was probably the sneakiest important match on the card because Emersyn Jayne got the win over bigger or more familiar names like Mercedes Martinez and Shotzi Blackheart. That gave the result more value than just using outside talent for a Las Vegas pop. Instead of treating the match like a one-off attraction, PROGRESS used it to strengthen someone it clearly wants to keep building. That was a smart call and one of the better pieces of booking on the show.  

The most divisive result was almost certainly Paul Walter Hauser retaining the Proteus Championship against Big Damo. Damo had the kind of presence and credibility that could have made a title switch feel big in this setting, especially during WrestleMania week. Instead, PROGRESS stayed with Hauser, which tells you the company had no interest in using this show as a reset point. That decision will split opinion, but it also fit the larger theme of the event. This was a card about holding the line, not changing it.  

On the women’s tournament side, Rhio beating Vert Vixen felt like one of the most logical outcomes of the afternoon. Rhio is already an established part of the promotion’s identity, and putting her through keeps the women’s side of Super Strong Style 16 anchored by a proven name. It was not flashy, but it made sense, and this show was full of decisions that leaned more toward sensible than surprising.  

The main event was the clearest statement on the show. Man Like DeReiss retaining against Michael Oku confirmed that PROGRESS is fully committed to him as the centerpiece right now. Beating Oku in Las Vegas during WrestleMania week gives the reign a little more weight because it happened on a show that naturally had more eyes on it. PROGRESS could have used this as a shock title-change moment. Instead, it used it to make DeReiss feel more settled as champion, and that was probably the right call for where the company seems to be heading.  

The overall reaction coming out of the show is that PROGRESS delivered something controlled, focused, and purposeful rather than chaotic or headline-hunting. That might leave some people wanting one bigger “wow” moment, but the booking at least had a clear logic to it. Rush and Rhio moved the tournament forward, Jayne got a valuable spotlight win, and both champions stayed protected. For this kind of card, that is a coherent result even if it is not the loudest one.  

Final thoughts

PROGRESS did not use Las Vegas to shake up the board. It used Las Vegas to make its current board feel stronger. That made Chapter 193 a solid and purposeful show even without one massive twist. Man Like DeReiss left feeling more secure as world champion, Paul Walter Hauser is still one of the promotion’s more debatable title holders, and Super Strong Style 16 came out of the event with stronger momentum through Lio Rush and Rhio. For a WrestleMania week show, that is a pretty clear statement of intent.  

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