Released WWE Couple Acquire Major Wrestling Promotion

A real-life couple formerly employed by WWE has converted adversity into an opportunity.

Latest reports have revealed that Nikki Cross and Big Damo have acquired PROGRESS Wrestling, a British professional wrestling company which began operations in 2011.

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful confirmed the acquisition in a tweet on X while sharing pictures of a statement by the new owners. Progressive Wrestling, too, posted an update on its official website.

While addressing the purchase, former WWE Money in the Bank winner Cross said that she intended to bring her experience and insights to help elevate PROGRESS and DEFY (merged with PROGRESS in 2024).

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.

Big Damo And Nikki Cross Were Released By WWE

Big Damo, whose real name is Damian Mackle, was employed with WWE between 2016 and 2021, where he performed under the name Killian Dane and was part of the SAnitY faction alongside Eric Young, Alexander Wolfe, Sawyer Fulton, and Cross.

While he never won a title in the company, Wolfe and Young were one-time NXT Tag Team Champions. He was released on June 25, 2021, as part of a fourth round of layoffs due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nikki Cross, on the other hand, had a decade-long run with WWE, where she was a one-time Raw Women’s Champion and a 3-time Women’s Tag Team Champion.

From June 2024 till her departure on April 24, 2026, she was a member of The Wyatt Sicks, although she did not achieve anything significant as a performer.

The Sicks, who were led by Uncle Howdy (Bo Dallas), were unfortunately released as a whole unit.