We here at PWMania.com have been a big fan of PROGRESS Wrestling, and everything they have done at shows for us fans post-pandemic. One of these things has been to have two wrestlers put on one of the best feuds in British Wrestling history.
Yes, Spike Trivet vs. Cara Noir has been a 2-year classic story that culminates in the promotion’s first-ever steel cage match, happening this Sunday at the SOLD OUT Electric Ballroom as part of Chapter 151, Heavy Metal.
The first sell-out post-pandemic is a credit to the hard men and women that have put so much into every show over the last 18 months, with our two headliners deserving a capacity crowd to end their brutal battles.
Lee Tarrier (@leeseedub) got to sit down with Spike this week and ask him about his time as champ and, after losing to Tom Dawkins at Chapter 150, is there any doubt he will lose to him again, now that he has returned as Cara Noir.
You can check out the complete interview below:
How would you say your championship reign is going?
I mean, it’s been exactly the way that I wanted it to be. I think that two or three years ago, especially pre-pandemic and post-pandemic, there was a lot of people who I think would have laughed at you or laughed at me at the thought of being Progress Men’s World Champion. Main eventing a Progress Show to its first sell out since they came back in the pre-pandemic, I think that a lot of people would have laughed it. A lot of people would have laughed at you and certainly did laugh at me.
I think that this just proves that anything can happen. I think I’ve proved everybody wrong. I think I’ve proved certain people who didn’t believe in me in the past, whether they be certain people in offices across the country or fans or even my own family, especially Tom Dawkins, Cara Noir, I think have proved them all wrong.
I’m not one for huge inspirational conversations and huge inspirational affirmations. But I do everything works out the way that it should and time is your ally if nothing else, just wait and do what you know is right and it will get you to where and it will get you to where you need. To be where you deserve to be and everybody will eventually realize what they were wrong about what was right in front of them.
I think that this story with Cara Noir has been the best story in British wrestling over the past 18 months. I think it’s been one of the best stories in wrestling around the world. I’ll put that up against anyone, against any other story going on. I think that it’s extremely difficult in wrestling, particularly modern British indie wrestling, to create anything that has this level of heat, and people care that much about it. Having people investing that much in characters where they really want to see somebody like Cara Noir win and they really want to see someone like the vulture Spike lose.
I think that this cage match is going to be the culmination of a good old-school blood feud. And I think that’s what British wrestling has missed for such a long time. And while it’s playing hell with my body and it’s played hell with my mind at times, I’m very proud to be part of it, and I’m extremely ready for whatever Cara Noir is gonna throw at me. I’m grizzled, broken, I’m bruised, but I’m ready for more.
What would you say have been your greatest title victories?
That’s really interesting. Being the first person to defend the title in Dubai and working with one of their top guys was good. I obviously walked out the champion because he didn’t stand a chance, but to be able to go there and carry that title with a group in its infancy, I respected very much, it was a big honour for me, a big moment.
Wrestling Axel Tischer was big for me. I’d love to do that again.
The mini-feud and the business I did drill with Dan Maloney. Yeah, that was big and was a narrative that I was extremely proud of. I really wanted to throw hands with him, we’re very different people, and we don’t see eye to eye on many things, but he is tremendous. We came out of that having told a good story, having got everybody invested in, and walked out with respect and affection for each other. I’m extremely happy to see the things that have happened for him.
Wrestling Jonathan Gresham was fantastic. They’ve all been fantastic. I think that’s the thing for me, that’s a huge deal was I was able to work with people who trained me. I was able to have a match with Mike Bird in Wales. I was able to have my first defense against Eddie Dennis, also in Wales. That was a huge deal for me. Eddie has had such a huge part in my training. At times, he’s been a friend at times, he’s been a mentor, and at times, he’s been an even better enemy. So, being able to do that with him is a huge honor for me.
I have defended this belt more than many of the previous champions have, so long may it continue. Long may the Lord reign, long May the vulture fly.
Tom Dawkins beat you in your last encounter, winning back his persona as Cara Noir. Has that caused any doubt in your ability to beat him?
Really interesting question. I wouldn’t say it was a doubt. I don’t think it’s a doubt that I feel. It’s just more of a question I have to answer for myself. It was my thought to do this in the cage. There’s an asterisk next to me now, and that either has to be removed or I have to carry that Asterix with me for the rest of my life and those are the only two options.
It’s just him and me, one last time. And the cage will be there to just keep everybody else out. Just keep the two of us in there and just beat each other to a bloody pulp and see who comes out on top.
So, I wouldn’t say it was a doubt, I don’t have any doubts. I’m very confident in who I am. I’m very confident in my ability. I’m extremely confident that I’m the right person to be in this position, but there are people who don’t think that there are people who don’t think so. Those people need to be proved wrong. And I need to prove myself. I would rather walk through this world with nothing than live in his shadow.
Does this brutal feud end with the cage match?
This is it! We don’t owe anything to each other after this. I owe him nothing. He owes me nothing. As far as I’m concerned once this is over, I’m done with him. And he’s done with me. Maybe down the line we can see each other in different ways but I dare say that me and Tom Dawkins will ever be on the same page.
We’ll always find a reason to dislike each other and if worst comes to worse, we’ll always find a reason to get our hands on each other and tear each other apart. But when it comes to this feud, this rivalry that started over 2 years ago, this rivalry that started before we even came back from the pandemic. This rivalry started in the Peckham shows. It started when I requested to speak to him, when I requested to have a shot at the title from him, because I had a five match win streak, which is still I think, not been replicated in singles matches since then. I asked him and he said, No.
And then obviously, it was because of me that he lost the title to Jonathan Gresham. So, you know, this is the combination of two and a half years. The seeds of this were planted two and a half years ago. And so it has to end. It’s got to come to its conclusion. And with conclusions come definite answers and that’s what both of us are looking for.
If Cara beats you, and I know it’s a big if, what’s next for Spike Trivet?
If Cara were to become the champ, if he were to finally come out on top of this and take the strap, then he becomes the king of the castle once again. He stands at the top of the British industry. But the only way is up and the vulture must fly. And I will find my way to bigger and better things. But for the moment, we are a few days from the cage match and it’s all I’m thinking about. I’m not really thinking much beyond it but I do know that the only way is up from there and regardless of what happens, you haven’t seen the last of the vulture.
If anyone can find a way to win, it’s the Vulture. To say I’m excited is an understatement. A sell out crowd is how this should be for this great roster of wrestlers and to culminate this great feud. For those unable to be lucky enough to have a ticket, look out for PROGRESS Chapter 151: Heavy Metal coming soon on DEMAND PROGRESS.
