Rhio has sat pretty at the top of Women’s wrestling for a year, holding titles across different promotions, but especially at PROGRESS Wrestling, where she celebrates holding the title for a full year this month.
With a very tough opponent in Lizzy Evo set to face Rhio at PROGRESS Chapter 172, Werewolves of London, Rhio spoke to PWMania’s Lee Tarrier (@leeseedub) about holding the title for a year, flying the flag for British wrestling and what she expects from Evo on October 27 at Camden’s Electric Ballroom.
You can watch the complete interview below:
It’s coming up a year since you won the PROGRESS Women’s World Championship. Congratulations. How has a year felt at the top of the roster?
It’s been great, but you have a target on your back at all times. It seems like everyone wants to jump me or ruin my matches to make a statement. I’m a fighting champion, so people just need to step up, let me know and I’ll deal with them.
You’ve taken on many opponents and wrestled in different kind of matches , what would you say are your stand out title defences?
I would say the 4-way ladder match at Super Strong Style ’16 2024, as it was for the second year in a row, the girls have gone out there and stolen the show. Everyone was psyched behind the curtain, ready to go out there and prove what we can do, and we did it. Especially for me as it meant I took all 3 challengers, all a number 1 contender in their own right, and I beat them all.
Women’s independent wrestling is forever growing, how do you find the scene is taken by both fans and your peers in Britain?
I think it’s forever growing and respected. For many of us, the goal is to get to companies like PROGRESS. It is one of the biggest companies in Europe and is world respected. So I think everyone wants to get there. And when you get there, it’s kind of a wave, like you’ve done it, but you got to show you can stay there, and then to be able to stay, I think, is another thing in itself.
I used to worry about it a lot but nowadays, I much more live in the moment and thrive on putting on memorable matches for the fans. Becoming Women’s champion and maintaining that championship has been massive for me. Learning from 2021 when I got to PROGRESS to now, I think is great as I think the fans are really on board with what we’ve doen and my progression has worked nicely in the build up and excitement from a crowd for PROGRESS again after the pandemic.
Everyone is working so hard to put on the best show and to see it grow and be well respected again means a lot as for me, I think we at PROGRESS have the best women’s division out there.
With PROGRESS respected on a global level, what personal global ambitions do you have in the world of wrestling?
I think that the hard work of so many people, wrestlers, referees, ring, crew, production, fans, everyone has made British Wrestling the thing to watch. As much as it is great to be seen on a global scale, I’m all about ensuring our home product is the thing everyone wants to watch.
I’d like to think it works as a 2-way exchange. PROGRESS has recently had wrestlers like Danhausen and Marina Shafir over here and that’s amazing. Big talent coming to our big shows. But, they’ve come here, they want to be here. The fantastic Japanese wrestlers from NJPW and Noah, they want to see what’s going on here because they see the buzz and want to be part of it.
So, for me, as much as it is great to be respected worldwide and to be noticed in areas like America and Japan, I am passionate about what we are doing here and I think British Wrestling is on the verge of another boom period.
Look how many major shows are over here from AEW, WWE and the way independent shows at those times get the love they do. It’s brilliant, so for me, as much as I look forward to wrestling around the world, bringing a boom period back to Britain is top of my list.
It’s Lizzy Evo next at PROGRESS Chapter 172. She has been making waves on the scene, especially in PROGRESS, what kind of match are you expecting against her?
I am fully aware of what she’s capable of. I understand that she is world class. She’s a phenomenal wrestler, and she’s also a great mouthpiece, you know, when she says something you believe it, because she does what she says she’s going to do.
I can respect that, but telling me that you’re going to beat me, you’re going to do this, do that, but yet you had to jump me from behind to do. That’s not a champion!
Why jump me? You know where I am.
She may have hurt me in September after my match, but this time, it’s such a different story as she will be face to face with me on Oct 27th. I’m actually gonna put her head through the canvas. I might even put her head through the ballroom floor because this time, I’ll let her know what it means to mess with me.
Will you be champion on October 28th?
Course!
PROGRESS Chapter 172, Werewolves of London, looks an absolute blinder. Catch Rhio vs Lizzy Evo, Cara Noir vs Defy Champion KENTA and Men’s World Champion Luke Jacobs vs Man Like Dereiss at the Electric Ballroom, Camden. Tickets available here.
Pictures: PROGRESS Wrestling
