On Monday, August 25th, PROGRESS Wrestling presents Chapter 183: 100 Volts from the Electric Ballroom in Camden.
At the top of the card: a TLC World Heavyweight Championship clash between reigning champion Luke Jacobs and the challenger with momentum on his side, Man Like Dereiss.
Speaking exclusively with Lee Tarrier of PWMania.com, Dereiss opened up about his journey, the high stakes of the TLC stipulation, and why this could be the defining moment of his career.
It’s a match that feels like the culmination of years of hard work, global experience, and fan support.
For Dereiss, it’s more than a title opportunity, it’s proof that he belongs at the very top. “It’s been a long road with plenty of bumps, but it’s all building to a massive weekend,” he says. “This feels like the start of a huge future for me in PROGRESS.”
Raising The Stakes
When the match was confirmed as a Tables, Ladders & Chairs encounter, the danger and the excitement instantly escalated.“The stakes went way up,” Dereiss admits. “Tables, ladders, chairs – it’s dangerous, no doubt. But it shows how far I’m willing to go to win the PROGRESS World Championship.”
This won’t be his first dance with ladders and high-risk environments.
Having competed in multiple ladder matches across the globe, Dereiss believes his experience gives him an edge when chaos takes over. “I’ve wrestled everywhere – America, Europe, Japan, Mexico – and taken something from each place. I’ve been in plenty of ladder matches too, so TLC won’t be new for me. That’s an advantage I don’t think Luke has.”
Over the past four years, Dereiss has built a résumé that reads like a passport.
From taking on Shelton Benjamin in a PROGRESS ring last year, to competing in GCW monthly, to even appearing on TNA Wrestling programming, he’s tested himself against some of the very best. “I’ve wrestled lots of different wrestlers – Lucha, Japanese, British, Mexican, Canadian, European – and I’ve picked something up from all of them,” he explains. “It’s given me a unique style that blends different influences, and that’s going to help me in a match like this.”
That breadth of experience has helped forge his confidence, a perspective not every British wrestler can claim.
The Connection
If travel and training sharpened his skills, the PROGRESS fans gave him his fire. Camden has become his stage, and the Ballroom has embraced him with open arms.
His entrance to “Freed From Desire” has transformed into a ritual, the crowd providing the chorus that powers his performances. “It’s been incredible,” Dereiss says. “The support has built show by show. Fans have stuck with me through it, and now it feels like they’re just as ready for this as I am. Every time I walk out to ‘Freed from Desire’, it feels like a party – easily one of the best crowds I’ve ever wrestled in front of.”
That connection may be the difference-maker when the Ballroom erupts on August 25th.
For some wrestlers, a TLC main event might trigger nerves. For Dereiss, it’s simply the next step in a process he’s been locked into for years. “I’ve been preparing for this for four years,” he explains. “My diet, training, focus – all locked in. Nothing changes now, except that the opportunity is finally here. It’s preparation meets opportunity, and that’s what happens next week.”
It’s that clarity, that confidence, which suggests Dereiss is arriving at the Ballroom not as a man chasing history, but as one ready to make it.
Even though past opportunities, like his shot at the Atlas Championship, didn’t end in victory, Dereiss insists this time is different. “Luke’s a great wrestler, but I’m going in all guns blazing. I only see this going one way – me walking out World Champion.”
The Moment Has Arrived
PROGRESS has always thrived on moments that capture the raw spirit of British wrestling. On August 25th, with tables, ladders, and chairs surrounding the ring, Dereiss is promising to risk everything to leave Camden with the top prize.
The fans are behind him. The preparation is complete. The stage is set.
For Dereiss, Chapter 183 is not a chance to prove himself. It’s the moment he’s been ready for all along.
PROGRESS Wrestling: Chapter 183 – 100 Volts takes place Monday, August 25th at the Electric Ballroom, Camden. Tickets are available now, or you can watch live at 3 PM on Demand PROGRESS Plus.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this interview, please credit PWMania.com with a h/t to PWMania.com for the transcription.
