After a Scotty Davis SSS16 title shot cash in and their shock win at Still Chasing, the team of Scotty Davis and Jordan Devlin have put the whole Progress wrestling tag division on notice. 

    With a title legacy behind them including names such as Sumerian Death Squad, London Riots, Swords Of Essex, CCK, Havoc & Haskins and British Strong Style, Davis & Devlin have a heavy weight to carry on their shoulders. Now reigning for just over a month with only one title match defence under their belts, the clock is ever ticking for contenders to start claiming their stake at the straps. With a lot of deliberation, the viewing of some footage and a little bit of coffee I’ve compiled a list of the top five tag teams to challenge next for the Progress Tag Team Titles. 

    5. South Pacific Power Trip

    The team of TK Cooper and NIWA have recently taken their absence from Travis Banks, seemingly turning on him in the Proteus Rumble at Still Chasing, which came as a shock to us all. This was followed up at Chapter 96 when TK Cooper came out to “help” Banks after a hard fought battle against Paul Robinson for the Proteus Championship; once again working on Banks vulnerability and attacking him, giving TK Cooper the rub moving forward. 

    As a team, TK Cooper and NIWA rep the New Zealand strong style, mixing their muscle with athleticism. Cooper leads the mat work while NIWA is more the high flyer of the two, combining the abilities of both workers to counter the exact same of Davis and Devlin, yet the upper hand for SPPT would always be the continual work together while Davis and Devlin are a relatively new combination.

    With TK Cooper moving more towards singles competition currently, the team of South Pacific Power trip rank as outsiders for contenders for the tag titles, but they aren’t to be written off. 

    4. Anti-Fun Police

    While many struggle to see beyond the gimmick of The Anti-Fun Police, we should all start taking them that one step more seriously… No… SERIOUSLY! 

    No Fun Dunne has come on leaps and bounds and is receiving plaudits among his peers from all over the world – most recently he has had a whole hashtag dedicated to him. Backed up by the also ever improving Los Federales Santos Jr they are becoming serious contenders… I said SERIOUS.

    The chemistry between Dunne and Jr is palpable: Dunne has an in ring ability that is seasoned and slick while Los Federales Santos Jr and his sheer size become a problem for any team on the opposite side of the squared circle, which is where a team like Davis and Devlin could come unstuck. 

    The speed, size and in ring ability of Anti-Fun Police poses multiple problems for any team, but while we all get caught up when the Anti-Fun Gun is clasped in the hands of Los Federales Santos Jr, we should all start to consider how great it would be to see these two reach the point of achieving gold. Could Anti-Fun Police be in reach? Only time will tell. 

    3. Grizzled Young Veterans 

    It’s three o’clock on a Thursday, the regular thoughts shuffle in, there is an old man sitting next to me and I just ordered another coffee… Now to cover The Grizzled Young Veterans who have now played their Progress Tag Titles rematch clause. 

    What is there to say about The Grizzled Young Veterans that we don’t already know? The outright venomous feelings towards Zack Gibson yet his ever indulgent pre-match promos have us waiting on every whim, James Drake and his harmonica skills… Their knowledge of the mat and respect for the ring is continuously admirable and are now pretty much (although Gibson will disagree) furniture among the Progress crowd. They always put in 100% in every match and I’m yet to hear anyone deny it, a tried and tested partnership that can put any team on lockdown. Let’s not deny ourselves the most obvious facts: Grizzled Young Veterans are up there with the best of them in the Tag Teams of the world. If anyone is to topple Davis and Devlin, it could well be this team. 

    The crowd will always sound like a carnival, and Gibson on the mic will always get a jeer, they’ll wait their turn and watch from a far and surprise us all when the time comes and we ask: “man, what are they doing here?”

    2. Do Not Resuscitate 

    Lets not kid ourselves any longer, the stable of Do Not Resuscitate are probably the most dominant on the British wrestling scene in the current time. The fact of the matter is that as a team in any combination they are devious, dangerous and will by any means necessary do whatever they can to win. 

    Lead by Tory boy Spike Trivet (or are they?) who is a continual cocky thorn in the side of anybody in-ring, with shades of William Regal in his persona and mic ability. Backed up by the brawling, sprawling and technical wizard that is William Eaver who can make any ring he’s in his own; alongside him is Chuck Mambo the cartoony looking never-say (or actually)-die third cog in the ever disjointed DnR; and joining him is new addition Danny Duggan, who we could only assume is a little bit more than hired muscle.

    If DnR were to go after Davis and Devlin they would not only be contending with a tag team, they would be contending with a stable of four very unhinged members who would be hell bent on getting gold. A team I feel Davis and Devlin would not want to be up against in the near future. 

    1. The NIC

    A part of Destination Everywhere, I experienced The NIC for the first time in the dark match of Still Chasing and I was more than impressed. They screamed everything a tag team should, they complimented each other with every tag, with movement and their move set. 

    Charlie Carter and Oisin Delaney are clear graduates of British Strong Style – they are hard hitting, they connect with every spot and their in ring psychology is on point. Although it may seem like these lads are still a little bit green to be staking a claim to any gold, they are making waves up and down the country, defeating and putting the best through their paces. 

    The rumours are that BritWres is dead, but if Progress were to cement the fact that it is well and truly alive the boys who would be firm favourites to me are The NIC. The NIC are all rounders who would push Davis and Devlin to the limit. I’d even go as far to say it would be a contender for match of the year if it was to happen before 2019 is out; if not we will be in for a treat come 2020. 

    There we go, five teams who should be in contention for Scotty Davis and Jordan Devlin’s Progress Tag Team titles. The long time veterans, the outsiders, the young up and comers, the unpredictable and the long shots. Will we see new champions before Jim departs Progress? let me know on Twitter.

    Thanks for reading and I’ll catch you on the 450 flip side.

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