Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
At Chapter 171: History Is Written By The Victors, Tate Mayfairs threw the towel in with Eddie Dennis looking like he was about to be seriously hurt by our brutal champion, Luke Jacobs. He claims that kindness that he showed, the kindness that Eddie told us all was there in Tate, has been thrown back in his face and he has now challenged Dennis to prove he meant the kind words he said about Tate in a PROGRESS ring and interview chair are true by teaming them up against his good friends SUBCULTURE.
We spoke to Mark Andrews about the upcoming match which is dripping with drama and emotion even before the bell has rung!
Welcome back to PROGRESS Wrestling! What made you both decide that now was the right time to return, and how does it feel to be part of Chapter 172?
It’s been almost 2 years since I’ve been in a PROGRESS ring, and about 8 years for flash, but SUBCULTURE has never actually been on a PROGRESS show. A lot of really important moments in both of our careers were in the Electric Ballroom, so it just felt right to return there as a unit, in hopes to create some more important moments, and we’re both buzzing to be back there.
The match with Tate Mayfairs and Eddie Dennis was concocted by Tate himself. What was your reaction when you first heard about this match being made, and what do you think Tate’s motivation is for targeting Subculture?
Listen I’m not entirely sure what’s going on with Tate and Eddie, and it all seems a bit complicated. Although me and Eddie are incredibly close friends (as is Flash), we’re no strangers to being on the opposite side of the ring from each other. I look forward to any time I get to be in the ring with Eddie whether it’s teaming with him, or against him. Tate however is someone I’ve never been in the ring with, so I think I’ll keep eyes in the back of my head in case he’s got something else planned.
Tate and Eddie have had a tumultuous journey in PROGRESS this year, from being bitter rivals to now seemingly teaming up. How much have you followed their ups and downs, and do you think they can actually work as a cohesive team?
I do. I can’t speak for Tate, but Eddie and I have had a complicated relationship too over the years, and after all the highs and lows, I still consider him alongside flash as one of the people I trust most as a tag team partner, so I know he has it in him to make a cohesive team with Tate. Tate however is a different story. This is a proving ground moment for him, let’s see if he can actually commit to this and make this work. I really hope he can.
Have either of you had any personal interactions or friendships with Tate Mayfairs outside the ring?
I’ve known Tate for a good few years and he’s always been incredibly hardworking and respectful outside the ring. That being said, what he does inside the ring seems to be a different story. That humbleness quite often seems to disappear and a different side to him comes out. He seems to get a lot of success from what he does in the ring, but I still can’t figure out which is the real side to him, and which is an act.
Eddie Dennis recently proposed forming “FSU 2.0” with Tate Mayfairs, a callback to your old tag team with Eddie. What were your thoughts when you heard Eddie wanted to recreate that dynamic with someone else?
I think FSU 2.0 sounds just as exciting as NXT 2.0 did…
You’ve both had some of your most iconic moments in the Electric Ballroom. The fans were buzzing with your return online, how excited are you to be back wrestling in front of the PROGRESS faithful in such an enticing match?
I’m very excited. The moments I had at PROGRESS, especially in the electric ballroom, are some of the cornerstones of my career. That room will always be special to me, and I hope I’m able to have a lot more moments there before my career is through.
Now that you’ve returned to PROGRESS, what are your goals moving forward? Is Subculture focused on reclaiming the PROGRESS Tag Team Championships, or are there other targets in sight?
I’ve held those tag team championships before, but never with Flash. That is 100% our goal, something we need to tick off our list, and now seems like the right time to do that.
Finally, what message do you have for Eddie Dennis heading into Chapter 172?
I hope you and Tate can trust each other enough to get through this match, because SUBCULTURE is a different beast. You guys aren’t just stepping into the ring with some of your mates, you’re stepping in the ring with the best team in Europe, so the last thing you need is conflict within your own team. Win or lose, I know we’ll still be friends, I hope the same applies for you and Tate.
PROGRESS Wrestling tickets are available for all future shows including WEREWOLVES OF LONDON featuring Eddie & Tate vs SUBCULTURE via the dice app.
You can watch wrestling online including all of Mark Andrews’ PROGRESS Wrestling matches by subscribing to DEMAND PROGRESS PLUS.
