Former PROGRESS Wrestling Owner Lee McAteer Explains Why He Sold Promotion to Nikki Storm & Big Damo

During a recent interview with Cultaholic, former PROGRESS Wrestling owner Lee McAteer discussed selling the company to former WWE Superstars Nikki Storm (aka Nikki Cross) and Big Damo (aka Killian Dain). McAteer explained why he sold the company to Storm and Damo over other suitors. Below are some highlights from Cultaholic:

Lee McAteer on Why He Sold PROGRESS Wrestling to Nikki Storm and Big Damo

“I wanted to give it to the people that I feel as though can take it further than I could. If that ever happened or if it came about, I was willing to basically move it forward. For me, I had dinner with Damo and Rockstar Spud…had dinner with them in Vegas and we chatted about a few different things, and one thing led to another, and the opportunity kind of was there and I just felt as though it was the right time to move it forward because I legitimately, and hand on heart, I feel as though they will take it to a level that I wasn’t able to do.”

On Feeling Burned Out From Running the Show

“No, I don’t think it was because they’d seen how much I’d given. I couldn’t give any more, Tom. It was really, really difficult because you put your heart and soul into something. You then hit a point, or at least I did, and I’m like, ‘I’m not sure I can do this to the level it needs to be.’ You need huge amounts of energy, and there was so many different things that went into PROGRESS externally to do things, to keep the cash flow going, and everything else that went alongside that, that it was a lot. In truth, I’d taken on far too much. I just got to the point where I was like, ‘Do you know what? I’m not sure I can take this to the next level of where it needs to be.’ But I genuinely believe Damo and Nikki definitely can.”

His Feelings at His Final Show

“It was. I’m so glad I’ve done it. I’m so glad I’ve had that experience, but it was also kind of a sense of relief at the same time, and more so in the fact that I knew it was going to the right people. And that was my main thing about it all. I’ve got no doubt we could have probably sold it to other people for a hell of a lot more money, is the honest answer. Hand on heart, it wasn’t about that. It was about making sure that it was in the right hands to grow the scene and to grow BritWres and to be able to showcase and be a bigger part in creating that next generation of stars.”

As previously noted, the first show under Cross and Damo’s ownership will be PROGRESS Chapter 195: Wonderbrawl II on June 7 at the O2 Ritz Academy in Manchester, UK.