- Multiple sources in Progress tell Fightful that for Cara
Noir’s return match, the entire locker room watched from
Gorilla position.

- 1 Called Manders’ absence on the card was one that the
promotion went to great lengths to try to fix. A lot of the
match order was repeatedly shifted in order to allow more
time for Manders to arrive, but due to travel issues, was
unable to make the show. Manders’ absence led to Mike Bird
being his replacement, despite Bird only being at the show
visiting friends, and wasn’t originally planning to wrestle,
but due to his history with Tate Mayfairs, he was asked.

Cara Noir Interview Notes

Fightful’s Corey Brennan recently sat down with Cara Noir
(Tom Dawkins) following his shocking return to PROGRESS
after almost a year and a half away due to injury. Here are
the early notes from the interview.

On his return after over fourteen months away, Tom noted
that while he wasn’t nervous, he initially went deaf when he
stepped out from behind the curtain at Progress: Wrestling
Never Sleeps. He also noted that it felt like he was only
out in front of the crowd for seconds.

While discussing his time away, Tom discussed the process of
his injury, from initially being told he’d never wrestle or
walk properly again, to the arduous recovery process. Tom
also noted that it took 18 weeks until he had a firm grasp
on the seriousness of his injury. Tom shared how the
experience was particularly traumatic around the 12 week
mark when his foot had not healed as expected. He then noted
that he spent most of 2023 learning to put weight on his
foot again, building up strength before April of this year
where he received positive news from his doctor. Tom also
expressed his gratitude for the money that was raised to
help in his treatment, while also revealing that had the
treatment not worked, he would have had to retire from pro
wrestling altogether.

On Luke Jacobs, Cara noted that even in the year and a half
he’s been off, Luke has become an “incredible performer”.
Cara noted he stepped to Luke because when you come back
from injury, it’s “go big or go home”. On turning to face
KENTA, he noted that he has wanted to wrestle the DEFY World
Champion since 2006. While not disrespecting Luke or the
other talent that were in the ring, Cara noted that KENTA is
where he will test himself post injury. Cara also spoke
about possibly wrestling Eddie Dennis before Eddie hangs up
his boots in 2025, and Kid Lykos’ run with the Progress
World Title.

Cara also spoke about Riot Cabaret, expressing his
disappointment that he had to vacate their world title.
However, he did note that he would like to return to the
promotion, as the variety act feel that Riot Cabaret
produces is where he is most at home. Cara also shared that
he has 100’s of ideas for his future character work and
while he doesn’t plan on repackaging his gimmick anytime
soon, he did promise that fans will see an evolution of Cara
Noir in the near future.

Returning to his return to the ring at Progress, Cara noted
that if he lost wrestling tomorrow, he wouldn’t miss it as
much as he thought, but he would miss the connection that he
has with wrestling fans. Cara finished off the interview by
sharing that he is determined to make as big a bang as
possible now he is back, and do things that ‘light him up’.

• Fightful