If one match has the power to make a star overnight, it is The Proving Grounds. After defeating 19 other participants in a grueling gauntlet match, the victor faces their respective World Champion at the final event of the year, Christmas Calamity. The Proving Grounds are not for the faint of heart, but those that survive will be remembered as some of PSA's fiercest competitors.
INAUGURAL WINNERS: Johnny Warren and Brittany Blake
2025 WINNERS: Casual Adam and Tara
MOST PROVING GROUNDS WON: Tara (2 Wins)
MOST ELIMINATIONS (MEN'S): Corwin (9 Eliminations)
MOST ELIMINATIONS (WOMEN'S): La Biblioteca (6 Eliminations)
MOST TIME IN ONE MATCH (MEN'S): Keith (2025 Proving Grounds)
MOST TIME IN ONE MATCH (WOMEN'S): La Biblioteca (2025 Proving Grounds)
Casual Adam actually drew the 2nd position in this Proving Grounds, but he got confused and came out at number 20 instead. This simple misunderstanding allowed Adam to eliminate 2 competitors and survive the rest to earn a shot against the PSA World Champion, Johnny Warren, at Christmas Calamity.
PARTICIPANTS:
Keith (17th by Undkban)
Ben Richards (7th by Drew Pender)
Bruno Bolousek (5th by Drew Pender)
J-Mike (1st by Bruno Bolousek)
Hernando Muertes (4th by Drew Pender)
Drew Pender (19th by Casual Adam)
Louie Hamstring (2nd by Ben Richards)
Allen (3rd by Hernando Muertes)
Bret Pender (6th by Drew Pender)
Sir Alex Westworthy (9th by Dave)
El Gigante (16th by Casual Adam)
Shell Gigante (10th by Keith)
Hell Gigante (11th by Dave)
Dave (12th by Shawn Westin)
Jeff Jonsun (8th by El Gigante)
Rasgón (15th by Keith)
Shawn Westin (14th by Keith)
Spoonman (13th by El Gigante)
Undkban (18th by Drew Pender)
Casual Adam (El Gigante, Drew Pender)
ELIMINATIONS:
Drew Pender (5), Keith (3), Casual Adam (2), El Gigante (2), Dave (2), Undkban (1), Shawn Westin (1), Ben Richards (1), Bruno Bolousek (1), Hernando Muertes (1)
Tara became the first back-to-back winner of the Proving Grounds when she eliminated the runner up, La Biblioteca, after entering at number 17.
PARTICIPANTS:
Montana Malibu (1st by Mega Marc)
Mega Marc (8th by Anna Payne)
Flozelle (3rd by Wisteria)
Cheese Louise (5th by La Biblioteca)
Macho Mars (10th by Anna Payne)
MC Dera (7th by Mega Marc)
Janice Janet (2nd by Flozelle)
La Biblioteca (19th by Tara)
Wisteria (4th by La Biblioteca)
Piggina (9th by La Biblioteca)
Low-Key Eve (6th by Macho Mars)
Anna Payne (17th by La Biblioteca)
Aayla Payne (12th by Marcia)
Anakis (14th by Maria Phoenix)
Marcia (13th by Maria Phoenix)
Maria Phoenix (16th by La Biblioteca)
Tara (La Biblioteca)
Criella (15th by Anna Payne)
Marcee (18th by La Biblioteca)
Ramona Spectre (11th by Anna Payne)
ELIMINATIONS:
La Biblioteca (6), Anna Payne (4), Maria Phoenix (2), Mega Marc (2), Tara (1), Marcia (1), Macho Mars (1), Wisteria (1), Flozelle (1)
Josh Grabowksi defeated some of the biggest stars in PSA history on his path towards winning the Men's Proving Grounds. He went on to finally accomplish his dream of becoming PSA World Champion when he defeated his old tag team partner, Andrew Frankenstein.
PARTICIPANTS:
Dave (5th by Corwin)
Allen (3rd by Chris Andres)
El Gigante (2nd by Corwin)
Shawn Westin (1st by Chris Andres)
Corwin (18th by Josh Grabowski)
Old Man Gilgadar (4th by Chris Andres)
Chris Andres (12th by Mark Cooper Jr.)
Casual Adam (6th by Corwin)
Gary Frankowski (15th by Bruno Bolousek)
Brock Lee (9th by Corwin)
Keith (7th by Corwin)
Monocle Lewinsky (8th by Corwin)
Undkban (11th by Bruno Bolousek)
Brad Cooper (13th by Corwin)
Chemical Boy (10th by Corwin)
Bruno Bolousek (19th by Josh Grabowski)
Drew Pender (17th by Josh Grabowski)
Mark Cooper Jr. (14th by Drew Pender)
Samuel Binglebottom (16th by Corwin)
Josh Grabowski (Drew Pender, Corwin, Bruno Bolousek)
ELIMINATIONS:
Corwin (9), Josh Grabowksi (3), Chris Andres (3), Bruno Bolousek (2), Drew Pender (1), Mark Cooper Jr. (1)
After entering at the 11th position, Tara eliminated 3 women and survived 16 others to win the second edition of the Women's Proving Grounds. She gave it her best effort in her PSA Women's World Championship match against Heather N. Marcus at Christmas Calamity, but she was unable to capture the Gold.
PARTICIPANTS:
Janice Janet (1st by Cruella Castonova)
Cruella Castonova (9th by Macho Mars)
Silva Sista (4th by Cruella Castonova)
Josh's Mom (2nd by Cruella Castonova)
Brittany Blake (5th by Marcella The Mutilator)
Cheese Louise (6th by Marcella The Mutilator)
Flozelle (3rd by Marcella The Mutilator)
Low-Key Eve (8th by Grace Adonis)
Marcella The Mutilator (7th by Marcia)
Marcia (14th by Hayley)
Tara (Grace Adonis, Swashbucklin' Sheri, Hayley)
Grace Adonis (11th by Tara)
Macho Mars (10th by Hayley)
Yuri Blade (13th by Maria Phoenix)
Marcee (16th by Karen)
Hayley (19th by Tara)
Anne Griffin (12th by Swashbucklin' Sheri)
Swashbucklin' Sheri (18th by Tara)
Maria Phoenix (15th by Hayley)
Karen (17th by Hayley)
ELIMINATIONS:
Hayley (4), Tara (3), Cruella Castonova (3), Marcella The Mutilator (3), Swashbucklin' Sheri (1), Karen (1), Maria Phoenix (1), Marcia (1), Grace Adonis (1), Macho Mars (1)
Johnny Warren was on the path to redemption following his victory in the Men's Proving Grounds. With this, he set his sights on Drew Pender and the PSA World Championship at Christmas Calamity. Despite his best efforts, Warren was unable to reclaim the World Title.
PARTICIPANTS:
Ben Richards (13th by Drov)
Shawn Westin (1st by Dalton Pepper)
Dalton Pepper (4th by Casual Adam)
Pletch (3rd by Dennis Dennison)
Dave (2nd by Ben Richards)
Dennis Dennison (7th by Draco)
Casual Adam (5th by Ben Richards)
Sparkplug Reynolds (8th by Brock Lee)
Craig Robbins (11th by Brock Lee)
Oscar (6th by Draco)
Brock Lee (16th by Drov)
Draco (19th by Damascus)
Drov (24th by Johnny Warren)
Jeff Jonsun (10th by Craig Robbins)
Kyle Slickman (9th by Draco)
P-Money (12th by Drov)
Gilgadar (14th by Drov)
Chad Broski (18th by Drov)
Bordt (17th by Draco)
Louie Hamstring (22nd by Cali Dynamite)
Josh Grabowski (15th by Louie Hamstring)
Damascus (20th by Drov)
Anthony Justice (21st by Cali Dynamite)
Cali Dynamite (23rd by Drov)
Undkban (29th by Johnny Warren)
Johnny Warren (Drov, Spack Jarrow, Samuel Binglebottom, Undkban)
El Gigante (26th by Samuel Binglebottom)
Spack Jarrow (25th by Johnny Warren)
Chris Andres (28th by Undkban)
Samuel Binglebottom (27th by Johnny Warren)
ELIMINATIONS:
Drov (7), Johnny Warren (4), Draco (4), Cali Dynamite (2), Brock Lee (2), Ben Richards (2), Undkban (1), Samuel Binglebottom (1), Louie Hamstring (1), Damascus (1), Craig Robbins (1), Dennis Dennison (1), Casual Adam (1), Dalton Pepper (1)
Brittany Blake defeated 19 other women, including some of her fiercest rivals, to emerge victorious in the Women's Proving Grounds. She challenged Heather N. Marcus at Christmas Calamity for the PSA Women's World Championship, but she was unable to capture the gold once again.
PARTICIPANTS:
Flozelle (3rd by Peaches)
La Biblioteca (1st by Cactus Jaq)
Peaches (8th by Hayley)
Macho Mars (4th by Hayley)
Cactus Jaq (5th by Peaches)
Rachel Riverside (2nd by Cactus Jaq)
Grace Adonis (6th by Silva Sista)
Silva Sista (7th by Hayley)
Hayley (9th by Azura)
Azura (12th by Janice Janet)
Janice Janet (15th by Maria Phoenix)
Marcella The Mutilator (14th by Cruella Castonova)
Piggina (10th by Janice Janet)
Swashbucklin’ Sheri (11th by Marcella the Mutilator)
Cruella Castonova (16th by Marcee)
Yuri Blade (13th by Cruella Castonova)
Brittany Blake (Anne Griffin, Maria Phoenix, Marcee)
Maria Phoenix (18th by Brittany Blake)
Anne Griffin (17th by Brittany Blake)
Marcee (19th by Brittany Blake)
ELIMINATIONS:
Brittany Blake (3), Hayley (3), Cruella Castonova (2), Janice Janet (2), Peaches (2), Cactus Jaq (2), Marcee (1), Maria Phoenix (1), Marcella the Mutilator (1), Azura (1), Silva Sista (1)