Rev Pro’s trip to Germany wrapped up with a second afternoon show with plenty of surprises with the GWF.
Quick Results
El Phantasmo pinned Robbie X in 12:10 (***)
Pascal Spalter & Aytac Bahar pinned Zozaya & Laurance Roman in 9:55 (***)
Lizzy Evo pinned Iva Kolasky & Amy Heartbeat to retain the GWF Women’s World Championship in 5:29 (**½)
Ricky Knight Jr. & Mike D Vecchio pinned Fast Time Moodo & Toni Harting in 11:31 (***¼)
Peter Tihanyi submitted JJ Gale in 11:03 (***½)
Taishi Ozawa pinned Tim Stübing, Ethan Allen, Senza Volto & Tarkan Aslan in 8:12 (**)
Axel Tischer pinned Leon Slater in 12:28 (***½)
Luke Jacobs pinned Rambo to retain the Rev Pro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship in 16:05 (***¾)
— The English commentary version of this show will appear on RevProOnDemand.com
We’re back in the Astra Kulturhaus in Berlin for this one – German commentary on the GWF YouTube channel comes from Virgile Defour and Emil “Who’s Eli?” Völler. Before the show, Virgile announced that Michael Oku was off the card due to injury – he had been scheduled to team with Zozaya to take on the Two Sweet Heroes.
Robbie X vs. El Phantasmo
The last time these two met one-on-one, it was in an ATTACK! title tournament… time before that was in the Resistance Gallery for Southside. Two things that aren’t around anymore…
A pacey start to proceedings saw ELP try and pull Robbie X into a bow-and-arrow hold, but it’s quickly flipped out of as things broke down into back-and-forth shots. Heading outside, Robbie X crashes into ELP with a plancha, while a senton atomico back inside drew a two-count.
Phantasmo sent Robbie X hurtling to the outside as he looked to get take control, charging Robbie into the post, then the side of the ring as he wore down his back. Robbie’s hurled upside down into the turnbuckles next, before a satellite DDT helped Robbie X escape backbreaker hell.
A hiptoss and cartwheel dropkick helped Robbie build up from scratch, but that lower back was causing him issues… albeit not enough to not make him deviate from his usual arsenal. Another two-count followed from a Molly Go Round, before ELP just shoved aside an X-Claimation attempt. Back-and-forth pins ensued as both men pushed on for a win, but it was Robbie X who’d try for the next big move, seeing another X-Claimation turned into a UFO for a near-fall.
From there, ELP’s able to pick up Robbie for a CR2, but it’s countered into a ‘rana before the X-Claimation led to Phantasmo getting a foot on the rope to save his skin. Escaping a deadlift powerbomb seconds later, ELP’s able to add a CR2, before the Thunderkiss ‘86 splash off the top got the win in a good match to get the show going. ***
Post-match… were those hints of Robbie X heading to New Japan sometime soon?
Two Sweet Heroes (Pascal Spalter & Aytac Bahar) vs. Laurance Roman & Zozaya
Laurance Roman replaced Michael Oku for this one…
Roman and Bahar started off this non-title outing, with Roman’s clothesline overcoming Aytac’s shoulder blocks early on. A Thesz press turned it around for Aytac, before Pascal Spalter tagged in and hit a slingshot on Roman into the corner as the GWF tag champions looked comfortable.
A deadlift superplex from Spalter sent Roman flying, before Zozaya got the tag and came in with a springboard double dropkick. On his own, Zozaya charged into Spalter and Bahar in the corners, before picking up Aytac for a marching overhead throw as a tag brought in Roman to keep Bahar at close quarters.
Zozaya and Roman exchange tags as they briefly had Bahar isolated… but he’s able to break free as Spalter came in to clubber everyone with clotheslines. A crossbody off the middle rope nearly puts Zozaya away, while superkicks almost caused an upset, as Zozaya tried to rip off Bahar’s foot in a submission attempt.
Spalter’s trapped in a crossface as the champions looked to be in trouble, but they do the DIY “hold onto each other’s hands to stop the other tapping” before Bahar made it to the ropes. Finding a second wind, clotheslines cleared the ring for the champions before Zozaya ate a TKO and a big splash as the champions took home the non-title win. Zozaya and Roman looked pretty good as a thrown-together team – that’s a pairing I’d like to see more of somewhere. ***
GWF Women’s World Championship: Amy Heartbeat vs. Iva Kolasky vs. Lizzy Evo (c)
An unadvertised match saw Lizzy Evo defend her newly-won GWF Women’s title…
Evo and Heartbeat ganged up on Kolasky to start, before we started getting the usual three-way switcheroos – headscissors from Iva to Amy took Heartbeat out, before Evo looked to attack from behind. Amy and Lizzy kept working together, with Amy raking her nails across Iva’s face for good measure.
The alliance quickly fell apart though when Heartbeat tried to pin Kolasky – and the argument there created an opening for Iva, who came in with a crossbody before a DDT took down Heartbeat for a two-count. An axe kick nearly puts Evo away as Iva pushed on, before a stunner from Heartbeat to Kolasky… then a swinging Fisherman neckbreaker, only for Evo to throw Amy outside and steal the pin. Decent enough for the time they had, with a good story of Evo taking advantage of Heartbeat to win. **½
Toni Harting & Fast Time Moodo vs. Mike D Vecchio & Ricky Knight Jr.
This one was set up after yesterday’s main event, with Harting and Moodo trying to attack Mike D…
A jump start from Moodo and Harting came up short as they were sent packing with dropkicks and planchas, before things got going in the ring. Mike D’s ‘rana had Toni in trouble, but Harting quickly recovered as he and Moodo double-teamed the champion for a spell. A head kick from Harting allowed him to take Mike D into the corner, before Moodo came in and… lost Mike D, who made the tag out to RKJ.
Ricky’s right in with a death valley driver and a dropkick into the corner, before the stacked up death valley driver saw RKJ take down Moodo and Harting in the same go. Recovering, Moodo took down RKJ with a head kick, before some choking in the ropes from Moodo and Harting had the crowd on their backs.
Harting tagged in to hit a backbreaker on the former undisputed British champion, who got double-teamed for another spell. An Octopus stretch from Moodo got some assistance from Harting, before it turned into a crucifix-style pin for a two-count… then back into the Octopus hold as the referee eventually kicked apart Toni’s helping hand.
Eventually the double-teaming backfired as RKJ avoided duelling roundhouses… then made the tag out to Mike D, whose flying clotheslines found their mark. He’s able to counter a double-team suplex too, before diving onto Moodo and Harting outside. Back inside, Moodo’s caught up top and brought down with a superplex, while RKJ’s senton bomb softened him up for a moonsault from Mike that almost won it.
Harting goes after Mike D – meaning the ref’s distracted as RKJ had the match won on Moodo… it also distracted RKJ as he got hit with a low blow before Moodo almost snatched the win with a Pedigree. With Mike and Toni brawling to the back, this effectively turned into a singles match, ending with RKJ spiking Moodo with a Kishi Driver for the win. I loved the Moodo/Harting pairing – and this looks to set up Mike vs. Toni down the line for the GWF title? ***¼
Peter Tihanyi vs. JJ Gale
A change to the advertised card saw JJ Gale get moved into a singles match with another highly-rated star of the European scene in Peter Tihanyi.
After measuring up the crowd reactions, Tihanyi took Gale to his knees with an armbar, only for Gale to escape with a hammerlock as they went back and forth. Shoving off a side headlock, Gale’s caught with a prawn hold as Tihanyi looked to have the early advantage, before JJ got sent into the corner amid a shoving match between the two. Gale tried to fire back, eventually trapping a baseball slide from Tihanyi into the ring apron before taking things back inside.
Gale knocks Tihanyi into the corner, but almost got caught from a sunset flip… before flattening Tihanyi with a clothesline for a two-count. A side headlock from Gale keeps Tihanyi grounded, only for a double clothesline to send both men down. Recovering, Tihanyi’s able to land an enziguiri, then a swinging DDT, only for a Falcon arrow from Gale to swing things back around.
Tihanyi’s able to avoid a Gale Force, but JJ’s back in control with a front suplex before a Gale Force was countered into a mounted sleeperhold that led to the ref stoppage. This was real good – and hopefully this is a match they can run back at some point. ***½
Tarkan Aslan vs. Tim Stübing vs. Ethan Allen vs. Taishi Ozawa vs. Senza Volto
Ethan was doing a bang up job of winding up Aslan and Stübing in his entrance…
Stübing tried to form an alliance with Allen to start, but that was never on the cards as the ring began to clear, leaving us with Aslan and Senza, whose ropewalk armdrag managed to overcome an annoying Stübing. Ozawa and Aslan clear the ring before Tarkan’s chops and kicks led to… a posedown between the two.
Allen and Stübing hit the ring as a switcheroo saw them isolate Ozawa, while the crowd got on Stübing’s back with a rather choice chant. Blistering chops await for Ozawa, who was able to make his way back in with a missile double dropkick before Eli dropped in a F-bomb on commentary as Senza Volto hit the ring.
Allen’s back with an Allen Slam to Aslan, then a charging knee to the ribs as Stübing broke up the pin. In return, a lifting reverse DDT almost got the win for Stübing, before a handspring back elbow from Senza wiped out Stübing and Allen. We head outside for a flip senton from Senza, before Taishi Ozawa crashed and burned on his dive. Back inside, we’re quickly at the finish as Ozawa put away Stübing with a Phoenix splash to end a match that quite frankly didn’t click – I’d have preferred Stübing vs. Allen, but it was what it was. **
Leon Slater vs. Axel Tischer
A first-time singles meeting here, although these two were on opposite sides in a tag match in PROGRESS almost two years ago.
Commentary made a point of noting that Tischer was more than twice Slater’s age, before the pair finally locked up with Tischer looking to work over the arm. Armdrags from Slater are blocked as the pair looked even, catching each others kicks ahead of a peaceful settlement.
Slater’s first to strike again with an enziguiri and a handspring back elbow, taking Tischer outside for a plancha into the front row. A second plancha followed as Leon stayed on the Axeman, before a third one ended with Tischer uppercutting him out of the sky. Back inside, Tischer stretched out Slater ahead of a backbreaker out of the corner on Slater.
Tischer snuffs out a comeback, turning a crossbody into a slam, before another backbreaker out of the corner was countered into a satellite DDT. Leon stayed on top with a front kick off the ropes, before a leg lariat almost took off TIscher’s head for a near-fall. A trip up top for Leon ended with him getting thrown back down in a superplex as Tischer then pushed on, throwing Slater down ahead of a clothesline off of the top rope for a near-fall.
Slater’s able to catch out the Axeman with a Blue Thunder bomb before the pair traded back-and-forth pins. A crucifix nearly nicks it for Leon, but a death valley driver for Tischer and a Horrible Slam ends up getting the win to end a cracking back-and-forth outing. ***½
After the match, Tischer took the mic and addressed what happened with Metehan yesterday… and said since every action had consequences, he’d get Metehan “auf die Fresse.”
Rev Pro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship: Rambo vs. Luke Jacobs (c)
Luke’s title wasn’t originally meant to be on the line here… but because he wanted to break Michael Oku’s record for the most defences, he’s turned this into a title match. Rambo’s jumped the queue!
Luke was the early aggressor, forcing Rambo into the ropes before Rambo countered a shoulder block by turning it into a bodyslam. Jacobs hit back with a slam and a back senton, before busting out a Violence Party on Rambo in the corner.
Rising up out of the corner, Rambo absorbed Jacobs’ forearms and hit back with another slam, before things headed outside with the pair trading chops. Going for the eyes forced an opening for Rambo, only for Luke to suplex him onto the raised ramp. Clearing the crowd away, Luke set Rambo into the front row before… Rambo caught a kick and hit a fallaway slam to chuck Luke into the third row.
Rambo stayed on Luke, teasing a powerbomb onto the ring steps… but Luke escapes and hits a uranage onto them instead. Back inside, Luke sets up for a face-washing boot on his challenger, only for Rambo to return out of the corner with a clothesline, before a suplex drew a two-count for the sudden challenger.
Heading up top sees Luke get caught as a superplex brought him back down to earth with a bump… but he shook it off and booted Rambo, only to get dropped with a clothesline. That’s a one-count as Jacobs fired up again, only for another Rambo lariat to find its mark. Still, Luke’s not done as he’s back up to trade German suplexes, before a double clothesline knocked the pair off their feet.
An overhead belly-to-belly from Rambo took things outside for a rare dive as the challenger looked to score the upset… leading to a Caribbean splash off the top for a near-fall. Running clotheslines from Rambo were eventually countered with a spear as Luke nearly snatched the win with an Ishii-like sliding lariat… before an over-the-knee powerbomb and a package piledriver planted Jacobs to get Rambo within touching distance of the win.
Returning with a headbutt and a lariat, Luke was having to dig deep here… but a delayed piledriver manages to get Luke the win in a pleasant surprise of a main event, with Rambo coming oh so close to getting the upset in Jacobs’ first defence. ***¾
Post-match, Luke’s back on the mic – and suggested that we do this all over again next year… and based on the result of this year’s shows, this could be a hell of a relationship between Rev Pro and the GWF.
Rev Pro head home for their monthly show at the 229 in London tomorrow, while the GWF have their annual Battlefield show going on at the same time in Berlin (also available via the GWF YouTube page, if what you’ve seen has tickled your fancy…). As for today, well this was a really strong show to wrap up the Double Impact double-header – with some strong matches across the two shows well worth hunting down. If this is to become a regular fixture, then I can see more “Rev Pro homers” heading over to Germany, particularly if it’s another double header…