They’re rematching at Rev Pro this Sunday, so why not take a quick look at their first meeting in New Wave Wrestling?
We’re coming from the Cardiff Theatre Cafe in (yep) Cardiff, Wales – if you’ve been dipping in and out, this venue used to be the St. Andrews United Reformed Church. Commentary comes from Gio Nolastname and Leyton Buzzard amidst an existential crisis over Leon’s age…
By the way, how is it that (essentially) a trainee promotion’s better lit than some other indies out there?
Leon Cage vs. Michael Oku
We’ve got duelling chants at the bell, but they settled into mostly pro-Cage stuff as the opening stages saw both men just soak in the crowd.
The early exchanges had Cage somewhat even with Oku, but a slip up on a kip-up showed some weakness for the former Undisputed British Heavyweight champion. A moonsault out of the corner from Cage looked scary as Oku caught him… only to get turned into a ‘rana before Cage went for his stomp powerbomb way too early on in the match.
Instead, Oku gets himself off the ropes, only to get knocked to the floor as Cage teed himself up for a springboard moonsault to the floor. Back inside, Oku avoids the stomp powerbomb again, this time hanging up Cage’s neck in the ropes as a missile dropkick turned things around as he began to assert himself on proceedings.
Clubbering lariats to the back of Cage had the 17-year-old in a heap, as did a backbreaker, turning it into a stretch as Oku tried to neutralise Cage’s mobility. That quickly morphed into a half crab attempt, but a roll-up countered it before Cage landed a sleeper suplex out of nowhere. A Michinoku driver and a brainbuster firmly restored order for Cage, only for Oku to counter right back with almost a Zig Zag on Cage.
See-saw offense ends with a diving stomp from Leon, then a sit-out powerbomb as Oku tried to go for the misdirection knee. Cage took too long to follow-up and gets caught on the top rope where he was eventually taken down to the floor with a springboard dropkick as Oku took the opportunity to add the Fosbury flop.
Problem was, he got too confident with that, and took his eye off Leon after throwing him back inside as a tope con giro from the youngster effectively levelled things. A second crack at a springboard cutter’s countered with the misdirection knee from Oku, whose follow-up frog splash drew a near-fall as Cage kicked out in the nick of time.
Oku takes his time to pounce on Cage, measuring up a half crab as he let the crowd’s chants die down. Except that delay gave Cage time to recover, only for his push-off to be turned into a PK from Oku instead. Wash, rinse, repeat, then add some kicks to the quadriceps as Oku finally rolled Cage over for the old… only or Leon to roll through, then return with a half crab of his own. The ropes quickly save Oku, who’d been caught totally unawares as he’s again gotten too ahead of himself in this particular match.
Cage pulls ahead with a cartwheel enziguiri to Oku as he was pretty much propped up by the ropes. That looked to be the set-up to the stomp powerbomb, but Oku ends up getting draped the other way in the ropes, with Cage teasing the move to the floor – but instead he just hits a flying stomp to the apron. Another crack at the stomp powerbomb is marginally more successful, but the powerbomb part’s turned into a ‘rana as Oku flashed back with the half crab, with Cage eventually making it to the bottom rope.
Once more, there’s no quick follow-up from Oku, who crashed and burned on a charging dropkick as Cage countered right back with a Coast to Coast as Oku’d hung himself up in the ropes. Motionless after that, Oku’s hoisted back up to the top rope as Cage added an avalanche sleeper suplex, then a springboard cutter… but it’s still not enough. Nor was a shooting star press.
All that’s left is the stomp powerbomb, with Oku providing little resistance as the move finally landed… but the very nature of the move meant that Oku’s close enough to the bottom rope and grabbed it to save his skin. That left Leon having to dig even deeper… but he crashes and burns big time on a Phoenix splash, allowing Oku a free run as a package tombstone left Cage a quivering wreck ahead of a froggy crossbody and a couple of frog splashes… but it’s still not enough!?
Straight from the kick-out, Oku applies a half crab, pulling Leon away from the ropes before leaning all the way back to force the submission.
Result: Michael Oku submitted Leon Cage in 30:31 (***¾)
This was a lovely bit of business – in the New Wave vacuum, Cage is rightfully a big deal, as shown with the crowd banging the ring afterwards. Cage more than held his own here, going over half an hour with one of the country’s highest-profile stars – and barring anything untoward, he should become a big deal on his own in the years ahead.
Ironically, the thing that “brought him to the dance” may well be the biggest hole in his game – that stomp powerbomb is a great party piece, but that being anything but a super-finisher will become an issue. Still, Cage is only 17 and somehow almost three years into this… he’s got plenty of time to smooth out any rough edges, hopefully without the burden of everyone’s expectations of him being the next massive star out of the scene.
Keep an eye out for Leon Cage as he continues to work through the British scene – a real name for the future!