Rev Pro returned to Stevenage at the end of May, with Ninja Mack and Tony Deppen making their debuts, while 2022’s Great British Tag League kicked off.
Quick Results
Robbie X pinned Ninja Mack in 9:41 (**¾)
Alex Windsor submitted Kira Chimera in 10:54 (**¾)
Gabriel Kidd pinned Luke Jacobs in 13:16 (***¼)
Great British Tag League 2022 Block A: Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis pinned Nick Riley & Charlie Sterling in 17:20 (***½)
Gideon Grey, Shota Umino & Yota Tsuji pinned David Francisco, Joshua James & Ricky Knight Jr. in 16:36 (**¾)
Great British Tag League 2022 Block B: Jude London & Paris De Silva pinned Kid Lykos II & Kid Lykos in 15:51 (***½)
Michael Oku submitted Tony Deppen in 21:12 to retain the RevPro Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship (***½)
— To watch this show, head over to the new-look (and new site, powered by Vimeo) RevProOnDemand.com – they’re currently running a two-week free trial. If you’re watching it on Pivotshare, you’ll want to cancel that and move over – unless you want to be billed twice!
We’re at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage for the follow-on from the prior weekend’s Epic Encounter. As ever, Andy Quildan’s on commentary, alongside Gideon Grey.
Ninja Mack vs. Robbie X
It’s a Rev Pro debut for Ninja Mack, nearly three months on from his European debut at 16 Carat Gold…
Both men play to the crowd to start, before they locked up into the ropes. Wash, rinse, repeat, as Mack then tried to go for a takedown, which Robbie X deftly avoided. Mack looked to pull ahead, but missed a corkscrew splash… before he floated out of a ’rana ahead of a stand-off. A wristlock from Mack’s rolled out of as Robbie X grabbed one of his own, but a side headlock from Mack leads to an exchange of shoulder blocks, before Robbie X hit the ropes and hit a dropkick as Mack went for a pose.
Mack heads outside, but got thrown back in by Robbie, who rolled him down for a knee to the back… then a standing moonsault that drew a two-count. The hiptoss and cartwheel dropkick follows, with Mack heading outside again… Robbie follows as he teases a dive, but a baseball slide evades Mack, who cartwheeled off the apron before they fought into the front row. A chop sends Ninja Mack over a velvet rope of doom, before Mack returned for a springboard 450 splash back inside for a near-fall. Robbie’s back outside, but slides back in to counter a handspring into a German suplex… then hit a handspring kick to knock Mack off the apron ahead of a moonsault off the apron.
Back inside, Robbie heads up top and goes for a moonsault… he rolls through, before the pair traded charges into the corner. Mack’s caught as his leg’s kicked in the ropes as Robbie built up to a running shooting star press for a two-count. Firing back, Mack flips across the ring ahead of a flying uppercut, while a corkscrew splash nearly wins it for him… before he styled out a corkscrew splash out of the corner as he proceeded to trap Robbie X in a chinlock.
Robbie X gets free, but his X-Clamation’s blocked… he’s able to kick away a handspring, before the X-Clamation landed for the win. A decent enough opener, with Robbie X getting back on track after his loss to Luke Jacobs a week earlier. **¾
Kira Chimera vs. Alex Windsor
A non-title outing for Windsor, as Chimera made her return to Rev Pro, having last appeared in defeat to Debbie Keitel back in November.
There’s no handshake to start, as we instead have a lock-up that Chimera pushed off as she looked to kick Windsor down to the mat. Forearms and uppercuts have the same effect, but Windsor gets a roll-up for an early two-count before she grabbed hold of Kira’s arm and hit a low dropkick. We head outside, with Chimera getting kicked from the apron… but caught a second attempt as she swept Windsor onto the side of the ring. Charges keep Windsor against the side of the ring, before they returned with Chimera following with some elbows to the back of the head, but it barely gets her a one-count.
Windsor returns with a fallaway slam, taking Chimera to the corner… a boot away’s countered as Kira’s pulled down, allowing Alex to come back with a bow-and-arrow hold. Getting free, Chimera corners Windsor for a kick in the ropes, then followed up with more kicks to the back and some ground and pound to boot. Chimera follows with some knees from the clinch as she took it to the corner… the referee separates the pair, but another knee takes Windsor down for a two-count. Windsor fights back with some right hands, taking things into the corner for a clothesline, leading to a diving clothesline that took Chimera down for a Sharpshooter… which is right by the ropes, as Chimera got the instant break.
A Fisherman suplex is blocked by Chimera, who took Windsor into the ropes, snapping her head back between them as a clothesline drew just a one-count. Windsor elbows out of a Fireman’s carry, then returned with a headbutt, before hitting another wild lariat off the ropes. Windsor needs time to recover, so doesn’t go straight for the cover, as Chimera ends up going back to the leg of Windsor, throwing some right hands. The pair trade strikes as they get back to their feet, but it’s Windsor who pulls ahead with a modified Blue Thunder Bomb for a near-fall, as a Sharpshooter ends up getting kicked away.
Chimera keeps going with a tornado suplex out of the corner, but it’s not enough for the win. A Stunner’s next, but a kneeling powerbomb from Windsor gets her back in it again… only for her Sharpshooter to be countered with a cradle for a near-fall. Another clothesline knocks Chimera back down… and this time the Sharpshooter gets the submission as Chimera tapped out. **¾
Gabriel Kidd vs. Luke Jacobs
It’s a return to Stevenage for Gabriel Kidd, who was a regular here for Southside… last time here, nearly three years ago, he lost to Tajiri (and before that, Shigehiro Irie).
Opening with a lock-up, neither man initially budged before they broke in the corner. A knuckle lock from Kidd’s turned into a wristlock as he wrenched away on Jacobs, only to get taken down in a side headlock… a quick escape led to a stand-off, as Kidd then came back in with a double wristlock. Jacobs escapes and tried one of his own, but Kidd’s able to roll into the ropes to force the break. After a brief spell outside, Kidd returned back into a lock-up, then took Jacobs down as he wrenched away with a side headlock on the mat. Jacobs pushed free, but was back to square one. A side headlock from Jacobs keeps Kidd at bay briefly, before the push-off led to shoulder tackles as neither man refused to concede.
Kidd looked to be a step behind, but ends up charging down Jacobs… who replied quickly with a suplex before both men rolled outside to compose themselves. They’re back in to stare each other down from across the apron… a lock-up sees Jacobs take things back to the corner, where he snuck in a gut shot and some stomps as he looked ot wear down Kidd with strikes. Chops have Kidd stuck in the corner, before another gut shot from Jacobs earned him a dropkick. An overhead suplex from Kidd nearly wins it there and then, before both men began to blister each other with chops. Jacobs ducks a Bull lariat, before the pair tried duelling clotheslines… Jacobs falls on top of Kidd after they connected, but it’s only good for a near-fall, as was another clothesline… and a powerbomb, before Jacobs ended up eating the Bull lariat for a near-fall.
Kidd followed that up with a brainbuster, but it’s still not enough as a spinning tombstone ends up getting the win for Kidd. ***¼
Great British Tag League 2022 Block A: Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) vs. Smokin’ Aces (Charlie Sterling & Nick Riley)
One week on from their highly-praised outing against the VeloCities, Davis and Fletcher were in fine form again here… with Fletcher knocking Charlie Sterling off the ropes during Charlie’s entrance.
We open with a side headlock from Fletcher to Riley, with Kyle spinning Riley on the mat like Homer Simpsons celebrating… Pushing away, Riley comes back with a lucha roll-up as the pair trade two-counts, before a neckbreaker from Riley took Fletcher down. Charlie Sterling tags in, as does Mark Davis, with those two staring each other down before a lock-up ended with Sterling getting thrown down. Sterling tries a shoulder tackle, as he and Davis end up taking each other down before Sterling had to fight out of a Fireman’s carry. A crossbody out of the corner gets Sterling a two-count, before an assisted Revolution kick from Sterling took down Davis. A backbreaker and a springboard elbow has Fletcher down, as the Aussies then get clotheslined outside… they avoid planchas from the Aces, then dumped them with back suplexes on the apron.
Anyways… back inside, Davis dumps Sterling with a slam, before Fletcher caught a crossbody and charged Sterling into the corner. Sterling eventually fights back, but Davis scoops and slams him. Fletcher keeps it going, before Sterling kicked out of a roll-up and began to pepper him with forearms. A blind tag brought Davis back in to squash Sterling with a back senton… yet another scoop slam followed as Davis then missed a back senton. Sterling hits a dropkick, then tagged out to Riley, who fought off the swarm of Aussies, only to miss a springboard moonsault. He’s able to recover with a standing Spanish Fly to Fletcher for a near-fall, before Kyle’s half-and-half suplex pulled Riley into the corner. Another tag brings in Davis after a Michinoku driver from Kyle set the tone… an assisted Go 2 Sleep, then a Heat-Seeking Cutter (what I’ve been calling an assisted Aussie Arrow all these years) nearly wins it.
From there, the double-team spinebuster nearly wins it, before Riley’s sandwiches with forearms. Sterling saves him from Corealis, then hit a superkick to Davis, knocking him outside, before the Aces’ wacky roll-up stuttering Smokin’ Ace Crusher and a DDT almost completed the turnaround. A double-team off the top’s stopped by Davis, who ends up getting knocked to the floor by Riley… who drops Fletcher with an enziguiri as we enter the dive zone. Back inside, Fletcher’s met with a piledriver for a near-fall, before the Aces finally hit that double-team splash off the top. Fletcher’s able to kick out at two, before a double-team piledriver was broken up by Davis, who sparked a big ol’ Parade of Stuff. A spinning heel kick from Riley takes Davis to the corner, but Davis sidesteps the charge as the Aussies swarm again, only for Riley to counter Corealis into a Destroyer.
Riley leaps into a pair of superkicks as he looked to push on, and from there third time was the charm for the Corealis as the Aussies leave Stevenage with the win. ***½
The win puts Aussie Open top of block A with 2 points; Smokin’ Aces are bottom with one loss from their match, while Destination Everywhere and the Arrows of Hungary are yet to compete.
The Legion (Gideon Grey, Shota Umino & Yota Tsuji) vs. David Francisco, Joshua James & Ricky Knight Jr.
Gideon of course left commentary for this, and found time to grab Shota Umino’s t-shirt. Speaking of, Shota and Yota seemed to be completely unwilling participants in this trios match.
Gideon’s been talking a good game against Ricky Knight Jr. on commentary for the last while, and it looked like those two were going to start… and RKJ even offers a free hit, but Gideon went to hug Shota at the bell, and tagged himself out in the process. So, we start with lock-ups from Shota and RKJ, before we indulged in shoulder tackles. Shota kicks away a clothesline, but couldn’t avoid a dropkick as tags bring in Francisco and Tsuji. Francisco grounds Tsuji with a wristlock, before he switched back with a cravat that Tsuji rolled out of. A Code Red out of the corner nearly wins it for Francisco, before Joshua James tagged in… that seemed to be the cue for Gideon to blind-tag himself in, only to set up for a forearm… and dash at Ricky Knight Jr. It didn’t budge RKJ, as Gideon then slid outside… Tsuji threw him back in as RKJ tagged in, prompting Grey to run.
James tags back in and took a forearm… it didn’t register, so Grey asks for another one, with similar effects. A single forearm from James sunk Gideon to his knees, while more made sure he hit the mat ahead of a delayed gutwrench suplex. Grey’s splashed in the corner ahead of a POUNCE, which sent him to the outside… where he baited James in for a rake to the eyes. Back in the ring, Gideon tagged out as Yota and Shota cleared the apron and isolated James in the corner. Francisco tries to blind-tag in, but didn’t quite reach as a neckbreaker took James down for just a one-count. Frequent tags keep James isolated as Tsuji’s snapmare and kick to the back followed, before an exchange of forearms led to James teasing a back suplex.
Tsuji blocks it with more forearms, only to take the back suplex anyway. RKJ tags in and hit the ropes for a moonsault press out of the corner for a two-count. Grey tagged in, only to get caught with a double clothesline as RKJ then took Grey into the ropes for a chop… after he rode Gideon, RKJ gets distracted by Aussie Open heading out. They mug RKJ, which somehow wasn’t a DQ despite supposedly tagging David Francisco as RKJ fought to the back. We’re left with Umino and Francisco trading forearms, before an inverted atomic drop and an Exploder from Francisco threw Umino across the ring. James’ shotgun dropkick keeps it going for the Contenders, leading to a splash off the middle rope for a near-fall. Spilling outside, James chops Tsuji, only to get thrown into the side of the ring… Francisco goes for his Indy Rock Bottom, but Shota counters into a DDT, before a double-team elevated DDT nearly put Francisco away.
James breaks it up but takes a pair of kicks, as Francisco returned and tried his luck with a roll-up. Umino kicks out as Gideon blind-tagged back in… Shota and Yota hit a double press slam to Francisco, but Gideon gets thrown onto Francisco by Tsuji to take the pin. **¾
Great British Tag League 2022 Block B: Lykos Gym (Kid Lykos & Kid Lykos II) vs. The VeloCities (Jude London & Paris De Silva)
The Lykii jump the VeloCities before the bell, and isolate Paris de Silva early on.
A quick turnaround sees dropkicks clear the wolves away, before London worked over Lykos I’s arm. De Silva’s back in to wring it some more, before he rolled Lykos down into an armbar. London’s back to hit a stomp to Lykos’ arm, but then had his eyes rakes as de Silva’s protesting set up for some trickery… with Lykos II going into the crowd to twang a resistance band into the face of London. London argues with the ref, so de Silva gets similar treatment… except he pulls a switcharoo as the band’s twanged into the nether regions of Kid Lykos. All with Lykos II unawares of what he’d just done… as the VeloCities combined well with dropkicks to get a two-count on Lykos I.
De Silva’s got his eyes raked again as the Lykii knock him down with a gamengiri… Lykos I goes after Jude London, taking him up onto the stage before he drove it into the knee as Lykos II had the ref distracted. The ref quickly calls for medics after seeing London down on the stage, which means we’re left with de Silva and the Lykii…
De Silva elbows away Lykos II, then scored with an inside cradle for a two-count before landing a dropkick. Jude London quickly returns, hobbling from the back… but he’s pulled off the apron by Lykos and thrown into a chair that I can only assume had a hot crowd mic taped on it, because all you hear is Jude’s shouting… and the chair tumbling to the floor. A stomp from Lykos gets him a two-count on Paris, who then had to fight out of a chinlock… only for Lykos II to tag in. Paris fights back against the wolves, dropkicking them into each other ahead of a tornado DDT as he finally made the tag out to London, who ran wild with Slingblades and facebusters.
London’s ‘rana sends Lykos into Lykos II, while headscissors and an armdrag off the top rope kept the Aussies ahead. A moonsault off the top aggravates London’s knee as he only gets a two-count out of it, before Lykos II took London up top for an avalanche brainbuster. Of course it doesn’t come off, as London rolled off the top, only to jar the knee again as the pair then began to trade forearms. Gideon Grey rejoins commentary for the home stretch, where Lykos II rakes the eyes, then caught a spinning enziguiri. The brainbuster lands next for a near-fall, before a superkick nearly ended de Silva… but he spins out of a follow-up package piledriver and rolled up Lykos for a near-fall. A satellite DDT follows, before Paris hit the ropes and wrecked Lykos with a lariat for a near-fall. From there, a handspring stunner sparks a big ol’ Parade of Moves that nearly won it for the VeloCities, before a Code Red and a facebuster turned it around for the wolves, with a High/Low getting the Lykii a near-fall.
London catches a Howling on the top rope, but Lykos II escapes… only for another go to get caught as de Silva’s German suplex and a Blockbuster/leg sweep combo drew a near-fall. The Lykii combine again, but Lykos I gets sent outside as the VeloCities end up hitting a Slingblade-assisted Avalanche Code Red that I hope to God has a name… and that’ enough to put away Lykos II. The win puts the VeloCities top of block B with 2 points; Lykos Gym go bottom with that loss from their solitary outing. Sunshine Machine and the Legion duo of Shota Umino & Yota Tsuji haven’t competed yet. ***½
Rev Pro Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship: Tony Deppen vs. Michael Oku (c)
Oku changed this to a title match at bell time, perhaps out of sympathy for Tony Deppen not being able to use Starship. I kid… or do I? Deppen’s introduced as being “from the US of A,” which made damn sure the crowd booed him. We’ll get into this…
Starting with a lock-up, Oku takes Deppen’s back as the camera flickered out. It’d been want to do that all night. From a knuckle lock, Deppen floats over and into a headlock takedown, blocking some headscissor escapes before Oku fought to his feet. A push-off led to Deppen charging down Oku, before leapfdrogs and drop downs led to an attempted PK… then a bunch of leg sweeps ahead of a stand-off. The pro-Oku crowd bothered Deppen, who charged down Oku then emptied his nose over him. Oku replies with some headscissors and a dropkick to knock Deppen to the outside… a Fosbury flop’s avoided, but Deppen can’t get away from a PK as he’s taken into the front row for some chops. There’s some “send him home, Michael,” chants, based on something Oku’d said in passing… which built up to the debut of what some called “Hard Brexit Oku,” as he bellowed “let’s send him home.” Coming at the next elections, the OKIP party, no doubt!
Deppen capitalised on Oku’s own fun and games by tripping him up ahead of a knee drop for a two-count. An arm wringer takes Oku down with another knee drop leading to Deppen wrenching Oku’s arm around the bottom rope ahead of a Drive-By dropkick. Oku gets choked in the corner, then elbowed as Deppen rolled Oku down for an armbar – complete with some biting. Kicks keep Oku in the ropes as the crowd kept getting to Deppen… who replied with an eye rake as he took Oku to the corner. Rolling suplexes follow from Deppen, before a back senton was blocked by Oku’s knees. Deppen’s able to recover as he lifted Oku to the top rope, but the superplex is punched out of as Oku manages to return with a missile dropkick. Elbows from Oku left “Big D” open for a DDT, which Deppen took a la Rob Van Dam, standing on his head before Oku picked up a near-fall.
Oku calls for the half crab, but took too long as Deppen kicked his way free, only to get caught in the corner with a running dropkick. Deppen rolls outside, only to eat a Fosbury flop, before a frog splash back inside forced Deppen to kick out once again. Another half crab attempt followed, but Deppen quickly breaks in the ropes, only to get met with another dropkick in the corner. Deppen escapes a suplex and returned with an overhead kick to the arm, then nearly kicked Oku’s head off with a gamengiri. A Cheeky Nandos-like knee in the corner leads to a sit-out powerbomb for Deppen, but Oku’s up at two before he avoided Deppen off the top rope, rolling away from a stomp and returning with an enziguiri.
A leaping knee from Deppen earns him a Pele kick, only for a ripcord knee strike to lead to the misdirection knee as both men were throwing the proverbial bombs here. The pair trade elbows from there, with Deppen throwing more… but Oku ends up spilling to the outside as Deppen’s low bridge allowed him to hit a wild tope con giro to the outside. Another stomp off the time this time finds its mark, but it doesn’t put Oku away, nor does a series of diving forearms as Oku remained stubborn. In the corner, Deppen lifts Oku back up top for that superplex again… he lands it, but Oku rolled up and hit back with a Millshot out of nowhere. A springboard moonsault’s blocked by Deppen’s knees as a cradle nearly led to the upset, as did a STF, but Oku’s able to claw his way to the ropes and save his title. Deppen keeps going though with knee drops and stomps, before he lowered the knee pad for a killer knee strike… but Oku rolled him up into a half crab to counter, dragging him away from the ropes before leaning back to force the stoppage. For a “day one” appearance in Rev Pro, Deppen really played a blinder here, looking like more than a viable threat for Oku… who racked up his 16th defence with this win. ***½
A solid show from Rev Pro, albeit one with a weirdly quiet crowd (at least on the VOD), as they managed to avoid the post-York Hall lull with the first Great British Tag League matches and the impromptu Cruiserweight title match more than delivering. Worth watching, especially if you’ve got that two week free trial from the new Rev Pro VOD platform.