Rev Pro made their return to Barcelona, with Zozaya and Michael Oku teaming up to take on the Young Guns in the main event.
Quick Results
Danny Black, Joe Lando & Maverick Mayhew pinned Lozano, Iker Navarro & Junior Martinez in 9:28 (**¾)
El Iberico pinned Harry Milligan in 5:24 (**½)
Dani Luna pinned Lizzy Evo in 10:58 (***)
Sito Sanchez & Joey Torres pinned Kieron Lacey & Mark Trew in 12:35 (***¼)
Jay Joshua pinned Gin El Libertario in 14:40 (***¼)
Leon Slater pinned Leon Cage in 14:36 (***¾)
Luke Jacobs & Ethan Allan pinned Zozaya & Michael Oku to retain the Rev Pro Undisputed British Tag Team Championship in 22:46 (***¾)
— To watch this show, head over to RevProOnDemand.com
We’re live via stream from the SouLivre Poblenou in Barcelona as Rev Pro return to Catalonia, this time in partnership with Lucha Libre Rebelion. Commentary comes from Andy Quildan…
Plan B (Iker Navarro, Junior Martinez & Lozano) vs. CPF (Danny Black, Joe Lando & Maverick Mayhew)
Since this show, Rev Pro’s announced that this year’s Trios Grand Prix will be taking place in Barcelona… that makes this opener have a little more meaning!
Danny Black doesn’t have his trios grand prix winner’s medal – so I guess we can assume he’s the one who had to cough up the trinket to get CPF’s tag title shot next month! A jump start caught CPF off guard as the match spilled outside early on… but a flip dive from Joe Lando turned things around as Maverick Mayhew spotted a ladder and a mezzanine in the building.
Instead, it’s Iker Navarro who climbs the ladder up to the top of a wall so he could dive onto everyone below. It’s the opening match, lads…
Things return to the ring with Plan B running through Maverick Mayhew for a spell, with Martinez find time to clear the apron while keeping Mayhew in his corner. Lozano’s in to go for a suplex, but Mayhew blocks it and countered with a spinning enziguiri before things got a little janky with Black and Lando coming in off of one tag.
With the numerical advantage, of course CPF took control, ahead of a back cracker/springboard moonsault from Lando and Black to Navarro. That’s good for a near-fall as Lozano then had to make the save as Navarro was being set up for the FIJ… and we go from defence to attack for the Spaniards as a triple-team Big Rig from Plan B was followed up with a dive that almost went south in a hurry from Lozano.
Joe Lando makes inroads with a back body drop and an enziguiri, only to run into an inside out slam from Lozano as we began a Parade of Moves, culminating in a double superkick-aided piledriver by Navarro. Plan B go for a pile-on cover despite the fact that Joe Lando’s perched feet away on the top rope, and wouldn’t you know it, Lando’s shooting star press breaks it up.
Yay/boo punches end with Navarro and Martinez getting low bridged to the outside… leaving Lozano alone to take an Awful Waffle from Mayhew, before the FIJ put him down for the count. Solid enough as a party match, but there was way too much here that just didn’t do it for me. Maybe later in the card this’d have worked better, but it didn’t suit as an opening match. **¾
El Iberico vs. Harry Milligan
Harry’s got a big ask in front of him – a modern-day Mantaur.
El Iberico squashed Harry at the bell with a splash and a cannonball, but Harry wasn’t going down that easy… and after he sidestepped the bull, Harry was able to take Iberico outside for a dive. Except Harry got caught and charged into the ring post. Ole!
Back inside, Iberico continues to lay waste to Harry, only to get caught with a pull-out Codebreaker in the corner before Harry unwisely went for a slam. He had more luck with a pop-up forearm before landing what turned out to be a Michinoku Driver for a near-fall… before Iberico came back with a tombstone and a wild clothesline for a near-fall.
Harry manages to sneak in a Sega Mega Driver for a near-fall, but it felt like one last wild shot as his follow-up of a 450 splash landed in the bull’s knees, before a Sister Abigail and a sit-out powerbomb ended this extended squash. **½
Lizzy Evo vs. Dani Luna
Evo was filling in for Charli Evans, who missed the trip through injury…
Luna controlled the pace early on, working over Evo’s arm, before an Exploder suplex took the Scouser into the corner after Lizzy’d gone for the eyes to try and break free. A back body drop and a sliding clothesline nearly puts this one away in a hurry, before Evo used the ring to her advantage, trapping Luna’s arm around the middle rope ahead of a kick to take things outside.
Despite charging Luna into the side of the ring, Evo’s quickly taken into the ring post as the match turned around once more, but back inside Evo regained form as she tripped Luna into the corner ahead of a Virgil Van Strike knee for a near-fall. Evo stays on Luna as things head into the corner before an inside cradle almost put Luna away.
A discus forearm shuts down Luna in the corner, but Dani’s able to avoid a charge as she went back to her power game… a second back body drop’s countered though as Evo returned with a pump kick. More kicks from Evo proved to be her downfall though, as Luna caught one and eventually came back with a leaping kick… and after she withstood a jack-knife cover, Luna responded once more with a powerbomb before a spear almost shut things down for Evo.
Throwing Evo away, Luna pushes once more with a deadlift German suplex, before the Luna Landing finally came off for the win. This was a pretty good outing for its place on the card – although I got the sense the first half of this was muted because the crowd were getting used to both competitors. ***
Kieron Lacey & Mark Trew vs. Barcelona Blacklist (Joey Torres & Sito Sanchez)
Of course Barcelona Blacklist got a heroes reaction here – aided by Trew and Lacey being their usual mouthy selves.
Lacey and Torres start us off, but Lacey’s doing the Larry Zbyszko stall job to try and take the air out of things, before blindsiding Torres in the early going. Torres evades some double-teaming before a Quebrada gave me flashbacks to Hayabusa… it lands, as the Barcelona Blacklist tandem pushed on with double-teaming of their own to lay out Trew.
Sanchez meets Trew in the corner with mounted punches before the lads went for the Combi Completa… but Lacey makes the save before he shoved Sanchez into the ring post. Torres is left alone for the double-team neckbreaker/slam combo for a two-count as Trew & Lacey took over, helping things along with some biting and choking as they went.
Lacey holds Torres in the corner as a charging dropkick from Trew found its mark, before Torres ‘rana’d his way out of a Black Flag… then rolled free to tag in Sanchez… but Trew tripped him up on the apron as Torres was forced to remain in the ring for a little longer. A suplex/spear combo almost wins it for Trew, as Torres continued to take a beating, but once again he broke free of the 2-on-1 before finally diving in to tag in Sanchez.
Sito’s going wild on Trew and Lacy with clotheslines and slams, while a diving headbutt almost put Lacey away. I see Sanchez is trying to fit in with a torpedo headbutt of his own here! An aborted frog splash from Sanchez led to Lacey getting caught with a stomp-assisted death valley driver that drew Trew in for the break-up… before they went for the Combi Completa again.
Trew breaks that up as a quick turnaround saw Torres eat a Black Flag for a near-fall… while a Lacey piledriver took Torres to the brink. Another back body drop from Torres sparks another turnaround, with Trew getting booted in the corner before a barrage of double-team offence finally cleared the way as Sanchez draped Trew in the ropes ahead of the senton-assisted powerbomb as the Combi Completa got the win. Trew & Lacey were good value here – but they were never going to go down in defeat to the hometown lads here. ***¼
Jay Joshua vs. Gin El Libertario
Gin’s a name I’ve not even heard of before, let alone seen, but he’s getting a huge reaction from even parts of the crowd that have been sitting on their hands all evening.
Joshua was effortlessly throwing Gin aside to start, but Gin’s able to pull ahead with a crossbody off the ropes, before a gamengiri took Joshua off the top rope and sent him flying to the floor. Joining him on the outside, Gin ducks a chop as Joshua got nothing but the post, before Joshua grabbed a fan’s drink and had it punched out of him by Gin.
Gin avoids chopping the post before we went back inside with an enziguiri… before Gin’s leapfrog got effortlessly turned into a spinebuster as Joshua found himself back in charge. A strike exchange ends poorly for Gin as Joshua kept swatting him away before he grabbed a Barcelona shirt and spat on it. Clearly, Joshua prefers Real?
That fired up Gin into a comeback, blitzing his way through the Welshman, even managing to hoist him up for a suplex for a quick two-count. A sunset flip gets a similar response before some hesitation took us to a missed back senton from Joshua led to another pinning attempt.
Chops from Joshua led to a Scooby Doo suplex out of the corner for a near-fall, before Joshua reacted to the Spanish crowd’s chants by spitting on Gin once more… and that yielded similar results to when Joshua messed up the Barca shirt. That’s again stopped with a torpedo headbutt from Joshua, before things spilled outside with Gin winning out on a battle of apron piledrivers.
After taking an ugly landing, Joshua’s met with a lowpe into a tornado DDT on the outside, before Gin’s Gotch-style piledriver back inside almost won it… but from there, the finish comes with Jay Joshua throwing Gin’s Barcelona shirt over the referee… that masks a low blow before the Gotch-style piledriver landed for a near-fall for Jay. A lariat and a screwdriver later, and that’s your lot – a good win for Jay Joshua, who dried himself off with that Barcelona shirt before chucking it back in the ring. ***¼
Leon Cage vs. Leon Slater
I really don’t get why Rev Pro booked Leon Cage on the same show as Barcelona Blacklist – they both have the same party piece, and you’re not going to undercut lads on their home turf, are you?
These two have had one prior meeting – back in February, with Slater getting the win in a lengthy outing. Cage tries to surprise Slater with a cartwheel enziguiri at the bell, but Slater’s smart to it… and an attempted leapfrog moments later, which the Welshman just got shoved away from.
Aggression from Cage chops Slater into the corner, before a return put the Welshman back in the corner for retaliatory chops. The back-and-forth continues on the outside for a brief spell, as Cage finally managed to chain together a series of offence… only to get caught with a handspring back elbow and a plancha as things yet again headed outside. Cage tried to fight his way back in, but a series of arm whips takes him down to the mat… eventually Cage counters one and returned with a sleeper suplex to take Slater back outside.
Returning to the ring, Slater’s on the defensive as Cage added a reverse ‘rana and a spin-out Dominator for a near-fall. Going back outside again, Cage hits a sweet moonsault off the top rope to wipe out Slater in the crowd, but Slater’s able to hit back first, slingshotting Cage into a cutter before a follow-up leg lariat almost won it. Staying on Cage, Slater’s cross armbreaker looked to force a submission, but Cage was able to roll free and try to snatch a flash pin.
Superkicks lead to a springboard moonsault, but Cage counters the counter into a snap ‘rana… which segues to see-saw pins and a buckle bomb as Slater almost won out. Cage manages to avoid a charging dropkick in the corner as Slater hung himself up in the buckles… allowing Cage to eventually capitalise with a double stomp off the top, despite Slater’s attempts to tweak that injured arm.
The cartwheel enziguiri lands moments later as Cage was able to post on the bad arm… but the Phoenix splash comes up short yet again as Slater takes over with another leg lariat. A repeat almost ends with a roll-up win as Cage ducked another lariat, but Slater goes back to the arm before a spinning Blue Thunder bomb finally put away Cage. Quibbles aside over these two’s trajectories perhaps telegraphing the winner before the bell had even sounded, this was a pretty damn good outing between the two Leons – and perhaps the match to hunt out from this show. ***¾
Rev Pro Undisputed British Tag Team Championship: Young Guns (Ethan Allen & Luke Jacobs) (c) vs. Michael Oku & Zozaya
Originally billed as a non-title outing, Zozaya talked his way into making this one for the tag titles. Can lightning strike twice?
The crowd was nice and hot for this one – both in terms of atmosphere and temperature, if the latter’s to be believed – as we had a pretty measured start with Oku and Jacobs staring each other down. Jacobs drew the proverbial first blood with a shoulder tackle, before Oku’s ‘rana and dropkick offered a response… with a follow-up dropkick awaiting Ethan Allen after he’d tagged in.
Zozaya’s quickly brought in to work over Allen’s arm, but Jacobs gets involved as the tag champions tried to retake control, only for Zozaya to find a way through with a stomp to the back of Allen. The challengers retain the momentum here, but Allen saves Jacobs from a double suplex before Zozaya and Oku landed a pair of side suplexes as they continued to control.
Zozaya’s dive to the floor sees him eat nothing but superkicks as the champions turned their sights onto Oku, who charged into an apron powerbomb from Jacobs. That left Oku very much on the defensive, particularly since he’d been tagged in just before that turnaround as the Young Guns began to pick apart Oku with Zozaya still down on the floor. A big chop from Jacobs took Oku back outside as a suplex dumped Oku into the front row for good measure.
Back inside, Allen took over with a bulldog choke to keep Oku down, but Oku’s able to break free and land a tornado DDT to take out Luke Jacobs… right as Zozaya had gotten back up on the apron. A rebound PK from Zozaya deals with Allen as Oku finally got that tag in, allowing a refreshed Zozaya to clear house. Bizarrely, Oku’s brought back pretty quickly after that, and was instantly met with a Tiger suplex from Luke Jacobs as Zozaya had to pick up the pieces yet again. We’ve a wacky stomp-assisted Unprettier from Oku for a near-fall, but Allen broke up the pin as Oku prematurely celebrated the win… and a lariat from Ethan took the champion to the floor as the ring.
That left Zozaya on his own as the Young Guns’ enziguiri-aided brainbuster – or a Dragon Murder, if you will – almost put the Spaniard away. A high/low followed for another two-count, before Allen’s crossface on Zozaya, coupled with a cheating Figure Four from Jacobs to Oku looked to force a stoppage, only for Zozaya to escape and apply a sleeperhold instead. The ropes saved Allen that time, but he’s still in there with Zozaya as both men looked to be running on fumes.
Tags bring us back to Oku and Jacobs, with those two swinging wildly with right hands, before Jacobs’ lariat looked to be the deciding factor. A Doomsday device gets countered with a reverse ‘rana though, as another turnaround led to Zozaya’s Spanish fly and an Oku frog splash on Jacobs, but yet again Ethan Allen made the save, pulling Luke to the outside. Oku follows out with a Fosbury flop as he sensed getting closer to becoming a double champion…
Zozaya remembers to tag in as we got duelling avalanche de Madrid al Cielos from Oku and Zozaya, but despite the ref counting to three… Jacobs got his foot on his rope. The ref spotted it after hitting three, so the match must continue… and in among all the confusion, Jay Joshua runs out to hit a torpedo headbutt to Zozaya. A low blow to Oku followed in the melee, before a Doomsday device almost put Zozaya away… while a kick-assisted piledriver finally took care of things. A strong main event that perhaps overshot that proverbial goal, but did what it needed to do in terms of keeping the Young Guns alive as champions. ***¾
Post-match, Joshua hit the ring again to get him some more of Zozaya… only to be eventually interrupted as Harry Milligan snuck out. His silent crossbody off the top’s caught as he’s just ragdolled across the ring by Joshua and Allen, before CPF and Dani Luna made the save. Lizzy Evo’s out to stop Dani going after Ethan Allen as they slowly cleared out the locker room… hey, the Rumble’s for another few weeks! We’re still not done though as Joey Torres and Sito Sanchez charged out, as did Trew and Lacey… and you know the drill. The Megaslams of this world would wrap up with a formal battle royal, but here you’re getting a long parade of moves to send everyone home happy!
This criticism absolutely isn’t limited to this show, but there’s a train of thought that wrestling is becoming more homogenous – moving towards the “well rounded” arsenals rather than wrestlers having a specialised genre. Heck, the number of torpedo headbutts in Rev Pro these days is a good example of that, let alone the fact we were seeing similar dives from big lads and smaller lads in back to back matches here! That slow creep towards everyone doing everything really hurts when it comes to watching shows like this, looking for names you’ve never seen before to break out from the pack.
Unlike last year, we didn’t have a breakout star like we did with Zo zaya, and I get that you can’t do the big upset every time, but without the big talking point coming out of it, this show felt distinctly non-canon in the scheme of things. One to watch, but not one that you feel like you need to go out of your way for.