Revolution Pro Wrestling Live in Coventry (March 17, 2024) review – The Greedy Souls looked to capitalise on last year’s Great British Tag League win as they cashed in their title shot against Subculture.
Quick Results
Joshua James & David Francisco pinned Reece & Rogan in 7:51 (**¼)
Michael Oku submitted Man Like Dereiss in 21:43 (***)
Connor Mills defeated JJ Gale via referee stoppage in 13:34 (***½)
Luke Jacobs submitted Oskar Leube in 10:23 (***¾)
Kanji pinned Alexxis Falcon in 15:02 (***½)
Leon Slater pinned Cameron Khai & Robbie X in 11:33 (***½)
Ricky Knight Jr. defeated Leyton Buzzard via disqualification in 16:04 (***½)
Flash Morgan Webster & Mark Andrews pinned Brendan White & Danny Jones to retain the Rev Pro Undisputed British Tag Team Championship in 17:06 (***½)
— To watch this show, head over to RevProOnDemand.com
It’s a new town for Rev Pro as we’re at the HMV Empire in Coventry… Andy Quildan and Gideon Grey are on commentary, and holy hell those audio levels are loud and the lighting non-existant in places.
Francesca Oliver’s interrupted by Reece & Rogan, who are here without a match… but with pyro. Someone had budget! Reece & Rogan insist they’re here to stay, and they want a match… and get one from the Contenders at ringside.
Reece & Rogan vs. Joshua James & David Francisco
Josh James gets caught early on, before Francisco’s flying double-jump clothesline cleared the way.
Francisco nearly loses Rogan on an Oklahoma Stampede, but lands it for a one-count before he missed a dropkick through the ropes and quickly got dumped onto the side of the ring by a Rogan uranage.
Back inside, Reece & Rogan sandwich Francisco with knees on the apron, while a slam from Reece gave him enough time to knock James off the apron. Francisco’s kept isolated as a suplex got Rogan a two-count, while Reece returned to chop away on Francisco. Knocking Francisco down into the corner, Rogan tagged in Reece… who missed a senton to James on the apron, before the pair had more luck on Francisco for a near-fall.
Francisco’s cutter buys him time as Joshua James couldn’t quite get the tag… until Francisco hit a superkick, that was. James runs in for a spear to Rogan, then a pop-up spinebuster and a POUNCE for a near-fall. From there, James telegraphs a clothesline but chopped Rogan, then hit a chokeslam for a near-fall.
Reece breaks up the cover, but gets sent outside and into the railings. A double-team with Francisco’s stopped when Reece came back and hit a 3D on James, before a suplex and diving headbutt picked up a near-fall. A diving kick in return from Francisco forces an opening, as an Indie Rock Bottom from Francisco then a James splash off the top to Rogan got the upset win in a match that took the crowd a while to get into… **¼
Man Like Dereiss vs. Michael Oku
It’s been a while since Dereiss has been in Rev Pro – the thick end of two years, in fact!
We eventually get going with Oku getting taken into the corner as he and Dereiss got into a brief shoving match. A single leg takedown from Dereiss has Oku on the deck for a toe hold, but Oku rolls away before his side headlock was briefly turned into a pinning attempt.
Dereiss counters back with an arm and chin bar, turning it into another cover as Oku was really having trouble getting into gear. A front facelock from Oku restricts Dereiss, following up with a dropkick. Dereiss comes back with shoulder tackles, then a Kitchen sink knee for a two-count, before he began to target Oku’s upper back with forearms.
A big back body drop propelled Oku into the air for another two-count, while clubbing forearms to the back led to chops as Oku was kept firmly on the defensive. DeReiss snatches the title belt from Amira’s shoulder, but that distraction and dreams of flogging titles to Cash Converters allowed Oku to hit back with a missile dropkick.
Oku’s snap DDT picks up a two-count before a half crab was kicked away… Oku returns with a PK, only for Dereiss to smash back in with a dropkick. More chops keep Oku on the back foot, but he begins to fight back as Dereiss was knocked through the bottom ropes. He recovers, but has his leg kicked out by Oku before he came back with an elevated German suplex out of nowhere.
Dereiss keeps going with a shotgun dropkick and a spinning Blue Thunder bomb, but it’s not enough. Oku tries to block a follow-up powerbomb, countering with a short back body drop and a superkick. From there, Oku heads up top for a frog splash… but Dereiss kicks out at two before he was forced to fight off another half crab.
An Oku PK led to a springboard moonsault… but Dereiss rolls aside before he went up top, only to get caught with a gamengiri. A superplex effort’s countered as Dereiss went for a powerbomb, but it’s punched away as Oku goes back to the leg with kicks, only for Dereiss to sneak in a powerbomb… then a pop-up sit-out powerbomb for a near-fall.
Going up top, Dereiss rolls through a 450 splash, then ate a dropkick from Oku in the opposite corner… Dereiss looks to have jarred his knee in all that, allowing Oku plenty of time to get back to his feet and prepare the half crab, which Oku tried to lean back on, but he loses the hold as Dereiss kipped up and hit back with a cutter.
Dereiss tries to go up top again, but he’s slow and stopped by Oku… Dereiss shoves him down, but lands in Oku’s knees on a 450 splash, before another half crab was again rolled out of. Kicking free, Dereiss ends up getting caught with a frog splash to the back, before a third half crab led to a submission. There was a good 12-15 minute match in this, but with way too much down time given Dereiss’ relative lack of standing in the promotion. ***
Connor Mills vs. JJ Gale
These two have met three times previously, with Mills winning the first two before losing to Gale at the end of last year.
Opening with a lock-up into the ropes, Mills swung for a strike on the break, only for Gale to land the first few blows before Mills kicked away on him. A shotgun dropkick out of the corner takes Mills down, as did armdrags and a knee lift.
Mills reverses a whip but can’t avoid a leaping uppercut, before he lifted Gale onto the apron… with Gale returning back in for a springboard ‘rana and a dropkick to take Mills outside. Gale’s tope followed Mills on the floor, but a turnaround sees Mills catch a superkick and tie Gale’s leg between the guardrails for a kick to the leg.
Back inside, Gale hits a dropkick to the knee for a two-count, before kicks to the back led to a nonchalant two-count for Mills. Chops from Mills keep Gale on the back foot, as things went to ground where Gale caught a kick to the face and turned it into an ankle lock… right by the ropes as Mills easily got the break.
Sitting down on a Dragon screw gets Gale a two-count, but second time was the charm as Mills took Gale off the middle rope. Catching another kick, Gale wallops Mills with a forearm… only to get caught with a big boot seconds later. Sidestepping a second big boot, Gale hung up Mills in the corner for uppercuts and a spinning heel kick, before a release German suplex folded Mills in half.
A twisting springboard uppercut out of the corner gets Gale a near-fall, before a second springboard’s caught and turned into an ankle lock in the ropes. Kicking Mills away, Gale’s met with a rebound lariat, then a diving kick into the corner, ahead of a butterfly brainbuster for a near-fall. More measured shots from Mills looked to lead to a Burning Cutter, but Gale countered out into a backpack knee… which is blocked ahead of a rolling elbow from Gale.
Mills tried another rebound lariat, but it’s caught and countered into a Side Effect, while a Falcon arrow got Gale closer to the win. A slow climb up top from Gale sees him go for a 450 splash… he rolls through it before Mills went back up with him looking for – and landing – an avalanche Orange Crush. It’s still not enough though, as Mills stays on Gale with a heel hook, which ended in the ropes.
A PK from Mills has Gale laying, as did a shinbreaker… a third one’s turned into a Destroyer, before a Gale Force cutter was caught and manipulated into a trapped-arm armbar, with a litany of kicks forcing the stoppage as Mills continued to build up momentum. ***½
Oskar Leube vs. Luke Jacobs
A change to the originally-advertised match, as a result of Yuto Nakashima’s broken collarbone two weeks ago – and it’s a first-time meeting for these two who were all over 16 Carat Gold weekend last week, albeit with mixed results…
From the opening lock-up, Oskar takes Jacobs into the ropes… with a clean break, before a reply led to Oskar and Jacobs trading blows. Shoulder tackles follow, with both men rebounding off the ropes before Oskar finally took down Luke. Forearms form Oskar are shrugged off, so he just lays out Luke with an overhand chop, taking him down to his knees, while a hiptoss kept things grounded as Leube grabbed a chinlock.
Jacobs powered out, but got met with an uppercut before we’re back to the blistering chops. A legdrop’s good for a one-count for Oskar, before Luke shot back out of the corner with a shoulder tackle to take the German down. A Violence Party awaits for Oskar in the corner, as did a clothesline to the back of the head as Oskar was having trouble mustering much defence.
Oskar’s down to a knee, then rolled down for a two-count, before an attempt at fighting back led to Jacobs eating a powerslam. The pair get back in with strikes, teeing off on each other with no end in sight, until a rolling elbow from Jacobs earned him a back body drop out of a powerbomb. A German suplex seconds later has Luke back on top, while a sliding lariat got a two-count… and a deafening silence on commentary from a gag.
Jacobs hits the ropes for a lariat, eventually taking Oskar down… a sliding clothesline misses as Oskar ducked, before a big boot nearly won it for him. From there, Oskar goes for a Tenzan-like brainbuster, but Jacobs slips out and batters him with rapid-fire elbows, while a sliding D to the back of the head left Leube laying.
Leube quickly snaps back with a brainbuster for a near-fall, before Jacobs countered out of a Michinoku driver and into a crossface for the rapid submission. A heck of a match, albeit in front of a crowd that seemed mostly apathetic to it. ***¾
Post-match, Oskar refuses a handshake and walks off, while Connor Mills hit the ring and attacks Luke Jacobs. There’s a pullapart, and you know how badly those pullaparts are maintained, as Mills ended up getting in the last shot.
Alexxis Falcon vs. Kanji
Last time out in Rev Pro, Falcon was opposite Kanji in a tag match…
Starting with a lock-up, Falcon took Kanji to the ropes for a clean break, before the favour was returned… with Kanji getting met with a forearm on the break. Coming back, Kanji took Falcon into the ropes with a clothesline, before a front facelock on the mat ahead of a crossbody to the back for a two-count.
Chops from Kanji keep things in the corner, before Kanji ran into the buckles and got caught with a back cracker on the rebound. Falcon stays on that back with knees and forearms, while Irish whips took Kanji into the corner… where a floatover was caught with an uppercut for a two-count.
Falcon keeps the two-counts coming from a neckbreaker, before some rope-running from Falcon… led to a slap. A superkick from Kanji stops Falcon’s laughter, but a German suplex turned things back in Falcon’s favour for a two-count. Kanji’s met with a clothesline off the ropes as she’s kept on the defensive, but a quick turnaround allows Kanji back in as a splash in the corner… then headscissors and a Tiger Feint kick in the corner had Falcon rocked.
Kanji pushes on, twisting Falcon’s neck in the ropes before a tope knocked down Falcon on the floor. A missile dropkick back inside gets Kanji a near-fall, ahead of stomps that set up for a triangle armbar that ended up in the ropes.
A trip up top for Kanji ends with Falcon catching her for a superplex… rolling through on the landing for a Falcon arrow, but it doesn’t quite do the deal. The pair trade blows from there, but Kanji remains on the defensive before she Tiger Feinted her way into a German suplex. Falcon’s right back with a forearm, before she hit a cross-chop and a gift-wrapped Burning Hammer for a near-fall.
Kanji nails a trapped-leg German suplex into the ropes as Falcon was almost put away… Falcon spits back at Kanji, who throws it back at her with a palm strike before a kick to the back and a snapmare driver helped Kanji on her way to the win. This was a pretty good, competitive outing, and you’d have to think Kanji’s in line for a title shot again after York Hall? ***½
Robbie X vs. Cameron Khai vs. Leon Slater
This felt like an unofficial number one contender’s match for the Cruiserweight title that Leon Slater had dropped two weeks ago in London…
After everyone played to the crowd in the opening minute, the trio exploded into life, before Khai took down Robbie X and scored with kicks and a standing moonsault for just a one-count. Slater’s able to boot Khai out of the corner ahead of a rewind enziguiri… Robbie X takes over, but got taken down just as quick, before Slater’s plancha wiped them both out on the floor.
Slater keeps up back in the ring, but Robbie X leaps off his back to kick Khai off the apron before a springboard dropkick wiped out Leon. A dive from Robbie X followed to take down Khai on the floor, while Khai was taken back in for a delayed senton atomico for just a one-count.
Robbie’s hiptoss and cartwheel dropkick forces Slater in to keep the match going, before he nailed Robbie X with a leg lariat to the back of the head. Slater and Khai sandwich Robbie with knee strikes to take care of him, before they swapped see-saw pins and handsprings until Robbie X… got caught as the trio went for high kicks at the same time.
The trio fight from their knees, trading right hands and headbutts until Slater snuck in a superkick to Robbie X. There’s a neat wall-flip kick into a kick-assisted reverse DDT as they were breaking out some innovative stuff here, leading to rolling Northern Lights from Khai and Robbie X for a pair of near-falls.
Slater blocks a Pingshot cutter, then took Khai up for a gamengiri, following up with a superplex that Khai countered into an avalanche Falcon arrow. Robbie broke up the pin with a superkick, as a standing shooting star press and a Quebrada almost won the match for him… in the end, I buffer at the worst possible time, ending with Slater taking Khai down with a Twister and a 450 splash for the win. This was a high-paced affair, with some real innovative stuff as Slater looked to book himself an instant rematch for the title. ***½
Leyton Buzzard vs. Ricky Knight Jr.
A big test for Buzzard here, as he took on former champion RKJ ahead of his own title shot in two weeks. Buzzard’s out with Brett Semtex, who I was surprised to see given he’d sustained a serious cut to the leg the prior evening…
Buzzard attacks RKJ from behind before the bell, peppering the former champion with punches before RKJ hit back with the rope-running into a dropkick that nearly took Leyton’s head off. Buzzard rolls outside as RKJ looked to stay on him, before Semtex got in the way… allowing Buzzard to hit the ring and return with a tope.
Using the guard rails, Buzzard knocks RKJ down on the floor… but RKJ manages to mount a comeback back inside, at least until Buzzard raked the eyes. A pendulum backbreaker off the ropes follows for Buzzard, before an elbow into the corner and a low clothesline kept RKJ on the back foot. Chops back-and-forth follow before Buzzard hurled RKJ into the corner, then again with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex.
Out of nowhere, RKJ hit back with a dropkick into the corner, then a low dropkick to Buzzard, before a draping DDT off the middle rope drew a near-fall. Buzzard escapes a Fire Thunder Driver, but gets taken outside as Semtex tried to get in front of a plancha from RKJ… an overhand chop stings Buzzard against the side of the ring, before he was placed onto a chair as a leaping elbow drop off the stage knocked Leyton out of the seat.
Another elbow drop follows back inside for a near-fall, as RKJ pushed on with a teased superplex… but Buzzard slips free and hits a leaping knee, only to be charged down with a clothesline seconds later. Buzzard and RKJ trade shots from there, leading to headbutts from RKJ before a series of forearms from RKJ ended with him shrugging off a reverse ‘rana and hitting back with a superkick. A regular tombstone followed for RKJ, but it’s not enough to but Leyton away, as RKJ then looked for a Shell Shock… but Buzzard fights free.
More chops from RKJ are answered in kind, leading to a Buzzard dropkick… a missile dropkick keeps the pressure up, as did a brainbuster, before Buzzard’s offence ended with him taking a springboard forearm. RKJ tries to slam the door shut with a Razor’s Edge, but Buzzard ‘rana’s free, then hit a pop-up sit-out powerbomb for a near-fall.
RKJ clings onto Buzzard’s boot to try and stop him climbing the ropes – and the delay bought him recovery time as RKJ was able to bring him down with a back superplex a la Razor Ramon. From there, Shell Shock looked to follow… but Brett Semtex storms the ring to spear RKJ for the obvious DQ. ***½
Post-match, the Contenders look to make the save, but Semtex dispatches of them before he laid out RKJ with an F5. Michael Oku runs to make the save as Buzzard went up top, knocking Leyton down before kicking Semtex away… only to square off with a dazed RKJ. They end up putting their differences aside though as RKJ’s brainbuster handed off Buzzard to the champion, who came back with a frog splash before Oku and RKJ had a stare-off over the Rev Pro title.
Rev Pro Undisputed British Tag Team Championships: Greedy Souls (Brendan White & Danny Jones) vs. Subculture (Flash Morgan Webster & Mark Andrews) (c)
It’s been three months since the Greedy Souls won the tag league – having sworn away from Rev Pro until they’d get their title shot.
Andrews and Jones start us off, with Andrews finding form with uppercuts early on… at least until Jones hit back with uppercuts. Brendan White tags in and stays on Andrews with uppercuts, before a backslide from Andrews and a ‘rana created an opening. Webster tags in as Subculture began to target Brendan’s knee, leading to a Special Brew Flip from Webster for an early one-count.
Kicks and dropkicks from Webster have Brendan down, where a kick to the side of the head forced a tag out to Danny Jones. Subculture combine with a back suplex and standing moonsault to Jones for a two-count, but a quick turnaround from the Greedy Souls saw them dump Webster with a powerslam for a two-count of their own.
Webster’s kept isolated for a spell as the Souls hit a pair of back sentons, then looked to wear down Webster’s lower back. Chops from Webster just fire up the challengers, with Jones taking him down with a single shot ahead of a snap suplex for a two-count. Brendan’s back for more chops, before double back elbows dumped Webster for another two-count.
A Rude Boy press out of the corner from Webster forces an opening ahead of a hot tag to Andrews, who floated over Brendan as he launched in with forearms and chops. A double DDT took down the Greedy Souls ahead of a split-legged moonsault to White for a two-count… an Alley Oop into a Destroyer keeps Subculture ahead, before Jones ate a Blitz-Knee-Pop… only for White to instantly hit back with an Angle slam on Webster.
Danny Jones is the legal man as Andrews came in… and got launched into an uppercut from Jones double-teaming laid out Andrews for another near-fall. A Tiger Feint kick from Andrews is caught and turned into a slingshot Bossman Slam as Brendan drew a near-fall… Webster’s back to try and turn things around with headbutts, leading to an assisted Falcon Arrow for a near-fall.
A double overhead kick from Andrews sparks a big ol’ Parade of Moves, before he countered a Soul Destroyer with a double Stundog. Andrews keeps going with a tope to White outside, while Webster’s Shadows Over Malice senton crashed into Brendan… with Danny Jones pulling the ref out to keep the match alive.
Jones lays out Andrews with a piledriver on the side of the ring… leaving Webster alone as he’s slingshotted into another Bossman slam. Somehow, Webster got his shoulder up before three, then tried to mount a comeback… there’s almost a ref bump, which allowed Jones to punt Webster low, before a Soul Destroyer ended with Andrews pulling out the referee. What’s good for the goose and that…
With Danny Jones arguing with the ref, Webster punts White low, while Andrews hit a low blow to Jones… one Blitz-Knee-Bop layer to Brendan White later, and Subculture retain the titles – and head into a defence against the Grizzled Young Veterans at York Hall in two weeks time. ***½
A strong showing from Rev Pro, albeit not one that got the crowd reactions that they deserved. Luckily though, the crowd woke up in the second half, raising the show up as the company’s debut in Coventry ended with Subculture retaining the tag titles.