Rev Pro returned to the 229 in London as March’s venture there saw Alex Coughlin take on Mark Davis once more, while Sunshine Machine and Destination Everywhere fought for the tag titles.
Quick Results
Yota Tsuji pinned Misterioso in 13:30 (**¾)
Rhia O’Reilly pinned Hyan in 9:55 (**¾)
Lee Hunter & Dan Moloney pinned Robbie X & Ricky Knight Jr. in 13:53 (***¼)
Kyle Fletcher pinned Luke Jacobs in 22:17 (***½)
Shota Umino pinned Lucian Phillips in 12:39 (***)
Alex Windsor pinned Allysin Kay in 14:05 to retain the Rev Pro Undisputed British Women’s Championship (***¼)
Alex Coughlin defeats Mark Davis via referee stoppage in 14:24 (***¾)
Chuck Mambo & TK Cooper pinned Connor Mills & Michael Oku in 15:12 to retain the Rev Pro Undisputed British Tag Team Championship (***½)
We’re back at the 229 for a show I missed live because I was over in Germany… six weeks later, it’s finally on-demand, but you’re probably fed up with reading me complaining about those turnaround times…
Andy Quildan and Gideon Grey are on commentary… with Gideon being a little more soft-touch in his commentary, at least to start.
Yota Tsuji vs. Misterioso
This was the “other half” of Misterioso’s visit to the UK, after he lost to Ricky Knight Jr. in Stevenage…
We’ve some chain wrestling to start, with Misterioso slipping out of a chinlock early on, before we’ve a shoulder tackle as I’m wondering if I’m watching this on 100% speed. Leapfrogs and roll throughs follow, then armdrags and leg sweeps ahead of the double dropkick stand-off.
Misterioso pulls off his outer mask as the pair cooled down, before the offer of a handshake turned into a cheapshot. A handspring roll from Misterioso led to Tsuji trying a handspring of his own… that’s met with a low dropkick as they headed outside, with an Asai moonsault from Misterioso finding its mark.
Back inside, Misterioso’s shoulder charges keep Tsuji in the corner, before a trip and running double knees drew a two-count. A senton atomico keeps Misterioso ahead, before he ran into a tiltawhirl backbreaker as Tsuji finds an opening. Misterioso cartwheels out of a ‘rana, but he runs into a back body drop as I’d better start keeping whatever the equivalent of a swear jar is.
A gamengiri from the apron keeps Tsuji ahead, as he then went up top for a flying ‘rana… taking Misterioso outside for a tope. Returning to the wing, a chicken wing’s broken in the ropes, as stomps followed, only for Misterioso to come right back in with a DDT. Tsuji’s lifted up for a Finlay roll, which led to a springboard moonsault out of the corner for a near-fall.
A Wasteland from Misteriso drops Tsuji again, as a moonsault off the top ends up landing in the knees. Tsuji returns with a clothesline as the pair then began to trade elbows and chops. Kicking Misterioso in the gut, Tsuji ends up falling for a superkick that nearly won it, as did a Slingblade, before Tsuji cut off Misterioso on the top rope, bringing him down with a Spanish Fly.
Tsuji gets a near-fall from that, then hit the ropes for a spear… and that’s enough to get the win. This was fine in flashes, but at times felt like a sparring session. **¾
Rhia O’Reilly vs. Hyan
Rhia’s been appearing a little more regular in Rev Pro as of late, undoubtedly looking to make a push for Alex Windsor’s title…
She rolls outside at the bell, only to get dived on by Hyan as the pair scrapped around ringside. Back inside, Hyan rolls Rhia through a cravat for some knee strikes and a neckbreaker, before a Flatliner into the corner put Hyan on the back foot. Mudhole stomping followed, then a suplex from O’Reilly, as Rhia took control.
Some choking in the ropes led to some nonchalant pin attempts from Rhea, while a clothesline drew a two-count for O’Reilly. A Finlay roll and a back senton’s next as Hyan was taking a beating here, with a DDT keeping the pressure going despite Hyan’s attempts to fight back. Hair pulling’s next, then a stomp, but Hyan kicks out at two before a clothesline shut her down.
Hyan’s kept in a chinlock, but fought free and ran into a back elbow as Rhia dove back in with another chinlock. Getting free, Hyan finally lands a crossbody as she began to mount a comeback, throwing forearms and chops ahead of a clothesline, while a Wasteland and a legdrop led to a near-fall.
O’Reilly charged Hyan into the corner, but gets pulled into the buckles as Hyan followed with a face-washing knee, before a twisting Falcon arrow nearly got the win. More chops and forearms lead to a drop toe hold from O’Reilly, who set up for a curb stomp that nearly won it…
Hyan grabs the ropes to avoid another Finlay roll, then hit the ropes for a spear, but this time O’Reilly kicks out. A knee strike from Hyan looked to lead to the Glam Slam, but Rhia blocks it and comes back with the Curt Hennig neck flip, before a double arm DDT led to the win. **¾
Dan Moloney & Lee Hunter vs. Ricky Knight Jr. & Robbie X
This was billed as Dan Moloney and a mystery partner… with Lee Hunter coming out last, cited as Dan’s mentor…
Hunter and RKJ start us off, locking up into the corner as Hunter rolled outside after the break. Wash, rinse, repeat, as Hunter then went for RKJ’s eyes in the corner as he was showing a new side to himself. A snap slam and a moonsault from RKJ gives him a quick two-count, before a tornado DDT attempt from Hunter ended with him tagging out to Moloney.
Robbie X gets the tag in too, and lights up Moloney with chops before he was stomped into the corner. A hiptoss and cartwheel dropkick took out Hunter as Moloney’d powdered outside from a blind tag, while RKJ hit a Chasing the Dragon on Hunter for another quick two-count. An assisted back senton from Robbie X gets a two-count, before Hunter took Robbie X outside, where Dan Moloney took his shots.
Back inside, Hunter gets a suplex in, while a snapmare and kicks to the back gave Moloney a track in as Hunter took a shot behind the ref’s back. A back suplex dumps Robbie X for a two-count, before Moloney dragged him into the corner for Hunter to tag in and keep things going.
Moloney charges Robbie X into the corner as a back suplex from Hunter keeps the momentum against Robbie X. Chops take Robbie into the ropes, but he fought back with a sit-out powerbomb, before tags bring in Hunter and RKJ… with the latter instantly hitting a death valley driver into the corner. Dropkicks follow to wipe out Hunter, as Moloney and Hunter then got stacked up on RKJ’s shoulders ahead of a Samoan drop.
Moloney saved Hunter from a Fire Thunder Driver as things spilled outside briefly, before a powerbomb and a Spiral Tap almost put Hunter away. A spear from Moloney saves the match, as RKJ saved Robbie X from a Drilla, leading to a four-way stand-off, culminating in Destroyers and clotheslines as all four men were left laying.
Hunter continued to take a beating before he caught RKJ with a Blockbuster off the top. A hook kick from RKJ dazes Hunter, before things got a little tornadoes… leading to RKJ and Moloney squaring off rather than hit their moves. Things quickly escalate, with Moloney rolling outside as he proceeded to spear RKJ into the crowd, while a backflip kick from Robbie X landed… he goes for the X-Clamation, but Hunter rolled through with a handful of tights, and that’s the win! ***¼
Post-match, the fight keeps going until the Contenders separate things…
Kyle Fletcher vs. Luke Jacobs
After coming up short to Shota Umino in Stevenage, Luke Jacobs has a first-time singles match with Kyle Fletcher here…
We’ve a rather genteel start as Fletcher took Jacobs to the corner for a clean break, before a double leg from Jacobs got him a one-count. A waistlock takedown puts Kyle ahead, before see-saw shoulder tackles ended with a charge down from Jacobs, taking the Aussie into the ropes.
A knee to the head keeps Jacobs ahead, as he took Fletcher into the corner, following up with clubbing shots to the back of Fletcher as some bodyscissors ended in the ropes. A dropkick from Fletcher takes Jacobs to the outside, where a back suplex threw Luke onto the side of the ring, before body blows softened Jacobs as a sudden ankle lock forced Fletcher to roll Jacobs to the outside.
Back inside, the pair continue to throw bombs, as an elbow from Fletcher nearly wins it before a struggle over a suplex ended with a knee strike from Fletcher. Jacobs quickly returned with a suplex, then some forearms and a deadlift German suplex, before a running kick knocked down Fletcher for a face-washer.
An Angle slam from Jacobs gets a near-fall, before another search for a suplex ended with Kyle hitting a corner gamengiri and a diving kick. They trade elbows again, but its Jacobs who’s pulling ahead as he waffled Fletcher ahead of a Northern Lights superplex. More suplexes and bridges end with a roll-up from Fletcher for a near-fall, then a superkick before a lariat folded Kyle in half.
They get back up to throw elbows once again, ending with a diving kick from Fletcher and a pair of Jacobs clotheslines, which nearly won it for the Mancunian. Fletcher lifts away a Tiger Driver attempt, then pulled Jacobs into a half-and-half suplex before a Michinoku driver planted Jacobs for a near-fall.
A scoop slam drops Jacobs as he tried to break wrist control, but an ankle lock has Fletcher back in bother as the ropes save the day. Jacobs hits an arm whip then rolled Fletcher into a bridging pin for a near-fall, before a Jay Driller ended with Fletcher getting a foot to the ropes.
Jacobs’ jab has Fletcher in a heap, as another ankle lock ends with an inside cradle from Kyle. Another gamengiri from Fletcher turns it around, but Jacobs fights out of a superplex, only to earn yet another gamengiri as the superplex turned into a twisting brainbuster aimed at the top turnbuckle. JESUS WEPT.
Somehow that’s not enough to end the match, so Fletcher hits one more diving kick before the Grimstone planted Jacobs for the win. Perhaps that turnbuckle brainbuster should have been it, particularly given the match had already gone north of 20 minutes by then, but this was a good first encounter that leaves plenty for rematches down the road. ***½
Lucian Phillips vs. Shota Umino
A battle between the Legion’s Lucian Phillips and someone Gideon Grey might want in the Legion, as he did ring introductions for both men…
We start with the pair showing off their t-shirts, but Phillips didn’t want Shota’s tee, instead giving it for Gideon Grey to wear. Over his suit jacket, looking very much like a tabard. Hey, it’ll become a style one day. Shota teases putting on Phillips’ Legion tee, but instead stomps on it before the pair traded arm wringers.
A back elbow and a dropkick has Umino ahead, as did some European uppercuts, before Gideon Grey got involved. The distraction drew Shota outside, allowing Phillips to attack from behind before he popped Umino against the side of the ring. Back inside, Phillips gets a two-count, before chops continued to wear down Umino.
Shota’s slammed, but roared back after he’d been chopped and elbowed, before Gideon popped up on the apron. An attempt to swing at Shota nearly saw Gideon take down Phillips, but Lucian put on the brakes and took a dropkick as Umino pulled ahead, hitting a dropkick and a Fisherman suplex for a near-fall.
Phillips grabs the hair to stop Shota, but ends up slipping out of a pumphandle slam to headbutt Umino, before a clothesline to the back of the head drew another two-count. A spinebuster’s next as Umino clung on, then again from a powerbomb with a jack-knife cover, as Phillips began to get frustrated.
A dropkick from Shota got him back in the match, before he caught a pump kick and turned Phillips into a palm strike. From there, a swinging Flatliner spikes Phillips for a near-fall, before the pumphandle powerslam added another two-count, as Phillips hit a wild lariat to escape a Death Rider. Its not enough for the win though, so Phillips calls Gideon Grey up to help… but Grey accidentally hits his own man before a discus forearm and a Death Rider got the win for Shota. ***
After the match, Phillips went after Gideon Grey out of anger, then was told to shake Shota’s hand as the PR offensive aimed at getting Shota on board showed no signs of letting up.
RevPro Undisputed British Women’s Championship: Allysin Kay vs. Alex Windsor (c)
It’s been a whirlwind weekend for Allysin Kay, winning and losing the EVE tag titles alongside Marti Belle… and has a shot at more gold here tonight.
Marti Belle successfully distracts Alex Windsor before the bell with questions over just how much of Britain the women’s champion reigns over… but Windsor’s able to shrug it off and take Kay into the corner with some right hands. Armdrags take Kay outside, with Windsor following up with a cannonball off the apron into both members of the Hex, but back inside Kay took over with a Judo throw and a cross armbreaker.
The ropes save Windsor, who’s then thrown outside as Belle put the boots to her, before a Japanese strangle hold back inside kept Kay in control. Kicks in the corner keep Windsor on the back foot as Belle again takes advantage behind the ref’s back, while Kay went over Windsor’s digits. Another throw to the outside again led to Belle throwing Windsor’s arm into the side of the ring, as the NWA Women’s tag champions were effectively making this a handicap match.
An arm whip gets Kay a two-count, before some biting led to an armbar on Windsor… then some choking with Kay’s wrist tape as Belle again provided a distraction. Windsor finally comes back with a snapmare and a kick to the back, before low dropkicks drew a two-count. On the outside, Windsor tried to lash out at Belle, but ended up hitting the ring post before she was rolled back inside to take a Samoan drop as Kay again remained on top.
Windsor sidesteps a charge into the corner as she manages to trip Kay for a Sharpshooter. Marti Belle pops up on the apron to distract Windsor… who ends up dropkicking Kay into Belle, before reversed whips into the corner led to a leaping shoulder tackle from Windsor. Belle’s knocked off the apron again as Windsor went for a Sharpshooter, but got cradled for a near-fall, before Kay’s spinebuster ragdolled her for another two-count.
An exchange of strikes led to a headbutt from Windsor, then duelling pump kicks, before a splash and a face-washer in the corner from Kay looked to take us to a Dominator. Windsor escaped and quickly returned with a Blue Thunder Bomb by the ropes. Kay snapped back with a Jig ‘n’ Tonic for a near-fall, then a cross armbreaker, which Windsor rolled out of and into a powerbomb for another near-fall.
Kay blocks a Fisherman suplex and rolled to the mat in search of a Kimura, only to get cracked with a headbutt and a Ki Krusher that planted Kay to the mat for the win. ***¼
After the match, Rhia O’Reilly hits the ring and tried to cheapshot Windsor… who sucked the shot and sent her packing.
Mark Davis vs. Alex Coughlin
It’s a rematch from Southampton a month earlier, where Davis took a surprising loss…
We start with the pair charging into each other as forearms looked to be on the menu early on. A sucker punch from Davis puts him on top, at least until Coughlin went back with forearms and shoulder tackles to knock the Aussie down. Chops from Davis make sure he doesn’t fall too far behind, but Coughlin returns the favour before a back elbow and a back senton squashed him for a two-count.
A wild elbow smash dropped Coughlin like a proverbial sack of you know what, while a series of slams kept him on the deck. Heading outside, Davis boots Coughlin before the pair slapped several shades out of each other… prompting Davis to just slam Coughlin on the floor.
Coughlin rolls back in to beat the count, but Davis is right on top of him… only to get charged into the corner for chops and uppercuts. A clothesline in the opposite corner looked to set up an overhead belly to belly, but Davis fought out, then hit a pair of boots before he ran into a Hiromu-ish overhead belly to belly suplex. More slaps daze Davis, who’s lifted up top for more chops and a superplex, bouncing the big man into the middle of the ring for a near-fall.
Some mudhole stomping in the corner earns Coughlin some chops, before the referee was shoved aside while trying to separate the pair. A series of sliding punches meets Coughlin in the corner, then another, but Coughlin hits some palm strikes before he got dumped with a German suplex. Davis rolls those together, and nearly picked up the win… before Coughlin came back with Germans of his own.
The bridging fallaway slam followed for a near-fall, but Coughlin floats over as Davis rolled a shoulder up… then applied a sleeperhold as Davis broke free with a Saito suplex. A folding powerbomb in return nearly wins it for Davis, only for Coughlin to return with a Saito of his own, then a kneeling powerbomb, before the sleeperhold was broken up by Davis scaling the ropes so he could fall backwards to squash it apart.
Coughlin’s able to get back in it with chops, but a wicked clothesline sinks him for a one-count, before Coughlin’s return got a similar result. Both men remove their wrist tape as we’re back to them slapping each other silly, producing some particularly vomit-inducing sounds, before a German suplex and another sleeperhold finally led to the stoppage as Coughlin kept his unbeaten run alive. This was a wonderful hoss fight, with neither man backing down… and you know what, if/when this match moves over to New Japan, I’ll be loving it there too. ***¾
RevPro Undisputed British Tag Team Championship: Destination Everywhere (Connor Mills & Michael Oku) vs. Sunshine Machine (Chuck Mambo & TK Cooper) (c)
The former champions get a shot here, seemingly on the back of their win over Shota Umino and Yota Tsuji a few weeks ago…
Mambo and Mills start us off, but it’s Mambo who leaps into a Manhattan drop before he evaded a monkey flip. Oku tags in as things get a little tornado-y early on, with all four men in the ring as we eventually reach a stand-off. TK’s thrown outside as Mills and Oku deck Mambo ahead of a wheelbarrow bulldog that drew a two-count for the challengers.
Chops from Mills keep Mambo rocked, while Oku returned to put the boots to Mambo… who returned with a drop toe hold, only to get met with a legdrop. Mills returned to chop Mambo in the corner, then blocked an O’Connor roll as a running kick left Mambo down. Mambo fights back, but Michael Oku stormed the ring to knock TK Cooper off the apron as Mambo had to do it himself, leading to a wacky springboard ‘rana that sent Mills into Oku.
TK tags in, but was instantly swarmed by Mills, whose charge accidentally wiped out Oku ahead of a Northern Lights suplex from Cooper… who chucks Oku outside. A tope attempt was kicked away as TK’s springboard corkscrew legdrop caught the cruiserweight champion in the ropes, before a T-bone slam nearly won it.
Things escalate into the German Suplex Turbo Charged By The Power of Friendship as Oku breaks up the pin on Mills… before Mills kicked away a Gutterball attempt and dove out to Oku. Another Gutterball’s blocked by Oku, as he and Mills crack Mambo with dropkicks in the corner before moonsaults and dives cleared the way for a near-fall for the challengers.
Oku calls for the half crab, but Mambo countered as they troll the ref with see-saw sunset flips, but that turned into the Gutterball as TK tagged in… this time it’s Connor Mills’ elbow drop that breaks up the cover. Kicks from Mills took out Mambo ahead of a springboard uppercut attempt… but that’s blocked as Mills ends up trapping TK with a guillotine as dualling submissions looked to get the challengers closer to the win.
TK gets out of the guillotine, then set up for a wacky Spanish Fly on Mills… which in turn gave Oku a Destroyer as Cooper made sure to deal with two men at once. We’re back to all four men in the ring trading strikes as I zone out… ending with a pop-up Samoan drop as Mills went for his rebound lariat.
Oku and Mills head outside as Mambo climbs TK’s shoulders… the circus act’s broken up as Mills hits an uppercut to force the reverse ‘rana between the champions, while Oku went for a Fosbury flop. Mills had a dive too but, you know, camera work. A frog splash and a 450 looked to crown new champions, but TK Cooper breaks up the pin.
TK measures up for an axe kick, but it’s avoided as Cooper and Mills counter tombstones… Mambo gets the blind tag in, charges Oku off the apron, before an O’Connor roll snatched the win for the champions. A good main event, even if things broke down into the tornado style that I’m really not a fan of – but it got the job here as Sunshine Machine defended their titles once more. ***½
A solid outing at the 229 from Rev Pro, but we’re absolutely in that weird part of their cycle where York Hall cards are getting built up – except this time Rev Pro’s doing their best to make sure the inbetween shows don’t fall flat. Having seen a bunch of Rev Pro shows in short order, the core roster could absolutely do with some additions – if only to prevent the feeling of seeing the same names in slightly different spots up and down the card.