It’s back to the 229 as Rev Pro took their first steps after their 10th anniversary shows, with all eyes on Michael Oku and Connor Mills.
Quick Results
Connor Mills defeats Joshua James via referee stoppage in 10:20 (***¼)
Yota Tsuji & Lucian Phillips pinned Callum Newman & JJ Gale in 14:10 (***)
Will Kaven pinned Michael Oku in 12:54 (***½)
Mercedez Blaze pinned Maya Matthews in 13:37 (***¼)
Shota Umino pinned Zak Knight in 20:42 (***½)
Robbie X pinned Leon Slater in 17:07 (***½)
— To watch this show, head over to RevProOnDemand.com – they’re currently running a two-week free trial…
Well, my idea to hold off on Rev Pro coverage while they backfilled their VOD, but there’s still a few bits and pieces missing, including August’s Live in London 64. So we’re skipping to September’s iteration of Rev Pro’s monthly thing from London (their words, not mine!), which comes with commentary from Andy Quildan and “Gio” – formerly known as Rev Pro ring announcer Slick Lombardo, now going under the name of Giovanni Giorgio.
Joshua James vs. Connor Mills
This was Mills’ first appearance since he turned on Michael Oku at York Hall.
Mills’ kicks and shoulder tackles annoyed James early on, as he came back in with a shoulder tackle to take Mills down. Mills hung up James in the ropes, then somersaulted back into the ring… only to leap into a crossbody that James countered into a gutwrench suplex. James charges into the corner, but Mills leapfrogs over him before heading up top for a missile dropkick to the back of James, sending him outside. A quick tope from Mills caught James into the crowd, following up with kicks as the pair returned to the ring… with James beginning to fire back.
An enziguiri from Mills took James down, as Mills’ aggression continues to shine through. We’ve a Dragon screw to keep James down, as Mills worked over the leg, following with chops that prompted James into firing back with one of his own. Mills finds a way back up top, but his missile dropkick only sent James into the ropes for a rebound clothesline, before James took to the skies himself and scored with a splash for a near-fall. The pair trade clotheslines, but Mills’ rebound lariat attempt is countered with a POUNCE as James nearly took the win. Mills shrugs it off though, then went for a double stomp… which James evaded as instead a sunset flip from Mills opened things back up. A series of kicks set up for a wacky rebound lariat to the back of James’ head, before repeated punt kicks from Mills forced the referee to wave off the match… with the finish announced as a ref stoppage in Mills’ favour. ***¼
Mills took the microphone afterwards and mocked the crowd for wanting to know why he turned on Michael Oku. He claimed Oku only brought Mills to Rev Pro to elevate himself, before he hoped that the pandemic would make Oku change. It’s the classic “I’m not the problem, it’s the children that’s the problem” promo complete with projection from the baddie, with Mills then taking verbal shots at Oku’s girlfriend, before he threatened to expose Oku in the end.
The Legion (Lucian Phillips & Yota Tsuji) vs. Callum Newman & JJ Gale
There’s no Gideon Grey around as he’s off wrestling in Japan… which is a sentence I’m sure everyone thought would be said at the start of 2022.
Phillips and Gale start us off, with Phillips shoving Gale into the corner early on. A side headlock from Gale’s pushed off for a shoulder tackle from Phillips, whose side headlock was shoved off… but Gale’s charged down before he found a way in with a rewind leapfrog and a springboard armdrag. Yota Tsuji tags in, along with Callum Newman, but it’s Tsuji who strikes first with a shoulder tackle, before leapfrogs and roll throughs led to a stalemate. A tijera from Tsuji’s met in kind by Newman, with both men countering before some headscissors and a dropkick put Newman on top.
Newman leaps into Tsuji in the corner, with Gale adding a charging uppercut for good measure before a wheelbarrow ‘rana from Gale and Newman took down Tsuji. A standing moonsault from Newman adds a two-count, who then took off Tsuji’s t-shirt so he could throw some chops… Phillps trips Newman in the ropes as the Legion took over, with Tsuji’s curb stomp to Newman leading to JJ Gale running in… and getting propelled into the sky with a big back body drop. Gotta love those. Tsuji’s chop leaves Newman reeling as Phillips tagged in and rolled Newman back inside, as the Legion remained in control… complete with some double-teaming after Tsuji got the referee distracted.
Newman’s dumped with a slam as the Legion pull a wishbone legsplitter for a two-count, before an Irish whip bounced Newman into the corner. Gale’s arguments distract the ref again, but Newman’s able to duck a chop and strike back into things… kicking away Tsuji before a double ‘rana took care of the Legion as he finally tagged in Gale. Gale ran wild with a Whisper in the Wind into the Legion, following up with uppercuts, before Phillips rolled away from a 450 splash. An attempted double-team’s stopped as Phillips ended up blasting through Newman with a clothesline for a near-fall, before Newman’s springboard bodypress cleared the way again.
Gale’s back to go for the Gory bomb, stomp and knee combo, with a Gordbuster and a pair of superkicks laying out Tsuji for a near-fall. Newman’s back to hit a shooting star press, but Phillips breaks up the cover, then hit a F5 to Newman… only to get caught with a springboard cutter from Gale… but the Legion quickly struck back with an Alabama Slam out of nowhere as Tsuji took the win. ***
Will Kaven vs. Michael Oku
It’s a debut for Kaven, and up against a mentally-wounded Oku, this might not be as straightforward as you’d think.
Kaven tried to win with an early blast at Oku, who kicked out at the match quickly descended into a strike battle… ending with Kaven pulling down Oku by the hair. The forearm exchanges resume, with Oku coming in with a tijeras and a dropkick as a bloodied Kaven was forced to powder to the outside. Oku joins Kaven on the outside as things turned into a game of cat and mouse. They head up onto the apron, where Oku’s tease of a superplex to the floor ended up with Kaven hitting a neckbreaker across the turnbuckle. Back inside, Kaven hurled Oku back into the corners, before a cravat grounded Oku some more.
Oku eventually elbows Kaven out of the corner, then headed up top for a missile dropkick, while a snap DDT kept Oku in control. A half crab’s kicked away as Kaven then rolled away from a springboard moonsault… but his attempted Dragon suplex ended with Oku charging him onto the apron. Kaven teases the Dragon suplex to the floor, but got kicked away as Oku then prepped for a Fosbury flop. It’s good for a two-count back inside as Oku went back to the half crab, but Kaven rolled through into a guillotine choke. Oku escaped, but his misdirection knee’s countered into a Dragon suplex for a near-fall, before a package piledriver was rolled out of by Oku.
It’s back to the half crab, but Kaven’s right by the ropes to force a break, as Oku then connected with the misdirection knee. Kaven grabs Oku’s leg to try and stop him climbing the buckles, before he crotched Oku in the turnbuckles… the Dragon superplex followed off the middle rope, before a package piledriver planted Oku… but it’s not enough! Kaven stays on Oku, but a Regalplex set-up’s countered into a half crab… Kaven pushes Oku into the corner, then hit a clothesline to the back, leading to a faceplant from Oku. The Regalplex backbreaker’s next… and what the heck, that’s the upset win on Kaven’s debut! This wasn’t a banana peel loss for Oku, as Kaven more than matched the former cruiserweight champion to mark his debut with a victory. ***½
Post-match, Connor Mills wandered back out to ringside to gloat… and told Oku “if you were a man, you’d hit me right now.” Oku didn’t throw any punches, as Mills spat at him… so Amira charged at Mills, then flung her shoe at Mills as her and Oku headed to the back.
Mercedez Blaze vs. Maya Matthews
It’s a Rev Pro debut for Blaze…
Opening with a lock-up, Blaze backs Matthews into the corner to start, before Maya returned the favour. Matthews manages to take Blaze down with a crossbody, before a whip off the ropes was reversed, ending with a dropkick from Matthews as she looked to control the opening minutes. Blaze returns the favour seconds later with a shotgun dropkick, before a butterfly suplex threw Matthews through the buckles. Choking followed in the ropes as Blaze literally sat on Matthews, before some boot choking kept the rookie Matthews in the corner.
Running knees into the corner keep Blaze ahead, as she dragged Matthews around the ring by the hair. Matthews gets stretched around the ring post after that, then slapped around as Blaze had Maya’s back, ahead of a Dragon sleeper. Slipping out, Maya’s forced to defend some punches from above, before it’s back to the Dragon sleeper as Blaze looked for the submission. Matthews held on though, and rolled out of the hold before she fought her way free. More elbows out of the corner earn Maya a single strike in return, before Matthews scored with a tornado DDT. Steadying herself in the ropes, Matthews sidesteps an onrushing Blaze before a Slingblade landed for a near-fall.
A missed clothesline from Blaze gets countered into a cutter, only for Blaze to retaliate with a swinging Fisherman’s neckbreaker. Matthews popped up quickly from that though as the pair resorted to back-and-forth strikes, before Matthews ran into a hip attack in the corner. A spear off the middle rope’s next for Blaze, who then took Maya into the corner for a Tower of Blaze…
…but Maytthews repositioned herself and grabbed a rear naked choke in the corner. A counter’s countered into a suplex for a two-count for Maya, who then took too long to follow up as Blaze yanked her down by the hair. An inside cradle gave Maya more hope, but Blaze quickly picks her up and took her to the ropes for a nasty Tower of Blaze for the win. A strong debut for Blaze, helped by how nasty the landing on her finish looked, with Blaze signalling her championship intentions afterwards. ***¼
Zak Knight vs. Shota Umino
Originally scheduled to be Umino vs. Ricky Knight Jr. for the title, RKJ missed out due to a family illness… so his uncle Zak took his place.
Wristlocks open this one, as Shota and Zak went back and forth in the opening stages, before a stomp from Knight took Shota to the outside for a brief pause. Back inside, the pair exchange a Test of Strength, with Shota forcing Knight to the mat for a couple of one-counts, before a shoulder tackle kept Shota ahead. Elbows from Umino target Knight’s neck and upper back, before a running European uppercut took Knight down for a two-count. Shota followed that up by taking Knight around the corners… before Zak eventually fired back with a chop. Shota tried to snuff him out, but Knight boxes him into the ropes, then waylaid Shota with chops and kicks as the turnaround was as sudden as it was harsh.
Knight drops Umino to the mat and scissors the arm, before a finger snapper, a chop to the back and the neck twist continued the methodical offence. Shota tries for a sunset flip, but Knight sits down on him, then hit the corner for a springboard moonsault that earned a two-count. Shota tries to fight back, but Knight matched his strikes, only to get elbowed to the mat ahead of a low dropkick. Another uppercut from Shota looked to lead to a suplex, but instead it’s blocked as Umino lands another dropkick before finally bridging on a Fisherman suplex for a near-fall. Knight snaps back with a buckle bomb and some elbows, before the pair jockeyed over a suplex… with Shota winning out.
Elbows from Umino left Knight in a heap, before he took Zak across the ropes for a dropkick. A trip up top sees Shota loft himself up for a missile dropkick for a near-fall, following with a tombstone for a near-fall, before a Death Rider was cradled out of by Knight for a near-fall. Shota tries again, but it’s escaped again as Knight then ate a shotgun dropkick… only to pop up with a desperation clothesline seconds later. We’re back to the see-saw strikes, mostly in the form of forearms, but another Knight clothesline wipes out Shota to end the exchange. Knight looks to add to it with a death valley driver, but Shota kicks out at two… so Knight goes back to the strikes. He switched it up, but a moonsault out of the corner’s caught and turned into a pair of Cross Rhodes, but Knight countered the follow-up Death Rider into another small package.
Shota pushes on with a pop-up knee, but yet again gets rolled out of a Death Rider for a near-fall… a rear naked choke from Knight drags Shota to the mat. Elbow strikes follow as Shota ends up charging into the ropes to break the hold, before a Bloody Sunday DDT almost got the win. From the kick-out, Umino’s able to hit the Death Rider, and that’s your lot in a decent match – albeit one I don’t think the crowd were able to buy any result other than an Umino win. ***½
Leon Slater vs. Robbie X
Leon Slater’s yet to win in Rev Pro, but has had some impressive outings… can that change here?
This one started out hot as the early exchanged ended with the pair catching the other’s kicks… before duelling dropkicks led to a standoff. Slater flips out of a wristlock, then applied one of his own, before Robbie X front flipped his way into a clothesline in the corner from Slater. Slater’s thrown outside, but evades a dropkick through the ropes as they fought around ringside… leading to Robbie X breaking the count. He instantly pulled Slater outside and teased a whip into the wall, only for Slater to reverse it as Robbie X was forced to wall flip back into the youngster.
Back inside, a senton atomico gets Robbie X a two-count, before he chucked Slater back outside… there’s a quick return to the ring as Robbie X hit a hiptoss and a cartwheel dropkick for a two-count, before a powerbomb’s countered by Slater… only to get thrown onto the apron as a handspring kick knocked him off the apron. Slater’s able to hit a gamengiri to stop Robbie’s dive though, as they stayed on the outside again briefly. A leaping splash from Slater’s good for a two-count, before Robbie X went for a floatover… they counter each other’s counter, before a handspring from Slater’s dumped into a German suplex. That’s the cue for Slater to spill outside for a tope into the second row, before we headed back inside with Robbie X aborting a moonsault… which allowed Slater to chase him back into the corner for a dropkick.
Slater’s whipped into the corner in return, but he floats over, then hits a handspring back elbow to Robbie X, while a crossbody earned him a two-count as the pace remained high. A leaping stomp left Robbie laying, but he finds a second wind and knocked Slater into the corner for a roundhouse kick, before a shooting star out of the corner landed in Slater’s knees. Robbie X tries again, but he somersaulted into a handspring that’s countered into a Blue Thunder Bomb… while a Twister suplex added another near-fall for Slater. Leon then called for his swanton 450 splash, but it was overly telegraphed and allowed Robbie X to stop him with a backflip kick on the top rope. A headbutt knocked Robbie X down to the mat after that, but the swanton 450’s aborted in mid air as Slater ended up getting suplexed into the corner.
From there, Robbie X heads back up for a Spiral Tap for a near-fall, before a chop to the neck led to Slater rolling up Robbie as he went for the finish. See-saw sunset flips troll the ref with near-falls, before they unloaded with forearms once more… leading to a big chop from Robbie X, and a receipt from Slater. Another one from Robbie dumped Slater as the ante upped, leading to Slater faking out a superkick, and piling on Robbie as he went for a kip-up. Robbie X snaps back with a powerbomb for a near-fall, then a Code Red for a similar result, before a pop-up cutter left Slater prone. The X-Clamation’s next, and that handspring cutter’s enough to end a breathless main event. ***½
Post-match, Robbie X put over Leon Slater after another corker of a match… then suggested he throw his name in the hat for the upcoming British J Cup…
This show felt a little low-key – being in the lull between a big York Hall show and the next big Rev Pro event… but as is usual with these Rev Pro shows at the 229, what was served up was a solid card, which blew by at a shorter-than-usual two hour runtime.