One week on from the Rumble, Rev Pro returned to the 229 for their usual monthly show, capped off with a three-way among some of the last men in the rumble.
Quick Results
Oskar Leube pinned Joshua James in 11:11 (***)
Chris Ridgeway pinned Shigehiro Irie in 15:12 (**¾)
Dani Luna pinned Chantal Jordan in 14:24 (**¾)
Zack Gibson & James Drake pinned Mirko Mori & Nico Inverardi in 12:12 (***¼)
Robbie X pinned Cameron Khai in 14:33 (***½)
David Francisco pinned Sha Samuels in 13:18 (***)
JJ Gale pinned Connor Mills & Ricky Knight Jr. in 19:23 (***¾)
— To watch this show, head over to RevProOnDemand.com
It’s that time of the month again – Sunday the whatever it is of April – and while most eyes are locked on an oversaturation of wrestling in and around Philadelphia, we’ve got the small matter of a stream from the 229 in London, with commentary from Andy Quildan and Gideon Grey.
Joshua James vs. Oskar Leube
Going in, the story was that Joshua James had been “left behind” as a Contender after David Francisco took it upon himself to “graduate.” James wanted a handshake from Oskar, but he was told to earn it…
Starting with lock-ups as Oskar was taken into the ropes for a fake-out on the break… he leathers James on the break before the German was taken down with a big POUNCE. Trading strikes on the outside, Oskar charges James into the side of the ring, before slams back inside left the Contender laying.
Forearms and chops take James into the corner, ahead of a Boston crab as Oskar rolled back into his Young Lion days. James makes it to the ropes, then sidestepped a charge into the corner… only for Oskar to whip him into the buckles moments later. Returning fire with a shotgun dropkick, James makes a turnaround with a splash into the corner, then a spinebuster for a near-fall. A side headlock from James is turned into a side suplex as Oskar got back in it, going back to the Boston crab, but again James makes it to the ropes.
James escapes a Michinoku Driver and began to throw back… Oskar returns the shots only to get caught with a double chop before he was clobbered with a bull lariat for a near-fall. From there, James looks for a Boston crab, rolling Oskar over… but loses his grip as Oskar was able to make it to the ropes.
Staying on Oskar with strikes, James heads up top… and misses a splash as Oskar pounced back with a Michinoku Driver for the win. A good showing in defeat for James, but it’s another win for Oskar as he prepared for that rematch with Mike D in two weeks… ***
Post-match, Oskar took the mic and took a dig at “some who think they can graduate themselves…” then told Josh James that he wasn’t a contender anymore. Cue handshake, and I guess the next time we see James, he’ll not be in those black trunks?
Shigehiro Irie vs. Chris Ridgeway
This was Irie’s last match of his current European tour, and Ridgeway’s first singles match in Rev Pro in two and a half years…
Irie’s thrown Ridgeway’s coat… which he folds up before we got going with a lock-up that took Ridgeway into the ropes for a clean break. A side headlock from Ridgeway’s pushed off, with resulting shoulder tackles not moving Irie before Irie came back with one of his own.
A slingshot splash off the ropes gets Irie a two-count, as the former wXw champion stayed on his man… until a dropkick to the knee allowed Ridgeway back in with a Dragon screw. A bridging deathlock to Irie’s bad knee forces Irie to strike his way free, but Ridgeway’s right back on it, following with a heel hook that Irie tried to bite his way out of.
Ridgeway’s kick to the back leads to a calf slicer, before he tied up Irie’s legs ahead of the eventual rope break as Irie bit the bottom rope. Hope that’s been cleaned…
Irie snaps back with a uranage from the apron ahead of a slingshot Teddy Bear splash back into the ring for a two-count. A cannonball crushes Ridgeway in the corner next, but Ridgeway’s able to kick out as he returned with a barrage of strikes and stomps to weaken Irie ahead of another heel hook.
Getting free, Irie’s back to trade as Ridgeway’s kicks looked to chip away… but Irie knocks Ridgeway down with a forearm before a follow-up piledriver earned Irie an instant response with a PK. They trade again until Irie pinned Ridgeway’s hand behind his head for a shot to the jaw.
A gut shot stops Irie in his tracks before he was pulled down into some crossface punches, before a battle for a suplex ended with Irie coming back with clotheslines. A back senton squishes Ridgeway, who responded by rolling Irie into an ankle lock… switching into a trapped-leg German suplex on the way to a two-count. Open hand slaps from Ridgeway lead to a brainbuster, before a PK to the back ended up being enough for the win. Live, this dragged, but wasn’t as bad on the replay – but you do get the sense that at least this part of the live crowd are hesitant to buy into Ridgeway. **¾
Post-match, Ridgeway keeps stomping away on Irie,
Chantal Jordan vs. Dani Luna
This was Jordan’s first match in Rev Pro since last October, and shockingly her first outing at the 229 for Rev Pro.
Starting with a lock-up, Jordan’s taken into the corner before Luna grounded Jordan with headscissors. They’re escaped as the pair go back-and-forth, before Luna took Jordan into the corner ahead of a pair of clotheslines, with a sliding lariat almost ending things in a hurry.
A running elbow from Jordan took Luna into the corner for some big hip attacks, before Luna blocked a suplex out of the corner, only to get caught with a rebound Northern Lights suplex for a two-count. Luna’s whipped into the corner from there, before she returned with a suplex out of nowhere.
Luna tries to roll the suplex, but Jordan escapes it and punts Luna in the back as she was pulling from the Ridgeway playbook. Trying for the rolling suplexes again, Luna’s caught with an uppercut for a two-count, while a head kick almost put the champion away. A diving boot from Luna stops Jordan’s momentum, as did a powerbomb and a wild lariat as Luna was swinging for the fences.
Squatting with Jordan on her shoulders, Luna looked for a Luna Landing, but Jordan slips out for some more kicks ahead of a punt and a Ki Krusher for a near-fall. In return, some rather nonchalant bodyslams just dump Jordan, who returns with a backfist before a ragdolling German suplex almost put Jordan away.
A small package sees Jordan get a one-count, but the follow-up head kick and Jig ‘n’ Tonic gets her closer… but Luna hits another back suplex and a clothesline… before the Luna Landing shut out Jordan. This one could have done with being a little tighter, but the finishing stretch showed Jordan was more of a challenge than Luna was perhaps asking for. If Jordan had been around more regularly, I’d suspect the crowd would have bitten more on some of those near-falls too. **¾
Post-match, Nightshade runs out and attacks Luna and Jordan, laying out Chantal with a back senton and a swinging side slam before Luna fought back… only to take a tree slam as Jordan then got dumped onto the champion with a powerbomb. It’s been two years since Nightshade’s been here, and I suspect after Safire Reed next week, Nightshade’s up next for Dani?
BBB (Mirko Mori & Nico Inverardi) vs. Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson)
It’s a Rev Pro return for the Brixia Bone Breakers, who were last here as a team February of last year beating Gideon Grey and Will Kaven…
Gibson and Drake were wrestling in Philadelphia literally two days earlier and hopped on a plane over for this… Gibson and Mori start us off, but it’s the champions who pulled ahead early on as Drake snapped back on Mori’s arm, only for Mori to catch him out with a wheelbarrow roll-up and a dropkick.
Nico Inverardi’s in to take a two count from a sliding forearm from Mori on Drake, but a blind tag led to Gibson catching out Inverardi with a slam and an uppercut. A Northern Lights from Inverardi’s good for a two-count, before Gibson’s roll-up put Inverardi on the back foot. Drake’s back to trip up Nico, then launch Mori off the apron with a dropkick, before Inverardi hung up Drake’s arm in the ropes.
Mori’s back as BBB snapped Drake’s fingers as the Italians proceeded to isolate Drake for a spell. A double wristlock from Mori’s slammed out of by Drake, before Inverardi came in and lost Drake as Gibson got the hot tag in. Mori’s hung up in the ropes as Gibson hung him into a Tree of Woe… Inverardi takes a kicking too, before he’s suplexed into his own man in the corner.
Mori’s cutter drops Gibson ahead of a sandwich of forearms for a near-fall, but Drake’s in to break it up. A quick turnaround sees Inverardi eat a trapped German suplex, then an assisted Asai DDT before Inverardi fought out of a Doomsday Device, leading to the Italians landing a Lo Down – superplex/frog splash combo – for a near-fall.
All four men are in the ring, albeit with Drake down in the corner… he’s right back with a dropkick as Gibson pinned BBB into the buckles, before Mori was hoisted up for a Doomsday device. From there, the Grit Your Teeth double Codebreaker followed, and that’s enough for the win as the champions picked up a hard-fought win. Much like the prior match, a good showing for BBB, but you suspect more outings here as a team would have had the crowd biting more. ***¼
Post-match, Gibson put over BBB saying that they weren’t the night off they wanted – before calling out the Greedy Souls for only showing their faces when they were sneak attacking them.
After intermission, Leyton Buzzard was brought out to something of a heroes welcome – he was out on crutches, and addressed the injury that tore his ACL and MCL at York Hall last week… after telling the crowd he’d relocated to Bristol so he could be on all of Rev Pro’s shows, he then mentioned that he’d not be going away while recovering, whether that meant he was by someone’s side… or on commentary.
Cameron Khai vs. Robbie X
Something tells me Andy might need a third headset for his birthday…
Robbie X has Jordon Breaks for the Cruiserweight title next week in Barcelona, so perhaps this match may be more of a tune-up? The pair trade wristlocks in the opening stages, before a lock-up into the ropes led to armdrags, leg sweeps and a low dropkick as Robbie X pushed ahead.
Khai ducks a clothesline and caught the former champion with a leaping forearm, before Khai swept the leg and hit a low dropkick for a two-count. Robbie chops back, then floated over into a hiptoss and a cartwheel dropkick, sending Khai onto the apron for a handspring kick to the floor.
Following outside, Robbie chops Khai around ringside, while a delayed senton atomico back inside kept him ahead. A running forearm off the ropes knocks Khai down for a two-count, before Khai was hung up in the ropes as Robbie then landed a senton bomb as Khai was draped over that top rope.
It’s good for a two-count, before Khai’s dropkick caught Robbie X unawares ahead of the rolling Northern Lights suplexes and a Falcon arrow for a near-fall. Robbie chops his way back into it, then threw Khai onto the apron… Khai’s right back with a Pingshot cutter, but Robbie blocks it and hit right back with a superkick.
A Beyblade kick catches Khai in the corner ahead of a cannonball, before a rebound German suplex and a sit-out powerbomb almost won it. Another superkick stuns Khai, who responds with a leaping knee before countering an X-Claimation into a German suplex. Croyt’s Wrath followed for a near-fall out of an Electric Chair, but it’s still not enough, as Robbie X then caught Khai with a backflip kick on the top rope.
A superplex from Robbie X gets countered into an avalanche Falcon Arrow for a near-fall. Robbie heads outside, but he’s able to kick away a dive attempt from Khai, ahead of of Khai returning with a slingshot cutter from the ring to the apron. Back inside, Khai’s taken into the corner for a running gamengiri… and that’s it! A surprising way to finish, but Cameron Khai took Robbie X a little further than he’d have expected… ***½
Post-match, Buzzard left commentary to give Cameron Khai a pep talk – is he likely to be the first to get some coaching?
David Francisco vs. Sha Samuels
Francisco’s got new-new music for his first match since he graduated himself. Marking your own homework never goes well…
Sha wanted a handshake before the bell, but Francisco’s not about that as Sha charged him down with a shoulder tackle early on. Francisco tries a hiptoss, but it’s blocked as Francisco ate a slam instead before Sha began to kick him in the kick.
Elbow drops from Samuels keep Francisco grounded, but he avoids one off the middle rope before he took Sha into the corners. Heading outside, Francisco scores with a dropkick through the ropes, before he chopped Sha around ringside. Francisco got a little carried away and tried to commentate during his own match, but he’s caught in the back before he took down Sha with a neckbreaker back inside.
Samuels looks to build back with some right hands, but he’s taken into the buckles ahead of another neckbreaker… this time being dropped over the knee of Francisco for a two-count. A clothesline in the corner followed, then another short-range clothesline for a two-count, before Sha looked to chop his way back in.
An eye rake and some kicks stop that, before a cravat was fought out of. Francisco shuts down Sha with a jawbreaker, following up with some mocking “East” punches… which Sha ducks before returning with some of his own. Sha’s leaping clothesline followed, before Francisco took Sha into the ropes ahead of a Stampede.
That almost wins it for Francisco, but Sha looked to come back with a Butcher’s Hook, only to get rolled up. A uranage backbreaker keeps Sha in it, ahead of an Exploder before he went up top for a moonsault… but Francisco rolls away, only to eat a spinebuster seconds later. Francisco now wants a handshake, but Sha just clobbers him with right hands before his East End Destroyer was back body dropped away.
A double-jump clothesline from Francisco followed of the top, ahead of a deadlift Blue Thunder bomb for a near-fall. The crossface looks to follow, but Sha slips out into a Butcher’s Hook… which ends in the ropes. More strikes from Francisco are returned by Sha, before a roll-up with the feet on the ropes earned Francisco the win. ***
Post-match, Sha took the mic and berated Rev Pro for not investing in VAR to call finishes like that. So he’s going to go home and watch it on-demand, and if Francisco won fairly… he’ll get a handshake, but if he hasn’t, then there’s hell to pay. On a scale of one to ten he’s f…
Connor Mills vs. Ricky Knight Jr. vs. JJ Gale
Among the final names in last week’s Rumble, and JJ Gale’s really starting to rack up the main events this year, huh?
Opening up with shoulder tackles, nobody’s budging… so we’ve armdrags instead as RKJ ends up getting taken outside with a pair of superkicks as Gale and Mills trade strikes. A low dropkick from Mills misses, but a Dragon screw and a second one finds its mark as Gale went out… and in came RKJ to start with strikes.
Mills chops himself out of a powerbomb, before a slam and a moonsault out of the corner drew a two-count for RKJ in the opening stages. Gale’s sent back outside with a chop as RKJ hit a stalling suplex to Mills… then one to Gale as he wouldn’t stay away. A misdirection uppercut takes RKJ to the outside as Gale began to uncork dives – first on Mills, then one to RKJ, before a second took Mills down into the crowd.
Gale keeps going with a moonsault into RKJ and Mills as Andy said bye bye to his security deposit, before all three returned to the ring with RKJ taking over in the corners… only for Mills to break freeahead of a double-jump ‘rana from Gale. A dropkick takes care of RKJ too, but Mills is able to pick up as he had RKJ in a tree of woe, then had Gale on top for a series of chops and kicks to the pair of them.
Mills tries to cap it off with a superplex, but RKJ turned it into almost a spider German… Mills lands on his feet and charged back with a dropkick to the still-upside-down RKJ before Gale got pulled down with a Dragon screw off the top. RKJ finds his way back in with corner dropkicks before he stacked up Mills and Gale for a Samoan drop as it they weighed nothing.
An Electric Chair from RKJ to Mills ends with Gale taking advantage with a… GOD DAMN DOOMSDAY DESTROYER? Gale stays in with a reverse ‘rana to RKJ, who instantly hit back with a superkick to the head, following up with a Fire Thunder driver that Gale slipped out of ahead of what I can only call a tornado Essex Destroyer? Mills is back to double stomp through Gale, before he literally butted heads with RKJ.
Gale takes a bunch more headshots as all three trade strikes, leading to a rebound lariat from Mills… and a swinging clothesline from RKJ to Mills. We’re back outside as RKJ clears the other side of the crowd, with Gale scoring with a tornado DDT off the apron to take RKJ into the crowd. That chair might need replacing…
Mills adds an apron PK to Gale, before he too went up top for a double stomp into Gale and another chair. RKJ’s back with a brainbuster to Mills on the side of the ring, before a 450 splash winded him on the way to a near-fall. Gale’s back to go for a backpack knee, but has more luck with a Side Effect to RKJ, head of a Falcon Arrow for another near-fall as Mills tried to break up the pin.
Mills blocks a Gale Force and comes back with a Ki Krusher on Gale, but it’s not enough as RKJ took Mills to the outside for a draping DDT off the apron. Back inside, RKJ puts his boots through Gale with a dropkick, then followed through with a release Razor’s Edge for another near-fall…
A Shell Shock follows, but Mills is able to pull out the referee to keep the match going. RKJ goes for a plancha to Mills, but the referee eats it instead, as Mills punts RKJ low. A low blow’s waiting for Gale too, which didn’t need the ref to be decapitated… but what the hey! Mills tries to finish things off with a Yakuza kick and a Burning Cutter, but RKJ’s senton bomb broke up the cover as he and Mills again butted heads.
The aggression continues between those two with Mills being brought to his knees before they continued to lay into each other. Gale tries to capitalise, but his Gale Force is blocked… Gale shoves Mills into RKJ, before a small package nearly won it. Gale Force connects at the second attempt, and that’s your lot. A suitably wild three-way on ‘Mania weekend as JJ Gale continues to build his stock… but Ricky Knight Jr. and Connor Mills still have something to settle as they continued to scrap afterwards. ***¾
Mills and RKJ, by the way, face each other this weekend in Barcelona – as Rev Pro goes international ahead of Epic Encounters in Stevenage later this month.
This show’s likely going to fly far under the radar thanks to events Stateside, it was another solid card in spite of the missing names – but if you’re cherrypicking matches, make sure you check out the main event and the GYV/BBB tag as Rev Pro continue to keep things moving along.