The Sugar Mill played host to “more than a show” as the face of Rev Pro changed in New Orleans.
We’re at WrestleCon, and an extremely packed venue too, with live reports of the venue having to add extra seats just to get folks to stop standing in the aisles! Andy Quildan is doing double-duty on commentary and ring announcing, joined by Joe Dombrowski.
David Starr vs. Martin Stone
Andy didn’t do the nicknames again, prompting Starr to call him a “corporate bitch” before rattling them off himself, sadly without mocking Andy’s voice.
Commentary does a good job of filling in the story about “David Starr’s conspiracy” for those who may be new to the product, as Starr enjoyed the upper hand early on, taking down Stone with a Thesz press before Stone began a comeback… sending Starr flying out of the ring. Oops!
They exchange chops on the floor until Starr scooped Stone into a back suplex on the apron, as the Product started to edge ahead with those near-falls. Stone actually headbutts away a clothesline before cracking his head against Starr’s, as the Guv’nor launched into a comeback, taking Starr into the corner for a short lariat that almost ended things.
A triangle armbar almost saw Stone pin himself as Starr burst back into life, scoring with a springboard clothesline, only for Stone to punch away a dive attempt. The Product Recall comes next as Starr snuffed out what looked to be a last-ditch effort from Stone, or so we thought, as an Exploder and a big right hand knocked down Starr for a two-count. Stone throws some more right hands as Starr tried to reply with chops, leading to the inevitable chop battle, until a headbutt from Stone sent Starr into the ropes for a Han Stansen!
Stone kicked out from that, but he’s quickly dragging Starr into a crossface… rolling him into the middle of the ring when Starr almost got to the ropes, but somehow Starr stands up and breaks it with a backbreaker! The end comes not long after, when Stone looked for a monkey flip, but Starr stuffs it and ends up getting the pin with his feet on the ropes. A nice back-and-forth match to get us going, and the irony in Starr winning via cheating is obvious. ***¼
Post-match, referee Bryce Remsburg tried to ask the fans to confirm if there was cheating, but Starr’s just happy with the win. God, “scumbag” David Starr is a joy to watch, isn’t he?
Adam Brooks vs. Brian Cage
Brooks jumped Cage before the bell, as Chris Roberts was doing the usual pre-match checks… leading to a ‘rana to the outside and a PK as the Loose Ledge came storming out of the blocks.
Brooks keeps up, throwing Cage’s leg into the ropes before kicking it, and it’s an extremely overly-confident start, as Cage roared into life, flipping Brooks with a release German suplex. EFFORTLESSLY. As was the stalling suplex with some squats, because Brian Cage is strong, scary and agile. A Beele throw turfed Brooks across the ring, following up with a thunderous back elbow before he missed a 619, as Brooks poked him in the eye. Brooks tries for a slingshot DDT onto the apron, but Cage blocked it… only to get knocked to the floor for a Space Flying Tiger Drop!
Back inside, Brooks lands an enziguiri as he tried to lift up Cage… and failed, instead taking a big boot and a leaping knee before shrugging off a reverse ‘rana to dump Brooks with a lariat. Cage rolled to the apron as he caught another slingshot DDT, before he was instead crushed with a Meteora onto the apron. That was impressive accuracy!
The slingshot DDT connects in the ring as it was third time lucky, allowing Brooks a chance to go airborne… but he misses a senton and gets dumped with a powerbomb, a buckle bomb and deadlift superplex off the apron as the Machine almost took the W. Cage tries to fly too, but Brooks kicks Chris Roberts into the ropes, crotching Cage in the process.
Brooks looked for a top rope ‘rana, and eventually gets it off after Cage looked to have turned it into a powerbomb, before we get a ref bump as an airplane spin saw Brooks take out the ref… who recovers just in time to count the pin after a low blow and a big handful of tights from Brooks. Two cheap finishes in a row, but let’s be fair, on a Rev Pro-branded show, this was perhaps the best way to get the job done without Cage looking too weak. ***¼
Rocky Romero, Chuckie T & Will Ospreay vs. Shane Strickland, Flip Gordon & Kota Ibushi
Flip Gordon didn’t exactly get a hot reaction, as I’m guessing a lot of this crowd were still stinging from him being the “surprise” at the WrestleCon supershow the prior day.
Ospreay had a laser-focus on Ibushi from the second his music hit, while Kota’s tag partners bowed down to him. I think he’s already got a best mate, so there’s no need to kiss up to him!
There was a hushed silence at the start of this trios match, which started with Strickland and Romero, who keep it grounded as Rocky clung onto a headlock. There’s an eye poke too as Rocky channelled Eddie Guerrero, but Strickland bounces right back as he handstands into a ‘rana, turning the pace up so quickly that Romero’s forced to tag out. Chuckie T comes in and cheapshots Gordon from a handshake, but Flip rebounds from a shoulder tackle as he lived up to his name, taking Chuckie to the floor as he has to fake out a dive, before we get the pairing we all wanted: Ospreay and Ibushi… and yes, the crowd roared for the staredown!
The CHAOS trio heeled on everyone though, as Romero and Chuckie rushed the ring to attack Ibushi, triple-teaming him in the corner, as Kota quickly found himself becoming isolated. Strickland’s tagged in to help keep the match fresh, as he clobbers Rocky with a leaping back kick for a near-fall, taking over until Chuckie T tripped him as CHAOS again took over, with Ospreay using a ring jacket to choke the King of Swerve with. Ospreay keeps things slowed down until Rocky spent ages setting up for a back heel to Strickland’s head as CHAOS were just flat out trolling us now.
Chuckie T teased a moonsault, but misses as Strickland got free and nailed a roll-up Downward Spiral, before Shane tagged to Ibushi, who made a point of flying off screen into Rocky and Ospreay before going back for Chuckie in the ring. Kicks follow, as does a standing moonsault, but Ospreay’s barely in to break up the count, and we’re into the flips as a step-up senton sees Gordon go to the floor via Rocky and Ospreay.
The numbers game now gets played against Chuckie, as a reverse Finlay roll from Gordon almost led to the finish, with Ospreay again making the save, before Ibushi was cornered for the Forever lariats, eventually getting dumped on his head as he tried to escape one. Kota’s back with a dropkick, before Gordon and Ospreay tagged in to show off their dropkicks, leading to Ospreay somehow landing in his feet from Flip’s top rope ‘rana.
A lifting reverse DDT only gets a two-count for Ospreay, only to get wrecked by a springboard spear from Gordon as we entered a vicious parade of strikes, ending with duelling boots from Ospreay and Ibushi. Duelling overhead kicks led to another head-to-head, as they teed off with forearms, until Ibushi’s slap flurry sparked another rapid-fire series, ending with hook kicks and enziguiri.
Yep, the crowd loved that fleeting exchange!
The pair keep up, but Ibushi’s caught with a Cheeky Nando’s, crumpling to the outside afterwards. Flip Gordon rushes in to hit a springboard stunner as the live editor was preparing for a dive, before Gordon’s 450 splash lands him on Ospreay’s knees for a near-fall. From there. More kicks and an OsCutter follow, and that’s another win for Ospreay! A contest that came across better live, according to reports, but this was a fun trios match that gave us a tantalising tease of an Ospreay/Ibushi match that I really want to see on a bigger stage. ****¼
Jeff Cobb vs. Minoru Suzuki
Well, here’s another match that I didn’t know I wanted to see!
Suzuki was annoyed by Chris Roberts’ pre-match checks, threatening to punch him out before Cobb and Suzuki opened up with some grapple attempts. When that didn’t work out well for Suzuki, he just suckered Cobb with some shots, before pulling down the big man’s singlet for some chops. Suzuki’s laugh was unnerving as Cobb fought back, landing a shoulder tackle, before Suzuki caught Cobb with a leg lock in the ropes! The legs of Cobb seem to be Suzuki’s target, as he reaches into the crowd for a chair, but he’s disarmed by Chris Roberts as the ring post gets used to good effect.
Ah, Suzuki grabs the chair again and shoves down Roberts so he can use the chair on Cobb, before bringing it back into the ring to keep up on Cobb’s legs, utilising a leg spreader before going to basics by stomping on the knee. Suzuki keeps popping the crowd by going after Roberts, but that gets Cobb back to his feet as we’re back to the strikes, with Minoru laughing them off before a dropkick took him by surprise.
A Samoan drop from Cobb followed for a two-count, but Suzuki’s right back with a big boot and a thunderous PK for a near-fall, as he goes straight into a leg lock as Cobb had to hold on for dear life. Kicks to the inside and out of Cobb’s legs follow, but Suzuki can’t quite get on a rear naked choke as Cobb finally lands a suplex to get him free. A pumphandle fallaway slam, bridging, nearly wins it for Cobb, before Suzuki slips through into the rear naked choke, as Cobb clips free.
Suzuki slithered into the ropes to get right back on Cobb, who replied with a lariat, before a powerbomb from Cobb’s countered into a rear naked choke, with Suzuki dragging Cobb away from the ropes before the tapping happens. An impressive and dominant performance from Suzuki, who’s a little more than a month away from heading back to the UK to defend the Rev Pro tag titles against CCK. ***¾
Aussie Open (Mark Davis & Kyle Fletcher) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Juice Robinson
Yep, this is a huge challenge for the Aussies ahead of their match with Riddle and Cobb next month.
I get a kick out of seeing “LARGO” on Juice Robinson’s boot – as a reminder to the loops he used to do not so long ago – and we’re underway with Kyle Fletcher taking a big back body drop from Juice, before a low dropkick turned the tables back around. Mark Davis is in next, poker-facing his way into some huge chops from Robinson, before Juice no-sold the high five of doom. Ah man…
A flapjack and a back senton nearly gets Davis the win, before he hauled Robinson into a pendulum swing as Fletcher dropkicked it away for another two-count. The Aussies were smartly keeping Tanahashi out of the match, but a leaping leg lariat from Juice killed that plan as the Ace of New Japan got the tag in!
Duelling dropkicks wipe out the Aussies, as Tanahashi took Fletcher down for a flip senton that misses, allowing Kyle to nail a springboard moonsault for a near-fall. Tanahashi’s actually cornered for a while as Davis comes in for some chops, before Tanahashi’s attempt to fight back two-on-one ended with a Fletcher superkick… a superkick that hit, while somehow looking like it missed, if that makes sense?
Juice comes in to break up the cover as he got fed up of the double-teams… but Davis tries to ground Tanahashi with a chinlock, only for Tanahashi to fight back and land a Dragon screw as Juice gets the hot tag in, clearing house on Davis with Dusty punches. Kyle gets some too, before Davis took a falling DDT for good measure, as Robinson was right on top of things, such as Mark Davis, as a crossbody off the top scored a near-fall.
Davis shoves away from a Pulp Friction, scooping Juice up for an assisted cutter from Fletcher. Kyle’s in his element as a cocky prick heel, knocking down Tanahashi of the apron… and he’s instantly made to pay as Tana gets the tag in to land a forearm, before he’s taken into the corner for Davis’ sliding forearm. An assisted spinebuster almost puts Tanahashi away, but Tanahashi’s back with a Slingblade and swinging neckbreakers, before a Hart Attack Slingblade almost led to the win.
From there, Juice punches out Dunkzilla and lands the Pulp Friction to get rid of Davis, before a High Fly Flow flattened Fletcher for the win. Tonnes of fun, and a match that some took as a “reward” for Aussie Open who held their own, but will be looking to go one better in their next high profile tag for the company. ***½
Rev Pro British Heavyweight Championship: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (c)
A bit of a wacky choice of main event, especially as Ishii’s heading into a rematch against Keith Lee at York Hall… a match that’s been pushed as the main event for next month’s Epic Encounters. Can he leave here with a big win?
There’s a rather mixed crowd for Sabre here, who’s called out on commentary as perhaps being not 100% from his New Japan schedule alone.
Sabre starts by taking Ishii to the mat as the pair fought for an advantage, before the stalemate took both men back to their feet. Zack tries to rile up Ishii by pie-facing him, and then patronisingly patting him on the head. Bad move, Zack… as shown by the big forearm from Ishii!
Zack replies with uppercuts, but a simple headbutt floors him, before he’s taken into the corner for some chops, with every single one of them taking Sabre to the mat. An attempted abdominal stretch sees Zack pull Ishii down to the mat, as he cycles through some of his holds in a bid to wear down Ishii a little, nearly forcing a decision with a trapped-arm armbar until Ishii managed to get a foot to the ropes.
Sabre keeps up on Ishii’s wrist, torquing it like he’s want to do, before we counter counter and counter into an Ishii brainbuster. Just as Ishii looked for a superplex, Sabre catches him with an armbar on the top turnbuckle, before he piefaces Ishii again, rather nonchalantly, in fact, as the Stone Pitbull finally scored with that superplex. Ishii’s forced onto the defensive pretty soon thereafter as Sabre’s back to the cross armbreaker, then a triangle armbar as Ishii was forced to powerbomb his way free. They head to back-and-forth strikes, with Ishii’s having just enough on them to knock Sabre to a knee, before he misses an enziguiri… allowing Sabre to take him down with an armbar as we’re floating back and around submissions again, ending when Ishii got free and caught a running Zack with a back suplex.
From there, we get a folding powerbomb for a near-fall for Ishii, but a sliding lariat’s caught as Zack’s back in a grounded Tequila Sunrise, with Ishii eventually getting to the ropes for freedom. Sabre’s back to toying Ishii with kicks and stomps, almost beyond the point it was disrespectful, as Ishii used them to fire up, walking into Zack’s strikes before headbutting the champion down. The sliding lariat succeeds this time for a near-fall, but Sabre escapes a brainbuster as he climbed into a brief mounted armbar, before the Euro clutch almost led to the end.
Sabre keeps up with another rolling clutch, again for a near-fall, but Ishii uses that to mount one last comeback, throwing in a clothesline before drilling Zack with a sheer drop brainbuster… AND WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION! The crowd popped loud for that, as I bet nobody expected Sabre’s reign to end after 396 days… not in New Orleans! A truly spectacular main event as we got a mash-up of the standard Ishii and Sabre matches that worked to perfection. ****½
Rev Pro’s WrestleMania-weekend show lived up to the stupidly high standards that we’ve had all weekend – with the main event stealing the show from the trios match. While the main event result raises some massive eyebrows, especially with the later news regarding Sabre’s supposed New Japan status. Does that massively telegraph the tag title match at York Hall, or does Suzuki-gun hold on and keep the tag titles until the summer’s big New Japan shows? Then again, if being a New Japan full-timer is such a massive stumbling block, then putting the belt on Ishii is like going from the frying pan and into the fire…