The number one contenders’ tournament reached a head in Sheffield – as we found out who’d be next in line to challenge for Michael Oku’s championship.
Quick Results
Rev Pro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship Contenders Tournament Semi-Final: TK Cooper pinned Sha Samuels in 10:21 (***)
Ethan Allen & Luke Jacobs pinned Harry Milligan & Joshua James in 7:50 (**¾)
Rev Pro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship Contenders Tournament Semi-Final: Zozaya pinned Ricky Knight Jr. in 14:07 (***¼)
Best Two Out of Three Falls: Leon Cage defeated Chris Ridgeway by 2 falls to 1 in 18:54 (***¼)
Michael Oku submitted Jay Joshua in 16:35 (***½)
Lizzy Evo pinned Charli Evans in 7:37 (**¾)
Rev Pro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship Contenders Tournament Final: TK Cooper pinned Zozaya in 14:52 (***¼)
— To watch this show, head over to RevProOnDemand.com
We’re back at the Network in Sheffield for this one – Dave Bradshaw and Andy Quildan are running on commentary – and thanks to major streaming issues, we’re watching the replay of this.
Opening up with a video package recapping the number one contender’s tournament so far, including promo clips from the semi-finalists.
Rev Pro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship Contenders Tournament Semi-Final: TK Cooper vs. Sha Samuels
Sha’s been building this up as perhaps his final chance at a title shot – while TK Cooper looks to be taking first steps to a new life away from tag team wrestling in Rev Pro.
An even opening exchange ended with a leg lariat from TK Cooper inside 90 seconds, before Sha took things to the mat as he looked to wear down the New Zealander. Telegraphing the volley allowed TK to get free, leading to him sending Sha sailing to the outside with a nasty landing.
Making it back to the ring, Sha was instantly booted by TK, who maintained the upper hand as an Exploder suplex almost got the win… avoiding a scissor kick, Sha’s able to land that volley at the second attempt, before a Michinoku Driver led to a near-fall for the veteran. TK got the knees up as Sha tried to push this over the line with a frog splash, allowing TK to return fire with an Omelette du Fromage corkscrew ledrop… before he charged into a spinebuster from Sha as the match swung all over the place.
Heading up top, Sha crashes and burns on a moonsault before he had more luck on an East End Destroyer… only for TK to kick out in the nick of time. From there, TK mounts a fresh offensive, leading to a shooting star press for a near-fall… then a torpedo headbutt for another two-count… before another one to the head of Sha finally booked TK’s spot in the finals. ***
Post-match, Sha offered a handshake in defeat, only to get shoved down by TK.
Josh James & Harry Milligan vs. Young Guns (Luke Jacobs & Ethan Allen)
They dug up the old Sha Life music for these two, and I have a feeling we won’t be hearing it again tonight.
Jacobs and James start us off, with James enjoying the best of the early exchanges as he charged down Luke… only for Jacobs to return the favour. A tag brings in Ethan Allen, but both of the Young Guns got clotheslined down before Harry came in a double sledge to Allen’s arm.
Allen snapped back with a clothesline as Jacobs returned to the fray, hitting a backbreaker ahead of a top rope elbow from Ethan for a two-count as the champions looked to be hitting their stride. Chops and elbows kept Harry very much on the back foot, leading to a short-arm clothesline from Allen for a quick two-count as things headed down to the mat.
My feed drops out, and returns as Joshua James was amid a comeback… but Harry tagged himself back in pretty quickly so he could try doing his best Kobashi, chopping away at Luke, only to get swiftly felled. A blind tag brings Ethan back in as a sharp piledriver from Jacobs left Harry prone for a Doomsday device, and that’s your lot. They weren’t here for a long time, but this was a pretty by-the-books win for the tag champions ahead of their defence next month. **¾
Post-match, Joshua James looked to walk out, only to storm back in and help Harry to the back – but tensions are high between those two, stoked by how Sha Samuels has reacted to them differently.
Rev Pro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship Contenders Tournament Semi-Final: Ricky Knight Jr. vs. Zozaya
Winner gets TK Cooper in the finals – with RKJ having the edge here by way of his 2-1 record against Zozaya in their three matches last year.
A jump start gets this one off to a flying start, but we’re quickly at an impasse before Zozaya fell for a handshake… and got jumped for it. Andy Quildan almost goes all sing-song on commentary as Zozaya snuck in a rebound apron PK, before the Spaniard’s plancha eventually took down RKJ… who retaliated with a snap suplex into the front row.
Back inside, RKJ adds a second snap suplex as he stayed on Zozaya, adding a series of stomps to the neck before he faked out going to the top rope so he could spit instead. Zozaya’s able to hit a dropkick at the second attempt, taking RKJ outside for an elbow suicida… and then a wacky lap of honour that ended with RKJ just launching a chair into him.
Since we’re in Sheffield, RKJ’s got to do his stage dive elbow drop, before a 450 splash back inside came up short as Zozaya manages to score with a roll-up… then dropkick away a springboard moonsault attempt. Zozaya pushed on with an overhead throw and a diving leg lariat for a near-fall… before he added a stomp to the back for another two-count.
Zozaya heads up top after that kick-out, but has to cancel out his moonsault before RKJ’s back elbow looked cause issues. Of course it’s a fake-out as he caught Zozaya unawares with a cutter, before a piledriver set him up for another 450 splash… but Zozaya popped up with an uppercut to rock him as an avalanche de Madrid al Cielo ended with RKJ landing with his legs close enough to the ropes to force a break.
RKJ pulls the ref into the ropes to crotch Zozaya up top… that allowed Ricky to bring Zozaya down with an avalanche Dragon suplex, before a diving knee and a Vertebreaker almost got the win as Zozaya kept kicking out… before RKJ went for a half crab. Like a Bat Signal, that drew out Michael Oku to ringside, and that played into the finish as RKJ and Oku got into it with each other, leading to RKJ grabbing and posing with Oku’s belt, only to get rolled up by Zozaya for the win. Not a fan of the distraction finish, particularly given the number of times in the match Zozaya was made to look a little foolish during the match, but that finish having Oku involved tells me there’s plans for those two on a larger scale… ***¼
Post-match, RKJ chased Oku around ringside, before returning to the ring to lay out Zozaya with a Fire Thunder Driver.
Best Two Out of Three Falls: Chris Ridgeway vs. Leon Cage
We’ve got stakes in this one after the pair traded wins back and forth over recent weeks – the winner of this gets the shot at cruiserweight champion Will Kaven at next month’s Revolution Rumble… but whoever falls short here will get another chance at getting a shot, as they’ll be added to the British J Cup field.
A tentative start to the first fall saw Ridgeway bully Cage into the corners, picking his spots with kicks before Cage recognised the old playbook and began to hit back, landing a tijeras, a PK and a standing moonsault for an early two-count. Cage perhaps went for the Stomp into the Future way too early, as Ridgeway dropped down to hang up the arm in the ropes… and then went to work on an armbar seconds later.
Ridgeway keeps it on the deck from there, forcing Cage into almost a desperation comeback with some chops, only to get taken back down again for a levering armbar. A lovely hiptoss sees Ridgeway roll through with it into a bridging hammerlock on Cage, before a bridging German suplex almost took us to the first fall.
A series of flash roll-ups nearly saw Cage nick a pinfall, but Ridgeway went right back to the arm as a Fujiwara armbar earned the first fall at 9:16.
Resuming, Cage had to go all out to avoid a clean sweep, taking Ridgeway outside for an apron PK, before Ridgeway scarpered back inside to avoid being jumped onto. Like anyone with sense would. Back inside, though, Cage stayed on Ridgeway with a sleeper suplex, then a cartwheel enziguiri and a top rope ‘rana, before a suicide suplex sent both men sailing from the ring to the floor.
The teased double count-out doesn’t come to pass though, as the pair end up on the apron… with Ridgeway going back to the arm as he dumped Cage onto the side of the ring, then into the ring post. That attempt to get a count-out win also proved fruitless though, so Ridgeway goes back for another Fujiwara armbar, only for the ropes to save Cage. Another trip outside ended with Cage tripping Ridgeway into the crowd barrier before hitting his own stagedive with a moonsault to the floor.
Rushing back inside from there, Cage headed up top for a 450 splash… but Ridgeway kicked out, before Cage went for the Stomp into the Future. Ridgeway countered the powerbomb portion into a triangle armbar, only to get caught mid-transition as Cage rolled him up for the equalising fall at 16:24.
We’re at sudden death now, with Ridgeway refusing to adhere to the rest period between falls… only for Cage to meet him with a diving enziguiri as Ridgeway charged out the corner. A House Call followed, before Cage collapsed amid an attempted cartwheel enziguiri. Ridgeway tries to capitalise with PKs, then again with another arm whip, before a snap brainbuster looked to get the win, but Cage shifted momentum as he was being rolled up, and that’s a pair of flash pins that’s gotten Leon the win… and a shot at Will Kaven next month. I’d hardly call this a “strong” win as all of Leon’s falls over Chris Ridgeway have been flash/snap pins, but wins are wins, I guess. ***¼
Post-match, Will Kaven appears to pose with his Cruiserweight title…
Jay Joshua vs. Michael Oku
A non-title outing kicked off the second half – and whatever happened to both these guys’ former tag partner?
Also, spy the OCD-pleasing time when that bell went. 1:23:45. We start with Joshua throwing Oku aside with ease, before Oku turned up the tempo and took Joshua down with a tijeras. That success was short-lived though, with Joshua’s powerslam and back senton combo putting him back in control, before an attempt at the Scooby Doo suplex out of the corner was blocked by Oku, who clung on with a side headlock instead.
Oku manages to break free for long enough to head up top for a missile dropkick, following up with a swinging DDT by the ropes for a two-count as the match looked to have turned on its head. Joshua tries to hit back with a clothesline, but had more luck pancaking Oku before a gutwrench suplex on the rebound and that Scooby Doo suplex out of the corner left the champion shaken for long enough to pick up a two-count.
Joshua’s forced to defend a half crab before a springboard moonsault landed… with Joshua countering after the impact by rolling through for a death valley driver tease, which eventually came off with a hint of a Millshot on the end. Things picked up with an exchange of strikes that ended with Oku getting battered, but Joshua stopping to get in Amira’s face opened him up for a comeback as some back-and-forth ended with Oku landing a misdirection knee for a near-fall.
A trip up top from Oku’s delayed by way of a rising headbutt from Joshua, before an avalanche reverse ‘rana put Oku ahead… for like a second as a Torpedo headbutt from Joshua almost nicked the win. Joshua’s having to slap feeling back into himself as he proceeded to lift up Oku for a Gotch-style piledriver… but a back body drop took Joshua to the outside… only for Joshua to return with a through-the-ropes slam as things remained even.
Oku escapes a Gotch-style piledriver on the apron as he eventually hit a dropkick to take things to the floor for a Fosbury flop. A frog splash followed back inside for a near-fall, before Joshua countered a misdirection knee into a piledriver, before a torpedo headbutt was caught and countered into a half crab for the eventual submission. This was a pretty good non-title outing, with Joshua showing that he’s got more than enough in him to be a threat – but right now he’s got other issues to be contending with… ***½
Post-match, Joshua attacked a celebrating Oku from behind… which drew out Zozaya to make the save with a chair. Wrestling’s equivalent of a board with a nail in it. We even got a tense-ish staredown between Zozaya and Oku over the title belt, given Zozaya’s got the contender’s tournament final after this next match…
Lizzy Evo vs. Charli Evans
The Cut Throat Collective look to be on shaky ground as of late, what with the group having not been together as a five-pack for a while… and with Safire Reed seemingly having turned her own head.
We seemingly don’t get a bell to start as Lizzy Evo spent a lot of time messing around on the outside… so when we did get going, she’s quickly taken to the corner for some face-washing boots from Charli. Evo recovered to hit a low dropkick for a two-count, before some eye raking in the ropes and some good ol’ fashioned choking kept Evo ahead.
Evans tried to defend a camel clutch, but ended up having to bite her way free instead, before the pair traded strikes once more. Evans pulled ahead, tripping Evo by the ropes for a diving crossbody by the bottom rope, before a Fisherman’s suplex almost got the Aussie the win.
A diving knee from Evans keeps her on top… but seconds later Evo hit back with one of her own for the win. A little truncated, but pretty good for the time they had. **¾
We’re instantly taken to an “after High Stakes” clip outside the Doncaster Dome with Mercedez Blaze and Lizzy Evo reading Safire Reed the riot act. Serena Deeb chased them away with her Deeb Dojo flag, which apparently left current-day Lizzy Evo surprised as this became a challenge for a match between the two at the British J Cup in Stevenage.
Rev Pro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship Contenders Tournament Final: TK Cooper vs. Zozaya
Zozaya’s a little worse for wear after he’d been attacked by RKJ after their match – although he was well enough to make the save for Michael Oku about quarter of an hour ago!
After waiting for the introductions, things started off hot with Zozaya and TK charging at each other, but an early rake to the eyes from TK looked to be little more than an annoyance… so he hangs up Zozaya in the ropes ahead of a scissors kick for an early two-count. TK retained control with a neckbreaker as his game plan became obvious… and when Zozaya did threaten a break away, it wasn’t long before his neck injury slammed the brakes on.
An Exploder out of the corner keeps TK ahead, before he charged into a roll-through suplex as Zozaya managed to turn defence into attack. Yet again though, Zozaya couldn’t follow up as he crumpled to the mat, only to land an overhead throw and a superkick out of desperation for a two-count.
TK tries charging at Zozaya, but he’s just sent sailing to the outside… but a plancha’s cut off with a headbutt as TK then took things onto the apron for another neckbreaker, before he threw Zozaya into a wall in a bid to claim a count-out win. Zozaya made it back in time, but couldn’t avoid the Omelette du Fromage kick on the way back.
What Zozaya could avoid, though, was a shooting star press as TK crashed and burned, before the pair traded kicks to the head as Zozaya tried to make fresh inroads… a German suplex takes TK into the corner, before TK pulled referee Oscar Harging into the corner as the Spaniard came a-charging. With no ref, we get shenanigans as TK punted Zozaya low, ahead of a Torpedo headbutt for just a one-count. Zozaya there, rebelling on how everyone’s using that damn move these days!
TK persists with two more torpedoes, one to the back, and one to the front, for a near-fall… moments later, he’s caught up top as Zozaya brought him down with a Spanish Fly, before a follow-up attempt at an avalanche de Madrid al Cielo ended with Jay Joshua running out to break up the pin.
The resulting distraction bought TK time to get back to his feet for another Torpedo headbutt, before a ripcord headbutt and a shooting star press picked up the win. TK Cooper’s got the title shot against Michael Oku at June’s Revolution Rumble – in what astonishingly is TK’s first match for a singles in Rev Pro. ***¼
Rev Pro’s latest visit to Sheffield may have been cursed for those streaming along live (it must have been all the football fans coming back online to complain!) – but those who persisted, or waited it out for the on-demand version were treated to a show that had played a big part in a lot of upcoming shows. Throwaway, this wasn’t!