The evening after the Revolution Rumble… and it’s a stacked card on the south coast as Josh Alexander looked to stop JJ Gale from getting a big win in his home town.
Quick Results
Gabe Kidd pinned Joshua James in 10:14 (***¼)
Oskar Leube & Mike D Vecchio went to a double count-out in 9:55 (***¼)
Robbie X pinned Aigle Blanc in 15:56 (***½)
Luke Jacobs pinned Shigehiro Irie in 13:12 (****¼)
Anthony Ogogo pinned Sha Samuels in 11:17 (***)
Zack Gibson & James Drake pinned Chuck Mambo & TK Cooper to retain the Rev Pro Undisputed British Tag Team Championships in 16:49 (***½)
Josh Alexander pinned JJ Gale in 18:31 (****)
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We’re not even 24 hours removed from the Revolution Rumble – which was won by Luke Jacobs – and we’ve got a stacked line-up at the 1865 in Southampton.
Before we could get going, we’re interrupted by David Francisco, who’s refusing to be a Contender again after having been in the black trunks for nearly 900 days. He takes off his Contender’s shirt, revealing a “Chaotic Neutral” tee, which reminds me of the days when Gideon Grey chucked a “CONSUME” shirt and yelled at me. Anyway, Francisco refuses to be a Contender any more… but then leaves the ring as Joshua James made his entrance.
Joshua James vs. Gabe Kidd
Oh dear…
Kidd took his sweet time getting ready, as we opened with a lock-up, heading into the ropes with Kidd on the break. James hits the ropes for shoulder tackles, before switch it up with chops… leading to a shoulder tackle that took James down. A shoulder tackle seconds later has Kidd down, before the pair resumed trading chops, with Kidd ending up taking a back suplex and a splash for a quick two-count.
An Irish whip takes Kidd into the corner, but he’s able to catch James with a big boot and a Saito suplex in return. Another slap from Kidd sinks James, who’s baited into chopping his way back in, before he was caught with a headbutt instead.
James gets taken outside, but beats the count as he tried to muster a response, stinging Kidd with chops. A double handed chop finally takes Kidd down, as did a pop-up spine buster and a POUNCE. More chops follow from James, ahead of a Bull lariat from Kidd… who followed up with a brainbuster for a near-fall.
Another double chop from James riles up Kidd, who’s caught with a short-distance spear for a delayed near-fall. James adds a clothesline before a Bull lariat was ducked… Kidd hits one of his own for a near-fall, before Kidd’s knee buckled on a piledriver attempt. Second time’s the charm, and it’s enough to get the win. ***¼
Kidd’s helped to the back as Joshua James got an applause from the crowd… surely his days as a Contender are numbered?
Mike D Vecchio vs. Oskar Leube
This was the match that sold me…
Things quickly break down into strikes as they finally find something that’s not the hard camera, with Oskar clubbing down Mike D. See-saw shoulder tackles end with Oskar charging down Mike D, but the Belgian kips up before he avoided a dropkick and hit some of his own. A clothesline takes Oskar outside as Mike D flies with a pescado into the front row!
Back inside, Mike D lifts Oskar up top… but he runs into a big boot before Oskar shoved him to the apron, then suplexed him back in. Mike blocks a slam attempt, but can’t avoid a chop, nor some mudhole stomping in the corner. A big slam gets Oskar a two-count, before Mike fought out of a Boston crab, only for Oskar to roll him over into it seconds later.
Mike gets the ropes to force the break, then began to fight back with forearms. Oskar clubs away some more, before he threw off a mounted sleeperhold… only for Mike D to hit back with an enziguiri and a diving boot into the corner. Taking Oskar up top, Mike D runs and leaps into a top rope ‘rana on the German, before he leapt up again for a flying splash across the ring for a near-fall.
Heading up again, Mike D goes for a 450 splash, but lands on his feet as Oskar returned with a back suplex for a two-count of his own. A rear naked choke from Oskar has Mike D in trouble, but Mike gets to the ropes… and returns with a wild lariat off the ropes! Another dive from the Belgian is sidestepped as Oskar boots him instead, as the pair then brawled around the crowd, with Mike D chopping Oskar by the wall.
Oskar returns the favour… but the pair lose track of the referee’s count, and we’ve a double count-out. THIS FEUD DAMN WELL BETTER CONTINUE. ***¼
Post-match, referees come out to separate the pair, but do a bad job of it as the scrap continued.
Aigle Blanc vs. Robbie X
You get the feeling Robbie X is looking for a Cruiserweight title shot, having eliminated Jordon Breaks in the Rumble yesterday.
The ref’s had enough of the crowd chanting and calls for the bell as we got going with a handshake before Aigle Blanc flipped through a lucha roll through as we reached a stand-off. Armdrags and headscissors keep the pair even, before Robbie sidestepped a splash in the corner, then took Aigle outside with a dropkick.
Robbie brings him back inside for a crushing senton atomico for a two-count, before a standing corkscrew moonsault and a low dropkick kept the former champion ahead. Aigle retaliates with bodyscissors to take Robbie outside for an Orihara moonsault, then stayed back on him with the headscissors/neckbreaker back inside.
Scooting out of the headscissors, Robbie X gets to the ropes, only for Aigle to take him back up for a flying senton to the back. A blocked hiptoss allows Aigle in with an abdominal stretch, following up with a snapping twisting suplex for a two-count, before he began to strike away at Robbie’s back.
Robbie X finally hits back with a hiptoss and a low dropkick, taking Aigle outside for a plancha, before a Molly Go Round back inside nearly won it. Aigle nicks a near-fall before a flying ‘rana ‘driver had Robbie stunned… while a Meteora to the back of the head stacked Robbie on his dome for a near-fall.
Aigle keeps pushing on with a Tiger Driver for another two-count, before Robbie grabbed onto Aigle’s leg. He’s met with a forearm to break it up, before the pair hit the ropes… leading to a double clothesline. A backflip kick from Robbie X looks to have him on top, before a ripcord enziguiri from Aigle led to a reverse ‘rana…
An X-Claimation’s countered into a German suplex, but Robbie’s able to remain neck and neck. Heading up top, Robbie X is caught by Aigle… a sunset bomb’s flipped out of by Aigle, who misses a 450 splash before he got caught with a diving gamengiri in the corner. Robbie’s standing shooting star press gets a quick two-count, before a dropkick cuts off another X-Claimation.
Aigle follows through, but leaps into an apron death valley driver as Robbie X then took it back inside for a Spiral Tap for a near-fall. Telegraphing another X-Claimation, Robbie chops Aigle… but the Frenchman slumps to the mat. A stomp to the hands from Robbie X looked to lead to another X-Claimation, but it’s countered with a roll-up before an Alley Oop countered Robbie’s top rope ‘rana.
From there, a flying DDT onto the edge of the ring has Aigle back on top, but a 450 splash back inside doesn’t quite do it… in the end, Robbie X counters a Desert Eagle into a Destroyer, before finally landing that X-Claimation for the win. In defeat, this did a hell of a lot for Aigle Blanc, who’d better be brought back sooner rather than later on this showing! ***½
Shigehiro Irie vs. Luke Jacobs
This was an absolute blast live last year in wXw… so I’m not going to be against this being run back!
Locking up into the ropes, we get a clean break before Irie backed Luke into the ropes… Irie ducks a cheapshot, then came in with shoulder tackles before he ran through a chop and charged down Jacobs. Luke’s quickly back in with one of his own, before a Violence Party of chops and forearms in the corner wore down Irie.
A snapmare leaves Irie down for a sliding lariat, but he sidesteps it then took Jacobs down for the slingshot splash. It’s good for a near-fall, as Jacobs eventually booted Irie ahead of a slam and a back senton. Jacobs’ splash and suplex chucks Irie into the corner for a two-count, which looked to do some damage to the ankle.
Irie’s pulled up and chopped around the ring, but he sidesteps a leaping forearm into the corner before Irie got caught with a DDT. Chops kept Irie on his knees as Jacobs looked to up the aggression, only to get caught with a brainbuster in the middle of the ring. Headbutts from Irie lead to a Bossman slam for a near-fall, before Jacobs took Irie up… and chopped him down to the apron.
Jacobs looks to charge Irie off the apron, but got caught with a STO from the apron ahead of a slingshot Teddy Bear splash back in for a near-fall. More chops from Jacobs led to a rebound German suplex on Irie, then a sliding D and a brainbuster for good measure. Irie tries to fight out of a Boston crab before it’s fully applied, but Jacobs won out in that battle before a sliding clothesline drew a near-fall.
A crossface follows, but Irie’s able to drag his way to the ropes for a break. Returning with strikes, Irie has Jacobs briefly dazed, only to get caught with a pop-up powerbomb… then return with an Alabama Slam of all things! We’re back to the strikes as neither man was holding back, leading to a lariat from Irie… and a big ol’ cannonball into the corner.
A Beast Bomber’s next, but Jacobs is just about up in time… Irie holds Jacobs up for a punch to the face, only for Jacobs to return with a deadlift German suplex… back-and-forth lariats led to Irie getting pulled into a crossface, and that’s all folks. They did it again, another absolute cracker of a match to wrap up a heck of a first half on the South coast… ****¼
Anthony Ogogo vs. Sha Samuels
Kicking off the second half, we’ve got one of the Rumble’s MVPs – and I do wonder if they’re going to tease us with Oku/Ogogo after that elimination yesterday…
Locking up into the ropes, Ogogo breaks cleanly before he wound his fist back as Sha went for him. Changing tactics, Sha grabs a side headlock before a leaping shoulder tackle took Ogogo down from the push off. Another headlock on the mat grounds the former boxer, but Ogogo gets free and scores a headlock takedown of his own.
A hiptoss from Samuels, then a clothesline helps to turn it around, before an uppercut to the back of the knee had Ogogo rocked. Sha keeps going with a double sledge, before Ogogo just flung him off the top rope, then powerbombed the former champion. After bringing Sha back inside, Ogogo keeps going with a clothesline off the ropes for a two-count, before he wore down Sha’s lower back.
Sha’s back elbow surprised Ogogo as the fightback looked to be on, but Ogogo is right back with a suplex and a cravat. Ogogo adds a slam to that, before he took too long to follow up and ended up landing in Sha’s boots. Forearms from Sha see him build momentum, as did a series of elbow drops, before Sha crashed and burned on a moonsault.
Ogogo teases a right hand, but Sha ducks and comes back with a Michinoku driver for a near-fall. From there, the Platty Jubes gets a two-count for Ogogo, before Sha ducked a punch and hit back with a spinebuster. It’s good for a near-fall, as Sha then looked for an East End Destroyer… but a back body drop and a right hand from Ogogo stopped that for the elementary pin. ***
Post-match, Ogogo took the mic and talked up his record to date… including eliminating Michael Oku in the Rumble last night. Ogogo seemed to think Oku was at home, but he isn’t… and that’s the cue for Ogogo to bail as Oku offered Ogogo a title shot. Of course, Southampton wanted it right here, right now.
Ogogo charges the ring and gets caught with kicks and a dropkick, before a trip up top ended with Oku jarring his knee on the landing before he was popped up into a punch. Fortunately for Oku, there’d been no ref to start this…
Rev Pro Undisputed British Tag Team Championship: Sunshine Machine (TK Cooper & Chuck Mambo) vs. Grizzled Young Vets (Zack Gibson & James Drake) (c)
This originally wasn’t for the GYV’s newly-won titles… but Chuck Mambo talked his way into it, saying they’d gotten used to having belts. Say, whatever happened to those belts they had in Berlin?
Starting with Drake and Cooper, we’ve headscissors and side headlocks on the mat before a leg lariat from TK took down Drake for an early one-count. Mambo’s in to work over Drake’s arm, before a wheelbarrow armdrag and a drop toe hold took Mambo in for a surfboard. Drake’s instantly in the ropes, but TK tags in to take him into a Flatliner for a two-count, before TK was nearly shoved through the ropes as Drake tries to push out of a side headlock.
Gibson tags in and blisters Mambo with a chop, before the pair double-teamed Mambo ahead of a spinning heel kick from Drake for a two-count. Mambo recovers for a springboard armdrag to Gibson, before Drake’s return led to a quick barrage of offence that cleared the decks.
Drake follows TK outside for a plancha, then rolled him back in for a bulldog out of the corner for a two-count. A blind tag from Gibson breaks up the pin as he then stretched over TK into a straitjacket choke, before things spilled outside with TK getting dropped against the side of the stage.
Back inside, Gibson stayed on top of TK, grounding him with side headlocks before TK managed to get free… only to get taken into the champions’ corner. A missed spinning heel kick from Drake allowed TK to make the tag to Mambo, who ran wild ahead of a springboard Blockbuster to both Gibson and Drake.
The Combo Meal elbow drop/reverse DDT almost got TK and Mambo the win, ahead of the German Suplex Turbo Charged By The Power of Friendship for another near-fall. Drake escapes a Gutterball, turning it into a backslide for a near-fall before Gibson tagged back in and hit a cross chop to Mambo. An assisted Asai DDT on Mambo leaves him prone… but TK grabs onto Drake as a small package almost led to the title change.
In the end, a trapped enziguiri took Mambo to the outside to spark a Parade of Stuff. Mambo’s trapped in the corner for a running Drake dropkick, before TK tried to stop a Doomsday Device… by pulling Drake into the buckles. A turnaround sees Sunshine Machine stomp a mudhole in Gibson, while TK’s scissors kick, a Mambo splash and a frog splash almost got the win.
Drake stops a Designated Drive, throwing TK to the floor before Gibson hoisted up Mambo for a Doomsday Device… the double Codebreaker follows, and despite TK’s best efforts, that’s enough for the win. ***½
Post-match, Gibson put over Sunshine Machine… but TK and Mambo didn’t seem to be onboard. Especially when they hung back afterwards as Francesca seemed to have further questions for them about their future. TK noted that they never win in Southampton (except that one time), before saying that they’d be going back to the drawing board because something’s got to change. Hopefully not the number of teeth in Chuck’s mouth…
Josh Alexander vs. JJ Gale
Gale eliminated Alexander during yesterday’s Revolution Rumble… can he get the same scalp two nights in a row?
Alexander looked to control things early on, trading wristlocks with Gale before taking him down into a STF. Gale’s back with a snapmare and a crucifix for a two-count, only for Alexander to go back with waistlock takedowns before he was taken into the ropes. Gale misses an anziguiri and gets caught with an ankle lock… but he kicks his way free before hitting the ropes for a springboard ‘rana out of the corner.
A dropkick takes Alexander outside, where a flip senton crashes into the Canadian, before a senton atomico back inside got Gale a two-count. Gale kicks away a toe hold, then took Alexander into the ropes with an uppercut… only to get caught with a uranage backbreaker and a reverse suplex for good measure. Chops from Alexander follow, then a rebound Northern Lights suplex for a near-fall.
Forearms from Alexander have Gale down to a knee, before a discus forearm took Alexander into the corner… while sinking Gale as well. Gale recovers with a spinning heel kick, then a German suplex before a springboard twisting European uppercut out of the corner drew a two-count. Rolling Germans from Alexander follow in return, but Gale’s able to strike back with a spinning heel kick before a forearm out of the corner restored order for Alexander.
A Gourdbuster from Gale looks to open things up, but Archer’s quickly back with a spinning rack bomb for a two-count instead, before Alexander blocked a backpack knee and went right back to an ankle lock. Gale uses the ropes to get free and propel Alexander to the outside… but he has to opt for a plancha as Alexander’d injured the ankle earlier.
Rolling Alexander back inside, Gale heads up top… but gets caught as Alexander looked to bring him down with an avalanche Finlay roll. Jeez…
Back to their feet, Gale and Alexander trade blows again, but a Side Effect stops Alexander in his tracks before Gale rolled him up… and got met with a back body drop. A powerbomb onto the knee’s next from Alexander, but Gale jack-knifes him in response for a two-count, then rolled him up before a Gale Force was easily punched away. From there, Alexander pulls up Gale for the C4 Spike, and that’s your lot – a valiant effort in defeat for JJ Gale, but it’s the former TNA champion Alexander who leaves with the W. ****
Post-match, Alexander offered a handshake, which was accepted, as Gale took the crowd’s applause to close the show…
For some, this’ll be a show of two halves – but a strong bounce after the big show in London the day before, with strong main events in the first and second half to go out of your way for. With a lot of the regulars away in America for next weekend’s 229 show, this could easily be seen as a substitute, but with Rev Pro setting course for the Copperbox in August, there’s a lot of wrestling to be done in the next five months.