Bizarro world got their reward as David Francisco challenged Michael Oku for the British Heavyweight title here.
Quick Results
JJ Gale pinned James Ellis in 7:38 (***½)
Ricky Knight Jr. pinned Leon Cage in 15:49 (***½)
Alex Windsor submitted Amira in 9:24 (***)
Luke Jacobs & Ethan Allen submitted TK Cooper & Chuck Mambo in 19:32 (***¾)
Robbie X pinned Stephen Wolf in 12:02 (***)
Jay Joshua pinned Iker Navarro in 9:42 (***¼)
Leon Slater pinned 1 Called Manders in 18:56 (****)
Michael Oku submitted David Francisco to retain the Rev Pro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship in 15:17 (***½)
— To watch this show, head over to RevProOnDemand.com
We’re live at the 1865 in Southampton for this one, with Andy Quildan making a rare return to commentary alongside Gideon Grey. The band’s back together… and we’ve got Chris Hatch here as ring announcer. This feels weird, but Southampton will have their time to add to that feeling later.
James Ellis vs. JJ Gale
Surprisingly, this isn’t a first-time meeting – with Gale having beaten Ellis in Cheltenham last year in a defence of his SWW title. Ellis is in a wacky orange and white pleather outfit, which… feels like it’s a 3 Count tribute. Get up on your feet.
Ellis’ jump start caught Gale off-guard as things started with the Welshman choking Gale in the ropes, before Gale finally found a way back in with an armdrag and a dropkick. Ellis flips up the turnbuckle a la Ric Flair after being hurled into the corner, but the follow through goes to nought as he ended up tripping up Gale on the apron instead.
Back inside, an elbow drop to the back of the neck keeps Ellis ahead, as did a grounded abdominal stretch, but Gale just rolls out of it… only for Ellis to stay on him with a Bret Hart pendulum backbreaker and a wacky swinging high-angle side slam. Ellis’ rack bomb keeps him ahead as Gale was having a hell of a time mounting any offence here… but Ellis begins to mouth off, and that created an opening for Gale.
A wheelbarrow roll-up into a stomp was the first sign of a comeback as the pressure only mounted from there, with a rebound German suplex taking Ellis to the outside for a flip senton. Back inside, a rolling forearm and a Gale Force springboard cutter does the job – in a match which Ellis looked great in, only to fall to a quick flurry at the end. ***½
Ricky Knight Jr. vs. Leon Cage
Oh dear. Leon Cage got a bloodied nose in last week’s defeat to Leon Slater… and I suspect he’ll be going through the wars again here. This was RKJ’s first match since November’s sub-90-second thrashing of Jordan Saeed.
Cage was cornered from the off as RKJ stalked him at the bell, shoving the Welshman back into the buckles. Ducking a chop, Cage slaps RKJ, then tried to add a tijeras… but the 18 year-old’s on the defensive right away as he just got bounced with a shoulder tackle. Lucha rolls end with Cage taking RKJ down with a forearm, before a trip to the ropes ended with a top rope ‘rana to the former champion.
RKJ catches a moonsault out of the corner, but Cage was able to counter into headscissors that took Ricky outside for an eventual tope… which RKJ caught as he ended up launching Cage into the darkness of the crowd. The crowd booed Ricky ripping up a David Francisco face mask in the crowd, before Ricky dumped Cage onto the side of the ring with a back suplex.
Back inside, a dropkick catches Cage by the ropes as things were becoming pretty one-sided. Cage tries to fight back, but he just runs into a scoop slam as an avalanche Jackhammer almost ends things…
Ricky’s back to the nonchalant stuff now, with a release German suplex sending Cage flying, and while Cage was able to get in a hopeful roll-up, a sleeper suplex easily had more impact on RKJ. A missed dropkick in the corner hangs up RKJ as Cage grew into things, adding a hanging double stomp to take RKJ out of the Tree of Woe.
A cartwheel enziguiri cracks into RKJ next, as did a superkick as RKJ again spilled outside, this time into the path of a wild moonsault off the top. Cage takes RKJ back to the ring as he looked for a Stomp into the Future, but RKJ avoids it and slings himself back into the ring for a Styles Clash. Cage kicks it away, then surprised RKJ with a reverse ‘rana… only to get wiped out with a lariat seconds later. There goes Cage’s nose again.
In the end though, RKJ piled on more pressure, leading up to a Shellshock out of the corner… but Cage won’t stay down, and after almost stealing a win with a cradle, RKJ cracks him with another superkick before a 450 splash… again didn’t get the job done. Ricky throws some water over himself after that, and after Leon flipped him off, RKJ ends up somehow eating a Destroyer?!
Cage doesn’t get anything more than a two-count from that as he then went up for a Phoenix leg drop… it misses, and RKJ swiftly puts him away with a brutal Fire Thunder Driver for the win. Ricky perhaps took Cage way too lightly there, but the story being told was Cage’s rise, rather than RKJ using this as a tune-up. ***½
Alex Windsor’s introduced next – her match with Chantal Jordan was off as Jordan pulled out through illness. Windsor’s dressed to wrestle, and accused Jordan of “not being bothered” of being involved in the women’s division right now, taking shots at how the current champion Mercedes Moné has never even appeared on a Rev Pro show.
Windsor tried to claim a win via forfeit… but instead out came a surprise opponent…
Alex Windsor vs. Amira
Amira was replacing Chantal Jordan – and got her surname back? It’s her first time in a Rev Pro ring since October 2021…
Amira’s spear catches Windsor off-guard, as did a low bridge that took Windsor to the outside for a dropkick through-the-ropes. An apron PK from Amira’s turned into a leg sweep as Windsor began to take control, planting Amira with a DDT for a quick two-count.
Windsor stays on Amira, whipping her into the buckles, only for Amira to come right back with a clothesline. A missed back senton allowed Windsor back in though… at least until Amira managed to surprise Windsor with a neckbreaker.
Amira’s kick to the knee set up for a swinging neckbreaker, before a second spear almost upset the former champion Windsor. A trip up top for Windsor’s cut-off as Amira fought her way in for a superplex instead… but a follow-up submission attempt is thrown away as Windsor pushed back in with aheadbutt, a clothesline and an Angle Slam ahead of a Sharpshooter for the submission. Amira didn’t look out of place here – and based on this, there’s no way it’ll be another three-plus years for her next match here. ***
Post-match, Windsor rolled Amira into a half crab… only to be interrupted by Zoe Lucas, who broke things up with a facebuster.
Young Guns (Luke Jacobs & Ethan Allen) vs. Sunshine Machine (TK Cooper & Chuck Mambo)
Given both teams have been around for years, Ethan Allen’s recent injuries mean that this is a fresh match – with these two teams having not met since the days of PROGRESS’ pandemic tapings in Peckham.
Starting off with Mambo and Jacobs, it was Luke who looked to edge ahead in the battle of the recently-deposed champions, trapping Mambo in the corner with right hands before Chuck chopped his way back in. Mambo crotches Jacobs in the ropes after a blocked vault-over, before he followed Jacobs to the outside with a double sledge.
Back inside, Jacobs’ side headlock is pushed away, but he’s able to knock down Mambo before Ethan Allen tagged in and got tripped up by Mambo, who instantly went after Ethan’s historically-injured knees. Mambo’s Romero special sets up for a tag to TK, who finished off the Flatliner as Sunshine Machine began to, err, shine here.
Jacobs strikes his way back into this though, before an eye rake shut down Mambo’s hopeful response as a swift double-team put the Young Guns in the driving seat. Throwing Mambo to the outside, Jacobs marched him up towards the bar, stopping only to chuck Mambo through across the merch table.
Mambo comes back with a mannequin and chucks it at Allen, but it did Mambo little favours… as did a slip as Mambo went for something off the ropes. Of course, Jacobs pounced on it as Allen capitalised with a top rope elbow drop for a two-count, before effortlessly switching up into a bulldog choke.
Mambo finally gets free and made the tag to TK, who had to turn things around on his own… there’s an Exploder for Luke, while Allen got chucked onto the apron for the Omelette du Fromage corkscrew legdrop. An axe kick follows to Jacobs for a near-fall… he escapes a German Suplex Turbo Charged By The Power of Friendship, only for Luke got caught with the Cagna Marta reverse DDT/elbow drop combo. A Designated Driver looks to follow as TK and Mambo swapped tags, but Jacobs escapes it before he speared TK in half.
With the match turned on its head, Jacobs hoists up TK for a Doomsday Device, but Mambo dives in to break up the pin. Ethan stays on TK though, working his way into a mounted sleeperhold, only for TK to throw him off. A tag brings in Jacobs as more double-teaming from the Young Guns saw them take a page out of the Aussie Open playbook with a Dental Plan (double-team Go To Sleep) en route to a near-fall.
A Reef Break from Mambo stops another double-team as things threatened to break down… but Jacobs uses the referee as a human shield from the “He’s Samoan” sequence, and punts TK low for a near-fall in among the confusion. Duelling topes out through the corners put Sunshine Machine back in it, as Luke got rolled back in for a frog splash… he rolls away from TK’s senton bomb, before Ethan Allen came in to play guard dog as Jacobs’ Figure Four leglock on TK eventually forced the submission. This was a real good outing for both teams – but the Young Guns were able to edge out the keenly-fought win. ***¾
Robbie X vs. Stephen Wolf
This was announced before last week’s show at the 229 – but Wolf’s non-title victory over Will Kaven, coupled with Robbie X’s attack on him after the fact – could well make this a de facto number one contender’s match for the Cruiserweight title.
Wolf and Robbie were pretty even to each other to start off with, before a heel kick knocked the American to the outside… but he’s able to evade a dive and hit one of his own to take Robbie into the front row. Back inside, chops stung Robbie X, before Wolf’s slingshot corner dropkick was stopped as Robbie hung him up in the ropes for a flying stomp.
Some hooking from Robbie X keeps Wolf down, as did a snap suplex, but Wolf’s able to connect with a swinging forearm before he caught Robbie in the corner with a gamengiri. A bicycle knee out of the corner’s next before Robbie hit back with a revolution kick and a bridging German suplex for a near-fall.
The Molly Go Round’s next as Wolf was almost put away… but Robbie took too long to follow-up as Wolf avoided a leap off the top before his Six-One-Line was cut off. Wolf lands it at the second time to counter an X-Claimation, before Wolf built up a superplex off the apron. It’s blocked as Robbie clung onto the rope, only to get clotheslined back into the ring.
That backfires on Wolf as he walked back into an X-Claimation for a near-fall, before Wolf avoids the running kick into the corner. A top rope ‘rana brings down Robbie off the top, leading to a big splash off the top… but it’s not enough. Wolf tries for it again, but his shooting star press misses before Robbie X went for the eyes, having narrowly avoided taking out the referee. The diving kick in the corner follows, and that’s enough to get the win in a match that felt like it was missing something, almost like the crowd were waiting for a run-in… ***
Post-match, Will Kaven hits the ring and attacks Robbie X from behind with his belt. Kaven offers a hand up to Wolf, but it’s a set-up that Wolf was expecting as he countered Kaven with the Vertigo inverted suplex into a cutter.
Jay Joshua vs. Iker Navarro
Navarro was a late replacement for Chris Ridgeway, who dropped out with illness…
These two didn’t hold back to start, charging into each other with forearms at the bell, with Navarro edging ahead before he did the Tomohiro Ishii chop and forearm combos in the corner. Joshua returned the favour with a back senton seconds after he’d been caught with one, adding the Ishii combination as well before he sent Navarro flying through the middle and bottom turnbuckle after a whip into the corner.
Navarro just about beats the ten-count as my feed dropped out… it’s back as Navarro countered a suplex. A sleeperhold’s broken up with an Iker Navarro jawbreaker, before the pair exchanged Junkyard Dog-esque headbutts on the mat.
Back to their feet, the pair keep throwing shots as things looked to be heading for a knock-out, before Navarro’s German suplex led to him just getting clobbered as he went for a Bull lariat. Kicking out at one, Navarro gets a one-count off a lariat of his own, before we all fall down.
A headbutt from Navarro keeps Joshua down, but yet another spear, this time from Joshua looked to stop the Spaniard in his tracks. Navarro shrugs it off and lands that Bull lariat for a near-fall, before a crossface was broken… Joshua’s torpedo-like headbutt and piledriver finally put an end to a hard-hitting match that the crowd seemed to struggle with. I get the feeling they’re waiting for the main event now… ***¼
Post-match, Ethan Allen hits the ring and looked to attack Joshua from behind… he’s caught, but Ethan hits a low blow as Luke Jacobs found his way out to batter the Welshman with a chairshot. There’s no Connor Mills here, so Joshua’s left laying after the Young Guns drove him neck-and-chair first into the mat.
1 Called Manders vs. Leon Slater
A first-time match here, featuring two men off that long list of names gunning for the Undisputed British Heavyweight title…
When we finally got going, Manders was trying to go back to the spanking he was giving in Germany yesterday, before Leon’s attempts to take down Manders with shoulder tackles proved fruitless. Slater tries to catch Manders off-guard, connecting with a dropkick before he got charged into the corner instead.
Leon’s able to add some chops in the corner, before kicking away at Manders’ leg, sending him onto the apron before a plancha wiped out the big man on the outside. Back in the ring, a dropkick to Manders’ bad knee kept him as the proverbial one-legged man in this contest. Things change when Manders’ strikes were able to connect, as chops knocked Slater in and out of the ring, ahead of a bodyslam that left Leon laying.
Slater kicks at Manders to avoid a springboard elbow drop, as he’s able to follow up with a toe-and-ankle hold. Manders almost laughs off a sunset flip as he hauled Leon back up, but Slater kicks at the bad leg… only to get knocked to a knee with a punch. Leon’s attempt to shrug it off sees him go to the corner, but a springboard sees him land midsection-first on Manders’ bad knee – almost a self-inflicted gutbuster.
With both men on their knees, the pair trade blows as they fight back to their feet, before a faked-out chop saw Manders chop at Slater’s midsection. An attempt to dump Slater in the ropes was blocked as Leon instead lands a guillotine legdrop before he went right back to Manders’ leg with those kicks.
A rewind enziguiri puts Manders down for a near-fall, but the match has long since taken its toll on both men, who by now were unable to chain much together. Slater’s able to kick out of a lariat, but he’s caught in the corner as a frustrated Manders threw a series of shots after realising he couldn’t hit the ropes for another lariat.
Slater’s high leg lariat almost wins it out of nowhere, before a CLUBBERING clothesline out of a Blue Thunder bomb escape nearly nicked it for Manders. A Blue Thunder bomb proved an effective counter as Manders finally hit the ropes, and after getting another two-count, Leon heads up top for a swanton 450… he rolls through, only to get caught with a clothesline to the back of the head as Manders’ fake-out looked to yield rewards… a second lariat can’t get going, and out of nowhere Slater snatched the win with a crucifix pin. Run this one back, because these two gelled together beautifully, weaving the ongoing injuries into the match as it went. It’s a huge win for Slater, but something tells me this one’s going to get run back somewhere… ****
Rev Pro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship: David Francisco vs. Michael Oku (c)
Francisco got this shot by way of eliminating Oku in the elimination match last time out here. That whole deal there was super weird, but credit to Francisco, who’s really put the work in to make this feel like a big deal outside of the folks on the south coast.
Oku did the John Cena at Hammerstein entrance, walking into enemy territory… all without having to wear a blue football shirt too. Francisco looked to take the mickey early on, tripping up Oku before he got caught with a tijeras and a dropkick… to some thunderous boos. Rather than stick to his usual playbook, Oku stayed on Francisco with chops to take him into the corner for some mounted punches… but Francisco absorbs them before he took an ugly landing after getting hung up in the ropes.
Back inside, Oku took his time as he teased a half crab, instead hitting a PK and a tornado DDT as Francisco – and perhaps Southampton – realised what they’d gotten themselves in for. Francisco walks away from the corner as Oku went for a running dropkick, and before he capitalised with a flapjack and a Claymore kick for a two-count.
Oku’s sent through the corner into the ring post as Francisco looked to seize on the opening, targeting the left arm before he took Oku outside for a dropkick through the ropes. The ring post comes into play again as Oku’s shoved into it shoulder-first, before an arm whip dumped Oku onto the ring. Back inside, a double-underhooked brainbuster nearly got Francisco the unlikely win, before a backfist from Francisco and a curb stomp kept the threat of the upset alive.
A cross armbreaker has Oku in agony, but he’s able to roll out of it and tease a half crab… before a small package forced Oku to kick out. A missed springboard moonsault from Oku left him open for a pair of kicks as Francisco’s Rainmaker spun the champion to the mat. We’ve a ref bump as Oku pushed off a half crab attempt… then clattered into him with a dropkick as Francisco avoided the move that was aimed his way.
Francisco looked to go for a low blow, but it’s caught and turned into a half crab… Francisco taps, but it’s for nought. Oku releases the hold to go and check on the ref, but that leaves him vulnerable for a half crab before the Ruckus delayed uranage led to a visual pinfall… and a real near-fall after Oscar Harding slid into the ring. The crowd seemed to deflate after that as Oku countered a Gotch piledriver into a roll-up… a Snake Eyes attempt from Francisco’s turned into a roll-up, but Francisco sits down on it and grabs the ropes… AND HE WINS?! Who spiked my coffee this morning?
David Francisco gets the pin at 14:28 and is announced as the champion… and Southampton’s exploding as Francisco parades around ringside with the belt. However, as Francisco’s being held up, Harv, the original referee’s telling Oscar that Francisco was holding the ropes. We’ve got a Dusty finish here, and this match MUST RESTART.
Francisco’s clinging onto the title belt like Mr. Burns held onto Bobo, and we restart with Oku crashing into Francisco on the floor with a moonsault. Back inside, a superkick drops Francisco as crowds of “bullshit” rang around the 1865 as a frog splash… didn’t get the job done! Oku’s right on Francisco with a half crab though, turning it into a Lion Tamer-style crab for the eventual submission. An extremely unpopular finish as Oku escaped with his title after the most almightiest of scares imaginable. ***½
We’re not done… David Francisco soaking in the crowd, only to be attacked from behind by Ricky Knight Jr., who finished off Francisco with a piledriver. A Fire Thunder Driver looks to follow, but JJ Gale makes the save – and it looks like we’ll be getting RKJ vs. JJ in the near future.
Away from that, real question though, given the long list of challengers, is what happens next with David Francisco, either in general or in Southampton, given that you’re not going to be shedding the cult favourite status in this town anytime soon. Still, as for this show, with the “Michael Oku as John Cena at One Night Stand” main event taking centre stage, it’ll be easy to forget that Rev Pro’s first foray into Southampton in 2025 was a hell of a show, and one worth your time.