Tensions between Michael Oku and Leon Slater continued to rise as we headed into High Stakes.
Quick Results
Michael Oku submitted Cameron Khai in 15:55 (***)
Ethan Allen submitted Danny Black in 11:43 (***)
Mercedez Blaze & Safire Reed pinned Amira Blair & Zoe Lucas in 10:57 (**½)
Luke Jacobs pinned Joe Lando in 10:52 (***)
Stephen Wolf, Zozaya & JJ Gale pinned Taylor James, Robbie X & Jay Joshua in 19:45 (***)
Chris Ridgeway pinned Seiki Yoshioka in 15:18 (***)
Leyton Buzzard pinned Ricky Knight Jr. in 19:53 (**)
David Francisco defeated Leon Slater via disqualification in 21:48 (DUD)
— To watch this show, head over to RevProOnDemand.com
It’s a week out from High Stakes in Doncaster, so Rev Pro’s off to Southampton for their second show of the year. We’re at the 1865 once again, with commentary from Dave Bradshaw and Gideon Grey.
Cameron Khai vs. Michael Oku
Oku’s one week out from defending his title against Leon Slater in Doncaster – and while this is yet another “foregone conclusion” match, Oku’s been playing around too much lately. Last time out in Southampton, the “loss” to David Francisco, and then last week needing the thick end of half an hour to get past Nino Bryant shows you that the foot may be off the pedal somewhat.
Khai looked to prove a point early on, having not been called out as “one of the future” by Oku a week before – and the early going saw the crowd get behind Khai… at the very least because they were still sour on Oku after what happened here last time. Khai’s bright start almost ended when he was taken down in the ropes by Oku, but Khai’s able to get back in it, finding a way through with his rolling Northern Lights suplexes.
An over-the-knee brainbuster nearly wins it for Khai after Oku’s brief resurgence, before he avoided a Fosbury flop from Oku… that turns into some back-and-forth on the apron over a suplex, but to no avail as Oku got sent down to the floor ahead of a missed triangle moonsault… with Khai instead eating that Fosbury flop seconds later.
Back inside, Khai rolls through on a crossbody, countering back with a rolling death valley driver that left the pair laying. More back and forth led to Khai countering Oku’s misdirection knee into a sitout powerbomb for a near-fall, before he got caught with a half crab coming out of a Victory roll. The ropes save Khai, who quickly found form with an elevated German suplex.
A Pingshot cutter from Khai finally lands – dumping Oku on the apron – while the triangle moonsault connected on the second time of asking… but back inside Oku was able to avoid another cutter before a pair of frog splashes and a half crab finally forced the stoppage. This was pretty good as an opener, but I don’t think many would have expected a different result. ***
There’s a post-match promo, but the mic’s barely audible on the stream. Oku put over Khai, calling him just as good as Leon Cage and Nino Bryant, before the feed skipped. We’re back with Oku babyfacing himself after he was booed last time out in Southampton, and it’s quite the rousing speech that town needs after they got relegated from the Premier League last week.
Ethan Allen vs. Danny Black
Rev Pro announced a few hours before the show that we’re getting CPF challenging Young Guns for the tag titles in two weeks at the 229 – rather than next week in Doncaster. Announcing that via social media felt a little weird given all four guys in the match are on the show here today – but what the hey. At least we found out that they’re not having to burn any of the trophies to get that match.
Allen had control early on, but Black was able to pull ahead when the pace quickened… only to get dumped onto the apron as Allen countered an Out of the Black. Back inside, Ethan keeps things grounded as he grabbed a side headlock on Black, with Ethan continuing to rough his future tag title challenger. A backbreaker leaves Black laying, before a grounded headlock gave Black something else to deal with.
A swinging DDT from Black bought him some time, before Ethan countered out of a piledriver with a back body drop. An Allen Slam and a charging knee to the ribs kept Allen ahead, with a float over into a crossface almost forcing the stoppage. Black recovered to kick Ethan’s leg out of his leg, allowing Danny to hit that Out of the Black and a faked-out springboard dropkick to the knee. A Clash Bomb nearly wins it for Black, only for Allen to snap back with a take on the Tazzmission for the win. A decent enough match from what the stream was able to show. ***
Cut Throat Collective (Mercedez Blaze & Safire Reed) vs. Pretty Psycho (Amira Blair & Zoe Lucas)
After having a run in CMLL last month, this is the first time we’ve seen Pretty Psycho as a straight up tag.
The stream had held up well for the entrances, but went to hell once the bell sounded… the Cut Throat Collective tandem stuttered in the opening stages, but Amira got distracted and was blindsided by Mercedez Blaze as the Collective began to settle into a groove.
Amira’s kept isolated as Zoe Lucas was pulled off the apron to prevent a tag out, but a neckbreaker from Amira buys her time as Zoe got the hot tag in. A quick return for Amira sees Reed get softened up for a Lucas facebuster and a back senton from Amira for a two-count.
Reed tried to use the ropes to steal a pin, but the ref spots as things broke down into a Parade of Moves… ending with a spear from Blaze after on Blair Zoe’d been dragged to the outside. **½
Post-match, Blaze continued to put a beating on Zoe… but Safire Reed broke it up as she showed some rare compassion from the Collective. HMM.
Luke Jacobs vs. Joe Lando
Luke’ll be looking to make it 2-0 on the night after Ethan beat Danny Black about ten minutes earlier…
Lando tried to match Jacobs for power, but just got himself steamrollered as things headed over to the merch table. It’s pretty one-sided for a long spell, but Lando tries to fight back with clotheslines, only to get mauled once more. When Lando was able to get in it, he almost put Luke away with a running shooting star press, before Luke dumped Lando awkwardly in the ropes.
A Stampede out of the corner almost puts Lando away, but the feed crashes out as Luke called for a powerbomb. By the time I get it back, Lando’s on the offensive, landing a shooting star press off the middle rope before a uranage out of the corner a la Samoa Joe and a powerbomb swung things back in Luke’s direction.
Lando tries for flash pins, but ends up getting lawndarted into the buckles before a swiping lariat got the win for Jacobs. Good job they’d announced the match beforehand, because all of a sudden CPF went from “earning a title shot” to “yeah, they’d have had to have burned a trophy wish to get it” after today’s results. ***
Robbie X, Jay Joshua & Taylor James vs. Zozaya, JJ Gale & Stephen Wolf
The cruiserweight title scene is oddly quiet going into High Stakes… meanwhile, Robbie X finally has new music, albeit in the form of the War Dogs music.
Jay Joshua tagged out at the bell, rather than face Zozaya after attacking the Spaniard last week… and Zozaya’s quickly out too after he rolled Taylor James into the corner. Things settled down with everyone beating on JJ Gale, leading to a powerslam and back senton out of Joshua for a near-fall.
Robbie X didn’t quite have as much luck as Gale blocked a standing moonsault as things kept ticking. Stephen Wolf trips up Robbie X, sending him sailing to the outside ahead of a trio of topes. Back inside, Robbie X got bounced around with chops from Wolf, only for Jay Joshua to turn things around for his team.
Eventually Wolf breaks free, launching James with a back body drop before landing a dropsault… that opens the door for Zozaya to turn up the dial, sending Robbie X flying to the outside before another back body drop took down Taylor for a near-fall. Robbie X’s dropkick swung it back the other way as he looked to be comfortable… but Taylor James loses track after returning to the fray.
JJ Gale clears house after getting the tag in, landing a rebound German suplex to Jay Joshua before landing a flip senton to James and Joshua on the floor. Robbie X remains legal, with Gale focusing on him, but the crowd started to sound burnt out as we crossed the 15-minute mark.
Finally we got back to Zozaya and Joshua trading strikes… Zozaya remained a step ahead of Joshua, avoiding the Gotch piledriver before the feed crapped out. It returned with the pair down on the mat after landing duelling strikes… they get up to tag in Wolf and Taylor, with a Six-One-Line from Wolf finding its way through before things broke down a little. Joshua’s interference delayed Wolf’s attack off the top, sparking a Parade of Moves, ending with Taylor James’ torture rack/spinning Samoan drop for a near-fall.
From there, James tries for it again, but it backfired as he ends up taking a Gale Force, then Zozaya’s de Madrid al Cielo and a shooting star press from Wolf for the win. This was fine, but unfortunately it very much felt like the standard critique of Rev Pro in 2025 – running a little long, with some “wrestling for the sake of wrestling” creeping in as the crowd disconnected from this at times. ***
Post-match, Robbie X knocked Wolf off the top rope before attacking JJ Gale. Taylor James got some too, as Robbie X and Jay Joshua blamed him for their loss, before David Francisco made the save. That led to Francisco pointing out that he saved JJ Gale again, but JJ refused to team up with Francisco. Good thinking – whatever did happen to Francisco’s last partners in Rev Pro?
Chris Ridgeway vs. Seiki Yoshioka
Yes, these two made it after being partners elsewhere earlier in the day…
Yoshioka charged through Ridgeway, sending him outside after a diving kick… but a Kitchen sink knee back inside got Ridgeway back in it as he forced Yoshioka into the ropes from a submission. A quick turnaround has Yoshioka back in front… only for Ridgeway to escape a suplex and run back in with a PK.
Dropkicks to the knees ensure Ridgeway’s focus remained on Yoshioka’s legs, even more as he followed with a shin breaker onto the apron. Yoshioka beats the count back in, but he’s caught with a calf slicer, then an ankle lock, before Yoshioka managed to roll Ridgeway to the outside.
An Asai-ish moonsault sees Yoshioka follow Ridgeway into the aisle, before a senton bomb back inside almost got the win. Yoshioka offered his back for a kick from Ridgeway, which was accepted ahead of Ridgeway offering himself up for a receipt. More of those kicks to the back continued to be exchanged… finally eliciting something out of the crowd.
Yoshioka’s step-up kick sees him pull ahead… and despite a flash roll-up and a series of kicks, Yoshioka ends up charging into a knee strike from Ridgeway, before a diving knee to the back of the head almost won it. A Mistica from Yoshioka offered some hope, but Ridgeway’s Dragon screw and a brainbuster ended up being enough to get the win. Credit to the pair, they won over an initially seemingly-disinterested crowd, but my concern is that this crowd is burnt out and we’ve still got two matches to go. ***
Post-match, we’ve got a video package from Lio Rush… he’s finally cashing in his title shot that he won at last year’s British J Cup, challenging Will Kaven in Doncaster next week. That instantly drew Kaven out to ringside, but the crowd drowned him out as he brought up how he’s been Cruiserweight champion for 232 days. In wrestling, you know as soon as a champion brings up the length of their run, those days are numbered…
Ricky Knight Jr. vs. Leyton Buzzard
This was Buzzard’s first match back since he severely injured his knee just over a year ago at the Revolution Rumble… and I was stunned they didn’t put this in the main event.
The buffering wheel of death dominated the early stages of the match – and apparently the ring struggled to contain the match as Buzzard and RKJ fought up towards the bar. Ricky’s had a bin thrown at him too, but retaliated by throwing Buzzard into the crowd before he did a stage dive off the bar through Buzzard.
Getting back towards the ring, RKJ got in a fan’s face before we finally got back inside. Zelena and Chelsea, this wasn’t. Ricky goes for Leyton’s Buzzards by the ropes, before Leyton returned the favour. Ricky hangs up Buzzard’s knee in the ropes, prompting the referee to get in to act… and again as RKJ went up top to jump on Buzzard’s knee. Yeah, that’s not doing it for me – especially for a run-of-the-mill move.
Buzzard capitalised on the kinda-distraction with an overhead belly-to-belly to chuck RKJ into the corner, and that allowed him to build momentum, leading to a crossbody off the top for a near-fall. RKJ escapes a Fisherman suplex and goes for the Fire Thunder Driver… Buzzard slips out and acted like he’d buckled his knee, prompting RKJ to eventually kick the leg out of the leg.
RKJ ties up Buzzard’s leg in the ropes for a Dragon screw… and look at that, the referee isn’t as concerned as he was five minutes ago. Consistency, what is it? The crowd’s treating this almost like “heckle as the comedian” night, rather than bamboo the dastardly RKJ for going after their hero’s knee… and right on cue, Buzzard’s back with a cutter.
The trusty “hit each other as hard as we can” routine wakes up the crowd, trading chops and headbutts before RKJ went back to the knee. RKJ tries a mule kick as the ref was unsighted in the corner, but Leyton stepped back… his low blow lands, as did a Destroyer and a pop-up Ligerbomb… but it’s not enough. Buzzard adds a Buzzkiller – a spin-out Fisherman Buster – for another two-count, before Buzzard took too long to climb the ropes… that allowed RKJ to kick the knee out, then bring him down with a Muscle Buster.
The crowd struggled to react as RKJ racked up near-fall after near-fall, before Buzzard snatched the win with a roll-up. Just ignore that shoulder, eh? You know the template here. The match was just too long for the story they were going for, with the crowd being a net negative. “I got what they were going for, but it just didn’t land as a package.” **
Post-match, RKJ returned from the back and laid out Leyton Buzzard with a chair. I mean, Ricky’s got a match at High Stakes (against Dijak, but that was barely mentioned here), whereas Buzzard does not. A Kendo stick to the head lays out Buzzard for good measure, before a Fire Thunder Driver onto the chair – shades of the 229 last week – and a Kendo stick-aided Pillmanizing wrapped things up.
We’ve still got one match left – on a show that was meant to have wrapped up by now…
David Francisco vs. Leon Slater
Well, if you thought David Francisco was going to get phased down after the “meme” story reached its conclusion back in February, you’ll have been disappointed. It’s an extremely polarising move, and one that if it was kept entirely contained to Southampton could work… but it’d also be extremely limiting, having Southampton almost as their own universe.
Anyway, Francisco is calling himself “the real undisputed champion,” playing up what happened in February. We also had the crowd butchering the Cranberries as Francisco gave himself a lap of honour early on. When Francisco returned to the ring, Slater just booted him as the vibe here was Leon taking Francisco lightly – and dealing with the shots that came his way.
Slater called for a half crab, but Francisco grapevines Leon’s leg to avoid being turned over as Slater lashed out at the crowd. Speaking of the crowd, Michael Oku’s back live streaming on his Instagram again… and yeah, the obvious joke is obvious. The distraction from Oku allowed Francisco to score with his dropkick through the rope. Another one followed back inside as Francisco looked to build up for the Ruckus, opting instead to just rake the eyes.
Recovering, Slater lands the Utopia and a wicked leg lariat for a near-fall as Leon then began to put the boots to Francisco… in front of a roving Michael Oku. Eventually, Francisco fires up, going for a roll-up with his feet on the ropes… but it’s missed by the ref, and Leon’s forced to kick-out as the crowd’s dead again.
Another Utopia follows in response from Slater, but Francisco got a foot to the ropes… that prompts Leon to go up top for a swanton 450, but Francisco rolls out of the splash zone… then to the outside. Leon gives chase, and got into it briefly with Oku, before a diving boot from Francisco almost ended things. At this point, I’m begging for the modern day of Antonio Inoki to come out with a chair. We’re past due.
Slater cuts off Francisco up top, but a follow-up twister superplex is stopped as Slater got crotched. Francisco misses a senton bomb, allowing Leon to come back with a couple of frog splashes and a half crab… sitting down on the hold as Francisco tapped out. Except Slater didn’t let go, so the referee reverses the decision extraordinarily quickly. Just an utter DUD. Again, I get the story beats, but if you’re going over twenty minutes in the main event with that finish, especially on the go-home show, you’re going to have a hard time selling it to me.
Post-match, Slater and Oku faced off… but Leon snapped at Oku with a knee strike, forcing a pull-apart as they were eventually separated by the bar as Leon was escorted to the back as the stream closed out with David Francisco celebrating yet another “win”…
Regular watchers will have been perturbed by the return of severe technical issues for the live stream – and while the quality of the show itself is subjective, Rev Pro absolutely cannot afford any hiccups next week in Doncaster. Zero. Aside from that, Live in Southampton was just a strange show, and a worrying continuation of series of shows that have seen Rev Pro wobble from their usual heights in recent months. You can argue over creative choices, and whether it’s doing it for you, but as an overall package, something has clearly changed – this absolutely doesn’t feel like the Rev Pro of even six months ago.