A sizzling St. Neots played host to the latest from Rev Pro, featuring Robbie X taking on Shigehiro Irie in the main event.
Quick Results
Luke Jacobs pinned Sha Samuels in 11:01 (***¼)
Dan Moloney pinned Lee Dawson in 7:03 (**¾)
Brendan White & Danny Jones pinned Kid Lykos II & Kid Lykos in 9:37 (***)
Michael Oku pinned Will Kaven in 13:00 (***¼)
Hyan defeated Skye Smitson via count-out in 10:32 – Smitson retains the Southside Women’s title (***)
Connor Mills pinned JJ Gale in 9:57 (***½)
Robbie X pinned Shigehiro Irie in 12:27 (***½)
— To watch this show, head over to RevProOnDemand.com – they’re currently running a free trial…
We’re live at the Priory Centre in St. Neots – my first time there on what felt like the hottest day of 2023 so far. Andy Quildan and Gio’s on commentary as a running joke might have gone too far… they’ve got Kelly Marshall doing to-camera pieces throughout the show, which they’ve brought back…
Sha Samuels vs. Luke Jacobs
Luke’s got Gabe Kidd in two weeks at York Hall – and he’s got a similar bruiser here in Sha Samuels.
The pair break into shoulder tackles early on, but it’s Sha who leaps up to take Jacobs down ahead of a volley kick to the back. Jacobs hit back with a slam and a back senton before he took a page out of Kidd’s playbook with some hesitation dropkicks in the corner. Heading outside, Jacobs scrapped with Sha, only to get pushed into the post as the veteran took over.
Elbow drops keep Sha ahead, but Jacobs was able to push on with a series of clotheslines and a spinebuster, before he grounded Sha with a Figure Four. The ropes save Sha, who ended up getting chopped from corner to corner before he returned with a clothesline and a Michinoku driver for a near-fall. A trip up top for Sha’s cut off, but he shoves away Jacobs as a frog splash connected for a near-fall before a moonsault misses… Jacobs hits back with a sitout powerbomb for a near-fall, before he evaded another charge and polished off Sha with a lariat for the win. ***¼
Ahead of the next match we’re interrupted by Dan Moloney, who was back in Rev Pro for the first time since his trip to Japan – which saw him start a member of the United Empire and come back as part of Bullet Club. With Will Ospreay in Canada for Forbidden Door (and Callum Newman not around), Moloney wanted to take out his frustrations on anyone… he picked out Lee Dawson from ringside, and we’ve got an impromptu match.
Dan Moloney vs. Lee Dawson
Dawson was all smiles at the start, but he’s; dumped with a running kick at the bell as I noticed Moloney’s New Japan gear’s all about the 44. International dialling codes trumping local ones, I guess?
Dawson’s chucked over the top to the outside as he’s thrown from pillar to post, then stretched in the ropes before a desperation inside cradle almost got the upset. Taking to the ropes, Dawson tries his luck with springboard forearms that knocked Moloney down, while a missile dropkick could have gotten Lee the win… but he stopped to celebrate and ended up only getting a two-count.
Moloney kicks out and returns with the triple-whammy of a spinebuster, double stomp and back senton, before Dawson tried to make a comeback… only to get clubbed back down to the mat. Chops from Moloney wear down the Contender, but Dawson finds a way back with a neckbreaker and an atomic drop, before a gut shot took Moloney down.
A suplex finally lands for Dawson, but Moloney rolls outside… then dragged Dawson to the outside. Moloney’s posted as Dawson somehow was still in this, at least until his Monkey Flip was caught and turned into a Fisherman buster, before Moloney put him away with a spear. There’s even a Drilla after the bell for good measure… **¾
Post-match, Moloney got the mic and said that he’d be at ringside at York Hall in two weeks to watch Will Ospreay take on Leon Slater… and told Ospreay to watch himself, “that’s if the Canadian leaves anything for me.”
Greedy Souls (Brendan White & Danny Jones) vs. Lykos Gym (Kid Lykos & Kid Lykos II)
This was a non-title outing as the Greedy Souls warmed up for SubCulture in two weeks…
We’ve a jump start from the champions, as Kid Lykos’ knee was worked over before the bell by Danny Jones. Kid Lykos II tries to intervene, but just eats a powerslam as we finally got going with Jones and White retaining focus on Lykos’ knee. Jones wraps Lykos’ leg around the ring post, before Lykos’ brief comeback ended with him leaping over Jones – jarring his knee in the process – and tagging out to Lykos II.
Lykos II scores with a roundhouse enziguiri as a ringside medic checked on Lykos… meanwhile Lykos II’s crossbody and satellite DDT got a near-fall as Lykos was helped to the back. Now in a virtual handicap match, Lykos II was quickly on the deck courtesy of a clothesline from Jones, as the champions then swarmed and picked apart Lykos II.
A moonsault out of the corner from Lykos II was caught, but he’s able to come back with a dropkick. Danny Jones tags in as an attempted Soul Destroyer was fought off… only for Lykos II to get caught with the Double T.E.A.M. slam. A slingshot Bossman slam’s countered into a Code Red by Lykos II, whose latest comeback saw him land a Lo Mein Pain to Jones, then a brainbuster to White.
Jones breaks up the pin on Brendan though, and it’s not long before the champions were back in control with a double-team back suplex, the slingshot Bossman slam and a piledriver before the Soul Destroyer put Lykos II away. A plucky showing from Lykos II, but the die was cast in this one very early with that Lykos injury. ***
Will Kaven vs. Michael Oku
Oku’s looking to pick up a win here after losing twice last weekend – including one in Sheffield after he’d been hit in the eye by Amira’s heel. Sadly, he didn’t come out all taped up, so the odds of a Terry Funk impersonation severely reduced. “Why aye, Will… Why aye…”
Sorry, not sorry.
Kaven tries a jump start, but Oku’s smart to it as he avoided Kaven and took him down with a dropkick. A chop has Kaven reeling… before Oku missed a dropkick in the corner as Kaven brought him out with a German suplex for good measure. Oku kicks out at two from a neckbreaker as Kaven proceeds to keep him grounded with an inverted cravat, before Oku began to make a comeback.
A snap DDT gets Oku a two-count, before a half crab was pushed away… so Oku rebounds with a PK instead. He tries for a springboard moonsault, but Kaven evades and returned with a snap Saito suplex, then a Dragon suplex that planted Oku on his head. Somehow, Oku’s able to rebound with the misdirection knee and a springboard moonsault for a near-fall, eventually following up with the Fosbury flop to Kaven on the outside.
On the outside, Kaven’s wild back elbow caught Oku’s eye as the pair were fighting to get back into the ring… and now Kaven’s got himself an opening. Albeit one that Oku tried to shut down as a dropkick picked up a two-count. Kaven begins to target the eye, grinding it against the top rope, before Oku’s attempt to go off the top rope led to him losing his footing as he crashed onto the apron.
Kaven capitalises by dragging Oku across the top rope ahead of a flying knee as commentary pondered whether Oku was trying to submit earlier. Oku tries his luck as he rolls up Kaven for a half crab, but it’s kicked away as a snap Dragon suplex and a Busaiku knee dubbed the Kaven Effect almost won it. Oku’s back body drop throws away Kaven, but Kaven’s quickly back in search of an avalanche piledriver… it’s blocked as Oku threw Kaven down, with Kaven seemingly raking his own eyes on the turnbuckle. All that’s left is for Oku to hit a froggy crossbody off the top rope, and that’s enough to get the will as this one probably would have become a blindfold match had they kept going at that rate! ***¼
Southside Women’s Championship: Hyan vs. Skye Smitson (c)
Hyan’s gotten a shot at the Southside women’s title, having beaten Smitson three weeks prior in London…
Smitson looked to make this a quick afternoon’s work as she jumped Hyan at the bell with a dropkick, but Hyan’s able to shrug it off and hit one of her own in return. Knees from Hyan are cut off by Smitson, but a back body drop takes the champion down… as did a high-angle back suplex that folded Smitson in half.
Following up, Hyan’s apron PK stays on Smitson, but back inside a Bull lariat from Smitson turned things back around. Chops keep Hyan down, as did another dropkick, before a suplex from Hyan looked to get her back in… only for Smitson to lift her onto the apron and kick her down to the floor.
Hyan rolls in at eight as Smitson was expecting a count-out… but Smitson stays on Hyan’s leg, repeatedly DDTing it into the mat before she threw Hyan face-first into the mat. An Olympic Slam from Smitson fires up Hyan, who hit another back suplex, before a series of forearms and a crossbody took Smitson down.
A Wasteland and the double legdrop nearly gets Hyan the win… a spear from Hyan’s leapt over, but a big boot took the champion down. Smitson catches Hyan up top and brought her out of the corner with an Air Raid Crash. The back and forth continued with a uranage from Hyan, who then ate a gutwrench powerbomb for a near-fall… a DDT from Hyan spikes Smitson, before a spear took the champion outside… where Smitson opted to bail to the back and take the count-out loss. Hyan gets the win, but not the title as we’re still left with no clarity on what’s going on around the women’s titles at York Hall. ***
Post-match, Smitson returned to attack Hyan on the stage, leaving her laying…
Connor Mills vs. JJ Gale
Mills is still looking for that Cruiserweight title shot – but needs to get back on track after a pair of losses last week…
Mills looks for a jump start – a bit of a theme today – but Gale’s able to get free and come close with a Code Red as the frantic start continued. Gale’s springboard ‘rana and a dropkick took Mills outside for a trio of dives… only for that third one to end with Mills’ uppercutting a tope con giro away.
Back inside, Mills stays on Gale, whose attempt at a comeback was swiftly snuffed with a Dragon screw, then with an Irish whip into the corner. Eventually Gale manages to recover, hitting an elbow drop after taking another hammer throw into the corner, before scoring with a wheelbarrow and a stomp.
Gale’s discus forearm knocks Mills into the corner ahead of a springboard uppercut for a near-fall. Mills blocks a backpack knee, but not an enziguiri as Gale headed up top… and aborted a moonsault attempt. A superkick takes Mills into the ropes, but the rebound lariat quickly followed as Mills then looked for a Burning Cutter… but Gale elbows free.
Mills stays on Gale with shots to the lower back, before a backbreaker by the ropes opened up Gale for the Burning Cutter… but it’s countered into a backpack knee as Gale spikes Mills with a Falcon arrow that almost took home the win. Rolling outside, Mills looked to avoid Gale off the top… but ends up taking a front flip senton before a senton bomb back inside landed in Mills’ knees.
From there, Mills cracks Gale with a head kick, then put him away with the Burning Cutter as Mills made a beeline to the back. He’s back on track, and seemingly in pole position for Robbie X’s title… ***½
Shigehiro Irie vs. Robbie X
This was Irie’s final match of his extended US and European tour, going up against a Robbie X that hadn’t lost a singles match in Rev Pro in almost three months…
Irie outmuscles Robbie X early on, throwing him to the outside with a lock-up, before a side headlock from Robbie X was pushed off and charged down. A tijeras and a spinning heel kick has Irie down ahead of a senton atomico back into the ring for a two-count before Irie hit back with a low-angle crossbody.
Robbie’s knocked into the ropes as Irie proceeded to hit a slam and his slingshot splash for a two-count. After taking a breather outside, Robbie rolled back into the ring and got stood on by Irie, who feigned ignorance ahead of a bodyslam and the Teddy Bear sit-out splash for another two-count.
Pulling Robbie X back into the middle of the ring, Irie looks for a suplex, but Robbie’s able to block and hit one of his own instead, before he caught Irie into the corner and hiptossed him out for the cartwheel dropkick. The handspring kick knocks Irie off the apron ahead of a dive to the outside, while a missile dropkick back inside almost got the win.
Robbie looks to go for the X-Claimation, but Irie just POUNCES him back outside ahead of the diving crossbody to the back as Robbie was left on the apron. Back inside, the cannonball crushes Robbie, but a backflip kick just about finds its way through as Irie’s taken into the corner for the corkscrew roundhouse kick.
A trip up top from Robbie X is cut off as Irie maneuvered him into an avalanche Samoan drop, before a wicked Beast Bomber lariat almost got Irie the win. Almost out of desperation, a roll-up got Robbie X a near-fall as he began to mount a comeback, scoring with a Finlay roll and a Spiral Tap before the X-Claimation got the win. ***½
A solid show from Rev Pro – although two weeks out from Epic Encounter, we’re still left with a few spots on the York Hall card, as we wait for more to be officially announced ahead as Rev Pro wind up for a busy couple of months.