The inaugural Trios Grand Prix reached its climax on a show that featured a wacky gauntlet, and some more break-out performances from new faces.
Quick Results
Trio Grand Prix – Semi-Final: Zozaya, Joey Torres & Sito Sanchez pinned Damiao, David Francisco & Goldenboy Santos in 1:46
Millie McKenzie pinned Chantal Jordan & Kanji in 10:29 (**¾)
Robbie X pinned Zachary Wentz in 8:29 (***¼)
Trio Grand Prix – Semi-Final: Maverick Mayhew, Danny Black & Joe Lando pinned Ultramantis Black, Frightmare & Hallowicked in 12:33 (***½)
Lio Rush pinned Nino Bryant in 13:05 (***½)
Chuck Mambo & TK Cooper won a Revolution Gauntlet in 21:23 (***)
Michael Oku submitted Iker Navarro in 10:54 (***½)
Trio Grand Prix – Final: Danny Black, Joe Lando & Maverick Mayhew pinned Joey Torres, Sito Sanchez & Zozaya in 19:19 (***¾)
— To watch this show, head over to RevProOnDemand.com
We’re back via the on-demand stream from the HMV Empire in Coventry – live, this was unwatchable for the first hour thanks to internet issues in the venue. There’s a change on the commentary desk as Dave Bradshaw’s starting the show flying solo.
Trios Grand Prix – Semi-Final: Heróis do Mar (Damiao, David Francisco & Goldenboy Santos) vs. Viva España (Zozaya, Joey Torres & Sito Sanchez)
Portugal vs. Spain got us going… after a screwy coin toss led to David Francisco seemingly calling for lucha rules, if only so he could attack the Spaniards from behind.
The Heróis do Mar cleared house at the bell, with Santos squashing Zozaya with a cannonball en route to an early near-fall… but a quick turnaround sees Damiao eat a Pele-assisted German suplex before he got caught with the Combi Completa (that double-team with a flying stomp into the rope-hung opponent, rebounding into a sit-out powerbomb) for the win. Shoulda picked Traditional Rules, David, as the Spaniards made short work of the Centrepiece and his pals.
David Francisco complained to Andy Quildan in the production area that he’d not verbally chosen his rules – but that spot of retconning just led to Francisco sitting in on commentary.
Millie McKenzie vs. Chantal Jordan vs. Kanji
We’re still trying to figure out whether Millie McKenzie’s joining the Cut Throat Collective, but for now she’s not made her feelings known.
The early going saw Chantal Jordan take Millie into the corner with some headscissors, before Kanji took over, scoring a thrust kick to take Chantal to the outside. Millie’s back in as she eventually dumped Kanji in the corner as we finally had time to draw breath. From there, McKenzie looked to maintain control, but of course the tides turn as Kanji tripped Jordan into the buckles ahead of a Tiger Feint kick.
Millie’s back to add a huge German suplex that sent Jordan to the outside… leaving us with Millie and Kanji for a spell. A slingshot spear’s caught and turned into a suplex by Millie before the pair traded blows… leaving themselves open for a cutter as Jordan was getting back in with a missile dropkick.
A Meteora from Jordan lands… but she can’t celebrate before a superkick from Kanji, who added almost a swivelling lariat that forced Millie to break up a cover. Of course, with a German suplex. Kanji goes for Millie’s knees to avoid a second German suplex, before a chain of submission attempts ended in the ropes.
A fake-out Tiger Feint kick from Kanji turns into some headscissors to Millie on the floor, but Millie recovers to hit a dive… clipping the ropes on the way out. As the ref checks on her, Mercedez Blaze hits the ring to lay out Chantal with a Kendo stick, and it’s easy pickings for Millie as she rolled back inside to put away Jordan with a spear. With the next challenger for Mina Shirakawa’s title sewn up, this match almost felt like a throwaway – and the start of the match being dominated by commentary having a postmortem on the opener didn’t help things at all – but the story around Millie rumbles on thanks to the wonders of plausible deniability. **¾
Robbie X vs. Zachary Wentz
The battle of Rascal X followed Robbie X’s walk-out last night… and Robbie could really do with a new entrance video now he’s wearing the almost-Hummel chevrons of the Bullet Club.
Wentz mocks the Bullet Club sign as we got going with a low drop and a low dropkick from the Rascal, before Robbie X went to the eyes to stop Wentz in his tracks. A hard whip into the buckles helps Robbie X on his way to an early two-count, while a hair pull led to things heading outside as Robbie looked for a cheap count-out.
Back inside, a bloodied Wentz got the knees up to block a standing moonsault as he mounted a huge comeback, leading to a PK and a standing shooting star press for a near-fall. Countering back, Robbie X hangs up Wentz in the ropes, then knocked him down for a tope… but it’s caught with a stunner in the ropes, before Wentz kicked his way further ahead.
Wentz’s stomp has Robbie down for a senton bomb… but it’s not enough for the win as Robbie X looked to go for roll-ups, before a Beyblade kick and a running shooting star press put him in control. An X-Claimation’s avoided as Wentz’s leaping knee finds its mark, before a springboard was pushed away… Robbie then uses the ref as a shield to mask a low blow on his former tag partner, before a roll-up got the win for the new Bullet Club man. ***¼
Trios Grand Prix – Semi-Final: CPF (Danny Black, Joe Lando & Maverick Mayhew) vs. Spectral Envoy (Frightmare, Hallowicked & Ultramantis Black)
The top two “traditional” trios in the tournament faced off next in what could easily have been the final… and we’re under lucha rules here.
Danny Black and Hallowicked get us going, before a double-team with Mayhew led to an early two-count as CPF made the most of the lucha rules. Seconds later, Hallowicked came in as we started a series of multi-man holds, targeting everyone’s leg and groin before Ultramantis Black tried to steal a pin on CPF – forcing them to let go or lose.
Things spill outside as CPF found themselves on the back foot, being tripped up and dragged outside before a switcheroo saw things backfire for the Envoy as they tripped up their own man. Maverick Mayhew fakes out a dive… then hits one before we went back inside for another human centipede-like chain of submissions… ending with Frightmare scaring away CPF.
The Spectral Envoy tried to focus on Joe Lando for a spell, but uppercuts from Lando just ended with him getting slingshot into a Go To Sleepy Hollow for a near-fall. Eventually, a Whisper in the Wind from Lando gets him free as Danny Black came in to try and push on, using a step-up tijeras to take out two-thirds of the Envoy ahead of the Out of the Black to Ultramantis on the floor.
Back inside, a missile dropkick to the back of Frightmare gets a near-fall, sparking a Parade of Moves, ending with a handspring swinging DDT from Black to Frightmare for another two-count. A Doomsday DDT to Hallowicked’s next as CPF were digging deep, only for Mayhew to get triple-teamed ahead of a standing moonsault and a pile-on pin… he’s able to power out though, as CPF returned to low-bridge the Envoy to the outside, ahead of the stomp-assisted Made in Japan – dubbed the FIJ – to Ultramantis Black for the win. This was a cracking trios match with the time they had, and you’d think CPF will be defacto favourites after this one. ***½
Nino Bryant vs. Lio Rush
Starting the second half, the number one contender to the Cruiserweight title took on the newcomer Nino Bryant, who was in for perhaps the biggest match of his life.
Bryant started off strong against Lio, outfoxing the relative veteran as some twisting headscissors out of the corner sent Lio powdering outside. Back inside, Lio looks to rough up Nino, dumping him with a back elbow off the ropes ahead of a running back suplex as Lio began to build momentum.
Taking things up top, Lio’s attempt at a back superplex were fought out of as Nino instead went for a double jump moonsault before he found a way through with a Pele kick. Nino keeps going with diving clotheslines and a wheelbarrow roll for a two-count, before a clothesline slammed the brakes on Bryant.
Lio lands another clothesline off the ropes as he took over, but Nino’s not going down easily… and finds a way in with a moonsault press out of the corner. Luring Lio in for strikes, Nino’s able to avoid him as a dropkick connected instead, then a diving kick that nearly upset Lio. Another moonsault followed as Lio rushed outside, while a body press off the top almost got Nino the win of his career to date.
Rush counters back with a F5 out of nowhere, before Nino rolled away from the splash zone as Lio went up top for a Final Hour. Duelling clotheslines see the pair clatter into each other from there, but it’s a Falcon Arrow from Rush that gets him back in control before Nino caught him with an Argentine Facebuster as we looked to be heading for the home stretch. In the end, a cradle from Rush, then a snapping powerbomb left Nino laying as the Final Hour proved to be enough for Lio to leave with the W. A great showing for Nino here, but the follow-up will tell us whether this is the start of something big here, or whether this match was just filler on the card. ***½
Post-match, Will Kaven appeared on the stage for a staredown with Lio Rush – and you’d think those two may be in for an Uprising outing?
Revolution Gauntlet Match: Flying Bryant Bros (Leland Bryant & Zander Bryant) vs. Rising Tide (Leon Cage & Shane Hooker) vs. Sunshine Machine (TK Cooper & Chuck Mambo) vs. Sha Samuels & Harry Milligan vs. JJ Gale & Cameron Khai vs. Cut Throat Collective (Alex Windsor & Mercedez Blaze) vs. Kanji & Chantal Jordan vs. Goldenboy Santos & David Francisco
There’s something about gauntlet tag matches on trios weekends that have a thing about setting off reviewers. Those who’ve followed Bryan Alvarez back in the day know exactly what I’m talking about. This was announced as a Revolution Gauntlet, with rules approximating AEW’s Casino Gauntlet with the “first fall wins” rule.
Starting with the Bryant Brothers and the debuting Rising Tide – Leon Cage & Shane Hooker – we had some insight of the future of the tag division, with the Bryants and Rising Tide trading flash pins ahead of a springboard from Leland as Xander held Shane Hooker in the corner to stop the cover being broken. I loved that attention to detail.
Sunshine Machine’s out next as they used Rising Tide to hit the Gutterball on each other for a two-count, before a double Blockbuster from Mambo took out the Bryants. A neat double-team from Rising Tide led to an assisted German suplex from Hooker to Cooper ahead of the entry of Sha Samuels. Joshua James is on the shelf with a broken collarbone, so despite him entering himself and Sha in this, we need a new partner. No, not Quildan… Harry Milligan’s dragged off of production and forcibly inserted into the match.
David Francisco had been chased away by Sha during all this, so we’ve got solo Bradshaw on commentary for the remainder of the match. Sha had Leon Cage launched into him for a spinebuster, before Milligan tried to steal a pin… and got slapped by his own tag partner for doing so.
Another count-down brings out JJ Gale and Cameron Khai to clear the ring out, and also seemingly cool the crowd off a little. The Bryants slow the Portsmouth lads down a bit, but Rising Tide take over with a spin-out Dominator from Cage that almost got the win. A split-legged moonsault from Gale almost puts Cage away as team Portsmouth looked to push on, leading to an elevated springboard European uppercut from Gale as the bodies continues to fly.
After a step-up flip senton from Leland Bryant, Sha told Harry to “jump on them” – only to shove him down off the top rope as Harry proved a little reluctant. Everyone brawls through the crowd as Shane Hooker hit a stage dive into the pile, before a moonsault from Cage caught everyone off guard as he landed in the pile. Milligan’s squashed with a 450 splash, but Gale and Khai break up the pin as we counted in the arrival of… the Cut Throat Collective?
Alex Windsor and Mercedez Blaze march out and traded shots with Gale and Khai. A low blow to the JJ’s from Windsor got rid of those two as the Collective cleared the ring, albeit mostly with two-on-one advantages before Rising Tide levelled them with superkicks. Sha Samuels gives Windsor and Blaze a mouthful before Safire Reed charged the ring with Kendo sticks that were put to good use… before Kanji and Chantal Jordan came out as the next team.
Kanji, Jordan, Blaze, Windsor and Reed eventually brawled to the back… before the reminder of the match teleported back into the ring to pick up where they’d left off. Let’s just say I wasn’t a fan of how that part of the match felt “compartmentalised.” Anyway, we continue with TK absorbing superkicks as he’s want to do, before he got caught with a flying Destroyer from Cage.
Hooker hits one of his own to TK seconds later, only for Leland Bryant to hit back with a 450 splash as the bodies continue to fly… JJ Gale’s Gale Force wipes out Leland, only to get caught with a spinebuster from Sha. Harry adds a Sega Mega Driver to Khai, but a dive from Sha leaves Harry on his lonesome against Sunshine Machine, who go for the Designated Driver and get the win as David Francisco and Goldenboy Santos couldn’t make it to the ring in time. I loved the finish, particularly since everyone keeps saying AEW should do that with their Casino gauntlets, but while this match introduced a lot of teams, I’m unsold on whether we’ll be seeing these combinations regularly going forward. I’ve seen too many one-and-dones in St. Neots and Southampton! ***
Post-match, Jay Joshua runs out to suplex Sunshine Machine and leave them laying with the old Irie piledriver onto-your-partner spot – so it looks like it’s Joshua and Connor Mills are the next challengers, which only makes me even more suspicious about all those new teams we just saw in the gauntlet.
Iker Navarro vs. Michael Oku
This was Iker’s second outing for Rev Pro, having lost to Robbie X back in May at the 229…
David Francisco’s back for this, as we start with a diving boot from Navarro, then a running death valley driver to Oku in the corner as the Spaniard looked to end things in a hurry. A back senton almost going through Oku nearly does it too, before Oku began to fight back… only for his ‘rana to get caught and countered into an ankle lock.
Navarro stays on Oku, only to get caught with a missile dropkick off the top, then with a snap DDT before Oku slipped out of a Navarro powerbomb. He can’t follow up as Iker suplexed him down moments later, before he shrugged off an up-kick to hit a Dragon suplex. The back-and-forth continued with Oku sliding under Navarro as he rolled him up for a half crab, but things end in the ropes as Iker forces the break.
We reset with Oku and Navarro trading shots, but it’s a diving headbutt from Navarro that stemmed the tide, ahead of a snapping powerbomb and an eventual diving lariat for a near-fall for Iker. A superkick from Oku cuts off Iker’s charge, as a dropkick took the Spaniard outside for the near-obligatory Fosbury flop, following up with a froggy crossbody back inside.
Navarro avoids a frog splash and instantly pounces on Oku with a crossface, but he’s able to roll free and into the half crab, leaning back as Iker was forced to tap. While commentary didn’t play this up, Navarro was a good proxy/warm-up opponent for Oku’s title shot next month, with the added danger of Iker not quite being as familiar to Oku as the rest of the roster. ***½
Post-match, Iker offered a handshake… but then spat in Oku’s face before leaving. Oku took the mic and suggested a rematch so he could slap Iker some more, before he then built up his match with Luke Jacobs at York Hall.
Trios Grand Prix Final: CPF (Danny Black, Joe Lando & Maverick Mayhew) vs. Viva España (Zozaya, Joey Torres & Sito Sanchez)
The winners of this get to pick matches for themselves – be it three individual matches, or cashing in their trophies all in one go. It’s worth noting though, it’s not a “money in the bank” thing, for those rightfully averse to that trope.
Zozaya won the coin toss and seemed unsure about selecting lucha rules… but we got that anyway as the crowd finally came to life for the main event. Things got heated in the opening stages as all six men had a tense stand-off… but the Spaniards jump CPF on the break as they focused on Danny Black for a spell.
Things spill outside as Joey Torres hits a corkscrew dive into the pile on the floor, before Zozaya teased throwing Black into the crowd with a German suplex. That’s not happening, but the scrap continues as Sanchez suplexed Lando onto the ramp before the Spaniards got back to Danny Black back inside.
Zozaya tries to calm things down so Torres and Sanchez didn’t lose sight of things, but sure enough Black tries to fight back, only for his dive out for a tag to get blocked as the Barcelona Blacklist duo continued to dictate the pace. Second time was the charm for Danny, whose half-and-half suplex bought him time to go for a tag… when exiting the ring would have done the trick just as much.
Lando runs wild, dropping Sanchez with a German suplex before a cutter took out Zozaya for a near-fall. Mayhew’s in for a double-team back cracker/Quebrada to Zozaya for another two-count, before Zozaya fought out of the triple-team FIJ… and instead hit a double Northern Lights suplex to Lando and Black. Torres and Sanchez return as they looked for Combi Completa to Mayhew, but it’s escaped as Zozaya instead shut down Mayhew with a missile dropkick aided by legsweeps from Torres and Sanchez.
All six men are back in the ring for more back-and-forth, leading to a hattrick of Essex Destroyers from CPF that sent everyone outside… but a trio of dives were quickly cleared off as CPF instead got tossed into the crowd. CPF narrowly beat a count-out as Zozaya again pleaded with his partners to cool down… before they were met with a trio of brainbusters from CPF instead.
From there, Torres was taken up top for a Spanish Fly, before a JJ Elbow (shooting star elbow drop) from Lando forced Sito Sanchez in to grab the referee to break up the pin. As CPF protested to the referee, the Spaniards take advantage with Zozaya landing de Madrid al Cielo to Mayhew, who then took the Combi Completa for another near-fall as CPF refused to go down.
CPF find themselves dragged into the corners as we had ¾s of a four-post assault on our hands… but everyone crashes and burns as CPF launched one last offensive, as an Awful Waffle from Mayhew to Torres led to the FIJ for the tournament-winning pin! A heck of a main event, with a true “anyone could win” final going CPF’s way. Prior to this weekend, CPF had only won once in Rev Pro – so this is clearly their biggest win to-date in the promotion… and should help a little in making whatever matches they parlay this into feeling special. ***¾
The first of anything is always a tough sell – particularly since “floating” fans would need to be sold on just how important a new concept is. Doubly so when you’re treating every show as important as the next. Whether we see a second (and more) Trios Grand Prix remains to be seen, but as a first shot, this iteration of the tournament at the very least exposed a tonne of new names to the Rev Pro audience… it’s now up to the promotion to build on this weekend and mesh them into ongoing cards and not have them be one-and-dones.