Our full review of this past weekend’s RPW Uprising show, featuring THAT match between Will Ospreay and Vader.
#TLDR: If you still can’t believe it happened, well, it did. The Twitter feud between Vader and Will Ospreay actually led to a match – albeit not a good one – with a whole lot of smoke and mirrors. Unfortunately, that overshadowed a really good undercard, capped off with an outstanding match between Chris Hero and Marty Scurll, with a jaw-dropping finish.
The Full Review: Their third York Hall show in as many months saw Rev Pro hit the London venue on a Friday night with their traditional autumn event being moved to late summer. Because Vader. Rev Pro advertised a pretty stacked card for this, featuring imports such as Chris Hero, Ricochet, Jeff Cobb and Jay White.
Josh Bodom vs. Jay White
Bodom’s jerking the curtain here, after beating Ryan Smile at the company’s last Cockpit tapings the prior week. White got a good reaction, and he’d been looking forward to appearing in York Hall, so he was no doubt thrilled by it.
The two Andys are on commentary, with Oliver Bennett over in Rio de Janeiro for the Olympics. Bodom shoves White into the corner, before he tries to psyche out White with some kicks. Bodom grabs a wristlock, then drops White to the mat, but he reverses out into a roll-up for a near-fall for the New Zealander.
A waistlock from Bodom is again reversed into a hammerlock, before White snapmares him down into a rear chinlock, then an armbar of sorts. Bodom takes White into the corner for a break, but he ends up slapping him… another headlock from Bodom is reversed, and White returns the slap. Again and again, including a cute series of slaps after Bodom’d been taken down with a front facelock. White lights up Bodom with some chops, before throwing him to the outside and connecting with a baseball slide dropkick into the barriers. A plancha follows from White, who kept on top of Bodom with chops on the outside, before rolling him back in for not even a one-count.
White grabs an armbar, but lets go as he instead sets him up for a modified Tequila Sunrise, with some extra manipulation on the wrists, before a roll-back got White a near-fall. Some forearms into the corner followed, before Bodom caught a leap-over from White and crotched him onto the top rope. Bodom chops White to the floor, and kicked away at the New Zealander, before chopping him repeatedly in front of the apron as White laughed it off.
A bodyslam gets Bodom a one-count, before a dropkick cut-off White’s comeback and got him a two-count. Bodom then gets another one after a kick to the back of White, with a standing moonsault getting another near-fall as Bodom enjoyed a period of sustained offence. White fights out of a rear chinlock, then uppercuts Bodom into the corner, before dropping him with a DDT after a missed clothesline from Bodom. White gets up and lands some forearms, before a back elbow drops Bodom again, as a European uppercut and a suplex sets up Bodom for a missile dropkick.
The pair traded forearms for a spell, before White took a knee to the head and a roundhouse kick as Bodom picked up another near-fall. Bodom shoves away at White’s head, and sparks another forearm and chop battle, which ended with a dropkick from White. A spinning uranage got White a two-count, before a small package nearly stole it for Bodom, who then hit a Lumbar Check (powerbomb onto the knees) for another near-fall.
Bodom tried to connect with a Bliss Buster, but White backdropped him onto the apron and took a few more chops and kicks, before Bodom went for a powerbomb on the apron. White again backdropped free (cheers for the “big back body drop” shout-out of sorts), but Bodom popped up and powerbombed White onto the apron from the floor.
Back inside, Bodom landed the Bliss Buster for a two-count as White kicked out, before taking another forearm and a superkick from Bodom. White got up into a roundhouse kick, but he caught it in mid air and turned Bodom into a Boston crab, and forced the eventual tap. That was a surprise victory for White, I have to say, especially as Bodom has been groomed as a future star in this group! ***½
Sha Samuels vs. Big Damo
Samuels and Damo go face-to-face, leading to a slap from Samuels, who gets shoved to the outside by Damo, and then dropped on the floor. Some chops from Damo take Samuels around the ring, including one as Samuels was caught in the crowd barriers, before Damo set up for a cannonball dive against the barricades that hit with such force, the lighting rig above the ring moved!
Damo whipped Samuels with his own ring jacket, then took him into the corner for some more forearm smashes. Samuels replied by blinding Damo with his jacket, and mounting the Northern Irishman with some punches on the mat. A double axehandle smash off the middle rope drops Damo for a one-count, and Damo fired back, only to be cut off with an eye rake.
Another double axehandle drops Damo, who again kicked out at one, before Samuels got caught on the top rope with an uppercut, as Damo superplexed Samuels back into the ring. The pair lay into each other with forearms from their knees, with Damo then unleashing on Samuels with a biel into the corner and a load of punches. Samuels raked the eyes to avoid a Fireman’s carry, but had no answer at the second time when Damo followed with a senton for a near-fall.
Samuels fought out of a powerbomb, but walked into a kick to the thigh, as Damo then pulled off the powerbomb and a sliding elbow drop for a two-count. Samuels worked out of an Ulster Plantation and nailed a spinebuster for a near-fall, before Samuels grabbed a sleeperhold. Damo rolled free and flattened him with a leaping crossbody into the corner for another two-count.
Samuels spat at Damo, which earned some punches in the corner, before Damo accidentally shoved the referee down. That ref bump allowed Samuels to wrap his scarf around Damo, and disguise it as a sleeperhold with body scissors, and that forced a submission. As a big guy match, this was alright – it started at a pace it had no hope of maintaining, and had a shoddy ref bump finish, but it was what it was. ***
The British Young Bloods (Jake McCluskey & Kieran Bruce) vs. Ryan Smile & PJ Black
This was unadvertised, hence pre-match no graphic… Ryan Smile – fresh off of an impressive showing in defeat against Josh Bodom at the Cockpit tapings – had an unusual partner in… PJ Black? How’s that for an unusual surprise choice of import! Although it did overshadow Smiles’ “main show” debut for Rev Pro.
Black starts with a headlock on McCluskey, then lands a shoulder block and an armdrag into an armbar. Smile gets tagged in as he stomps onto McCluskey’s arm, before Smile kips up from a shoulder tackle and ends up squaring off after a brief bit of rope running. A slap from Smile leads to McCluskey taking a couple of kicks, before a shoulder tackle drops Smile as Bruce tags in.
Smile lands a pair of leapfrogs, then drops Bruce with a leaping knee to the face. Bruce whips Smile into the corner as he tried to make the tag to Black, but Smile’s comeback went awry as he slipped as he tried to use the bent-over McCluskey as a stepping stone as he flew into Bruce.
Smile finally tagged in Black, who took down both of the British Young Bloods, but the heels came back with a pair of dropkicks, sending Black to the floor. The Young Bloods double teamed Smile in the corner, before a suplex from McCluskey got him a two-count on Smile. In comes Bruce, who took a low kick and an uppercut, before a lariat nearly dropped Smile on his neck.
Another tag brings in McCluskey, who hits a standing moonsault for a two-count. Gotta love how a guy whose gimmick is “he spams moonsaults” is a heel character in 2016… McCluskey whips Smile into the turnbuckles, and he takes it Ric Flair style… except he lands on his head instead of flipping to the apron.
The Young Bloods go for their ridiculous series of leapfrogs from corner-to-corner, which end with them attacking Smile as he looked to tag out. Smile was thrown back in by Bruce, who then dropped an elbow for a two-count. A rear chinlock keeps Smile grounded, before he finally fought free and sent McCluskey into the corner with an overhead belly-to-belly, landing next to a seated Bruce.
Smile finally made the tag to Black, who sprung in with a bionic elbow from the top rope, then a roundhouse kick to McCluskey. Bruce took a back body drop, as Black followed up with leaping forearms into the corner, then a double dropkick to the Young Bloods. A pair of topes sent the Young Bloods into the barriers, before a springboard moonsault on McCluskey earned Black a two-count.
Black climbed to the top rope for a 450 Splash, but Bruce cut him off and McCluskey picked Black off the top turnbuckles and flipped him into a facebuster for a near-fall. Bruce misses a frog splash on Black, and got rolled up for a near-fall, before the Young Bloods try and fail at their assisted German suplex. A missile dropkick from Smile takes down the Young Bloods, as Bruce took a sandwiching pair of superkicks from Smile and Black for a near-fall.
A leg lariat from Smile dropped McCluskey, but the Young Bloods eventually dropped him with a clothesline-assisted German suplex for the win. At times this suffered from the curse of the unadvertised “bonus match”, but this was a decent tag match. I could live without hearing Screaming Ryan Smile again though. Good performer, but those shrieks are annoying. ***¼
Marty Scurll vs. Chris Hero
Although not advertised explicitly as such, this is a return match after Scurll beat Chris Hero two months earlier for PROGRESS. Hero’s gear got lost in transit, so he’s wearing a collection of other people’s gear, including what looks like Pete Dunne’s rolled-down singlet instead of his trunks.
Hero shoves Scurll away from a waistlock to start us with, before Scurll scored a takedown and grabbed a front facelock, which Hero nonchalantly broke out of by lifting up and placing Scurll on the top rope. A wristlock from Scurll takes down Hero, who uses see-saw kip-ups to free himself, then whip Scurll down to the mat.
Hero elbows away a handshake offer, then falls into a knuckle-lock, but he takes Scurll down, only to fall into some elevated headscissors… but Hero stands up and dumps Scurll in the top rope once again. Scurll did his “chicken” pose, and walked straight into a right hand by Hero, then some chops and boots in the ropes.
Hero mocks Scurll’s “shh” routine, and instead of snapping the fingers… just decks him with a forearm, before booting Scurll from a seated position. Scurll rolls back from a back suplex, and locks in the chicken wing, but Hero stands up easily and releases the hold, before tossing Scurll again.
An arm whip drops Hero, who then gets taken into the corner for some stiff chops, but Scurll gets backdropped onto the apron, then a big boot sends him flying into the aisleway by Hero. A tope attempt from Hero was faked out, as he flipped onto the floor, and straight into the path of a superkick off the apron from Scurll, who then stomped onto the arm of Hero on the apron.
Another superkick off the apron dazed Hero, as did a dropkick in the ring, and an enziguiri as Hero was taken off his knees for a near-fall. Scurll stomped on Hero’s wrist again, before another arm whip sent him to the mat. Hero takes some more chops in the corner, then a slap to the face, but Hero fought back with a running knee strike after shoving Scurll out of the corner with his feet.
A leaping forearm into the corner dazed Scurll, as did an enziguiri, before Hero kipped up and landed the Cyclone Kill (discus big boot) for a near-fall. Unfortunately, Andy Simmonz went all Alex Shane on commentary by saying he’d never seen that before. Like me, I guess he’d never seen Hero live before, eh?
Hero waits for Scurll to turn around, but instead of a discus forearm, he pulls a Scurll and does a “just kidding” big boot, then a release suplex for a near-fall. After that near-fall, Hero climbed to the top rope and went for a moonsault, but he crashed and burned as Scurll rolled away, and followed up with two kicks to the head, then hit the Graduation (swinging double underhook suplex) for another two-count.
Scurll then aped one of Hero’s former students and tag team partners, by trying for Cesaro’s Neutraliser, but Hero back body dropped out of it for a near-fall. Hero was then lifted up in an inverted torture rack into a flapjack for another two for Scurll. A spit-laden slap from Scurll angers Hero, who then takes a series of lariats, only to reply with a discus forearm after Hero had blocked a lariat.
Hero levelled Scurll with another series of forearms, before Scurll rolled out of a ripcord elbow and rolled through into a chicken wing… but he couldn’t quite lock the fingers together. Another ripcord elbow followed, but Scurll kicked out at one! A series of slaps follow, but Hero replies with another forearm, before taking the “Just Kidding” superkick to the shin.
Scurll’s latest chicken wing attempt was met with another discus forearm, but Scurll turned a neckbreaker into a backslide, before a sunset flip was rolled through into a Styles Clash-like piledriver for a two-count. Andy Quildan was losing his voice on commentary for all this, as were a lot of the crowd, as Hero flipped off Scurll and ran into a big boot.
Hero shrugged it off, and took another big boot, before a discus elbow… and then Scurll countered a suplex with a brainbuster for a near-fall. Scurll held on and snapped the fingers of Hero, before going for the Neutraliser again, but turned it into a snap Gotch piledriver for a near-fall.
After the kick-out, Scurll waited for Hero to get to his knees, then levelled him with a superkick to the head, before climbing to the top rope… but Hero popped up and caught him on the top. A leaping knee strike dazed Scurll, and Hero climbed up to the middle rope… and locked the hands, and dropped Scurll with a Gotch piledriver from the middle rope for the win. An insane bump to end a fantastic match which, in my mind at least, was just a shade better than their outing for PROGRESS. This was my first time seeing Chris Hero live, and that’s going to need a lot to be topped! ****½
Pete Dunne vs. Ricochet
Pete Dunne and his amazing one-frame entrance video came out first, and he started working the wrist of Ricochet, which was reversed back and forth. After working over Ricochet’s fingers, the pair stall for a bit, before Ricochet’s taken into the corner with a neck crank.
Dunne’s then taken into the corner for a mocking pat on the chest, and Dunne snaps out with a headlock, before Ricochet takes a shoulder tackle and kips up out of it. A flying headscissors and a dropkick takes Dunne to the outside, before Ricochet fakes out of a dive. Dunne returns for a spinebuster, and then the People’s Moonsault for a near-fall, with Dunne then going to the floor for cover. Ricochet’s attempt at a tope to the outside got cut off by Dunne in mid-air, sending Ricochet crashing to the floor.
Ricochet finally made his way back in, but found his arm stomped as Dunne kept up the offence. A chinlock kept Ricochet grounded, and almost forced a surprise submission, but Ricochet fought free with a jawbreaker before sending Dunne into the middle turnbuckle. A 619 and a springboard cross body got Ricochet a two-count, before Dunne blocked a Regal-plex with a series of elbows to the back of the head.
Ricochet popped up again though and rolled out of a sunset flip before missing a roundhouse enziguiri, and finally landed the Regal-plex for a near-fall. A flying forearm and knee strike hits Dunne, who then takes a Ace Crusher off the ropes before a standing shooting star press forced Dunne to kick out at two.
A chop from Ricochet set him up for the Benadryller, but Dunne elbowed out and got whipped into the corner, where he back body dropped Ricochet onto the apron. Ricochet went for a springboard forearm, but got caught and took a sit-out powerbomb for a near-fall. Dunne came close again with a Fireman’s carry launched up into an uppercut… so he just bit away on the fingers of Ricochet.
Dunne stomped away on the neck of Ricochet, then looked for the Drop Dead (pumphandle facebuster), but Ricochet rolled free, before taking a battle of knees and kicks ended with Ricochet dumping Dunne on the mat with a lariat. Both men get back to their feet, and Dunne launches into Ricochet with forearms, but they’re returned, and Ricochet actually knocked Dunne down with those shots.
A slap from Dunne rocked Ricochet, who again flipped out of the Drop Dead, and turned it into a Northern Lights suplex, then rolled into a brainbuster for a two-count. Ricochet climbed to the top and landed on his feet from a double moonsault, before a second moonsault was caught and turned into a leaping tombstone piledriver for another near-fall.
Dunne takes Ricochet to the top rope and sets him up for a superplex, but Ricochet bit his way free, then got a shooting star press into the knees of Dunne. Seconds later, Ricochet popped up for a reverse ‘rana, then a Death Valley Bomb for a near-fall. Keeping on top, Ricochet went airborne again with a 630 Splash, and that was enough for the win. This wasn’t a bad match, but at times it suffered from a lack of selling – particularly at the end, when Ricochet crashed and burned from the shooting star press, but popped up to hit a reverse hurricanrana. There’s a lot about this match that just didn’t click for me, and I don’t think it was the clash of styles either. ***¾
Dunne attacked Ricochet after the match and laid him out with the Drop Dead, before making the universal sign of “I want the title”.
Revolution Pro Wrestling British Heavyweight Championship: Jeff Cobb vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (c)
Andy Quildan channelled Chris Roberts from back in the day as his voice broke whilst announcing Zack Sabre Jr. as a world champion. Thankfully, the York Hall crowd didn’t ride him for it for too long…
Sabre and Cobb take a while to tie-up, as Sabre kicked away at Cobb’s leg, before Cobb took him down by the ankle, and eventually forced the champion into the ropes. Cobb takes him down again, and clings onto the leg but Sabre again makes the ropes as Cobb had gotten into a waistlock position. They finally tie-up, and Cobb grabs Sabre in a front facelock, before taking him down into a seated cobra clutch, yet again sending Sabre to the ropes for cover.
Cobb takes Sabre down from a Fireman’s carry, then hits a series of three rolling gutwrench suplexes as he toyed with the champion. A biel throw sent Sabre flying across the ring, and Cobb stomped away on Sabre, before whipping him into the corner hard. Sabre was sent into the corner with a headbutt, then took another whip into the corner, before slipping away from an avalanche splash. Sabre’s kicks to the legs didn’t work well, but he was again taken down as Cobb dropped him with a forearm smash after another Irish whip.
Cobb went for another waistlock on the mat, but Sabre tries to grab a headlock to work free, then an armbar. Yet again, Cobb worked free into a waistlock, keeping Sabre down, and then rolled him into the middle of the ring as Sabre tried to make the ropes. Finally, Sabre got a foot to the ropes, but he went straight into a series of uppercuts, then a headbutt as the crowd seemed to sense that this was going to be a one-sided demolition of Sabre.
Cobb’s throws continued with a pumphandle throwaway slam, as the crowd started chanting for him – including a variation of the “No Limit” song using his name. Sabre elbowed out of another waistlock, before he started to kick away at Cobb, then landed a low dropkick to send Cobb to a knee. A leg sweep takes him down briefly, so Sabre goes to the Octopus hold, with some wrist manipulation added in too, but Cobb powered out, and took a big boot.
Sabre sent Cobb into the corner with a big boot, then rushed in with an European uppercut, before a second one was caught by Cobb, who swung Sabre around into a German suplex for a near-fall. A back suplex from Cobb is followed with a standing moonsault for a count of two, but a standing shooting star press is caught as Sabre grabs an armbar, only for Cobb to stand up and powerbomb his way out of it.
A back elbow stuns Cobb, before Sabre nearly got caught from a flying uppercut, but he turned the waistlock into a guillotine as Cobb tried to power out… Sabre slipped out of the suplex attempt and tripped Cobb onto his front, before rolling him up for a bridging near-fall. More uppercuts from Sabre rock Cobb, who then saw a Wrath of the Gods slam attempt turned into a heel hook, then an ankle lock.
Cobb pushed out of the ankle lock, and went straight into a kick, then a slap, and more of the same, before a PK out of the corner dropped Cobb onto the back. Another PK drops Cobb, but he rose to his knees, so he gets another, then a slap, and another PK. This is getting repetitive, and the crowd are loudly chanting for Jeff.
More slaps and another PK gets some loud boos for Sabre. More PKs, more boos, and Cobb kicks out at two to loud cheers. But Sabre runs in with another PK and finally gets the unpopular win. That was a weird one – both guys had their spells, but it seems like this was put together in a way that you could say was trollish: with Cobb’s throwing and Sabre doing little more than kicking. It worked, but at a cost. ***¾
Sabre was booed out of the building after his barrage of PKs sealed him the win, but on commentary this wasn’t sold as a heel turn, even though Marty Scurll joined him on the ramp to celebrate the win. Well, if that wasn’t a heel turn, then that was the crowd turning on Sabre for being a one-move man in much the same way that Jake McCluskey became a heel for always doing moonsaults….
Jeff Cobb got a loud round of applause on his way out, and after having seen him twice in a week, I have to say, this guy has me convinced. It’s just a shame that the work of a guy who may look like him isn’t more widely available on these shores… Andy Quildan came to the ring afterwards to offer Cobb a spot on Rev Pro’s shows in Florida next year, and yes, he accepted.
Vader vs. Will Ospreay
This started with half an hour left on the on-demand video… and this had a rabid atmosphere from the moment that Vader’s WWE theme played. Insanely loud boos, to the point where his music was barely audible. Vader took his time making his way down the ramp, as you’d expect a 61-year-old guy who weighs over 400lbs to. To his credit, at least his trademark red mask looked new and shiny, as did his UFC-branded gloves, even if the shirt he had to cover his red and black singlet looked like it’d been chewed up by a dog or two.
Ospreay got the hero’s welcome as you’d expect, and he ripped off his jacket in the ring as Vader peeled off his mask. That almost looked like the red electrical tape that Sid Scala and Will used as a rib for this match. Ospreay and Vader went toe-to-toe, then we had the official ring announcements. Vader got booed for his, as you’d expect. He grabbed the microphone, but was drowned out as he got in Ospreay’s face…
Following Will’s introduction,the two went toe-to-toe again in the middle of the ring, then Will turned his back on Vader and flipped him the bird. Vader attacked Ospreay from behind and pounded him in the corner – cue loud boos – forcing Ospreay under the bottom rope. Vader finally got cheered when he tossed down referee Chris Roberts, before the boos returned as Ospreay was thrown out of the ring.
Vader slowly left the ring and chased Ospreay up the aisle. Security stepped in to separate the two, so Will took the chance to run down the aisle and leap into Vader with a cannonball dive against the apron, but Vader tossed him back-first into the ringpost. They headed up the aisle slowly, and went towards the commentary area, with Vader chokeslamming Ospreay through a table.
Cue more boos as Vader ambled back to the ring, with two medics checking on Ospreay by the stage. The camera shows a gassed Vader on the ring, with a blurrier camera showing Ospreay with a neck brace being placed on him, before Vader decided to do a slow lap of honour around the ring. Will dragged himself up the aisleway after ripping off the neck brace, before hauling himself into the ring to give it another go. Well, I say “another go”, once he got into the corner, the bell actually rang to start the match. Good lord… Vader squashes Ospreay with an avalanche in the corner, before lifting up his t-shirt to show his red and black singlet… but then pulls the shirt back down again, after thinking better of it.
Ospreay took a forearm in the corner as Vader slumped against the top rope, then sent him hard into the corner with an Irish whip. A series of swiped punches knock down Ospreay, before Vader hauled up Ospreay and dropped him with a clothesline after Will was sent into the ropes.
Ospreay leaps out of a chokeslam and hits a handspring roundhouse kick to knock Vader down, before the Phenomenal Forearm was barely sold by the Mastodon, who kicked out at two. And that was about all the selling he was going to do! Will went for the OsCutter, but Vader caught him and sent him flipping inside out with a clothesline for a two-count. More stalling as Vader chastised the referee, and Ospreay dropkicked Vader into the ref for another ref bump. A second roundhouse kick knocked Vader down, and Will went to the top rope…
But then came Pete Dunne’s music. And then the shenanigans. Dunne came through the crowd and dropped him with the Drop Dead (pumphandle facebuster), before shaking hands with Vader. Ospreay’s Cruiserweight title belt was picked up, and out came Ricochet to even things up by taking Pete Dunne out of the equation.
Vader took both Ricochet and Ospreay, they fought back and Ospreay held Vader down for a shooting star press. Ospreay followed with one of his own, but Dunne pulled the referee out at two, and then drilled Ricochet with the Cruiserweight title belt. A flying Sasuke special from Ospreay took out Dunne, but he returned to the ring to take a chokeslam… only to kick out after the count of one!
The crowd roared as Ospreay kicked out, but that just angered Vader as he threw him down with a second chokeslam for the win. Cue many more boos, as Pete Dunne bowed down to the man who struggled to get to his feet after that match. As a spectacle, I guess this is the best we should have expected for a segment that went about 20 minutes… but as a wrestling match? Sorry, but this was the shits. -**
Post-match, Ospreay took the microphone and cut a promo about how he had to “bow down” to certain guys. Ospreay says feels like he’s failed us, and he blames Pete Dunne. Looks like that’s the next match… (and sure enough, Rev Pro have booked that for later in August).
It’s interesting to note that Vader’s last major appearance was for TNA last year (beating Bram), but he’s worked a few indy shows over the last few years, with his last loss being a DQ defeat by Dave Mastiff in PCW in December 2013. Before then, you’ve a time limit draw against Tatsumi Fujinami in 2011, and then a loss in a New Japan six-man tag in 2006! So perhaps we shouldn’t have been surprised by this?
As a show, this was sold entirely by the controversy generated by the Vader/Ospreay Twitter feud. Anyone who bought a ticket for this match was probably left feeling cheated, but on the surface, what the hell did we expect? A 61 year old Vader, who’s got a bit of a spotty record on the independent scene (at least, he’s got a trail of promoters who have eagerly criticised him after using him), who was never going to lose to a guy who – before this became promos for a match – clearly did not rate Ospreay.
As a fan, I left this show extremely worried about the message this sent to the industry. Sure, the indy scene has always been the place for guys past their prime to make a pay-day, often at the expense of youngsters; but this is perhaps the most obscene example of a veteran refusing to put over talent. The vast majority of the York Hall crowd was drawn to this show because of Vader vs. Ospreay – and whilst we did get some really good wrestling on the undercard (including the Hero/Scurll match that quite frankly, got overshadowed by this), fans always remember the last thing they see on a show… which was this bullshit.
Aside from that, the rest of the card here featured five fly-ins (Jay White, PJ Black, Chris Hero, Ricochet and Jeff Cobb). Of those, only Black and Cobb lost, with the Ricochet win over Pete Dunne being questionable. The next big match RPW are building to is the Ospreay/Dunne rematch – which is now a match between two guys who lost their last big match. Add in Zack Sabre Jr’s inadvertent heel turn and the never-ending line of fly-in challengers (until the trigger is pulled on that Sabre/Scurll angle), and you could well be left with an angry group of fans who are fed up of seeing the home team guys lose to the big stars who are flying in for a pay-day. We saw it with Kurt Angle, we saw it with Vader… is this the erosion of fan goodwill, or is this just one massively negative reaction to a result?
Only time will tell, but for their sake, it’d better be the latter.