We’re back at WrestleCon as Michael Oku defends Rev Pro’s British Cruiserweight title against Impact’s Rich Swann in a US-versus-the-world outing.
Quick Results
Sam Adonis pinned Golden Dragon, La Hiedra & Mr. Iguana to retain the Warrior Wrestling Lucha Championship in 8:03 (**¾)
Rachael Ellering pinned Jessica Troy in 14:59 (***½)
Mike Bailey pinned Davey Richards in 15:36 (***¾)
Aramis, Arez & Aeroboy pinned Flip Gordon, Gringo Loco & Kaleb Konley in 14:52 (**¾)
Bandido & Extreme Tiger pinned JD Drake & Anthony Henry in 16:32 (***½)
Calvin Tankman pinned Big Damo in 9:04 (**½)
Michael Oku submitted Rich Swann to retain the Rev Pro Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship in 19:33 (***½)
We’re back at the WrestleCon building for this one, with Ian Riccaboni and Veda Scott back on commentary. It’s a best of seven series… so I’m hoping that Rev Pro title isn’t the decider…
Warrior Wrestling Lucha Championship: Golden Dragon vs. Mr. Iguana vs. La Hiedra vs. Sam Adonis (c)
Dallas weren’t big fans of Sam Adonis, as Fight Panther Jr. was a late withdrawal…
Everyone hates Sam to start, as Mr. Iguana took him outside, before we settled with Iguana and Hiedra in the ring. A wheelbarrow has La Hiedra down, before an Iguana springboard armdrag led to the iguana puppet going for a kiss. Adonis comes in and catches a springboard crossbody, turning Mr. Iguana into a death valley driver that Golden Dragon breaks up the pin on. A leaping Codebreaker from Dragon drops Adonis, before a rope-walk flip armdrag took the champion outside. Hiedra returns with armdrags of her own, before Mr. Iguana got involved with a tope con giro to the outside.
La Hiedra chucks Mr. Iguana’s iguana at him, as Adonis came back in to get slapped and kicked. He chops Hiedra down, only to get kicked in the balls and DDT’d in return. Fair enough. A low bridge has Adonis outside, but La Hiedra’s trip up top gets some help as she’s steadied by Mr. Iguana ahead of a rope-walk body press to the floor. Back inside, Mr. Iguana rebounds off the middle rope for an armdrag, before some headscissors just about found their mark. A rebound reverse suplex nearly wins it for Golden Dragon, before Sam Adonis pulled off a rope-walk Blockbuster to Dragon for a near-fall. La Hiedra catches Adonis up top and hits a powerbomb to start a mini Tower of Doom.
We keep going with a satellite DDT from Iguana to Dragon, before a top rope ‘rana was blocked and eventually turned into a sit-out powerbomb. Hiedra comes back up and hits an Iconoclasm to Dragon for a two-count, with Adonis breaking things up, before throwing La Hiedra outside so he could hit a 450 splash to Golden Dragon for the win. This was alright, but a little unpolished as you’d expect from some lucha. **¾
Jessica Troy vs. Rachael Ellering
I’m stunned that Jessica Troy’s not had more bookings – at least on the listings I’ve seen, this appeared to be her only advertised match?
An opening handshake’s accepted by Troy, who’s locked up into the corner by Ellering to begin with. Working the arm sees Ellering taken down as Troy reversed the hold, but things end up in the ropes as my feed stuttered. Ellering returns with a gutwrench suplex and an elbow drop for a two-count, before some double knees from Troy earned her a two-count. Taking things into the corner, Ellering blisters Troy with chops, before a whip into the corner led to a leaping forearm and a STO. Ellering springs out of the corner for a legdrop for a near-fall, before a bodyslam left Troy down ahead of a back senton that kept Ellering ahead. Troy tries to fight back, but just found herself overwhelmed until Ellering missed another forearm in the corner.
Elbows and forearms from Troy see her get back in it, while a springboard tornado DDT left Ellering down for just a two-count. Going back for the arm, Troy bends it back and stomped on Ellering’s elbow, before a cross armbreaker was fought out of, as Ellering nearly won it with a spinebuster off the ropes. Ellering’s forearm’s kicked away by Troy, before she followed in the ropes with a clothesline… before Troy finally took her down with some headscissors as an Fujiwara armbar ended with Troy getting rolled up for a near-fall. The armbar’s kept on though, as Ellering ends up getting a foot to the rope for the break.
Troy follows Ellering outside, and gets thrown into the side of the apron before a Black Hole Slam back inside drew the nearest of near-falls! Chops follow from a frustrated Ellering, who then pulls Troy into a powerbomb… but Troy ‘rana’s out and goes back to the armbar, only for Ellering to roll through, then score the win with a Magistral. This was freaking good – even throughout, with Troy’s gameplan almost coming off, but in the end a flash roll-up was what cost her. ***½
Mike Bailey vs. Davey Richards
I’ve lost count of how many matches Speedball’s had this weekend, but thus far I’ve not seen a bad one as he’s making a serious count for that “wrestler of the weekend” tag.
A tentative start sees Bailey’s waistlock countered as Richards rolled him to the mat for some headscissors, which Bailey floats out of. Richards followed with an overhead suplex out of a knuckle lock for some two-counts, before Bailey rolled back to reverse the knuckle lock. The counters continue as Bailey had Richards in a straitjacket, before a kick from Bailey forced Richards into the corner. We resume with Bailey flipping into a wristlock as he held on despite Richards’ attempts to escape. Richards uses the ropes to his advantage, climbing out, then back into the ring to wrap Bailey’s arm up… before Bailey returned with a dropkick to take Davey outside. A front kick misses, with Bailey getting hung up in the ropes for a knee bar.
Richards stays on the knee, driving his elbow into it, as a kneeling Cloverleaf had Bailey in trouble. He’s able to crawl into the ropes though, then returned with the Speedball kicks before he booted Davey off the apron. The triangle moonsault followed to the floor as Bailey pushed on, but a buzzsaw kick was ducked as Davey instead countered back with a Trailer Hitch. Bailey manages to grit his teeth and claw his way to the ropes for a break, before the pair found themselves on the apron trading kicks. Richards catches one and pulled Bailey between the ropes for a Dragon screw, before he cleared the floor wand teased a German suplex off the apron. A leg sweep saves Bailey as he then… lands the moonsault double knees!
Bailey’s trip up top is stopped though as Richards cuts him off with some rapid-fire headbutts, before an avalanche brainbuster brought Speedball down to earth. A series of kicks led to Bailey going for the tornado into the corner, only for Richards to catch it and turn it into an ankle lock… the push off earns Bailey a PK, before Davey went up top for a crushing double stomp for a near-fall. Richards followed with a brainbuster for a near-fall, before a roll-up and moonsault knees put Speedball back in it… with a buzzsaw kick also getting the Canadian a near-fall. The tornado kick followed into the corner, then the Ultima Weapon, and that’s enough for the win. Almost a sprint-like pace this, with Bailey continuing his stellar weekend in style. ***¾
Arez, Aramis & Aeroboy vs. Gringo Loco, Flip Gordon & Kaleb Konley
Aeroboy and Flip Gordon start us off, as I assume we’re under lucha rules here.
The pair trade hammerlocks early as Flip took it to the mat, before Gordon flipped over Aeroboy… then floated out of some headscissors. A kick away from Aeroboy led to Flip tripping himself in the ropes, recovering with a dropkick as Aeroboy spilled to the outside… where he then walked away from Flip’s attempted dive. In comes Aramis, whose wristlock was broken by Gordon’s see-saw kip ups, before he avoided a superkick… only to eat a rear hook kick. Gringo Loco’s in next, flipping up into the corner before Aramis leapt off his shoulders, to the top rope, for some headscissors to take Loco outside.
Aramis followed with a springboard armdrag on the outside, before an Asai moonsault attempt was superkicked away. Kaleb Konley and Arez enter next, leading to leapfrogs and roll throughs before a monkey flip nearly took Arez outside. More headscissors from Kaleb earned him an enziguiri, before Gringo Loco came in and flipped off Arez. Springboard headscissors took Gringo down, before Arez went to the well once too often and ate a facebuster. Aeroboy’s in for an armdrag, but instead had to take down Loco with headscissors ahead of a Flatliner-like takedown. Kaleb’s back in… but got lifted to the floor as Flip Gordon then ran into a superkick before Kaleb came back in.
Gordon steals a cover, getting a two-count, then built up with a suplex to Aramis before Konley returned to help run Aramis into the corner. A STF from Flip keeps Aramis down, while Konley’s pendulum submission allowed him to swing Arez into the turnbuckle as the home team were splitting the crowd. Gordon ends up taking a beating as the lucha lads triple-team him into the corner, as Aramis’ wheelbarrow-propelled DDT had Flip down. Dives wipe out everyone, before Aramis’ standing Spanish fly and an Arez double stomp led to a senton to Konley for a near-fall, as Gringo Loco dove in to break up the pin.
Konley heads up top, as moonsaults from Gordon, Konley and Grindo flatten Arez for a near-fall… Aeroboy breaks it up, before Aramis superkicked Flip mid-superkick. More superkicks follow, leading to a wild testing body press from Konley to the pile, then a tope con giro from Aeroboy… Gringo Loco looked to complete the set with a step-up flip senton, but Aramis’ rope-walk moonsault wipes out the pile instead. Another dive from Flip finishes it off, as he then took Aramis back inside… a 450 splash misses, as Aeroboy and Arez return to help out with superkicks, while a spinning torture rack bomb, a sit-out powerbomb and a Northern lights suplex got the win to tie the series up at 2-2. **¾
Workhorsemen (JD Drake & Anthony Henry) vs. Bandido & Extreme Tiger
Extreme Tiger subbed for Rey Horus here…
Henry and Tiger start with some grappling, but Henry flips off Tiger in the ropes before he got rolled into a seated surfboard by Extreme Tiger. Henry reverses the hold, giving Tiger a taste of his own medicine before a roll-up drew a two-count. Tags bring us to JD Drake and Bandido, as we start with shoulder tackles… Bandido gets bulled down, then tripped up Drake before he took Drake into the ropes ahead of a handspring backflip. Drake doesn’t want to do lucha, as he blocked one leapfrog, then rolled through a drop down… before busting out a ‘rana of his own!
Bandido helps Drake kip up, only to get punched out as Extreme Tiger came in… and got chopped. Tiger takes Drake outside, but Henry’s quickly in, only to get tripped and kicked in the corner, while Tiger’s headscissors off the apron earned him a rebound forearm from Drake on the floor. Back inside, Extreme Tiger gets a foot to the rope to break up a pin as Drake returned… and grounded the luchador with a chinlock, before Tiger’s fightback… ended with a forearm. Henry’s back to chop Extreme Tiger around, following up with kicks before a palm strike and some chops provided a response. Tiger’s floatover’s caught and turned into a TKO, while Drake’s Shining Wizard nearly ended it. Drake adds a Vader Bomb to the mix, but Tiger rolled away and tagged in Bandido to clear house.
Bandido pops up off Henry into a ‘rana on Drake… then low bridged Henry to the outside ahead of a tope con giro into the Workhorsemen. Back inside, some rolling bodyscissors from Extreme Tiger nearly pinned Henry, who gets double-teamed with a bulldog and a Shining Wizard as Drake needed to break up the cover. Chops from Drake helps get his team back in it, as did a neckbreaker/accidental DDT combo, before a dropkick-assisted side suplex had Tiger down. That leads to a cannonball from Drake in the corner, before Bandido’s 21-Plex was blocked by Henry… who hands him off to Drake for a spinebuster. A slingshot into a superkick keeps Bandido rocked, before Henry’s stomp nearly won it, with Extreme Tiger coming in at the last moment.
A pop-up cutter from Bandido has Anthony Henry down, but Bandido’s able to muscle up Drake for a press slam, before the 21-Plex caught Drake in the ropes for the pin. ***½
Big Damo vs. Calvin Tankman
We’ve got some Big Lads wrestling as Big Damo’s now apparently representing all of Ireland, not just Northern Ireland. Ian Riccaboni clears it up though…
We open with a tie-up that went nowhere, so we head to the shoulder tackles of doom as neither man budged. Eventually Tankman charged Damo into the ropes, as the Newton’s cradle effect kicked off, ending with a leaping shoulder tackle that took Damo to the outside. Tankman joins Damo on the floor for some uppercuts and elbows, before they headed back inside. More elbows see Tankman take Damo to the corner, following up with a clothesline before Damo escaped a slam… then came back with a shotgun dropkick. A whip takes Tankman into the buckles as Damo began to bully his way around, kicking Tankman around by the ropes. Tankman fought back with a slam so big it knocked out the picture, before a big splash brought the picture back for a near-fall.
A pop-up elbow from Tankman earned him a flying crossbody from Damo, before the pair got back up to trade forearms. A back elbow from Tankman leads to a sit-out tombstone, and that’s enough to tie the US vs. the World series at 3-3. This was a little slow paced, and with the quiet crowd I began tuning out, unfortunately… **½
Rev Pro Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship: Rich Swann vs. Michael Oku (c)
Who knew that this would come down to the final match?! Rich Swann busts out the ol’ Razor Ramon pose in his entrance…
We’ve duelling chants and a handshake to start, before both men cartwheeled out of headscissors, avoided dropkicks and reached a stand-off in the early going. They go for a knuckle lock next, but Oku pulled Swann in for a side headlock, but a switcheroo leads to a shove off, with Swann decking Oku from a shoulder tackle. Oku returns with headscissors and a dropkick, taking Swann into the corner for some stomps, while a couple of leg drops, then a knee drop earned Oku just a one-count. Another side headlock’s pushed out of by Swann, whose slap led to a handspring and a dropkick that caught Oku unawares.
Swann pushes on with a kick to the back of Oku, before a step-up back kick caught Oku right in the face. Elbows and a dropkick keep Oku down, as Swann takes things to the outside, where he looked to focus on Oku’s maybe-broken nose by throwing him face-first into the ring steps. A lap of honour leads to a front kick that knocked Oku over the commentary table and into the crowd, before a second one ended with Oku superkicking Swann at the last moment. Back inside, Swann goes for the nose again, then trapped Oku in a chinlock, before things descended into Oku swatting Swann with forearms. A DDT from Oku bounced Swann, as did a missile dropkick, as the crowd almost unanimously swelled behind Oku. The half crab followed, but Swann blocks before Oku missed the springboard moonsault.
A running flipping legdrop has Oku down after that, while a rolling thunder frog splash nearly put Oku away. My feed dropped out, returning as Oku’d rolled Swann into a half crab, but that ends quickly in the ropes. The Fosbury flop met Swann on the outside, before Swann returned with a standing moonsault as he then took the match back inside. Oku caught out Swann with a head kick, before a misdirection knee had Swann in the ropes… only for a superkick to nearly end it out of nowhere. Both men beat the standing ten-count as they exchanged right hands. Oku pulls ahead there, then headed up top for a frog splash across the ring… which almost ended it, before another half crab was avoided. Instead, Oku’s back with a superkick, only to get caught on the top rope with headscissors… Swann’s flying ‘rana’s countered into a powerbomb by the corner, allowing Oku to lock in the half crab for the title-retaining win as the US team ended up losing on the night. ***½
I don’t know whether it was the low crowd, or the format, but a lot of this show just didn’t land as intended. The show did have some pretty high spots – likely where you’d expect – but going head to head with NXT perhaps contributed to the lower turnout (and atmosphere). If you’ve gotten this as part of a bundle, make damn sure you check out Bailey/Richards, Troy/Ellering and Oku/Swann. It’s been a pretty big week for Oku around the world, and hopefully this is a launchpad for continued bigger things…