Hamilton’s Rev Pro Epic Encounter 2023 07.09.2023 Review

Quick Results
Connor Mills pinned Robbie X in 19:57 to win the Rev Pro Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship (***½)
Trent Seven pinned Sha Samuels in 9:29 (**¾)
Luke Jacobs pinned Tom Lawlor in 17:56 (***¾)
Flash Morgan Webster & Mark Andrews pinned Brendan White & Danny Jones in 17:49 to win the Rev Pro Undisputed British Tag Team Championship (***½)
Alex Windsor won a four-way elimination in 21:59 to unify the Rev Pro Undisputed British Women’s Championship & Southside Women’s Championship (***)
Zack Sabre Jr. submitted Jordon Breaks in 15:30 (****¼)
Will Ospreay pinned Leon Slater in 19:04 (****½)
Michael Oku submitted Great O-Khan in 26:34 to win the Rev Pro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship (****)

— If you’re on Twitter, give me a follow over on @IanWrestling. I’m also over on Instagram and Threads by that same name, and if you’ve put your chips in on Mastodon, catch me here… and check out the GoFundMe that’s still open for Larry’s family.

— To watch this show, head over to RevProOnDemand.com – they’re currently running a free trial…

We’re back in a packed York Hall for 2023’s Epic Encounter – I could make a snarky joke about “you don’t need to have seen the other 2022,” but there’s a stacked card on hand here as Rev Pro also begin to tee up for their big anniversary show at the Copperbox in seven weeks’ time.

We’ve got over four hours on the live, unedited feed, so settle in as Andy Quildan and Gio Nolastname are on the call.

Rev Pro Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship: Connor Mills vs. Robbie X (c)
So the live feed seems to joint his one in play as we miss Connor and his new Tony The Tiger trunks jumping Robbie X in the aisle… and things quickly spill into the crowd as Robbie’s flip senton met the challenger in the crowd.

Mills weathered the early storm though, taking Robbie X outside to pop him up against the guard rails, before he began to focus on Robbie’s lower back with elbow shots. A cradle from Robbie X looked to counter a Burning Cutter, but Mills quickly lands a G2S and a Millshot for a near-fall, as the challenger looked to stop Robbie from getting back on top.

Robbie X manages to come back in with a Del Rio-ish stomp out of the corner, before a Spiral Tap almost saw him retain the title…Robbie X goes all Rey Mysterio on us with a nifty backflip DDT for a near-fall, before Mills got his foot on the rope at the last possible second to save himself from an X-Claimation.

Mills tries his luck with an X-Claimation of his own, before the Burning Cutter drew a near-fall… prompting Mills to head to his plan B. Rolling outside, he brings the title belt back in to obviously take the attention of the referee, which allowed Mills to low blow Robbie X out of an X-Claimation attempt and then score the win with a second Burning Cutter. After some near-misses for the title, Connor Mills finally leaves with the gold – and ends Robbie X’s run just a couple of defences short of the record. ***½

Sha Samuels vs. Trent Seven
A late addition to the card – and it’s surprisingly only a second-time-ever meeting here. I’d have thought they’d run this on later-day NXT UK, but clearly not!

Sha enjoyed the better of the early going until Trent went all Hogan on us with a slam and a legdrop, but that just led to Trent taking things outside where he of course chopped the ring post. Samuels one ups things with a Sha-sault from the top rope to the floor – still not as terrifying as the first time he tried that at the (much tighter) Cockpit!

Back inside, Sha’s next trip up top ended with him taking a superplex as Trent began to push on, coming close to the win with an Emerald Flowsion, before a back body drop threw away an East End Destroyer. A piledriver keeps Trent close, but a Michinoku Driver from Sha swung the match back in his favour… before Trent got the knees up to block a frog splash, then rolled Sha up and got his feet on the ropes to steal the win as commentary talked up Trent’s title chances. Uh-oh. **¾

Of course, the ref missed Trent having his feet on the ropes – and at least live – Sha’s protestations managed to include a fan who’d gotten the finish on his phone, which made things a little awkward. Rev Pro’s record with just streaming ain’t great, so let’s not complicate things with in-play rewinding and playback!

Luke Jacobs vs. Tom Lawlor
Filthy Tom, having gone from Korakuen Hall to the Gathering of the Juggalos, to York Hall was making his Rev Pro debut here as a fill-in for Gabriel Kidd… and had opted against his usual double-denim look (smart, given how bloody warm York Hall was) in favour of a cut-off stars and stripes onesie. That went down about as well as you’d think…

Lawlor tried to make Jacobs engage early on, but instead opted to start kicking Luke on the deck. Off comes the onesie, but a surprisingly-playful Jacobs ends up getting caught as the pair began to throw chops before a shoulder tackle sent Lawlor flying. Jacobs looked comfortable, but his back senton lands in the clutches of Lawlor’s cross armbar, forcing Jacobs to the ropes as Lawlor tried to detach that arm.

The crowd started to get on Lawlor for being like Jim Duggan with the flag, and that almost backfired on Luke as Lawlor just used that as inspiration. A forearm from Luke briefly staggered Lawlor, who came right back with a guillotine… then a triangle choke, but Luke’s able to powerbomb his way out of that for a near-fall.

A wacky leaping headbutt into Jacobs in the corner puts him back in the driver’s seat, while a Falcon arrow turned into a rear naked choke as Tom presumably knew just how few deals that move actually did these days. We’re back to chops and clotheslines until an Olympic Slam threw Jacobs across the ring… another fightback from Luke saw his O’Connor roll turned into a rear naked choke, before he finally stuck Lawlor with a lariat and a powerbomb for a near-fall.

Another wind-up lariat sees Jacobs take Tom down again – and this time it’s enough to get the win in an ungodly slugfest – one that really underlines just how far Luke’s come since he was chasing for the cruiserweight belt not too long ago! ***¾

Rev Pro Undisputed British Tag Team Championship: Subculture (Flash Morgan Webster & Mark Andrews) vs. Greedy Souls (Brendan White & Danny Jones) (c)
This wasn’t exactly Webster nor Andrews’ first go around at York Hall… last time Flash was at York Hall for Rev Pro, he was dropping gold, this time around he’ll be hoping for the reverse.

Brendan drew first blood of sorts, chucking Webster across the ring to start while Danny Jones looked to overpower Mark Andrews in their opening forays, but it’s when Subculture began to get aerial when they found a brief opening. The champions swing back around though, with Danny Jones’ back suplex to Webster on the apron allowing them to then isolate Mark Andrews for a spell.

Jones’ sleeper suplex took Andrews out of the Subculture corner as the tandem dubbed “good Wales” were finding themselves in deep waters. The double-teaming eventually backfires when the Double T.E.A.M. slam was countered into a Stundog Millionaire, allowing Andrews to make the hot tag to Webster, whose step-over ‘rana to White and a Quebrada to Jones helped turn it around.

A Shadows Over Malice senton to the champions on the outside keeps Webster ahead, before a double-team Falcon Arrow drew a near-fall. The momentum begins to swing all over the place, as the challengers’ attempt at a Blitz-Knee Bop’s stopped as Brendan instead chucked them with a combo German/belly-to-belly suplex. A throwback for the ol’ suplex slinger…

A slingshot Black Hole Slam – dubbed the Hospital Pass – keeps the champions ahead, before a Parade of Moves ended with Andrews showing he’s to suplexes what Kidman was to powerbombs, as a double Stundog put the challengers back on top. Another crack at the Hospital Pass was countered into a Destroyer, before Webster took Jones outside… and it’s trouble from there as Jones had to pull out the referee to keep the match alive.

The divide and conquer theme continues as Jones looked to piledrive Webster on the walkway… but a back body drop countered that as Andrews’ sunset bomb took care of White, before the Blitz-Knee-Bop finally found a way through – and earned Subculture the gold. It’s a taste of their own medicine for the former champions, whose reign came to a sudden halt after eight and a bit months… but you’d now expect there’ll be a rematch before the British Tag League kicks off? ***½

Elimination Match for Rev Pro Undisputed British Women’s Championship & Southside Women’s Championship: Dani Luna vs. Hyan vs. Skye Smitson (c) vs. Alex Windsor (c)
The stipulations for this allowed for eliminations to come via pinfall, submission or going over the top rope – something which raised an eyebrow or two. Sadly by the end, the finish wasn’t exactly a popular one…

This was Windsor’s first match back in eight months, having come back from a knee injury… and the timing meant this was Windsor’s first defence of the Rev Pro version of the title in almost a year. Dani Luna went right after Windsor to start… but had to defend a Beauty Treatment from Hyan as things quickly spilled to the outside with dives clearing the way.

Hyan took aim at who she called a “paper champion”, but ended up falling to a hanging neckbreaker in the ropes before Dani Luna’s swivelling knee strike on the apron left Hyan on the floor. A neat double-team fallway slam from Smitson and Luna keeps Hyan on the back foot, before Skye vaulted Hyan over the top rope… but Hyan’s able to cling onto the ropes and make her way back in.

A Tower of Doom clears the field, before Hyan cleared out everyone with spears. Luna avoids a running knee in the corner, but couldn’t avoid another spear onto the apron before a death valley driver dumped Hyan onto the side. Back in the ring, slams from Smitson nearly eliminated Windsor… Smitson heads out to grab a chair, which Luna stopped as they went at it, at least until Smitson went for Luna’s previously-injured knee with a chop block. That in turn led to a Smitson Effect on the chair, and that’s Dani eliminated.

Smitson keeps up with the chair, but Hyan avoided it… before she got kicked off the top rope and onto the apron. Windsor joins her though as the pair low-bridged a charging Smitson out of the match… and this is where thing begin to go a little pear-shaped, as Hyan and Windsor’s dualling big boots left them down. Maya Matthews – who’d accompanied Windsor to ringside – got into it with Smitson, prompting Lucian Phillips to get involved on Skye’s behalf. Dani Luna leaps off the walkway into the pile as the ringside area cleared out to sort things out… with contenders and both referees making the trek for… reasons.

That left nobody around to count the pin as Hyan had Windsor down from a clothesline… nor to see Hyan’s headscissors taking Windsor over the top and to the floor as she countered a powerbomb. So it doesn’t count, and as we all waited for a referee to emerge, Windsor slid back into the ring with the chair. Windsor lays waste to Hyan with chairshots, just in time for Oscar Harding and Dylan Harvey to return… as a Sharpshooter from Windsor to force the referee stoppage. A good match soured by a ridiculous state of affairs in the finish, as Alex Windsor then cemented her switch by attacking Maya Matthews after the match, as I guess those’ll be her first two challengers? ***

Moving on from the chants of “bullshit” then, and onto something completely different…

Jordon Breaks vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
These two had quite the face-to-face during March’s Revolution Rumble – and it’s a big show that Zack actually had his proper music played for…

A tentative start sees Sabre escape Breaks’ early holds, but Breaks was showing he was even to Sabre’s stuff as well – even trapping Zack in a version of his old Young Boy Killer double-armbar in the early going. Sabre finds an opening as he began to work over Breaks’; knee and legs, tying him up almost for fun.

Breaks’ butterfly suplex bought him some space, but Sabre’s offence had already left a mark. The pair fight over a backslide, with Breaks’ almost-bridging backslide coming close to getting the upset, before Sabre went from kicking out of a sunset flip as he locked Breaks into variations of a STF, eventually ending in the ropes.

Sabre stays on the arm, but Breaks grabs a Fujiwara armbar as well as it was Zack’s turn to force his way to the ropes. Breaks tries to catch out Sabre with a Euro clutch… but Zack slips out of his clutches (ahem) and pelted Breaks with a PK to end that exchange. A Breaks Special looks to have Sabre in trouble, but Zack slips out and manages to tie up Breaks in what I can only describe as an upside-down leg spreader that forced Breaks to tap before his groin snapped. This was exactly what you’d expect – buttery-smooth exchanges between the pair, with a lot of stuff that caught you off guard. Breaks was never too far behind Sabre – but it always felt like a case of when, not if ZSJ won. ****¼

Post-match, Sabre got the mic and apologised for not being back after he’d announced his return in December… but he’s back for realsies now, and called his shot for the Copperbox show, as he wanted a shot at the British Heavyweight Champion. Zack’s interrupted by JJ Gale, who reminded Sabre that he chucked him out of the Revolution Rumble (and took a kicking from Sabre afterwards).

Sabre turned down the offer, because he had another idea – if Gale could beat Kosei Fujita at the Copperbox, he’ll think about giving Gale his match. Gale accepts… and exits stage left, just in time for the return of Ricky Knight Jr., who came through the crowd to attack Sabre and leave him laying with the Fire Thunder Driver. RKJ told Sabre he’s after that British Heavyweight title as well, so those two look to be your Copperbox match instead.

Leon Slater vs. Will Ospreay
This one had its roots on Drilla Moloney leaving the United Empire for the Bullet Club – but notably, Moloney wasn’t accompanying Slater to ringside for this one.

Slater charged at Ospreay at the bell as this one started off at quite the clip, leading to a slingshot ‘rana after Slater had launched himself from the ring to Ospreay on the floor. Ospreay’s strikes take Slater to the outside, where Will’s plancha found its mark as the recently-crowned IWGP US champion tried to settle into a groove. By trying to create one in Leon’s chest with some sickening chops.

A misdirection cutter from Slater caught Ospreay off-guard, while a dropkick caught Ospreay right in the face ahead of another swift turnaround. Slater digs into the back of tricks he’d been taught in the past, with a ZSJ-esque Octopus stretch, before the Speedball moonsault double knees looked to crush Ospreay, who was favouring that midsection for a while.

Ospreay cut off Slater out of nowhere with a standing Spanish Fly, but Slater’s neckbreaker stopped an OsCutter before Ospreay landed it at the second attempt moments later. A Superman punch gets just a one-count, because this isn’t the movies, before Slater shoved Ospreay to the outside to avoid an OsCutter… and quickly followed him out with an over-the-post tope con giro.

Things continue to see-saw back inside, with Ospreay crotching Slater to stop a swanton 450 splash. A rising headbutt cracks Slater on the top rope, before Ospreay caught Slater’s attempt at a reverse ‘rana and spun him around for a sickening Ligerbomb. It somehow didn’t get the job done, as Slater was able to return with a snap ‘rana out of a Hidden Blade, before Ospreay backed Slater into the ref into the corner.

We’ve a punt down low as our less-than-hardy ref stayed down, which was the cue for Drilla Moloney to come out after Slater’s swanton 450 landed in Ospreay’s knees. Moloney charged through Callum Newman in the aisle, then launched him through a guard rail before Moloney speared Ospreay out of his boots. Unfortunately, Drilla’s tear ended with Slater accidentally laying him out with a leg lariat, before Ospreay’s not-so-Hidden Blade left Slater down for a near-fall.

Ospreay goes back to the head drops with a nasty Storm Driver 91… and thankfully it’s over with that. This’ll not be everyone’s cup of tea, but this match had a fight feel throughout, and the fact that Ospreay had to go to the next level to put away Leon Slater speaks volumes. ****½

Ospreay got the mic after the match and reminded Moloney that “as long as I can get to Leon Slater, I can get to you.” Which prompted Moloney to lay out Slater with a Drilla, as he spiked his (former?) 0121 running buddy… and put the fear of God into a previously-smirking Ospreay.

Rev Pro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship: Michael Oku vs. Great-O-Khan (c)
It’s a big match for Oku, so we’ve got a new entrance, with clips throughout Oku’s career – starting back at that PROGRESS Freedom’s Road taping (if you know, you know), through the Resistance Gallery, Electric Ballroom, the Cockpit, Merton Arts Space, Craufurd Arms, the 229, York Hall (and plenty of other places I didn’t recognise), set to Oku’s many themes. Including that one that was a bonus track on a WWE theme album. It’s too late…

The overarching story here was that it was O-Khan that Oku faced in his Rev Pro debut at York Hall – back when Rev Pro had a TV show… and when the Dominator had an extra R in his name, and was only just starting his five-year unbeaten run in Rev Pro.

Oku started with a couple of dropkicks, much like in their first match five years ago, before an early half crab attempt was pushed away. A froggy crossbody crashes into O-Khan for an early two-count, before another half crab saw him get launched to the outside and into the railings… where things went south as Oku was launched through several rows of seats and towards the merch area as the cameras scrambled to get sight of what was going on.

Oku just about beats a count-out and made it back to the ring, as O-Khan took him around the four sides of the ring for Mongolian chops and throat thrusts. O-Khan takes a seat in the corner, but Oku’s able to slip out as he caught the champion with a gamengiri, then a top rope ‘rana as the challenger found an opening.

Heading outside, O-Khan’s caught with a Fosbury flop… before Gideon Grey delayed a leap from Oku to Okhan… which was moot as Oku crashed and burned down to the floor. O-Khan pounces on that as he lawndarted Oku into the ring post… then used some water to revive Oku as the challenger again got thrown into the crowd, which led to Oku narrowly beating the ref’s ten-count.

Back inside, a head-and-arm choke’s turned into a STO as O-Khan was playing with his foe here, while a release gutwrench suplex drew another two-count as Oku was having to dig deeper and deeper. Out of nowhere, a running dropkick from Oku caught O-Khan in the ropes, but a bicycle kick stops the misdirection knee… while a sleeper suplex bounced Oku into the mat.

A suplex bought Oku time amid the back-and-forth, but Oku’s forced to fight off an avalanche claw slam… before he eventually caught O-Khan unawares with a DDT. O-Khan retaliates by choking Oku with his braid, before shoving him into the ref in order to mask an illegal closed fist. A Tenzan Tombstone Driver spikes Oku, but it’s still not enough for O-Khan, who then mocked Oku with a full-fat Boston crab.

Cradling his way free, Oku manages to counter back with a half crab of his own, but O-Khan’s in the ropes quickly… so Oku heads up top and leaps into the back, then the leg of O-Khan as he softened him up for another half crab, only to have to change tactic as a death valley driver planted O-Khan in the middle of the ring. A frog splash lands, but Gideon Grey’s in to break up the cover… Oku rolls aside as Gideon lands on O-Khan, while a superkick from Oku took him outside. A dive looked to wipe out GIdeon, but it’s Amira who took the brunt of it… and in the confusion, Oku’s caught with a claw slam as he’s forced to kick out once again.

Another crack at the Eliminator’s caught as Oku rolled through into a half crab, trapping O-Khan in the middle of the ring. Amira tackles Gideon Grey as he tried to interfere again, allowing Oku to lean all the way back on O-Khan ahead of the eventual submission. York Hall erupts as Michael Oku overcame a stacked deck to finish his story and claim the undisputed British Heavyweight title. ****

The locker room empties out afterwards – or at least half of it – as Oku’s celebrations were interrupted by Connor Mills… who likely was beside himself at his own big moment being overshadowed. After walking to the ring in almost a trance, Mills declined to join Oku in the ring, as he headed to the back instead. We’re not done though… once all the handshakes and glad-handing was done, Trent Seven stayed behind to put the belt around Oku’s waist.

Of course, it’s a ruse as Trent spun Oku into a Seven Star lariat, before he snatched the belt and ran out of York Hall through the crowd… hey, this is subtext! So Oku’s left with the win, but without his title as Epic Encounter came to an end…

9.0

The final score: review Amazing

The 411

Not to steal the meme, but there’s a reason wrestling fans like it when stories are completed - be them obvious or not. Oku’s run from the Revolution Rumble through to Epic Encounter wasn’t as straightforward as you’d have expected, and with Trent Seven maneuvering himself into title contention, we’ve got ourselves an obvious, if not announced match for the Copperbox as Oku looks to get his big moment on Rev Pro’s biggest show yet. Away from the main event, questionable finish to the women’s title unification match, this was a cracker of a show from top to bottom, and one that packed a LOT into the near-four hour run time. In case you couldn’t tell, this is my kind of wrestling!